A LETTER From the Camp near the River  
Ricton the fo●rteenth of AUGUST.  
AS those that are saved from a Shipwrac● delight themselves exceedingly in relating those dangers they have avoided, so I think it is very just, that after a bloody Battle, I may have the pleasure to tell you the particulars of it. The Zeal I ha●e for the glory of my Prince, and the Employment with which he hath honoured me in his Army made me a party concerned in this Action. To entertain you Cavalieremen of a Battle, that is now the universal talk of all Europe: I will tell you the particulars of it the most impartially and the most succinctly that I can.  
The tenth of August the Prince of Conde, was informed by a Spy, that the Confedrate Army was to March towards Marimont, upon that advice His Highness sent the Count of St. Martin's with five hundred Horse to discover the truth of this Report, he had the good fortune to meet with a Party of two hundred Dutch Horse, he fell upon them briskly, and after a short resistance in which most of them were Killed, and the rest taken Prisoners, he came back to our Camp and his Prisoners did confirm the truth of those informations we had received from our Spy immediately after the Prince of Conde gave Orders that the whole Army should be in a readiness to March and to Fight, and Saturday last at break of the day, we went out of our Frenches, our General sent five thousand men to take possession of a Wood, as a Post very commodious, and of great advantage to our Army, to be short, about ten of the Clock in the morning our Men fell upon the Rear of the Enemy, the Spaniards that composed it, were the first exposed to the fury of our Soldiers, and in ●ess then two hours they were forced to Retire in great confusion to the main Body of the Dutch. A little before his Highness had sent ten thousand Men to attaque eight Regiments that the Prince of Orange had left to keep his baggage, the sight was vigorously disputed in this place, but at last the French made themselves Masters of it. So far the Enemies had lost six times more men than we. ●ut the Van of our Enemies composed of the Germans turning fell upon our Troops the Massacre was here the greatest and the most terrible, about six of the Clock both Armies were wholly engaged. The Confederates had at least fifteen thousand men more than we, but magure those odds we forced them to Retire, and to abandon us the victory, the Spaniards have lost about four thousand men, the Dutch as many, but the slaughter was greatest of all amongst the Germans for above five thousand of them were left dead or mortally wounded upon the Field, we have lost above four thousand men, and amongst them about eight hundred Gentlemen Of two Italian Regiments that were in the Confedrates Army there are hardly men enough left to make up a Company Mondony one of the Colonels was killed, and the Marquis de Sarondi is Prisoner and dangerously wounded, the Regiments of Holstein of Waldeck, of Vaudemont, Medode and Lorraine, have not above five hundred men left, the Marquis Daslentar who Commanded the Spanish Cavalry, was taken prisoner and died last night of his wounds: Le Marquis del Guardo, le Comte de Falstanel, and le Marquis don Alonzo del Prado were killed. The Prince of Salme the Duke of Holstein the Comte de Merode are Prisoners, le Prince Pio, le Prince Charles de Lorraine, le Comte de St. Cuarin, le Marquis del cada are dangerously wounded, we hard yesterday that Geneaal Souches had been wounded with a Pistol shot in the Shoulder, but without any danger. The Prince of Orange, escaped without any hurt though he thrusted himself into the thickest of our Troops all our Officers do praise exceedingly the stout Carriage of that young General. There is a true relation of our Enemy's losses, ours are nothing so great, but yet they are considerable enough our General was preserved as by a Miracle for he had two horses killed under him. He acted the part of a Commander like a judicious and experienced Prince, and that of a Soldier like a stout Man. His son the brave Duke of Enguin, that son so worthy of such a Father did wonders in this Battle but I fear that his glorious actions will cost us very dear since in all probability his wounds will prove mortal, the Duke of Navailles has done nothing in this occasion contrary to the glory of his past actions. Luxemburg behaved himself like a gallant Soldier, and a wise and a stout Commander, he is wounded with a Pike in the side but not dangerously In short the whese Army did all that could be expected from gallant men, we have lost a great many men of quality in this Battle and amongst the rest the Comte de Boise, le Marquis de Merillon, le Comte de Lustan, le Vice-comte de Herrer le Chevalier de Laverdun, are Killed. Monsieure le Comte de Montal, after a thousand actions of valour was wounded in four several place, but the most dangerous is of a Musket shot in the Thigh, le Chevalier de Fourilles the Comte de Buiston le Marquis de Beaurgard are dangerously wounded, our Brother that Commanded the Regiment of Vandesme in the absence of the young Colonel is wounded in three several places, but without any danger of his life, he hath lost above eight hundred men of his Regiment, for my part I have been so happy as to scape without any hurt from an occasion where Death had so plentiful a Harvest, we are in a daily expectation of a second Battle for the Prince is resolved to attaque the Enemy once more upon any favourable occasion it I am so happy to scape a live from the neat as I have from the last. I will let you know all the particulars of it. In the intreim give me leave to assure you that no man in the world loves you better then,  
Your ever kind friend and humble servant: R. M.   

LONDON, Printed in the year 1674.