our people, and their conjunction with French and Irish papists, the ir reconcileable enemies of their religion and liberties.

We do also require you, to transmit to us full and constant accounts of the state of affairs there, and not doubting of your zeal and diligence. We bid your heartily farewel.

Given at our court, at Kensington, the Eighth day of March, 1707-8. And of our reign the seventh year.

By her Majesty's command,

Counter-signed,

MAR.

The Earl of Leven's letter to the Earl of Mar, to press for orders to Ireland for the troops, and that he may know, to whom he must

write.

My Lord,

Stamford, March 7, 1707-8, Sunday, Ten o'clock.

YOU will have a memoir, by the Earl of Weems, which I sent from Stilton. I must again intreat you, to mind the establishment, and all my concernments, both personal, and what relates to the garisons; I desire the three commissions for the three adjutants, to the grenadiers and dragoons, as I gave in the list; I desire you to send down the name of the person, I am to write to in Ireland, if there be occasion; although I must still intreat your Lordship to press, that orders be sent to some horse and dragoons to imbarque. By my letters from Scotland, I understand that there is a great ferment there, and particularly, in the West-Country; and that the Jacobites are very uppish; my letter also says, That the officers can hardly get money for the bills sent from London; therefore, I pray you, represent it so, that some method may be taken, to send money down, for you may be sure, if the invasion be, there can none be got there; and how inconvenient the want of it will be, is obvious. My Lord, Adieu.

Pray, write by every occasion, and let me know, if I shall give any encouragement to any, who shall be willing to take up arms to join us; I hope, at least so much of the levy-money, as is due since the Twentyfourth of December, will be given now, for that will buy some horses, and levy some men.

ANNE R.

Instructions to our right trusty and well-beloved cousin and counsellor, David, Earl of Leven, Lieutenant-General, and Commander in Chief of our Militia, and of all our forces, in that part of our kingdom of Great Britain, called Scotland.

YOU are to repair to Scotland, with all convenient diligence, and to take the advice of our privy-council, in all things, you shall judge

necessary, for preserving the peace of that part of our united king

dom.

And whereas we have intelligence, that there are preparations at Dunkirk, for invading that part of our kingdom of Great Britain: You are to oppose their landing, as much as you can, and in case they shall land, you are to hinder, as much as possible, our subjects, from joining them, and to fall upon, and disperse any, who shall tumultuously rise in arms, and endeavour to join them.

You are to make such a disposition of the troops, as you shall judge most for our service in this present juncture.

You are to take care to put Edinburgh Castle, in such a posture of defence, as your time will allow; and provide provision for the gari. son, for three months, and to advise with the other governors of garisons, that they be in like manner provided, and put in an order of defence.

You are to dispose of the ammunition, you are to receive, to the garisons and troops, as you shall judge most for our service.

You are to apply to our Privy-council in Scotland, for giving the necessary orders for providing of horses, both for the baggage and for the train of artillery, in case you shall be obliged to take the field.

You are impowered to call councils of war as often as you shall think fit, and to take their advice, in any manner of difficulty.

You are to advertise us from time to time, either by express, or the ordinary pacquet, of the posture of affairs there, and of what intelligence you shall receive of the designs and condition of the enemy, and obey such further instructions, as we shall think fit to give therein.

You are, upon the first appearance of any squadron of French ships upon the coasts, to send to Ireland to to advertise him thereof,

who has orders to send troops to your assistance.

Given at our Court, at Kensington, the Fourth day of March, 1707-8; and of our reign, the sixth year.

Counter-sigued

MAR.

ANNE R.

The Queen's Letter to the Council, concerning an Invasion.

RIGHT trusty, &c. Whereas we have intelligence, that there are preparations at Dunkirk for fitting out a squadron of ships: And that these intelligences do likewise give an account of embarking some troops, arms, and ammunition, which may be designed for invading and making disturbance within that part of our kingdom of Great Britain called Scotland: We have therefore thought it necessary to acquaint you of this, and we do expect that you will use your utmost care and diligence

for the protection of our subjects, and the preservation of the publick peace there.

We are unwilling to believe that any of our subjects will give assistance or encouragement to any such invasion, which would prove of such dangerous consequence to their religion and liberties, and make their native country a scene of blood and confusion; however, we doubt not but that you will take all the necessary measures to discover and disappoint any such bad practices and contrivances, and to secure such as you shall find concerned therein.

We are hopeful, with the assistance of God, to prevent and defeat this design of our enemies, and for this end nothing shall be wanting on our part; we have fitted out a fleet superior to any they can have in those parts; we have also given orders that some of our troops in Flanders be ready to embark, in case the embarkation at Dunkirk shall go on, and our troops in England and Ireland are so disposed as to give you what assistance may be necessary. In the mean time, we hereby authorise and impower you to give such orders as are proper, to put our forces, forts, and garisons there, in the best order.

We shall continue to inform you from time to time of what further intelligence we may receive, and therefore we think it necessary, that you appoint all our Privy-counsellors there to attend at Edinburgh, for receiving and obeying our orders, except such as you judge more useful for the publick service to be in the country; and having intire trust and confidence in your loyalty and conduct, in this juncture, we bid you heartily farewel.

Given at our Court at Kensington the 25th day of February 1707-8, and of our reign the sixth year.

By her Majesty's Command,

Counter-signed,

LOUDEN.

THE

GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF MONS.

FIRST WRITTEN IN FRENCH

FOR THE

SERVICE OF AN IMPERIAL OFFICER,

IN THE ARMY ABOUT MONS;

AND NOW DONE, A SECOND TIME, IN ENGLISH,

FOR THE

SATISFACTION OF OUR BRITISH OFFICERS.

By John Mack Gregory, L L. L.

PROFESSOR OF GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY.

Printed at Edinburgh, in the Year MDCCIX, Quarto, containing forty-four

pages.

MONS

ONS is a great town, the capital city of all Hainault, and the principal place of residence of the governor, and the other offi cers, who compose both the particular courts, and the general councils, of that whole province.

It is situated on the banks of the river Trouille, in the middle of a large plain, that reigns all around it, for several leagues, on both sides the river Haine: But, just where the town stands, there is a small eminence, included within it; the bank of the Trouille, on the one side there, being a little rising ground, or hill; that on the other side, a great level, or plain: And, immediately without the town, the ground is a great marsh, caused principally by an abundance of waters proceeding from the confluence of those two rivers, of a great many rivulets, of some brooks, and of several canals, all rendezvousing there. abouts, and partly by the continuance of the plain, which favours that of the marsh, making it to run out for a half a league from the walls, for three quarters, and for a whole league in some places; so that it reigns about the town, for a great way off, and with such a great deal of water, that it cannot be well drained, except on the East-side towards Namur, where the ground rises too high for it, and on the West towards Valenciennes, where there is likewise a little rising.

The chief of those waters, that render the country about Mons so marshy, are these two rivers, the Trouille and the Haine.

The Trouille is but a small river, taking its rise near the village of Merieux, in the same province of Hainault, three leagues and a half from the town of Mons, on the South-side. It has at first its course from South to North, then makes a turn within Mons, runs afterwards from East to West, and, at length, falls into the river Haine, a league above the fortress of St. Guislain, likewise in the same province, three quarters of a league from Mons, on the West-side.

Upon both the sides of this river, just where it makes the turn from the North to the West, or rather from the North-East to the NorthWest, stands Mons, seated upon the two banks, the bank there, on the East-side, being an eminence, or hill; that on the West-side, a flat ground, or plain; and the river running through the town, North-East when it goes in, and North-West when it goes out, divides it into two very unequal parts, the part on the East-side, upon the hill, being by far the greater; that on the West-side, in the plain, much the lesser; just three leagues and a half below where it rises, near Merieux, and about three quarters of a league, above where it falls into the Haine, not far from St. Guislain: That part of the river, which is above Mons, is called the Upper Trouille; and below, it is named the Lower.

The Haine is also but a small river, though somewhat greater than the Trouille, having its source near the town of Fontaine l' Eveque, in the same province of Hainault, four leagues and a half from the town of Mons, on the East-side. At first it runs North, then turns West, afterwards North-West, then South-West, and again West; so, making a great many turnings and windings, as it goes through the country, but having the main of its course from East to West, especially it is so as it passes by Mons; it at length falls into the river Scheld, a little above the fortress of Condé, likewise in the same province, four leagues and a quarter from Mons, on the West-side.

Upon the South-side of this river, at a place where it runs from East to West, or rather from North-East to South-West, stands Mons, seated on an eminence, upon the banks of the Trouille, in the middle of the plain on that side the Haine, and at the distance of betwixt a quarter and half a league from the river, where it passes by the town; just four leagues and a half below where it rises, near Fontaine l' Eveque, and about four leagues and a quarter above where it falls into the Scheld, hard by Condé: That part of the river, which is above Mons, is called, the upper Haine; and below, it is named, the Lower.

Besides those two rivers, there are abundance of other waters, that contribute to render the ground thereabouts a marsh, a great many rivulets, of lesser note, some brooks, and several canals, detached from those rivers both above and below Mons, that are all made to run, turning and winding through the country, about the town, into the lakes and ponds, to supply them with water; through the town, into the ditches and kennels, for the conveniency of the people; and out of the town, away into the channels of the Lower Trouille and Haine, with design to render them navigable.

In this manner, it happens, that the country about Mons is so marshy: The town is so surrounded, and the territory adjoining so planted, with