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132 REGNARD’S JOURNEY TO LAPLAND, &e.
by an officer, who with pleafure fhowed us every thing worthy of obfervation, and
pointed out to us the breach by which the Spaniards efcaped. The city contains nothing
remarkable, except the {pire of the cathedral, which has been lately built with furprifing
delicacy of tafte. We lodged at the Raven, and were very ill accommodated, owing
to the number of ftrangers ai this place.
From Cambray to Valenciennes the diftance is not greater than from Peronne te
Cambray. Valenciennes is fituated upon the Efcaut, and they are fortifying it in fuch
a manner as to render ir impregnable. We obferved carefully the place by which it
had been taken, and the gate through which the mufketteers entered. This gate is
conftruéted like a cate of vauited iron, and had communication with a glacis ; it had not
been open for twenty years, and it was only fo at this time for the purpole of carrying
in the body of the major, who had been ‘wounded during an attack which had.been
made on this fide: the mu‘ketteers, for whom it afluredly had not been opened, pur-
fued the enemy, and finding this entrance, continued their way ; and notwithftanding
a fhower of bull ets, pufhed on to another gate, the portcullis of which not havitg been
ufed for a long time, it was found impoffible to fhut, and they made themfelves mafters
of the city. We entered the fortrefs, and as we had a kind of a prieft with us, they gave
us two foldiers as conductors. It is known that there is nothing Spanifh in this coun-
try but the difpofition of the prieiis ; and they are carefully and cautioufly watched,
to prevent them from engaging in any improper enterprife. We obferved that all the
females in this country were handfome. In travelling from Valenciennes to Mons, it is
cuftomary to dine at Reverain, a place worthy of attention, both on account of the reft-
dence of our armies, and of its being the fpot which feparates the territories of France
and Spain: we arrived in good time at the city, and had fufficient leifure to view it with
attention.
Mons is the capital of Hainault, and the firft town under the dominion of Spain on
this fide ; but it remains fo only until it pleafe France to take it under her protection :
it may be confidered one of the ftrongeft fortreffes of the Low Country, on account of
its fituation, being furrounded with marfhes. ‘The burghers form its garrifon, and we
faw them mount cuard in the great fquare, which is extremely handfome. ‘The Prince
of Aremberg, a Spanifh nobleman, who is alfo Duke of Arcot, and of the firlt family
of the Low C with is governor. ‘That which gratified me much in Mons, and which
is fingular enough, was the royal college of Canonefles, founded by a ne
eftablifhed this community for the reception of ladics of quality, who remain here until
they leave it for the purpofe of being marricd. Thefe ladies perform the fervice with
peculiar gracefulnefs: they have one drefs in which they attend church in the morning,
and another in which they vifit the city in the evening, when they attend the beft com-
pany, and are perfeétly well received, on acccunt of the gallantry which they profefs.
We afcended the great tour, from whence we viewed the whole city, and where we alfo
faw an excellent chime of bells, which the Dutch and Flemings are very fond of.
After leaving Mons, we intended to fleep at Notre Dame de Halle. This place of
devotion has been, in common with others, muck abufed by the armies encamped in
its neighbourhood, which have had no regard for the reverence which ail Flemings feel
for this church, dedicated to the Virgin. We obferved on leaving Mons the fpot where
the famous batile of St. Denis was fought, on the evening previous to the proclamation
of peace in the army, and at the time when the Prince of Orange had in bis poffeffion
the articles of peace actually figned : we were accompanied by an officer who was pre-
fent at the engagement, and who fhowed us the pots and pofitions which the two armies
occupied, ‘he battle is alfo denominated that of Cafliau, which is the appellation of
a little village oppofite to that abbey, whofe name diltinguifhes this engagement.
We
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