TO CORRESPONDENTS.

THE sensible remarks on taxation, from Trader Political, are received, and shall be duly attended to. When investigations of this nature are carried on with temper, without being intended to excite useless alarms or unmeaning discontent, but merely to point out unobserved inconveniences, that they may be properly corrected, they cannot fail to prove beneficial. It is such disquisitions the Editor wishes to encourage; not those of a splenetic, or captious and declamatory nature. The farther communicati-ons of this correspondent will be very acceptable.

The lines by Pkabus are come to hand. The Editor is much obliged to this writer for his good opinion, which he will study to deserve. This young poet has inadvertently varied his measure; on this, and some other accounts, it will require to be attentively revised before it be fit for the public eye. It is impofsible too often to repeat, that superiour excellence alone in poetry can reflect honour on the writer.

The sonnet by A. T. will be inserted as soon as possible.

The favour of A. M. M. is come to hand, he will please be informed, that the Editor is so far in arrears to many of his correspondents that it is impossible for him to comply with their wishes for a long time. is the sole reason of the delay.

This

The gleanings from B. A. are thankfully received, and fhall be duly

attended to.

The anonymous lettter containing remarks on the paper of A. C. Z. is also received. Irony is a delicate weapon, which requires to be handled with great addrefs, if it is to be productive of much effect. The writer does not seem to be perfectly master of that weapon, and therefore his piece is improper for this miscellany. The query fhall be inserted in the first spare corner.

It

The piece signed Grumble Grumble, comes nearly under the same description with the above, but is written rather in a better manner. may pofsibly find a place.

The favour of Albanicus is thankfully received.

The paper signed L. Junius Brutus, reached the Editor the evening before the meeting for whose use it was intended. It was therefore impofsible to employ it as he wished. Correspondents will please observe, that it is not practicable, in general, to insert any communication in the Bee, that does not come to hand at least a fortnight before the day of publication of the number in which it is inserted.

The communication by Regulus came too late for insertion. We believe he either has been imposed on himself, or meant to impose. The postage ought to have been paid. This is the third useless letter, if we are not mistaken, we have received from this writer, postage not paid.

Misobrontes's favour is received, it will appear if possible next num

ber.

A Phoenix Hunter is received and under consideration, we have seen him write much better.

83.

THE BEE,

OR

LITERARY WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER,

FOR

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19. 1792.

SKETCH OF THE LIFE

OF

JOHN,E.OF BUCHAN, CONSTABLE OF FRANCE.

BY ALBANICUS.

Continued from p. 8.

On the return of the earl of Buchan to Scotland, he was received with high exultation by his country and by his uncle the regent; and when, after the great force which was employed by the regent, duke of Bedford, in France, the affairs of Charles at the battle of Crevant took an unfavourable turn, he was again sent by the council of the regency of Scotland into France, with a large reinforcement to the aid of the king, in which his father-in-law, the earl of Douglas, who was created a marishal of France and duke of Touraine, was second in command. It was agreed by a treaty, negociated on the part of Charles by the archbishop of Rheims, that no peace fhould be made with England without the participation, or consent of France. At the same time Charles conferred the county of Evreux, and the lordship of Aubigny, on

Sir John Stuart of Darnley, who had officiated as proconstable for Buchan, and had commanded the army of Scots auxiliaries in his absence."

The duke of Bedford was no les active in obtaining reinforcements to his army from England; and, by fresh levies made in France and in Burgundy, the war was renewed with fresh vigour. Bedford chose for the scene of his action, in person, that part of the country where the arms of Charles had been most successful on the confines of Normandy, where the fortified town of Yvri had been sometime before surprised and taken by Girant de la Paliere. This town being besieged by a force which was sufficient to make a complete blockade, it was agreed by the garrison, according to a custom, usual in these wars, that the place fhould be surrendered if no succour fhould arrive before the middle of August 1424, being three months from the time of the agreement.

Charles having called a military council, it was résolved, to attempt, without delay, the relief of this place.

He assembled his army in full force, which consisted of about six thousand Scots, two thousand Milanese, and five thousand veteran French, besides militia, or troops lately raised, that had seen no service.

Buchan led on his troops towards Chartres. The marifhal de la Fayette, the earl of Douglas, the count d'Aumale, and the viscount of Narbonne, were

will

*Of whose family is that admirable hero and patriot, M. de la Fayette now general of the national troops of France, a man whose memory Be dear to posterity, when many of the grandees, both of France and Eng land, shall be entirely forgotten.

entrusted with the most important commands under the direction of the constable.

But before they could come up Yvri had surren dered, of which event Buchan received intelligence at the village of Nonancour, about seven leagues from Yvri; when, changing his route, he laid siege to Verneuil, which is in the domain formerly pofsefsed by the duke of Alençon; and having summoned the garrison to surrender, they deceived the citizens by circulating the information by spies, that the siege of Yvri was raised, and the king, in great force, at hand to support the attack.

The garrison was forced by armed citizens to take refuge in the citadel, which, two days after, was taken by storm.

Bedford had no sooner been informed of this event, than he marched his whole army within three leagues of Verneuil, with a view to ensnare Buchan, by giving him battle on ground of his own choice.

Unfortunately for Buchan, and (but for the maid of Orleans) fatally for France, it was determined in the council of war to give the regent battle, without waiting for a more favourable occasion, or proceeding, with more important consequences to the cause of the king, to pofsefs themselves of the country, and gather strength and discipline by gaining time.

The French barons attached to the king and king, dom, who had flocked to Buchan's standard with their raw militia, inspired with that lively courage which seems natural to Frenchmen, contended for immediate battle; and, in the council, over-ruled the opinion of the constable, the earl of Douglas, the

count d'Aumale, and the other veteran commanders,” by giving them to apprehend, that the imputation of timorous caution would be affixed to their determination, if they declined the opportunity of battle*; next day, the 16th of August, the army of Bedford made its approach within view of Verneuil. He drew up his troops in a single line, the archers on the flanks, and two thousand in the rear for reserve. The center division was led on by the regent, the wings by the earls of Salisbury and Suffolk. In the same manner the constable ranged his army under the walls of Verneuil.

In each of his wings were a thousand horse, those on the right commanded by the baron de Coulonges,, the lords of Thienville, Estifsac, and Saintrailles, supported by M. de Roucin.

On the left by M. le Borgne de Caqueran, the lords of Valpergue, and Laquin de Rue, Lombards, together with the militia of their countries.

The wings were commanded by la Fayette and Narbonne. The constable led on in the center. It: was the intention and order of the constable that the attack fhould be received, and not given †, that he might take the advantage of the irregular and impetuous onset of the enemy. But the impatience of the viscount of Narbonne frustrated the prudent plan of the constable, by leading up his wing to the attack without concert, which forced the con

T

* Memoires de la Pucelle, p. 28. &c. trusting to the patriotic annals of Daniel, have ascribed the decision of the council to the impetuous im prudence of the Scots, but the preceding account scems more probable. + Histoire de France, par Meseray.