“Nivelles, June 20th, 1815.
“1. As the army is about to enter the French territory, the troops of the nations which are at present under the command of field-marshal the duke of Wellington, are desired to recollect that their respective sovereigns are the allies of his Majesty the king of France, and that France ought, therefore, to be treated as a friendly country. It is therefore required that nothing should be taken either by officers or soldiers, for which payment be not made....
“2. The Field-Marshal takes this opportunity of returning to the army his thanks for their conduct in the glorious action fought on the 18th inst., and he will not fail to report his sense of their conduct, in the terms which it deserves, to their several sovereigns.
“Wellington.”
The Duke’s head-quarters on the 21st were at Malplaquet, the scene of one of the great Marlborough’s victories, in 1709. He immediately issued a proclamation to the French people, which exemplifies the wisdom, firmness and moderation that ever marked the career of our illustrious commander. He worthily represented a brave, victorious, but humane people, the inhabitants of the British empire.
PROCLAMATION.
“Be it known to the French people, that I enter their country at the head of a victorious army, not as an enemy, (excepting to the usurper, the declared enemy of the human race, with whom we can have neither peace nor truce,) but to assist them to throw off the iron yoke by which thy have been borne down.
“For this purpose I have issued the accompanying orders to my army; let all who shall infringe those orders be reported to me.
“The French people, however, must be aware that I have a right to require them so to conduct themselves, that I may be warranted in protecting them from all aggression.