The next siege was Bergen St. Winock, six miles from Dunkirk; which Marshal Turenne beleaguered with the French army, and the four Regiments of English: and, in four or five days' siege, it was taken upon capitulation.
Marshal Turenne did rest the army for two days after; and then resolved to march through the heart of Flanders, and take what towns he could, that campaign.
The next town he took was Furnes, the next Menin; after that, Oudenarde: and, in a word, eight towns besides Dunkirk and Ypres. For so soon as the Redcoats came near the counterscarps, there was nothing but a capitulation, and a surrender presently. All the towns we took were towns of strength [i.e., fortified].
The last siege we made, was before the city of Ypres, where the Prince de Ligny had cast himself in before, for the defence of that city, with 2,500 Horse and Dragoons. Besides, there were in the city, 4,000 burghers, all proper young men, under their arms. So that the garrison did consist of 6,500 men.
Marshal Turenne sent in a summons; which was answered by a defiance.
Then Marshal Turenne broke ground, and carried on two approaches towards the Counterscarp. Major-General Morgan went into the approaches every night, for fear of any miscarriage by the English; and came out of the approaches every morning at sunrising, to take his rest: for then the soldiers had done working.
The fourth morning, Major-General Morgan went to take his rest in his tent; but, within half an hour afterwards, Marshal Turenne sent a Nobleman to him, to desire him to come to speak with him. When the Major-General came, there were above a hundred Noblemen and Officers of the army walking about his tent. And his Gentlemen had decked a room for his Excellency with his sumpter cloths; in which homely place, there were about twenty Officers of the army with him: but as soon as Major-General Morgan came, Marshal Turenne desired all of them to retire, for he had something to communicate to the Major-General.
The room was immediately cleared, and Marshal Turenne turned the Gentlemen of his Chamber out, and shut the door himself. When this was done, he desired the Major-General to sit down by him; and the first news that he spake of was that "he had certain intelligence that the Prince of Condé and Don Juan of Austria were at the head of 11,000 Horse and 4,000 Foot, within three leagues of this camp: and resolved to break through one of our quarters, to relieve the city of Ypres," and therefore he desired Major-General Morgan to have all the English, under their arms, every night, at sunset; and the French army should be so likewise.