[Illustration: SIXTH (THE ROYAL FIRST WARWICKSHIRE) REGIMENT OF FOOT.] HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT. The spirit of enterprise, intrepidity, firmness, endurance, physical strength, and innate love of fame exhibited by the British troops, have not only contributed to elevate this Kingdom to its present exalted station among the nations of Europe, but in the numerous wars which have taken place in Christendom, other States have evinced strong desires to obtain British aid. In the Dutch war of independence, from 1572 to 1648, British valour was eminently displayed in procuring the advantages of civil and religious liberty for the inhabitants of the United Provinces: British courage gave important aid to Henry IV. of France in his struggles for the throne: in the splendid achievements of the great Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, the British had an important share: many of the conquests of Louis XIV., surnamed "The Great," were achieved by the aid of British troops; and the regiment which forms the subject of this memoir is one of the English corps raised for the service of a foreign state under the following circumstances. [Sidenote: 1673] The only remaining corps[6] of the numerous bands of English lancers, cuirassiers, carabineers, archers, musketeers, harquebusiers, pikemen, and battle-axemen, who fought in the Dutch war of independence from 1572 to 1648, was recalled from Holland on the breaking out of hostilities between the English and Dutch in 1665: during the negociations for the peace of London in the winter of 1673-4, the States General pressed King Charles II. to recall his troops from the service of France[7], and solicited permission again to employ in their army a British division. The king refused to recall his regiments from France; but his majesty engaged not to permit any additional British corps to be levied for the service of Louis XIV., and to prevent the others being recruited: at the same time permission was given to the States to raise for their service a body of troops in England and Scotland, to be commanded by the colonel of the old HOLLAND REGIMENT, SIR WALTER VANE, who was promoted to the rank of major-general in the Dutch army, and appointed colonel of one of the regiments to be raised for this service, now the SIXTH REGIMENT OF FOOT, his commission bearing date the 12th of December, 1673. [Sidenote: 1674]