Cardinal _Alberoni_ dispers’d several Pieces in the Name of his Master, by which he invited the _French_ Soldiers to take the Part of his Catholic Majesty; and to succeed the better in this Design, he engag’d the King of _Spain_ to head his Army, hoping, that upon his very first Appearance, one Half of the Army of _France_ would desert to his Standard. The Cardinal being full of Notions so chimerical and so injurious to Officers and Troops, as incapable of Cowardice as of Treachery; he oblig’d the _Chevalier de S----_ who had been a Colonel in _France_, but by Misfortunes was forc’d to go to _Spain_, to write to some of the chief Commanders, and solicit them to come over with their Regiments to the _Spanish_ Service. The _Chevalier_, who built Hopes of a considerable Fortune upon the Success of this Project, wrote to the Lieutenant-Colonel of _Normandy_, and sent the Letter to him by an Officer, who was indeed a Gentleman, but at that Time committed an Action unworthy of that Character. This Officer came to the _French_ Army, and gave the Letter to the Person it was directed to, who carrying it to the Marshal _de Berwic_, he caus’d the unfortunate Courier to be arrested, and hang’d up in Two Hours after. The Cardinal was very much mortify’d by having miscarry’d in this Attempt, not considering that the same was impracticable, by reason the Fidelity of the _French Officers_ was never to be corrupted; but it was not so at that Time with the _Soldiers_, of whom a great Number deserted to the _Spanish_ Army. Persons of Credit, who at that Time saw Cardinal _Alberoni_ in private, assur’d me, that Minister was so fully persuaded that whole Regiments at a Time would come over to the _Spanish_ Service; that when he was told 50 or 100 Deserters, more or less, were newly come; _What signifies that_, said he? _His Majesty wants to see Colours and Standards arrive, and not a Handful of Men._ The Cardinal had a great many Fortune-hunters about him, who were continually telling him, that intire Battalions were just coming over; and by the Favour of such Predictions, which never came to any Thing, they got out of him what they wanted, for no other Consideration but a sorry improbable Scheme, and which tended even sometimes to deceive the Minister and betray him. One may guess at the Character of those Gentlemen by one _F----_, who had been a Reformado-Colonel in _France_, but being press’d hard by merciless Creditors, could find no other Means to escape from their ill Humour, than by taking Shelter under Cardinal _Alberoni_. This _F----_ was a terrible Rattle, and could rodomontade better than any body. The Minister made him a Brigadier, and withal gave him a Gratuity of 100 Pistoles; but our Spark not thinking this sufficient, wanted forsooth to be a Major-General, and teiz’d the Cardinal for it to such a Degree, that to get rid of such an importunate Solicitor, his Eminency was oblig’d to