Rare Book & Collectors' Sale June 23rd, 24th & 25th 2026

80 IMPERFECTIONS NOT STATED Fonsie Mealy’s Est. 1934 650. “I Fear Most of All an Attack at One Spot” William III (1650-1702) King of England A utograph Letter Signed (“William R”) to an unnamed correspondent [possibly Charles - Henri de Lorraine, Prince de Vaudemont] discussing his strategy against the French forces during the siege of Namur. 3 pages 4to in French, with a half page autograph postscript, Camp before Namur, 6 July 1695. An outstanding campaign letter. In an attempt to extend the frontiers of his Kingdom, Louis XIV had subjected Europe to years of unremitting war. In 1689 William III joined forces with the League of Augsburg, an anti- French alliance led by the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I, and declared war on Louis in an attempt to halt his predatory expansion. But in 1692, laying claim to the Spanish Netherlands, Louis captured Namur, a town which had, over previous centuries, successfully resisted other sieges. Strategically important, Namur opened the road northwards for Louis, and might have allowed him to move into Holland. In 1695 William III laid siege to Namur; his campaign was successful, and it fell on 1 September, his greatest personal victory against the French. Louis XIV’s dislike of William of Orange was personal as well as political and strategic; some years earlier William had deeply offended him by declining to marry his daughter by Louise de la Valliere, because of her illegitimacy. Trans: I received today your letters of the 5th of three o’clock in the afternoon and eleven at night, you will have seen by everything I wrote to you yesterday that I entirely approve the measures which you have taken, and it seems to me certain that the movement which Villeroy has made had only the intention of causing you make a move, and I am confirmed in this, and you did very well not to do anything hastily, certainly the longer you can hold them in Flanders the more advantageous it would be for us in order to facilitate the siege, and five us the time to entrench ourselves... you might be able to attach the lines and then Courtray if the enemy left a few people [forces]there... I do not think the enemy will remain inactive for long and your deductions as to what they might attempt seem to me quite right, I fear most of all an attack at one spot, and Ath appears to me to be the most exposed, I spoke to the Elector [of Brandenburg] sugesting we send the two Walloon corps and the Marquis d’Uges[?] He promised me that he would order this to be done, and if you can have some Batallions enter Brussels it would be a good thin, for from here I cannot send anyone.. if you can join us we will have to pass by the field of Fleuru[s], but if the enemy suspected we would have to await them on this side of the pass at Massy and find ourselved a post there. We are busy... in constructing reoubts and fortifying the passes near the town in order to put our headquarters out of reach of a garrison which is so strong, I am always yours William R. I am sending you herewith a memorandum of the art[illery] and munitions which are near and a Ghent [not present] which I wish to have transported through Holland on the Meuse with all diligence.. Marshall Villeroy, mentioned in the letter, was responsible for the bombing of Brussels on 15 August of this year, an act of virtually pointless vandalism leaving the Grand Palace in ruins, which he carried out after having failed to defeat William’s ally the Prince de Vaudemont. Nine years later he was to lose the Battle of Ramillies to Marlborough. Slightly browned, but overall in excellent condition, as a m/ss. (1) Note: An extremely rare and important campaign letter entirely handwritten by King William III - to Charles Henri de Lorraine - Prince de Vaudemont - approx. one month before William’s army captured Namur - a victory - which many consider to be, his greatest military achievement. The length & detail of this letter and its tactical details give us at first hand an insight into the organizational brilliance of William as Commander in chief of a great European campaign. Little is left to chance - the overall strategy is openly discussed with senior officers - and orders given in a calm - business like fashion. There is a sense of confidence & assured momentum. This confidence was to be realised dramatically in August when even though the Williamite armies suffered great losses, they were above to finally capture what was believed by many to be the most fortified city in Europe at that time. Accompanied with a very fine period map of Namur by Jan Janson the Dutch cartographer c. 1680. It is certain William would have consulted similar maps of the area around Namur during this campaign. Also a superb silver Medal - very rare in this condition to commemorate the capture of Namur by King William. Engraved by George Hautch - it bears the Latin inscriptions -’ To the Champions of the World - Not by Gold - but the Valour of its Generals’ A truly remarkable letter, entirely in the hand of King William III. As a m/ss, w.a.f. Shows King William and the Elector of Bavaria with Hercules in the center. 45mms in overall very fine condition. €4,000 - €6,000