of this message to ask a passport from M. Daun for bringing some sheep and fire-wood into the town.
His excellency answered to these three heads, That he had no irregular troops with him; and that he had forbid any person of his army to approach the suburbs; that he did not apprehend any excesses had been committed; but in case there had, he desired to know the number of the persons massacred; that he was the more astonished at those complaints, as he never suffered such disorders; that he abhorred them, and that perhaps the burghers had no foundation for what they had said. As to the suburbs, M. Daun answered, that he would not suffer rules to be prescribed to him; that it depended upon him to send troops into the suburbs, as he should judge proper, and the governor might do as he pleased; but that he hoped that in the mean while no more families would be made wretched; and that he had forbid his troops, on severe penalties, to enter the suburbs to pillage. As to the demand made by the court, he answered, that he would particularly attend to it; and assured them of his profound respects.
On the 12th, his excellency sent an officer with a permit to deliver the sheep and fire-wood for the court, which were to be brought into the town by Prussians; and Captain Collas was sent to regulate this affair. The captain, in passing through the suburbs, shewed the lieutenant sent by M. Daun the marauders of his troops, both foot and hussars, who exceeded 200; and the officer promised to make a report of it to the marshal. The rest of the time, to the 26th, that the enemy's army retired, passed in amazing tranquillity.
No. I. Letter from M. De Bose, chief cup-bearer to Count Schmettau,
I have the honour to acquaint your excellency, in answer to what you wrote me this day, I must own that ever since you had the government of Dresden, I informed you of all that his royal highness charged me to tell you in his name, and I have likewise reported to his highness your excellency's answers.
As to the first point, I also remember very well that your excellency charged me, in the month of July, to represent in your name to his royal highness, that if Marshal Daun should attack the city, you must set fire to the suburbs, particularly the houses that adjoined to the ditch; into which houses your excellency immediately ordered combustibles to be put. I also remember, that upon the solicitations which his royal highness made, by me, to your excellency, you ordered them to be removed when Marshal Daun retired; and of this also I made an humble report.
It is also true, that when Marshal Daun was at Lockowitz, on the 8th of November last, your excellency charged me to acquaint his royal highness in your name, that if the marshal should approach nearer the town and attack it, you should be obliged to burn the suburbs, and the houses adjoining to the town ditch. Although I made several remonstrances to your excellency from the court, you de-clared,
