We were all to rendevouze at the Abbey of _Salsines_,
under the Command of the Lord Cutts; the Signal, when the Attack was to
be made, being agreed to be the blowing up of a Bag of Gun-powder upon
the Bridge of Boats that lay over the _Sambre_.

So soon as the Signal was made, we march'd up to the Breach with a
decent Intrepidity, receiving all the Way we advanc'd the full Fire of
the _Cohorn_ Fort. But as soon as we came near enough to mount, we found
it vastly steep and rugged. Notwithstanding all which, several did get
up, and enter'd the Breach; but not being supported as they ought to
have been, they were all made Prisoners. Which, together with a Wound my
Lord _Cutts_ receiv'd, after he had done all that was possible for us,
necessitated us to retire with the Loss of many of our Men.

_VILLEROY_ all this while lay in fight, with his Army of One Hundred
Thousand Men, without making the least Offer to incommode the Besiegers;
or even without doing any thing more than make his Appearance in favour
of the Besieged, and reconnoitring our Encampment: And, at last, seeing,
or imagining that he saw, the Attempt would be to little purpose, with
all the good Manners in the World, in the Night, he withdrew that
terrible Meteor, and reliev'd our poor Horses from feeding on Leaves,
the only Inconvenience he had put us to.

This Retreat leaving the Garrison without all Hope of Relief, they in
the Castle immediately capitulated. But after one of the Gates had been,
according to Articles, delivered up and Count _Guiscard_ was marching
out at the Head of the Garrison, and _Bouflers_ at the Head of the
Dragoons; the latter was, by order of King _William_, arrested, in
reprize of the Garrison of _Dixmuyd_ (who, contrary to the _Cartel_, had
been detain'd Prisoners) and remain'd under Arrest till they were set
free.

At the very Beginning of the Year 1696 was discover'd a Plot, fit only
to have had its Origin from Hell or _Rome_. A Plot, which would have put
_Hottentots_ and Barbarians out of Countenance. This was call'd the
_Assassination Plot_, from the Design of it, which was to have
assassinated King _William_ a little before the Time of his usual
leaving _England_ to head the Army of the Confederates in _Flanders_.
And as nothing could give a nobler Idea of the great Character of that
Prince than such a nefarious Combination against him; so, with all
considerate Men, nothing could more depreciate the Cause of his
inconsider