uke's design
was to besiege Saar-Louis; but prince Louis failed in the performance
of his engagement: he feigned himself sick, and repaired to the bath at
Schlangenbacle, leaving the small number of imperial troops he conducted
as far as Cruetznach, under the command of the count de Frize. He was
suspected of treachery; but probably acted from envy of the duke's
military reputation.*

* The duke of Marlborough finding himself obliged to
retreat, sent a note with a trumpeter to Villars, containing
an apology for decamping:--"Do me the justice, said he, to
believe that my retreat is entirely owing to the failure of
the prince of Baden; but that my esteem for you is still
greater than my resentment of his conduct."

THE DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH FORCES THE FRENCH LINES IN BRABANT.

While this nobleman sustained such a mortifying disappointment on the
Moselle, the French did not fail to take advantage of their superiority
in the Netherlands, where general d'Auverquerque was obliged to stand
on the defensive. They invested Huy, and carried on their operations so
vigorously, that in a few days the garrison were obliged to surrender
themselves prisoners of war; then Villeroy undertook the reduction of
Liege, and actually began his works before the citadel. Marlborough was
no sooner informed of the enemy's progress than he marched to Triers,
where, in a council, it was resolved that the army should return to the
Netherlands. The troops were in motion on the nineteenth of June, and
marched with such expedition that they passed the Maese on the first
day of July. Villeroy having received advice of the duke's approach,
abandoned his enterprise, and retired to Tonegren, from whence he
retreated within his lines, that reached from Marche aux Dames on the
Mouse, along the Mehaigne as far as Lenuive. Marlborough having joined
d'Auverquerque, sent general Scholten with a detachment to invest Huy,
and in a few days the garrison surrendered at discretion. The English
general, resolving to strike some stroke of importance that should atone
for his disappointment on the Moselle, sent general Hompesch to the
states, with a proposal for attacking the French lines; and obtained
their permission to do whatever he should think proper for the good
of the common cause. Then he explained the scheme in two successive
councils of war, by which at length it was approved and resolved upon,
though some Dutch generals de