ven into the city of Paris.
While the allies plundered the province of Picardy, a detachment from
the French army, under the chevalier de Rozen, made an irruption into
Dutch-Flanders, broke through the lines of Bervilet, which had been left
unguarded, and made a descent upon the island of Cadsandt, which they
laid under contribution.

THE ALLIES INVEST LISLE.

The generals of the allies now undertook an enterprise, which, in the
opinion of the French generals, savoured of rashness and inconsiderate
self-sufficiency. This was the siege of Lisle, the strongest town in
Flanders, provided with all necessaries, stores of ammunition, and a
garrison reinforced with one and twenty battalions of the best troops
in France, commanded by mareschal de Boufflers in person. But these were
not the principal difficulties which the allies encountered. The enemy
had cut off the communication between them and their magazines at
Antwerp and Sas-Fan-Ghent; so that they were obliged to bring their
convoys from Ostend along a narrow causeway, exposed to the attack of an
army more numerous than that with which they sat down before Lisle. On
the thirteenth of August it was invested on one side by prince Eugene,
and on the other by the prince of Orange-Nassau, stadtholder of
Friesland; while the duke of Marlborough encamped at Hel-chin, to cover
the siege. The trenches were opened on the twenty-second day of August,
and carried on with that vigour and alacrity which is always inspired by
victory and success. The dukes of Burgundy and Vendome being now joined
by the duke of Berwick, resolved, if possible, to relieve the place; and
made several marches and counter-marches for this purpose. Marlborough
being apprized of their intention, inarched out of his lines to give
them battle, being reinforced by a considerable body of troops from the
siege, including Augustus king of Poland, and the landgrave of Hesse,
as volunteers; but the enemy declined an engagement, and the allies
returned to their camp, which they fortified with an intrenchment.
On the seventh day of September, the besiegers took by assault the
counterscarp of Lisle, after an obstinate action, in which they lost a
thousand men. The French generals continued to hover about the camp
of the confederates, which they actually cannonaded; and the duke of
Marlborough again formed his army in order of battle; but their design
was only to harass the allies with continual alarms, and inter