to be cut, so as to lay the whole country
under water, in hopes of destroying the communication between Ostend
and the camp of the confederates; and, after a regular siege, he took
colonel Caulfield, and a body of British troops posted in the village of
Leffinghen, by whose means the convoys had been forwarded to the duke
of Marlborough. On the twenty-second of October, mareschal Boufflers
desired to capitulate for the town of Lisle: next day the articles were
signed: on the twenty-fifth the allies took possession of the place, and
the mareschal retired into the citadel with the remains of his garrison,
which, from twelve thousand, was reduced to less than the half of that
number. A negotiation was begun for the surrender of the citadel; but
Boufflers made such extravagant demands as were rejected with disdain.
Hostilities were renewed on the twenty-ninth day of the month; and the
earl of Stair was detached to provide corn for the army in the districts
of Fumes and Dixmuyde. During these transactions, veldt-mareschal
D'Auverquerque died at Roselser, in the sixty-seventh year of his age,
after having, in above thirty campaigns, exhibited innumerable proofs of
uncommon courage, ability, and moderation. The duke de Vendome did not
despair of obliging the confederates to abandon their enterprise: the
French ministers at Rome and Venice publicly declared the allied army
was cooped up in such a manner, that it must either raise the siege or
be famished. The elector of Bavaria, with a detachment of ten thousand
men, marched to Brussels, and attacked the counterscarp with incredible
fury; but was repulsed by the garrison, under the command of general
Paschal, and retired with precipitation, when he understood that the
duke of Marlborough was in motion to relieve the place. This nobleman
and prince Eugene no sooner understood the danger to which Brussels was
exposed, than they marched with the covering army to the Schelde,
which they passed in pontoons without opposition, notwithstanding the
formidable works which the French had raised. They now abandoned them
with precipitation, to the surprise of the confederates, who had laid
their account with the loss of a thousand men in the attack. Having
passed the river between Eskenaffe and Hauterive, as well as at other
places, they marched to Oudenarde, where they received intelligence that
the elector had retreated. Then prince Eugene returned to Lisle, and the
duke of Marlborough pr