ho made this
treacherous attempt being discovered, owned he had been employed for
this purpose by the duke of Luxembourg. He was tried by a court-martial
and suffered the death of a traitor. Such perfidious practices not only
fix an indelible share of infamy on the French general, but prove how
much the capacity of William was dreaded by his enemies. King William,
quitting Court-sur-heure, encamped upon the plain of St. Girard, where
he remained till the fourth day of September, consuming the forage and
exhausting the country. Then he passed the Sambre near Jemeppe, while
the French crossed it at La Busiere, and both armies marched towards
Enghien. The enemy, perceiving the confederates were at their heels,
proceeded to Gramont, passed the Lender, and took possession of a
strong camp between Aeth and Oudenarde; William followed the same route,
and encamped between Aeth and Leuse. While he continued in his post, the
Hessian forces and those of Liege, amounting to about eighteen thousand
men, separated from the army and passed the Meuse at Naimir; then the
king returned to the Hague, leaving the command to prince Waldeck, who
forthwith removed to Leuse, and on the twentieth day of the month began
his march to Cambron. Luxembourg, who watched his motions with a curious
eye, found means to attack him in his retreat so suddenly that his rear
was surprised and defeated, though the French were at last obliged to
retire. The prince continued his route to Cambron, and in a little time
both armies retired into winter quarters. In the meantime, the Duke de
Noailles besieged and took Urgel in Catalonia, while a French squadron,
commanded by the count d'Etrees, bombarded Barcelona and Alicant.

The confederates had proposed to act vigorously in Italy against the
French; but the season was far advanced before they were in a condition
to take the field. The emperor and Spain had undertaken to furnish
troops to join the duke of Savoy; and the maritime powers contributed
their proportion in money. The elector of Bavaria was nominated to the
supreme command of the imperial forces in that country; the marquis
de Leganez, governor of the Milanese, acted as trustee for the Spanish
monarch; duke Schomberg, son of that groat general who lost his life
at the Boyne, lately created duke of Leinster, managed the interest of
William, as king of England and stadtholder, and commanded a body of the
Vaudois paid by Great Britain. Before the German aux