ective men, were in the month of May assembled in the
neighbourhood of Brussels, from whence they marched towards Oudenarde,
and posted themselves behind the Schelde, being unable to retard the
progress of the enemy. The French monarch, attended by his favourite
ladies, with all the pomp of eastern luxury, arrived at Lisle on the
twelfth day of the same month; and in the adjacent plain reviewed
his army. The states-general, alarmed at his preparations, had, in
a conference with his ambassador at the Hague, expressed their
apprehensions, and entreated his most christian majesty would desist
from his design of attacking their barrier. Their remonstrances having
proved ineffectual, they now sent a minister to wait upon that monarch,
to enforce their former representations, and repeat their entreaties;
but no regard was paid to his request. The French king told him, he was
determined to prosecute the war with vigour, as his moderation hitherto
had served to no other purpose but that of rendering his enemies more
intractable. Accordingly, his troops invested Menin, which was in seven
days surrendered upon capitulation. Ypres, Fort Knocke, and Furnes,
underwent the same fate; and on the twenty-ninth day of June the king of
France entered Dunkirk in triumph.

PRINCE CHARLES OF LORRAINE PASSES THE RHINE.

He had taken such precautions for the defence of Alsace, which
was guarded by considerable armies under the command of Coigny and
Seckendorf, that he thought he had nothing to fear from the Austrians in
that quarter; besides, he had received secret assurances that the king
of Prussia would declare for the emperor; so that he resolved to pursue
his conquests in the Netherlands. But all his measures were defeated by
the activity of prince Charles of Lorraine, and his officers, who found
means to pass the Rhine, and oblige the French and Bavarian generals to
retire to Lampertheim, that they might cover Strasburgh. The Austrians
made themselves masters of Haguenau and Saverne; they secured the
passes of Lorraine; and laid all the country of Lower Alsace under
contribution. The king of France was no sooner apprized of the prince's
having passed the Rhine and penetrated into this province, than he sent
off a detachment of thirty thousand men from his army in Flanders, to
reinforce that under the mareschal de Coigny; and he himself began his
journey from the Rhine, that he might in person check the progress of
the enemy; but t