ed by Rotterdam and the whole
province of Holland; and on the second day of May, the prince of Orange
was, in the assembly of the states-general, invested with the power
and dignity of stadtholder, captain-general, and admiral of the United
Provinces. The vigorous consequences of this resolution immediately
appeared. All commerce and contracts with the French were prohibited;
the peasants were armed and exercised; a resolution passed for making a
considerable augmentation of the army, a council of war was established
for inquiring into the conduct of the governors who had given up the
frontier places; and orders were issued to commence hostilities against
the French, both by sea and land.

Meanwhile the duke of Cumberland took post with his whole army between
the two Nethes, to cover Bergen-op-Zoom and Maestricht; and Mareschal
Saxe called in his detachments with a view to hazard a general
engagement. In the latter end of May the French king arrived at
Brussels, and his general resolved to undertake the siege of Maestricht.
For this purpose he advanced towards Louvain; and the confederates
perceiving his drift, began their march to take post between the town
and the enemy. On the twentieth day of June they took possession of
their ground, and were drawn up in order of battle, with their right at
Bilsen, and their left extending to Wirle within a mile of Maestricht,
having in the front of their left wing the village of Laffeldt, in which
they posted several battalions of British infantry. The French had taken
possession of the heights of Herdeeren, immediately above the allies;
and both armies cannonaded each other till the evening. In the morning
the enemy's infantry marched down the hill in a prodigious column, and
attacked the village of Laffeldt, which was well fortified, and defended
with amazing obstinacy. The assailants suffered terribly in their
approach from the cannon of the confederates, which was served with
surprising dexterity and success; and they met with such a warm
reception from the British musquetry as they could not withstand; but,
when they were broken and dispersed, fresh brigades succeeded with
astonishing perseverance. The confederates were driven out of the
village; yet being sustained by three regiments, they measured back
their ground, and repulsed the enemy with great slaughter. Nevertheless,
count Saxe continued pouring in other battalions, and the French
regained and maintained their footin