of the river. That
general however had taken such precautions, that the king of England
could not interrupt the siege nor attack the French lines without
great disadvantage. The besiegers, encouraged by the presence of
their monarch, and assisted by the superior abilities of Vau-ban their
engineer, repeated their attacks with such impetuosity that the fort
of Cohorn was surrendered after a very obstinate defence, in which
he himself had been dangerously wounded. The citadel being thus left
exposed to the approaches of the enemy, could not long withstand
the violence of their operations; the two covered ways were taken
by assault. On the twentieth of May the governor capitulated, to the
unspeakable mortification of king William, who saw himself obliged to
lie inactive at the head of a powerful army, and be an eye-witness of
the loss of the most important fortress in the Netherlands. Louis having
taken possession of the place, returned in triumph to Versailles,
where he was flattered with all the arts of adulation; while William's
reputation suffered a little from his miscarriage, and the prince of
Barbason incurred the suspicion of treachery or misconduct.

THE ALLIES DEFEATED AT STEENKIRK.

Luxembourg having placed a strong garrison in Namur, detached Bounders
with a body of troops to La Bassiere, and with the rest of his army
encamped at Soignies. The king of England sent off detachments towards
Liege and Ghent; and on the sixth day of July posted himself at Genap,
resolved to seize the first opportunity of retrieving his honour by
attacking the enemy. Having received intelligence that the French
general was in motion and intended to take post between Steenkirk and
Enghien, he passed the river Senne in order to anticipate his purpose;
but in spite of all his diligence Luxembourg gained his point, and
William encamped at Lembecq, within six miles of the French army.
Here he resolved in a council of war to attack the enemy, and every
disposition was made for that purpose. The heavy baggage he ordered
to be conveyed to the other side of the Senne; and one Millevoix, a
detected spy, was compelled by menaces to mislead Luxembourg with false
intelligence, importing that he need not be alarmed at the motions of
the allies, who intended the next day to make a general forage. On the
twenty-fourth day of July, the army began to move from the left in two
columns, as the ground would not admit of their marching in an exten