FRANCE. 
3 . tery, when he was killed by a cannon ball. Consterna- 
, tion, alarm, and ‘indecision, their natural effects, filled 
Lonis’ in the: 1677, Louis placed himself at the fought at Mont Capel, on the 11th of April: For some Mont Capel. 
oan head of his decay tex Flanders, and began his tions, time the issue was doubtful, till tinterthe made a A.D. 1677, 
before the 's cavalry, for want of forage, could masterly movement, which compelled the Prince to 
the French army ; of this the Imperial general took ‘ad- 
vantage; and after having been kept three months on 
the German side of the Rhine, by the talents of Tu- 
‘renne, he passed it the moment he heard of his fate, 
and penetrated into Alsace. The Prince of Condé, 
this, was sent with a reinforcement to join the 
army, and supply the place of Turenne; but, before 
his arrival, a of the German forces had laid siege 
to Treves, an cog Acqui, advancing in relief, 
exposed himself is negli to a t defeat, 
pee or ee tale te Rtn do into Treves. Here 
he ved to at i 
iged them to the Rhine. 
pecthtre Jarteucm Cermbnistelt the career of his mili 
glory, passing the remainder of his life in honourable 
retirementat Chantilly. Montecuculli withdrew at the 
Prince of Orange ; but as each was ing to hazard 
eT an the Monarch returned to Ver- 
al 
Louis, thus deprived of two of his ablest generals, 
was obliged to supply their loss, as far as possible, by 
the vigour and extensiveness of his preparations for a 
new campaign; and by a new secret , into which 
he entered with the King of England. By this, they 
obliged themselves to enter into no treaties, unless by 
mutual consent. 
oe Dee er sot ella anche 
place, the’! posted himself to such advan as to 
from coming to its relief. The Prince 
indeed, came in sight of the French army, 
could not force Louis to fight ; and thus was 
inactive spectator of the fall of the place, which 
hoped to relieve. Louis soon afterwards return- 
Versailles, leaving the command to Marshal 
As soon as Seaton departed, the 
to Maestricht; but the 
* 605 
taken ; 5000 men were killed, and the French fleet History. 
were masters of the Mediterranean. They were, how- 
ever, soon afterwards induced to evacuate Messina at 
the moment they flattered themselves with the hope of 
securing it. 
During these various operations, a congress had been 
established at Nimeguen, under the mediation of the 
King of England. The Dutch were tired of the war, 
which had greatly increased their taxes; but the Prince 
of Orange, filled with ambition and animosity against 
France, persuaded them to continue it, representing, 
among other reasons, that it was necessary to obtain a 
strong frontier on the side of Flanders, and that they 
ead not honourably desert their allies. Louis also 
was desirous of ; but as he wished for favourable 
conditions, he was sensible that aa could iA ae 
onl a vigorous tion e war. us the 
nagobhets va ‘ons leading Ps tio réealle the preparations for a 
new campaign were carried on with great activity on 
each side. Louis took the field, as usual, as early as 
February, Louvois having by this time established 
ines. Valenciennes was his first object, which 
he carried by storm, by making the assault in the morn- 
ing, when it was least |, in preference to the 
night, the usual time ; to this he was advised by Vau- 
ban. “Indeed, he never sate down before any place 
that he was not almost certain of reducing. He next 
invested Cambray and St Omers, The Prince of Orange 
advanced to the relief of the latter place, with an army 
hastily assembled: the siege was covered by the Duke 
of Orleans, the King’s brother, and Marshal Luxem- 
burg ; the former had the effeminate manners of a 
woman, but these concealed the most ardent courage ; 
the latter had been the intimate friend and. favourite 
pupil of Condé. The Prince of Orange being resolved 
to raise the siege at any rate, an obstinate ba 
seek shelter under the walls of Ypres. The fall of St 
Omers immediately followed. Louis, always anxious 
after military fame, and jealous of it in others, could 
not brook the idea that his brother should have gained 
a Mere by an army, of which he was the command- 
er ; he listened to the intelligence with no ‘marks of 
satisfaction, and never afterwards entrusted the Duke 
with the chief command. The Prinee of Orange, in 
order to for his defeat, laid’ siege to Char- 
leroi, but he was forced to raise it on the approach of 
Marshal Luxemburg. 
Negociations for still continued, and they were 
soon ht to a favourable termination, The Par~ 
liament of England obliged Charles to listen to pacific 
overtures, as they, as well as the nation, were strongly 
lief, the siege was ; averse to the union with France, especially for the pur- 
Naval ope- In the midst of these operations by land, Louis did pose of war against Holland. The Dutch were weary 
rations, not neglect his navy. A fleet, under the Duke of Vi. of the war, from which hitherto: they had derived no 
vonne, was sent into the Mediterranean, to support the advantage, which could compensate for their addition- 
people of Messina, who had rebelled against the Spa- al taxes. France also need ce; for though victo- 
niards ; while the latter were aided by a 
Se caeiataepantaaieataan After an obstinate 
combat, Messina was relieved by the French. Another 
near 
vious in the field, she was exhausted at home. The 
King had indeed taken the field early in 1678, and had 
reduced Ghent, while the army under Luxemburg 
ttle was Rattle of 
engagement took place oom hens had invested Mons, when the Ditch ambassador at 
ee were also victorious, and De Ruyter was kill. Nim , alarmed at the progress of the enemy, Treaty of 
i the treaty of peace with the ministers of France, Nimeguen. 
by which Louis secured the possession of Franche A. D. 1678. 
Compté, Cambray, Aire, St Omers, Valenciennes, Tour- 
nay, , Bouchain, , Charlemont, &c. Maes- 
tricht was restored to the United Provinces, Spain re- 
