128

HISTOKY OF ENGLAND.

CHAP.

XVII.

1691 .

surprise and extreme vexation, that cavalry, infantry, artil-lery, bridges of boats, were fast approaching the fated city bymany converging routes. A hundred thousand men had beenbrought together. All the implements of war had been largelyprovided by Louvois, the first of living administrators. Thecommand was entrusted to Luxemburg, the first of living ge-nerals. The scientific operations were directed by Yauban, thefirst of living engineers. That nothing might be wanting whichcould kindle emulation through all the ranks of a gallant andloyal army, the magnificent King himself had set out from Ver-sailles for the camp. Yet William had still some faint hopethat it might be possible to raise the siege. He flew to theHague, put all the forces of the States General in motion, andsent pressing messages to the German Princes. W'ithin threeweeks after he had received the first hint of the danger, he wasin the neighbourhood of the besieged city, at the head ofnear fifty thousand troops of different nations. To attack asuperior force commanded by such a captain as Luxemburg wasa bold, almost a desperate, enterprise. Yet William was sosensible that the loss ofMons w r ould be an almost irreparabledisaster and disgrace that he made up his mind to run thehazard. He was convinced that the event of the siege woulddetermine the policy of the Courts of Stockholm and Copen-hagen. Those Courts had lately seemed inclined to join thecoalition. If Mons fell, they would certainly remain neutral;they might possibly become hostile. “The risk,” he wrote toHeinsius, “is great: yet I am not without hope. I will dowhat can be done. The issue is in the hands of God.” On thevery day on which this letter was written Mons fell. The siegehad been vigorously pressed. Lewis himself, though sufferingfrom the gout, had set the example of strenuous exertion. Hishousehold troops, the finest body of soldiers in Europe, had,under his eye, surpassed themselves. The young nobles of his