Magazine of Magazines

to conduct the Sieges. Louvois apoear-
"ed at all places with his ufual vigilance.
A finer and, at the Same time, a better
disciplined army had never been Seen.
In particular, the King's houshold
troops, a- newly reformed, made a
most gallant appearance. They were
composed os Sour troops of life-guards,
each containing three-hundred Gentlemen
; among whom there were many
young Cadets, without pay, Subject,
with the rest, to the regular duty of the
service : Two hundred light-horse, two
bundred gensd'armes, five-hundred
mospreteers, all choSen Gentlemen in
the Slower oS rheir youth; twelve companies
of gens-d'armerie, which were
afterwards augmented to sixteen; even
an bundred Switzers accompanied the
King, and his regiments of French and
Swilzers mounted guard beSore his
bouse. or before his tent. TheSe troops.
which, in general, were covered with
gold and silver, were, at once, a terror
and admiration in the eyes os a people
to whom magnificence os every kind
was entirely unknown.
Hohand had only the young Prince of
Oi-errt^e, and about twenty-five thousand
bad soldiers to oppose against Turenne,
Conde, lie.reemhorerg, Vauhan, an hundred
and thirtftnonSand Soldiers, a prodigious
train of artillery, and plenty of
money, with which attempts were
made to corrupt the Governors of the
enemy's towns. Prince Wil/iam of
Orange, aged twenty-two, had been elected
Captain-genend of the forces:,
by the almost unanimous voice of the
nation; and John de Witt had conSented
to it thro' necessity.
He was, at first, unable to make any
opposition to the tortent which burst in
upon his country ; his forces were too
inconsiderable, and even his power limited
by the States. The French army
fell Suddenly upon Holland, who had
no ally to protect her.
Lewie caused his troops to advance towards
the Rhine, in those provinces which
border upon Hol/and, Cologne, and Fenders.
The King was at the head of his
houshold troops, and others, which
were esteemed the choicest of his forces,
to the number of thirty-thousand men,
which Turenrre commanded under him.
The Prince of Conde had the command
of another army as strong as this. The
other troops, Sometimes commanded
by Luxembourg, and Sometimes by Chamilli,
were to compote Separate armies,
as occasion might recprire, or to
join thofe, if necessary. The operations
were commenced by the Siege of
Rhinherg, Grsor, Wesel, and Bit-rich ;
which were all taken almost as loon as
invested. Rhinherg did not wait the
firing os a single cannon ; for the Lieutenantof
the place, who wis an Irishman,
had been corrupted ; and, after being
guilty of the baseness to fell himself, had
the impudence to retire to Maastricht,
where the Prince os Grange punished
him with death.
All the towns bordering on the ^hirte
and iste/, surrendered, and some of the
Governors even sent their keys on the
appearance os a few troops. The Prince
of Grarrge had not troops sufficient to
appear in the field ; all Holland expected
to be subdued. as soon as the French
had passed the Rhine. The Prince of
Grange caused lines to be drawn on the
other fide of that river, but found it
impossible to defend them ; and the
French army passed the river on a bridge
of boats, without any difficulty.
As soon as the troops had passed the
Rhine, they took Duesinurg, ^ulphen,
Arnheim, Aurernhourg, Aimeguen, Skcrik,
Bomme/, Crevecceur, &c. Lirecht sent
its keys and capitulated, together with
all the province which bears its name
Lewis made his triumphal entry into that
city, being attended by his grand Almoner,
his Confessor. and the titular Bishop
os Utrecht. The great church was gi"
ven up to the catholics with great solemnity;
and the Bishop, who had only
possessed the vain and empty title, was,
forsometime, established in arealdignity-
The provinces of Utrecht, Oversee/,
and Guilders were subjected, and Amsterdam
expected the moment of its slavery
or ruin was at hand ; and, this capital
being once taken, not only sh^