Military Memoirs of Capt. George Carleton by Daniel Defoe
page 46 of 250 (18%)
page 46 of 250 (18%)
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_VILLEROY_ all this while lay in fight, with his Army of One Hundred
Thousand Men, without making the least Offer to incommode the Besiegers; or even without doing any thing more than make his Appearance in favour of the Besieged, and reconnoitring our Encampment: And, at last, seeing, or imagining that he saw, the Attempt would be to little purpose, with all the good Manners in the World, in the Night, he withdrew that terrible Meteor, and reliev'd our poor Horses from feeding on Leaves, the only Inconvenience he had put us to. This Retreat leaving the Garrison without all Hope of Relief, they in the Castle immediately capitulated. But after one of the Gates had been, according to Articles, delivered up and Count _Guiscard_ was marching out at the Head of the Garrison, and _Bouflers_ at the Head of the Dragoons; the latter was, by order of King _William_, arrested, in reprize of the Garrison of _Dixmuyd_ (who, contrary to the _Cartel_, had been detain'd Prisoners) and remain'd under Arrest till they were set free. At the very Beginning of the Year 1696 was discover'd a Plot, fit only to have had its Origin from Hell or _Rome_. A Plot, which would have put _Hottentots_ and Barbarians out of Countenance. This was call'd the _Assassination Plot_, from the Design of it, which was to have assassinated King _William_ a little before the Time of his usual leaving _England_ to head the Army of the Confederates in _Flanders_. And as nothing could give a nobler Idea of the great Character of that Prince than such a nefarious Combination against him; so, with all considerate Men, nothing could more depreciate the Cause of his inconsiderate Enemies. If I remember what I have read, the Sons of ancient _Rome_, though Heathens, behav'd themselves against an Enemy in a quite different Manner. Their Historians afford us more Instances than |
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