accounted for. It was only known, that he hated BOOK IL 1092. BOOK II. tion, to take the whole benefit of the enemy's 1692. first surprise, to penetrate their lines, to hinder Grandval's their forming at all, and to improve the confusion so created into a perfect rout." After this action, nothing of consequence was attempted on either side during the remaining part of the campaign. A horrid conspiracy against the life of king William was discovered in the month of August 1692. It appears that this plot was formed in the course of the last year; that M. de Grandval, a captain of dragoons in the French service, M. Dumont, and colonel Parker, had proposed this assassination to M. Louvois, who listened to it with approbation. But the design proved abortive through the want of resolution on the part of Dumont, who retired in the close of the year to Hanover. Suspicions arising from hints dropped by Dumont, and reported to the king's envoy at Hanover, that some dangerous design was in agitation, one Leefdale, a Dutchman, was sent to France as a spy, who, ingratiating himself into the confidence of Grandval, pretended to engage as an accomplice in the conspiracy; and Dumont at length revealed all the circumstances of the plot to the duke of Zell. Grandval, having accompanied Leefdale to Holland, was arrested at Eyndhoven. When he found that Dumont and Leefdale had turned informers, he made a free and full confession of the whole business: Being 1092. afterwards tried by a court-martial, of which the BOOK II. earl of Athlone was president, he was unanimously convicted, and soon afterwards executed in the camp. The particulars of his confession, as enumerated in the sentence of the court-martial, are extremely remarkable. It appears, "that the marquis de Barbesieux, having found the project of this plot among his father's papers, held several conferences with the assassins respecting it; and that the plan was finally agreed upon with this minister-that on the 16th of April 1692, Grandval, Leefdale, and Parker, went to St. Germaine's to speak with the late king James about the said design, who had knowledge of it, and to take leave of him before they began their journey-that the prisoner had audience of the king, the queen being present; the king telling him: Parker has given me an account of the business: if you and the other officers do me this service, you shall never want.'-That the prisoner, with Chanlais (quarter-master general to the French king) and Leefdale, were agreed in what manner the assassination should be committed; viz. that when the king should ride along the lines, or should go out to take any view, &c. Dumont should lie in ambuscade and fire upon the king; that Chanlais should be with 3000 horse at the duke of Luxemburg's grand guard: the prisoner saying, that it little concerned them whether 1692. BOOK II. Dumont should be taken or not, provided they could escape themselves-that the prisoner, as they were travelling, told Leefdale, that, their design taking place, the alliance among the confederate princes would be broken; that the princes concerned would each of them recall their troops, that, the country being thereby left without soldiers, the king of France would easily make himself master of it, and king James would be restored again-that the prisoner, with Leefdale, went to the mayor of Bois-le-duc, and was apprehended at Eyndhoven." However black the colors in which this confession, which was very long and circumstantial, exhibited the courts of Versailles and St. Germaine, no disavowal or attempt at confutation appeared, but it was suffered to pass with every symptom of conscious guilt into silent Campaign on the 1692. oblivion. may The campaign on the Rhine this year furnished Rhine, &c. no event worthy of historic notice. The same be said of the war in Catalonia. In Hungary, the important town of Great Waradin surrendered to the Imperial arms after a long blockade. The superiority of the confederates seemed this year conspicuous, chiefly on the side of Italy; the duke of Savoy, accompanied by M. Schomberg and prince Eugene, making a formidable irruption into Dauphiné, crossing the Durance, and reducing Fort Guillestre, with the towns of Ambrun and Gap. Maréchal Catinat, at the BOOK head of an inconsiderable 'force, exerted himself 1692. in vain to stop the progress of the allies, who threatened the city of Grenoble, and even Lyons itself. Large contributions were levied, and near eighty châteaus and villages destroyed, in revenge for the ravages committed by the French in the Palatinate. France has rarely been exposed to a more dangerous attack. M. Schomberg, who commanded the English auxiliaries, published a declaration in the name of the king of England, inviting all persons to repair to his standard, and assuring them "that his majesty had no other aim in causing his forces to enter France, than to restore the nobility and gentry to their ancient splendor, the parliaments to their former authority, and the PEOPLE to their just privileges." This manifesto, however honorable and noble its object, produced in the present enslaved and torpid condition of the country very little effect; and it may easily be supposed not very palatable to the other powers of the alliance. From whatever cause they might originate, dissensions arose and differences of opinion prevailed amongst the generals of an army composed of Italians, English, Germans, and Spaniards. A dangerous illness which at this time seized the duke of Savoy, the vigilance of Catinat, who had possessed himself of some important passes, and the approach of |