English: Prince John William Friso, Stadtholder of Friesland, nephew and heir of William III, was a youthful prince with rich talents, brave to the point of audacity, revered by the army with fervour, calm in danger and calm under misappreciation. The soldiers know what has happened, he used to say, and that is enough for me. At the siege of Lille he displayed brilliant courage, after the victory at Oudenaarde had paved the way to this fortress of fifty thousand inhabitants and sixteen thousand defenders under Boufflers. Friso was entrusted with the storm assault. Prior to the digging of the trenches, his residence was so close to the enemy defences that on 18 August a cannonball caused his chamberlain to fall dead at his feet.