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During the desperate fighting along the Aisne in this offensive the French captured about 20,000 prisoners and 130 guns. The German losses in killed, wounded, and prisoners were estimated at over 200,000 one of the most formidable totals of the Great War. North of the Scarpe River and in the vicinity of Catelet the British continued to improve their positions.

By the treaty with Spain, France was to keep Metz, Toul, and Verdun, and have back Saint-Quentin, Le Catelet, and Ham; but she was to restore to Spain or her allies a hundred and eighty-nine places in Flanders, Piedmont, Tuscany, and Corsica.

By this means, with God's assistance, I escaped being waylaid by my enemies, and reached Catelet at ten in the morning. From there I went to my house at La Fere, where I intended to reside until I learned that peace was concluded upon. At La Fere I found a messenger in waiting from my brother, who had orders to return with all expedition, as soon as I arrived, and inform him of it.

He remained absorbed in thought, trifling with the cherry without eating it, which Don Carlos set down as a proof of guilt: The three brothers were at once put in a coach, together with their sister, a nun of the age of twenty, and conveyed to the head-quarters of Fuentes, who lay before Le Catelet, but six leagues from Ham.

Consequently we possessed our souls in impatience and dabbled in conjecture. Veterans gave tips on war in the open country, or chatted airily about another tour of such places as Le Catelet, Le Cateau, Mons, the Maubeuge district, and Namur. The cautious listened in silence, and distilled only two facts from the dubious mixture of fancy.

It was summer when she travelled; but on just such an evening of blue twilight and silver moonshine might she have had her pretended carriage accident at Catelet, as an excuse to disappoint the Bishop of Cambrai, and meet the man best loved of all her lovers, Duc Henri de Guise.

By this means, with God's assistance, I escaped being waylaid by my enemies, and reached Catelet at ten in the morning. From there I went to my house at La Fere, where I intended to reside until I learned that peace was concluded upon. At La Fere I found a messenger in waiting from my brother, who had orders to return with all expedition, as soon as I arrived, and inform him of it.

Formal declaration of war against Spain Marriage festivities Death of Archduke Ernest His year of government Fuentes declared governor-general Disaffection of the Duke of Arschot and Count Arenberg Death of the Duke of Arschot Fuentes besieges Le Catelet The fortress of Ham, sold to the Spanish by De Gomeron, besieged and taken by the Duke of Bouillon Execution of De Gomeron Death of Colonel Verdugo Siege of Dourlens by Fuentes Death of La Motte Death of Charles Mansfeld Total defeat of the French Murder of Admiral De Pillars Dourlens captured, and the garrison and citizens put to the sword Military operations in eastern Netherlands and on the Rhine Maurice lays siege to Groento Mondragon hastening to its relief, Prince Maurice raises the siege Skirmish between Maurice and Mondragon Death of Philip of Nassau Death of Mondragon Bombardment and surrender of Weerd Castle Maurice retires into winter quarters Campaign of Henry IV. He besieges Dijon Surrender of Dijon Absolution granted to Henry by the pope Career of Balagny at Cambray Progress of the siege Capitulation of the town Suicide of the Princess of Cambray, wife of Balagny

The opening scenes of the campaign between the Spanish governor and France were, as usual, in Picardy. The Marquis of Varambon made a demonstration in the neighbourhood of Dourlens a fortified town on the river Authie, lying in an open plain, very deep in that province while Fuentes took the field with eight thousand men, and laid siege to Le Catelet. He had his eye, however, upon Ham.

Punning on these names he was wont to say, that he was frank for all good people, but a hangman for heretics; and he acted up to his gibe. Foiled at Ham, Fuentes had returned to the siege of Catelet, and had soon reduced the place. He then turned his attention again to Dourlens, and invested that city.