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The Count of Dinant and his brother De Ronsoy were both slain, and two or three hundred thousand florins were paid in ransom by those who escaped with life. The victims were all buried outside of the town in one vast trench, and the effluvia bred a fever which carried off most of the surviving inhabitants. Dourlens became for the time a desert.

Within four days after the sack of Dourlens he broke up his camp, and came before Cambray with an army of twelve thousand foot and nearly four thousand horse. But before narrating the further movements of the vigorous new governor-general, it is necessary to glance at the military operations in the eastern part of the Netherlands and upon the Rhine.

This was an extremely small, yellow, dried up, energetic Spanish captain, with a long red beard, Hernan Tello de Porto Carrero by came, governor of the neighbouring city of Dourlens, who had conceived this plan for obtaining possession of Amiens. Having sent these disguised soldiers on before him, he had passed the night with his men in ambush until the signal should sound.

Christopher Mondragon that miracle of human endurance, who had been an old man when the great duke arrived in the Netherlands was still governor of Antwerp citadel, and men were to speak of him yet once more before he passed from the stage. I return from this digression to the siege of Dourlens. The death of La Motte made no difference in the plans of Fuentes.

The Spaniard's victories were, indeed, mainly attributable to the experience, the genius, and the rancour of De Rosnes. But debates over a lost battle are apt to be barren. Meantime Fuentes, losing no time in controversy, advanced upon the city of Dourlens, was repulsed twice, and carried it on the third assault, exactly one week after the action just recounted.

This was an extremely small, yellow, dried up, energetic Spanish captain, with a long red beard, Hernan Tello de Porto Carrero by came, governor of the neighbouring city of Dourlens, who had conceived this plan for obtaining possession of Amiens. Having sent these disguised soldiers on before him, he had passed the night with his men in ambush until the signal should sound.

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.

The Spaniard's victories were, indeed, mainly attributable to the experience, the genius, and the rancour of De Rosnes. But debates over a lost battle are apt to be barren. Meantime Fuentes, losing no time in controversy, advanced upon the city of Dourlens, was repulsed twice, and carried it on the third assault, exactly one week after the action just recounted.