This action may be taken as a fair sample of the difficulty with which any estimate can be formed of the relative losses on such occasions.  The Dutch historians state the loss of the royalists, in killed, at upward of two thousand.  Meteren, a good authority, says the peasants buried two thousand two hundred and fifty; while Bentivoglio, an Italian writer in the interest of Spain, makes the number exactly half that amount.  Grotius says that the loss of the Dutch was four men killed.  Bentivoglio states it at one hundred.  But, at either computation, it is clear that the affair was a brilliant one on the part of Prince Maurice.

This was in its consequences a most disastrous affair to the archduke.  His army was disorganized, and his finances exhausted; while the confidence of the states in their troops and their general was considerably raised.  But the taking of Amiens by Portocarrero, one of the most enterprising of the Spanish captains, gave a new turn to the failing fortunes of Albert.  This gallant officer, whose greatness of mind, according to some historians, was much disproportioned to the smallness of his person, gained possession of that important town by a well-conducted stratagem, and maintained his conquest valiantly till he was killed in its defence.  Henry IV. made prodigious efforts to recover the place, the chief bulwark on that side of France; and having forced Montenegro, the worthy successor of Portocarrero, to capitulate, granted him and his garrison most honorable conditions.  Henry, having secured Amiens against any new attack, returned to Paris and made a triumphal entry into the city.

During this year Prince Maurice took a number of towns in rapid succession; and the states, according to their custom, caused various medals, in gold, silver, and copper, to be struck, to commemorate the victories which had signalized their arms.

Philip II., feeling himself approaching the termination of his long and agitating career, now wholly occupied himself in negotiations for peace with France.  Henry IV. desired it as anxiously.  The pope, Clement VIII., encouraged by his exhortations this mutual inclination.  The king of Poland sent ambassadors to The Hague and to London, to induce the states and Queen Elizabeth to become parties in a general pacification.  These overtures led to no conclusion; but the conferences between France and Spain went on with apparent cordiality and great promptitude, and a peace was concluded between these powers at Vervins, on the 2d of May, 1598.

Shortly after the publication of this treaty, another important act was made known to the world, by which Philip ceded to Albert and Isabella, on their being formally affianced—­a ceremony which now took place—­the sovereignty of Burgundy and the Netherlands.  This act bears date the 6th of May, and was proclaimed with all the solemnity due to so important a transaction.  It contained thirteen articles; and was based on the misfortunes