Parma having thus made himself master of the Meuse, lost no time in making a demonstration upon the parallel course of the Rhine, thirty miles farther east.  Schenk, Kloet; and other partisans, kept that portion of the archi-episcopate and of Westphalia in a state of perpetual commotion.  Early in the, preceding year, Count de Meurs had, by a fortunate stratagem, captured the town of Neusz for the deposed elector, and Herman Kloet, a young and most determined Geldrian soldier, now commanded in the place.

The Elector Ernest had made a visit in disguise to the camp of Parma, and had represented the necessity of recovering the city.  It had become the stronghold of heretics, rebels, and banditti.  The Rhine was in their hands, and with it the perpetual power of disturbing the loyal Netherlands.  It was as much the interest of his Catholic Majesty as that of the Archbishop that Neusz should be restored to its lawful owner.  Parma had felt the force of this reasoning, and had early in the year sent Haultepenne to invest the city.  He had been obliged to recal that commander during the siege of Grave.  The place being reduced, Alexander, before the grass could grow beneath his feet advanced to the Rhine in person.  Early in July he appeared before the walls of Neusz with eight thousand foot and two thousand horse.  The garrison under Kloet numbered scarcely more than sixteen hundred effective soldiers, all Netherlanders and Germans, none being English.

The city is twenty-miles below Cologne.  It was so well fortified that a century before it had stood a year’s siege from the famous Charles the Bold, who, after all, had been obliged to retire.  It had also resisted the strenuous efforts of Charles the Fifth; and was now stronger than it ever had been.  It was thoroughly well provisioned, so that it was safe enough “if those within it,” said Leicester, “be men.”  The Earl expressed the opinion, however, that “those fellows were not good to defend towns, unless the besiegers were obliged to swim to the attack.”  The issue was to show whether the sarcasm were just or not.  Meantime the town was considered by the governor-general to be secure, “unless towns were to be had for the asking.”

Neusz is not immediately upon the Rhine, but that river, which sweeps away in a north-easterly direction from the walls, throws out an arm which completely encircles the town.  A part of the place, cut into an island by the Erpt, was strengthened by two redoubts.  This island was abandoned, as being too weak to hold, and the Spaniards took possession of it immediately.  There were various preliminary and sanguinary sorties and skirmishes, during which the Spaniards after having been once driven from the island, again occupied that position.  Archbishop Ernest came into the camp, and, before proceeding to a cannonade, Parma offered to the city certain terms of capitulation, which were approved by that prelate.  Kloet replied to this proposal, that he was wedded to the town and to his