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.  That important stronghold was in the hands of a certain nobleman called De Gomeron, who had been an energetic Leaguer, and was now disposed, for a handsome consideration, to sell himself to the King of Spain.  In the auction of governors and generals then going on in every part of France it had been generally found that Henry’s money was more to be depended upon in the long run, although Philip’s bids were often very high, and, for a considerable period, the payments regular.  Gomeron’s upset price for himself was twenty-five thousand crowns in cash, and a pension of eight thousand a year.  Upon these terms he agreed to receive a Spanish garrison into the town, and to cause the French in the citadel to be sworn into the service of the Spanish king.  Fuentes agreed to the bargain and paid the adroit tradesman, who knew so well how to turn a penny for himself, a large portion of the twenty-five thousand crowns upon the nail.

De Gomeron was to proceed to Brussels to receive the residue.  His brother-in-law, M. d’Orville, commanded in the citadel, and so soon as the Spanish troops had taken possession of the town its governor claimed full payment of his services.

But difficulties awaited him in Brussels.  He was informed that a French garrison could not be depended upon for securing the fortress, but that town and citadel must both be placed in Spanish hands.  De Gomeron loudly protesting that this was not according to contract, was calmly assured, by command of Fuentes, that unless the citadel were at once evacuated and surrendered, he would not receive the balance of his twenty-five thousand crowns, and that he should instantly lose his head.  Here was more than De Gomeron had bargained for; but this particular branch of commerce in revolutionary times, although lucrative, has always its risks.  De Gomeron, thus driven to the wall, sent a letter by a Spanish messenger to his brother-in-law, ordering him to surrender the fortress.  D’Orville—­who meantime had been making his little arrangements with the other party—­protested that the note had been written under duress, and refused to comply with its directions.

Time was pressing, for the Duke of Bouillon and the Count of St. Pol lay with a considerable force in the neighbourhood, obviously menacing Ham.