Alexander’s own natural authority and consummate powers of organisation had for the time triumphed over the disintegrating tendencies which, it had been seen, were everywhere so rapidly destroying the foremost military establishment of the world.  Nearly half his forces, both cavalry and infantry, were Netherlanders; for—­as if there were not graves enough in their own little territory—­those Flemings, Walloons, and Hollanders were destined to leave their bones on both sides of every well-stricken field of that age between liberty and despotism.  And thus thousands of them had now gone forth under the banner of Spain to assist their own tyrant in carrying out his designs upon the capital of France, and to struggle to the death with thousands of their own countrymen who were following the fortunes of the Bearnese.  Truly in that age it was religion that drew the boundary line between nations.

The army was divided into three portions.  The vanguard was under the charge of the Netherland General, Marquis of Renty.  The battalia was commanded by Farnese in person, and the rearguard was entrusted to that veteran Netherlander, La Motte, now called the Count of Everbeck.  Twenty pieces of artillery followed the last division.  At Valenciennes Farnese remained eight days, and from this place Count Charles Mansfeld took his departure in a great rage—­resigning his post as chief of artillery because La Motte had received the appointment of general-marshal of the camp—­and returned to his father, old Peter Ernest Mansfeld, who was lieutenant-governor of the Netherlands in Parma’s absence.

Leaving Valenciennes on the 11th, the army proceeded by way of Quesney, Guise, Soissons, Fritemilon to Meaux.  At this place, which is ten leagues from Paris, Farnese made his junction, on the 22nd of August, with Mayenne, who was at the head of six thousand infantry—­one half of them Germans under Cobalto, and the other half French—­and of two thousand horse.

On arriving at Meaux, Alexander proceeded straightway to the cathedral, and there, in presence of all, he solemnly swore that he had not come to France in order to conquer that kingdom or any portion of it, in the interests of his master, but only to render succour to the Catholic cause and to free the friends and confederates of his Majesty from violence and heretic oppression.  Time was to show the value of that oath.

Here the deputation from Paris—­the Archbishop of Lyons and his colleagues, whose interview with Henry has just been narrated—­were received by the two dukes.  They departed, taking with them promises of immediate relief for the starving city.  The allies remained five days at Meaux, and leaving that place on the 27th, arrived in the neighbourhood of Chelles, on the last day but one of the summer.  They had a united force of five thousand cavalry and eighteen thousand foot.

The summer of horrors was over, and thus with the first days of autumn there had come a ray of hope for the proud city which was lying at its last gasp.  When the allies, came in sight of the monastery of Chellea they found themselves in the immediate neighbourhood of the Bearnese.