Early in the spring, the war was seriously taken in hand by Farnese.  It has already been seen that the republic had been almost entirely driven out of Flanders and Brabant.  The Estates, however, still held Grave, Megem, Batenburg, and Venlo upon the Meuse.  That river formed, as it were, a perfect circle of protection for the whole Province of Brabant, and Farnese determined to make himself master of this great natural moat.  Afterwards, he meant to possess himself of the Rhine, flowing in a parallel course, about twenty-five miles further to the east.  In order to gain and hold the Meuse, the first step was to reduce the city of Grave.  That town, upon the left or Brabant bank, was strongly fortified on its land-side, where it was surrounded by low and fertile pastures, while, upon the other, it depended upon its natural Toss, the river.  It was, according to Lord North and the Earl of Leicester, the “strongest town in all the Low Countries, though but a little one.”

Baron Hemart, a young Gueldrian noble, of small experience in military affairs, commanded in the city, his garrison being eight hundred soldiers, and about one thousand burgher guard.  As early as January, Farnese had ordered Count Mansfeld to lay siege to the place.  Five forts had accordingly been constructed, above and below the town, upon the left bank of the river, while a bridge of boats thrown across the stream led to a fortified camp on the opposite side.  Mansfeld, Mondragon, Bobadil, Aquila, and other distinguished veterans in Philip’s service, were engaged in the enterprise.  A few unimportant skirmishes between Schenk and the Spaniards had taken place, but the city was already hard pressed, and, by the series of forts which environed it, was cut off from its supplies.  It was highly important, therefore, that Grave should be relieved, with the least possible delay.

Early in Easter week, a force of three thousand men, under Hohenlo and Sir John Norris, was accordingly despatched by Leicester, with orders, at every hazard, to throw reinforcements and provisions into the place.  They took possession, at once, of a stone sconce, called the Mill-Fort, which was guarded by fifty men, mostly boors of the country.  These were nearly all hanged for “using malicious words,” and for “railing against Queen Elizabeth,” and—­a sufficient number of men being left to maintain the fort—­the whole relieving force marched with great difficulty—­for the river was rapidly rising, and flooding the country—­along the right bank of the Meuse, taking possession of Batenburg and Ravenstein castles, as they went.  A force of four or five hundred Englishmen was then pushed forward to a point almost exactly opposite Grave, and within an English mile of the head of the bridge constructed by the Spaniards.  Here, in the night of Easter Tuesday, they rapidly formed an entrenched camp, upon the dyke along the river, and, although molested by some armed vessels, succeeded in establishing themselves in a most important position.