The removal of these companies from the Low Countries to strengthen the Bearnese in the north of France, formed the subject of much bitter diplomatic conference between the States and England; the order having been communicated by the great queen herself in many a vehement epistle and caustic speech, enforced by big, manly oaths.

Verdugo, although confident in the strength of the place, had represented to Parma and to Mansfeld the immense importance of relieving Coeworden.  The city, he said, was more valuable than all the towns taken the year before.  All Friesland hung upon it, and it would be impossible to save Groningen should Coeworden fall.

Meantime Count Philip Nassau arrived from the campaign in France with his three regiments which he threw into garrison, and thus set free an equal number of fresh troops, which were forthwith sent to the camp of Maurice.  The prince at the same time was made aware that Verdugo was about to receive important succour, and he was advised by the deputies of the States-General present at his headquarters to send out his German Reiters to intercept them.  Maurice refused.  Should his cavalry be defeated, he said, his whole army would be endangered.  He determined to await within his fortified camp the attack of the relieving force.

During the whole month of August he proceeded steadily with his sapping and mining.  By the middle of the month his lines had come through the ditch, which he drained of water into the counterscarp.  By the beginning of September he had got beneath the principal fort, which, in the course of three or four days, he expected to blow into the air.  The rainy weather had impeded his operations and the march of the relieving army.  Nevertheless that army was at last approaching.  The regiments of Mondragon, Charles Mansfeld, Gonzaga, Berlaymont, and Arenberg had been despatched to reinforce Verdugo.  On the 23rd August, having crossed the Rhine at Rheinberg, they reached Olfen in the country of Benthem, ten miles from Coeworden.  Here they threw up rockets and made other signals that relief was approaching the town.  On the 3rd of September Verdugo, with the whole force at his disposal, amounting to four thousand foot and eighteen hundred horse, was at the village of Emblichen, within a league of the besieged city.  That night a peasant was captured with letters from Verdugo to the Governor of Coeworden, giving information that he intended to make an assault on the besiegers on the night of 6th-7th September.

Thus forewarned, Maurice took the best precautions and calmly within his entrenchments awaited the onslaught.  Punctual to his appointment, Verdugo with his whole force, yelling “Victoria!  Victoria!” made a shirt-attack, or camiciata—­the men wearing their shirts outside their armour to distinguish each other in the darkness—­upon that portion of the camp which was under command of Hohenlo.  They were met with determination and repulsed, after