thousand Germans, should effect his juncture with Bossu. The Governor
therefore crossed the Demer, near Aerschot, towards the end of July, and
offered battle, day after day, to the enemy. A series of indecisive
skirmishes was the result, in the last of which, near Rijnemants, on the
first day of August, the royalists were worsted and obliged to retire,
after a desultory action of nearly eight hours, leaving a thousand dead.
upon the field. Their offer of "double or quits," the following morning
was steadily refused by Bossu, who, secure within his intrenchments, was
not to be induced at that moment to encounter the chances of a general
engagement. For this he was severely blamed by the more violent of the
national party.

His patriotism, which was of such recent origin, was vehemently
suspected; and his death, which occurred not long afterwards, was
supposed to have alone prevented his deserting the states to fight again
under Spanish colours. These suspicions were probably unjust. Bossu's
truth of character had been as universally recognized as was his signal
bravery. If he refused upon this occasion a general battle, those
who reflected upon the usual results to the patriot banner of such
engagements, might confess, perhaps, that one disaster the more had been
avoided. Don John, finding it impossible to accomplish his purpose, and
to achieve another Gemblours victory, fell back again to the
neighbourhood of Namur.

The states' forces remained waiting for the long-promised succor of John
Casimir. It was the 26th of August, however, before the Duke led his
twelve thousand men to the neighbourhood of Mechlin, where Bossu was
encamped. This young prince possessed neither the ability nor the
generosity which were requisite for the heroic part which he was
ambitious to perform in the Netherland drama. He was inspired by a vague