besieged that city in form. Once of great commercial importance,
although somewhat fallen away from its original prosperity, Bergen was
well situate on a little stream which connected it with the tide-waters
of the Scheldt, and was the only place in Brabant, except Willemstad,
still remaining to the States. Opposite lay the Isle of Tholen from
which it was easily to be supplied and reinforced. The Vosmeer, a branch
of the Scheldt, separated the island from the main, and there was a path
along the bed of that estuary, which, at dead low-water, was practicable
for wading. Alexander, accordingly, sent a party of eight hundred
pikemen, under Montigny, Marquis of Renty, and Ottavio Mansfeld,
supported on the dyke by three thousand musketeers, across; the dangerous
ford, at ebb-tide, in order to seize this important island. It was an
adventure similar to those, which, in the days of the grand commander,
and under the guidance of Mondragon; had been on two occasions so
brilliantly successful. But the Isle of Tholen was now defended by Count
Solms and a garrison of fierce amphibious Zeelanders--of those determined
bands which had just been holding Farnese and his fleet in prison, and
daring him to the issue--and the invading party, after fortunately
accomplishing their night journey along the bottom of the Vosmeer, were
unable to effect a landing, were driven with considerable loss into the
waves again, and compelled to find their way back as best they could,
along their dangerous path, and with a rapidly rising tide. It was a
blind and desperate venture, and the Vosmeer soon swallowed four hundred
of the Spaniards. The rest, half-drowned or smothered, succeeded in
reaching the shore--the chiefs of the expedition, Renty and Mansfeld,
having been with difficulty rescued by their followers, when nearly
sinking in the tide.

The Duke continued the siege, but the place was well defended by an
English and Dutch garrison, to the number of five thousand, and commanded