pontoon bridges across the river three miles above, and sent a
considerable force of Spanish and Walloon infantry to the other side.
These troops were ordered to hold themselves ready for an assault, so
soon as the batteries opposite should effect a practicable breach. The
next day Henry, reconnoitering the scene, saw, with intense indignation,
that he had been completely out-generalled. Lagny, the key to the Marne,
by holding which he had closed the door on nearly all the food supplies
for Paris, was about to be wrested from him. What should he do? Should
he throw himself across the river and rescue the place before it fell?
This was not to be thought of even by the audacious Bearnese. In the
attempt to cross the river, under the enemy's fire, he was likely to lose
a large portion of his army. Should he fling himself upon Renty's
division which had so ostentatiously offered battle the day before? This
at least might be attempted, although not so advantageously as would have
been the case on the previous afternoon. To undertake this was the
result of a rapid council of generals. It was too late. Renty held the
hills so firmly entrenched and fortified that it was an idle hope to
carry them by assault. He might hurl column after column against those
heights, and pass the day in seeing his men mowed to the earth without
result.

His soldiers, magnificent in the open field, could not be relied upon to
carry so strong a position by sudden storm; and there was no time to be
lost. He felt the enemy a little. There was some small skirmishing, and
while it was going on, Farnese opened a tremendous fire across the river
upon Lagny. The weak walls soon crumbled; a breach was effected, the
signal for assault was given, and the troops posted on the other side,
after a brief but sanguinary straggle, overcame all, resistance, and were
masters of the town. The whole garrison, twelve hundred strong, was
butchered, and the city thoroughly sacked; for Farnese had been brought