I FAMILY—EARLY LIFE 13

Philippeville and Charlemont under their very eyes (h
leur larbe). The campaign was rendered very arduous
by heavy rains and by the ravages of the plague, by the
difficulty of obtaining supplies, by shortness of money,
and the ill-humour and mutinous temper of his mercen-
aries. The archives record an immense amount of
discussion by letter as to the wants of the army, as to
the site of the new forts, and retaliatory raids upon the
enemy in France. Though continually urged to under-
take a forward movement, the Prince referred the
matter to a council of war, with the proverbial result.
He held chief command of the army round Philippeville
for six months from 22nd July 1555 to 27th January 1556,
during which time he had constructed and garrisoned the
new fort of Philippeville, of which the site and armament
was left to his sole discretion. He prevented any
further invasion into Hainault, but otherwise accom-
plished little worthy of note. The one hundred and fifty
letters that during this period passed between himself
and the Government at Brussels (at times almost daily),
exhibit him as labouring with inexhaustible energy and
adroitness to organise and hold together a turbulent
army of ill-paid and ill-supplied mercenary troops of
different nationalities. The striking note of his com-
mand is prudence; he exhibits much more the wariness
and patience of a diplomatist in a negotiation than the
dash and enthusiasm of a warrior in a campaign. His
letters are those of Secretary of State rather than of a
Oommander-in-Chief. At times he is absorbed in ques-
tions of finance. He is at twenty-two already more the
statesman than the soldier.

In the October of 1555 the Prince was summoned