One of the suburbs was already in the hands of the enemy.

At last Coligny discovered a route by which he believed it to be still possible to introduce reinforcements.

He communicated the results of his observations to the Constable.

Upon one side of the city the lake, or morass, was traversed by a few difficult and narrow pathways, mostly under water, and by a running stream which could only be passed in boats.

The Constable, in consequence of this information received from Coligny, set out from La Fere upon the 8th of August, with four thousand infantry and two thousand horse.