They were not only the two first commanders of their time, but there was not a man in Europe at that day to be at all compared with either of them.

The youth, concerning whose earliest campaign an account will be given in the following chapter, had hardly yet struck his first blow.

Whether that blow was to reveal the novice or the master was soon to be seen.

Meantime in 1590 it would have been considered a foolish adulation to mention the name of Maurice of Nassau in the same breath with that of Navarre or of Farnese.
The scientific duel which was now to take place was likely to task the genius and to bring into full display the peculiar powers and defects of the two chieftains of Europe.

Each might be considered to be still in the prime of life, but Alexander, who was turned of forty-five, was already broken in health, while the vigorous Henry was eight years younger, and of an iron constitution.