he had no disposition to accept the supremacy of any nobleman in the land.  The conversation carried on in this key soon became a quarrel, and from words the two gentlemen would soon have come to blows, but for the interposition of Aremberg and Robles, who were present at the scene.  The Duchess of Parma, narrating the occurrence to the King, added that a duel had been the expected result of the affair, but that the two nobles had eventually been reconciled.  It was characteristic of Aerschot that he continued afterward to associate with the nobles upon friendly terms, while maintaining an increased intimacy with the Cardinal.

The gentlemen who sent the letter were annoyed at the premature publicity which it seemed to have attained.  Orange had in vain solicited Count Aremberg to join the league, and had quarrelled with him in consequence.  Egmont, in the presence of Madame de Parma, openly charged Aremberg with having divulged the secret which had been confided to him.  The Count fiercely denied that he had uttered a syllable on the subject to a human being; but added that any communication on his part would have been quite superfluous, while Egmont and his friends were daily boasting of what they were to accomplish.  Egmont reiterated the charge of a breach of faith by Aremberg.  That nobleman replied by laying his hand upon his sword, denouncing as liars all persons who should dare to charge him again with such an offence, and offering to fight out the quarrel upon the instant.  Here, again, personal combat was, with much difficulty, averted.

Egmont, rude, reckless, and indiscreet, was already making manifest that he was more at home on a battle-field than in a political controversy where prudence and knowledge of human nature were as requisite as courage.  He was at this period more liberal in his sentiments than at any moment of his life.  Inflamed by his hatred of Granvelle, and determined to compass the overthrow of that minister, he conversed freely with all kinds of people, sought popularity among the burghers, and descanted to every one with much imprudence upon the necessity of union for the sake of liberty and the national good.  The Regent, while faithfully recording in her despatches every thing of this nature which reached her ears, expressed her astonishment at Egmont’s course, because, as she had often taken occasion to inform the King, she had always considered the Count most sincerely attached to his Majesty’s service.

Berlaymont, the only other noble of prominence who did not approve the 11th of March letter, was at this period attempting to “swim in two waters,” and, as usual in such cases, found it very difficult to keep himself afloat.  He had refused to join the league, but he stood aloof from Granvelle.  On a hope held out by the seigniors that his son should be made Bishop of Liege, he had ceased during a whole year from visiting the Cardinal, and had never spoken to him at the council-board.  Granvelle, in narrating these circumstances to the King, expressed the opinion that Berlaymont, by thus attempting to please both parties, had thoroughly discredited himself with both.