Hardly had this arrangement been concluded than the Count saw the trap into which he had fallen.  Without intending to do so, he had laid the city at the mercy of its foe, but the only remedy which suggested itself to his mind was an internal resolution not to keep his promises.  The burghers were suffered to retain their arms, while, on the other hand, Don Sancho lost no time in despatching messages to Alost, to Lier, to Breda, and even to Maestricht, that as large a force as possible might be assembled for the purpose of breaking immediately the treaty of peace which he had just concluded.  Never was a solemn document, regarded with such perfectly bad faith by all its signers as the accord, of the 29th of October.

Three days afterwards, a large force of Walloons and Germans was despatched from Brussels to the assistance of Antwerp.  The command of these troops was entrusted to the Marquis of Havre, whose brother, the Duke of Aerschot; had been recently appointed chief superintendent of military affairs by the deputies assembled at Ghent.  The miscellaneous duties comprehended under this rather vague denomination did not permit the Duke to take charge of the expedition in person, and his younger brother, a still more incompetent and unsubstantial character, was accordingly appointed to the post.  A number of young men, of high rank but of lamentably low capacity, were associated with him.  Foremost among them was Philip, Count of Egmont, a youth who had inherited few of his celebrated father’s qualities, save personal courage and a love of personal display.  In character and general talents he was beneath mediocrity.  Beside these were the reckless but unstable De Heze, who had executed the coup; d’etat against the State Council, De Berselen, De Capres, D’Oyngies, and others, all vaguely desirous of achieving distinction in those turbulent times, but few of them having any political or religious convictions, and none of them possessing experience or influence enough, to render them useful—­at the impending crisis.

On Friday morning, the 2nd of November, the troops appeared under the walls of Antwerp.  They consisted of twenty-three companies of infantry and fourteen of cavalry, amounting to five thousand foot and twelve hundred horse.  They were nearly all Walloons, soldiers who had already seen much active service, but unfortunately of a race warlike and fiery indeed, but upon whose steadiness not much more dependence could be placed at that day than in the age of Civilis.  Champagny, brother of Granvelle, was Governor of the city.  He was a sincere Catholic, but a still more sincere hater of the Spaniards.  He saw in the mutiny a means of accomplishing their expulsion, and had already offered to the Prince of Orange his eager co-operation towards this result.  In other matters there could be but small sympathy between William the Silent and the Cardinal’s brother; but a common hatred united them, for a time at least, in a common purpose.