This portal opened on the road towards Borgerhout, where his troops were stationed, and at the present day bears the name of that village:  It is on the side of the city farthest removed from and exactly opposite the river.  The town was very quiet, the streets almost deserted; for it was one o’clock, the universal dinner-hour, and all suspicion had been disarmed by the energetic protestations of the Duke.  The guard at the gate looked listlessly upon the cavalcade as it approached, but as soon as Anjou had crossed the first drawbridge, he rose in his stirrups and waved his hand.  “There is your city, my lads,” said he to the troopers behind him; “go and take possession of it!”

At the same time he set spurs to his horse, and galloped off towards the camp at Borgerhout.  Instantly afterwards; a gentleman of his suite, Count Bochepot, affected to have broken his leg through the plunging of his horse, a circumstance by which he had been violently pressed, against the wall as he entered the gate.  Kaiser, the commanding officer at the guard-house, stepped kindly forward to render him assistance, and his reward was a desperate thrust from the Frenchman’s rapier.  As he wore a steel cuirass, he fortunately escaped with a slight wound.

The expression, “broken leg,” was the watch-word, for at one and the same instant, the troopers and guardsmen of Anjou set upon the burgher watch at the gate, and butchered every man.  A sufficient force was left to protect the entrance thus easily mastered, while the rest of the Frenchmen entered the town at full gallop, shrieking “Ville gaignee, ville gaignee! vive la messe! vive le Due d’Anjou!” They were followed by their comrades from the camp outside, who now poured into the town at the preconcerted signal, at least six hundred cavalry and three thousand musketeers, all perfectly appointed, entering Antwerp at once.  From the Kipdorp gate two main arteries—­the streets called the Kipdorp and the Meer—­led quite through the heart of the city, towards the townhouse and the river beyond.  Along these great thoroughfares the French soldiers advanced at a rapid pace; the cavalry clattering furiously in the van, shouting “Ville gaignee, ville gaignee! vive la messe, vive la messe! tue, tue, tue!”

The burghers coming to door and window to look for the cause of all this disturbance, were saluted with volleys of musketry.  They were for a moment astonished, but not appalled, for at first they believed it to be merely an accidental tumult.  Observing, however, that the soldiers, meeting with but little effective resistance, were dispersing into dwellings and warehouses, particularly into the shops of the goldsmiths and lapidaries, the citizens remembered the dark suspicions which had been so rife, and many recalled to mind that distinguished French officers had during, the last few days been carefully examining the treasures of the jewellers, under pretext of purchasing, but, as it now appeared, with intent to rob intelligently.