A still more elaborate marriage-festival, of which the hero was, at a later day, to exercise a most decisive influence over the fortunes of the land, was celebrated at Brussels before the close of the year.  It will be remembered that Alexander, Prince of Parma, had accompanied Egmont on his return from Spain in the month of April.  The Duchess had been delighted with the appearance of her son, then twenty years of age, but already an accomplished cavalier.  She had expressed her especial pleasure in finding him so thoroughly a Spaniard “in manner, costume, and conversation,” that it could not be supposed he had ever visited any other land, or spoken any other tongue than that of Spain.

The nobles of the Flemish court did not participate in the mother’s enthusiasm.  It could not be denied that he was a handsome and gallant young prince; but his arrogance was so intolerable as to disgust even those most disposed to pay homage to Margaret’s son.  He kept himself mainly in haughty retirement, dined habitually alone in his own apartments, and scarcely honored any of the gentlemen of the Netherlands with his notice.  Even Egmont, to whose care he had been especially recommended by Philip, was slighted.  If, occasionally, he honored one or two of the seigniors with an invitation to his table, he sat alone in solemn state at the head of the board, while the guests, to whom he scarcely vouchsafed a syllable, were placed on stools without backs, below the salt.  Such insolence, it may be supposed, was sufficiently galling to men of the proud character, but somewhat reckless demeanor, which distinguished the Netherland aristocracy.  After a short time they held themselves aloof, thinking it sufficient to endure such airs from Philip.  The Duchess at first encouraged the young Prince in his haughtiness, but soon became sad, as she witnessed its effects.  It was the universal opinion that the young Prince was a mere compound of pride and emptiness.  “There is nothing at all in the man,” said Chantonnay.  Certainly the expression was not a fortunate one.  Time was to show that there was more in the man than in all the governors despatched successively by Philip to the Netherlands; but the proof was to be deferred to a later epoch.  Meantime, his mother was occupied and exceedingly perplexed with his approaching nuptials.  He had been affianced early in the year to the Princess Donna Maria of Portugal.  It was found necessary, therefore, to send a fleet of several vessels to Lisbon, to fetch the bride to the Netherlands, the wedding being appointed to take place in Brussels.  This expense alone was considerable, and the preparations for banquets, jousts, and other festivities, were likewise undertaken on so magnificent a scale that the Duke, her husband, was offended at Margaret’s extravagance.  The people, by whom she was not beloved, commented bitterly on the prodigalities which they were witnessing in a period of dearth and trouble.  Many of the nobles mocked at her perplexity.  To crown the whole, the young Prince was so obliging as to express the hope, in his mother’s hearing, that the bridal fleet, then on its way from Portugal, might sink with all it contained, to the bottom of the sea.