It was fated, however, that but few laurels should be won by the patriots in this campaign.  The Prince crossed the Rhine at Saint Feit, a village belonging to himself.  He descended along the banks as far as the neighbourhood of Cologne.  Then, after hovering in apparent uncertainty about the territories of Juliers and Limburg, he suddenly, on a bright moonlight night, crossed the Meuse with his whole army, in the neighbourhood of Stochem.  The operation was brilliantly effected.  A compact body of cavalry, according to the plan which had been more than once adopted by Julius Caesar, was placed in the midst of the current, under which shelter the whole army successfully forded the river.  The Meuse was more shallow than usual, but the water was as high as the soldiers’ necks.  This feat was accomplished on the night and morning of the 4th and 5th of October.  It was considered so bold an achievement that its fame spread far and wide.  The Spaniards began to tremble at the prowess of a Prince whom they had affected to despise.  The very fact of the passage was flatly contradicted.  An unfortunate burgher at Amsterdam was scourged at the whipping-post, because he mentioned it as matter of common report.  The Duke of Alva refused to credit the tale when it was announced to him.  “Is the army of the Prince of Orange a flock of wild geese,” he asked, “that it can fly over rivers like the Meuse?” Nevertheless it was true.  The outlawed, exiled Prince stood once more on the borders of Brabant, with an army of disciplined troops at his back.  His banners bore patriotic inscriptions.  “Pro Lege, Rege, Grege,” was emblazoned upon some.  A pelican tearing her breast to nourish her young with her life-blood was the pathetic emblem of others.  It was his determination to force or entice the Duke of Alva into a general engagement.  He was desirous to wipe out the disgrace of Jemmingen.  Could he plant his victorious standard thus in the very heart of the country, he felt that thousands would rally around it.  The country would rise almost to a man, could he achieve a victory over the tyrant, flushed as he was with victory, and sated with blood.

With banners flying, drums beating, trumpets sounding, with all the pomp and defiance which an already victorious general could assume, Orange marched into Brabant, and took up a position within six thousand paces of Alva’s encampment.  His plan was at every hazard to dare or to decoy his adversary into the chances of a stricken field.  The Governor was entrenched at a place called Keiserslager, which Julius Caesar had once occupied.  The city of Maestricht was in his immediate neighbourhood, which was thus completely under his protection, while it furnished him with supplies.  The Prince sent to the Duke a herald, who was to propose that all prisoners who might be taken in the coming campaign should be exchanged instead of being executed.  The herald, booted and spurred, even as he had dismounted from his horse, was instantly hanged.  This was the significant answer to the mission of mercy.  Alva held no parley with rebels before a battle, nor gave quarter afterwards.