On his appearance in the court-yard, a scene of violent altercation and almost of bloodshed took place between his body-guard and the archers of the Regent’s household, who were at last, with difficulty, persuaded to allow the mercenaries of the hated Captain-General to pass.  Presenting himself at three o’clock in the afternoon, after these not very satisfactory preliminaries, in the bedchamber of the Duchess, where it was her habit to grant confidential audiences, he met, as might easily be supposed, with a chilling reception:  The Duchess, standing motionless in the centre of the apartment, attended by Berlaymont, the Duke of Aerachot, and Count Egmont, acknowledged his salutations with calm severity.  Neither she nor any one of her attendants advanced a step to meet him.  The Duke took off his hat, but she, calmly recognizing his right as a Spanish grandee, insisted upon his remaining covered.  A stiff and formal conversation of half an hour’s duration then ensued, all parties remaining upon their feet.  The Duke, although respectful; found it difficult to conceal his indignation and his haughty sense of approaching triumph.  Margaret was cold, stately, and forbidding, disguising her rage and her mortification under a veil of imperial pride.  Alva, in a letter to Philip, describing the interview, assured his Majesty that he had treated the Duchess with as much deference as he could have shown to the Queen, but it is probable, from other contemporaneous accounts, that an ill-disguised and even angry arrogance was at times very visible in his demeanor.  The state council had advised the Duchess against receiving him until he had duly exhibited his powers.  This ceremony had been waived, but upon being questioned by the Duchess at this interview as to their nature and extent, he is reported to have coolly answered that he really did not exactly remember, but that he would look them over, and send her information at his earliest convenience.

The next day, however, his commission was duly exhibited.

In this document, which bore date 31st January, 1567, Philip appointed him to be Captain-General “in correspondence with his Majesty’s dear sister of Parma, who was occupied with other matters belonging to the government,” begged the Duchess to co-operate with him and to command obedience for him, and ordered all the cities of the Netherlands to receive such garrisons as he should direct.

At the official interview between Alva and Madame de Parma, at which these powers were produced, the necessary preliminary arrangements were made regarding the Spanish troops, which were now to be immediately quartered in the principal cities.  The Duke, however, informed the Regent that as these matters were not within her province, he should take the liberty of arranging them with the authorities, without troubling her in the matter, and would inform her of the result of his measures at their next interview, which was to take place on the 26th August.