The place appointed for the deliberations was the city of Ghent.

Here, by the middle of October, a large number of delegates were already assembled.
Events were rapidly rolling together from every quarter, and accumulating to a crisis.

A congress--a rebellious congress, as the King might deem it--was assembling at Ghent; the Spanish army, proscribed, lawless, and terrible, was strengthening itself daily for some dark and mysterious achievement; Don John of Austria, the King's natural brother, was expected from Spain to assume the government, which the State Council was too timid to wield and too loyal to resign, while, meantime, the whole population of the Netherlands, with hardly an exception, was disposed to see the great question of the foreign soldiery settled, before the chaos then existing should be superseded by a more definite authority.
Everywhere, men of all ranks and occupations--the artisan in the city, the peasant in the fields--were deserting their daily occupations to furbish helmets, handle muskets, and learn the trade of war.

Skirmishes, sometimes severe and bloody, were of almost daily occurrence.

In these the Spaniards were invariably successful, for whatever may be said of their cruelty and licentiousness, it cannot be disputed that their prowess was worthy of their renown.