The burghers were suffered to retain their arms, while, on the other hand, Don Sancho lost no time in despatching messages to Alost, to Lier, to Breda, and even to Maestricht, that as large a force as possible might be assembled for the purpose of breaking immediately the treaty of peace which he had just concluded.

Never was a solemn document, regarded with such perfectly bad faith by all its signers as the accord, of the 29th of October.
Three days afterwards, a large force of Walloons and Germans was despatched from Brussels to the assistance of Antwerp.

The command of these troops was entrusted to the Marquis of Havre, whose brother, the Duke of Aerschot; had been recently appointed chief superintendent of military affairs by the deputies assembled at Ghent.

The miscellaneous duties comprehended under this rather vague denomination did not permit the Duke to take charge of the expedition in person, and his younger brother, a still more incompetent and unsubstantial character, was accordingly appointed to the post.

A number of young men, of high rank but of lamentably low capacity, were associated with him.