It was a handsome well-built city, with two thousand houses of the better class, besides more humble tenements.

Its citizens were celebrated for their courage and belligerent skill, both on foot and on horseback.

They were said to retain more of the antique Belgic ferocity which Caesar had celebrated than that which had descended to most of their kinsmen.

The place was, moreover, the seat of many prosperous manufactures.

Its clothiers sent the products of their looms over all Christendom, and its linen and cutlery were equally renowned.
It would be a most fortunate blow in the cause of freedom to secure so, thriving and conspicuous a town, situated thus in the heart of what seemed the natural territory of the United States; and, by so doing, to render nugatory the mighty preparations of Parma against Antwerp.
Moreover, it was known that there was no Spanish or other garrison within its walls, so that there was no opposition to be feared, except from the warlike nature of the citizens.
Count Hohenlo was entrusted, early in January, with this important enterprise.