He accordingly collected a force of four thousand infantry, together with two hundred mounted lancers; having previously reconnoitered the ground.

He relied very much, for the success of the undertaking, on Captain Kleerhagen, a Brussels nobleman, whose wife was a native of Bois-le-Duc, and who was thoroughly familiar with the locality.
One dark winter's night, Kleerhagen, with fifty picked soldiers, advanced to the Antwerp gate of Bois-le-Duc, while Hohenlo, with his whole force, lay in ambuscade as near as possible to the city.
Between the drawbridge and the portcullis were two small guard-houses, which, very carelessly, had been left empty.

Kleerhagen, with his fifty followers, successfully climbed into these lurking-places, where they quietly ensconced themselves for the night.

At eight o'clock of the following morning (20th January) the guards of the gate drew up the portcullis, and reconnoitered.

At the same instant, the ambushed fifty sprang from their concealment, put them to the sword, and made themselves masters of the gate.