said Alva ; " shall I not deal with these men of butter ?"
Alva, as a Knight of the Golden Fleece, had some qualms
about dealing with his brother knights contrary to the
rules of this ancient Order of Chivalry. But Philip, by
a notarial act in Latin (15th April 1567), authorised the
Duke "to proceed to punish all authors of the late
troubles, without regard to the Constitution of the
Order, even in Ike case of Knights of the Fleece."

The Duke entered Belgium in August, and was waited
upon by the Eoyalist grandees, including Egmont, who
came with a fine retinue and a present of horses. Alva
received the count with diabolical good-humour and
sarcasm, passed his arm round his neck, and then rode
side by side in ostentatious friendliness. Count Horn
was also welcomed with cordiality and affection. The
young Count of Buren, eldest son of the Prince of
Orange, then thirteen, was studying at the University
of Louvain. The Duke received the lad most graciously,
promised his good offices to him and to his father, and
accepted from the Prince a present for his own son. It
is even said that the Prince wrote to the Duke a formal
letter of compliments. Alva entered Brussels in state
on the 22nd August, to the wrath of the Duchess whom
he was to supplant, and at once became practically
master of the land. He was hardly firm in his seat
when the new Eeign of Terror began.

The Council of Troubles—henceforth known as the
Council of Blood—was instituted ; and it soon became a
sort of court-martial, with the Duke as perpetual pre-
sident, and a few creatures of his own as assessors.
Egmont and Horn, lulled into a sense of security, were
treacherously arrested. With them, a crowd of men of