The Prince, from the first moment of his abandoning the ancient doctrines, was disposed to make the attempt.
The Duchess ordered the magistrates of Antwerp to put down these mass-meetings by means of the guild-militia.

They replied that at an earlier day such a course might have been practicable, but that the sects had become quite too numerous for coercion.

If the authorities were able to prevent the exercises of the Reformed religion within the city, it would be as successful a result as could be expected.

To prevent the preaching outside the walls, by means of the bourgher force, was an utter impossibility.

The dilatoriness of the Sovereign placed the Regent in a frightful dilemma, but it was sufficiently obvious that the struggle could not long be deferred.