Her tormentors defended themselves as they could.

Having destroyed her whole stock-in-trade, they provoked others to appear in her defence.

The passers-by thronged to the scene; the cathedral was soon filled to overflowing; a furious tumult was already in progress.
Many persons fled in alarm to the town-house, carrying information of this outbreak to the magistrates.

John Van Immerzeel, Margrava of Antwerp, was then holding communication with the senate, and awaiting the arrival of the ward-masters, whom it had at last been thought expedient to summon.

Upon intelligence of this riot, which the militia, if previously mustered, might have prevented, the senate determined to proceed to the cathedral in a body, with the hope of quelling the mob by the dignity of their presence.