It was remembered that at the outbreak of the great war two whales had been washed ashore in the Scheldt.

Although some free-thinking people were inclined to ascribe the phenomenon to a prevalence of strong westerly gales, while others found proof in it of a superabundance of those creatures in the Polar seas, which should rather give encouragement to the Dutch and Zealand fisheries, it is probable that quite as dark forebodings of coming disaster were caused by this accident as by the trumpet-like defiance which the Stadholder had just delivered to the States of Holland.
Meantime the seceding congregation of the Hague had become wearied of the English or Gasthuis Church, and another and larger one had been promised them.

This was an ancient convent on one of the principal streets of the town, now used as a cannon-foundry.

The Prince personally superintended the preparations for getting ready this place of worship, which was thenceforth called the Cloister Church.

But delays were, as the Contra-Remonstrants believed, purposely interposed, so that it was nearly Midsummer before there were any signs of the church being fit for use.
They hastened accordingly to carry it, as it were, by assault.