Philip, indeed, believed that the whole trouble came from the wounded vanity of a few nobles.
But Granvelle saw deeper.

[Sidenote: 1561] When the Estates of Brabant stopped the payment of the principal tax or "Bede," [2] and when the people of Brussels took as a party uniform a costume derived from the carnival, a black cloak covered with red fool's heads, the cardinal, whose red hat was caricatured thereby, stated that nothing less than a republic was aimed at.

This was true, though in the anticipation of the nobles, at least, the republic should have a decidedly aristocratic character.

But Granvelle had no policy to propose but repression.

In order to prevent condemned heretics from preaching and singing on the scaffold a gag was put into their mouths.
How futile a measure! The Calvinists no longer disguised, but armed--a new and significant fact--thronged to their conventicles.