ord to injure
their innocent countrymen. Their proposals were received with a very
bad grace by the Regent, whom they quitted, most of them feeling that
the only resource left was to draw the sword in defence of their
country.

No sooner had the Prince of Orange left Antwerp than the city was once
more thrown into a state of commotion. I should mention that Antwerp
contains numerous fine and richly adorned churches: the largest is that
of Our Lady, which King Philip a short time before had converted into a
cathedral.

Close to the chief entrance I had frequently seen an old woman--Barbara
Trond by name--who gained her livelihood by the sale of wax tapers,
little leaden ornaments of the Virgin and saints, and other Papistical
trickeries. She managed also to gain many a coin by the persuasive
powers of her tongue, which she wagged with considerable effect on all
occasions. When she pleased, nothing could be more smooth and oily; but
when angered, that tongue could utter oaths and abuse with unsurpassed
vehemence. One morning A'Dale and I were strolling beside the
cathedral, when a small party of idle boys and ragamuffins happened to
come that way intent on mischief, if they could possibly achieve it.
One of them with a grave air walked up to the old woman's table, and,
taking a taper in one hand and a saint in the other, inquired the price
of the articles. A loud laugh followed her reply.

"What! your whole stock in trade is not worth a tenth of the sum. Your
saints if melted together would scarcely make one decent-sized bullet,
and all your candles would not afford light sufficient to an honest
weaver during the labours of one winter evening. Give up selling such
trash, Dame Trond; try and make a livelihood in some more respectable
calling!"

Such and similar remarks quickly excited the ire of old Barbara. Her
replies were not such as to soothe the tempers of those who stood by
her. Gibes and shouts of laughter proceeded from every side, till the
old dame, giving way to the fury of her temper, seized the stool on
which she sat, and began to lay about her on every side. In an instant,
the mob charged the table on which her wares were spread for exhibition,
and trampled them on the ground. She retreating, and flourishing her
stool, entered the cathedral, where they with shouts of laughter
followed her. We should have been wise if we had kept out of the
church, but instead of that we could not resist the t