ublic.
Field-preachings commenced in Flanders; and the minister who
first set this example was Herman Stricker, a converted monk, a
native of Overyssel, a powerful speaker, and a bold enthusiast.
He soon drew together an audience of seven thousand persons. A
furious magistrate rushed among this crowd, and hoped to disperse
them sword in hand; but he was soon struck down, mortally wounded,
with a shower of stones. Irritated and emboldened by this rash
attempt, the Protestants assembled in still greater numbers near
Alost; but on this occasion they appeared with poniards, guns, and
halberds. They intrenched themselves under the protection of wagons
and all sorts of obstacles to a sudden attack; placed outposts and
videttes; and thus took the field in the doubly dangerous aspect of
fanaticism and war. Similar assemblies soon spread over the whole
of Flanders, inflamed by the exhortations of Stricker and another
preacher, called Peter Dathen, of Poperingue. It was calculated
that fifteen thousand men attended at some of these preachings;
while a third apostle of Calvinism, Ambrose Ville, a Frenchman,
successfully excited the inhabitants of Tournay, Valenciennes,
and Antwerp, to form a common league for the promulgation of
their faith. The sudden appearance of De Brederode at the latter
place decided their plan, and gave the courage to fix on a day
for its execution. An immense assemblage simultaneously quitted
the three cities at a pre-concerted time; and when they united
their forces at the appointed rendezvous, the preachings,
exhortations, and psalm-singing commenced, under the auspices of
several Huguenot and German ministers, and continued for several
days in all the zealous extravagance which may be well imagined
to characterize such a scene.

The citizens of Antwerp were terrified for the safety of the place,
and courier after courier was despatched to the stadtholderess at
Brussels to implore her presence. The duchess, not daring to
take such a step without the authority of the king, sent Count
Meghem as her representative, with proposals to the magistrates
to call out the garrison. The populace soon understood the object
of this messenger; and assailing him with a violent outcry, forced
him to fly from the city. Then the Calvinists petitioned the
magistrates for permission to openly exercise their religion,
and for the grant of a temple in which to celebrate its rites.
The magistrates in this conjuncture renewed