History of Protestantism in the Netherlands - James Aitken Wylie

Oudenard. "This man," says a Popish chronicler,
"was the first who ventured to preach in public, and
there were 7,000 persons at his first sermon."[3]
The Government "scout," as the head of the
executive was named, having got scent of the
meeting, mounted his horse and galloped off to
disperse it. Arriving on the scene, he boldly rode in
amongst the multitude, holding a drawn sword in
one hand and a pistol in the other, and made a dash
at the minister with intent to apprehend him.
Modet, making off quickly, concealed himself in a
neighboring wood. The people, surprised and
without arms, appeared for a moment as if they
would disperse; but their courage rallying, they
plentifully supplied themselves with stones, in lack
of other weapons, and saluted the officer with such
a shower of missiles on all sides that, throwing
away his sword and pistol, he begged for quarter,
to which his captors admitted him. He escaped with
his life, although badly bruised.
The second great field-preaching took place on
the 23rd, of July following, the people assembling
in a large meadow in the vicinity of Ghent. The
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