History of Protestantism in the Netherlands - James Aitken Wylie

only, it extended to the other churches and chapels
of Antwerp. These underwent a like speedy and
terrible purgation. Before morning, not fewer than
thirty churches within the walls had been sacked.
When there remained no more images to be
broken, and no more pictures and crucifixes to be
pulled down, the rabble laid their hands on other
things. They strewed the wafers on the floor; they
filled the chalices with wine, and drank to the
health of the Beggars; they donned the gorgeous
vestments of the priests, and, breaking open the
cellars, a vigorous tap of the hammer set the red
wine a-flowing. A Carmelite, or bare-looted monk,
who had languished twelve years in the prison of
his monastery, received his liberty at the hands of
these image-breakers. The nunneries were
invaded,[13] and the sisters, impelled by fright, or
moved by the desire of freedom, escaped to the
houses of their relatives and friends. Violence was
offered to no one. Unpitying towards dead idols,
these iconoclasts were tender of living men.
When the day broke a body of the rioters
sallied out at the gates, and set to work on the
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