It is quite probable that interested motives such as these were not entirely inactive among a comparatively small class of gentlemen.

The religious reformation in every land of Europe derived a portion of its strength from the opportunity it afforded to potentates and great nobles for helping themselves to Church property.

No doubt many Netherlanders thought that their fortunes might be improved at the expense of the monks, and for the benefit of religion.

Even without apostasy from the mother Church, they looked with longing eyes on the wealth of her favored and indolent children.

They thought that the King would do well to carve a round number of handsome military commanderies out of the abbey lands, whose possessors should be bound to military service after the ancient manner of fiefs, so that a splendid cavalry, headed by the gentlemen of the country, should be ever ready to mount and ride at the royal pleasure, in place of a horde of lazy epicureans, telling beads and indulging themselves in luxurious vice.
Such views were entertained; such language often held.