They begged, further, that he would promise by a new and authentic act, that the provinces of Holland and Zealand, would not suffer the said exercise to be impugned, or any new worship to be introduced, in the other provinces of the Netherlands.
This letter might almost be regarded as a trap, set by the Catholic nobles.

Certainly the Ghent Pacification forbade the Reformed religion in form, and as certainly, winked at its exercise in fact.

The proof was, that the new worship was spreading everywhere, that the exiles for conscience' sake were returning in swarms, and that the synod of the Reformed churches, lately held at Dort, had been, publicly attended by the ministers and deacons of numerous dissenting churches established in many different, places throughout all the provinces.

The pressure of the edicts, the horror of the inquisition being removed, the down-trodden religion had sprung from the earth more freshly than ever.
The Prince was not likely to fall into the trap, if a trap had really been intended.

He answered the envoys loyally, but with distinct reservations.