They, however, expressly provided against inquisition into conscience.

Private houses were to be sacred, the papists free within their own walls, but the churches were to be closed to those of the ancient faith.

This was not so bad as to hang, burn, drown, and bury alive nonconformists, as had been done by Philip and the holy inquisition in the name of the church of Rome; nor is it very surprising that the horrible past should have caused that church to be regarded with sentiments of such deep-rooted hostility as to make the Hollanders shudder at the idea of its re-establishment.

Yet, no doubt, it was idle for either Holland or England, at that day, to talk of a reconciliation with Rome.

A step had separated them, but it was a step from a precipice.