The Protestants, Churchmen and Dissenters alike, proceeded to organize under a new leader, one John Coode.

They formed "An Association in arms for the defense of the Protestant religion, and for asserting the right of King William and Queen Mary to the Province of Maryland and all the English Dominions." Now followed a confused time of accusations and counter-accusations, with assertions that Maryland Catholics were conspiring with the Indians to perpetrate a new St.Bartholomew massacre of Protestants, and hot counter-assertions that this is "a sleveless fear and imagination fomented by the artifice of some ill-minded persons." In the end Coode assembled a force of something less than a thousand men and marched against St.Mary's.

The Council, which had gathered there, surrendered, and the Association for the Defense found itself in power.

It proceeded to call a convention and to memorialize the King and Queen, who in the end approved its course.

Maryland passed under the immediate government of the Crown.