He now persuaded a number of determined partisans that the time had come for securing a church for the public worship of the ancient faith, and at the same time for restoring the beer brewery, reducing the taxes, recovering lost privileges, and many other good things.  Beneath the whole scheme lay a deep design to effect the secession of the city and with it of the opulent and important province of Utrecht from the Union.  Kanter had been heard openly to avow that after all the Netherlands had flourished under the benign sway of the House of Burgundy, and that the time would soon come for returning to that enviable condition.

By a concerted assault the city hall was taken possession of by main force, the magistracy was overpowered, and a new board of senators and common council-men appointed, Kanter and a devoted friend of his, Heldingen by name, being elected burgomasters.

The States-Provincial of Utrecht, alarmed at these proceedings in the city, appealed for protection against violence to the States-General under the 3rd Article of the Union, the fundamental pact which bore the name of Utrecht itself.  Prince Maurice proceeded to the city at the head of a detachment of troops to quell the tumults.  Kanter and his friends were plausible enough to persuade him of the legality and propriety of the revolution which they had effected, and to procure his formal confirmation of the new magistracy.  Intending to turn his military genius and the splendour of his name to account, they contrived to keep him for a time at least in an amiable enthralment, and induced him to contemplate in their interest the possibility of renouncing the oath which subjected him to the authority of the States of Utrecht.  But the far-seeing eye of Barneveld could not be blind to the danger which at this crisis beset the Stadholder and the whole republic.  The Prince was induced to return to the Hague, but the city continued by armed revolt to maintain the new magistracy.  They proceeded to reduce the taxes, and in other respects to carry out the measures on the promise of which they had come into power.  Especially the Catholic party sustained Kanter and his friends, and promised themselves from him and from his influence over Prince Maurice to obtain a power of which they had long been deprived.

The States-General now held an assembly at Woerden, and summoned the malcontents of Utrecht to bring before that body a statement of their grievances.  This was done, but there was no satisfactory arrangement possible, and the deputation returned to Utrecht, the States-General to the Hague.  The States-Provincial of Utrecht urged more strongly than ever upon the assembly of the Union to save the city from the hands of a reckless and revolutionary government.  The States-General resolved accordingly to interfere by force.  A considerable body of troops was ordered to march at once upon Utrecht and besiege the city.  Maurice, in his capacity of captain-general and stadholder