Many Protestants, including those on the Privy Council saw the revolt as a conflict between the 'true religion' and Catholicism, and they believed that Spain wanted to destroy Protestantism everywhere. In this way, Elizabeth came under great pressure to deal with Alba's presence in the Netherlands, yet she wanted to avoid war at all costs (they didn't have the resources to fight Spain, or worse, Spain AND France). A war based on religious differences would also threaten civil war within England