refractoriness

During the reign of King William, Colonel Romer advised the fortification of Rhode Island, which he says had never been done "by reason of the mean condition and refractoriness of the inhabitants."

The German Empire on the 16th of August, 1731, threatened journeymen strikers even with death, "when accompanied by great refractoriness and productive of real damage."

Calvin and Farel resisted; their political enemies made a pretext of this refractoriness to exile them from Geneva, whence they were banished for some years.

From this refractoriness towards a royal ambassador it was thought the most serious results were now to be apprehended.

I considered them, therefore, as beings influenced by the most deplorable obduracy and refractoriness of spirit.