Pope

FrancisII. Letters dated from Romorantin, by which Re 1560. let them know that he had done nothing but by Pius IV. his Majefty's Orders. The Iflanders anfwered with all humility, and fhewed forth how much they were grieved that their Cafe had been fo wrongfully reprefented to the King; that the purport of their Affembly had been only to hear the pure Word of God, and to pray to God for the profperity of his Majefty; that they were daily exhorted and admonished to pay to his Majesty a dutiful Obedience in every thing that was not contrary to God's Honour and Service; that they met together without Arms, and that no Tumult had been ever heard amongst them, as the Parliament of Bourdeaux had been fully convinced of; that they would be found always a peaceable People, well-affected to the King, living in the fear of God; as he would be convinced himself, if he would be pleased to take the trouble to come amongst them; laftly, that they befought him, to let the King know their good difpofition.

Notwithstanding this answer, M. Burie, at the inftance of the King's Attorney of Xaintes, commanded the Reformed of Marennes and Allevert to fend him fome Deputies of their Body; to which Order they obeyed, and the Deputies were kindly received by him. He heard patiently their Remonftrances, and one of them infifted, with fuch powerful Reasons, upon the Obligation to confefs with their mouth what they believed in their heart, and upon the Law of Confcience, which did not allow them to live without the exercise of their Religion, that the Governor was moved by his Speech, and told him, that he wished the King could hear what they faid to him, and advised them to make their Addrefs to his Majesty, and present him their Con

fellion

feffion of Faith, and that for his part he would FrancisII. do them the best Service he could.

The 12th of October the Churches of Xaintonge affembled together by their Deputies at Annay, for the Election of fome Deputies to the States-General; they agreed unanimously to fubfcribe the Confeffion of Faith, drawn up at Paris in the firft National Synod, and likewife to represent some Grievances to the King.

About the fame time the three States of the Province were affembled at Xaintes, wherein it was refolved by the Nobility and the third State, that the King fhould be petitioned for granting the free Exercise of the Reformed Religion. But a few days after the News being come of the arrest of the Prince of Condé, and of Bouchard Chancellor to the King of Navarr, fome of the Nobility were of opinion to abate fomething of their demands, but the third State made no alteration in theirs, and deputed M. Arnaud Du Blanc Counfellor of the Prefidial Court of Xaintes, with Memorials and Procurations.

The Adverfaries of the Reformed, who were about the King, having got notice of this refolution, failed not to devife fome means, not only to hinder the effect of it, but even to oppress them. Therefore M. De Burie at their inftances, having fent for fome People of Allevert, he commanded them exprefly to expel their Minifter, or to deliver him into the Bishop of Xaintes's hands.

Upon this Mr. John De L'Hommeau, one of the Deputies of Allevert, with two others, anfwered, that though they should be willing to expel him, they could not do it, that being not in their power, all the Country being refolved to keep him; that it would be a great wrong done to the poor People to deprive them of the benefit

1560. Pope Pius IV.

of

FrancisII. of hearing the pure Word of God, by which ali 1560. the Inhabitants of the Country had been rePope Pius IV. claimed from their ill Courfes, to a virtuous and peaceable way of Living; and as to what they were ordered to deliver their Minifters into the Bishop's hands, that would be an unnatural thing, for Sheep to deliver their Shepherd into the Wolf's power. M. De Burie feemed exafperated at the freedom of this anfwer. Neverthelefs, as

he was obliged to go to fome other place, he contented himself with threatning them, that he would force them to a compliance, at his return.

At the beginning of December, the Governor received new Orders to go and feize the Minifters, and all thofe who profefied the Reformed Religion in the Iflands; for which he made great Preparations and raifed Troops to force them to obey: of which the Inhabitants of Marennes having notice, they fent to him fome Deputies to Bourdeaux to intreat him not to come in Arms against the faithful Subjects of his Majefty, who lived in peace: but they received no answer to their Petition. All this while their Religious Affemblics continued as frequent as ever, and when they expected nothing but Trouble and Perfecution, the News came of the defperate Sicknefs of the King; then M. De Burie thought fit to alter his method, and to fend a Meffenger to Marennes, to let them know his good-will towards them, and the Inhabitants of the Iflands; and that he was ready to do them Service, provided they fhould live quietly; that the King's Will was not, that they fhould have no Affembly at all to pray to God, but that they should affemble in private, and in fo fmall a Number as poffible; which the Minifters promised to do, but it was not poffible for them to perform their word,

word, being not in their power to restrain the Francis II. People, fo they were obliged to do as ufual.

1560.

Pope

There was no Alteration in the Church at la Pius IV. Rochelle this Year, only they kept their Affemblies more fecret. But it appears that the number La Roof the Reformed must have been very great at chelle. this time in that City, fince there were no less than twelve Elders of the Church.

At Agen the reformed Church began this Agen. Year to be fettled, and improved much by the Care and Diligence of Meffieurs John Voifin and James Fontaine their Minifters, both of great Learning and Piety; whofe Labours fructified fo well, that in a fhort time many of the Gentry as well as of the Common People increased the number of the Faithful; among whom there were two Counsellors of the Prefidial Court, viz. Mr. Gracian de Rouffanes and Monf. Peter Saubin, who were received in the Church with their Families, the 23d of May 1560. But three Months after, the Magiftrates having entered Monf. Rouffanes's House, while he was abfent, they found in it and feized Mr. Voifin, one of the Ministers, but he escaped from their hands and went out of the City; they took likewife an Attorney whom they fent to Prifon. Two days after, they arrested Monf. la Fontaine the other Minifter, who was making his efcape, whom they used with great Inhumanity, loading him with Fetters in a very dark and noifom Dungeon. He had been without any Food at all for two days together, when he was brought to the Town-houfe before Monluc and others, who ufed him as the Philiftines ufed Sampfon when he was brought before them in their Temple. At laft they gave him a few Cherries, a morfel of Bread and a Glafs of Wine. When he had done eating, Monluc threatned him to torture him in the most terrible VOL. I. manner,

A a

FrancisII. manner, even to pour boiling Oil upon his Back, if he did not declare the Places where he had Pope Paul IV. preached and the Perfons who had been at his Sermons. Frightened at this, he declared that the Roll which had been found upon him, contained the Names of them.

Nerac.

Soon after Monluc and Captain Perrot his Son, with the Magiftrates and a Canon of the Cathedral Church of Agen, fearched the Houses of thofe mentioned in that Roll; but could find only two, who were clapt in Goal, the reft having timely notice had made their Efcape. They brought their Complaints to the King of Navarr, Governor of Guienne, but no regard was paid to his Recommendation; on the contrary, the Parliament of Bourdeaux, who fided with Monluc, and the Magiftrates of Agen, wrote to Court, much to the prejudice of that Prince, for which he rebuked them feverely when he came to Bourdeaux, about the beginning of June. I don't find what became of the Prifoners; but very likely the Guifes, unwilling to give any umbrage to the King of Navarr and the Prince his Brother, that might deter them from coming to Court, profecuted them not with the utmoft Rigour, and left the Reformed of that Government unmolested, till they were fure of these two Princes. This is grounded upon the Conduct of Mr. de Monluc himself, who, though a Capital Enemy to the Reformed, offered at this time his Services to the Princes against the Guifes.

The King of Navarr with the Prince his Brother arrived at Nerac the 21ft of June 1560, and the next day the Prince went to an Affembly where Monf. Bois Normand preached. A few days after Monf. Theodore de Beze, who had been fent for by the King of Navarr, arrived likewife at Nerac, and preached publickly in the Church

'there