1560. Pote Pius IV.

FrancisII. perftitions of the Church of Rome; and though they did it but very flightly, fome of their Hearers were fo much offended at it, that they engaged a Monk to refute them in his Sermons; but he did it with fo little Prudence, that a Woman moved by her Zeal, called him aloud a Blafphemer, and went out of the Church, no body taking the part of that Monk. This gave fuch courage to many others, that being in a manner afhamed to fee a poor Woman having more good Senfe and Zeal than themselves, they fent to the Church of Nimes, which was fettled fince the Year 1558, by whom I can't find, to defire them to fend a Minifter. Their Request was granted, and Monf. William Mauget was fent unto them, who fettled the Church of Montpelier on the 8th of Feb. 1560, and having conftituted there by a lawful Election Meff. Claudius Fremi and Francis Maupeau to be their Minifters, he return'd to Nimes. By the great Care and Diligence of these two Gentlemen, the Church increafed vaftly in a fhort time. I fhall fay more prefently of this Church of Montpelier.

Cevennes.

Melet.
Andufe.
Siuve.

About the fame time the Cevennes, a mounfainous Country, received with great Zeal the Truth of the Gofpel; not only the Commons, but the Nobility and Gentry of the Country. Many Churches were fettled in it almoft at the fame time. That of Melet by Mr. Robert Maillart. That of Andufe by Mr. Pasquier Bouft. That of Sauve by Mr. Tartas. That of St. John St. John of Gardonengue by Mr. Oliver Tardieu. That of St. Germain of Camberte by one who had been a Bookfeller at Geneva, and who was fo fuccefsful in his Miniftry, that he acquired to the Lord thofe of St. Stephen, of Ville Francefque, of the Bridge of Mauvert, of St. Privat, of Gabriac, and other adjacent Places.

St. Germain.

At

1560. Pope

Pius IV,

At Aiguemortes, the Commander of the Fort, FrancisII. named Mr. Daiffe, countenancing the Reformed, they fent to Geneva for a Minifter, and Monf. Elias du Bofquet Native of Perigort, of about 60 Years of Age, was fent to them, and fealed the AiguemorGospel with his own Blood, as we shall fee fently.

pre

tes.

We have spoke already of the Progreffes of the Reformation in Dauphiné, which was settled in many of the chief Cities; as, at Valence by Monf. Valence. Peter Brule, who was fucceeded by Monf. Gilles Solas; at Montelimars by Monf. Tempefte, but Monteliparticularly by Monf. Francis de St. Paul; at mars. Romans and other Places, but I don't find by

whom.

In Burgundy the Reformation was preached Autun. and a Church fettled at Autun, by Meff. John Veriet and John de la Goudrée, Canons of the Cathedral and Men of great Learning; and at Chaalon upon Saone by Mr. Anthony Papillon, fent thither from Geneva, and Meffieurs du Pré and Philibert Grené.

Now it happen'd at Montpelier that the Papifts, encouraged by the fmall number of the Reformed, infulted them more boldly; therefore the Reformed thought fit to defire the Affiftance of the neighbouring Places, and to lodge them in their Houses, every one as many as he could not to attack but to defend themselves against the Infults of their Enemies.

At this time Monf. de Pouffan, a Man of great Honefty and Credit, was elected firft Conful and Viguier of the City for the enfuing Year, and Francis Guichard Captain of the Watch. By their means the Reformed kept their religious Meeting with Security, and their number was much increased. Their Enemies fent notice of it to the Parliament of Thouloufe, which immediately

Chalon.

1560. Pope

Pius IV.

FrancisII. diately ordered fome to be arrested, and others to appear in perfon before them; which Decree was of no effect, because the Sollicitor of it was feiz'd by fome Gentlemen upon the road, as he was coming from Thouloufe, and brought into the Cevennes without any harm, where hearing the Sermons of the reformed Minifters, he abjured the Roman Religion, and by that means the Reformed at Montpelier escaped the threatning danger, and enjoy'd fome peace for a while. The Count of Cruffol being come into the City the 28th of May, held the particular States of the Province. They were much comforted by the fair Promifes which he made them in the Queen's Name. But on Sunday the 28th of July, an Affembly having been detected in a Joiner's Houfe, the Chief Juftice, a great Enemy to the Reformed, followed by feveral Clergymen, came into it, and having found but four Men and many Women, he took their Names down, and yet difmiffed the Women, who promifed to appear whenever they should be fummoned, and fent the Men Prifoners; but they were released in the Evening by the Magiftrates Orders. This hindred not the Reformed from meeting together the next night in the great School, to the number of 1200, the doors being open, and being lighted with Links, Monfieur Maupeau their Minifter preached an excellent Sermon on Rev. ch. vi. ver. 9, 10, II.

The next day there was a general Affembly of the Court of Aids and of the Prefidial Court, with feveral Gentlemen, Burgeffes and Merchants, the Bifhops of Montpelier, and of Carcaffonne being prefent, wherein it was agreed by the plurality of Votes, that Monf. de Pouflan, firft Conful, fhould go to Court to inform the King of the true ftate of Affairs, and to mediate fome way or

other

other of fettling and keeping peace between both FrancisII. Parties.

1560.

Pope

This Refolution pleafed not all the Catholicks, Pius IV, who had a private Affembly the next day upon that Subject, wherein they refolved to fend in their Name the Chief Juftice to the Cardinal of Lorrain, to oppofe every thing which Monf. de Pouffan fhould propofe.

At this time the Tumults already mentioned arofe in Dauphiné. This obliged the Guifes and others, Enemies to the Reformed, to diffemble and be more circumfpect in their Behaviour towards them, than they would have been otherwise. The Bishop of Montpelier feigned to be in a great fright, and affecting to give out that he was not fafe enough in his epifcopal Palace, he retired into the Castle of St. Peter, where he was follow'd by the Chief Justice and fome others; and it was found afterwards that they had melted in it feveral Relicks, among the reft a large Silver Head of St. Blaife, of which they made money, to play at Dice and Cards with.

Now Monf. la Chaffe alias Maupeau, Minister at Montpelier, by the advice of the Elders and Deacons, began to preach in the day-time at 7 a clock in the morning, in the great School of Montpelier; of which the Magiftrates taking notice, they fent on the 24th of September the Judge-Criminal to the Affembly, with the Confuls and fome of the moft fubftantial Citizens, who being come before the Sermon was begun, every one ftrove to pay them the greatest refpect. Then in a fet Speech he fhewed forth the great evils arifing from unlawful Affemblies; he expatiated much upon the Sects of the Libertines and Nicolaïts, who refused to acknowledge any King, Prince, or Magiftrate, and from thence took occafion to charge that Affembly with a breach of the King's Edicts,

by

FrancisII by which they were forbidden to meet together 1560. or to bear arins. To conclude, he afked them Pope Pius IV. three Queftions; 1ft. If they did not acknowledge Francis II. for their only true, natural and Sovereign Prince. 2d. If they were not refolv'd to keep his Laws, Ordinances and Edicts. 3dly. If they did not acknowledge him, as well as the other Magiftrates of Montpelier, for their Magiftrates and Superiors eftablished by the King.

To this, Monf. la Chaffe, Minifter, answered for all; that thanks to God, the Errors of the Nicolaïts and Libertines did not concern them, and that if any of their Affembly was guilty of Sedition or Rebellion, they confented that he should be taken and punished according to Law, fo far were they from countenancing Men of fuch Principles; only it was the Magiftrate's Duty to confider, left they fhould be impofed upon by flight Appearances. And in anfwer to the three Queftions, he faid, that they acknowledged Francis II. for their only true, lawful King, and their Sovereign Prince, under God, and the Magiftrates of Montpelier for their lawful Superiors; that they always thought themselves in duty bound to fubmit their Fortunes and Lives to the King.

As to their Affemblies, they did not think that his Majefty had any Intention to hinder his Subjects to live in a chriftian Way, according to the pure Word of God, nor to rule over their Confciences, that Right belonging to God only. As to the bearing of arms, he might certify that fince his return to Montpelier, none of the Affembly was guilty of it; and he thought that no body could make with juftice any complaint against any of them, of which they would be always very careful.