1560.

Pope

This Anfwer was followed with the applause Francis II. of all the Congregation, who lifted up their hands, affirming that they would be always faithful and Pius IV. obedient to God, to the King and the Magiftrates. Then one of the Deacons defired the Judge, that to avoid for the future all manner of Offence, and not be obnoxious to the Calumnies of their Enemies, he would be pleased to grant them a Church, where he fhould think proper, that they might meet together at fettled times, and where they themselves might come, and be Witneffes of all that fhould be faid or done.

To this the Judge anfwered, that he was mighty well pleased with the refpect and fubmiffion they did fhew for his Majesty and his Officers; but as to their laft Petition, far from granting them a Church, he forbad them in the King's Name to affemble any more, fince that was contrary to the King's Will, as they knew themselves; and if they did not like fuch a Prohibition, they ought to make their Address. to the King, in order to have their Grievances redrefs'd.

Then M. La Chaffe replied, that they would defift from bearing Arms, and perform their Duties in fuch a manner that no body should have occafion to complain, but as to their Conscience they could do nothing against it; upon which the Judge-Criminal went out of the Af fembly with his Company, and M. La Chaffe preached after the ufual manner, till the Number of the Reformed being fo vaftly increased, and the malice of the Catholicks being fuch, that on purpose to hinder them from hearing the reading of the Scripture or the Prayers and Sermon, they made a continual noise with the ringing of the Bells, while they were affembled, though

they

Francis II. they had often changed the hours, fometimes 1560. fooner, fometimes later; they made themselves Pope Pius IV. by the means of an Officer, Mafters of the Church of St. Michael, which was done with fo little noife, that they were affembled already, before any body took notice of what had been done.

But few days after, the Perfecution began; for the Cardinal of Lorrain, thinking himself above all, fince he had the Prince of Condé and the King of Navarr in his power, kept no measures; and being informed by the Bishop of the Place, of the State of Affairs at Montpelier, fent his Orders to spare none of these wicked, heretick, feditious and rebellious People, as he was pleased to ftile them, but to destroy them utterly, if they refused to recant. He wrote for that purpose to the Bishop Pelletier by Name, who to get out of the Castle of Beaucaire Prifon, where he had been confined by the Count De Villars, because he had married a Woman at Venice, where he had been fent Embaffador, by whom he had feveral Children, he renounced the Reformed Doctrine which he had embraced, and denied that Woman to be his Wife; he became after that one of the most zealous Perfecutors of the Reformed. Every thing tended to their ruin at Montpelier, for they were likewife forfaken by the Gentry of the Neighbourhood, (under fome frivolous pretence ;) who fided with their Perfecutors, inftead of affording them any Counfel or Comfort.

The Count of Villars, having been fent by the Court to ruin the Refolutions of the particular States of Languedoc, was no fooner arrived at Beaucaire, where they had been appointed for the beginning of October, than he caufed three Loads of Books come from Geneva to be burnt; then he put a Garrifon of Horfe and Foot in the Caftle and in the Town, ftored the Walls with

Ar

1560. Pope Pius IV.

Artillery; fent feveral Officers to lift Soldiers, Francis II* and published by the found of Trumpet in the King's Name, and in his own as his Lieutenant, that no body fhould be fo bold as to propofe any thing about Religion in the Affembly, under pain of being hanged upon the spot, without any other formality.

The Deputies of the Reformed Churches of Languedoc, hearing this Proclamation, went back to their respective Principals to receive new Inftructions on this emergency.

Villars having broke their measures, and knowing, that Aiguemortes where Captain Dayffe commanded was able to withstand him, he engaged that Captain by fair words to come to him, arrested him immediately, and delivered him into the hands of the Marfhal's Provoft. Then he fent with all hafte M. De Joyeuse, with fome Cavalry, who very eafily made themselves Mafters of the Place. They took M. Du Bofquet, Minifter, with feveral of the chief Members of his Church, and pillaged their Goods as if the place had been taken by ftorm.

M. Du Bofquet, who was about fixty Years of Age, being fedfaft in the Faith, was condemned to be hang'd, and was executed before the Church of Aiguemortes the 14th of November, his Wife and Children being forced to be prefent at his Execution; his Corps remained hanging for four days, expofed to all manner of infults.

Furthermore, Villars fent full Commiffion to La Cofte, a Chief Juftice of Montpelier, to Cabrioles, Judge of Beziers, and to Chafteran, Judge of Limoux, to inform against the Reformed, and to try them without any regard to Age, Sex, or any Condition foever; in which he was exactly obeyed. Upon this, though the Reformed at Montpelier had notice that thofe at Nimes had

ceafed

1560. Pope Pius IV.

Francis II. ceafed their A ffemblies, after the taking of Aiguemortes, and that the greateft part of them had retired into the Mountains of Cevennes; they met together again on the 15th of October, to hear the Sermon, and to advise amongst themfelves, what they were to do in thefe fad Circumstances. But the Sermon was not half done when the Judge-Criminal, with the Confuls, came into the Affembly, and reproved them bitterly for what they had done till then, forbidding them to affemble in fuch a manner and for fuch a purpose for the future, and exhorting

them to fhew themfelves more obedient to the King. The Minifter anfwered, that they were charged wrongfully with Rebellion; that they had fent their Deputies to the particular States of the Province, who had been forced to come back by unusual and enormous Threats; that it was a Duty incumbent on a Magiftrate, to maintain the true Religion, inftead of perfecuting it : but all this Rhetorick could not avail. The Judge-Criminal commanded the Minister to go out of the City, to which command he faid, that he would fend his anfwer in writing, with which he should be fatisfied. Then the Judge went out of the Affembly, which he left in the greatest Confternation; the Minister made an end of his Sermon, and comforted them the best way he could: at last they came to this Refolution, that they ought to give way to the fury of their Perfecutors, fince fuch was the Will of God; and to provide every one for himself, being stedfast in the Faith, and trufting to God unto death. So that very Evening a great Number of the Congregation went out of the City, with their Minifter, Deacons and Elders, finging Pfalms aloud, and trusting unto God for their Delive

rance.

Four

1560.

Pope

Four days after Captain St. Andrew entered Francis II. the City with five Companies of Foot, who were lodged in the Reformed Houfes, where they Pius IV. committed the greatest Villanies and Cruelties, to force them to change: they dragged the Women to Church, by beating them with their Halberds, but they left off doing it upon a very odd occafion, which I would not venture to offer to my Reader, if it was not seriously related by M. De Beze; and it is, that a young Boy having been forced in fuch a manner to go to Church, was fo much terrified, that out of fear he let loofe in his Breeches, the fmell of which was fo noifome, that none could abide it, and the Soldiers went away. This, fays my Author, was the reafon why they defifted from carrying People to Church by force. The Bishop made a very exact Search of the Children, who had been baptized by the Reformed Ministers, and baptized them again, though against the Canons of the Church of Rome, and against the promife of the Judge-Criminal. This Perfecution lafted for about three Months in all that Country, but the King's death brought a great Change in the Affairs.

About the Month of October in the fame year, M.De La Rive had begun to preach in the School of Ville Franche, but he was forced to absent himfelf by the Advice of his Elders, and he went to Geneva, from whence he brought along with him M. John Christian De La Garande.

The Cardinal D'Armagnac Bishop of Rhodes was at Court, while M. Malet fettled the Church at Millaut; the Bishop of Vabres his great Vicar, and M. De Bel-Caftel, with about forty others came thither, with intent to destroy what he had done; and in truth they fucceeded better than they expected, for M. Malet having abVOL. İ.

Bb.

fented