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FrancisII. fented himself with Monf. Vaiffe, the Bishop
1560. found very little refiftance at Millau. He took
Pope
Pius IV. at Cambon two Leagues from Millau, Meff. Ma-

let, Vaiffe, Montrofier, and four other Inhabitants
of Millau, which he tied up with ropes fo inhu-
manly that the Blood gufhed out of their Veins,
and fent them to Rhodez in great Triumph,
Drums beating and Colours flying. They were
confined in the Tower of the Bishop's Palace, with
heavy Fetters to their Legs. They were try'd
at firft by the Lieutenent-Criminal and the King's
Sollicitor-General, upon a Charge of Rebellion,
for having born Arms, as they faid.

As for their Religion, they pretended to take no notice of it, only they were asked if they were not willing to live according to the Rules of the Church of Rome; to which Montrofier agreed, and even deliver'd a Catalogue of the Names of as many of the Reformed as he could remember: but Meff. Malet and Vaiffe perfifted conftantly, and refused to name any one. As the Charge laid against them could not be proved, they were put in the Bishop's Court, but the Official being not able to prevail upon Meff. Malet and Vaiffe, the Chief Justice called a Jury of Thirteen to have them condemned, but their Votes being divided, viz. feven for the Gallies, and fix for Death, as the Chief-Juftice defired to have them condemned to Death, he endeavoured to bring one of the feven to his opinion: but the divifion was greater than before; upon which the King's Sollicitor remov'd the Judgment of it to Thouloufe. But as they were going to pafs fentence of Death against them, came the Edict of King Charles IX. by which all the Prisoners, for Religion fake, were ordered to be released. Which Edict, as to thefe, took not its effect till April 1561..

Though

Though the Churches of the Country of Ce FrancisII. vennes were in fuch a great number, and openly Pope countenanced and protected by the Nobility and Pius IV. Gentry of the Country, yet their Enemies ftrove mightily to ruin them; amongst whom, History takes notice of one Dominick du Puy, particularly renowned for two great Crimes; for being a falfe Coiner and an Atheist, uttering ufually his horrid Blafphemy, that one ought not to truft in that Sc-rel J. Chrift, nor in his twelve Beggars.

Though he was convicted of both thefe Crimes, he was employ'd to inform against the Reformed by Prefident Malras and other Commiffaries fent by the Parliament of Thouloufe. He led them from house to houfe to feize upon their Perfons or their Goods, and often on both. Meffieurs de Fontavilles and de la Maganelle had a fad Experience of that Man's Wickednefs.

Notwithstanding this, the Reformed continued their Affembly. St. John of Gardonnegue, a Town very ftrong by its Situation, whofe Lord was a zealous Protector of the Churches, became the refuge of the Afflicted and Perfecuted; but the Count de Villars refolved to treat that Place and others of the Cevennes with a greater Severity than he had done Montpelier, Aiguemortes, &c. The Lord of St. John who was a brave and experienced Officer, of great Sagacity and Conduct, having had intelligence of this, and feeing that by no means he could keep the Town of St. John, affembled as many of his Vaffals as were willing to follow his Fortune, and retreated to the strong Holds of the Neighbourhood.

When Villars came to St. John with two Companies of Foot and one of Horfe, and found no body there able to refift him, he fent a part of his Troops to reconnoitre where the Lord of St.

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John

Pope

Francis!I. John had made his retreat; and being difcovered, 1560. he put himself in a posture of Defence: but in-Pius IV. ftead of attacking him, that Party went back to make their report to the Count, who being frighten'd, went to Andufe to receive more Forces,thinking himself not ftrong enough to force the Lord of St. John;, he fent his Foot back to the Town of St. John, whofe Houfes they plunder'd and laid waste.

As St. John got notice that Villars was coming against him with all the Companies that were at Andufe and in the Neighbourhood, he exhorted his fmall Troop to make their retreat, every one where he should think proper; which they did, fome in the Woods, others in Dens. There were amongst them four Minifters, many Women and Children, feveral were frozen to death. Mean while, Villars's Troops committed a thoufand Cruelties and Villanies at St. John and three miles round about the Town, fparing no body, forcing Women and Girls, two of whom died in their hands, burning the Houfes to the ground, amongit which, thofe of the Lord of St. John were not fpared; but he had the good luck not to fall into their hands, though he was not very far off. This Defolation lafted a fortnight.

The Troops being gone, the Inhabitants came back to St. John, and a few days after the Reformed held a Provincial Synod at Egledines, to confider of proper means to restore what had been deftroy'd. They refolv'd to vifit all the Churches of the lower Languedoc, which had been fettled. before this terrible Storm, and each of the Minifters had a particular District allotted to him. Mr. Maillard was charged to vifit the Churches of Alais, Ufez, Baignols, the Bridge of St. Efprit and others adjacent; Mr. de la Chaffe thofe of Nimes and the Neighbourhood; Mr. Bourt, An

dufe

dufe and the Neighbourhood; Mr. Tartas, thofe FrancisII. of Sauve, St. Hypolite, Ganges, le Vigan, and 1560. others of the Cevennes; Monf. Grignan, thofe Pius IV. Pope of Sommieres and the adjacent; Mr. Tardieu, St. John, Montpelier, Gignac, and others adjacent. This Refolution was cheerfully executed by thofe Gentlemen, notwithstanding the great Dangers to which they expofed themselves, and it was found by experience that this Perfecution had rather ferved to the Increase than to the Diminution of the Reformed.

At Nonnay, the 18th of Auguft 1560, Lewis Bironis Register of the Town, and four days after Antony Faure the King's Sollicitor and William de Creffonet were arrested by Mr. de Tournon's Order, and they expected nothing better than to be put to death; when they were fet at liberty in virtue of the Edict of King Charles IX. and the Church of that Town increased till the Edict of January 1562.

I have spoke already of the Progreffes of the Reformation in Provence, where there were 60 Churches fettled in this year, as above faid. I have spoken likewife of the Perfecutions to which they were exposed.

Such was the wonderful Progrefs of the Reformation throughout all the Provinces and almost all the Cities of France, under the fhort but tempeftuous Reign of Francis II. without any other Weapons but the Word of God, the Purity and Simplicity of Manners and Life of the Teachers and Profeffors of it, it gloriously triumph'd over the Malice and Wickedness of its Enemies, the Violence of the Torture, the Fiercenefs of the Fires, and fubdued the Souls of Men to its Difcipline with fuch a prevailing Power, as long as God Almighty only worked upon them, without any help from Men,

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that

3

FrancisII. that I dare fay, that if the whole Kingdom had 1560. not turned Reformed more than once, the Fault Pope

Pius IV. must be ascribed only to the unruly Paffions of Men.

End of the Second Book.

HISTORY

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