massacres of the south-第1章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！




　Massacres　of　the　South

1551…1815


by　Alexandre　Dumas；　Pere






CHAPTER　I

It　is　possible　that　our　reader；　whose　recollections　may　perhaps　go
back　as　far　as　the　Restoration；　will　be　surprised　at　the　size　of　the
frame　required　for　the　picture　we　are　about　to　bring　before　him；
embracing　as　it　does　two　centuries　and　a　half；　but　as　everything；　has
its　precedent；　every　river　its　source；　every　volcano　its　central
fire；　so　it　is　that　the　spot　of　earth　on　which　we　are　going　to　fix
our　eyes　has　been　the　scene　of　action　and　reaction；　revenge　；and
retaliation；　till　the　religious　annals　of　the　South　resemble　an
account…book　kept　by　double　entry；　in　which　fanaticism　enters　the
profits　of　death；　one　side　being　written　with　the　blood　of　Catholics；
the　other　with　that　of　Protestants。

In　the　great　political　and　religious　convulsions　of　the　South；　the
earthquake…like　throes　of　which　were　felt　even　in　the　capital；　Nimes
has　always　taken　the　central　place；　Nimes　will　therefore　be　the　pivot
round　which　our　story　will　revolve；　and　though　we　may　sometimes　leave
it　for　a　moment；　we　shall　always　return　thither　without　fail。

Nimes　was　reunited　to　France　by　Louis　VIII；　the　government　being
taken　from　its　vicomte；　Bernard　Athon　VI；　and　given　to　consuls　in　the
year　1207。　During　the　episcopate　of　Michel　Briconnet　the　relics　of
St。　Bauzile　were　discovered；　and　hardly　were　the　rejoicings　over　this
event　at　an　end　when　the　new　doctrines　began　to　spread　over　France。
It　was　in　the　South　that　the　persecutions　began；　and　in　1551　several
persons　were　publicly　burnt　as　heretics　by　order　of　the　Seneschal's
Court　at　Nimes；　amongst　whom　was　Maurice　Secenat；　a　missionary　from
the　Cevennes；　who　was　taken　in　the　very　act　of　preaching。
Thenceforth　Nimes　rejoiced　in　two　martyrs　and　two　patron　saints；　one
revered　by　the　Catholics；　and　one　by　the　Protestants；　St。　Bauzile；
after　reigning　as　sole　protector　for　twenty…four　years；　being　forced
to　share　the　honours　of　his　guardianship　with　his　new　rival。

Maurice　Secenat　was　followed　as　preacher　by　Pierre　de　Lavau；　these
two　names　being　still　remembered　among　the　crowd　of　obscure　and
forgotten　martyrs。　He　also　was　put　to　death　on　the　Place　de　la
Salamandre；　all　the　difference　being　that　the　former　was　burnt　and
the　latter　hanged。

Pierre　de　Lavau　was　attended　in　his　last　moments　by　Dominique　Deyron；
Doctor　of　Theology；　but　instead　of；　as　is　usual；　the　dying　man　being
converted　by　the　priest；　it　was　the　priest　who　was　converted　　by　de
Lavau；　and　the　teaching　which　it　was　desired　should　be　suppressed
burst　forth　again。　　Decrees　were　issued　against　Dominique　Deyron；　he
was　pursued　and　tracked　down；　and　only　escaped　the　gibbet　by　fleeing
to　the　mountains。

The　mountains　are　the　refuge　of　all　rising　or　decaying　sects；　God　has
given　to　the　powerful　on　earth　city；　plain；　and　sea；　but　the
mountains　are　the　heritage　of　the　oppressed。

Persecution　and　proselytism　kept　pace　with　each　other；　but　the　blood
that　was　shed　produced　the　usual　effect：　it　rendered　the　soil　on
which　it　fell　fruitful；　and　after　two　or　three　years　of　struggle；
during　which　two　or　three　hundred　Huguenots　had　been　burnt　or　hanged；
Nimes　awoke　one　morning　with　a　Protestant　majority。　　In　1556　the
consuls　received　a　sharp　reprimand　on　account　of　the　leaning　of　the
city　towards　the　doctrines　of　the　Reformation；　but　in　1557；　one　short
year　after　this　admonition；　Henri　II　was　forced　to　confer　the　office
of　president　of　the　Presidial　Court　on　William　de　Calviere；　a
Protestant。　　At　last　a　decision　of　the　senior　judge　having　declared
that　it　was　the　duty　of　the　consuls　to　sanction　the　execution　of
heretics　by　their　presence；　the　magistrates　of　the　city　protested
against　this　decision；　and　the　power　of　the　Crown　was　insufficient　to
carry　it　out。

Henri　II　dying；　Catherine　de　Medicis　and　the　Guises　took　possession
of　the　throne　in　the　name　　of　Francois　II。　　There　is　a　moment　when
nations　can　always　draw　a　long　breath；　it　is　while　their　kings　are
awaiting　burial；　and　Nimes　took　advantage　of　this　moment　on　the　death
of　Henri　II；　and　on　September　29th；　1559；　Guillaume　Moget　founded　the
first　Protestant　community。

Guillaume　Moget　came　from　Geneva。　　He　was　the　spiritual　son　of
Calvin；　and　came　to　Nimes　with　the　firm　purpose　of　converting　all　the
remaining　Catholics　or　of　being　hanged。　　As　he　was　eloquent；
spirited；　and　wily；　too　wise　to　be　violent；　ever　ready　to　give　and
take　in　the　matter　of　concessions；　luck　was　on　his　side；　and
Guillaume　Moget　escaped　hanging。

The　moment　a　rising　sect　ceases　to　be　downtrodden　it　becomes　a　queen；
and　heresy；　already　mistress　of　three…fourths　of　the　city；　began　to
hold　up　its　head　with　boldness　in　the　streets。　　A　householder　called
Guillaume　Raymond　opened　his　house　to　the　Calvinist　missionary；　and
allowed　him　to　preach　in　it　regularly　to　all　who　came；　and　the
wavering　were　thus　confirmed　in　the　new　faith。　　Soon　the　house　became
too　narrow　to　contain　the　crowds　which　flocked　thither　to　imbibe　the
poison　of　the　revolutionary　doctrine；　and　impatient　glances　fell　on
the　churches。

Meanwhile　the　Vicomte　de　Joyeuse；　who　had　just　been　appointed
governor　of　Languedoc　in　the　place　of　M。　de　Villars；　grew　uneasy　at
the　rapid　progress　made　by　the　Protestants；　who　so　far　from　trying　to
conceal　it　boasted　of　it；　so　he　summoned　the　consuls　before　him；
admonished　them　sharply　in　the　king's　name；　and　threatened　to　quarter
a　garrison　in　the　town　which　would　soon　put　an　end　to　these
disorders。　　The　consuls　promised　to　stop　the　evil　without　the　aid　of
outside　help；　and　to　carry　out　their　promise　doubled　the　patrol　and
appointed　a　captain　of　the　town　whose　sole　duty　was　to　keep　order　in
the　streets。　　Now　this　captain　whose　office　had　been　created　solely
for　the　repression　of　heresy；　happened　to　be　Captain　Bouillargues；
the　most　inveterate　Huguenot　who　ever　existed。

The　result　of　this　discriminating　choice　was　that　Guillaume　Moget
began　to　preach；　and　once　when　a　great　crowd　had　gathered　in　a　garden
to　hear　him　hold　forth；　heavy　rain　came　on；　and　it　became　necessary
for　the　people　either　to　disperse　or　to　seek　shelter　under　a　roof。
As　the　preacher　had　just　reached　the　most　interesting　part　of　his
sermon；　the　congregation　did　not　hesitate　an　instant　to　take　the
latter　alternative。　　The　Church　of　St。　Etienne　du　Capitole　was　quite
near：　someone　present　suggested　that　this　building；　if　not　the　most
suitable；　as　at　least　the　most　spacious　for　such　a　gathering。

The　idea　was　received　with　acclamation：　the　rain　grew　heavier；　the
crowd　invaded　the　church；　drove　out　the　priests；　trampled　the　Holy
Sacrament　under　foot；　and　broke　the　sacred　images。　　This　being
accomplished；　Guillaume　Moget　entered　the　pulpit；　and　resumed　his
sermon　with　such　eloquence　that　his　hearers'　excitement　redoubled；
and　not　satisfied　with　what　had　already　been　done；　rushed　off　to
seize　on　the　Franciscan　monastery；　where　they　forthwith　installed
Moget　and　the　two　women；　who；　according　to　Menard　the　historian　of
Languedoc；　never　left　him　day　or　night；　all　which　proceedings　were
regarded　by　Captain　Bouillargues　with　magnificent　calm。

The　consuls　being　once　more　summoned　before　M。　de　Villars；　who　had
again　become　governor；　would　gladly　have　denied　the　existence　of
disorder；　but　finding　this　impossible；　they　threw　themselves　on　his
mercy。　　He　being　unable　to　repose　confidence　in　them　any　longer；　sent
a　garrison　to　the　citadel　of　Nimes；　which　the　municipality　was
obliged　to　support；　appointed　a　governor　of　the　city　with　four
district　captains　under　him；　and　formed　a　body　of　military　police
which　quite　superseded　the　municipal　constabulary。　　Moget　was
expelled　from　Nimes；　and　Captain　Bouillargues　deprived　of　office。

Francis　II　dying　in　his　turn；　the　usual　effect　was　produced；that
is；　the　persecution　became　less　fierce；and　Moget　therefore　returned
to　Nimes。　　This　was　a　victory；　and　every　victory　being　a　step
forward；　the　triumphant　preacher　organised　a　Consistory；　and　the
deputies　of　Nimes　demanded　from　the　States…General　of　Orleans
possession　of　the　churches。　　No　notice　was　taken　of　this　demand；　but
the　Protestants　were　at　no　loss　how　to　proceed。　　On　the　21st　December
1561　the　churches　of　Ste。　Eugenie；　St。　Augustin；　and　the　Cordeliers
were　taken　by　assault；　and　cleared　of　their　images　in　a　hand's　turn；
and　this　time　Captain　Bouillargues　was　not　satisfied　with　looking　on；
but　directed　the　operations。

The　cathedral　was　still　safe；　and　in　it　were　entrenched　the　remnant
of　the　Catholic　clergy；　but　it　was　apparent　that　at　the　earliest
opportunity　it　too　would　be　turned　into　a　meeting…house；　and　this
opportunity　was　not　long　in　coming。

One　Sunday；　when　Bishop　Bernard　d'Elbene　had　celebrated　mass；　just　as
the　regular　preacher　was　about　to　begin　his　sermon；　some　children　who
were　playing　in　the　close　began　to　hoot　the　'beguinier'　＇a　name　of
contempt　for　friars＇。　　Some　of　the　faithful　being　disturbed　in　their
meditations；　came　out　of　the　church　and　chastised　the　little
Huguenots；　whose　parents　considered　themselves　in　consequence　to　have
been　insulted　in　the　persons　of　their　children。　　A　great　commotion
ensued；　crowds　began　to　form；　and　cries　of　〃To　the　church！　to　the
church！〃　were　heard。　　Captain　Bouillargues　happened　to　be　in　the
neighbourhood；　and　being　very　methodical　set　about　organising　the
insurrection；　then　putting　himself　at　its　head；　he　charged　the
cathedral；　carrying　everything　before　him；　in　spite　of　the　barricades
which　had　been　hastily　erected　by　the　Papists。　　The　assault　was　over
in　a　few　moments；　the　priests　and　their　flock　fled　by　one　door；　while
the　Reformers　entered　by　another。　　The　building　was　in　the　twinkling
of　an　eye　adapted　to　the　new　form　of　worship：　the　great　crucifix　from
above　the　altar　was　dragged　about　the　streets　at　the　end　of　a　rope
and　scourged　at　every　cross…roads。　　In　the　evening　a　large　fire　was
lighted　in　the　place　before　the　cathedral；　and　the　archives　of　the
ecclesiastical　and　religious　houses；　the　sacred　images；　the　relics　of
the　saints；　the　decorations　of　the　altar；　the　sacerdotal　vestments；
even　the　Host　itself；　were　thrown　on　it　without　any　remonstrance　from
the　consuls；　the　very　wind　which　blew　upon　Nimes　breathed　heresy。

For　the　moment　Nimes　was　in　full　revolt；　and　the　spirit　of
organisation　spread：　Moget　assumed　the　titles　of　pastor　and　minister
of　the　Christian　Church。　　Captain　Bouillargues　melted　down　the　sacred
vessels　of　the　Catholic　churches；　and　paid　in　this　manner　the
volunteers　of　Nimes　and　the　German　mercenaries；　the　stones　of　the
demolished　religious　houses　were　used　in　the　construction　of
fortifications；　and　before　anyone　thought　of　attacking　it　the　city
was　ready　for　a　siege。　　It　was　at　this　moment　that　Guillaume
Calviere；　who　was　at　the　head　of　the　Presidial　Court；　Moget　being
president　of　the　Consistory；　and　Captain　Bouillargues
commander…in…chief　of　the　armed　forces；　suddenly　resolved　to　create　a
new　authority；　which；　while　sharing　the　powers　hitherto　vested　solely
in　the　consuls；　should　be；　even　more　than　they；　devoted　to　Calvin：
thus　the　office　of　les　Messieurs　came　into　being。　　This　was　neither
more　nor　less　than　a　committee　of　public　safety；　and　having　been
form