massacres of the south-第21章

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town。　　Besides　this；　he　placed　guards　in　the　streets；　and　a　sentinel
at　each　door　of　the　house　he　occupied；　in　addition；　thirty　guards
always　slept　outside　the　door　of　his　bedroom；　and　these　accompanied
him　as　an　escort　when　he　went　out；　not　that　he　was　afraid；　for　he　was
not　of　a　mistrustful　character；　but　that　he　thought　it　politic　to
give　people　an　exalted　idea　of　his　importance。　　As　to　his　soldiers；
they　were　billeted　on　the　inhabitants；　and　received　each　as　daily
rations　a　pound　of　meat；　a　quart　of　wine；　and　two　and　a　half　pounds
of　bread。

The　same　day　a　convocation　was　held　on　the　site　of　the　old
meeting…house　which　had　been　destroyed　by　the　Catholics。　　It　was　a
very　numerous　assembly；　to　which　crowds　of　people　came　from　all
parts；　but　on　the　following　days　it　was　still　more　numerous　；　for；　as
the　news　spread；　people　ran　with　great　eagerness　to　hear　the
preaching　of　the　word　of　which　they　had　been　so　long　deprived。
D'Aygaliers　tells　us　in　his　Memoirs　that〃No　one　could　help　being
touched　to　see　a　whole　people　just　escaped　from　fire　and　sword；
coming　together　in　multitudes　to　mingle　their　tears　and　sighs。　　So
famished　were　they　for　the　manna　divine；　that　they　were　like　people
coming　out　of　a　besieged　city；　after　a　long　and　cruel　famine；　to　whom
peace　has　brought　food　in　abundance；　and　who；　first　devouring　it　with
their　eyes；　then　throw　themselves　on　it；　devouring　it　bodilymeat；
bread；　and　fruitas　it　comes　to　hand。　　So　it　was　with　the
unfortunate　inhabitants　of　La　Vannage；　and　even　of　places　more
distant　still。　　They　saw　their　brethren　assembling　in　the　meadows　and
at　the　gates　of　Calvisson；　gathering　in　crowds　and　pressing　round
anyone　who　started　singing　a　psalm；　until　at　last　four　or　five
thousand　persons；　singing；　weeping；　and　praying；　were　gathered
together；　and　remained　there　all　day；　supplicating　God　with　a
devotion　that　went　to　every　heart　and　made　a　deep　impression。　　All
night　the　same　things　went　on；　nothing　was　to　be　heard　but　preaching；
singing；　praying；　and　prophesying。〃

But　if　it　was　a　time　of　joy　for　the　Protestants；　it　was　a　time　of
humiliation　for　the　Catholics。　　〃Certainly；〃　says　a　contemporary
historian；　〃it　was　a　very　surprising　thing；　and　quite　a　novelty；　to
see　in　a　province　like　Languedoc；　where　so　many　troops　were
quartered；　such　a　large　number　of　villainsall　murderers；
incendiaries；　and　guilty　of　sacrilegegathered　together　in　one　place
by　permission　of　those　in　command　of　the　troops；　tolerated　in　their
eccentricities；　fed　at　the　public　expense；　flattered　by　everyone；　and
courteously；　received　by　people　sent　specially　to　meet　them。〃

One　of　those　who　was　most　indignant　at　this　state　of　things　was　M。　de
Baville。　　He　was　so　eager　to　put　an　end　to　it　that　he　went　to　see　the
governor；　and　told　him　the　scandal　was　becoming　too　great　in　his
opinion：　the　assemblies　ought　to　be　put　an　end　to　by　allowing　the
troops　to　fall　upon　them　and　disperse　them；　but　the　governor　thought
quite　otherwise；　and　told　Baville　that　to　act　according　to　his　advice
would　be　to　set　fire　to　the　province　again　and　to　scatter　for　ever
people　whom　they　had　got　together　with　such　difficulty。　　In　any　case；
he　reminded　Baville　that　what　he　objected　to　would　be　over　in　a　few
days。　　His　opinion　was　that　de　Baville　might　stifle　the　expression　of
his　dissatisfaction　for　a　little；　to　bring　about　a　great　good。　　〃More
than　that；〃　added　the　marechal；　〃the　impatience　of　the　priests　is
most　ridiculous。　　Besides　your　remonstrances；　of　which　I　hope　I　have
now　heard　the　last；　I　have　received　numberless　letters　full　of　such
complaints　that　it　would　seem　as　if　the　prayers　of　the　Camisards　not
only　grated　on　the　ears　of　the　clergy　but　flayed　them　alive。　　I
should　like　above　everything　to　find　out　the　writers　of　these
letters；　in　order　to　have　them　flogged；　but　they　have　taken　good　care
to　put　no　signatures。　　I　regard　it　as　a　very　great　impertinence　for
those　who　caused　these　disturbances　to　grumble　and　express　their
disapproval　at　my　efforts　to　bring　them　to　an　end。〃　　After　this
speech；　M；　de　Baville　saw　there　was　nothing　for　him　to　do　but　to　let
things　take　their　course。

The　course　that　they　took　turned　Cavalier's　head　more　and　more；　for
thanks　to　the　injunctions　of　M。　de　Villars；　all　the　orders　that
Cavalier　gave　were　obeyed　as　if　they　had　been　issued　by　the　governor
himself。　　He　had　a　court　like　a　prince；　lieutenants　like　a　general；
and　secretaries　like　a　statesman。　　It　was　the　duty　of　one　secretary
to　give　leave　of　absence　to　those　Camisards　who　had　business　to
attend　to　or　who　desired　to　visit　their　relations。　　The　following　is
a　copy　of　the　form　used　for　these　passports：

〃We；　the　undersigned；　secretary　to　Brother　Cavalier；　generalissimo　of
the　Huguenots；　permit　by　this　order　given　by　him　to　absent　himself　on
business　for　three　days。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃（Signed　DUPONT。
〃Calvisson；　this〃


And　these　safe…conducts　were　as　much　respected　as　if　they　had　been
signed　〃Marechal　de　Villars。〃

On　the　22nd　M。　de　Saint…Pierre　arrived　from　the　court；　bringing　the
reply　of　the　king　to　the　proposals　which　Cavalier　had　submitted　to
M。　de　Lalande。　　What　this　reply　was　did　not　transpire；　probably　it
was　not　in　harmony　with　the　pacific　intentions　of　the　marechal。　　At
last；　on　the　25th；　the　answer　to　the　demands　which　Cavalier　had　made
to　M。　de　Villars　himself　arrived。　The　original　paper　written　by　the
Camisard　chief　himself　had　been　sent　to　Louis　XIV；　and　he　returned　it
with　notes　in　his　own　writing；　thus　these　two　hands；　to　one　of　which
belonged　the　shepherd's　crook　and　to　the　other　the　sceptre；　had
rested　on　the　same　sheet　of　paper。　　The　following　is　the　text　of　the
agreement　as　given　by　Cavalier　in　his　Memoirs：

　　　　　〃THE　HUMBLE　PETITION　OF　THE　REFORMERS　OF
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　LANGUEDOC　TO　THE　KING

〃1。　That　it　may　please　the　king　to　grant　us　liberty　of　conscience
throughout　the　province；　and　to　permit　us　to　hold　religious　meetings
in　every　suitable　place；　except　fortified　places　and　walled　cities。

'Granted；　on　condition　that　no　churches　be　built。

〃2。　That　all　those　in　prison　or　at　the　galleys　who　have　been　sent
there　since　the　revocation　of　the　Edict　of　Nantes；　because　of　their
religion；　be　set　at　liberty　within　six　weeks　from　the　date　of　this
petition。

'Granted。

〃3。　That　all　those　who　have　left　the　kingdom　because　of　their
religion　be　allowed　to　return　in　freedom　and　safety；　and　that　their
goods　and　privileges　be　restored　to　them。

'Granted　on　condition　that　they　take　the　oath　of　fidelity　to　the
king。

〃4。　That　the　Parliament　of　Languedoc　be　reestablished　on　its　ancient
footing；　and　with　all　its　former　privileges。

'The　king　reserves　decision　on　this　point。

〃5。　　That　the　province　of　Languedoc　be　exempted　from　the　poll　tax　for
ten　years；　this　to　apply；　to　Catholics　and　Protestants　alike；　both
sides　having　equally　suffered。

'Refused。

〃6。　　That　the　cities　of　Perpignan；　Montpellier；　Cette；　and
Aiguemortes　be　assigned　us　as　cities　of　refuge。

'Refused。

〃7。　　That　the　inhabitants　of　the　Cevennes　whose　houses　were　burnt　or
otherwise　destroyed　during　the　war　be　exempt　from　taxes　for　seven
years。

'Granted。

〃8。　　That　it　may　please　His　Majesty　to　permit　Cavalier　to　choose　2000
men；　both　from　among　his　own　troops　and　from　among　those　who　may　be
delivered　from　the　prisons　and　galleys；　to　form　a　regiment　of
dragoons　for　the　service　of　His　Majesty；　and　that　this　regiment　when
formed　may　at　once　be　ordered　to　serve　His　Majesty　in　Portugal。

'Granted：　and　on　condition　that　all　the　Huguenots　everywhere　lay　down
their　arms；　the　king　will　permit　them　to　live　quietly　in　the　free
exercise　of　their　religion。'〃


〃I　had　been　a　week　at　Calvisson；〃　says　Cavalier　in　his　Memoirs；　〃when
I　received　a　letter　from　M。　le　Marechal　de　Villars　ordering　me　to
repair　to　Nimes；　as　he　wished　to　see　me；　the　answer　to　my　demands。
having　arrived。　　I　obeyed　at　once；　and　was　very　much　displeased　to
find　that　several　of　my　demands；　and　in　particular　the　one　relating
to　the　cities　of　refuge；　had　been　refused；　but　M。　le　marechal　assured
me　that　the　king's　word　was　better　than　twenty　cities　of　refuge；　and
that　after　all　the　trouble　we　had　given　him　we　should　regard　it　as
showing　great　clemency　on　his　part　that　he　had　granted　us　the　greater
part　of　what　we　had　asked。　　This　reasoning　was　not　entirely
convincing；　but　as　there　was　no　more　time　for　deliberation；　and　as　I
was　as　anxious　for　peace　as　the　king　himself；　I　decided　to　accept
gracefully　what　was　offered。〃

All　the　further　advantage　that　Cavalier　could　obtain　from　M。　de
Villars　was　that　the　treaty　should　bear　the　date　of　the　day　on　which
it　had　been　drawn　up；　in　this　manner　the　prisoners　who　were　to　be　set
at　liberty　in　six　weeks　gained　one　week。

M。　de　Villars　wrote　at　the　bottom　of　the　treaty；　which　was　signed　the
same　day　by　him　and　M。　de　Baville　on　the　part　of　the　king；　and　by
Cavalier　and　Daniel　Billard　on　the　part　of　the　Protestants；　the
following　ratification：

〃In　virtue　of　the　plenary　powers　which　we　have　received　from　the
king；　we　have　granted　to　the　Reformers　of　Languedoc　the　articles
above　made　known。

〃MARECHAL　DE　VILLARS　　　　　　　J。　CAVALIER

〃LAMOIGNON　DE　BAVILLE　　　　　　DANIEL　BILLARD

〃Given　at　Nimes；　the　17th　of　May　1704〃


These　two　signatures；　all　unworthy　as　they　were　to　stand　beside　their
own；　gave　such　great　delight　to　MM。　de　Villars　and　de　Baville；　that
they　at　once　sent　off　fresh　orders　to　Calvisson　that　the　wants　of　the
Camisards　should　be　abundantly　supplied　until　the　articles　of　the
treaty　were　executedthat　is　to　say；　until　the　prisoners　and　the
galley　slaves　were　set　at　liberty；　which；　according　to　article　2　of
the　treaty；　would　be　within　the　next　six　weeks。　　As　to　Cavalier；　the
marechal　gave　him　on　the　spot　a　commission　as　colonel；　with　a　pension
of　1200　livres　attached；　and　the　power　of　nominating　the　subordinate
officers　in　his　regiment；　and　at　the　same　time　he　handed　him　a
captain's　commission　for　his　young　brother。

Cavalier　drew　up　the　muster…roll　of　the　regiment　the　same　day；　and
gave　it　to　the　marechal。　　It　was　to　consist　of　seven　hundred　and
twelve　men；　forming　fifteen　companies；　with　sixteen　captains；　sixteen
lieutenants；　a　sergeant…major；　and　a　surgeon…major。

While　all　this　was　happening；　Roland；　taking　advantage　of　the
suspension　of　hostilities；　was　riding　up　and　down　the　province　as　if
he　were　viceroy　of　the　Cevennes；　and　wherever　he　appeared　he　had　a
magnificent　reception。　　Like　Cavalier；　he　gave　leave　of　absence　and
furnished　escorts；　and　held　himself　haughtily；　sure　that　he　too　would
soon　be　negotiating　treaties　on　terms　of　equality　with　marshals　of
France　and　governors　of　provinces。　　But　Roland　was　much　mistaken：　M。
de　Villars　had　made　great　concessions　to　the　popularity　of　Cavalier；
but　they　were　the　last　he　intended　to　make。　　So；　instead　of　being　in
his　turn　summoned　to　Nimes；　or　Uzes；　to　confer　with　M。　de　Villars；
Roland　merely　received　an　intimation　from　Cavalier　that　he　desired　to
speak　with　him　on　important　business。

They　met　near　Anduze；　and　Cavalier；　faithful　to　the　promise　given　to
M。　de　Villars；　neglected　no　argument　that　he　could　think　of　to　induce
Roland　to　follow　his　example；　but