massacres of the south-第4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！


profound　insight　the　grandfather　divined　the　grandson：　Henri　IV
feared　Louis　XIV。

The　Protestants　took　what　they　were　offered；　but　of　course　like　all
who　accept　benefits　they　went　away　filled　with　discontent　because
they　had　not　been　given　more。

Although　the　Protestants　ever　afterwards　looked　on　Henri　IV　as　a
renegade；　his　reign　nevertheless　was　their　golden　age；　and　while　it
lasted　Nines　was　quiet；　for；　strange　to　say；　the　Protestants　took　no
revenge　for　St。　Bartholomew；　contenting　themselves　with　debarring　the
Catholics　from　the　open　exercise　of　their　religion；　but　leaving　them
free　to　use　all　its　rites　and　ceremonies　in　private。　　They　even
permitted　the　procession　of　the　Host　through　the　streets　in　case　of
illness；　provided　it　took　place　at　night。　　Of　course　death　would　not
always　wait　for　darkness；　and　the　Host　was　sometimes　carried　to　the
dying　during　the　day；　not　without　danger　to　the　priest；　who；　however；
never　let　himself　be　deterred　thereby　from　the　performance　of　his
duty；　indeed；　it　is　of　the　essence　of　religious　devotion　to　be
inflexible；　and　few　soldiers；　however　brave；　have　equalled　the
martyrs　in　courage。

During　this　time；　taking　advantage　of　the　truce　to　hostilities　and
the　impartial　protection　meted　out　to　all　without　distinction　by　the
Constable　Damville；　the　Carmelites　and　Capuchins；　the　Jesuits　and
monks　of　all　orders　and　colours；　began　by　degrees　to　return　to　Nines；
without　any　display；　it　is　true；　rather　in　a　surreptitious　manner；
preferring　darkness　to　daylight；　but　however　this　may　be；　in　the
course　of　three　or　four　years　they　had　all　regained　foothold　in　the
town；　only　now　they　were　in　the　position　in　which　the　Protestants　had
been　formerly；　they　were　without　churches；　as　their　enemies　were　in
possession　of　all　the　places　of　worship。　　It　also　happened　that　a
Jesuit　high　in　authority；　named　Pere　Coston；　preached　with　such
success　that　the　Protestants；　not　wishing　to　be　beaten；　but　desirous
of　giving　word　for　word；　summoned　to　their　aid　the　Rev。　Jeremie
Ferrier；　of　Alais；　who　at　the　moment　was　regarded　as　the　most
eloquent　preacher　they　had。　　Needless　to　say；　Alais　was　situated　in
the　mountains；　that　inexhaustible　source　of　Huguenot　eloquence。　　At
once　the　controversial　spirit　was　aroused；　it　did　not　as　yet　amount
to　war；　but　still　less　could　it　be　called　peace：　people　were　no
longer　assassinated；　but　they　were　anathematised；　the　body　was　safe；
but　the　soul　was　consigned　to　damnation：　the　days　as　they　passed　were
used　by　both　sides　to　keep　their　hand　in；　in　readiness　for　the　moment
when　the　massacres　should　again　begin。




CHAPTER　II

The　death　of　Henri　IV　led　to　new　conflicts；　in　which　although　at
first　success　was　on　the　side　of　the　Protestants　it　by　degrees　went
over　to　the　Catholics；　for　with　the　accession　of　Louis　XIII　Richelieu
had　taken　possession　of　the　throne：　beside　the　king　sat　the　cardinal；
under　the　purple　mantle　gleamed　the　red　robe。　　It　was　at　this　crisis
that　Henri　de　Rohan　rose　to　eminence　in　the　South。　　He　was　one　of　the
most　illustrious　representatives　of　that　great　race　which；　allied　as
it　was　to　the　royal　houses　of　Scotland；　France；　Savoy；　and　Lorraine；
had　taken　as　their　device；　〃Be　king　I　cannot；　prince　I　will　not；
Rohan　I　am。〃

Henri　de　Rohan　was　at　this　time　about　forty　years　of　age；　in　the
prime　of　life。　　In　his　youth；　in　order　to　perfect　his　education；　he
had　visited　England；　Scotland；　and　Italy。　　In　England　Elizabeth　had
called　him　her　knight；　in　Scotland　James　VI　had　asked　him　to　stand
godfather　to　his　son；　afterwards　Charles　I；　in　Italy　he　had　been　so
deep　in　the　confidence　of　the　leaders　of　men；　and　so　thoroughly
initiated　into　the　politics　of　the　principal　cities；　that　it　was
commonly　said　that；　after　Machiavel；　he　was　the　greatest　authority　in
these　matters。　　He　had　returned　to　France　in　the　lifetime　of
Henry　IV；　and　had　married　the　daughter　of　Sully；　and　after　Henri's
death　had　commanded　the　Swiss　and　the　Grison　regimentsat　the　siege
of　Juliers。　　This　was　the　man　whom　the　king　was　so　imprudent　as　to
offend　by　refusing　him　the　reversion　of　the　office　of　governor　of
Poitou；　which　was　then　held　by　Sully；　his　father…in…law。　　In　order　to
revenge　himself　for　the　neglect　he　met　with　at　court；　as　he　states　in
his　Memoires　with　military　ingenuousness；　he　espoused　the　cause　of
Conde　with　all　his　heart；　being　also　drawn　in　this　direction　by　his
liking　for　Conde's　brother　and　his　consequent　desire　to　help　those　of
Conde's　religion。

》From　this　day　on　street　disturbances　and　angry　disputes　assumed
another　aspect：　they　took　in　a　larger　area　and　were　not　so　readily
appeased。　　It　was　no　longer　an　isolated　band　of　insurgents　which
roused　a　city；　but　rather　a　conflagration　which　spread　over　the　whole
South；　and　a　general　uprising　which　was　almost　a　civil　war。

This　state　of　things　lasted　for　seven　or　eight　years；　and　during　this
time　Rohan；　abandoned　by　Chatillon　and　La　Force；　who　received　as　the
reward　of　their　defection　the　field　marshal's　baton；　pressed　by
Conde；　his　old　friend；　and　by　Montmorency；　his　consistent　rival；
performed　prodigies　of　courage　and　miracles　of　strategy。　　At　last；
without　soldiers；　without　ammunition；　without　money；　he　still
appeared　to　Richelieu　to　be　so　redoubtable　that　all　the　conditions　of
surrender　he　demanded　were　granted。　　The　maintenance　of　the　Edict　of
Nantes　was　guaranteed；　all　the　places　of　worship　were　to　be　restored
to　the　Reformers；　and　a　general　amnesty　granted　to　himself　and　his
partisans。　　Furthermore；　he　obtained　what　was　an　unheard…of　thing
until　then；　an　indemnity　of　300；000　livres　for　his　expenses　during
the　rebellion；　of　which　sum　he　allotted　240；000　livres　to　his
co…religioniststhat　is　to　say；　more　than　three…quarters　of　the
entire　amountand　kept；　for　the　purpose　of　restoring　his　various
chateaux　and　setting　his　domestic　establishment；　which　had　been
destroyed　during　the　war；　again　on　foot；　only　60；000　livres。　　This
treaty　was　signed　on　July　27th；　1629。

The　Duc　de　Richelieu；　to　whom　no　sacrifice　was　too　great　in　order　to
attain　his　ends；　had　at　last　reached　the　goal；　but　the　peace　cost　him
nearly　40；000；000　livres；　on　the　other　hand；　Saintonge；　Poitou；　and
Languedoc　had　submitted；　and　the　chiefs　of　the　houses　of　La
Tremouille；　Conde；　Bouillon；　Rohan；　and　Soubise　had　came　to　terms
with　him；　organised　armed　opposition　had　disappeared；　and　the　lofty
manner　of　viewing　matters　natural　to　the　cardinal　duke　prevented　him
from　noticing　private　enmity。　　He　therefore　left　Nimes　free　to　manage
her　local　affairs　as　she　pleased；　and　very　soon　the　old　order；　or
rather　disorder；　reigned　once　more　within　her　walls。　　At　last
Richelieu　died；　and　Louis　XIII　soon　followed　him；　and　the　long
minority　of　his　successor；　with　its　embarrassments；　left　to　Catholics
and　Protestants　in　the　South　more　complete　liberty　than　ever　to　carry
on　the　great　duel　which　down　to　our　own　days　has　never　ceased。

But　from　this　period；　each　flux　and　reflux　bears　more　and　more　the
peculiar　character　of　the　party　which　for　the　moment　is　triumphant；
when　the　Protestants　get　the　upper　hand；　their　vengeance　is　marked　by
brutality　and　rage；　when　the　Catholics　are　victorious；　the
retaliation　is　full　of　hypocrisy　and　greed。　　The　Protestants　pull
down　churches　and　monasteries；　expel　the　monks；　burn　the　crucifixes；
take　the　body　of　some　criminal　from　the　gallows；　nail　it　on　a　cross；
pierce　its　side；　put　a　crown　of　thorns　round　its　temples　and　set　it
up　in　the　market…placean　effigy　of　Jesus　on　Calvary。　　The　Catholics
levy　contributions；　take　back　what　they　had　been　deprived　of；　exact
indemnities；　and　although　ruined　by　each　reverse；　are　richer　than
ever　after　each　victory。　　The　Protestants　act　in　the　light　of　day；
melting　down　the　church　bells　to　make　cannon　to　the　sound　of　the
drum；　violate　agreements；　warm　themselves　with　wood　taken　from　the
houses　of　the　cathedral　clergy；　affix　their　theses　to　the　cathedral
doors；　beat　the　priests　who　carry　the　Holy　Sacrament　to　the　dying；
and；　to　crown　all　other　insults；　turn　churches　into　slaughter…houses
and　sewers。

The　Catholics；　on　the　contrary；　march　at　night；　and；　slipping　in　at
the　gates　which　have　been　left　ajar　for　them；　make　their　bishop
president　of　the　Council；　put　Jesuits　at　the　head　of　the　college；　buy
converts　with　money　from　the　treasury；　and　as　they　always　have
influence　at　court；　begin　by　excluding　the　Calvinists　from　favour；
hoping　soon　to　deprive　them　of　justice。

At　last；　on　the　31st　of　December；　1657；　a　final　struggle　took　place；
in　which　the　Protestants　were　overcome；　and　were　only　saved　from
destruction　because　from　the　other　side　of　the　Channel；　Cromwell
exerted　himself　in　their　favour；　writing　with　his　own　hand　at　the　end
of　a　despatch　relative　to　the　affairs　of　Austria；　〃I　Learn　that　there
have　been　popular　disturbances　in　a　town　of　Languedoc　called　Nimes；
and　I　beg　that　order　may　be　restored　with　as　much　mildness　as
possible；　and　without　shedding　of　blood。〃　　As；　fortunately　for　the
Protestants；　Mazarin　had　need　of　Cromwell　at　that　moment；　torture　was
forbidden；　and　nothing　allowed　but　annoyances　of　all　kinds。　　These
henceforward　were　not　only　innumerable；　but　went　on　without　a　pause：
the　Catholics；　faithful　to　their　system　of　constant　encroachment；
kept　up　an　incessant　persecution；　in　which　they　were　soon　encouraged
by　the　numerous　ordinances　issued　by　Louis　XIV。　　The　grandson　of
Henri　IV　could　not　so　far　forget　all　ordinary　respect　as　to　destroy
at　once　the　Edict　of　Nantes；　but　he　tore　off　clause　after　clause。

In　1630that　is；　a　year　after　the　peace　with　Rohan　had　been　signed
in　the　preceding　reignChalons…sur…Saone　had　resolved　that　no
Protestant　should　be　allowed　to　take　any　part　in　the　manufactures　of
the　town。

In　1643；　six　months　after　the　accession　of　Louis　XIV；　the　laundresses
of　Paris　made　a　rule　that　the　wives　and　daughters　of　Protestants　were
unworthy　to　be　admitted　to　the　freedom　of　their　respectable　guild。

In　1654；　just　one　year　after　he　had　attained　his　majority；　Louis　XIV
consented　to　the　imposition　of　a　tax　on　the　town　of　Nimes　of　4000
francs　towards　the　support　of　the　Catholic　and　the　Protestant
hospitals；　and　instead　of　allowing　each　party　to　contribute　to　the
support　of　its　own　hospital；　the　money　was　raised　in　one　sum；　so
that；　of　the　money　paid　by　the　Protestants；　who　were　twice　as
numerous　as　the　Catholics；　two…sixths　went　to　their　enemies。　　On
August　9th　of　the　same　year　a　decree　of　the　Council　ordered　that　all
the　artisan　consuls　should　be　Catholics；　on　the　16th　September
another　decree　forbade　Protestants　to　send　deputations　to　the　king；
lastly；　on　the　20th　of　December；　a　further　decree　declared　that　all
hospitals　should　be　administered　by　Catholic　consuls　alone。

In　1662　Protestants　were　commanded　to　bury　their　dead　either　at　dawn
or　after　dusk；　and　a　special　clause　of　the　decree　fixed　the　number　of
persons　who　might　attend　a　funeral　at　ten　only。

In　1663　the　Council　of　State　issued　decrees　prohibiting　the　practice
of　their　religion　by　the　Reformers　in　one　hundred　and　forty…two
communes　in　the　dioceses　of　Nimes；　Uzes；　and　Mendes；　and　ordering　the
demolition　of　their　meetinghouses。

In　1664　this　regulation　was　extended　to　the　mee