massacres of the south-第2章

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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
formed　in　the　stress　of　revolution　it　acted　in　a　revolutionary
spirit；　absorbing　the　powers　of　the　consuls；　and　restricting　the
authority　of　the　Consistory　to　things　spiritual。　　In　the　meantime　the
Edict　of　Amboise；　was　promulgated；　and　it　was　announced　that　the
king；　Charles　IX；　accompanied　by　Catherine　de　Medicis；　was　going　to
visit　his　loyal　provinces　in　the　South。

Determined　as　was　Captain　Bouillargues；　for　once　he　had　to　give　way；
so　strong　was　the　party　against　him；　therefore；　despite　the　murmurs
of　the　fanatics；　the　city　of　Nimes　resolved；　not　only　to　open　its
gates　to　its　sovereign；　but　to　give　him　such　a　reception　as　would
efface　the　bad　impression　which　Charles　might　have　received　from　the
history　of　recent　events。　　The　royal　procession　was　met　at　the　Pont
du　Gare；　where　young　girls　attired　as　nymphs　emerged　from　a　grotto
bearing　a　collation；　which　they　presented　to　their　Majesties；　who
graciously　and　heartily　partook　of　it。　　The　repast　at　an　end；　the
illustrious　travellers　resumed　their　progress；　but　the　imagination　of
the　Nimes　authorities　was　not　to　be　restrained　within　such　narrow
bounds：　at　the　entrance　to　the　city　the　king　found　the　Porte　de　la
Couronne　transformed　into　a　mountain…side；　covered　with　vines　and
olive　trees；　under　which　a　shepherd　was　tending　his　flock。　　As　the
king　approached　the　mountain　parted　as　if　yielding　to　the　magic　of
his　power；　the　most　beautiful　maidens　and　the　most　noble　came　out　to
meet　their　sovereign；　presenting　him　the　keys　of　the　city　wreathed
with　flowers；　and　singing　to　the　accompaniment　of　the　shepherd's
pipe。　　Passing　through　the　mountain；　Charles　saw　chained　to　a　palm
tree　in　the　depths　of　a　grotto　a　monster　crocodile　from　whose　jaws
issued　flames：　this　was　a　representation　of　the　old　coat　of　arms
granted　to　the　city　by　Octavius　Caesar　Augustus　after　the　battle　of
Actium；　and　which　Francis　I　had　restored　to　it　in　exchange　for　a
model　in　silver　of　the　amphitheatre　presented　to　him　by　the　city。
Lastly；　the　king　found　in　the　Place　de　la　Salamandre　numerous
bonfires；　so　that　without　waiting　to　ask　if　these　fires　were　made
from　the　remains　of　the　faggots　used　at　the　martyrdom　of　Maurice
Secenat；　he　went　to　bed　very　much　pleased　with　the　reception　accorded
him　by　his　good　city　of　Nimes；　and　sure　that　all　the　unfavourable
reports　he　had　heard　were　calumnies。

Nevertheless；　in　order　that　such　rumours；　however　slight　their
foundation；　should　not　again　be　heard；　the　king　appointed　Damville
governor　of　Languedoc；　installing　him　himself　in　the　chief　city　of
his　government；　he　then　removed　every　consul　from　his　post　without
exception；　and　appointed　in　their　place　Guy…Rochette；　doctor　and
lawyer；　Jean　Beaudan；　burgess；　Francois　Aubert；　mason；　and　Cristol
Ligier；　farm　labourerall　Catholics。　　He　then　left　for　Paris；　where
a　short　time　after　he　concluded　a　treaty　with　the　Calvinists；　which
the　people　with　its　gift　of　prophecy　called　〃The　halting　peace　of
unsure　seat；〃　and　which　in　the　end　led　to　the　massacre　of　St。
Bartholomew。

Gracious　as　had　been　the　measures　taken　by　the　king　to　secure　the
peace　of　his　good　city　of　Nimes；　they　had　nevertheless　been
reactionary；　consequently　the　Catholics；　feeling　the　authorities　were
now　on　their　side；　returned　in　crowds：　the　householders　reclaimed
their　houses；　the　priests　their　；churches；　while；　rendered　ravenous
by　the　bitter　bread　of　exile；　both　the　clergy　and　the　laity　pillaged
the　treasury。　　Their　return　was　not；　however；　stained　by　bloodshed；
although　the　Calvinists　were　reviled　in　the　open　street。　　A　few　stabs
from　a　dagger　or　shots　from　an　arquebus　might；　however；　have　been
better；　such　wounds　heal　while　mocking　words　rankle　in　the　memory。

On　the　morrow　of　Michaelmas　Daythat　is；　on　the　31st　September
1567a　number　of　conspirators　might　have　been　seen　issuing　from　a
house　and　spreading　themselves　through　the　streets；　crying　〃To　arms！
Down　with　the　Papists！〃　Captain　Bouillargues　was　taking　his　revenge。

As　the　Catholics　were　attacked　unawares；　they　did　not　make　even　a
show　of　resistance：　a　number　of　Protestantsthose　who　possessed　the
best　armsrushed　to　the　house　of　Guy…Rochette；　the　first　consul；　and
seized　the　keys　of　the　city。　　Guy　Rochette；　startled　by　the　cries　of
the　crowds；　had　looked　out　of　the　window；　and　seeing　a　furious　mob
approaching　his　house；　and　feeling　that　their　rage　was　directed
against　himself；　had　taken　refuge　with　his　brother　Gregoire。　　There；
recovering　his　courage　and　presence　of　mind；　he　recalled　the
important　responsibilities　attached　to　his　office；　and　resolving　to
fulfil　them　whatever　might　happen；　hastened　to　consult　with　the　other
magistrates；　but　as　they　all　gave　him　very　excellent　reasons　for　not
meddling；　he　soon　felt　there　was　no　dependence　to　be　placed　on　such
cowards　and　traitors。　　He　next　repaired　to　the　episcopal　palace；
where　he　found　the　bishop　surrounded　by　the　principal　Catholics　of
the　town；　all　on　their　knees　offering　up　earnest　prayers　to　Heaven；
and　awaiting　martyrdom。　　Guy…Rochette　joined　them；　and　the　prayers
were　continued。

A　few　instants　later　fresh　noises　w