The new rector took the affair vigorously in hand. Won over to the Gospel by Calvin, he had learnt, in conversation with his friend, that sin is the great disease, the loss of eternal life the great death, and Jesus Christ the great physician. He was impatient to meet the enemies of the Reform, and the king gave him the desired opportunity.... He had several conversations with Calvin on the subject, and convened the four faculties on the 24th of October, 1532. The Bishop of Senlis, the king's confessor, read his Majesty's letter to them; after which the youthful rector, the organ of the new times, began to speak, and, full of the ardour which a recent conversion gives, he delivered (Calvin tells us) a long and severe speech,[438] a christian philippic, confounding the conspirators who were plotting against the Word of God. 'Licence is always criminal,' he said; 'but what is it when those who violate the laws are those whose duty it is to teach others to observe them?... Now what have they done? They have attacked an excellent woman, who is alike the patroness of sound learning and mother of every virtue.[439] They penetrate into the sanctuary of the family of our kings, and encroach upon the sovereign majesty... What presumptuous temerity, what imprudent audacity!... The laws of propriety, the laws of the realm, the laws of God even, have all been violated by these impudent men... They are seditious and rebellious subjects.' Then turning to the faculty of theology, the rector continued: 'Put an end, Sirs, to these foolish and arrogant manners; or else, if you have not committed the offence, do not bear the responsibility. Do you desire to encourage the malice of those who, ever ready to perpetrate the most criminal acts, wipe their mouths afterwards and say: "It is not I who did it! it is the university!" while the university knows nothing about it?[440] Do not mix yourselves up in a matter so full of danger, or ... beware of the terrible anger of the king.'[441] [Sidenote: THE SORBONNE DISAVOWS ITS ACT.] This speech, the terror inspired by the king's name, and the recollection of Beda's imprisonment, disturbed the assembly. The theologians, who were all guilty, basely abandoned their colleague, who had only carried out a general resolution, and exclaimed unanimously: 'We must disavow the rash deed.'[442] The four faculties declared they had not authorised the act of which the king complained, and the whole responsibility fell on Le Clerq, curé of St. André, who had taken the most active part in the matter. He was the Jonah to be thrown into the sea.