While the powerful princes around Geneva were oscillating between two opinions—so that at times it was hard to say whether Charles was for the pope or against him, and whether Francis was for the protestants or against them—the Genevans, those men of iron, had but one idea, liberty ... liberty both in State and Church. The huguenots showed themselves determined, and kept a bold front in the presence of the ambassadors. 'Take care, gentlemen,' said De Lussey, De Mezere, and others; 'we shall first exercise strict justice against the city, and, if that is not sufficient, strict war; while, if you restore to the duke his old privileges, he will forgive everything, and guarantee your liberties.'—'Yes,' added the Swiss, 'under a penalty of ten thousand crowns if he does the contrary.' ... But, 'marvellous sight,' says a contemporary, 'the more the ambassadors threatened and frightened, the more the Genevans stood firm and constant, and exclaimed: "We will die sooner!"' [Sidenote: SWISS PROPOSE TO BREAK THE ALLIANCE.] On the 23rd of May the Sire de Diesbach proposed the revocation of the alliance to the Council of Two Hundred; and on the following day, the council-general having been summoned, the premier syndic, without losing time in endless explanations, plainly answered the deputies of the cantons: 'Most honoured lords, as the alliance with the League was not concluded hastily (_à la chaude_), we hope in God and in the oath you made to us that it will never be broken. As for us, we are determined to keep ours.' The magistrate then turned towards the people and said: 'I propose that whosoever speaks of annulling the alliance with the Swiss shall have his head cut off without mercy, and that whosoever gets information of any intrigue going on against the alliance, and does not reveal it, shall receive the strappado thrice.' The general council carried this resolution unanimously.