History of the Reformation in Europe in the Time of Calvin. Vol. 3 (of 8)Merle d'Aubigné, J. H. (Jean Henri)
History
History of the Reformation in Europe in the Time of Calvin. Vol. 3 (of 8)
Merle d'Aubigné, J. H. (Jean Henri)
Reformation
But all was not ended. Some members of the chapter and several priests,
hearing that a fight was going on at the Madeleine, had collected in the
Rue des Chanoines, where William Canal, incumbent of St. Germain's,
harangued them. The catholic faith is threatened, the throne of the pope
is shaken, the great honour due to Mary is endangered.... We must fall
upon those who impugn it, and free the city from their persons and their
errors. Such was the sum of his discourse.
The tumult being quieted round the church,[600] the lieutenant of
justice (Châteauneuf) had turned towards the Rue des Chanoines, where he
had been told that the priests were in commotion. Finding them
determined to follow Canal sword in hand to the Madeleine, he commanded
them to stop. The priest of St. Germain's, unwilling to submit to the
orders of a civil magistrate, rushed hastily towards the church.
Châteauneuf laid his hand upon him, when the rebellious parson turned
round and levelled his arquebuse at that officer; but a friendly arm
prevented his firing. Canal ran off, and the other priests
dispersed.[601]
[Sidenote: FROMENT DESIRED NOT TO PREACH.]
The council reassembled in the evening. Each opinion was represented in
that body, which halted between two opinions. After a riot like that
which had just occurred, it was necessary to take certain precautions,
especially as the morrow was New Year's day, and at such times men's
minds are more easily excited. The council summoned the principal
friends of the reform, and Froment also was invited, although the
Registers make no mention of his presence. 'We exhort you,' said the
syndics, 'to make Anthony Froment cease from disputing and preaching, as
well as the others who teach in private houses; and we conjure you to
live as your fathers did.' No one would make any promise; on the
contrary, the reformed withdrew, saying, 'We will hear the Word of God
wherever we can: nobody has a right to hide it.' Then turning to
Froment, they begged him not to be silent under such prohibition.[602]
'We are constrained,' they said, 'to hear the schoolmaster and his
friends, because the decree of the council ordering the Word of God to
be preached in every parish has not been observed.' The reformed, while
desiring before all things to obey God, put themselves in the right:
they appealed to lawful ordinances, and this was the ground which they
intended keeping.
The council, acknowledging that this position of the evangelicals was
impregnable, sent for the Abbot of Bonmont, the vicar-episcopal, and
begged him to detain at Geneva the cordelier who had preached the Advent
so well, and to press the Dominicans also to provide a preacher
calculated to edify their congregation. They required further that there
should be true preachers of the Word of God in every parish. The
vicar-episcopal, being a peaceful man, promised everything, even to
punishing Canal the priest.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account