The council, which concerned itself about the wants of the ministers, watched likewise, in conformity with the constitution, over the wants of the Church and the purity of morals. Letters were written, February 7, at the request of Farel, to Besançon and to Neuchâtel, respecting Olivétan’s Bible.[477] The lay magistrates were severe. On the 23d of the same month, a player and sharper, who was cheating the people out of their money, was sentenced to be exposed for an hour, with his fraudulent cards hung round his neck. The ‘_grand Francois_,’ guilty of impurity, had to give as a fine a halter, eighteen feet long, such as is used for tying up cattle. A man and woman guilty of adultery, were banished, June 1, for a year. On March 13 the council, intruding even into the spiritual domain, determined to make arrangements about the Lord’s Supper and other things.[478] Thus Geneva took an important place both as a Church and a school. Foreigners resorted to it, or sent their children there. The beauty of its situation formed also a powerful attraction. Of all descriptions of Geneva, the following is doubtless one of the most ancient. ‘Do not imagine,’ said Saunier, ‘that Geneva is some frightful, almost uninhabitable town, in the midst of barren and solitary rocks. The streets, with a few exceptions, are broad and in good condition, and there are several large public places. Encircled by a continuous chain of mountains, it has nevertheless on all sides a tract of level country extending round it in the form of a great theatre. As for the lake, it is difficult to say in what respect it is of most value to the city, whether for profit, for defence (_parement_), or for beauty. The water is not at all muddy or turbid, but to the very bottom is clear as fine glass, so that people take a wonderful pleasure in looking at it. To sum up, the said town is situated on the frontiers of three great countries, to wit, Gaul, Germany, and Italy, as it were a place marked out (_députée_) for gatherings of merchants.’[479] Geneva was going to be marked out for other gatherings. ‘Already Mathurin Cordier,’ says a contemporary, ‘a man more skilful in training schools in the French tongue than any man of our time has been, brought with him a large number of learned men.’[480] We have already spoken elsewhere of the arrival of young Englishmen at the foot of the Alps, for the sake of enjoying intercourse with Calvin. Saunier’s description shows that the reformers were not unobservant of the beauties of nature. They loved them, and contemplated them at Geneva in the height and perfection of their majesty. CHAPTER V. CALVIN CONTENDS WITH FOREIGN DOCTORS, AND IS ACCUSED OF ARIANISM. (MARCH TO JUNE, 1537.) [Sidenote: ARRIVAL OF FOREIGN DOCTORS.] [Sidenote: THE SPIRITUALS.]