At length November 12 arrived. Each tithing man having called together those of his quarter who had not yet taken the oath, they were conducted to St. Peter’s in groups, tithing by tithing. The looks of the people were fixed on these late comers. They were counted, but the whole number was not large. Many did not come at all; ‘and likewise, of those who lived in the Rue des Allemands, not one came.’[542] This was a blow for the friends of the Reformation. The Rue des Allemands (of the German Swiss) was chiefly inhabited by those who had early declared themselves for liberty, and afterwards for the Reformation, and who had adhered to the Helvetic confessions. When the Genevese Catholics, March 28, 1533, had attacked this party by force of arms, it was in the Rue des Allemands that the reformed were drawn up in order of battle, five in a row. It was there that the most pious had said, ‘There is not one single drop of comfort assured to us except in God alone.’ It was there that all had exclaimed, ‘Rather die than give way a single step.’[543] And now, of all those who inhabited that street, not a single man came! Doubtless some of them had already sworn to the confession. But there were probably some also who objected to the doctrine, and others who, like Desclefs, felt the divine commandments too hard for them to pledge themselves to keep them. But what chiefly repelled these Huguenots was the fact that an act was commanded which they knew they were free to do or not to do. They were determined not to bend under that yoke. After having dared all kinds of hardship for the sake of winning their freedom, they did not intend that, when they had gained it in the state, it should be snatched away from them in the Church. They were more in the right perhaps than they imagined; for it is hardly likely that they fully understood this great principle, ‘The power of the magistrate ends at the point at which that of conscience begins.’ The difficulty was still more increased by the circumstance that ‘those who had refused to swear to the confession, whether Catholics or Huguenots, were among the most influential persons in the city.’ Such is the testimony of Rozet, the secretary of state, who is assuredly a witness above suspicion. But the syndics and their council were no more disposed to give way than their adversaries. They thought that they had as much right to impose that act as to order a military review. On the same day the council decreed ‘that those who will not take the oath to the Reformation must go and dwell in some other place, where they may live according to their fancy.’ Two days later the Two Hundred confirmed the decree, expressing themselves somewhat bluntly, ‘that they must quit the city, since they will not obey.’[544] The bow was tightly bent, and no one was willing to unbend it. The crisis became more violent; a shock and a catastrophe were inevitable. The only question was, who would be the victims.