The arrival of the two reformers created a sensation in that town. At the sight of that Farel whose labors in French Switzerland had been for ten years crowned with such signal success; of that Calvin who was already hailed as a master-spirit; of those two men banished, driven away, having no refuge, men’s minds were struck and their hearts touched. The Bernese magistrates themselves had not anticipated measures so extreme. Admitted to the council April 27, the reformers said,--‘We have been falsely accused. The Genevese (_Messieurs de Genève_) have brought forward two charges: the one that we have rebelled against their commands, and the other that we have refused to conform to the ceremonies in use at Berne. These accusations are both false; for we have done all that we could to obey them, and never did we directly refuse such conformity, but on the other hand we have rather protested our willingness to consider in what manner it could best be arranged for the edification of the church. Further, it is evident that these accusations are a mere cloak, for these gentlemen were prepared to consent that this affair of ritual should be postponed till the assembly at Zurich, on condition that we would consent to our colleague Courault being deprived of his office as preacher. But to this, as contrary to the express word of Scripture, we refused to agree. On Easter Day we protested that if we did not administer the supper it was not on account of the unleavened bread, the use of which is in itself a matter of indifference, but for fear of profaning a mystery so holy,--unless the people were better disposed. The reason we gave was this,--the disorders and abominations prevailing at this time in the town, as well execrable blasphemies and mockings of God and of his Gospel, as disturbances, sects, and divisions. In public, and unrepressed, a thousand derisive speeches are uttered against the Word of God and even against the supper. And, more than that, the members of the council have all along refused us leave to state our reasons; and, without hearing us, they have stirred up against us both the Two Hundred and the people, making charges against us which are not true either in God’s sight or in the sight of men. By acting thus they show plainly that they are only seeking for slanders and scandals to defame the Gospel. And it is a fact that, six months ago, there was a rumor at Lyons and at other places in France of such a nature that some merchants were desirous of selling goods for large sums _payable when we should be expelled_!... From this it appears that there are secret intrigues of long standing. Likewise they are not content with loading us with ignominy, but they have several times exclaimed that we should be thrown into the Rhone.’ The reformers having thus spoken handed in a memoir in which the same grievances were set forth.[665]