These words of Calvin are rather sharp. This is doubtless explained by his recent sorrow. Subsequently he expressed himself with more moderation. His partisans at Geneva did the same. While the wisest men still held their peace, the most violent did not spare their adversaries. The two parties were very ill-disposed towards one another, and some of those who belonged to them threw off all restraint both in their deeds and in their words. Licentious men among the enemies of the reformers ‘triumphed over the banished ministers, insulted the servants of God, laughed at the Gospel, and abandoned themselves to impurity, dancing, gaming, and drunkenness. Nothing was talked of but masquerades, gallantries and excesses, and the services of the church turned to the disgrace of the Reformation.’ On the other side, the most vehement partisans of Calvin and Farel had no mercy on the lay and ecclesiastical chiefs under whose administration these things took place. They called the new pastors _wolves_, and the magistrates _the unrighteous_. They murmured as they went out from sermon, and their ill-humor was not sparing of criticism. ‘The Gospel which is preached at present,’ said Richard after one of the services, ‘is only _the Gospel for twenty days_.’ He had no doubt that, when that time had elapsed, the new preachers would be dismissed. For this they sent him to prison. ‘The syndics of to-day,’ said another, ‘are of no use but to bring back lascivious men and women into the town.’ For this saying he was expelled from the town for a year.[743] ‘The mass is sung in Geneva,’ said many, ‘and the people who love the Gospel are expelled the town.’ These charges were circulated in Switzerland, and greatly alarmed the friends of reform.