Vassy is a small fortified town of Champagne (Haute Marne), on the river Braise, about sixty leagues from Paris. It now contains a population of little more than 3000, and, three centuries ago, probably did not contain half that number. The Reformed Church, however, must have been strong in that quarter, for on Christmas Day, 1561, as many as 3000 persons are reported to have assembled for divine worship, of whom 900 partook of the Holy Communion.[276] Such an assertion of liberty of thought greatly offended Antoinette de Bourbon, the dowager duchess of Guise. She could not understand how her vassals--or, to speak more correctly, the vassals of Mary Stuart, her granddaughter--should dare choose a religion for themselves, and urged her son Francis to punish their presumption. The duke, notwithstanding what he had promised at Saverne, needed no stimulants to the discharge of so agreeable a duty. His way to Paris lay through Vassy, and as he came near the town on Sunday morning (1st March, 1562), he heard the sound of a bell. “What noise is that?” he asked. “They are calling the Huguenots to their sermon,” was the reply. “Huguenots! Huguenots!” he swore; “S’death! I will _huguenotize_ them before long.” He rode into the town, alighted at the convent where he dined, and after dinner--for that meal was then eaten in the forenoon--he ordered out his soldiers, between 200 and 300 in number, and marched them to the barn in which the Huguenots, trades-people for the most part, had assembled to hear a new preacher who had just been sent to them from Geneva. The ducal retainers began the strife by abusing the congregation as “heretics, dogs, and rebels,” murdering three, and wounding several who attempted to close the door. The Huguenots endeavored to defend themselves with such weapons as they could snatch up: two, who were probably gentlemen, drew their swords, others flung stones, one of which struck the duke in the cheek as he stood near the door. In a whirlwind of rage he gave his followers orders to spare nobody, and these orders were but too faithfully carried out.[277] Such as escaped the sword were killed by the arquebuse as they were making their way through the windows or over the roof. For one hour the bloody work continued, during which time between fifty and sixty of the Huguenots were murdered on the spot, and about two hundred wounded, some of them mortally. “There were left forty-two poor widows burdened with orphan children,” wrote Beza. Many who succeeded in escaping from the barn, were pursued and killed in the town, and probably none would have been spared but for the Duchess of Guise, who, remembering the bloody scenes at Amboise, interceded for the women. When all was over a book was brought the duke; he looked at it contemptuously, he had never seen such a volume before. “Here,” said he, handing it to the cardinal, “here is one of the Huguenot books.” “There is no harm in it,” his