fired still more the Camisards. On the other hand, Pope Clement XI. in 1703, proclaimed a plenary summons to a crusade against them, which was put in execution. Notwithstanding this, they almost totally defeated the troops of the Marshal Montrevel sent against them with 20,000 men, in 1703, and the horrible cruelty of the latter only excited still more their fanaticism. Recompensing evil with evil, they strangled eighty-four priests in the diocese of Nismes and burned two hundred churches, after 40,000 of their own party had been put to the wheel, burnt, and hanged. At length, in order to give to the perilous state of affairs another turn, Louis recalled Marshal Montrevel, 1704, and sent Marshal Villars. One of the chiefs of the Camisards meditated an alliance with the Duke of Savoy in Dauphiné. The whole country from the coast to the highest crest of the mountains was more or less in their hands and with the inhabitants of Nismes, Montpellier, Orange, Uzes, &c., &c., they maintained communications, which secured to them bread, arms, and other necessaries. A quantity of bells had been melted down by them to serve for cannons, and Cavalier acquitted himself like a skilful general. The Catholic peasantry ventured neither to cultivate the land, nor to carry necessaries of life into the towns. Thus stood affairs, when Villars on the 21st of April, arrived in Nismes. He too was incapable, of subduing the insurgents by force of arms. He therefore decided on trying the effect of milder measures, and proclaimed a general amnesty for all, who would lay down their arms, and set at liberty himself such prisoners as swore fealty. In fact he disarmed in this manner several communities. On the other side he menaced with the harshest punishment, and to give weight to it, moveable columns were formed, which marched from a given point in every direction, upon which again detachments were ordered to remain as a reserve, to succour those who might make head against the enemy in the open field. Those, who were made prisoners with arms in their hands, were either killed on the spot, or hanged, or broken on the wheel in Alais, Nismes, and St. Hippolyte. Villars succeeded so far, that already on the 10th of May, Cavalier gave up the cause of the Camisards as lost, and concluded a treaty, wherein he promised to surrender with his party on condition that they should obtain liberty of conscience and the right to assemble privately without the towns for the service of God, that the prisoners should be set free, the emigrated recalled, and the confiscated estates and privileges restored. On the 22nd the confirmation of the treaty arrived from Paris, and at the same time permission for Cavalier to form a regiment in the King's pay. In the mean while, however, the affair rapidly took another turn, particularly in consequence of the activity of Dutch emissaries, who, brought money and weapons, and promised the support of their republic. Cavalier had