Great was the disappointment of Vaud to find that it had only changed
masters; had been rescued from the grasp of Savoy to fall beneath the
sway of Bern, though the latter master was certainly in every way
superior to the former. It will be well understood that this treatment
on the part of Bern would later on give rise to serious troubles. Indeed
to this day Vaud bears a grudge against her former master. However the
powerful canton set up order and discipline in the disorganized district
of Vaud, and gave it the _cachet_ of its exemplary administration. It
was divided into governmental districts and managed by eight Bernese
landvögte. It agrees with the laws of Bern though its local
administration was left it. Every effort was made to establish the
reformed faith, and a disputation was held at Lausanne. In this Calvin
took a part, but not a prominent one. The result was, however, the
downfall of Catholicism in the district, deeply-rooted though it had
been. Schools were established, and the Academy was founded by Bern. In
this way the French position of the country was cemented to the eastern
half. It was not till the Great Revolution that the prerogatives of the
governing cantons were shaken, the immense wealth of the cathedral of
Lausanne went to fill the state coffers of Bern, and the funds of the
various churches were left to provide schools.
FOOTNOTES:
[54] For a fuller account of Bonivard the reader is referred to
Marc-Monnier's "Genève et ses poètes." It is of course well known that
though Bonivard's adventures suggested the idea of Byron's beautiful
"Prisoner of Chillon," the story in the poem is almost entirely
fictitious. In truth, Bonivard was liberated by Bern in 1536, and set
himself to write the annals of his city of Geneva. He was married no
fewer than four times. He seems to have been frequently cited before the
Consistory for gambling and other like offences.
XXIV.
GENEVA AND CALVIN.
(1536-1564.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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