massacres of the south-第2章

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more　nor　less　than　a　committee　of　public　safety；　and　having　been
formed　in　the　stress　of　revolution　it　acted　in　a　revolutionary
spirit；　absorbing　the　powers　of　the　consuls；　and　restricting　the
authority　of　the　Consistory　to　things　spiritual。　　In　the　meantime　the
Edict　of　Amboise；　was　promulgated；　and　it　was　announced　that　the
king；　Charles　IX；　accompanied　by　Catherine　de　Medicis；　was　going　to
visit　his　loyal　provinces　in　the　South。

Determined　as　was　Captain　Bouillargues；　for　once　he　had　to　give　way；
so　strong　was　the　party　against　him；　therefore；　despite　the　murmurs
of　the　fanatics；　the　city　of　Nimes　resolved；　not　only　to　open　its
gates　to　its　sovereign；　but　to　give　him　such　a　reception　as　would
efface　the　bad　impression　which　Charles　might　have　received　from　the
history　of　recent　events。　　The　royal　procession　was　met　at　the　Pont
du　Gare；　where　young　girls　attired　as　nymphs　emerged　from　a　grotto
bearing　a　collation；　which　they　presented　to　their　Majesties；　who
graciously　and　heartily　partook　of　it。　　The　repast　at　an　end；　the
illustrious　travellers　resumed　their　progress；　but　the　imagination　of
the　Nimes　authorities　was　not　to　be　restrained　within　such　narrow
bounds：　at　the　entrance　to　the　city　the　king　found　the　Porte　de　la
Couronne　transformed　into　a　mountain…side；　covered　with　vines　and
olive　trees；　under　which　a　shepherd　was　tending　his　flock。　　As　the
king　approached　the　mountain　parted　as　if　yielding　to　the　magic　of
his　power；　the　most　beautiful　maidens　and　the　most　noble　came　out　to
meet　their　sovereign；　presenting　him　the　keys　of　the　city　wreathed
with　flowers；　and　singing　to　the　accompaniment　of　the　shepherd's
pipe。　　Passing　through　the　mountain；　Charles　saw　chained　to　a　palm
tree　in　the　depths　of　a　grotto　a　monster　crocodile　from　whose　jaws
issued　flames：　this　was　a　representation　of　the　old　coat　of　arms
granted　to　the　city　by　Octavius　Caesar　Augustus　after　the　battle　of
Actium；　and　which　Francis　I　had　restored　to　it　in　exchange　for　a
model　in　silver　of　the　amphitheatre　presented　to　him　by　the　city。
Lastly；　the　king　found　in　the　Place　de　la　Salamandre　numerous
bonfires；　so　that　without　waiting　to　ask　if　these　fires　were　made
from　the　remains　of　the　faggots　used　at　the　martyrdom　of　Maurice
Secenat；　he　went　to　bed　very　much　pleased　with　the　reception　accorded
him　by　his　good　city　of　Nimes；　and　sure　that　all　the　unfavourable
reports　he　had　heard　were　calumnies。

Nevertheless；　in　order　that　such　rumours；　however　slight　their
foundation；　should　not　again　be　heard；　the　king　appointed　Damville
governor　of　Languedoc；　installing　him　himself　in　the　chief　city　of
his　government；　he　then　removed　every　consul　from　his　post　without
exception；　and　appointed　in　their　place　Guy…Rochette；　doctor　and
lawyer；　Jean　Beaudan；　burgess；　Francois　Aubert；　mason；　and　Cristol
Ligier；　farm　labourerall　Catholics。　　He　then　left　for　Paris；　where
a　short　time　after　he　concluded　a　treaty　with　the　Calvinists；　which
the　people　with　its　gift　of　prophecy　called　〃The　halting　peace　of
unsure　seat；〃　and　which　in　the　end　led　to　the　massacre　of　St。
Bartholomew。

Gracious　as　had　been　the　measures　taken　by　the　king　to　secure　the
peace　of　his　good　city　of　Nimes；　they　had　nevertheless　been
reactionary；　consequently　the　Catholics；　feeling　the　authorities　were
now　on　their　side；　returned　in　crowds：　the　householders　reclaimed
their　houses；　the　priests　their　；churches；　while；　rendered　ravenous
by　the　bitter　bread　of　exile；　both　the　clergy　and　the　laity　pillaged
the　treasury。　　Their　return　was　not；　however；　stained　by　bloodshed；
although　the　Calvinists　were　reviled　in　the　open　street。　　A　few　stabs
from　a　dagger　or　shots　from　an　arquebus　might；　however；　have　been
better；　such　wounds　heal　while　mocking　words　rankle　in　the　memory。

On　the　morrow　of　Michaelmas　Daythat　is；　on　the　31st　September
1567a　number　of　conspirators　might　have　been　seen　issuing　from　a
house　and　spreading　themselves　through　the　streets；　crying　〃To　arms！
Down　with　the　Papists！〃　Captain　Bouillargues　was　taking　his　revenge。

As　the　Catholics　were　attacked　unawares；　they　did　not　make　even　a
show　of　resistance：　a　number　of　Protestantsthose　who　possessed　the
best　armsrushed　to　the　house　of　Guy…Rochette；　the　first　consul；　and
seized　the　keys　of　the　city。　　Guy　Rochette；　startled　by　the　cries　of
the　crowds；　had　looked　out　of　the　window；　and　seeing　a　furious　mob
approaching　his　house；　and　feeling　that　their　rage　was　directed
against　himself；　had　taken　refuge　with　his　brother　Gregoire。　　There；
recovering　his　courage　and　presence　of　mind；　he　recalled　the
important　responsibilities　attached　to　his　office；　and　resolving　to
fulfil　them　whatever　might　happen；　hastened　to　consult　with　the　other
magistrates；　but　as　they　all　gave　him　very　excellent　reasons　for　not
meddling；　he　soon　felt　there　was　no　dependence　to　be　placed　on　such
cowards　and　traitors。　　He　next　repaired　to　the　episcopal　palace；
where　he　found　the　bishop　surrounded　by　the　principal　Catholics　of
the　town；　all　on　their　knees　offering　up　earnest　prayers　to　Heaven；
and　awaiting　martyrdom。　　Guy…Rochette　joined　them；　and　the　prayers
were　continued。

A　few　instants　later　fresh　noises　were　heard　in　the　street；　and　the
gates　of　the　palace　court　groaned　under　blows　of　axe　and　crowbar。
Hearing　these　alarming　sounds；　the　bishop；　forgetting　that　it　was　his
duty　to　set　a　brave　example；　fled　through　a　breach　in　the　wall　of　the
next　house；　but　Guy…Rochette　and　his　companions　valiantly　resolved
not　to　run　away；　but　to　await　their　fate　with　patience。　　The　gates
soon　yielded；　and　the　courtyard　and　palace　were　filled　with
Protestants：　at　their　head　appeared　Captain　Bouillargues；　sword　in
hand。　　Guy…Rochette　and　those　with　him　were　seized　and　secured　in　a
room　under　the　charge　of　four　guards；　and　the　palace　was　looted。
Meantime　another　band　of　insurgents　had　attacked　the　house　of　the
vicar…general；　John　Pebereau；　whose　body　pierced　by　seven　stabs　of　a
dagger　was　thrown　out　of　a　window；　the　same　fate　as　was　meted　out　to
Admiral　Coligny　eight　years　later　at　the　hands　of　the　Catholics。　　In
the　house　a　sum　of　800　crowns　was　found　and　taken。　　The　two　bands
then　uniting；　rushed　to　the　cathedral；　which　they　sacked　for　the
second　time。

Thus　the　entire　day　passed　in　murder　and　pillage：　when　night　came　the
large　number　of　prisoners　so　imprudently　taken　began　to　be　felt　as　an
encumbrance　by　the　insurgent　chiefs；　who　therefore　resolved　to　take
advantage　of　the　darkness　to　get　rid　of　them　without　causing　too　much
excitement　in　the　city。　　They　were　therefore　gathered　together　from
the　various　houses　in　which　they　had　been　confined；　and　were　brought
to　a　large　hall　in　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　capable　of　containing　from
four　to　five　hundred　persons；　and　which　was　soon　full。　　An　irregular
tribunal　arrogating　to　itself　powers　of　life　and　death　was　formed；
and　a　clerk　was　appointed　to　register　its　decrees。　　A　list　of　all　the
prisoners　was　given　him；　a　cross　placed　before　a　name　indicating　that
its　bearer　was　condemned　to　death；　and；　list　in　hand；　he　went　from
group　to　group　calling　out　the　names　distinguished　by　the　fatal　sign。
Those　thus　sorted　out　were　then　conducted　to　a　spot　which　had　been
chosen　beforehand　as　the　place　of　execution。

This　was　the　palace　courtyard　in　the　middle　of　which　yawned　a　well
twenty…four　feet　in　circumference　and　fifty　deep。　　The　fanatics　thus
found　a　grave　ready…digged　as　it　were　to　their　hand；　and　to　save
time；　made　use　of　it。

The　unfortunate　Catholics；　led　thither　in　groups；　were　either　stabbed
with　daggers　or　mutilated　with　axes；　and　the　bodies　thrown　down　the
well。　　Guy…Rochette　was　one　of　the　first　to　be　dragged　up。　　For
himself　he　asked　neither　mercy　nor　favour；　but　he　begged　that　the
life　of　his　young　brother　might　be　spared；　whose　only　crime　was　the
bond　of　blood　which　united　them；　but　the　assassins；　paying　no　heed　to
his　prayers；　struck　down　both　man　and　boy　and　flung　them　into　the
well。　　The　corpse　of　the　vicar…general；　who　had　been　killed　the　day
before；　was　in　its　turn　dragged　thither　by　a　rope　and　added　to　the
others。　　All　night　the　massacre　went　on；　the　crimsoned　water　rising
in　the　well　as　corpse　after　corpse　was　thrown　in；　till；　at　break　of
day；　it　overflowed；　one　hundred　and　twenty　bodies　being　then　hidden
in　its　depths。

Next　day；　October　1st；　the　scenes　of　tumult　were　renewed：　from　early
dawn　Captain　Bouiilargues　ran　from　street　to　street　crying；　〃Courage；
comrades！　　Montpellier；　Pezenas；　Aramon；　Beaucaire；　Saint…Andeol；　and
Villeneuve　are　taken；　and　are　on　our　side。　　Cardinal　de　Lorraine　is
dead；　and　the　king　is　in　our　power。〃　　This　aroused　the　failing
energies　of　the　assassins。　　They　joined　the　captain；　and　demanded
that　the　houses　round　the　palace　should　be　searched；　as　it　was　almost

certain　that　the　bishop；　who　had；　as　may　be　remembered；　escaped　the
day　before；　had　taken　refuge　in　one　of　them。　　This　being　agreed　to；　a
house…to…house　visitation　was　begun：　when　the　house　of　M。　de
Sauvignargues　was　reached；　he　confessed　that　the　bishop　was　in　his
cellar；　and　proposed　to　treat　with　Captain　Bouillargues　for　a　ransom。
This　proposition　being　considered　reasonable；　was　accepted；　and　after
a　short　discussion　the　sum　of　120　crowns　was　agreed　on。　　The　bishop
laid　down　every　penny　he　had　about　him；　his　servants　were　despoiled；
and　the　sum　made　up　by　the　Sieur　de　Sauvignargues；　who　having　the
bishop　in　his　house　kept　him　caged。　　The　prelate；　however；　made　no
objection；　although　under　other　circumstances　he　would　have　regarded
this　restraint　as　the　height　of　impertinence；　but　as　it　was　he　felt
safer　in　M。　de　Sauvignargues'　cellar　than　in　the　palace。

But　the　secret　of　the　worthy　prelate's　hiding〃　place　was　but　badly
kept　by　those　with　whom　he　had　treated；　for　in　a　few　moments　a　second
crowd　appeared；　hoping　to　obtain　a　second　ransom。　　Unfortunately；　the
Sieur　de　Sauvignargues；　the　bishop；　and　the　bishop's　servants　had
stripped　themselves　of　all　their　ready　money　to　make　up　the　first；　so
the　master　of　the　house；　fearing　for　his　own　safety；　having
barricaded　the　doors；　got　out　into　a　lane　and　escaped；　leaving　the
bishop　to　his　fate。　　The　Huguenots　climbed　in　at　the　windows；　crying；
〃No　quarter！　　Down　with　the　Papists！　　〃The　bishop's　servants　were　cut
down；　the　bishop　himself　dragged　out　of　the　cellar　and　thrown　into
the　street。　　There　his　rings　and　crozier　were　snatched　from　him；　he
was　stripped　of　his　clothes　and　arrayed　in　a　grotesque　and　ragged
garment　which　chanced　to　be　at　hand；　his　mitre　was　replaced　by　a
peasant's　cap；　and　in　this　condition　he　was　dragged　back　to　the
palace　and　placed　on　the　brink　of　the　well　to　be　thrown　in。　　One　of
the　assassins　drew　attention　to　the　fact　that　it　was　already　full。
〃Pooh！〃　replied　another；　〃they　won't　mind　a　little　crowding　for　a
bishop。〃　　Meantime　the　prelate；　seeing　he　need　expect　no　mercy　from
man；　threw　himself　on　his　knees　and　commended　his　soul　to　God。
Suddenly；　however；　one　of　those　who　had　shown　himself　most　ferocious
during　the　massacre；　Jean　Coussinal　by　name；　was　touched　as　if　by
miracle　with　a　feeling　of　compassion　at　the　sight　of　so　much
resignation；　and　threw　himself　between　the　bishop　and　those　about　to
strike；　and　declaring　that　whoever　touche