J. H. Merle D'Aubigné - History of the Reformation in Europe in the Time of Calvin (Vol. 1-8)

=CALM OF THE GENEVESE.=

De Combes retired without saying a word, and reported in Geneva the prelate's violent message. He had committed nothing to writing; but the whole scene remained graven in his memory. 'What!' exclaimed the huguenots, 'he said all that?' and then they made him tell his story over again. The murmurs now grew louder: the Genevans said that 'while in the first centuries the ministers of the Church had conciliated general esteem by their doctrine and character, modern priests looked for strength in alliances with the princes of this world; formerly the vocation of a bishop was martyrdom, but now it is eating and drinking, pomp, white horses, and ... bursts of anger.' All this was a deadly blow to the consideration due to the clergy. The council was, however, wiser than the prelate; they ordered that no answer should be returned him. This decision was indeed conformable to custom, as the report had been made to the syndics viva voce , and not by official letter. La Baume, at the time he gave audience to the envoy from Geneva, was too confused to hold a pen or to dictate anything rational to his secretary; but the magistrates of Geneva, on the other hand, were always men of rule and law. 785

While the bishop was putting himself into a passion like a soldier, the Duke of Savoy was convoking a synod like a bishop. It was not enough for the evangelical doctrine to infect Geneva—it was invading his states. It already numbered partisans in Savoy, and even the Alps had not proved a sufficient barrier against the new invasion. Some seeds of the Gospel, coming from Switzerland, had crossed the St. Bernard, in despite of the opposition of the most zealous prelate in Piedmont—we may even say in all Italy. This was Pierre Gazzini, Bishop of Aosta, who was afterwards to contend, in his own episcopal city, with the disciples of Calvin, and with Calvin himself. Gifted with a lofty intelligence, great energy of character, and ardent catholicism, Gazzini was determined to wage war to the death against the heretics, and it was in accordance with his advice that a synod had been convoked. When the assembly met on the 12th of July, 1528, Gazzini drew a deplorable picture of the position. 'My lords,' he said, 'the news is distressing from every quarter. Switzers and Genevans are circulating the accursed book . Twelve gentlemen of Savoy adhere scrupulously to the doctrines of Luther. All our parishes between Geneva and Chambéry are infected by forbidden books. The people will no longer pay for masses or keep the fasts; men go about everywhere saying that the property of the abbots and prelates ought to be sold to feed the poor and miserable!' Gazzini did not confine himself to pointing out the disease; he sought for the cause. 'Geneva,' he said, 'is the focus,' and he called for the most violent measures in order to destroy it. 786The duke determined to employ every means to extinguish the fire, 'which (they said) was continually tossing its burning flakes from Geneva into Savoy.'

=SYNOD CONVOKED BY THE DUKE.=

Charles III. had been ruminating for some time over a new idea. Seeing the difficulties that the annexation of Geneva to Savoy would meet with on the part of the Swiss, he had conceived another combination; that is, to make his second son, a child four years old, count or prince of Geneva. Circumstances were favourable to this scheme. Pierre de la Baume was designated successor to the Archbishop of Besançon; he, doubtless, would not want much pressing to give up his bishopric when he was offered an archbishopric. The duke therefore sent commissioners to the emperor and the pope to arrange the matter with them. Hugues, ever ready to sacrifice himself to save his country, started immediately, with three other citizens, for Berne and Friburg; but he found the confederates much cooled with regard to Geneva. 'You are very proud,' said the avoyer of Berne to the envoys in full council, and, adds Hugues, 'they gave us a good scolding.' 787The duke had set every engine to work, and, covetous as he was, had distributed profusely his crowns of the sun. 'Ha!' said the Genevan, 'Monsieur of Savoy never before sent so much money here at one time,' and then sarcastically added, with reference to the lords of Berne: 'The sun has blinded them.' 788

The Genevans found themselves alone; the monarchical powers of Christendom—Piedmont, France, and the Empire—were rising against their dawning liberty; even the Swiss were forsaking them; but not one of them hesitated. Ami Girard and Robert Vandel, at that time ambassadors to Switzerland, quivered with indignation, and, filled with an energy that reminds us of old Rome, they wrote to their fellow-citizens: 'Sooner than do what they ask you, set fire to the city, and begin with our houses .' 789

The duke now prepared to support his pretensions by more energetic means. His agents traversed the districts round Geneva; they went from door to door, from house to house, and said to the peasants: 'Do not venture to carry provisions to Geneva.' Others went from castle to castle, and told the lords: 'Let every gentleman equip his followers with uniform and arms, and be ready at the sound of the alarm-bell.'

=DUCAL INTRIGUES IN THE CONVENTS.=

But the duke did not confine his intrigues to the outside of the city; he employed every means inside. Gentlemen of Savoy made visits, gave dinners, and tampered with certain private persons, promising them a great sum of money 'if they would do their duty .' The monks, feeling assured that their knell would ring erelong, redoubled their efforts to secure the triumph of Savoy in Geneva. Three of them, Chappuis, superior of the Dominicans, a man deep in the confidence of his highness, who had lodged in his monastery, with Gringalet and Levrat, simple monks, held frequent conferences in the convent of Plainpalais, in the prior's chamber, round a table on which lay some little silver keys; by their side were lists containing the names of the principal Genevese ecclesiastics and laymen from whom Chappuis believed he might hope for support. The three monks took up the keys, looked at them complacently, and then placed them against certain names. The duke, knowing that intrigue and vanity are the original sins of monks, had sent the prior these keys (the arms of Faucigny, a province hostile to Geneva): 'Procure for us friends in the convents and the city,' he had told them; 'and for that purpose distribute these keys with discretion. Whoever wears them will belong to us.' It was a mysterious decoration, by means of which the duke hoped to gain partisans for the annexation. Chappuis and Levrat began to tamper with the laity of the city, while Gringalet undertook to gain the monks. In spite of all the skill they employed, their manœuvres were not always crowned with success. One day Gringalet went up to two monks, Bernard and Nicholas, and showed them the talisman; but they looked coldly on such toys , manifesting no desire to possess them. The ducal monk, perceiving that the keys had no virtue, said to his colleagues: 'If we do not succeed in our scheme; if Savoy and the papacy do not triumph in Geneva, we will abandon the ungrateful city; we will transfer the property of our convent to some other place, and leave nothing but the bare walls behind!' Bernard and Nicholas, who inclined to the side of light, were alarmed, and, judging it to be a matter of high importance, denounced the plot to the council: 'This, then, is the use of monks,' said the syndics. 'They are traitors, ready to deliver the city to the foreigner. We will put all to rights.' They ordered the two monks to say nothing, and when night came the council proceeded to the Dominican monastery. The beadles knocked at the gate; the porter opened it, and looked with astonishment at the noble company. The syndics ordered all the convent to assemble. The monks were greatly alarmed: Chappuis, Gringalet, and Levrat trembled, having no doubt that they had been betrayed. They made haste to hide the little keys, and then proceeded anxiously to the common hall, where the brethren had already assembled: 'We have heard of your intrigues,' said the premier syndic; 'we know why you are distributing in Geneva the keys of those Turks ( Turcanorum ), the Faucignerans.... You had better say your prayers and not meddle with politics. You pretend to renounce the world, reverend brethren, and then do nothing else but intrigue for the things of this world. You intend, we hear, to carry away your property, your relics, and your jewels; gently ... we will spare you that trouble; we will take care of them in the grotto of St. Pierre, and put your persons in a place of safety.'... The council ordered an inventory of the goods of the convent to be drawn up, and generously left the monks three chalices for the celebration of mass. They banished Chappuis, Gringalet, and Levrat, and placed the other brethren under the surveillance of two deputies of the council. The monks had their wings clipped, and the Reformation was beginning. 790