direct　road　to　the　stake；　and　he　at　last　determined　to　depart　to　Germany。
  Scarcely　had　he　left　France　when　a　storm　burst　over　the　Protestants；　that；
  had　he　remained；　must　surely　have　involved　him　in　the　general　ruin。
  The　French　Reformers；　eager　to　see　their　country　keeping　pace　with　Germany
  and　Switzerland；　determined　to　strike　a　bold　blow　against　the　superstitions
  of　Rome；　that　should　arouse　the　whole　nation。　Accordingly　placards　attacking
  the
  225
  mass　were　in　one　night　posted　all　over　France。　Instead　of　advancing　the
  reform；　this　zealous　but　ill…judged　movement　brought　ruin；　not　only　upon　its
  propagators；　but　upon　the　friends　of　the　reformed　faith　throughout　France。
  It　gave　the　Romanists　what　they　had　long　desireda　pretext　for　demanding
  the　utter　destruction　of　the　heretics　as　agitators　dangerous　to　the
  stability　of　the　throne　and　the　peace　of　the　nation。
  By　some　secret　handwhether　of　indiscreet　friend　or　wily　foe　was　never
  knownone　of　the　placards　was　attached　to　the　door　of　the　king's　private
  chamber。　The　monarch　was　filled　with　horror。　In　this　paper；　superstitions
  that　had　received　the　veneration　of　ages　were　attacked　with　an　unsparing
  hand。　And　the　unexampled　boldness　of　obtruding　these　plain　and　startling
  utterances　into　the　royal　presence　aroused　the　wrath　of　the　king。　In　his
  amazement　he　stood　for　a　little　time　trembling　and　speechless。　Then　his　rage
  found　utterance　in　the　terrible　words：　〃Let　all　be　seized　without
  distinction　who　are　suspected　of　Lutheresy。　I　will　exterminate　them
  all。Ibid。；　b。　4；　ch。　10。　The　die　was　cast。　The　king　had　determined　to
  throw　himself　fully　on　the　side　of　Rome。
  Measures　were　at　once　taken　for　the　arrest　of　every　Lutheran　in　Paris。　A
  poor　artisan；　an　adherent　of　the　reformed　faith；　who　had　been　accustomed　to
  summon　the　believers　to　their　secret　assemblies；　was　seized　and；　with　the
  threat　of　instant　death　at　the　stake；　was　commanded　to　conduct　the　papal
  emissary　to　the　home　of　every　Protestant　in　the　city。　He　shrank　in　horror
  from　the　base　proposal；　but　at　last　fear　of　the　flames　prevailed；　and　he
  consented　to　become　the　betrayer　of　his　brethren。　Preceded　by　the　host；　and
  surrounded　by　a　train　of　priests；　incense　bearers；　monks；　and　soldiers；
  Morin；　the　royal　detective；　with　the　traitor；　slowly　and　silently　passed
  through　the　streets　of　the　city。　The　demonstration　was　ostensibly　in　honor
  of　the　〃holy　sacrament；〃　an　act　of　expiation　for　the　insult　put　upon　the
  mass　by　the　protesters。　But　beneath　this　pageant　a　deadly　purpose　was
  226
  concealed。　On　arriving　opposite　the　house　of　a　Lutheran；　the　betrayer　made　a
  sign；　but　no　word　was　uttered。　The　procession　halted；　the　house　was　entered；
  the　family　were　dragged　forth　and　chained；　and　the　terrible　company　went
  forward　in　search　of　fresh　victims。　They　〃spared　no　house；　great　or　small；
  not　even　the　colleges　of　the　University　of　Paris。　。　。　。　Morin　made　all　the
  city　quake。　。　。　。　It　was　a　reign　of　terror。〃　Ibid。；　b。　4；　ch。　10。
  The　victims　were　put　to　death　with　cruel　torture；　it　being　specially　ordered
  that　the　fire　should　be　lowered　in　order　to　prolong　their　agony。　But　they
  died　as　conquerors。　Their　constancy　were　unshaken；　their　peace　unclouded。
  Their　persecutors；　powerless　to　move　their　inflexible　firmness；　felt
  themselves　defeated。　〃The　scaffolds　were　distributed　over　all　the　quarters
  of　Paris；　and　the　burnings　followed　on　successive　days；　the　design　being　to
  spread　the　terror　of　heresy　by　spreading　the　executions。　The　advantage；
  however；　in　the　end；　remained　with　the　gospel。　All　Paris　was　enabled　to　see
  what　kind　of　men　the　new　opinions　could　produce。　There　was　no　pulpit　like
  the　martyr's　pile。　The　serene　joy　that　lighted　up　the　faces　of　these　men　as
  they　passed　along　。　。　。　to　the　place　of　execution；　their　heroism　as　they
  stood　amid　the　bitter　flames；　their　meek　forgiveness　of　injuries；
  transformed；　in　instances　not　a　few；　anger　into　pity；　and　hate　into　love；
  and　pleaded　with　resistless　eloquence　in　behalf　of　the　gospel。〃Wylie；　b。
  13；　ch。　20。
  The　priests；　bent　upon　keeping　the　popular　fury　at　its　height；　circulated
  the　most　terrible　accusations　against　the　Protestants。　They　were　charged
  with　plotting　to　massacre　the　Catholics；　to　overthrow　the　government；　and　to
  murder　the　king。　Not　a　shadow　of　evidence　could　be　produced　in　support　of
  the　allegations。　Yet　these　prophecies　of　evil　were　to　have　a　fulfillment；
  under　far　different　circumstances；　however；　and　from　causes　of　an　opposite
  character。　The　cruelties　that　were　inflicted　upon　the　innocent　Protestants
  by　the　Catholics　accumulated　in　a　weight　of　retribution；　and　in　after
  centuries　wrought　the　very　doom　they　had　predicted　to　be　impending；　upon　the
  king；　his　government；　and　his
  227
  subjects；　but　it　was　brought　about　by　infidels　and　by　the　papists
  themselves。　It　was　not　the　establishment；　but　the　suppression；　of
  Protestantism；　that；　three　hundred　years　later；　was　to　bring　upon　France
  these　dire　calamities。
  Suspicion；　distrust；　and　terror　now　pervaded　all　classes　of　society。　Amid
  the　general　alarm　it　was　seen　how　deep　a　hold　the　Lutheran　teaching　had
  gained　upon　the　minds　of　men　who　stood　highest　for　education；　influence；　and
  excellence　of　character。　Positions　of　trust　and　honor　were　suddenly　found
  vacant。　Artisans；　printers；　scholars；　professors　in　the　universities；
  authors；　and　even　courtiers；　disappeared。　Hundreds　fled　from　Paris；
  self…constituted　exiles　from　their　native　land；　in　many　cases　thus　giving
  the　first　intimation　that　they　favored　the　reformed　faith。　The　papists
  looked　about　them　in　amazement　at　thought　of　the　unsuspected　heretics　that
  had　been　tolerated　among　them。　Their　rage　spent　itself　upon　the　multitudes
  of　humbler　victims　who　were　within　their　power。　The　prisons　were　crowded；
  and　the　very　air　seemed　darkened　with　the　smoke　of　burning　piles；　kindled
  for　the　confessors　of　the　gospel。
  Francis　I　had　gloried　in　being　a　leader　in　the　great　movement　for　the
  revival　of　learning　which　marked　the　opening　of　the　sixteenth　century。　He
  had　delighted　to　gather　at　his　court　men　of　letters　from　every　country。　To
  his　love　of　learning　and　his　contempt　for　the　ignorance　and　superstition　of
  the　monks　was　due；　in　part　at　least；　the　degree　of　toleration　that　had　been
  granted　to　the　reform。　But；　inspired　with　zeal　to　stamp　out　heresy；　this
  patron　of　learning　issued　an　edict　declaring　printing　abolished　all　over
  France！　Francis　I　presents　one　among　the　many　examples　on　record　showing
  that　intellectual　culture　is　not　a　safeguard　against　religious　intolerance
  and　persecution。
  France　by　a　solemn　and　public　ceremony　was　to　commit　herself　fully　to　the
  destruction　of　Protestantism。　The　priests　demanded　that　the　affront　offered
  to　High　Heaven　in　the　condemnation　of　the　mass　be　expiated　in　blood；　and
  that　the　king；　in　behalf　of　his　people；　publicly　give　his　sanction　to　the
  dreadful　work。
  228
  The　21st　of　January；　1535；　was　fixed　upon　for　the　awful　ceremonial。　The
  superstitious　fears　and　bigoted　hatred　of　the　whole　nation　had　been　roused。
  Paris　was　thronged　with　the　multitudes　that　from　all　the　surrounding　country
  crowded　her　streets。　The　day　was　to　be　ushered　in　by　a　vast　and　imposing
  procession。　〃The　houses　along　the　line　of　march　were　hung　with　mourning
  drapery；　and　altars　rose　at　intervals。〃　Before　every　door　was　a　lighted
  torch　in　honor　of　the　〃holy　sacrament。〃　Before　daybreak　the　procession
  formed　at　the　palace　of　the　king。　〃First　came　the　banners　and　crosses　of　the
  several　parishes；　next　appeared　the　citizens；　walking　two　and　two；　and
  bearing　torches。〃　The　four　orders　of　friars　followed；　each　in　its　own
  peculiar　dress。　Then　came　a　vast　collection　of　famous　relics。　Following
  these　rode　lordly　ecclesiastics　in　their　purple　and　scarlet　robes　and
  jeweled　adornings；　a　gorgeous　and　glittering　array。
  〃The　host　was　carried　by　the　bishop　of　Paris　under　a　magnificent　canopy；　。　。
  。　supported　by　four　princes　of　the　blood。　。　。　。　After　the　host　walked　the
  king。　。　。　。　Francis　I　on　that　day　wore　no　crown；　nor　robe　of　state。〃　With
  〃head　uncovered；　his　eyes　cast　on　the　ground；　and　in　his　hand　a　lighted
  taper；〃　the　king　of　France　appeared　〃in　the　character　of　a
  penitent。〃Ibid。；　b。　13；　ch。　21。　At　every　altar　he　bowed　down　in
  humiliation；　nor　for　the　vices　that　defiled　his　soul；　nor　the　innocent　blood
  that　stained　his　hands；　but　for　the　deadly　sin　of　his　subjects　who　had　dared
  to　condemn　the　mass。　Following　him　came　the　queen　and　the　dignitaries　of
  state；　also　walking　two　and　two；　each　with　a　lighted　torch。
  As　a　part　of　the　services　of　the　day　the　monarch　himself　addressed　the　high
  officials　of　the　kingdom　in　the　great　hall　of　the　bishop's　palace。　With　a
  sorrowful　countenance　he　appeared　before　them　and　in　words　of　moving
  eloquence　bewailed　〃the　crime；　the　blasphemy；　the　day　of　sorrow　and
  disgrace；〃　that　had　come　upon　the　nation。　And　he　called　upon　every　loyal
  subject　to　aid　in　the　extirpation　of　the　pestilent　heresy　that　threatened
  France　with　ruin。　〃As　true；　messieurs；　as　I　am　your　king；〃　he　said；　〃if　I
  knew　one　of　my