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made known to the poor woman； she was overcome by fear； and asked to
see the； captain again； to whom she confessed that； led away by the
entreaties of the nuns； she had told a lie。
Upon this； the woman was sentenced to be publicly whipped； and the
young girl hanged on a gibbet round which were placed the corpses of
the four men of whose death she was the cause。
As may easily be supposed； the 〃Cadets of the Cross〃 vied with both
Catholics and Protestants in the work of destruction。 One of their
bands devoted itself to destroying everything belonging to the new
converts from Beaucaire to Nimes。 They killed a woman and two
children at Campuget； an old man of eighty at a farm near
Bouillargues； several persons at Cicure； a young girl at Caissargues；
a gardener at Nimes； and many other persons； besides carrying off all
the flocks； furniture； and other property they could lay hands on；
and burning down the farmhouses of Clairan； Loubes； Marine； Carlot；
Campoget Miraman； La Bergerie； and Larnacall near St。 Gilies and
Manduel。 〃They stopped travellers on the highways；〃 says
Louvreloeil； 〃and by way of finding out whether they were Catholic or
not； made them say in Latin the Lord's Prayer； the Ave Maria； the
Symbol of the Faith； and the General Confession； and those who were
unable to do this were put to the sword。 In Dions nine corpses were
found supposed to have been killed by their hands； and when the body
of a shepherd who had been in the service of the Sieur de Roussiere；
a former minister； was found hanging to a tree； no one doubted who
were the murderers。 At last they went so far that one of their bands
meeting the Abbe de Saint Gilles on the road； ordered him to deliver
up to them one of his servants； a new convert； in order to put him to
death。 It was in vain that the abbe remonstrated with them； telling
them it was a shame to put such an affront on a man of his birth and
rank； they persisted none the less in their determination； till at
last the abbe threw his arms round his servant and presented his own
body to the blows directed at the other。〃
The author of The Troubles in the Cevennes relates something
surpassing all this which took place at Montelus on the 22nd February
〃There were a few Protestants in the place；〃 he says； 〃but they were
far outnumbered by the Catholics； these being roused by a Capuchin
from Bergerac； formed themselves into a body of 'Cadets of the
Cross；' and hastened to serve their apprenticeship to the work of
assassination at the cost of their countrymen。 They therefore
entered the house of one Jean Bernoin； cut off his ears and further
mutilated him； and then bled him to death like a pig。 On coming out
of this house they met Jacques Clas； and shot him in the abdomen； so
that his intestines obtruded； pushing them back； he reached his house
in a terrible condition； to the great alarm of his wife； who was near
her confinement； and her children； who hastened to the help of
husband and father。 But the murderers appeared on the threshold；
and； unmoved by the cries and tears of the unfortunate wife and the
poor little children； they finished the wounded man； and as the wife
made an effort to prevent them； they murdered her also； treating her
dead body； when they discovered her condition； in a manner too
revolting for description； while a neighbour； called Marie Silliot；
who tried to rescue the children； was shot dead； but in her case they
did not pursue their vengeance any further。 They then went into the
open country and meeting Pierre and Jean Bernard； uncle and nephew；
one aged forty…five and the other ten； seized on them both； and
putting a pistol into the hands of the child； forced him to shoot his
uncle。 In the meantime the boy's father had come up； and him they
tried to constrain to shoot his son； but finding that no threats had
any effect； they ended by killing both； one by the sword； the other
by the bayonet。
〃The reason why they put an end to father and son so quickly was that
they had noticed three young girls of Bagnols going towards a grove
of mulberry trees； where they were raising silk…worms。 The men
followed them； and as it was broad daylight and the girls were
therefore not afraid； they soon came up with them。 Having first
violated them； they hung them by the feet to a tree； and put them to
death in a horrible manner。〃
All this took place in the reign of Louis the Great； and for the
greater glory of the Catholic religion。
History has preserved the names of the five wretches who perpetrated
these crimes： they were Pierre Vigneau； Antoine Rey； Jean d'Hugon；
Guillaume； and Gontanille。
CHAPTER III
Such crimes； of which we have only described a few； inspired horror
in the breasts of those who were neither maddened by fanaticism nor
devoured by the desire of vengeance。 One of these； a Protestant；
Baron d'Aygaliers； without stopping to consider what means he had at
his command or what measures were the best to take to accomplish his
object； resolved to devote his life to the pacification of the
Cevennes。 The first thing to be considered was； that if the
Camisards were ever entirely destroyed by means of Catholic troops
directed by de Baville； de Julien； and de Montrevel； the Protestants；
and especially the Protestant nobles who had never borne arms； would
be regarded as cowards； who had been prevented by fear of death or
persecution from openly taking the part of the Huguenots： He was
therefore convinced that the only course to pursue was to get； his
co…religionists to put an end to the struggle themselves； as the one
way of pleasing His Majesty and of showing him how groundless were
the suspicions aroused in the minds of men by the Catholic clergy。
This plan presented； especially to Baron d'Aygaliers； two apparently
insurmountable difficulties； for it could only be carried out by
inducing the king to relax his rigorous measures and by inducing the
Camisards to submit。 Now the baron had no connection with the court；
and was not personally acquainted with a single Huguenot chief。
The first thing necessary to enable the baron to begin his efforts
was a passport for Paris； and he felt sure that as he was a
Protestant neither M。 de Baville nor M。 de Montrevel would give him
one。 A lucky accident； however； relieved his embarrassment and
strengthened his resolution； for he thought he saw in this accident
the hand of Providence。
Baron d'Aygaliers found one day at the house of a friend a M。 de
Paratte； a colonel in the king's army； and who afterwards became
major…general； but who at the time we are speaking of was commandant
at Uzes。 He was of a very impulsive disposition； and so zealous in
matters relating to the Catholic religion and in the service of the
king； that he never could find himself in the presence of a
Protestant without expressing his indignation at those who had taken
up arms against their prince； and also those who without taking up
arms encouraged the rebels in their designs。 M。 d'Aygaliers
understood that an allusion was meant to himself； and he resolved to
take advantage of it。
So the next day he paid a visit to M。 de Paratte； and instead of
demanding satisfaction； as the latter quite expected； for the
rudeness of his remarks on the previous day； he professed himself
very much obliged for what he had said； which had made such a deep
impression on him that he had made up his mind to give proof of his
zeal and loyalty by going to Paris and petitioning the king for a
position at court。 De Paratte； charmed with what he had heard； and
enchanted with his convert； embraced d'Aygaliers； and gave him； says
the chronicler； his blessing； and with the blessing a passport； and
wished him all the success that a father could wish for his son。
D'Aygaliers had now attained his object； and furnished with the lucky
safe…conduct； he set out for Paris； without having communicated his
intentions to anyone； not even to his mother。
On reaching Paris he put up at a friend's house； and drew up a
statement of his plan： it was very short and very clear。
〃The undersigned has the honour to point out humbly to His Majesty：
〃That the severities and the persecutions which have been employed by
some of the village priests have caused many people in the country
districts to take up arms； and that the suspicions which new converts
excited have driven a great many of them to join the insurgents。 In
taking this step they were also impelled by the desire to avoid
imprisonment or removal from their homes； which were the remedies
chosen to keep them in the old faith。 This being the case； he thinks
that the best means of putting an end to this state of things would
be to take measures exactly the contrary of those which produced it；
such as putting an end to the persecutions and permitting a certain
number of those of the Reformed religion to bear arms； that they
might go to the rebels and tell them that far from approving of their
actions the Protestants as a whole wished to bring them back to the
right way by setting them a good example； or to fight against them in
order to show the king and France； at the risk of their lives； that
they dis