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most illustrious representatives of that great race which； allied as
it was to the royal houses of Scotland； France； Savoy； and Lorraine；
had taken as their device； 〃Be king I cannot； prince I will not；
Rohan I am。〃
Henri de Rohan was at this time about forty years of age； in the
prime of life。 In his youth； in order to perfect his education； he
had visited England； Scotland； and Italy。 In England Elizabeth had
called him her knight； in Scotland James VI had asked him to stand
godfather to his son； afterwards Charles I； in Italy he had been so
deep in the confidence of the leaders of men； and so thoroughly
initiated into the politics of the principal cities； that it was
commonly said that； after Machiavel； he was the greatest authority in
these matters。 He had returned to France in the lifetime of
Henry IV； and had married the daughter of Sully； and after Henri's
death had commanded the Swiss and the Grison regimentsat the siege
of Juliers。 This was the man whom the king was so imprudent as to
offend by refusing him the reversion of the office of governor of
Poitou； which was then held by Sully； his father…in…law。 In order to
revenge himself for the neglect he met with at court； as he states in
his Memoires with military ingenuousness； he espoused the cause of
Conde with all his heart； being also drawn in this direction by his
liking for Conde's brother and his consequent desire to help those of
Conde's religion。
》From this day on street disturbances and angry disputes assumed
another aspect： they took in a larger area and were not so readily
appeased。 It was no longer an isolated band of insurgents which
roused a city； but rather a conflagration which spread over the whole
South； and a general uprising which was almost a civil war。
This state of things lasted for seven or eight years； and during this
time Rohan； abandoned by Chatillon and La Force； who received as the
reward of their defection the field marshal's baton； pressed by
Conde； his old friend； and by Montmorency； his consistent rival；
performed prodigies of courage and miracles of strategy。 At last；
without soldiers； without ammunition； without money； he still
appeared to Richelieu to be so redoubtable that all the conditions of
surrender he demanded were granted。 The maintenance of the Edict of
Nantes was guaranteed； all the places of worship were to be restored
to the Reformers； and a general amnesty granted to himself and his
partisans。 Furthermore； he obtained what was an unheard…of thing
until then； an indemnity of 300；000 livres for his expenses during
the rebellion； of which sum he allotted 240；000 livres to his
co…religioniststhat is to say； more than three…quarters of the
entire amountand kept； for the purpose of restoring his various
chateaux and setting his domestic establishment； which had been
destroyed during the war； again on foot； only 60；000 livres。 This
treaty was signed on July 27th； 1629。
The Duc de Richelieu； to whom no sacrifice was too great in order to
attain his ends； had at last reached the goal； but the peace cost him
nearly 40；000；000 livres； on the other hand； Saintonge； Poitou； and
Languedoc had submitted； and the chiefs of the houses of La
Tremouille； Conde； Bouillon； Rohan； and Soubise had came to terms
with him； organised armed opposition had disappeared； and the lofty
manner of viewing matters natural to the cardinal duke prevented him
from noticing private enmity。 He therefore left Nimes free to manage
her local affairs as she pleased； and very soon the old order； or
rather disorder； reigned once more within her walls。 At last
Richelieu died； and Louis XIII soon followed him； and the long
minority of his successor； with its embarrassments； left to Catholics
and Protestants in the South more complete liberty than ever to carry
on the great duel which down to our own days has never ceased。
But from this period； each flux and reflux bears more and more the
peculiar character of the party which for the moment is triumphant；
when the Protestants get the upper hand； their vengeance is marked by
brutality and rage； when the Catholics are victorious； the
retaliation is full of hypocrisy and greed。 The Protestants pull
down churches and monasteries； expel the monks； burn the crucifixes；
take the body of some criminal from the gallows； nail it on a cross；
pierce its side； put a crown of thorns round its temples and set it
up in the market…placean effigy of Jesus on Calvary。 The Catholics
levy contributions； take back what they had been deprived of； exact
indemnities； and although ruined by each reverse； are richer than
ever after each victory。 The Protestants act in the light of day；
melting down the church bells to make cannon to the sound of the
drum； violate agreements； warm themselves with wood taken from the
houses of the cathedral clergy； affix their theses to the cathedral
doors； beat the priests who carry the Holy Sacrament to the dying；
and； to crown all other insults； turn churches into slaughter…houses
and sewers。
The Catholics； on the contrary； march at night； and； slipping in at
the gates which have been left ajar for them； make their bishop
president of the Council； put Jesuits at the head of the college； buy
converts with money from the treasury； and as they always have
influence at court； begin by excluding the Calvinists from favour；
hoping soon to deprive them of justice。
At last； on the 31st of December； 1657； a final struggle took place；
in which the Protestants were overcome； and were only saved from
destruction because from the other side of the Channel； Cromwell
exerted himself in their favour； writing with his own hand at the end
of a despatch relative to the affairs of Austria； 〃I Learn that there
have been popular disturbances in a town of Languedoc called Nimes；
and I beg that order may be restored with as much mildness as
possible； and without shedding of blood。〃 As； fortunately for the
Protestants； Mazarin had need of Cromwell at that moment； torture was
forbidden； and nothing allowed but annoyances of all kinds。 These
henceforward were not only innumerable； but went on without a pause：
the Catholics； faithful to their system of constant encroachment；
kept up an incessant persecution； in which they were soon encouraged
by the numerous ordinances issued by Louis XIV。 The grandson of
Henri IV could not so far forget all ordinary respect as to destroy
at once the Edict of Nantes； but he tore off clause after clause。
In 1630that is； a year after the peace with Rohan had been signed
in the preceding reignChalons…sur…Saone had resolved that no
Protestant should be allowed to take any part in the manufactures of
the town。
In 1643； six months after the accession of Louis XIV； the laundresses
of Paris made a rule that the wives and daughters of Protestants were
unworthy to be admitted to the freedom of their respectable guild。
In 1654； just one year after he had attained his majority； Louis XIV
consented to the imposition of a tax on the town of Nimes of 4000
francs towards the support of the Catholic and the Protestant
hospitals； and instead of allowing each party to contribute to the
support of its own hospital； the money was raised in one sum； so
that； of the money paid by the Protestants； who were twice as
numerous as the Catholics； two…sixths went to their enemies。 On
August 9th of the same year a decree of the Council ordered that all
the artisan consuls should be Catholics； on the 16th September
another decree forbade Protestants to send deputations to the king；
lastly； on the 20th of December； a further decree declared that all
hospitals should be administered by Catholic consuls alone。
In 1662 Protestants were commanded to bury their dead either at dawn
or after dusk； and a special clause of the decree fixed the number of
persons who might attend a funeral at ten only。
In 1663 the Council of State issued decrees prohibiting the practice
of their religion by the Reformers in one hundred and forty…two
communes in the dioceses of Nimes； Uzes； and Mendes； and ordering the
demolition of their meetinghouses。
In 1664 this regulation was extended to the meeting…houses of Alencon
and Montauban； as Well as their small place of worship in Nimes。 On
the 17th July of the same year the Parliament of Rouen forbade the
master…mercers to engage any more Protestant workmen or apprentices
when the number already employed had reached the proportion of one
Protestant； to fifteen Catholics； on the 24th of the same month the
Council of State declared all certificates of mastership held by a
Protestant invalid from whatever source derived； and in October
reduced to two the number of Protestants who might be employed at the
mint。
In 1665 the regulation imposed on the mercers was extended to the
goldsmiths。
In 1666 a royal declaration； revising the decrees of Parliament； was
published； and Article 31 provided that the offices of clerk to the
consulates； or secretary to a guild of watchmakers； or porter in a
municipal building； could only be held by Catholics； while in Article
33 it was ordained that when a procession carrying the Host passed a
place of worship