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called。 He was born at Mazillon； his name was Laquoite； and he was
twenty years of age。 The gift of prophecy had come to him in a
strange manner。 This is the story told about him：〃One day；
returning from Languedoc； where he had been engaged in the
cultivation of silkworms； on reaching the bottom of the hill of St。
Jean he found a man lying on the ground trembling in every limb。
Moved by pity； he stopped and asked what ailed him。 The man replied；
'Throw yourself on your knees； my son； and trouble not yourself about
me； but learn how to attain salvation and save your brethren。 This
can only be done by the communion of the Holy Ghost； who is in me；
and whom by the grace of God I can bestow on you。 Approach ；and
receive this gift in a kiss。' At these words the unknown kissed the
young man on the mouth； pressed his hand and disappeared； leaving the
other trembling in his turn； for the spirit of God was in him； and
being inspired he spread the word abroad。〃
A third fanatic； a prophetess； raved about the parishes of St。
Andeol de Clerguemont and St。 Frazal de Vantalon； but she addressed
herself principally to recent converts； to whom she preached
concerning the Eucharist that in swallowing the consecrated wafer
they had swallowed a poison as venomous as the head of the basilisk；
that they had bent the knee to Baal； and that no penitence on their
part could be great enough to save them。 These doctrines inspired
such profound terror that the Rev。 Father Louvreloeil himself tells
us that Satan by his efforts succeeded in nearly emptying the
churches； and that at the following Easter celebrations there were
only half as many communicants as the preceding year。
Such a state of licence； which threatened to spread farther and
farther； awoke the religious solicitude of Messire Francois Langlade
de Duchayla； Prior of Laval； Inspector of Missions of Gevaudan； and
Arch…priest of the Cevennes。 He therefore resolved to leave his
residence at Mende and to visit the parishes in which heresy had
taken the strongest hold； in order to oppose it by every mean's which
God and the king had put in his power。
The Abbe Duchayla was a younger son of the noble house of Langlade；
and by the circumstances of his birth； in spite of his soldierly
instincts； had been obliged to leave epaulet and sword to his elder
brother； and himself assume cassock and stole。 On leaving the
seminary； he espoused the cause of the Church militant with all the
ardour of his temperament。 Perils to encounter； foes to fight； a
religion to force on others； were necessities to this fiery
character； and as everything at the moment was quiet in France； he
had embarked for India with the fervent resolution of a martyr。
On reaching his destination； the young missionary had found himself
surrounded by circumstances which were wonderfully in harmony with
his celestial longings： some of his predecessors had been carried so
far by religious zeal that the King of Siam had put several to death
by torture and had forbidden any more missionaries to enter his
dominions； but this； as we can easily imagine； only excited still
more the abbe's missionary fervour； evading the watchfulness of the
military； and regardless of the terrible penalties imposed by the
king； he crossed the frontier； and began to preach the Catholic
religion to the heathen； many of whom were converted。
One day he was surprised by a party of soldiers in a little village
in which he had been living for three months； and in which nearly all
the inhabitants had abjured their false faith； and was brought before
the governor of Bankan； where instead of denying his faith； he nobly
defended Christianity and magnified the name of God。 He was handed
over to the executioners to be subjected to torture； and suffered at
their hands with resignation everything that a human body can endure
while yet retaining life； till at length his patience exhausted their
rage； and seeing him become unconscious； they thought he was dead；
and with mutilated hands； his breast furrowed with wounds； his limbs
half warn through by heavy fetters； he was suspended by the wrists to
a branch of a tree and abandoned。 A pariah passing by cut him down
and succoured him； and reports of his martyrdom having spread； the
French ambassador demanded justice with no uncertain voice； so that
the King of Siam； rejoicing that the executioners had stopped short
in time； hastened to send back to M。 de Chaumont； the representative
of Louis XIV； a mutilated though still living man； instead of the
corpse which had been demanded。
At the time when Louis XIV was meditating the Revocation of the Edict
of Nantes he felt that the services of such a man would be invaluable
to him； so about 1632； Abbe Duchayla was recalled from India； and a
year later was sent to Mende； with the titles of Arch…priest of the
Cevennes and Inspector of Missions。
Soon the abbe； who had been so much persecuted； became a persecutor；
showing himself as insensible to the sufferings of others as he had
been inflexible under his own。 His apprenticeship to torture stood
him in such good stead that he became an inventor； and not only did
he enrich the torture chamber by importing from India several
scientifically constructed machines； hitherto unknown in Europe； but
he also designed many others。 People told with terror of reeds cut
in the form of whistles which the abbe pitilessly forced under the
nails of malignants； of iron pincers for tearing out their beards；
eyelashes； and eyebrows； of wicks steeped in oil and wound round the
fingers of a victim's hands； and then set on fire so as to form a
pair of five…flamed candelabra； of a case turning on a pivot in which
a man who refused to be converted was sometimes shut up； the case
being then made to revolve rapidly till the victim lost
consciousness； and lastly of fetters used when taking prisoners from
one town to another； and brought to such perfection； that when they
were on the prisoner could neither stand nor sit。
Even the most fervent panegyrists of Abbe Duchayla spoke of him with
bated breath； and； when he himself looked into his own heart and
recalled how often he had applied to the body the power to bind and
loose which God had only given him over the soul； he was seized with
strange tremors； and falling on his knees with folded hands and bowed
head he remained for hours wrapt in thought； so motionless that were
it not for the drops of sweat which stood on his brow he might have
been taken for a marble statue of prayer over a tomb。
Moreover； this priest by virtue of the powers with which he was
invested； and feeling that he had the authority of M。 de Baville；
intendant of Languedoc； and M。 de Broglie； commander of the troops；
behind him； had done other terrible things。
He had separated children from father and mother； and had shut them
up in religious houses； where they had been subjected to such severe
chastisement； by way of making them do penance for the heresy of
their parents； that many of them died under it。
He had forced his way into the chamber of the dying； not to bring
consolation but menaces； and bending over the bed； as if to keep back
the Angel of Death； he had repeated the words of the terrible decree
which provided that in case of the death of a Huguenot without
conversion； his memory should be persecuted； and his body； denied
Christian burial； should be drawn on hurdles out of the city； and
cast on a dungheap。
Lastly； when with pious love children tried to shield their parents
in the death…agony from his threats； or dead from his justice； by
carrying them； dead or dying； to some refuge in which they might hope
to draw their last breath in peace or to obtain Christian burial； he
declared that anyone who should open his door hospitably to such
disobedience was a traitor to religion； although among the heathen
such pity would have been deemed worthy of an altar。
Such was the man raised up to punish； who went on his way； preceded
by terror； accompanied by torture； and followed by death； through a
country already exhausted by long and bloody oppression； and where at
every step he trod on half repressed religious hate； which like a
volcano was ever ready to burst out afresh； but always prepared for
martyrdom。 Nothing held him back； and years ago he had had his grave
hollowed out in the church of St。 Germain； choosing that church for
his last long sleep because it had been built by Pope Urban IV when
he was bishop of Mende。
Abbe Duchayla extended his visitation over six months； during which
every day was marked by tortures and executions： several prophets
were burnt at the stake； Francoise de Brez； she who had preached that
the Host contained a more venomous poison than a basilisk's head； was
hanged； and Laquoite； who had been confined in the citadel of
Montpellier； was on the point of being broken on the wheel； when on
the eve of his execution his cell was found empty。 No one could ever
discover how he escaped； and consequently his reputation rose higher
than ever； it being currently believed that； led by the Holy Spirit
as St。 Peter by the angel； he had passed through the guards invisi