按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
at a later date； was to reappear in the wars of La Vendee。
Old men； women； and children； all were exterminated。 A certain
Baron d'Oppede； first president of the Parliament of Aix； had
already set an example by killing 3；000 persons in the space of
ten days； with refinements of cruelty； and destroying three
cities and twenty…two villages。 Montluc； a worthy forerunner of
Carrier； had the Calvinists thrown living into the wells until
these were full。 The Protestants were no more humane。 They did
not spare even the Catholic churches； and treated the tombs and
statues just as the delegates of the Convention were to treat the
royal tombs of Saint Denis。
Under the influence of these conflicts France was progressively
disintegrated； and at the end of the reign of Henri III。 was
parcelled out into veritable little confederated municipal
republics； forming so many sovereign states。 The royal power was
vanishing。 The States of Blois claimed to dictate their wishes
to Henri III。； who had fled from his capital。 In 1577 the
traveller Lippomano； who traversed France； saw important cities
Orleans； Tours； Blois； Poitiersentirely devastated； the
cathedrals and churches in ruins； and the tombs shattered。 This
was almost the state of France at the end of the Directory。
Among the events of this epoch； that which has left the darkest
memory； although it was not perhaps the most murderous； was the
massacre of St。 Bartholomew in 1572； ordered； according to the
historians； by Catherine de Medicis and Charles IX。
One does not require a very profound knowledge of psychology to
realise that no sovereign could have ordered such an event。 St。
Bartholomew's Day was not a royal but a popular crime。 Catherine
de Medicis； believing her existence and that of the king
threatened by a plot directed by four or five Protestant leaders
then in Paris； sent men to kill them in their houses； according
to the summary fashion of the time。 The massacre which followed
is very well explained by M。 Battifol in the following terms：
‘‘At the report of what was afoot the rumour immediately ran
through Paris that the Huguenots were being massacred； Catholic
gentlemen； soldiers of the guard； archers； men of the people； in
short all Paris； rushed into the streets； arms in hand； in order
to participate in the execution； and the general massacre
commenced； to the sound of ferocious cries of ‘The
Huguenots！ Kill； kill！' They were struck down； they were
drowned； they were hanged。 All that were known as heretics were
so served。 Two thousand persons were killed in Paris。''
By contagion； the people of the provinces imitated those of
Paris； and six to eight thousand Protestants were slain。
When time had somewhat cooled religious passions； all the
historians； even the Catholics； spoke of St。 Bartholomew's Day
with indignation。 They thus showed how difficult it is for the
mentality of one epoch to understand that of another。
Far from being criticised； St。 Bartholomew's Day provoked an
indescribable enthusiasm throughout the whole of Catholic Europe。
Philip II。 was delirious with joy when he heard the news； and the
King of France received more congratulations than if he had won a
great battle。
But it was Pope Gregory XIII。 above all who manifested the
keenest satisfaction。 He had a medal struck to commemorate the
happy event；＇2＇ ordered joy…fires to be lit and cannon fired；
celebrated several masses； and sent for the painter Vasari to
depict on the walls of the Vatican the principal scenes of
carnage。 Further； he sent to the King of France an ambassador
instructed to felicitate that monarch upon his fine action。 It
is historical details of this kind that enable us to comprehend
the mind of the believer。 The Jacobins of the Terror had a
mentality very like that of Gregory XIII。
＇2＇ The medal must have been distributed pretty widely； for the
cabinet of medals at the Bibliotheque Nationale possesses
three examples： one in gold； one in silver； and one in copper。
This medal； reproduced by Bonnani in his Numism。 Pontific。
（vol。 i。 p。 336）； represents on one side Gregory XIII。； and on
the other an angel striking Huguenots with a sword。 The exergue
is Ugonotorum strages； that is； Massacre of the Huguenots。
（The word strages may be translated by carnage or massacre； a
sense which it possesses in Cicero and Livy； or again by
disaster； ruin； a sense attributed to it in Virgil and Tacitus。）
Naturally the Protestants were not indifferent to such a
hecatomb； and they made such progress that in 1576 Henri III。 was
reduced to granting them； by the Edict of Beaulieu； entire
liberty of worship； eight strong places； and； in the Parliaments；
Chambers composed half of Catholics and half of Huguenots。
These forced concessions did not lead to peace。 A Catholic
League was created； having the Duke of Guise at its head； and the
conflict continued。 But it could not last for ever。 We know how
Henri IV。 put an end to it； at least for a time； by his
abjuration in 1593； and by the Edict of Nantes。
The struggle was quieted but not terminated。 Under Louis XIII。
the Protestants were still restless； and in 1627 Richelieu was
obliged to besiege La Rochelle； where 15；000 Protestants
perished。 Afterwards； possessing more political than religious
feeling； the famous Cardinal proved extremely tolerant toward the
Reformers。
This tolerance could not last。 Contrary beliefs cannot come into
contact without seeking to annihilate each other； as soon as one
feels capable of dominating the other。 Under Louis XIV。 the
Protestants had become by far the weaker； and were forced to
renounce the struggle and live at peace。 Their number was then
about 1；200；000； and they possessed more than 600 churches；
served by about 700 pastors。 The presence of these
heretics on French soil was intolerable to the Catholic clergy；
who endeavoured to persecute them in various ways。 As these
persecutions had little result； Louis XIV。 resorted to
dragonnading them in 1685； when many individuals perished； but
without further result。 Under the pressure of the clergy；
notably of Bossuett； the Edict of Nantes was revoked； and the
Protestants were forced to accept conversion or to leave France。
This disastrous emigration lasted a long time； and is said to
have cost France 400；000 inhabitants； men of notable energy；
since they had the courage to listen to their conscience rather
than their interests。
6。 The results of Religious Revolutions。
If religious revolutions were judged only by the gloomy story of
the Reformation； we should be forced to regard them as highly
disastrous。 But all have not played a like part； the civilising
influence of certain among them being considerable。
By giving a people moral unity they greatly increase its material
power。 We see this notably when a new faith； brought by
Mohammed； transforms the petty and impotent tribes of Arabia into
a formidable nation。
Such a new religious belief does not merely render a people
homogeneous。 It attains a result that no philosophy； no code
ever attained： it sensibly transforms what is almost
unchangeable； the sentiments of a race。
We see this at the period when the most powerful religious
revolution recorded by history overthrew paganism to substitute a
God who came from the plains of Galilee。 The new ideal demanded
the renunciation of all the joys of existence in order to
acquire the eternal happiness of heaven。 No doubt such an ideal
was readily accepted by the poor； the enslaved； the disinherited
who were deprived of all the joys of life here below； to whom an
enchanting future was offered in exchange for a life without
hope。 But the austere existence so easily embraced by the poor
was also embraced by the rich。 In this above all was the power
of the new faith manifested。
Not only did the Christian revolution transform manners： it also
exercised； for a space of two thousand years； a preponderating
influence over civilisation。 Directly a religious faith triumphs
all the elements of civilisation naturally adapt themselves to
it； so that civilisation is rapidly transformed。 Writers；
artists and philosophers merely symbolise； in their works； the
ideas of the new faith。
When any religious or political faith whatsoever has triumphed；
not only is reason powerless to affect it； but it even finds
motives which impel it to interpret and so justify the faith in
question； and to strive to impose it upon others。 There were
probably as many theologians and orators in the time of Moloch；
to prove the utility of human sacrifices； as there were at other
periods to glorify the Inquisition； the massacre of St。
Bartholomew； and the hecatombs of the Terror。
We must not hope to see peoples possessed by strong beliefs
readily achieve tolerance。