French Reformation
185
Once more Calvin returned to Paris. He could not even yet relin-
quish the hope that France as a nation would accept the Reformation.
But he found almost every door of labor closed. To teach the gospel
was to take the 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 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 desired,—a pretext for demanding the
utter destruction of the heretics as agitators dangerous to the stability
of the throne and the peace of the nation.
[225]
By some secret hand—whether of indiscreet friend or wily foe
was never known—one 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; and let Lutheranism be totally
exterminated.” 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 papist emissary to the home of every Protestant in the
city. He shrunk 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.