4. Persecutions, 1547-1560

Francis died in Mar., 1547. Henry II., who had married Catherine de Medici, was influenced toward a thoroughgoing policy of extermination by his mistress, Diana of Poitiers, tions, the Constable Montmorency, and the 1547-60. Guises, who had risen to high consideration under Francis. Calvinists were now represented in every part of France except Brittany. Disguised evangelists traversed the country holding secret meetings and distributing literature. At the beginning of his reign Henry II. established a new inquisitorial tribunal, the Chambre Ardente, "the burning chamber." Many executions followed the Edict of Fontainebleau prohibiting the printing and importation of books pertaining to the Scriptures. In Nov., 1549, ecclesiastical judges were given power to deal independently with ordinary cases of heresy. The Edict of Chateaubriand (June, 1551) renewed and fortified the inquisitorial measures; so that the burning of heretics became a matter of almost daily occurrence. Just at this time (1551) Henry joined bands with Maurice of Saxony (q.v.) and Albert of Prussia against the emperor, and assisted in saving German Protestantism from disaster (see Charles V.; and Schmalkald Articles). Congregations had been organized at Meaux (1546) and at Nimes (1547), but these had been broken up. In 1555, following Calvin's advice and methods, an organizing movement was inaugurated. Paris led. Meaux, Poitiers, Angers, Saintonge, Agen, Bourgee, Issoudun, Aubigny, Blois, Tours, Lyons, OrlSans, Rouen, and many others quickly followed. By 1560 there were about fifty fully organized churches, besides many unorganized congregations. In May, 1559, the first national synod compiled a confession and s book of discipline. The confession was an adaptation of one prepared by Calvin two years before and addressed apologetically to.the king. The book of discipline provided for consistories in the local churches, colloquies of representatives from several consistories, provincial synods, and a national synod. No church was to have a rank above other churches. All ministers must sign the confession and subject themselves to the provisions of the discipline. For some years before the death of Henry II. several of the colleges (Angers, Bourges, Fontenay, La Rochelle, etc.) were accused of encouraging Protestantism. In 1559 a minority of the parliament of Paris protested against the cruel proceedinge of the Chambre Ardente. Four of the boldest members were sent to the Bastile. On the death of Henry II. (July 10,1559), Francis II. being a minor, the government fell into the hands of the Guises (Charles, cardinal of Lorraine, and Francis, duke of Guise). They compassed the death of the imprisoned members of parliament. The execution of Antoine du Bourg, a man of heroic type, provoked a reaction in favor of the Protestants. The Bourbon princes, Louis de Condo and Antoine de Bourbon, and their many friends among the nobles resented the obtrusive assumption of authority by the Guises. Antoine had married Jeanne d'Albret, daughter of Margaret of Navarre, who was a zealous Evangelical. Neither Antoine nor Louis was deeply religious; but the influence of Jeanne and hostility to the Guises made them willing to put themselves at the head of the persecuted Evangelicals. A fearful popular onslaught on the Evangelicals of Paris led to an appeal to Catherine for protection. As she had become jealous of the Guises, she gave encouragement to the persecuted.