A découvert^ unhindered

35. 6. The Edict of Nantes, which had been signed by Henry IV, in

1598, was revoked by Louis XIV on the I7th of October,

'The Edict of Nantes was revoked; and a crowd of decrees

against the sectaries appeared in rapid succession. Boys

150 FRENCH 8ACRED ORATORT.

and girls were tom from tlieir parents and sent to be edacated in convents. Ail CalTÎnistic ministers were cornmanded either to abjure their religion or to qoit their cotintry within a fortnight The other p-ofessors of the reformed faith were forbidden to leave the kingdom ; and, in order to prevent them from making their escape, the outposts and frontiers were strictly guarded. It was thonght that the flocks, thus separated from the evil shepherds, woald soon retmn to the tme fold. Bat in spite of ail the vigilance of the military police there was a vast émigration. It was calculated that, in a few months, fifty thousand familles quitted France for ever. They were generally persons of intelligent minds, of industrious habits, and of austère morals. In the list are to be foond names eminent in war, in science, in literature, and in art.* (Màcau/ay.)

* Quel fut le fruit des persécutions de Louis XIV ? Une foule de ses meilleurs sujets emportant dans les pays étrangers leurs richesses et leur industrie ; les armées de ses ennemis grossies par des régiments français, qui joignaient les fureurs du fanatisme et de la vengeance à leur valeur naturelle ; la haine de la moitié de l'Europe, une guerre civile ajoutée aux malheurs d'une guerre étrangère, la crainte de voir ses provinces livrées aux étrangers par les Français, et l'humiliante nécessité de faire un traité avec un garçon boulanger (Jean Cavalier, 1679-1740), Voilà ce que le clergé célébrait dans des harangues, ce que la flatterie consacrait dans des inscriptions et sur des médailles.' {Note of Voltaire,)

It seems established beyond doubt that the revocation of the Edict of Nantes was the resuit of a pact between Madame de Maintenon and the Jesuit La Chaise, confessor of the King. Madame de Maintenon promised her influence to induce Louis XIV to sign the révocation, and the famous Jesuit promised his to persuade the King to marry the favourite.

The Marquis de Louvois, who had used dragoons as missionaries, to use Madame de Sévigné*s expression, and who , was responsible for their zealous acts which received the name of dragonnades, sent the foUowmg order throughont the covoitryi *Sa Majesté veut qu*on fasse éprouver les dernières r/^eurs à ceux qui ne voudiotiX ^% ^ ioja^ 4<^ sa religion ;

et ceux qui auront la sotte gloire de vouloir demeurer les derniers doivent être poussés jusqu'à la dernière extrémité/ 'On passa ses ordres (Louis XIV), on fit à son insu des cruautés quUl aurait punies, si elles étaient venues à sa connaissance ; car M. de Louvois se contentait de lui dire chaque jour: Tant de gens se sont convertis, comme je Pavais dit à Votre Majesté, à la seule vue des troupes.' (^Madame d Caylus,)

18. Ce nouveau Constantin, etc. Valerius Aurelius Claudius Con-

stantinus (274-337) ^^^ proclaimed Roman Emperor in 306. During his Italian campaign, it is related that he saw, in the air, a luminous cross surroimded by the words In hoc stgno vinces, After conquering Italy and Africa (312), he embraced the Christian religion and declared it the religion of the Empire by the famous Edict of Milan (313).

19. Flavius Theodosius (346-395), * Ce prince protégea la religion,

défendit sous des peines sévères le culte des faux dieux (qui dès lors se réfugia dans les bourgs, les campagnes : d'où le nom à^pagant) ; il éleva St. Grégoire de Nazianze au siège de Constantinople (390) et fit condamner l'hérésie d'Anus.' {Bouillet,)

19. Marcianus (391-457), Emperor of the East, married Pulcheria, who had been proclaimed Empress, at the death of Theodosius II. By his energetic attitude he forced Attila to withdraw his troops from the Empire. Through him the Catholic faith triumphed at the Council of Chalcedon (451). The Greek Church canonised him, and still célébrâtes both him and Pulcheria on the 1 7th of February.

ao. Charles I, sumamed the Great, King of France and Emperor of the West (742-814), canonised by Pope Pascal III.

ai. • Haec digna vestro imperio : haec propria vestri regni . . . Per te orthodoxa fides firmata est ; per te haeresis non est. Caelestis rex, terrenum custodi . . . Unus Deus qui hoc fecit. Rex cselestis, Augustam custodi, dignam pacis . . . Haec oratio Ecclesiarum; haec oratio pastorum.' (Concil, Chalced, Act vi.)

9. En scellant la révocation du fameux édit de Nantes, * Le vieux chancelier Le Tellier, en signant Tédit, s'écria plein de joie ; Nunc dimittis servum tuum^ Domine, quia •uiderunt ocwXi

1^2 FRENCH SACRED ORATORT.

met salutare tuum {St. Luke ii. 29, 30.) H ne savait pas quHl signait un des grands malheurs de la France.* ( Voltaire,")