several small skirmishes on both sides on the Bridge of Chancy where some remained on the place and Seyssel was forced to yield to the strongest Duke Charles the Second being dead there started up in Foucigny one John Gay of Megiva who raised the Peasants into a Mutiny against the Nobility who oppressed them setting before them the hope of Liberty and the example of the Cantons of Switzerland with whom and the City of Geneva they might make a League These Peasants to the number of sixscore wore Red Coats who set upon the Gentry of the Countrey without any exception but the Lord of Bresse having gotten them of Berne and Fribourg to send to them Deputies they drew to Geneva the chief promoters of these Tumults and with fair promises softned them and sent them home but being scattered they were laid hold on and hanged Bishop Champion after the usual Oath called a Synod in which the Decrees and Constitutions of the Bishops were reviewed and amended which were Printed in the same year under the Title of Constitutions of the Synod of the Bishoprick of Geneva He dyed two years after having held the Seat but four years Philip of Savoy being but seven years of age Son of the Lord of Bresse was chosen in his stead at the suit of Blanche Mary of Montferrat Widow of Charles the First Pope Alexander the Sixth who confirmed his Election assigned Aymâ of Monfalcon Bishop of Lausane and the Bishop of Nice to be his Guardians which Philip was Bishop under four Dukes of Savoy Charles his Uncle Philip his Father and Philbert and Charles his Brethren As he increased in years he grew more fit to be a Soldier than a Church-man as his Uncle Lewis before him 'T was commonly said of him that he was more fitting to be made a Duke than his Brother Whilst he was young and his Father alive he was forced to wear an Ecclesiastical Garb but after his death Charles then being Duke and very familiar with him he threw it off but not the Revenue Return we now to the Government of Philbert This Duke came to Geneva with his Bastard Brother René They were so greatly pleased with the City that they desired leave of the Bishop and Council to keep Courts of Justice in it only for their own Subjects which was granted them for some time Philbert giving himself over to pleasure left the management of his affairs to René a fierce and imperious young man and who watched all opportunities to make his brother Master of Geneva that he might be revenged on the Syndicks who had refused to let him have some Writings wherein the City were concerned his first attempt was the imprisoning of a Genevois called Peter Levrier by virtue of Letters Decretory from the Duke The Lieutenant of Gex had laid hold on him near the Town-house from whence he carried him to the Castle of the Isle which was the Dukes abode whereupon the Attorny-General and Syndicks made their complaints to René shewing him that such an imprisonment was wholly unlawful forasmuch as that jurisdiction and power belonged only to the Bishop his Vicar or Steward or other secular Officers so that not being able to suffer such an action they desired the Lieutenant should bring back the Prisoner to the place from whence he had taken him upon which there was an Act made in favour of the Bishop Church and Syndicks These last returned him the same measure for being informed that a Savoyard called Thomas Papuli had coyned brass mony in the City having given notice to René of the power and jurisdiction of the Church and City they sentenced the malefactor to have his right hand cut off before his own door and from thence to be led to Champel where he was beheaded and his body to hang on the gallows and his hands and head to be set up in the place called the Liberties A marriage was resolved upon between the Duke of Savoy and Yoland of Savoy his Cousin German the better to strengthen him in his Countrys but she died before the marriage could be consummated and was buried in the Chappel situated at the Cordeliers of Rive René who had the sole management of affairs intrusted him by his brother endeavoured to strengthen his Authority and make him absolute in Geneva both publick and particulars had every day some new oppression laid upon them although he received from both more respect than he deserved for he had every day Presents made him in hopes they might at length win him by kindness and keep him from enterprizing any thing against them by which means he received more profit than the whole revenue of that City amounted to all which could not make him desist from his violences For remembring there was a gentleman called Eyria who in the time of the deceased Duke had been in great credit and whom he could not then injure he was resolved now together with his whole family He therefore accuses him to have designed to poyson the Duke by a perfumed Apple for a confirmation of this produces two witnesses who make Oath they heard him together with a Physitian at Lyons contriving how they should effect it the Duke being easie to be wrought on believed it whereupon it was resolved that they should surprize the Physitian they sent therefore to Monlâel the Provost of the Dukes houshold who desired the Physitian by his man to visit him the poor Physitian who mistrusted nothing as being innocent came to him without delay where instead of a Patient he finds a Provost who seized on him and carried him away bound hand and foot to Geneva where he was thrown into the Prison of the Island and Judged by the Provost At which the Syndicks and people were exceedingly moved and complained to the Duke shewing him this was an infringement of their Liberties and Jurisdiction which the Duke himself was sworn to observe yet did not René forbear to pass on putting him to the Rack and made him confess and accuse whom he pleased which done he caused him to be beheaded and set up his Quarters in the Liberties notwithstanding the Citizens opposition Afterwards he seized on Eyria and most of his kindred and friends whom he had caused to be accused by the Physician and would have dealt after the same manner with them but several Persons of Quality having interposed their sentence was deferred and René began to grow odious to the people The Duke after his affianced Ladies death espoused Margaret Maximilian's daughter who was first betrothed to the young King Charles of France but being repudiated by him and married afterwards to the King of Castile after his decease she was married to this Duke Philbert They made their publick entrance together into Geneva which put the Town to great charge in Plays Masquerades and other divertisements This drew insensibly the Youth into
instead of six Gates which it had there were only left two The Bulwarks were made of the Materials of the Suburbs The City with its out parts contained seven Parishes the first was that wherein stood the Cathedral of S. Peter under the Title of the Holy Cross the second a little distant from S. Peter's was called our new Ladies Parish which serves at present for an Auditory wherein Divinity Lectures are read the third was S. Magdalens the fourth S. Germans the fifth S. Gervais's the sixth S. Legier's and the seventh S. Victor's where stood the Church of the same Name These two last Parishes were demolished There were three Monasteries in the City and two in the Suburbs those in the City were the Convent of the Grey Friers at de Rive and the Nunnery of S. Clare where now standeth an Hospital the white Friers were seated in the Street of La Corraterie in a Convent called the Palace by reason of its largeness wherein the Dukes of Savoy have been often entertained and where stood the Clock on the Bridge of Rhosne which was consumed when the Bridge was burnt in the year 1670. Without the City there was the Monastery of S. Victor of the Order of Clugny with a Prior and nine Monks who lived on its Revenue It is thought that formerly this was a Temple dedicated to Mars Jupiter and Mercury which was since consecrated to S. Victor S. Vincent and S. Ours although the first was its right name Though there was a Convent of Augustin Monks near the Bridge of Arve called our Lady of Grace because the Bastard René had caused a fair Picture of our Lady to be drawn which he ordered to be set up in the Chappel he had built and from the gracefulness of this Picture hath the name been derived as it is commonly received but it is more likely this name hath proceeded from the Graces which she hath bestowed for it was declared that she wrought great Miracles and particularly raised up Children to Life which were brought from all Parts to be baptized in that Chappel there was likewise another Abby of rich Monks at S. John's in the Groves over against the Tower there were several other Chappels as beyond de Rive one called the Temple otherwise S. John of Jerusalem's Chappel where still-born Children were buried another Called S. Margaret's another S. Laurence's and another of our Ladies of the Bridge where at present stands the coining House There were besides seven Hospitals which have since been reduced to two the common Hospital and the Hospital for the infected near the large Palace These Differences with the Duke still continued he had prohibited all manner of Provision to be brought into the City There was a report that he had sent for ten thousand Italians and three hundred Lancers to assist him against Geneva These Differences were followed by others which arose amongst the Citizens about Religion Some young Men of Geneva had set up at every corner of the Streets certain Articles whereby it was apparently seen they were inclining to the Protestant Religion upon which one Verly a Chanon of Fribourg having taken a young Man named John Goulas who had pasted up a Bill on the Pillar before S. Peter's Church he gave him a box on the Ear and drew out his Sword for at that time the Chanons wore Swords in Geneva Goulas put himself in a posture of defence and wounded the Chanon in the arm There were two persons of the Borough of Four who taking the Chanons part were likewise wounded the Syndicks observing these divisions among the people made a Declaration enjoyning all persons to live peaceably and to set up no more of those kind of Writings nor broach any novelty without their permission During these transactions two Ministers came to Geneva viz. William Farel of Gap and Anthony Saunier who came from preaching in Piedmont They had Letters of recommendation from Berne and being settled at Geneva they held several discourses in their houses to make the people understand the Doctrine they taught There were several who hearkned to them and wished the City would follow the example of Berne but this being noised abroad the Chanons and Priests resolved to remedy this for the future They cited then Farel and Saunier before the Episcopal Council where were present the two Syndicks who had promised to shelter them from all danger if they would maintain their Doctrine before the Priests After several disputes and discourses on both sides it was decreed by the Episcopal Council that they should leave the Town upon pain of Imprisonment They departed then being accompanied by some Citizens who favoured them and went and Preached at Orbe and at Granson A while after came to Geneva a young man of Dauphiny named Anthony Froment who had been a disciple of Farel who had earnestly perswaded him to make this tryal This Froment had caused Bills to be set up in the City wherein he promised to teach people to Write and Read in a Months time and under this pretence he instructed both young and old in the Protestant Religion the forwardest of them leading along with them several persons of their acquaintance both men and women whose number every day encreased notwithstanding the peoples muttering saying that Froment enchanted the women after him There was a Grey-Frier called Christopher Bouquet who was a Protestant in his heart for he was so far from opposing that Doctrine then springing up that commonly one part of his Auditors after Sermon went into a Hall to hear Froment One New-years-day Bouquet having ended his Sermon so great a multitude thronged into the Hall to hear Froment that all the stairs and corners of the house were full of people so that they cried To Molard to Molard where those who were next him carried him so great was the throng the people calling out to him Preach to us the word of God. Froment then having begun again his discourse the City Serjeant came thereupon and commanded him to forbear He answered it was better to obey God than man and so held on his discourse the Council being Assembled upon this occasion gave Order that he should be speedily apprehended and sent men well armed to lay hold on him but he escaped into a Citizens house where he lay concealed There was an Order from the Magistrates forbidding such kind of Preaching upon penalty of undergoing the Strapado a while after Froment not being able to stay any longer in safety at Geneva left the Town in the night and returned from whence he came The Fribourgers informed of this sent Deputies to Geneva declaring that if they received this new Doctrine they would break off their Alliance the Council answered they had done their endeavour to hinder it and had moreover requested the Grand Vicar vigorously to prosecute this Ecclesiastical affair and so they returned satisfied
who ought chiefly to be a Secretary to Truth and not to Falshood or Flattery He who writes to shew his Eloquence publisheth rather his own History than that of the States or Persons whom he pretends to write of and it often happens that such a one climbs upon the Scaffold of his Vanity that he may make himself the more ridiculous and have the greater fall Truth hath no need of Varnish or any affected dress to make it lovely and provided it be not unseasonably or carelesly expos'd its beauty which it borrows from none but it self can never want hearty admirers But before I enter upon the description of this History of Geneva it will be expected I should say something concerning its Name Geneva is the most ancient it ever had and the same we meet with in Caesar's Commentaries A late Author hath mistook in saying it hath been call'd Geneüa neither do I know upon what grounds he affirms Genes to be a Colony of the Genevoises seeing Genes is a very ancient City and bore that name in Hannibal's time Livy relating 't was taken by ââgo Hamilcar his Son. Genabum as some Moderns have call'd Geneva is the name of Orleans That of Gebenna by which Geneva hath been known for several Ages began to be in use about Charlemain's time for so we find it in that Emperours Life written by Aimoin the Monk in the Chronicles of the Abby of Rheginon and thus used by almost all Authors and Publick Acts for above eight hundred years down to 1536. Notwithstanding there be some who would make us believe that Lucan meant Geneva under the name of Gevenna in these Verses Qua Rhodânus raptum velocibus undis In Mare fert Ararim qua montibus ardua summis Gens habitat canâ pendentes rupe Gebennas Where Araris with Rhodanus now meet Runs joyn'd into the Sea the Men whose Seat Is on Gebenna Mount covered with Snow But there he speaks not of a City but of the Mountains of Cevennes which Câsar means by the same word I shall likewise make it appear in the sequel of this Discourse that it hath never been call'd Colonia Equestris The Genevoises restored it to its ancient name in the year 1536. taking away that of Gebenna which the rudeness of former Ages had given it The Learn'd Scaliger hath observ'd that Geneva must be sounded the second syllable short and at this day in the Language of the Countrey 't is pronounc'd Zéneva Geneva is a City of great Antiquity and were we not so inform'd by Authors the Beauty and Commodiousness of its Scituation would incline us to believe it for it is seated on a rising ground wash'd on one side by the Lake Leman and the Rhosne which thence takes its course bordered with fruitful Plains and Mountains Hence we may imagine a place so commodious as well for necessity as delight hath drawn thither Inhabitants at the same time the Countrey began to be cultivated But Cities and Persons have the same fate The more any Family is anciently Noble the more difficult a matter it is to produce its Titles Antiquity is as a dark Night whose obscurity cannot be dissipated and in which a man can do nothing but search about to no purpose How many Fables do we find mixt with the Original of Troy Rome or Carthage And if this hath happened to such flourishing States what can be expected from mean ones whose mishap having been to have no Author to be the Guardian or Depositary of their History they have therefore lain in obscurity Julius Caesar is the first who mentions Geneva yet there is no doubt but it was then a City under Government and a place of strength which kept one of the passages out of Gaule into Italy and Germany For it was undoubtedly the Interest of the Allobroges or Inhabitants of Gallia Transalpina being neighbours to the Helvetians and Latobriges a people of Gallia Belgica who held Switzerland and the Country of Vaud at that time to have a Fort which should shelter them from the Incursions of this warlike people and might serve as a place of Traffick and Correspondence The Allobroges whose chief City was Geneva held a great part of the Alps and low Countrey betwixt Rhosne and the Mountains They were a valiant people and had gained great reputation by their courage neither were they inferiour to the rest of the Gaules in Riches Stephen de Byzance and Livy who cannot be suspected of flattery give them these Elogies Geneva then was a great while before Caesar's time And as well his silence as other Authors inclines us to believe that its Original was unknown All that the Moderns have asserted concerning this matter is founded on an uncertain Author and on a Chronological Manuscript of the Countrey of Vaud being about four hundred years since it was written as we may judge by the time which endeth the History The Author of the Genevoise Citizen relates that it was kept in his time in the Castle of Chillon on the Lake and there is now one there to be seen which perhaps is the same with that in the City of Orbe in the Countrey of Vaud The little Book Printed at Lyons in 1614. Entituled A Chronology of the Countrey of Vaud is an Epitome of it and 't is out of one or the other of these that the Manuscripts of the History of Geneva have taken out several particulars relating to that City which are not to be met with elsewhere Although to speak ingenuously this Chronicle appears to be nothing else but a slight exercise of some half-witted Scribler of former times and therefore deserves not much to be credited howsoever I shall here offer what he asserts concerning the Foundation of Geneva leaving the Reader to his own liberty to judge and believe if he pleases that in these fabulous relations there is some truth See here then what he saith In the year of the Worlds Creation 2729. and 1073. years after the Flood the great Hercules coming into Spain to go over into Italy he pass'd near the Lake which hath been since call'd Leman where seeing so fine a Countrey inhabited he left there one part of his Army which was sick under the Command of Arpentinus This Captain liking the Countrey built on the side of the Lake a City which he call'd Arpentras or Arpentrine which was seated higher than where lyes now Lausanne and in effect there yet may be seen some marks of a City this was founded in the year of the Worlds Creation 2730. and fifty three years before the destruction of Troy. Arpentinus was succeeded by his Son Rigo after the destruction of Troy when Francus Aeneas Antenor with many more came to inhabit other Countreys about which time Lemannus Paris's Son arriv'd in those parts with his Trojans driving out Rigo from Arpentras and being in full possession call'd the Lake after his own Name Leman This Lemannus having reign'd
account William of Constant who was then Bishop would have him be satisfied with what he had already gotten without the City fearing to give him footing within He also proposed an agreement to be made with the Earl of Genevois but that party which was for Savoy carried it They granted him what the Earl of Genevois possessed carried fore in the City and were willing he should use the City as a place of retreat to defend his neighbouring States In this reciprocal Alliance he promised on his part to defend them at his cost That he would not conclude any Peace without their consents And that there should be a free commerce betwin his Courtrys and the City Which Treaty was observed whilst he and his two Sons Edward and Amé the Great lived The Bishop seeing the greatest part on the Earls side was forced to agree and confirm it So that at this Treaty it was concluded That the Earl of Savoy should become Earl of Genevois But the name of Earl being hateful to the City he was content with only that of Vidame which signifies the same with Vice-Dominus he had also a Bayliff who was called in the Language of that Country Chatelatn du Vidomne But he acknowledged his dependance notwithstanding on the Bishop and Church of Geneva who granted him this during their pleasure But in process of time the Princes of Savoy encreasing in power scorned to be acknowledged by a Word importing Subjection wherefore they gave their Bayliff this Title of Vidame Six years after Humbert Dauphin of Viennois who was one of the Earl of Genevois's Confederates set upon the Town whilst the Earl of Savoy was fortifying it that he might make him quit so advantagious a Post Bâatrix of Savoy Mother-in-law to this Dauphin assisted him with a considerable number of Souldiers which she had caused to be raised in Focigny He would have secretly surprized the City on Sunday after the Ascension but he could not carry it so sliely but his design was discovered Notwithstanding which he fell on the Suburbs and burnt a great part of them and encamped before the City intending to besiege it and win it by Assault The Earl of Savoy was not in the City and the good Bishop William of Constance knowing not which way to turn himself in this affair writ to the Dauphin very submissive Letters entreating him to desist from his purpose but all his submissions and Tears were ineffectual For the Dauphin attacked the City with all his Force and had near won it had not the Citizens defended themselves most gallantly and forced him to raise his Siege but in requital he pillaged the Castles of Thy and Sala belonging to the Bishop and placed therein Garrisons The Bishop finding himself not able to encounter him with Secular Weapons makes use of the Spiritual Sword and Excommunicates him and his Mother-in-law About the twenty seventh of October in the same year and a Month after he aggravated his Excommunication The Earl of Savoy having taken the Field to repel the Duke marched to L'Ecluse and the Castle of Laye which places were very advantagious to him William of Constance being dead one called Martin succeeded him who held that Seat but a very small time and had for Successor Aimé du quart who had been Chanon and Chanter of the Church at Lyons He found himself likewise to be in the same troubles as his Predecessors occasioned by the differences betwixt the Earl of Savoy and Genevois and inclining sometimes to one side and sometimes to the other he caused himself to be suspected by both parties Amé Earl of Genevois built the Castle of Gaillard a League distant from Geneva from whence he made inroads into Savoy Nevertheless he paid Homage to the Church for several Lands and made an Alliance with the Bishop and Commonalty of Geneva This Bishop made a remarkable Decree to wit That they should begin the year from Christmas and not as heretofore from Easter And in the year following he made a Declaration by consent of the Earl of Savoy touching the Office of the Vidame or Steward The enmity continued betwixt the two Earls Amé III. Son of Amé the II. Earl of Genevois would drive away Edward who was then Earl of Savoy and hinder his settling himself in Geneva where he continually strengthned himself Fain would he have gotten the other out that he might come in and joyning with the Dauphin Hugues he deals with the Governour of the Castle of Entremont who was the Earl of Savoy's Vassal and so far prevails with him as to obtain liberty to put in there a Garrison from the Dauphin Whereupon the Earl to whom this place was of importance leaves Geneva to take if possible this Castle again But whilst he was busied about this Siege the Earl of Genevois accompanied with the Dauphin Lord of Focigny came to the Bridge of Arve where he desired to speak with some Chanons and Citizens who inclined to his side He shews them they could promise to themselves no advantage in driving him away and receiving in his stead the Earl of Savoy who had deserted them in their necessities that he could if he pleased enter by force and put all to Fire and Sword were he not withheld by the fear of God the respect which he had for S. Peter who was Patron of the City and the kindness which he had for them who took his part in it That he had more right than his Enemy and that if they would not receive him as a Friend he would treat them as Enemies The Deputies finding his request reasonable made an alliance with him under which they also comprehended the Dauphin mutually promising to defend one another and maintain the Priviledges of the City But when it came to have the peoples consent they of the Faction of Savoy would by no means hear of it so that one half of the Town took up Arms against the other The Captain of the Castle in the Isle was for the Earl of Savoy and he of the Borough of Four for the Earl of Genevois Each of which parties betook themselves to these two Captains The first of these puts in a Garrison into S Peters and under the Piazzas whilst the others introduce the Earl of Genevois and Dauphin into the City by the Ivâry-Gate called then by the name of Porta aquaria with both his Horse and Foot. Notwithstanding all which the Faction of Savoy prepares to encounter them animated by Widon Tavel Guiges of S. Apre Vincent Frombert and Perissodin of Bourdignin who were principal Men amongst them The Earl of Genevois was routed one hundred thirty and two being left dead upon the place The Conquerors lay hold on the chief of the contrary Faction causing Jacquemet and Peter Bosselets to be hanged and confiscated the Goods of several others of their accomplices In the Month of August these two Lords
in it being hindred by more urgent affairs which the Duke had then beyond the Mountains This Prince willing to try the Syndicks affections towards him desired them to send him three pieces of the Cannon left by Bonnivard which being refused him he thereupon conceived a deadly hatred against the City which was fomented by one of his Courtiers called Claudius of Seyssel who had been Professor of the Civil Law at Turin and since Master of the Requests under the French King Lewis the twelfth afterwards Bishop of Marseilles and lastly Archbishop of Turin He Counselled the Duke not to suffer two Bishopricks in the heart of his Countries to wit Geneva and Lausane The City was frequently disturbed by disagreements among themselves There was no small strife once amongst them upon a very silly occasion about a Mules skin The Bishop had an Officer called Claudius Grossi who was at variance with a young man of the City who was related to his wife named Andrew Malvenda his father came of a Noble Family at Valence in Spain This young man aforementioned having one day hamstringed Grossi his Mule in the Stable spread a report it was the Children of the houses Master who had done it and not content with this he gets ten or twelve young men of the Town of which Berthelier was one and took along with them a fool called little John with whom they walked about the City all night making him bawl out at every turning O yes if any person wants a skin of the grossest beast in all the Town they may be furnished at a very reasonable rate alluding to the name of Grossi whereat he makes his complaint to the Vidame and Episcopal Council telling them that they were not content in putting this trick upon him who was in Office but they must needs expose it in raillery throughout the Town The Council ordered the Vidame to search into the matter which having done he found Berthelier whom he mortally hated to be one of the Crew he would have apprehended them but fearing they would be too strong for him he requires the Syndicks and Council to assist him which they did but the young men hearing of it hid themselves They were publickly summoned to appear in the Castle of the Isle on forfeiture of a hundred Florins a piece which turned to their advantage for it being contrary to the custom of the City to lay any greater Fine than a Crown unless in case of Felony or such like they complained by their Attorny that they observed not the Statutes in their particular this not being a Orime their complaint was brought before the Episcopal Council where it was declared they might defend themselves being at liberty pede non ligato they came forth therefore from the places where they had hid themselves and came and followed their suit in the mean time the Duke and Bishop being informed of the matter came to Geneva with the Archbishop of Turin who advised them not to be too hasty in taking vengeance that this was not sufficient to make the Cardinals consent to the taking away their Temporalities but this might serve to continue the disunion amongst the people The Bishop sends for the persons accused and particularly those whom he knew were not against him to whom he makes a remonstrance by the Archbishop of Turin shewing them they had committed an action for which they might be justly punished having affronted the Bishop and his Lieutenant yet their Pastour was more inclinable to mercy than justice having respect to their youth and would therefore pardon all but the Authors whom he said were Berthelier and his Confederates desiring them not to take part with him which having heard they thanked him and promised him they would submit to what he had enjoyned them being glad they had thus escaped The Duke returned to Chambery from whence he sent his Brother the Earl of Genevois to Geneva He makes a hunting match and the place appointed to meet in was at Wache The Bishop the Abbot of Beaumont and several other persons of quality accompanied him whom he liberally treated consulting privately with the Bishop about what they were suddenly to enterprize The Bishop withdrew to a seat he had in Focigny called Thy accompanied with some gentlemen belonging to the Earl whom he sent to the Village of Presinge where were two Genevoises Claudius Servant and John Pecolat whom having apprehended they brought them to the Bishop who committed them to Prison but he soon released the first of these which caused it to be suspected that the said Servant had betrayed his companion which made him odious to the people Pecolat was questioned about the Fish pyes and the words he had spoken non videbis dies Petri it being laid to his charge that he and his companions whom they charged him to discover had a design to poyson the Bishop he was Racked three times without confessing any thing at length the Bishop caused him to be hanged up by the arms all the time he was at Dinner his servants blaming him for his folly in suffering himself to be thus tormented rather than confess the truth telling him Servant had confessed the whole matter and named particular persons amongst others the Bishop of Maurienne and the Abbot of Beaumont whom his accomplices would make their Bishop after they had dispatched John of Savoy and entertaining him with these words they made him say what they pleased not being able any longer to endure the torments After this the Bishop chiefly desired to get Berthelier into his power but he kept in the City and stood upon his guard and at length got away being attired like a Herald of Fribourg where he went in company of some Merchants of that Canton the Bishop and Vidame hearing of his escape summoned him publickly to appear and answer to his Accusation He addresseth himself to the Council of Fribourg complaining to them of the unjust dealings he met with at Geneva adding moreover that all this had hapned to him for no other reason but because he had been a Citizen of Fribourg that they would entreat the Council of Geneva to inform the Duke and Bishop that if they would send any one to Fribourg to impeach him he would render himself Prisoner or if he could obtain of them a safe-conduct to make his defence at Geneva before the Syndicks his lawful Judges he would there make his appearance provided they of Fribourg would depute some person to be present at the hearing of the Tryal the Fribourgers granted his request and sent an Express to the Princes lodging Berthelier in the mean time who was but poor in the Hospital The Messenger found the Princes at Geneva who had purposely come there in expectation of meeting with Berthelier They returned answer that they would gratifie them of Fribourg in any reasonable request but as to the sending one to prosecute Berthelier they could in no wise consent to
needs brave it and wear their Swords contrary to the Dukes order but were forced to undergo the penalty there being no remedy but patience The Deputies from Geneva at the same time were urgent with the Fribourgers to assist them they granted them one company which was very inconsiderable in respect of their need but the flower of the youth of Fribourg having listed themselves for this expedition their number encreased where ever they passed some of the Dukes Subjects joyning themselves to them so that they immediately grew to the number of six or seven thousand men making themselves other colours and advanced as far as Geneva without doing any other hurt than victualling on free cost Being come into the Country of Vaud they apprehended the Governour the Sieur of Lulins and having notice that the Duke was in Geneva they bad him send his Master word that whatsoever hurt should be done their fellow Citizens should be returned them again They carried him along with them and entred in Morges without the least resistance the inhabitants of which were fled and had traversed the Lake They encamped there and Lulins advertised his Highness what had passed this was on the day after this Proclamation had been made The Duke judging he must change his note caused it to be published that no Genevois should be molested either in his person or estate upon pain of death and sent Maylian Captain of the horse to keep the passage of Nyons He likewise sent for the Deputy of Fribourg and told him saying Mr. Deputy I desire you would endeavor to pacisie matters you see I have not injured anybody and give you my word not to do it hereafter Go you with my Deputies to the Camp and let them safely return The Deputy who remembred the entertainment the Duke gave him at Gaillard answered him Sir do you believe such a man as I can do this and continuing his jargon of Fribourg Alas Sir says he would you have me go to my Lords and Superiors to carry your Message pray employ your own servants to carry your jokes for my part I will not do it you have not kept your promise with men or my Superiors no more will you now In short he refused The Duke seeing this left him yet sent his Deputies who in a short time arrived at Morges and demanded of the Captains wherefore they came in a hostile manner into the Dukes Country to which they returned the same answer why they had entred Geneva their confederate City in Arms. Which when the Duke had heard he commanded his Deputies to go to the other Cantons to intreat them to send to the Fribourgers to retire The Duke Army all the while lay upon the Genevoises and that of Fribourg at Morges and in the rest of the Country of Vaud which was subject to the Duke 'T was in the time of Lent and because all Provision was scarce but Herrings some termed this Campagne The War of Herrings The Duke assembled at Genevat he General Council and demanded two things First that they should renounce the Bourgership of Fribourg and fând into the Camp as from the body of the Town to assure them that neither the Duke nor any of his Men had committed any outrage to occasion their coming in so Hostile a manner That Hogues and Malbuisson had not been sent by them as publick Deputies but that they went of their own Authority without the Councils leave All which was granted him because they dared not do otherwise and they sent whom he was pleased to nominate But when they came to Morges the Fribourgers and the other Cantons gave no credit to them because the former Deputies had shewed them the contrary Yet the business was so throughly prosecuted that an agreement was concluded on these following conditions First Because the Fribourgers required 15000 Crowns to defray their Expences in coming they should have 4000 paid them in hand and should return without hurting the Country only Victualling as they passed on free cost Secondly That the Duke on his part should draw out his Army from Geneva without damnifying the City either in general or particular leaving it in full possession of its former priviledges and concerning other differences they should be decided as heretofore The difficulty lay in providing the 4000 Crowns for the Duke would not pay them nor the Genevoises but the Prince having called the General Council they were forced to engage for the payment of 2000 of them and for the other half the Earl of Genevoise delivered his Plate to the Fribourgers upon condition the Genevoises would redeem it the next S. James's and S. Christopher's day So the two Armies withdrew but the Duke staid behind at Geneva till the Plague which swept away several of the People obliged him to retire to Thonon and immediately after Hugues and Malbuisson returned to Geneva believing themselves secure yet the Duke sent for them to Thonon by the Vidame Consilii whom that he might the more easily perswade to go along with him he brought them a Letter of Safe conduct They knowing the Dukes temper would not carry his Letter with them but left it with Hugues's Wife enjoyning her if she heard they were detained to send it speedily to Fribourg They went then with the Vidame who believed he had them safe enough and that they might easily be dispatched when their Letter of Safe-conduct was taken away from them They had scarcely gotten half a mile from the City but he asked them whether they had it not about them They answered him they had not at which the Vidame falling into a passion replied Wretches as you are wherefore have you set out then How dare ye appear without it before my Lord who ye know is enraged against you and if any mishap should befal you you would not receieve more hurt than I should dishonour Return and fetch it then otherwise I will not go along with you Truly Mr. Vidame replied they we can go no where to fetch it but at Fribourg where we have sent it as soon as we received it to the end if your Lord should misuse us he should have in requital at least some trouble for violating his Faith. But if you are for returning to Geneva with all our hearts for we had rather be with our Wives and Children than to go turn Courtiers To which the Vidame replied Well if it be so we had as good continue our journey my Lord hath passed his word which is of more value than a Letter They kept on then their way and being arrived at Thonon the first word the Duke gave them was Whether they had the Letter of Safe-conduct but was vexed when he heard them answer no. He committed them to the keeping of the Provost of his Houshold forbidding them to be suffered to speak to any body but in presence of the Guards The Provost led them to his House sounding
after it was taken down and buried in Holy Ground by some Soldiers from Fribourg who passed by that way There have been some who considering the Heroical constancy of Berthelier and the tyranny of his Judges have given him this Epitaph Quid mihi mors nocuit virtus post fata virescit Nec cruce nec saevigladio perit illa Tyranni How can death hurt since virtue death survives And Tyranny of Gibbets Swords or Knives His death affrighted them of Geneva who did not then dare to deny the Duke and Bishop any thing but it enraged the Fribourgers who had a great desire to revenge it Yet they thought it not convenient to raise an Army every time the Duke gave them cause of offence they made their complaints to the Cantons and demanded their Pay due to them for the former Levies and that he should give them satisfaction for Berthelier's death The Duke acquitted himself from this Article laying the blame on the Bishop assuring them he did it unknown to him and as to the payment he denied that he was obliged to it seeing the War had been unjust referring them to the Genevoises and demanding on his side reparation for the Damages done in his Country of Vaud This set the Genevoises in an uproar and the Princes took the advantage of their Dissentions to ruine the Eidgnots party and bring their own in credit They required the Council to be assembled and caused Eustache Chappuis the Bishops Chancellor who was afterwards sent Deputy into England to shew the people that the Election of Syndicks for that year had not been duly made by the violence of some who preferred their own private interest before the publick and who had brought into the general Council persons excluded by the Statutes and ancient Customs it belonging to none to sit there but those who were of principal Families that they did this to have persons of their own Faction which tended to nothing but to foment Rebellion that the people for this effect had made an Alliance with Fribourg which had put the Bishop their Prince upon calling in the Duke of Savoy his Cousin to his assistance who had spared neither his estate nor his person to hinder such a bad effect which would not only fall on his Countries but likewise the City it self as hath been found already by experience seeing the Fribourgers demanded yet great summs of mony which could not be raised without impovershing the City The Duke endeavoured to hinder them from paying the mony and withal shewed them there could be no good correspondence between him and them whilst they were governed by the Authors of this Alliance and concluded desiring the people to declare the said Syndicks not duly elected and to put others less suspected in their places The people desirous of Peace and that the mony should be paid easily embraced this proposal The Syndicks were discharged of their Office after a declaration made to shew this dismission proceeded from no other cause but only for want of a due Election which done they laid down their staves and others were chosen in their places they substituted likewise some Councellors who were best acceptable to the Princes especially them who were for breaking off with Fribourg They caused the general Council to retract that Alliance and deputed Richardet and Goulaz as from the Syndicks to meet the Cantons assembled at Zurich with this instruction First that they should excuse the Duke touching the execution of Berthelier and acquaint them it was done against his knowledge the Bishop having punished him according to his deserts as a Seditious person and as one guilty of the crime of High-Treason the term likewise of his Safe-conduct being expired Secondly concerning the payment to be made to them of Fribourg they should require it of them who called them who were since put out of their Office as Authors of these disturbances Thirdly that they should be urgent with the Fribourgers to renounce the Burgership contracted with Geneva The Assembly being sat the Deputies from Fribourg made their complaints and were answered by them of Geneva and Savoy according to the instructions given them The Fribourgers replied that whosoever had put Berthelier to death had done unjustly seeing he had been cleared by a definitive sentence of the Syndicks who were his lawful judges and he who had pronounced sentence against him being but a pitiful Tooth-drawer and that the Princes had broken their promise which they made them before they left Morges that they would introduce no innovations till this difference was accommodated that they had reason to desire a re-imbursement of their charges they having taken up Arms on just grounds it being to help their fellow Citizens received into their alliance according to Law the Duke nor Bishop having no power to hinder them They likewise maintained that the former Deputies were persons of worth neither would they acknowledge these latter whom the people say they have chosen by constraint There were some replies made by both parties but the Cantons decreed it after the same manner and form as at Morges to which they were forced to yield and agree with Savoy The Duke ever since he had married Beatrix the Infanta of Portugal kept his Court at Geneva and desirous to leave a man of Authority for his Lieutenant he displaced Consilii and put the Sieur Salaigne in his room who was of the family of the Beauforts In the Year following before the Election of the Syndicks on the twelfth day the Chanons were accustomed with other Ecclesiasticks to chuse one of the Chapter King by a bean with great expence now it hapned to fall to Marcossay's share who was Governour of Pillounay and being of the Country of Focigny he had brought along with him as King several of his Countrymen for his Guard at which the Townsmen who bore them ill will were displeased and specially one Matthew of Confignon Sieur of Marglie who having been heretofore wounded by one of Bonne whose name was Goudard resolved then to be revenged and being accompanied with about a dozen resolute fellows slid through the press and singled out his man who bore the Standard ran him through the back for want of armour and having left him dead on the place made his escape out of the Town through the Halbards The Duke and Bishop laid this Murther to the Charge of the Eidgnots though guiltless but they who had done it returned two years after into the City having obtained their pardon through Confignon's means The Bishop John of Savoy lived not long after these troubles he died in the Abby of Pignerol before he could arrive to S. Peters years that is to say before he had finished the twenty fifth year of his Office according to Pecolat's prediction it was thought he was poysoned search having been made accordingly but a scandalous Chronicle relates he died of the Venereal distemper which brought him into
Town and the priviledges of the Church yet might easily be prevailed on being very amorously inclined and addicted to those pleasures which soften the severest minds and stifle the most commendable virtues having moreover several considerable Benefices in the Dukes dominions of which he might be deprived if he opposed the Duke Moreover the Youth of the City were so effeminated by Courtly delights that they were more desirous of a Licence for their Debaucheries than passionate for the Liberties of the City The Vidame Salaigne being deceased the Duke had put Verneau in his stead who was caused according to ancient Custom to swear to be true to the Bishop but the Duke pretended it was to him or his he ought to do it the Bishop made some small opposition and appeased the Duke the best he could The Duke to pluck this thorn out of his foot found out a means to send the Bishop into Piedmont in the Emperors service which he dared not refuse as belonging to the Emperor He left his brother S. Sorlin at Geneva to govern in his absence who being likewise addicted to his pleasures left the management of all affairs to the Episcopal Council It was consulted one day whether the Vidame his appeal should be carried to the Dukes Council or not the greatest part of the Councellors were his Subjects born and leaned to the affirmative Levrery alone Judge of excesses son of the other Levrery whom we have aforementioned maintained the Duke had no Authority in Geneva and that the Appeal should be brought before the Bishop of which the Duke having notice by his Favourites he sent for the Episcopal Council who all went except Levrery He made several complaints and used some threats toward them but they laid all the blame on Levrery whom he commanded to bring along with them promising he should have no ill usage who coming into his presence the Duke spake thus very huffingly There are some among you who say I am not Lord of Geneva and no body answering he added it is one Levrery is it not will not he be here Levrery presenting himself it was I my Lord said he but when I said this it was in Council for which I am not to be questioned Get you gone said the Duke and make it appear by good sufficient proofs in three days time otherwise look to your self Levrery departed the more troubled by how much the more he saw it difficult to produce the City Writings seeing they were in the hands of those who were affectioned to the Duke so that his friends could not better advise him than to get out of the way but he would not take their advice chusing rather as he said to die in maintaining S. Peters Authority and the Cities priviledges as Berthelier had done before him He remained in the City beyond the time prefixed by the Duke coming and going as before which the more enraged his Highness who believed he did it out of contempt he caused him then to be laid hold on by his Bayliff and some Gentlemen as he walked out of S. Peters Gate they brought him to the Duke who coming out of his Palace was going to our Lady of Grace's Church to hear Mass to the end he might be near the Bridge of Arve and speedily retire into his own Countrys in case the people should attempt his rescue but there was no danger of that for they were afraid of making the matter rather worse than better should they have appeared in his behalf S. Sorlin had withdrawn himself to Remilly that he might avoid the obligation of defending Levrery The Prisoner clothed as he was in a Velvet Jacket was set upon a sorry horse as if he were some rascally fellow with his hands tied behind him and his legs fastned under the horses belly and was led in this equipage to Bonne accompanied with a crew who ceased not all the way to injure him but especially one Francis Noel who to ennoble himself would be called Mr. de Bellegard by the name of a certain Farm. This person although formerly he had been his great companion yet was more severe upon him than any of the rest but his baseness was well requited having broken his leg before he came to Bonne where they delivered Levrery to the Bayliff after they had searched him The next Morning the Ladies who had honoured the Dutchess at her entrance into Geneva came to intreat her to pacify the Dukes anger against poor Levrery but in vain for he had already sent the Provost of his Houshold the Confessor and Executioner to Bonne Where they were no sooner arrived but the Provost according to his Instructions caused him to be put on the Rack and required him to confess his Accomplices He answered he had none at which the Provost resting satisfied without further discourse Sentenced him to be beheaded which was executed the same Night by Torch-light after he had confessed himself to his Ghostly Father and that he had written on the Prison wall the same words as Berthelier had done before him It is said when the Executioner led him to the place of Execution in the Castle he spake aloud as he went these words God give me grace to die for S. Peter ' s Authority and my Countries Liberty This business astonished the Citizens who complained of their Pastors forsaking them and in this general consternation the Duke might easily have made himself Master of the City but by good hap he withdrew to Thonon and from thence to Piedmont where Francis the First being taken before Pavie he left his side and came over to the Emperor Charles the Fifth In this Year Claudius Richardet one of the Syndicks of the Eidgnots Party declared in Council That the City had been at great charge in entertaining the Duke the Revenues thereof being exhausted they knew not after what manner and that it was fitting Boulet the Treasurer should be called to an account for it Who being one of the Faction of the Mammelusses and enraged at the matter cried out in a passion What must we still be governed by these Eidgnots The Syndick taking now his turn to be angry broke his Syndical Staff on the others Head. Boulet thereupon makes his complaint to the Dukes Council at Chambery who granted him a Writ to cite them of Geneva to make their appearance He set it up at the Bridge of Arve The Syndicks regarded it not saying That neither the Duke nor his Council had any authority over them But they were condemned for their contempt and in pursuit of this their Estates which lay in Savoy were confiscated The Genevoises sent their Deputies to the Duke and Bishop desiring them to maintain according to their Oaths the Liberties of the City But the Duke made them no satisfaction The Bishop pretended to be troubled at it although it may be judged he was very well pleased as we may believe by what follows For having
at Pignerol to come and set the Affairs of the City in order which several of the Citizens had deserted and the Fugitives sent for their Wives and Children The Bishop upon notice of this news returned and was received by the whole City with great joy Two days after he sent for the Syndicks to know how they had carried themselves who having given him an account of all the Traverses they had met with he said unto them Neither have I been exempt from the like troubles for the Duke told me once in his Brothers presence That he intended to have the Soveraignty of Geneva but resolving with my self to maintain the Rights and Priviledges of my Church even to death I made him this answer That being Peter of Baume I was his humble Servant and Subject but as being Bishop of Geneva I was not his Subject and that he had no Right to the City He moreover shewed them it would be very necessary the deliberations in Council should be carried on more privately and that in business of consequence they should make use of little Balls as they do at Venice Eight days after new Syndicks were chosen The Fribourgers and Bernoises were very glad that John Philippe ' one of the chief of the Eidgnots was chosen Principal Syndick whereupon they who were fled to Fribourg to procure the Alliance of that State and of Berne returned to Geneva They informed the Council by Besançon Hugues of what they had done concerning the Burgership effected with such great labour and so many obstacles from the Duke which Alliance was agreed to provided it should last 25 years or rather for ever if it pleased both Parties it being to be renewed and confirmed every Five years The Articles were these viz. That the Three Cities of Berne Fribourg and Geneva should be faithful one to another that if one should be invaded the others should assist it to the utmost of their power Three days after the General Council was assembled at the ringing of the great Bell where there were not above Five or Six Persons who would not consent to this Alliance The Bishop being present protested against every thing which might prejudice his Authority in this affair The Chapter of the Cathedral were startled at the matter the Chanons and Clergy desiring to know of the Syndicks whether they might repute themselves safe in the City It was answered They had no cause to fear for if the Chanon of Lutry had received any ill usage it was because he refused to deliver the Keys of the Church when they would have assembled the last Council Eight Deputies parted from Geneva to swear to the Agreement and Eight others from Berne and Fribourg arrived to do the same at Geneva they were met by the Syndicks out of Town and saluted with all the Cannon The next Morning the Oath was taken in presence of the General Council the People crying out Thus would we have it thus would we have it in a good hour were they born who have procured us so great good At Night the Deputies were entertained and treated with Plays and Bonfires at Molard in token of joy after which they returned carrying with them the Copy of the Oath sealed Not long after the City had advice by an Express from Berne that Monsieur de Lulin had addressed himself to the Duke in a Council held at Lucerne to cause the Burgership to be revoked and the same did Nergaz Servant and Forty other Mammelusses The business was referred to be transacted at Berne in a Council there where appeared the Deputies of Geneva Hugues and du Molard The conclusion was That the three Cities would by no means revoke their Alliance and that if the Duke would not rest satisfied he should have the Letters of the Alliance which he had made with Berne and Fribourg returned him The Eidgnots who were at that time the most powerful ill resented this appearance of the Mammelusses who were forced to leave the Town by an emotion of the People They withdrew to the Dukes Dominions A while after they sent to know whether they might return Answer was made them They might if they could prove themselves honest Men. But they dared not venture At length upon inquiry it was found That they together with the Vidame had conspired to seize on the chief Eidgnots and to cut off their Heads Peter Gruet the Bishops Vicar was suspected to be of the Dukes Party whereupon he was deposed and the Abbot of Beaumont put in his place The 42 Mammelusses were summoned by sound of Trumpet to make their appearance but not one of them obeying this order they were condemned for their contumacy and their Estates forfeited which produced a long Law-suit before the Confederates The Vidame upon information given him that he was accused of a Conspiracy left the City substituting his Bayliff Dulcis in his room Neither did he remain long in power for the People would suffer no more pleadings in the Stewards Court but would have all matters decided by the Four Syndicks so that he retired into the Country of Focigny The Jaylor of the Isle did the same leaving a Person to look after the Prisoners One of whom being convicted of Felony was by the Syndicks condemned to die The Vidame's absence was well known but to take away all occasion from the Duke to complain he was sought for in his House by a Notary and Witnesses where they were told that he had left the Town They had the same answer at the Bayliffs House Whereupon it was concluded in Council notwithstanding to proceed on to Execution The common Serjeant was ordered to supply the Vidame's place which he did and after the sentence was read he led the Malefactor towards the Castle gate causing the Bayliff of Gaillard to be called according to custom the Duke had bestowed this office on Servant as a recompence for his Services and Exile from Geneva Servant sent a Man in his place to receive the Prisoner who demanded of the Serjeant whether he was Vidame he answered no but that he was the City and Councils servant Then the Bailiffs Deputy replied I will not receive him at your hands seeing you are not my Lords Officer for neither you nor your Syndicks have power to command me which having said he set spurrs to his horse and returned The Common-Serjeant gave notice of this to the Syndicks who bad him proceed and gave him order for the Execution which he obeyed and ever since that time the Duke of Savoy hath held no Office in the City The Dukes Arms stood over the Castle-gate in the Isle but in the night they were battered to pieces with a hammer by an unknown hand The Bridge in the Isle over against the great Bridge was likewise found broken down The Duke joyned this amongst other complaints against Geneva and it was
yet they sent at length two Companies consisting of about 800. men These two Companies being arrived they were desired to set upon the Enemy but the Captains refused to do it saying that they were Allies of the Duke as well as Geneva and that they were only sent to guard the City so that they were forced to have patience and to provide them good quarters The Deputies in the mean time went to the Dukes party and concluded such a kind of Peace that made these two Factions in some sort agree Six weeks after they were called back again by reason the Enemy continued his insultings but the Soldiers instead of fighting him fell upon the Capons and Partridges The Dukes party making a jest of it said That these Soldier s had made the Genevoises real Huguenots seeing they eat the Birds and left the Feathers to the Genevoises who wore them in their Hats for a token of their Alliance for we have already mentioned that Eidgnots or Huguenots as it was indifferently pronounced signified Allies It seemed the two Cities were very apprehensive lest they should break off with the Duke for from the year 1527. to 1530. there was nothing enterprized against these Gentlemen of the Spoon but onely one sally made on the side of Gaillard which was effected by the contrivance of Amy Girard the Syndick who sent word to him who watched in the Bell-Tower that the Enemy was seen at the Gate de Rive although there was then a Truce made which put the City into an alarm Three Companies of Foot issued out of the City in very bad order there being but two Horsemen in the whole Army which were the Prior of S. Victor and a Priest belonging to him Bastien of Diespach Deputy of Berne followed them with full speed on Horseback who seeing the night approaching by the consent of Victor caused the Townsmen to march back awhile after the Captain of the Company of Fribourg who was at Cartigny was ordered to quit the Village and Castle No sooner had they left it but Guigues of Grenant Captain of the Dukes Guard took possession of it The Mammelusses who were fled not returning after so many summons had at length sentence of death pronounced against them by the Syndicks to the number of forty four of them and their estates for feited On Sunday the fifth of April was seen at Sun-setting a Meteor seldom appearing and which the people making no distinction call a Comet it was a flying torch in the form of a fire-brand which went from the East to the West and left behind it wheresoever it passed sparks as it were of fire a quarter of an hour after it had disappeared there was heard a noise like the report of a great piece of Ordnance which coming from between the West and the East ended it self towards the North and for at least an hours space afterward there was heard such a kind of noise as comes out of a fiery furnace at which the very beasts being affrighted wandered bellowing from one side to the other It was in this Year that the Bernoises after several disputes and discourses banished the Roman Catholick Religion from their City and embraced the Protestant Faith. Zuinglius and Oecolampadius Preached it up in Switzerland and Bertholdus Haller at Berne whilst Luther did the same in Germany The Bernoises would have certain Villages which the Fribourgers pretended belonged to them to receive the same Doctrine which raised a disturbance betwixt these two Cities who both demanded assistance from Geneva The Genevoises fearing lest in pleasing one they should disoblige the other sent to each of them a Company of Musqueteers consisting of about one hundred and fifty men a piece John Philippe went Captain of them who were designed for Berne and Richardet Captain of those who were sent to Fribourg It was observed that these two Companies began to quarrel and annoy one another at Geneva but at length these two Cities were reconciled and the Forces sent home again Some Roman Catholicks of Berne were forced to flie to Genevà amongst others Conradus Wilhermin and Anthony Bischebach who farm'd the Revenues of S. Victor who being gone to Cartigny with eight Horsemen and thirty two Foot Soldiers to gather his Tithes had the boldness to attaque the Castle He lost Thiebald Loffer there but took Prisoner de Grenans whom he kept Prisoner three months in S. Victor The Gentlemen of the Spoon desirous to try whether they could draw Bonnivard out thence came one night with four or five hundred men beyond the Bridge of Arve crying out Treacherous Eidgnots and you Cows of Switzerland come over here and fetch Fodder And at the same time they discharged their Carbines which did no other hurt than the alarming the Town the Bell rang and Bonnivard came to Coquet Captain of the Borough of Four who immediately got together five or six hundred men maugre Hugues the Syndick then Captain General who was thought to hold intelligence with the Enemies to do Bonnivard an ill turn there were some skirmishes and so the Gentlemen withdrew From that time the Bernoises frequented more Geneva than the Fribourgers and in all their discourses were still inveighing against the Priests and their forbidding to eat Flesh in Lent and on Wednesdays and Saturdays so that they perswaded several to disobey them The Fribourgers on the contrary vehemently exhorted them to follow the Religion of their Ancestors or otherwise they would forsake their Alliance In this confusion the Genevoises observing how Mens minds began to be divided and that there were some who talked of Reforming the Clergy and the corruptions which they said were crept into the Church they addressed themselves to Bonnivard Prior of S. Victor who had the reputation of an honest and knowing Man to have his advice in this matter Who made them this bold answer If you will be ruled by me you shall do one of these two things That is If you continue debauched as ye are at present you must not wonder if others be so too And Secondly If you will reform the Clergy you must first shew them the way by your good examples These and other Remonstrances which he afterwards made them gave them occasion to pry more narrowly into Religious matters The Fugitive Mammelusses had obtained of the Archbishop of Vienna a Writ of Excommunication upon their complaints against the Genevoises which they caused to be set up It hapned that Bonnivard travelling to Berne with the Deputies of Geneva was minded to read this Excommunication set up on the Church porch in the Road to Switzerland But the Deputies bade him have a care what he did For as soon as ever you shall have read it said they you will stand excommunicated Bonnivard smiling at their scrupulous simplicity replied You are much mistaken for if ye have condemned the Mammelusses unjustly ye are excommunicated by God himself but if justly what
yet the Protestants ceased not to Assemble themselves in several houses where strangers and the most knowing amongst themselves interpreted the holy Scripture They received their first Communion in a Garden out of Town where one called Mr. John Guerin a Capmaker distributed it the Common people esteemed him learned in Divinity although he was but a Mechanick some days after search being made after him he fled and was afterwards Minister of New Castle It hapned likewise that a Frier Preaching in the Convent of the Palace and railing against the Lutherans a person named Peter Robert Olivetan Tutor to the Children of John Chantemps arose up and disputed against him which caused a great disturbance so that if he had not been defended by some of his own party there present he would certainly have come by the worst of it This was that Olivetan who first Translated the Bible into French which Translation hath been received by the Protestants He caused it to be Printed at New Castle in the Year 1538. and it is thought he was poysoned at Ferrara Olivetan having been banished another stranger who had dwelt near a year at Geneva openly maintained that they who went to Mass were Idolaters which caused the Magistrates to banish him from the City upon pain of death The Bernoises who had already embraced the new Doctrine being informed of all these transactions sent a Herald to Geneva with Letters to this effect That they did ill to persecute those who Preached to them the Gospel as they had done in the person of Farel that if they would not suffer them they who were their Allies would resent it Whilst the Council had this matter in deliberation came above two hundred persons who desired Justice to be done on those who had obliged the Bernoises to write this who they said were Lutherans the Council had much ado to appease them promising to take care in the business for they continually cried out that if they would not punish those persons who would hinder them from living after the manner of their fore fathers and as they had promised the Fribourgers they would take a course with them themselves Four days after whilst the Syndicks were yet in consultation notice was given them of a great Assembly of people at S. Peters as also of a considerable company in the street of Allemands at Baudichon's of New-house where several had withdrawn themselves who had procured these Letters from Berne Two of the Syndicks went immediately to S. Peter's and the two other to Baudichon's to appease these two parties and hinder any disorder The Ecclesiasticks and other Catholicks who were at S. Peters having understood that the Protestants at Baudichon's house were well armed rang the great Bell and took up Arms likewise Peter Vandel whom they believed to be their enemy was wounded with a Dagger and had been killed without the interposition of a Syndick A general Alarm being given âhe Ecclesiasticks assembled in Molard with all them of their party and were encouraged by several persons of the Council who were there present Claudius Ballesserd passing from S. Gervais to go to Molard was hurt before the house of Baudichon and had been killed without the Syndicks assistance who appeased the multitude the best they could The City was near falling into a sad confusion the air was filled with the clamours of the people animated by the Priests and the lamentations of the aged who expected to see their children kill one another or they themselves to perish by the hands of those to whom they had given life The City gates were shut and the great Guns made ready to besiege Baudichon's house wherein there were near two hundred resolute men The City being in this condition no body dared so much as to speak of Peace left he should be suspected to be a Lutheran By good chance there were in the City some Merchants who were Fribourgers persons of known honesty and reputation who interposing and calling both parties fellow Citizens exhorted them to agreement The Protestants consented but the Catholicks would have executed their enterprize but understanding the others were considerable for their number and preparedness they gave over and consented to an agreement Hostages were given on both sides the Protestants delivered Michael Sept John Lullin and Stephen Redhat into the hands of the Syndick Malbuisson the Catholicks gave the Chanon Goyet John Malbuisson and John Pesmes who were kept in the house of the Syndick John Philippe The Syndicks caused to be published on the Morrow these following Articles of Peace That all enmity on either part should be laid aside and that they should live in peace without offending one another either in word or deed That no person should offer to speak against the Sacraments of the Church and that all persons might use their own Liberty That no Flesh should be eaten on Wednesdays and Saturdays That none should Preach without Licence from the Syndicks and Supeâiors and that nothing should be maintained in Sermons which could not be proved out of the Holy Scriptures At which every one lifted up his hand the Seculars before the Syndicks and the Clergy before the Vicar promising to observe these Articles In the Month following the Bernoises sent an Herald to Geneva desiring the Magistrates not to permit Paste and Baudichon to be molested who called themselves Gospellers After Easter they sent Deputies along with Farel to Geneva together with another Minister to dispute against him who had preached the Lent Sermon On Sunday the fourth of May towards the Evening notwithstanding the Articles of Peace which were to be observed sworn there was a disturbance raised at Molard between certain particular persons of both parties who drew their swords and yet a while after drank together and were friends Whilst they had their swords drawn Marin Versonnex ran to the Priests at S. Peters for help who caused the Bell to be rung The Chanon Verley came one of the first saying he would lose his life for the Christian Faith he was Armed from head to foot holding his naked sword in both his hands crying out Follow me good Christians dear God where are these Lutherans This alarm raised indifferently both parties to the number of one thousand five hundred some swords were drawn and Verly who saw the place too hot for him when he would have gotten away was killed it was not known who did it because it was dark The Syndick John Coquet having run in to part them was wounded in the head At length both parties withdrew at the sollicitation of the Syndicks Versonnex and Marguillier were imprisoned for alarming the City The next morning Verly was honourably buried and because he belonged to Fribourg Letters were sent to the Magistrates of that Canton informing them how that they were making search after them who had killed him to do justice on them Two of his kinsmen together with an
Herald came with Letters from Fribourg to demand his body which was granted them Some days after they came again requiring justice to be done not only on those who had killéd him but who were likewise present and who did not hinder the Murther and amongst others on the Syndick Coquet He answered that he was present with his Syndicks-staff according to the duty of his Office and that he had endeavoured to the utmost of his power to suppress this tumult After this Deputies from Berne presented themselves before the Council to offer their mediation and proposed that every person might be at liberty either to go hear Mass or Sermons A month after an Oath was taken to observe this proposal for the future and the agreement made on the twenty eighth of March that they might not appear disunited at the Bishops coming who was shortly expected at Geneva who in effect arrived on the first of June the Syndicks having gone a league out of Town to meet him he immediately caused several Priests to be released who were imprisoned for some misdemeanors The General Council being held after a Mass of the Holy Ghost was celebrated and a general Procession at which the Bishop assisted with the Deputies from Fribourg a President of the Franche Comté spake in the Bishops behalf exhorting the people to be faithful to him entreating them to live in unity and not to entertain the new doctrine At the same time Verly's kindred had brought with them six score Soldiers to revenge his death and having passed over the Lake they came and encamped themselves at Gaillard from whence they sent to demand justice Their suit was delayed upon the account of a difference betwixt the Bishop and Syndicks about Jurisdiction in Cases of life and death which the Syndicks would not yield to the Bishop The Syndicks at the instance of the Attorny-General drew up an Indictment against nine Men and Woman the greatest part of which were found not guilty at night there was a Watch kept left the Bishop should take away the Prisoners and bring them to answer it at his Bar. But whilst these things were doing he left the Town about the midst of July to take part with the Duke of Savoy against the City although he was so strictly bound to the contrary by the Oath which he had taken not only at his Election to the Bishoprick but likewise in making himself free of the City The Council earnestly besought him to set the City in Order but whether he feared some Tumult upon the account of the Prisoners or that he had some other secret design he coloured over his departure with a pretence of going into Franche Comté where the Emperor held an Assembly of the Estates and he promised that he would shortly return Verly's relations returned home all but two who remained at Gaillard with about twenty Soldiers who sued for justice to be done on them who were guilty of the Murther They who returned met on mount Jura Thomas Baudichon together with some Merchants of Stratsbourg Peter Verly brother to the deceased set upon him calling him Traytor and had it not been for his company his life had been in danger his horse having been already killed under him The Syndicks declared one part of the Prisoners innocent which caused the Attorney-General to make an Appeal but he was immediately told we having no Superiour do therefore admit no Appeal but at the same time Peter Thoberet was found guilty of the Murther of Verly having stabbed him in the back as he went up the Stairs of a House and was sentenced to lose his head Towards the end of the Year Guy Furbity Dr. of the Sorbon was sent for from Montmelian to Preach during the Sundays in Advent at S. Peters Church who speaking against the doctrine of the Protestants was contradicted by Froment who was returned and by another named Alexander Camus the last of these upon this was banished the City but Froment was secured and yet these disorders ceased not The Bernoises sent a Herald with Letters to the Syndicks requiring first To be paid their dues according to the agreement made in the Assemblies held in Switzerland and in the second place They complained that their servants who had Preached Gods Word to them were driven away by them whereas they ought rather to have expelled Furbity and such as he who Preached erroneous and blasphemous doctrine and thus they expressed themselves The people before ever the Letters were read imagined there were Luther an Ministers come to Town whereupon there arose immediately a great disturbance the greatest part taking up Arms and sticking small branches of Trees in their Caps for distinction The Proctor General likewise caused the Clergy to Arm themselves The Council having debated the matter would have delivered Furbity against whom the Bernoises had complained into the grand Vicars Custody but he would not receive him He left not off Preaching and affirming continually that all those who received the new doctrine were people who lived ill and that they were worse than others The Syndicks wrote to Berne the Furbity was under an Arrest and yet they knew not wherein he had offended them but if they had heard him they would not have suffered him so greatly did they value their Lordships friendship Some days after this came an Herald from Fribourg who delivered Letters to the Council to this effect That the States of Fribourg undèrstanding that Farel and others were at Geneva to Preach the new Law as they termed it they therefore requested them not to suffer him otherwise they would break off with them The first day of the following Year the grand Vicar published through all Parishes that none should Preach either in publick or private without the Bishops or grand Vicars Licence and that they who had any French or Dutch Bibles should burn them upon pain of excommunication Four days after arrived other Deputies from Berne and Fribourg These last said they understood there had been a great Tumult occasioned by the Luther an Preachers and that if they intended to suffer them they would break off with them They were answered that they designed to live as heretofore according to what they had formerly determined The Deputies from Berne urged the payment of the charges of the former War and demanded satisfaction for what Furbity had said against them The Syndicks made answer they were sorry if Furbity had done them any wrong but that they had no power over any Ecclesiastical person The Deputies were not content with this answer threatning still to break off with them and in effect they would have returned them the Letters of Association which they flung on the Table The Council instantly besought them to take them again and to satisfie them Furbity was caused to answer for himself in the Town house the Syndicks having first declared that
the Bishop came purposely to Chambery to resign his Bishoprick to Monsieur of Bresse his son which would be a means of involving their Allies of Geneva in farther troubles wherefore they intreated him to let them live in peace and to observe the Agreements made at S. Julien and Payerne A Plot was discovered of some Citizens dealing with the Bishop about his coming again and extirpation of the Protestants The Syndicks having learnt the day before the enterprize was to begin that the Bishop was at Salleneure and that the Nobility of Savoy had raised great numbers of Soldiers who were to surprize the Town very early the next morning they thereupon at nine of the Clock at night caused the people to arm themselves and to keep strict watch The Conspirators were to give notice to them without by a fire to be made in some place from whence it might be best seen The City Smith was designed to open the Gates and several Pieces of Ordnance which commanded the Lake were left on purpose without Ammunition The Bishop was within two Leagues of the City near the Village of Leluyset and every thing seemed to favour them But they within from whom most was expected and who were to meet together at Molard under a Red Colours were constrained to keep within doors for fear of the Guards which were doubled The Enemies had sent two persons to see if the Gates of Rive and S. Anthonie were open But when they saw they were fast shut and that there was a Torch in S. Peter's Steeple which shewed that they within expected their coming they cried out one to another We are betrayed we shall never enter into Geneva seeing we have failed this bout So that this contrivance was rendred ineffectual by the care of the Syndicks The Enemies finding themselves next Morning near Gergonant retired Drum beating and their Colours flying contenting themselves with only plundering some Country houses and leading away Prisoner Peter Vandel who was returned by way of exchange for Monsieur of Coudreé who was detained at Geneva upon his account The Bishop withdrew into Burgundy whence he came and some time after turned his Officers at Geneva out of their places chusing new ones in their stead and removed his Court to Gex He designed to have had the Seal of the Bishoprick from Geneva but the City would not send it him The Deputies of Geneva represented their grievances to the General Assembly held at Baden and the Bernoises sent to the Duke to have them redressed But he gave them no satisfaction he likewise complaining against the Genevoises who had battered his Arms in the Castle of the Isle and pulled down his Altar at S. Francis of Rive and had excluded him from the Vidomnat or Stewardship which he would have restored him He required moreover that they would receive their Bishop again The Genevoises made answer they would stand to the Agreement made at S. Julien and Payerne And as to what concerned the Bishop they durst not trust him and therefore would not permit his entrance There was a meeting held at Thonon and another at Lucern where the Deputies of Berne and Geneva could effect nothing The City received Letters from the French-King informing them that out of respect to them and the Bernoises he had set at liberty two Genevoises who had been apprehended at Lyons for their Religion viz. Baudichon and Cologny entreating them to do the like by Furbity which they would not consent to before they had leave from the Bernoises through whose means he had been all this while detained Their consent was obtained yet he was not set at liberty till the end of the year by way of exchange for Mr. Saunier a Minister whom the Duke kept Prisoner in Piedmont In the Month of February in the Year following a Grey Frier of S. Francis's Order came and presented himself to the Syndicks that he might be permitted to preach who having requested the Chanons of S. Peter to lend him their Pulpit they would not grant it But the Curate of S. Germans offering him the use of his Church he began to preach on the first Sunday in Lent and held on till Easter It was known before-hand that he was a Protestant as well as the Curate of S. Germans Thomas Vandel who had been one of the Chanons of S. Peter About this time the Protestant party was the strongest there being three Syndicks of it They kept constantly with them a Captain and a Herald of Berne under pretence of the differences between the Duke and them but in effect to authorise their party and prevent their being molested They likewise encreased by the additional numbers of Protestants in France who being persecuted in their own Country withdrew to Geneva There was amongst others a Woman of the Borough in Bresse who came there under pretence of Religion but was executed for attempting to take away the lives of three Ministers by putting poyson in their Mess of Broth but there was none but Viret who eat of it and thought he sould have died with it She accused the Chanon of Orsiers for confederacy with her who was by the Syndicks order imprisoned On Ascension Eve the Genevoises at Eleven of the Clock at Night went to surprize the Castle of Penay with 500 Men and 7 pieces of Cannon They within although they were but few in number yet defended themselves most couragiously they lost but one Man but the Genevoises two or three besides several that were wounded The Night being spent to no purpose and the Country round about being alarmed by break of day they prepared to relieve the besieged which made the Assailants withdraw This caused them of Penay to begin again to molest Geneva and that the more eagerly because the chiefest of them were for their obstinacy condemned to pay a Fine to the City of 100000 Crowns These disorders obliged them to finish the walling in of S. Gervais and to pull down the other Suburbs Some days after the Bishops Chancellor and the Judge in Secular Matters who had removed themselves to Gex cited the Gray Friers of Rive to make their appearance because on the first of May Father James Bernard Guardian of the Convent who was Lewis Bernard's Brother who had forsaken the Convent the year before had caused Bills to be pasted up in the principal places of the City wherein he openly declared his acknowledgment of the truth and that he determined to maintain publick Theses touching the Mass the Invocation of Saints and such like points These Disputations were to begin on the 30th of May in the Convent of Rive The Bishop strictly forbad the Catholicks of his Diocess and the Duke his Subjects to appear there On the contrary the Syndicks encouraged both Parties to meet there promising both should have a fair Hearing These disputations lasted till S. John's day There were but two
Persons who vigorously maintained the Catholick Doctrine viz. Caroli Dr. of the Sorbon and a Dominican Frier of the palace called Chapuisy The Syndicks had ordered Four Secretaries to write what should pass on either side to the end that the whole debate being considered by the Council they might thereupon advise what was farther to be done After this the same James Barnard embraced the Protestant Religion And within a while Married a Printers Daughter on whom he settled a Joynture On the Feast of S. Magdalen Farel accompanied with a great number of hearers having caused the Bell to ring according to custom came and preached in S. Magdalen's Parish-Church the Priests not having time to make an end of their Mass and the People who were there running away with them Six days after he preached at S. Gervais where the Syndicks had set a Guard of 50 Men to prevent any disturbance On the 5th of August he preached at S. Dominick's of the Palace and on the 8th day of the same Month at S. Peters notice being first given by the sound of the great Bell. In the same day the Reliques and Images of the said Church were defaced and spoiled by the common People The Statue of Charlemain which stood at the entrance of the Church was likewise overthrown whereat understanding Men were much displeased The next Morning the three Captains Nicholas Baudichon Peter Vandel and Amy Perrin marched with their Companies beating their Drums as they went to S. Gervais and to S. Dominick where they did yet worse for they spoiled a stately Picture which had cost 600 Ducats And from thence they went to the Bridge of Arve to our Lady of Grace's Church where the Syndicks hastned with their Staves to hinder them from demolishing the Chappel of René of Savoy On the next day Farel came and preached to the Council of 200 and mightily inveighed against the Priests and their Mass It was thereupon ordered that the Disputations held at Rivè should be looked into Two days after the Syndicks sent for the Augustin Monks Dominicans and Grey-Friers and caused the chief Heads of the afore-mentioned Disputations to be read before them asking them whether they had any thing to object against them They answered It belonged not to them to meddle with Articles of Faith which had been received and believed by their foreFathers At length the Syndicks made an order That all the Citizens and Inhabitants should embrace the Protestant Doctrine utterly abolishing the Roman-Catholick Religion The Nuns of S. Clare kept to their old Priciples There was only one Blasine the Daughter of Dominick Varembel who forsook the Monastery and presented her request to the Lieutenant to the end the Sisters might give her a Dowry Which they refused saying She had brought nothing to the Convent yet to avoid all Suits of Law they were content to put the matter to a reference There were ordered her 200 Crowns to be paid out of the Housholdstuff of the Convent They a while after requested the Syndicks to have Mass permitted them as heretofore or otherwise leave to depart the City The Syndicks answer was That they might either stay or go So that they determined to depart to Vitry and from thence to Anecy where the Duke caused a Convent to be fitted up for them They left Geneva being accompanied by the Syndicks and the Lieutenant as far as the Bridge of Arve according to their request lest they should have any rudeness offered them There were but Nine and there were some of them who for 30 years together had not stirred out of the Convent They reached no farther than S. Julien all that day which is but a League distant from Geneva And they were moreover so astonished to find themselves in the open Fields that in seeing either Cows or Sheep they took them for Lyons and Bears according to Sister Jussie's relation who hath described this Sally in a little Book called The beginning of the Heresie of Geneva This Book is written with all the simplicity and confusion which could be expected from a poor Nun for she was as well as her Companions in great fear before she got away thinking every minute they should have some violence offered them Yet as may be seen in this relation they were more afraid than hurt The greatest mischief they received was an Exhortation to leave their Veils and Marry Farel preached in their Convent and took his Text from these words of the blessed Virgin Exsurgens Maria abiit in montana And Mary arose and went into the hill country Shewing them That she was never a Recluse although a perfect pattern of Holiness But this shook not their constancy Baudichon a while after was chosen Captain General in the place of John Philippe and made a general Muster of them who had voluntarily Listed themselves under him who amounted to the number of 400. This Militia being not strong enough to take the Field against the Enemy Claudius Savoy who was sent to Berne from Geneva not obtaining help went to Newcastle to raise Men for Geneva who in their march thither had some skirmish near Nions with them of the Country of Gex but the Deputies of Berne caused them to be disbanded promising to reconcile the differences between the Genevoises and the Duke and them of Penay This did not at all please the Genevoises because the Savoyards had detained their Three Deputies Darlod Lambert and Tocquet whom they had carried away Prisoners to the Castle of Chillon The Savoyards and M. de Rolle having entred the Castle of Pency as Friends they carried away those within Prisoners to Gex accusing them of Treason They likewise abused the Women and Children of strangers who were sent out of the City as unprofitable mouths they stripped them to their Shifts and caused them to return back again There were several little conflicts on both sides while the Cantons endeavoured to reconcile these differences The Protestants continued to pull down the Images and spoil the Reliques of Churches Some days after the Officers of the City at the instigation of Farel published by sound of Trumpet a Fast enjoyning all persons the next Morning to Assemble themselves in S. Peter's Church to pray to Almighty God to send them Peace Farel preached and the Congregation was greater than ordinary About the end of this Year with which we will finish this our first Part the City being surrounded with Enemies wanting Provision and destitute of Mony this put the Magistrates upon Coyning some with the City Stamp the Savoy Coyn having been most currant before amongst them And for better assurance in this point of Priviledge there was search made for all old pieces of the City Coyn. At length there were found some pieces on one side of which there was S. PETRVS written round S. Peter's Head and on the other side a Cross with this Motto GENEVA CIVITAS
especially the Lutherans Calvin composed a Catechism for the instruction of Youth whilst they who had sworn to live according to the Protestant Discipline becoming unruly made a disturbance in the Council crying out They had made them Perjured The Syndicks for that Year favoured the discontented Party and indeed were yet Catholicks in their heart Calvin Farel and Courant who was blind but accounted learned presented themselves before the Council offering to make good their Confession of Faith. But this not prevailing they under pretence of preserving the Liberties and Priviledges of the City and because they would not conform to the custom of Berne in Celebrating the Communion they therefore made an Order in Council enjoyning these three Ministers to leave the City in three days Calvin had no maintenance from the City living at his own charge there wherefore he went to Basle and from thence to Strasbourg where being entertained by Martin Bucer Capito Hedio and other learned men he obtained leave of the Magistrates to set up a French-Church and became the Pastor of it and had a competent maintenance allowed him Farel withdrew to Neuf-Chatel After the departure of these three Ministers the Minister of Jussy Henry la Mare refusing as the rest had done before him to Administer the Sacrament with Wafers was thrown into Prison But he was soon released and served the City together with the other Ministers who were sent for out of the Villages Their opinion was required before they were admitted concerning the old Ceremony of Womens being Married with their Hair hanging down loose about their Ears They made answer for fear this trifle should hinder their entrance That they did not find it forbidden any where in the Holy Scripture Whereupon they were admitted and gave the Communion in the Easter following with Bread without Leaven which custom continued a long time after at Geneva They who had been the chief instruments of the Ministers banishment did not a little triumph at the matter carrying along with them throughout the City a Stove on which things are wont to be broiled and the Wick or Cotton of a Candle which is called in that Country Language Farets as much as to say they had broiled Farel Yet this hindred him not from writing to them Exhorting them to Union in Doctrine the same did Calvin one of whose Letters had this Superscription To my well-beloved Brethren in the Lord the remnant of the scattered Church of Geneva By which and what he wrote at the end of his Letter it seemed that he foretold the confusion in which his Enemies would be involved 16 months after At Christmas Anthony Saunier Maturin Cordier Master of the Free-School and several others refusing to give the Sacrament with Wafers were ordered to depart the City In the Year following there was a Decree made in the General Council That whosoever should so much as advise a change of Government should lose his Head. In another Session of the said Council three Deputies were condemned for having made an agreement with the City of Berne touching the Lordship of S. Victor which they demanded and upon other Articles which tended to the oppression of the City Two of these three Deputies had been Syndicks in the Year 1538 and had procured Farel and Calvin's banishment This condemnation made a great noise and moved the People to Sedition because these Persons were some of the Principal Men in the City and had great Friends John Philippe who was Captain General and had been Syndick in that Year and moreover joyned in Friendship and in the same Faction with them spake publickly against it and was the first Author of the Sedition He killed a Man with his Leading-staff in this quarrel And a German on his side was slain in the place The Council issued out a Warrant to apprehend Philippe who having shut himself up in his House made some resistance there having been a Man shot dead in this tumult he got away at last over the tops of the Houses and hid himself in the Stable belonging to the Tower of Perse amongst the Hay where having been found out he was carried to Prison The Syndicks with the Watch guarded him from the violence of the People who otherwise would have torn him in pieces Whereupon we may observe the inconstancy of the vulgar and how little their Friendship is to be relied on It was not eight days since Philippe was exceedingly respected and had more credit than all the rest of the Syndicks besides but now every body exclaimed against him and desired he should be put to death even those who were most obliged to him He had made a Party who were no friends to the Protestants and who had already procured the banishment of several Ministers The two Syndicks who were condemned were of it They were called Artichauds or Artychokes because this Faction had taken these Plants to distinguish themselves having cut down as many of these Roots as they could find in the Gardens It was likewise a word used in the Wars amongst them Others say this word of Artichaud came by corruption of Speech from Articlers by reason of the Articles which they had inserted in the Treaty at Berne The contrary Faction had green Flowers for a mark of distinction and their word was Farel which name was often heard about Streets and likewise that of Artichaud Claudius Richardet chief Syndick in the Year 1538 one of the Principal of the Artichaud Faction having been ingaged in this Sedition would have made his escape over the City Walls but being a corpulent Man he was so bruised by the fall that he immediately killed himself These are the misfortunes usually attending diversity of opinions in Religion Philippe was condemned to lose his Head notwithstanding the intercession of the Bernoises So that this Faction of the Artichauds was very much daunted by the disgrace of the four who were Syndicks in the Year 1538 and who had been the chief upholders of it Yet the three Deputies at length obtained favour by the intercession of them of Berne and Basle and were only enjoyned to make an humble acknowledgment of their fault before the Council of 200 and had a small Fine laid upon them These differences made them think of calling back Calvin who was busied in the Ecclesiastical Synods of the Empire About the end of these troubles the Genevoises received Letters from Charles the Fifth Dated the eighth of August 1540. by which he gave them to understand that he had been informed That they of Berne sollicited Geneva to do them Homage which he did not believe they would consent to strictly charging them the contrary upon pain of his high displeasure expecting likewise that the Bernoises to whom he intended to write would desist from these demands and enjoyning the City of Geneva to remain as heretofore in obedience to the Empire
having broken it open were not a little displeased at some passages in it especially where he tells Viret That they of Geneva would govern without God and that he had to do with Hypocrites Being sent for to answer for this before them he justified his complaint by the instances of several debauched Persons who were suffered to scoff at the Word of God and to slight their Instructions He left the City at the same time Farel departed from Neuf-chatel to go to Zurich to be present at a Synod composed of Divines from Switzerland and Grisons the Points debated there have been since Printed At his return he set forth his Commentaries on the Epistle of St. Paul to Titus which he dedicated to Farel and Viret in consideration of the strict friendship and unity betwixt them Galeacius Caracciola Marquiss of Vico in the Kingdom of Naples where he had left his Estate and Family withdrew to Geneva upon the account of Religion Before his arrival some Persons spread a report that he came as a Spy but his conversation gave sufficient proofs of the contrary Bolsec a Carmelite who had left the Order and under pretence of embracing the Protestant Religion had betook himself to the profession of Physick and Divinity contradicted the Minister in a full Congregation charging the Protestants with making God the Author of sin and by that means contributing to the condemnation of the wicked as if God had been a Jupiter or a Tyrant alledging farther That S. Augustin was forcibly drawn into be a Patron of this Doctrine although 't is certain he was not of that opinion of which he warned them to take heed it being a new and dangerous Doctrine and of which he charged Laurentius Valla to be the Author Calvin being present at the Meeting he heard Bolsec discourse with an admirable patience and after he had said as much as he could Calvin presented himself and answered most ingeniously to every Article for the space of an hour and besides an infinite of places which he cited out of the Holy Scripture he quoted so many passages out of S. Augustine as would make any Man believe he had studied no other Author so that every one admired it and shut up all with this saying Would to God that he who hath so much cited S. Augustin had seen more of him than his covering Farel who was then at Geneva made a distinct Oration to confirm what Calvin had said before him and to shew that they were to blame who charged them with error Bolsec was thereupon committed to Prison where Calvin endeavoured to convince him of his error as well by personal Conferences as by Letters A while after by the consent of the Churches of Switzerland he was banished the City 'T is reported That ten Years after he recanted in a full Synod at Orleans but yet writ a Book of Calvin's Life wherein he very much injures his Reputation which occasioned Calvin's setting forth a Treatise concerning Predestination and Providence which the Magistrates of Berne did neither approve nor condemn prudently forbidding their Ministers to preach to the People a Doctrine which they and all Men else so little understood Troillet who had been an Hermit openly censured likewise Calvin's Institutions The Council enjoyned him to be silent but yet this hindred not often disturbances about this matter The young people of the City accusing Calvin of Pride and too much Severity About this time came Michael Servetus a Spaniard who had escaped out of Prison from Vienna to Geneva where he began to dogmatize He had composed a Book Intituled Christianismi restitutio full of execrable Heresies He annulled the distinction of the three Persons in the Godhead affirming the Son and Holy Ghost to have been Created in the beginning of the World. That the Essence of God was common to all Creatures even those who were inanimate which brought forth in Man a free will yet did not this hinder but that the knowledge of good and evil was stifled in him till he was twenty years of age before which time a man could not commit any mortal sin That it was sufficient to believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God it not being absolutely necessary to lay hold on his promises All men both Jews and Heathens being justified by their good moral works That Baptism of Infants was but a meer foppery At first he was countenanced by some of the Magistrates who hated Calvin so that besides his natural maliciousness he was so rude in maintaining his Blasphemy as to give Calvin the lye above fifty times in one discourse and as often calling him wicked wretch and Simon Magus The Council could no longer endure his impudence and therefore committed him to Prison and Articles were drawn up against him which were sent to the four Protestant Cantons for their concurrence after which he was burnt alive not shewing the least sign of repentance but only a great fear of death Several were not displeased that so dangerous a person was rooted out who had sowed his wicked Doctrine for the space of thirty years amongst Christians Others thought he was punished too severely his Fact being only a matter of opinion which was at the bottom of it but only a mixture of Judaism and Anabaptism and that it were better to have expected his repentance which occasioned the setting forth of a Book De non puniendis haereticis gladio composed as it was thought by Castalion under the name of Martin Bellius which Book was answered by Theodore Beza The Magistrates of Geneva and Switzerland who had condemned Servetus considered him as an Apostate a Seducer and an Atheistical person Calvin likewise set forth a Book wherein he confuted his Heresies and exposed all the proceedings against him In the Year following Matthew Grybalde Sieur of Farges spread the same errors but he would not enter into a publick conference with Calvin but withdrew into the Countries of Berne where he made his Recantation yet living as before to the Year 1564. when he died of the Plague The City was fortified and the poor People of Merindol and Cabrieres who had fled for refuge to Geneva were employed about the work the reason of this precaution was That they had notice given them by the Bernoises that the French had some design upon them and that which occasioned this suspicion was The great multitude of French men who had withdrawn thither The Libertines of thè City bore them ill-will and were not willing to grant them the Burgership as they had done to others They designed one Night to massacre them all the Captain-General Amy Perrin a seditious and factious Person being the chief of their Party But the Council getting notice of it took care to hinder them There were some of them made severe examples Thirty of them fled and were sentenced though absent And thus the City was
cleared of these seditious People but yet they made several disturbances in the City and towards the Bridge of Arve endeavouring with all their powers to be permitted to return by the sollicitation of the Bernoises which lasted for some time The number of strangers visibly increasing in the City several English came and settled themselves there and founded a Church of their own Nation as the Italians had done before them in 1551. and the Spaniards some time after but Queen Elizabeth having succeeded Queen Mary and bringing in again the Protestant Religion the English returned again into their own Country and thanked the City for their protection The first Minister of the Italian Church was Maximilian of Martinengue brother to the Earls of Martinengo an illustrious family in Italy he was a very learned man. The French Church at Francfort had some difference which Calvin went thither to pacifie The term of the Alliance with the City of Berne being expired Geneva endeavoured to renew it which was not effected without a great deal of trouble The other Cantons were busied in the Dyet of Baden it was at length concluded that it should last for ever Some Italians began to disturb the Churches peace by their opinions of the Trinity for to remedy which the Council enjoyned them to subscribe to the Churches general Confession but there were seven persons of them who absolutely refused it some of them leaving the Town upon it the others signed it but by constraint keeping still the same mind amongst whom was Valentin Gentil who gave not over dogmatising He was thereupon committed to Prison and disputed before the Lords against Calvin whom he charged with oppressing the Truth Gentil had run himself into Arianisme and his drift was to shew that the Divine Essence belonged properly to none but the Father It was the opinion of some Lawyers that his Heresie was of that nature as to deserve death but he thought to escape all punishment by a seeming repentance retracting his opinion by a writing made for that purpose which the Magistrates taking notice of inflicted on him no other punishment besides the burning his Writings and a command not to stir out of the City without their leave which he obeyed with much submission and seeming compliance after which he had leave granted him to go about the City but at length he withdrew with some of his followers into the neighbouring Countries at Grybald's where he taught the same Doctrine as before The Bayliff of Gex obliged him to a new recantation but he still returned to his old error whereupon he was at length executed at Berne in the Year 1566. Calvin wrote a Book against him wherein he excellently confuted this Heresie The number of the Youth encreasing who came from all parts to study at Geneva the old School was not large enough to hold them wherefore the Council thought fit to raise a new Colledge There were immediately settled in it seven Classes and three Professors of Greek Hebrew and Philosophy besides Divinity Lectures which Calvin read himself to whom was joyned Theodore Beza who Preached the following week after Calvin The Statutes of this Colledge were first published in S. Peters Church the Council being present together with the Ministers and Scholars which Statutes have been since Printed Duke Emanuel Philbert entring again upon one part of his estates of which his father had been almost wholly dispossessed required the Bernoises in a Dyet held at Neuf-Châtel to restore him those places they had taken from him which he obtained but in part some years after he endeavoured likewise at an Alliance with all the Cantons but there were none but the six Cantons who granted it him In the Year following the Genevoises made two persons severe examples of Justice after the manner of the ancient Romans a Citizen having been condemned to be whipt by the lesser Council for the crime of Adultery he made an appeal to the Council of two hundred from whom he hoped to obtain favour His Indictment being revised and the Council observing that he had been guilty of the same crime heretofore and had been reprehended for it condemned him to die to the great astonishment of the Offender who complained he was too severely dealt withal Some time after there was executed for the same fact a Banker who died very penitent blessing God that Justice was so strictly observed The young King Charles the ninth writ to them of Geneva by an express complaining that the source of all the divisions in his Kingdom sprung from the Ministers whom they had sent into France desiring them to recall them and to take a course that for the future they should come there no more To which they answered that indeed they had not hindred any persons from coming into their City to study there in order to the fitting themselves for the Ministry but they were so far from fomenting the troubles of France that on the contrary they had endeavoured to keep back them who would have went to Amboise as knowing well that Holy Scripture recommends to Subjects obedience to their Prince But the King not satisfied with this gave not over threatning them The Duke of Savoy likewise laid to their charge that they had privately assisted his Subjects of the Valleys of Angrogne and Luzerne although they protested to be no farther concerned in it than in praying to God to deliver them from the Soldiers cruelty The Protestants of France enjoying again the clams of peace whom the Catholicks call Huguenots the chief Cities of it sent to Geneva for Ministers who did not refuse them Theodore Beza and Peter Martyr Divinity Professors at Zurich were sent for by Letters from the King of Navarre dated the twelfth of August 1561. to be present at the Conference of Poissy On Saturday the twenty seventh of May 1564. died John Calvin aged fifty six years having by overmuch study brought upon himself several distempers He was buried the next morning in the common Church-yard of the large Palace according as he had desired in his Will without any Pomp or Epitaph his Corps was attended by almost the whole City Simon Goulard of Senlis who came to Geneva a while after was chose in his place Theodore Beza wrote a Discourse of his life and death which was published in the same year together with his Testament His death was followed two years after by another more Tragical James Paul Spiffame Bishop of Nevers having left his Bishoprick and forty thousand Livres a year had withdrawn himself to Geneva to live according to the Protestant Doctrine He had presented a Request to be admitted Citizen which he obtained having been received into the Council of two hundred and of sixty The Magistrates and Scholars esteemed him for his Learning A while after he was sent into France to serve there in quality
Bonvillars commanded held out for some days but seeing no succours coming surrendered their Arms and Jewels saved the Country was afterwards plundered In the mean time the chief of the Royal Army holding a Council they were told that the Dukes Army was arrived at Roche consisting of six thousand Foot and four hundred Dragoons and five hundred Lancers Olivarez an old and experienced Captain who commanded the Spaniards in the Dukes Army counselled them not to advance but to watch the motions of the French for to take them upon an advantage alledging that want of Provision would force them to retire or if they engaged farther into Savoy their defeat would be easie Dom Amedee liked well this Advice but Sonas the Marquis of Treffort and the Earl of Chateau Neuf who had more heat than light in his head was of opinion they should march forward without delay alledging there would redound more honour and advantage to them in chastising the French than in expecting till they should return of their own accord That Quitry's Camp consisted most of pillagers who were laden with spoil and who for fear of losing it would chuse rather to use their feet than hands and in short that their own Army being ill paid would soon disband themselves if they stood still without fighting This Counsel was taken and the attack was resolved upon The Sieurs of Sancy Quitry and Conforgien who were encamped at Buringe being advertised that this Army was coming to break in upon them took out immediately the Garrisons of Polinge and Visery and fired these Castles and sent out Scouts to view the Enemy They had an account by some Prisoners but lest it might be thought they were afraid they remained one day more in the same place and the next morning instead of advancing further into Focigny they came and encamped on this side Menoge at Anemasse and Ville-la-grand to keep themselves from any surprizal and to hinder the enemies from posting themselves towards this River between Geneva and them Dom Amedeé having passed over the Arve came and seated himself at Bergue Lussinge and other Villages At noon the Kings Army and Genevoises possessed themselves of the highest part of the plain of Monthoux where they did not believe the Dukes Army although exceeding them far in strength durst to attack them but scarcely were they seated when five hundred Musqueteers chosen out of the Dukes Army came and charged a French Regiment posted about a mile distant from the main body to keep a Copse at the bottom of a little hill where they had begun to block up themselves The attack was so vigorous that the French were immediately put to flight Quitry sent three or four hundred Musqueteers of Chantals and Cheron's Regiments to help them with three Companies belonging to the Baron of S. Remy but Dom Amedeé and Olivarez sent forth a party of about thirteen hundred Musqueteers who won the Copse Ditches and Counter-scarps Sonas and the Earl of Tressort riding up at the same time to second them leaping over a thick short hedge to enter into the plain When the Baron of Conforgien seeing them almost half over he took this opportunity to fall upon them and charged them so vigorously that Sonas and the most resolute of his fellows being killed in the place the rest were put to flight and pursued beyond the hedge as far as the main body of the Army where lay intrenched Dom Amedeé and Olivarez having a thick hedg on one side of them On the other part Chantal and Cherons Regiments had newly attacked the one thousand three hundred Musqueteers with whom they had a sharp conflict but the Spaniards and Neapolitans seeing their Horse routed began to quit their ground and were beat back as far as the place where their main body lay consisting of three thousand men who had not stirred all this while They retired so fast that they threw one another into the Ditch and unhappy was he who was so tall that he could not stoop low enough to avoid the Shot Their main Body defended them and the victorious rallying with much difficulty having first rifled the slain who were near 300 amongst whom were found above 100 Gentlemen with Sonas their Leader The Two Armies kept afterwards in sight one of another till Night At midnight the Savoyards dis-encamped and marched to Focigny and passed over the River at Buringe whose Bridge they broke down lest they should be pursued On the side of the French although their loss was not half so great as their Enemies yet did they find themselves much weakned so that to avoid an utter dissipation of their Forces they took the way which led to the Franche-Comté and instead of the Baron of Conforgien were left at Geneva the Sieur Chaumont and Captain Caron During these transactions died at Geneva Anthony Sadeel Baron of Chandieu who had been Minister of Paris of Nismes of Rochelle and at last of Geneva to which City he left several Writings and Monuments of his Eloquence and Learning in Divinity and especially in the Holy Tongue he had taken this Hebrew word Sadeel for his name which signifies in our Language Gods Field being the same with his French name The Savoyards being withdrawn there were several inroads made into their Country in one of which there was taken at Thonon the Baron of Hermance who was honorably lodged in the Town house but endeavouring to make an escape six Months after he was kept close Prisoner in the Bishops Palace where he remained till the Month of February in the following Year having paid 8000 Crowns of Gold for his Ransom by the mediation of some Lords of Valais who came for that purpose to Geneva The Baron of Conforgien being returned to Geneva with some Horse caused them to gather in their Vintage-harvest towards Bonne in the beginning of October the Baron of Hermance not daring to hinder him although he was the strongest remembring the overthrows which he had received from him in the Year 1590. He surprized afterwards Bonneville made inroads into Anecy and beat three Companies of Soldiers who guarded the Suburb of Roche After which by the consent of the City he came to a Treaty with the Baron of Hermance but which produced nothing And in the following Month having taken distaste at some proceedings which were a little too precise against him and his Men he obtained leave to return Soon after his departure Joachim of Rye Marquiss of Treffort came and incamped with 300 Horse and 800 Foot at Lancy near the Fort of Arve where there was some skirmishing in which the Master of his Camp was killed He being retired the Genevoises concluded to demolish the Village of Lancy in consideration of its being a place which might serve hereafter for a retreat to the Enemy which resolution was put immediately into execution but with much regret it
being a very pleasant Village having near seventy Houses in it The Baron of Conforgien was sent for to oppose the Marquiss of Treffort but it was two Months before he came about the time when there was a Truce made to last three Months betwixt the King of France and the Confederate Princes The Duke of Savoy likewise was comprehended and accepted of the proposal The Duke's Secretary Esdiguieres bringing a Copy along with him of this Truce to Geneva to know whether they would accept of it which was consented to by the Council of two hundred and published on the 16th of September Six days after arrived Deputies from the four Cantons making offer of their mediation between the Duke and the City for which they had thanks And answer was returned them That they could not leave the French-Kings interest who would be sure to resent it should they conclude a Peace The Truce was afterwards continued and lasted two Years without any publication and during this time the City Officers demolished the Fort of Arve it occasioning oftentimes the Enemy to invade them During this Truce the Genevoises kept a Governor under the Kings name in the Country of Gex who held his Court of Justice in Geneva after the same maner as the Stewards of Gaillard Chablais and of the Country beyond the Arve The Savoyards and Genevoises began to be conversant one with another and to exchange Prisoners There was a Genevois who had been taken thirty Years since and had all that time served in the Gallies never sending word what was become of him so that he was supposed to be dead his Wife seven Years after his detention was married again and had lived another seven Years with her second Husband At the end of thirty Years this her first Husband returned to Geneva and would have entred into his House His Wife took him at first for an Impostor whether that this long space of time had deprived her of all knowledge of him or that the grayness of his Hair and wrinkles in his Fore-head had made this alteration he having few charms left him to attract a Womans love The Husband might swear as long as he pleased that he was the Man yet for all this would she not believe him The business at length came to a trial at Law where he brought such proofs of his being her Husband that she openly acknowledged that it were impossible for any but him to have knowledge of so many minute particulars Having then at length owned him for her Husband they lived afterwards a great while together In the Year 1597. there was spread a report throughout Germany Holland and Italy that Beza had renounced his Religion before the Senate and had exhorted the Magistrates to reconcile themselves to the Church of Rome And that by a special order from the Pope the Bishop had absolved him before his death and that in effect the City had sent Deputies to Rome to yield obedience to the Pope which caused several People in Italy to resort to Rome to see these supposed Deputies And yet Beza died not till six Years after There was a more likely report of a Peace concluded betwixt the King and the confederate Princes it was not yet known whether Geneva should be comprehended for the Dukes Subjects committed acts of Hostility having driven away some Herds of Cattel belonging to the Genevoises whereupon they detained some Troopers who were Spaniards being in the Dukes service The Savoyards had apprehended Hosea André a Minister whom they had taken in Michaille and for a requital the Earl of Salenove was detained at Geneva Two days after Dom Philippin the Bastard of Savoy made his entrance into the City with a moderate Train where he was highly treated by the Citizens He on his part sparing no complements He departed the next Morning and promised to procure the releasement of Hosea André upon which the Earl of Salenove was released before-hand Yet the Minister was not set at liberty neither was there any likelihood of it had he not dexterously made his escape The Peace was at length concluded betwixt the King of France of Spain and the Duke of Savoy in which were likewise comprehended the Switzers and their Allies and so by consequence Geneva as the King of France openly declared it by word of Mouth as well as by Letters understanding thereby that the Duke should withdraw his Army The Duke who affirmed it was not comprehended having not been named as the other Cities were would not return answer by writing lest he should prejudice his pretensions causing only those Forces to withdraw who had marched over into Lombardy Monsieur Villeroy in the printed Copy of the Treaty of Peace had added to the 34th Article written with his own Hand for the instruction of the Sieur Botheon who was sent by the Duke to take the Copy of the Oath That under the generality of the Allies and confederate Lords were comprehended them of Geneva Chapeaurouge their Deputy to the French-King brought home Letters wherein that King promised to defray all charges of the War. The City to testifie how acceptable this news was to them caused their great Guns to be discharged and solemn Thanks to be returned to God in all their Churches Yet was this rejoycing allaied by the return of the Plague although the mortality was not great and by the troubles wherein they of Thonon were involved upon the account of Religion occasioned by a Capucin-Frier called Peter Cherubin who would constrain the Inhabitants of that place and them in the Countries thereabouts who were thought under obedience to the Duke to return likewise to their old Religion This Frier challenged the Ministers to dispute publickly with them which they would not agree to chusing rather to defend themselves by writing yet the Magistrates of Geneva made them consent to a verbal Conference and in the mean the Duke arriving at Thonon to forward the matter the greatest part of the People returned to their old Religion alledging they were forsaken upon which there were printed several Disputes and Libels which served only to exasperate Mens spirits Towards the end of May John Serres died at Geneva having withdrew there after he had wrote the History of France his Wife and he were buried both together in the same day The Duke of Savoy continued his claims on the City and got the Magistrates to consent to a Conference which was held at Hermance by Deputies from both Parties and lasted from the seventeenth of October to the eleventh of November His Highness's Deputies were the Sieur Jacob his Lieutenants on this side of the Mountains the President Rochette the President Berliet Baron of Bourget Lambert Baron of Terny and Marin Earl of Viry The Deputies of Geneva were the Councellors Maillet Daufin Lect and Roset together with Secretary John Sarrasin Them of Savoy made their demands and
were answered by them of Geneva in defence of their Priviledges Whereunto the former made their reply and the latter returned a second answer so that this conference at Hermance Copies of which having been taken is a kind of Collection of all that can be said on that subject and is sufficient to make a large Volume The difference remained as before it being a very difficult if not impossible matter for these two States so opposite in their Interests and Religion to come to any perfect agreement Even the King himself that he might allay the heats of both Parties wrote Letters which bore Date from the 11th of November 1599. in favour of the Genevoises shewing that he took the City and its Territories into his Protection understanding it to be comprised under the name of Ally and Confederate as it had been already declared by the Deputies in the Treaty The Duke being gone to Paris towards the beginning of the following Year about the Marquisdom of Saluces which King Henry urged him to restore would have inserted in the Articles of Agreement That the King should desist from protecting Geneva He got the Bishop of Moderne the Popes Nuncio to mention it to his Majesty This Prelate watching his opportunity tells him There was a means whereby he might fairly end the difference between him and the Duke That the same reason which enjoyned the Duke to render him the Marquisdom insinuated in like manner that his Majesty should not hinder the Duke from obtaining what belonged to him as his right To which the King assenting he drew from thence this consequence That the City of Geneva belonging to the Duke and nothing hindering him from re-establishing the Authority which his Fathers had in it but only his Majesties Protection it is therefore reasonable said he that if he restores to you the Marquisdom of Saluces which belongs to you you should in like manner permit him to have the City of Geneva which is his own The King to answer this Argument tells him the case was different for it was not he who had taken the City into his Protection but his predecessors and that he was obliged to it by the Oath taken at the Treaty and by the respect he owed his Predecessors And farther That what he had done proceeding from the acknowledgment of the good services he had received from that City it was neither handsom nor just to violate this Obligation The Prelate had his answer ready You will not Sir said he leave protecting Geneva because of the example of your Ancestors and by the same reason the Duke is not obliged to restore you the Marquisdom of Saluces because it belongs not to you but to the deceased King your predecessor who took it To which the King replied The Duke of Savoy hath usurped my Marquisdom nothing can excuse an Vsurper from restoring that which he hath taken neither will I hinder his claims on Geneva provided he proceeds not against them in a hostile manner for if he uses violence I know what I have to do And whereas he is of opinion that if I should abandon them he could soon subdue them to himself I would therefore have him consider how much thereby I should dishonour both my self and Kingdom And thus dropt the Duke of Savoy's proposal and consequently the Treaty of agreement The King took the Field and won in a short time Bresse and all Savoy except the Castle of the Borough and S. Catherines Fort which lay two Leagues distant from Geneva before which he came and encamped This Fort was built with five corners and raised on four firm Bastions incompassed with Ditches which laid the Campain level and open on the highest part of which this Fort was situated There was in it a Carrison of six hundred men this was the sorest thorn in the Genevoises foot So the King who desired to gratifie them kindly received their Deputies who were enjoyned to request of the King in consideration of the service which they had done the Crown and of their sufferings in the late War he would be pleased to put this Fort into their hands to be demolished it having been so prejudicial to him The Duke of Saully introduced these Deputies into the Kings presence Theodorus de Beze chief Minister whose age and learning made him venerable amongst his own party made a speech in behalf of the rest which was but a general complement in these terms Sir Humane Eloquence being not sufficient to raise your praise to the pitch of your admirable actions and my stile being too loose and voice too weak to celebrate the fame of your Majesties virtues which the Vniverse will publish without ceasing seeing you never cease from performing actions worthy of glory and praise I shall leave the celebration of the Elogies which are due to you to the holy Angels for having rescued the Churches of God from oppression and obtained for his children the liberty of serving him according to his divine Precepts and to invoke him alone in the Trinity of persons I shall content my self in saying and applying to humane things what Simeon said of divine Now Lord let thy servant depart in peace according to thy word seeing that mine eyes have seen before I die not only the deliverer of us your humble servants but of all France and of the faithful in general who have tasted the effects of your precious bounty To which the King answered Father These few words which signifie much are worthy the reputation which Monsieur Beze hath acquired by well speaking I take them in good part and accept them with those kind resentments they deserve I will tell you the Kings my predecessors having ever held your City under their protection I am resolved not onely to imitate them in this and in all other things answerable to the glory of a King of France but likewise to requite the sincere affection which your City hath ever shewed me and would have him who hath presented you whom I hold here by the hand and who is so affectionate towards you to be your Sollicitor and that you signifie to him what you desire I should do for you for the matter must be a very difficult one which I shall not grant you And whispering to the Deputies he told them I know what you most desire I should do for they had already mentioned it to the Duke of Sully You would have S. Katherines Fort demolished There are several people who would perswade me to desist but I see plainly it is through envy and therefore I shall not mind them I will leave nothing undone which respects your advantage S. Katherines Fort shall be razed and here is a man in whom you confide and that not without cause meaning the Duke of Sully to whose charge I commit this affair From that time the City Gates were set open to all belonging to the Court and Army so that there was reckoned
Syndick of the guard who was to displace the Sentinel from that part where they were to scale made their undertaking so sure that on Saturday the eleventh of December which was the day before the execution of their intended enterprize several persons came into the City to buy Horses and had spoken Aenigmatically that they would come the next day to conclude the bargain It was confidently affirmed how true I cannot tell that Brunaulieu before he set forth on this enterprize had by a special dispensation received the extream Unction swearing he would live no longer if he could not effect his design and that the rest had confessed themselves and taken the Sacrament upon it The Jesuits and Capucins failed not to exhort both great and small to observe the Oath made at the Jubilee in Thonon for the extirpation of Hereticks In the mean time Albigny began to draw up his men towards six of the Clock in the Evening near Bonne La Roche and Bonneville It was on the 11. or 12. day of the Month according to the old stile and the longest night in the year He had his Company of guards the Regiment belonging to Baron de la val d' Isere four Troops of Horse and some Gentlemen of Savoy The Spaniards and Neapolitans quartered at Anecy and were to make up the Rear-guard and march up as soon as they had notice Out of the first Troops were chosen three hundred men armed at all points with Breast-plates and their Helmets on their heads their Pistols at their Girdles their Cutlaces in their hands and another party of them with half Pikes and Musquets As they marched along they stopped the Peasants in their way lest they should alarm the City yet were there some who escaped and came to the Gates thereof giving notice to the Sentinels to stand upon their guard the Enemy approachingâ but their words were not regarded being taken for people who jested The Watch whose duty was to lie out of the City in order to discover any who should approach it had dispersed themselves and perceived not the Troops who advanced undiscovered along the Arve The Duke who doubted not of the success came post Incognito from beyond the Mountains and caused himself to be called Monsieur the Ambassador He came the same Night to the Bridge of Tremblieres which is a little Village about a League distant from Geneva that he might animate by his presence those who were fearful First of all a Hare starting up amongst them as they drew near to Champel where was the place of their Rendesvous struck some of them with terror About five or six hundred paces from the Ditch they spied several Stakes drove into the Ground on which workmen were wont to hang their Serges to dry them The Night being dark and neither Moon or Stars appearing there were them who took this for some Ambuscade laid by the City and were thus ranged in a row in expectation of their coming Yet they took courage and having left the main Body of their Army in Plein-Palais Brunaulieu and the resolutest of them who had undertaken to scale the City and who were come on Horseback light off and made towards the Counterscarp and went down into the Ditch of Corraterie No sooner were they there but a âlight of Wild-ducks arose and put them to a start they fearing lest these Birds like the Geese of the Capitol who saved Rome would wake the Sentinels and spoil their Enterprize At length taking courage they passed softly over the Ditch upon Hurdles which they had laid to keep themselves from sinking into the Mud and raised up three Ladders against the Walls near the Watch Tower towards Monnoye and to try if any body heard them they took up Stones and knocked with them against the Walls as they since related Brunaulieu had made the same trial heretofore and was not heard because that for a long time they had placed no Watch there But before we proceed we may take notice of the form of their Ladders they were coloured with black to make them undiscerned in the dark and made of several joynted pieces that they might be more easier carried by the Mules and shortned or lengthened as they had occasion The Feet of them were shod with sharp Iron Spikes that they might be easilier fastned and stand firmer in the ground The top of these Ladders which were to touch the Wall were furnished with a Pully and covered with a thick Cloth that they might slide the easier and with less noise They who would better comprehend the fashion of them may see part of them still kept in the Arsenal of Geneva Besides these Ladders they were furnished with great Steel Hammers one end of which had sharp edges to cut the Chains of the Draw-bridge the Locks and Bolts they had likewise great Pinchers to pluck out Nails and Hinges from the Gates and several Petards to burst them open And being thus furnished they began to climb Sonas who was one of the resolutest of the Company and was determined to revenge the death of his Father who was killed at Monthoux began by a bad omen to bleed at Nose before he ascended the Ladder and being gotten half way up received such a blow by the fall of a Stone from the Wall as almost took away his senses and was forced to come down Albigny whom it most concerned that this enterprize should take effect stood at the Ladders foot encouraging his Soldiers by setting before them the honour and booty which they might expect if they prevailed He animated likewise Sonas who began to climb again A Scotch Jesuit called Father Alexander besides the exhortation which he had made them in Plein Palais confessed them at the foot of the Ladder assuring them That if they should die in the Enterprize the Rounds of the Ladders would be as so many steps leading them directly to Heaven But the good Father could not foresee that it was on an other kind of Ladder provided for them that they were to get thither He had likewise given them little Bills wherein were written some passages of Holy Scripture and other pieces of Paper in the Form of Conjurations which would preserve them who carried them from any violent death It was about one of the Clock in the Morning when they began to mount and the 12th of December according to the old Style and the 22d of the said Month according to the new all things were quiet and still so that Sonas Attignac and six others who were first entred into the City through Tartasse which is a Gate within always left open walked about the Streets by couples to observe whether the People were fast asleep and whether this great silence was not some trick to intrap them But all was quiet And they behind climbed up in great numbers The Duke understanding that the most couragious amongst his Men were entred without
resistance sent to the Spaniards and Neapolitans commanding them to come up quickly and dispatched Curriers to all parts to carry news of this happy beginning which caused it to be confidently reported in Piedmont Savoy and Dauphiné that the City was taken And indeed the Duke might well believe himself to be Master of it there having already entred 200 of the stoutest Men in the Army some of which lay flat on the Ground under the Trees of the Parapet others stood up close against the Houses in Corraterie till they should be stronger for Brunaulieu and others who were chief mannagers of the design intended not to appear till four of the Clock in the Morning that their Men might have more time to climb up and that the Rear-guard might draw near and likewise that they might have more light to carry on a business of so great consequence But before that time betwixt two and three in the Morning a Soldier who stood Sentinel in the Tower of Monnoye having heard some noise in the Ditch called his Corporal to know what it might be The Corporal sends a Soldier with a Lanthorn who takes along with him his Musquet and gets upon the Parapet and perceives some armed Men making towards him to whom he cried Who comes there and having no answer he discharged his Musquet at them They immediately fell upon him and as he cried Arm Arm they knocked him down Which the Soldier who stood on the Sentinel perceiving he discharged his Piece to give notice to the main Guard who alas were but six Men. Brunaulieu and the most resolute amongst them perceiving they were discovered and that it was impossible for them to put it off any longer and finding moreover that they were strong enough in number in the City resolved immediately to stand to it and to dispose of their Men to the best advantage and to set upon those who should oppose them in four several places viz. at the new Gate at Tartasse at Monnoye and at the entrance of the Town-house which they would keep till the Petards could be brought to the new Gate to force a passage and let in the Troops which lay at Plein-Palais reserving a considerable Party to assist them who still were climbing up They fiercely then set upon the Guard at the new Gate who were no more than thirteen Men some of which belonged to the neighbouring Sentries The most part of the Guard when they had Fired betook themselves to their Heels and ran to give the Alarm to those who watched the Town-house to the Bourg of Four and to the gate of Rive They were pursued as far as la Treille which was speedily clapt to The Enemies then finding this passage shut came down to the new Gate of which they were Masters In the mean time of the three who remained at this Gate two of them hid themselves and the third getting on the top of the Gate advisedly thought to let down the Percullice The Person who mannaged the Petard was amazed to find his design of applying it ineffectual being prevented by the Percullice A Citizen who was one of the first who awaked at this noise came out of his House which was near the Gate of Tartasse and would have passed down half dressed with his Halbard to repair to his quarters at the new Gate In coming down he discovered four or five armed Men who made up to him to get before him to Tartasse He believing they belonged to the City asked them aloud whereabouts the Enemy was they still advancing towards him cried out to him Peace Slave come hither and be on our side God bless the Duke of Savoy upon which perceiving it was the Enemy he flies back and alarm'd the neighbouring streets In the mean time the Enemy won the Gate of Tartasse keeping their ground and endeavoured to make good the passage The Citizens ran thither and began to barricado the way which led to this Gate Some of them having been perceived with their Torches were wounded others passing boldly on were killed Canal who was of the City-Council and Captain of those parts of the City a Man in years but of great courage was slain after this manner He was helped in his passing over the Chain which was fastned at the corner of the Street and was desired to venture no farther yet not believing the Enemy to be so near he would needs go on till it was too late for him to think of returning The Enemies perceiving the Citizens to gather apace left the place and returned to their fellows at the new Gate In the mean time the City being througly alarm'd some of them rendred themselves according to custom at their usual place of Rendezvous others without any stop ran where was the greatest danger directly upon the Enemy who believing that they had finished their Enterprize shouted out a-long Corraterie God bless the King of Spain God bless the Duke of Savoy the City is our own Kill kill kill them Down with them down with them The first who met were known to one another by their Watch-word which consisted in a kind of noise like the croaking of a Frog or like unto that which Riders use in incouraging their Horses When they were asked by them of the City Who goes there They answered Friends There were some who to divide them who might come in to help their Companions cried out aloud Arm Arm Arm the Enemy is at the Gate of Rive The Enemy had broke twice through the Guards at Monnoye and having burst open one of the Doors behind which the Soldiers had barricadoed themselves would have passed on further and have rushed into the City but being met by the Grand Rounds who made head against them there were some of them left dead in the place The Citizens likewise coming in briskly charged those who put themselves in a posture of passing through this Gate of Monnoye killed one on the Bridge of Rhosne and another between the Gate and the Percullice which was let down Being driven back thence there were some who endeavoured to break into the Houses in Corraterie to plunder them or to pass through into the City-street and began first with Julien Piaget's House where they killed the Serving man and applied a Petard to the Stable-door from which they were beaten away Whilst these things were doing a Canoneer having fired a Cannon from the Bulwark of Oye which lay level to the Walls he had the good hap to shatter the Ladders and threw them all down The first report having been heard by the Regiment of La Val d' Isere who lay quiet in Plein-Palais some of them cried out in amaze March up march up the City is our own thinking that the Petard had made this noise and the Drums without any farther notice began to beat which set them all a running towards the new Gate dividing already the spoil amongst them but they were very much surprized to
not hear him He died at length being aged Eighty years and was interred in the Cloyster where is a kind of Epitaph or Testament which he left to his Children Composed by himself which is as well remarkable for its Latin as ingenuity of matter It was about this time that the Swede entred into Germany The Chevalier Rache was sent to the Switzers to engage them in this party He had likewise an order to visit Geneva to assure that City of the Kings good will. He was received with extraordinary respect and stayed there some time A while after there was a person executed whose death caused as great a noise as that of Servetus His name was Nicholas Antoine who had Apostatized from the Christian Religion Some people murmured and were displeased at the proceedings saying they were too severe to put people to death meerly for an opinion But the Council considered him not only as an Apostate and Blasphemer who treated the Blessed Trinity as a Cerberus or three-headed monster but likewise as a seditious Impostor and perjured Villain who Preached his false Doctrine contrary to the Oath which he had taken at his reception Here follows an account of his Tryal and Condemnation by which it may be judged whether the Genevoises were to blame in their proceedings against him A Criminal Process Made and formed before Us the most Honourable Lords Syndicks and Counsellors of this City at the instance and pursuit of the Lord Lieutenant in those Causes against Nicholas Son of John Anthony of Berry in Lorrain who being committed Prisoner hath freely confessed That from his Youth he had diligently set himself to the study of Philosophy and conceived damnable and execrable Opinions touching our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ITEM That about seven or eight Years since he had applied himself to the study of the false doctrine of the Jews and for to be the better instructed in it he had addressed himself to them of the City of Metz who after several Conferences had sent him to other Jews and namely to them of Venice Item He hath confessed That had it not been for fear of being discovered he had undertaken to have perswaded his Kindred and Relations to return to Judaism Item That about five Years past he went to Sedan and there perverted a young Student of that place and inticed him along with him into Italy entertaining him in their way thither with the Articles of his abominable Creed Item That being arrived at Venice they went and visited the Jews the said Anthony desiring them to admit him into their Synagogue and to Circumcise him but they refused him fearing lest they should fall under the Magistrates severity Whereat he remained satisfied being told by them That he might live amongst the Christians and yet be a Jew in his heart and that he was told the same by the Jews of Padoua Item That embracing this detestable doctrine he came to this City under pretence of studying Divinity and offered to dispute in Philosophy and for some time had exercised the charge of chief Regent in a Colledge yet all this while counterfeiting himself a Christian although privately he lived and prayed after the Jewish manner not daring to make an open profession of his belief Item That being called by a Church near the City to be their Minister after his examination and consent to the Doctrine of the Orthodox Religion he took an Oath to live and teach according to the confession of the reformed Churches although in his heart he believed in the Jewish Faith and by a cursed equivocation his meaning was different from his Oath Item That instead of preaching Jesus Christ according to the Oath he had taken he had only insisted in his Pulpit on the explication of the Old Testament and falsly wrested and applied passages thereof pointing to our Saviour and appropriated them to other Persons and above all in his last Sermon from whence it followed by the just Judgment of God that he the said Anthony became deprived of his Senses and ran about the Field like a distracted person and came bare-legged into the City uttering horrid blasphemies against our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Item That after he had been under the hands of Physicians and carefully looked after in the Hospital of this City coming again to his Senses and being out of his mad fits he had persisted in his blaspemies against the Holy Trinity and the Person of our Blessed God and Saviour maintaining as well by word of mouth as writing That Jesus Christ was an Idol and that the New Testament was but a meer fable Item He hath confessed That in Administring the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in the Exhortation to the People he said only Remember your Saviour And that in reciting the words of the Apostles Creed where our Saviour is mentioned he pronounced not those words but muttered them betwixt his Teeth Finally That notwithstanding the serious exhortations and remonstrances which have been made him since he hath been in custody as well by the Magistrates as venerable Pastors of this Church tending to perswade him to renounce these cursed and damnable Opinions yet hath he persisted in his horrible and impious blasphemies having compiled and signed a Treatise in which he endeavours to combat and overthrow the Holy Trinity still obstinately denying the Deity and Incarnation of our Blessed Saviour having several times renounced his Baptism as it plainly appeared at his Trial. Here follows his Sentence The Sentence of Condemnation against Nicolas Anthony which was read and executed on the 20th of April 1632. WEE the most Honourable Lords Syndicks and Council of this City having seen the Criminal Process made and formed before Us at the instant suit of the Lord Lieutenant in the said Cases against Nicolas Anthony by which and by his own confessions it appeareth That he forgetting the fear of God hath been guilty of the crime of Apostasie and High Treason against God his Creator and Saviour having fought against the Holy Trinity denied our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ blasphemed his Holy Name renounced his Baptism for to imbrace the Jewish Religion and hath been perjured in dogmatising and teaching his damnable doctrine a case and crime deserving the greatest punishment For these and other causes moving the said Lords sitting in the Tribunal of their Ancestors according to ancient custom having the fear of God and the Holy Scriptures before their Eyes and having invoked his Holy Name that they might thereby be able to make a right Judgment beginning in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost do by this final Sentence which they have committed now to writing condemn the said Anthony to be bound and led to the place of Plein-Palais to be there fastned to a stake on a pile of Wood and strangled according to the usual manner and afterwards to have his Body burnt and consumed to ashes and thus
I would here relate all the particulars of it but it having been ordered to be scratched out of the Council Registers to the end that it might be for ever forgotten it will be sufficient to say that John Sarrasin the Auditor having presided in the Council of two hundred in the Syndicks absence and over the Council of twenty five the lesser Council committed him to Prison and set a guard over him belonging to the Garrison The Council of two hundred not being able to endure that he should be used as a Criminal who had been guilty of no other fault but of being their head resolved to release him by force finding themselves backed by all the people who were assembled at S. Peters where the two hundred sat in Council The lesser Council who had the Garrison on their side would not endure to be imposed upon At length when they were just ready to fall upon one another the Prisoner was discharged and all things quieted On the 27. of Jan. at night 1670. there hapned a fire amongst the Houses on the Bridge of Rhosne which being all Timber-Houses the greatest part of them were burnt down in less than two hours space six score persons perishing in the flames A Miller chose rather to save his Mother than his Wife but she followed after in a rage wading in the water up to her chin and escaped another Woman who lay sick and was to take Physick the next morning cast her self out at the window and recovered both her life and health in the Rhosne having had the good hap to escape out of the water after she had shunned the fire In short this Conflagration had done more mischief had it not been stopped by the Towers of Monnoye and of the Isle which served as barrs against the flames and it is observable that several pieces of Timber kept burning in the water so great was the violence of the flames but that which was more strange and which all the inhabitants beheld was that the Channel of Rhosne between the Isle and the City which contained two hundred sixty five foot in breadth was filled and dried up by the ruins of the Houses The other Channel although commonly running very swift and swelled by the overflowings of the other yet four days after was frozen up There were collections made for the relief of those families who were sufferers by this fire There were six thousand Crowns gathered for them of Geneva and the Bernoises made liberal contributions The Prince Elector Palatine came to Geneva in the Year 1671. and stayed there some Months he came there in the Evening and therefore had not such reception as was intended but the City being sensible of their obligations to that family during his abode in the City he had all the respect they were able to shew him But that which appeared most considerable was his entertainment on the Lake for the great Gally was fitted out and manned by the flower of the Youth of the City M. the Prince was received on Board her with part of the Council All the Morning was spent in the sport of fishing when at Noon they landed at Secheron and went to the Castle of Roset to eat the large Trouts they had taken there was a stately dinner provided and made ready for them where the Prince was attended by the sons of persons of quality belonging to the City and the Lords of the Council by the Princes Gentlemen After Dinner they walked forth on the Lakes side the Cannons which thundred from the Gally were answered by the Drums and Trumpets from the Boats which were to the number of thirty attending on the Gally there was nothing thought of but mirth and divertisement when on a suddain there appeared a Frigate having fifty Moors on Board her and an Algerine Flag on her main top Whereupon immediately all the people made ready to fight and several Guns discharged on both sides and at length they came to boarding but in the end the Algerine was vanquished there being good reason for it and the Captain of the Frigate came to Complement the Prince At last they returned into the City towards the Evening but the night was kept off a while by the light of the Cannon which were discharged from all the batteries of the City and other places along the Port. Some weeks after the Prince fell dangerously sick of the small Pox and Prayers were made for his recovery in all the Churches which at length obtaining he set out for Grenoble being very well satisfied with his entertainment at Geneva The Citizens and the Garrison appeared in their arms for to do him honour and the Council accompanied him and the Cannons were not silent in this occasion It is not above six years since an enterprize was discovered on Geneva which hath been known to few In the year 1673. on a Communion day in September the chief Syndick found at his House at his return from Church a Letter which a person unknown had left in his absence the Contents whereof were That upon a Proviso of a proportionable reward he would make such a considerable discovery that the publick safety depended on it and if they desired to speak with this person next morning about it the Superiour of the Convent of the Capuchines of Gex would inform them where he was but if they neglected this advertisement they might be certain of finding the City in a short time reduced to the greatest extremity Wherefore the Council failed not to send the next Morning the Advocat Dunant to Gex who discoursed this unknown person in the Capuchin's garden and dexterously drew from him part of the secret he learnt that what he had to discover was an enterprize against the City the particulars whereof he might well discover seeing himself was the Author of it that having conceived some distaste-against the Duke of Savoy he was resolved to discover the design but first desired to be rewarded with a thousand pounds and that he might have a place where he might live secure Dunant replied that he had no power to treat with him about that particular and that it would be more convenient for him to come to Geneva where he might more easily treat with the Council about it in his own person And whereas he desired to have a Letter of safe-conduct he answered him that this was not their Custom but that he had power given him to engage the Publick Faith upon it and that he might come into the City with the same surety as others had done before him This person was contented with this and came the next morning and presented himself before the Council at Geneva telling them that his name was John Baptiste Noroy of Nozeray in Burgundy that having found out an easie way to surprize Geneva he had passed over into Piedmont some months since for to make it known to the Duke which he did in a
VOBIS STVDIORVM HEREDIB MONVMENTO DEGENERIBVS OPPROBRAMENTO SCRIPSIT THEODORVS ALBINAEVS OCTVAGENARIVS OBIIT ANNO MDCXXX APRIL DIE XXIX THE stile of this Epitaph is not common He had made it himself and had left it as a publick Testament to his Children The sense of it is so excellent that it deserves to be universally known He begins then thus In the name of the Almighty and most merciful God. Behold here my Children my last Will and Desires for you that ye may enjoy that ease and plenty which I have purchased for you with a great deal of trouble although by lawful and honest means maugre the tempests which have threatned me on all sides And ye will live comfortably if you serve God and tread in your fathers footsteeps otherwise you will not fail to meet with the contrary It is your Father who hath been twice your Father who gives you this Council from whom although not primarily ye have received your being and well-being And this hath he written for to be an honourable testimony to you if ye follow his example but if ye degenerate he designs it for a reproach and publick disgrace Theodorus d' Aubigné Octuagenarie who departed this life 1630 the twenty ninth of April THE TOMBE oF THE DUKE of ROHAN XXV At S. Peters The Duke of Rohan's Epitaph D. O. M. S. HENRICVS ROHANII DVX INCLYTVS PRISCORVM ARMORICAE REGVM GENVINA ET MASCVLA SOBOLES NAVARRAE ET SCOTIAE PRINCEPS SVMMIS EVROPAE DYNASTIS AFFINITATE INNEXVS HIC IACET O VIATOR NOLI IN GESTA ALTVM INQVIRERE NON SVNT ILLA MAVSOLEI MANENT IN ANIMIS HOMINVM FAMA RERVM AETERNITATE TEMPORVM ABI CONTENTVS QVOD STRICTIM TIBI EDISSERO ANNO AETATIS XVI FATIS OSTENSVS SVB AMBIANI MOENIBVS OBSESSIS ANTE HENRICI MAGNI ORA EQVO PROSTRATO CAESOQ AVDAX IVVENTA OPIMA REPORTAVIT APVD BELGAS GROLLACENSI APVD SICAMBROS IVLIACENSI OBSIDIONE ILLVSTRIS IN TAVRINIS AD FELISSANVM FELICITER PVGNAVIT GERMANOS ET IBEROS IN RHOETIA ET INSVBRIA QVADRVPLICI PRAELIO DEBELLAVIT AD RHENIVM IN CAMPIS RHINFELDIACIS IN DEVEXO HIRCINIAE KALENDIS MART. ANNO M.DC.XXXVIII CAESARIS EXERCITV FVSO CONFOSSVS VVLNERIBVS PARTAE VICTORIAE SVPERSTES MACTVS GLORIA OBIIT KVNIGSFELDAE IDIB APRIL ANNO AETATIS LIX FELIX CLARITATE LETHI FELICIOR CLARITATE VITAE MORTALITATIS EXVVIAS TOTVM PER ORBEM DIVIDENDAS SVPREMA VOLVNTATE IN VRBE DILECTA PERPETVVM SERVARI VOLVIT EX DECRETO SENATVS POPVLIQ GENEVENSIS MARGARETA BETHVNIA MAXIMILIANI BETHVNII SVLLIACI DVCIS FILIA CONIVX TANTI MARITI FATA INTREPIDE SECVTA MENTEM INGENIO ASSECVTA MANDATA INVICTO ANIMO EXECVTA DOMI MILITIAEQ IN FLVCTVS ET BELLA COMES POSVIT INFELIX AETERNVM AETERNI LVCTVS MONVMENTVM QVOD MANES CINERESQ DIV TESTETVR AMATOS THis is written in Letters of Gold on a black Marble-stone 1. S t. Peters 2. the Borough de Four. 3. S t Leger 4. la Trelle 5. the Gate of la Trelle 6. Arsnall 7 the Town house 8. S t. Germans 9. the Gate of la Tartasse 10. the Coraterie 11. the City 12 the Bullwork de Loye 13. the new gate 14. the Churchyard and Hospitall for those that are inseâted with the Plague 15 the Mony gate 16. the Isle 17. S t. Gervais 18. the Lake of Geneva 1â the river Rhosne XXVII On the front of S. John's Bulwark Viator Munita licet satis sit si probè morata civitas Ipsique cives armati satis si benè animati ambo secura nimis si cura numinis excubet Externa tamen haudquaquam vetat Deus praesidia Ea propter Senatus populusq Genevensis vnica semper in Deum fiduciâ munimentum istud hanc ad diem desideratum Collato aere Lapide cingere coepit Kal. Mai A. D. M.DC.XLV Eique rei monumentum hoc conlocari voluit I Have transcribed this Inscription which was made by Monsieur Godefroy because some persons have judged it to resemble the beauty and virtue of Antiquity Yet we shall meet but with few such like affected Antitheses or sporting with words amongst the ancients as munita morata armati animati secura nimis si cura numinis munimentum monumentum although it is in the main of it very ingenious There are several other modern Inscriptions which are in the Printed Book called The Citizen and likewise several particulars and acts which might serve for proofs in this History but we do not think fitting to ingross our Book with them FINIS THE TABLE OF THE FIRST and SECOND BOOK A ANcient names of Geneva pag. 2 Antiquity of Geneva 3 Articles of agreement between the Earl of Savoy and Bishop of Geneva 22 Articles between the Duke and Fribourgers 69 Alliance with Berne and Geneva 81 Ambuscade at Lancay 84 Articles of Agreement between the Protestants and Romanists in the City 97 Amé the Eighth does homage 29 Articles of agreement between the Duke and City 47 Amé of Gingins chosen Bishop of Geneva 49 Assembly at Payerne 93 Articles of the Bernoises 101 B BIshop of Geneva 12 S. Bernards Epistles 18 19 Bishop of Geneva's claims of Sovereignty over the City considered 20 Bishop of Geneva quits his Bishoprick 22 Bishop and City disagree 25 Bishops of Geneva's Authority over the City considered ibid. Battle between the Earls of Genevois and Savoy 26 Bishop of Geneva a favourer of John Huss 29 He builds Common-Halls 30 Duke of Burgundy conveys the Dutchess of Savoy to Geneva 37 Bishop of Geneva kills the Bishop of Viviers 39 Bishop of Geneva's character 40 Berthelier sought after by the Bishop 55 Berthelier proposes an Alliance to the Fribourgers 58 Bernoises threaten the Genevoises if they opposed the Protestant Religion 96 Bernard makes publick profession of the Truth 104 Baudichon made Captain-General 106 Besancon Hugues with some others makes an Alliance with Fribourg 62 Burgership complained against by the Princes 63 Berthelier acquitted by the City 64 Berthelier apprehended by the Duke 71 Berthelier Executed 72 Bandiers appears before the Council 80 Bishop returns to Geneva 81 Bernoises embrace the Protestant Religion 86 Bonnivard betrayed c. 91 Bernoises send Forces to Geneva 92 C ROman Colony sent to Geneva 8 Culverins left by the Prior of S. Victor to Geneva 51 Consilii stabbed 75 Claudius Richardet breaks his Staff on the Treasurers head 78 Council divided 80 Several Churches built in Geneva 14 Charlemain comes to Geneva 15 Contract between the Bishop and City of Geneva 31 Caddoz spreads the Plague in Geneva 90 Castle of Rolle burnt 92 Conspiracy to bring in the Bishop 102 D DErivation of the word Geneva 5 Disagreement between the Earl of Genevois and Bishop of Geneva 17 Duke of Savoy writes to the Pope 30 Duke of Savoy turns Hermit 33 Duke Lewis of Savoy quits all claims to Geneva 35 Disagreement of the Genevoises in the choice of their Bishop 40 Duke of Savoy desires he might for some time remain at Geneva 41 Duke of Savoy comes
to Geneva ib. Duke Philbert dies 46 Duke and Dutchess of Savoy arrive at Geneva ibid. Dukes Arms battered down 83 Deputies sent to the Duke 61 Deputies present the Dukes Letter to the Council ib. Duke raises an Army 64 Dukes Answer to the Deputies 66 Duke enters with his Army into Geneva 67 Dukes Proclamation 68 Deputies Answer to the Duke ibid. Duke sends for Hugues and Malbuisson 69 Duke desires to be acknowledged Sovereign over Geneva 79 E EArl of Genevois treats with the City of Geneva 24 Earl of Genevois defeated ibid. Earl of Genevois dies 25 Earl of Savoy dies 26 Emperor Charles the fourth comes to Geneva 27 Earl of Savoy endeavors to insinuate himself into the City 28 Earl of Genevois charged with felony 29 Earls of Savoy made Dukes 30 Emperor declares Geneva an Imperial City 32 Eyria accused by René 42 Eignots or Huguenots whence derived 62 Emperor and King of France at variance 76 Eidgnots faction endeavoured to be weakned 79 Emperor enjoyns the Duke to desist from his pretensions of Soveraignty over Geneva 84 F FOr t of Penney built by Aymé of Grandson 22 Fire at Geneva 26 Another 33 Felix dies 35 Fairs removed from Geneva 37 Famine in Geneva 45 Francis Mallet his liberality 48 French Ambassador confined to Geneva 50 Fribourgers send an Herald to the Duke 66 Fribourgers send Forces to Geneva 68 Fribourgers demand satisfaction for Bertheliers death 73 Fraternity of the Spoon 85 Fraternity of the Spoon appear before Geneva 86 Fraternity of the Spoon hold a meeting at Nyons 87 They are enraged at Pont-Verre's death 88 They are favoured by the Bishop 91 Farel comes to Geneva 95 Froment ' s arrival at Geneva ibid. He Preaches at Molard ibid. Furbity opposed by Froment 99 Furbity complained against by the Bernoises ibid. Fribourgers threaten to break off with Geneva 100 Furbity enjoyned to recant 101 Farel Preaches publikely 102 Fribourgers break off with the Genevoises ibid. Furbities enlargement requested by the French King 103 A Fryer Preaches at Geneva in Lent ib. Farel Preaches at S. Magdalens 105 Farel Preaches before the Council ibid. French assist Geneva 106 Farel causes a Fast to be proclaimed 107 G GEnevoises formidable to the Romans 5 Genevoises protected by the Romans against the Switzers 6 Geneva burnt in Marc. Aurelius ' s time 8 Geneva rebuilt 9 Geneva first received the Christian Faith 11 Gay causes the Peasants to take up Arms against the Nobility 41 S. Gervais Walks finished 47 Grossi's Mule ham-stringed 53 Geneva excommunicated 58 Gout cured 83 Geneva Alarm'd 85 Geneva fortified by the Syndicks 93 H HElvetians invade the Gauls 7 Hubert Dauphin of Viennois assaults the City of Geneva 23 Humbert of Villers dies 29 A Herald sent to the City 64 I JUlius Caesars name yet retained in sundry Families in Geneva 7 John of Morellis chosen Bishop of Geneva 28 John of Bertrandis chosen Bishop of Geneva 29 John of Pierre seizes the Founder of the Bishops Palace 3â John of Savoy obtains the Bishoprick of Geneva 49 John of Savoy dies of the French-Pox 74 L LEvrery sent for by the Duke 77 Levrery put to death 78 Liberty of Conscience permitted to both parties in Geneva 98 M MAlefactor dies under the torments which he suffered to make him confess 44 Mortel a famous Thief 45 Marcossay's lot to be King 74 Mammelusses Conspiracy 82 Meteor seen at Geneva 86 Mass abolished in Geneva 105 Money Coyned at Geneva 107 N NVns leave to Geneva 106 Names of Geneva 2 O OLivetan first translates the Bible into French. 96 P PRiviledges of the City of Geneva 28 Philippe chosen chief Syndick 81 Peace concluded between the Duke and City of Geneva 92 Protestant Religion began to be maintained at Geneva 95 Protestant Religion opposed by the Fribourgers 96 Pennet sentenced to be beheaded 101 Protestants and Papists equal in number in the City 102 Peter of Focigny chosen Bishop of Geneva 26 Penay Castle assaulted by the Genevoises 104 Priviledges of Geneva confirmed 29 Popular Tumults 52 Pecolat joques on the Bishop 53 Pecolat put upon the Rack 55 Pecolat cuts out his own Tongue 56 Peter of Beaume chosen Bishop 75 Preparations for the entertainment of the Dutchess 75 Pontverre enters Geneva 88 Q QVarrels about Religion 100 R REné endeavors to make his Brother Sovereign over Geneva 42 René declaimed against by a Preacher 43 René begins to be out of favour with his Brother ibid. S SItuation of Geneva 9 Shoomakers Prediction concerning John of Brognier 32 Switzers mutiny for lack of their Pay 38 Alliance made with the Switzers by John Lewis Bishop of Geneva ibid. Syndicks put by their Office. 73 Suburbs of S. Victor alarm'd 89 Saunier banished the City 95 T THoberet sentenced to lose his head 99 V VIdame Imprisoned 48 Vandel imprisoned 52 Victor imprisoned 67 Victor his advice to the Genevoises 87 Vandel wounded 97 Verly slain 98 Verly's Relations bring along with them sixscore Soldiers to revenge his death ib. Vandel led away Prisoner 103 Viret almost poysoned 104 W WIlliam of Constance dies 23 The TABLE of the THIRD BOOK AN Anabaptist disputes with Farel 113 Artichaud's Faction 115 Adultery severely punished 121 Amede lays ambushes about Geneva 137 Albigny draws up his men near Bonne 150 Alexander the Jesuit encourages the enterprizers 152 Aubigné comes and lives at Geneva 174 His death ibid. Anthony his Errors 174 Abominable practices and end 175 B BArk fitted out by the Genevoises 110 Banishment of the three Ministers repealed 116 Bonne taken by the Genevoises 128 Bernoises agree upon a Cessation of Arms 133 Baron of Conforgien arrives at Geneva 138 Beza Preaches a Thanskgiving Sermon for their deliverance from the attempt of the Savoyards 156 Buttet sets forth a Book called the Cavalier of Savoy 163 Blondel his villany ibid. Beza dies 165 Bastide and Terrail executed 169 Battel fought by the Duke of Nemours and the Duke of Savoy 171 Bernoises promise them of Geneva their assistance 109 They break off with the Duke of Savoy 110 Bernoises arrive at Geneva 111 Bolsec charges the Ministers with teaching false Doctrine 118 He writes Calvin's life 119 Baron of S. Lagier slain 129 Boege taken 131 Buringe besieged 141 Beza reported to have turned Papist 144 Bastard of Savoy comes to Geneva 145 Beza makes a speech to the King of France 147 Baron of Esclavonia retires to Geneva 173 Bonnivard set at liberty 111 C CAlvin comes to Geneva 112 He compiles a Catechism 113 Was together with others banished the City 114 He writes to Geneva 114 Sent for again to Geneva 116 His painfulness ibid. He disputes with Carolin ibid. He is accused for teaching false Doctrine 118 He answers Bolsec ibid. His death 122 Castalio his opinions 117 Colledge built in Geneva 121 Captain Guiche assaulted by the Peasants 136 Crusille sacked and burnt 140 Conforgien returns home 143 Culebro his Orders 162 Canal a Traytor to the City 166 Cromwel writes to the