embraced their views from conscientious
motives, and history showed that three hundred and eighteen bishops at
the Council of Nice, one hundred and fifty at Constantinople, and six
hundred and thirty at Chalcedon, refused to employ other weapons,
against the worst of convicted heretics, than the word of God. Montluc
closed his eloquent discourse by opposing the proposition to grant the
right of public assembly, because of the dangers to which it might lead;
but advocated a wise discrimination in the punishment of offenders,
according to their respective numbers and apparent motives.[894]

[Sidenote: Address of Archbishop Marillac.]

The Archbishop of Vienne, the virtuous Marillac, an elegant and
effective orator, made a still more cogent speech. He regarded the
General Council as the best remedy for present dissensions; but it was
in vain to expect one, since, between the Pope, the emperor, the kings,
and the Lutherans, the right time, place, and method of holding it could
never be agreed upon by all; and France was like a man desperately ill,
whose fever admitted of no delay that a physician might be called in
from a distance. Hence, the usual resort to a national council, in spite
of the Pope's discontent, was imperative. _France could not afford to
die in order to please his Holiness._[895] Meanwhile, the prelates must
be obliged to reside in their dioceses; nor must the Italians, those
leeches that absorbed one-third of all the benefices and an infinite
number of pensions, be exempted from the operation of the general
rule.[896] Would paid troops be permitted thus to absent themselves from
their posts in the hour of danger? Simony must be abolished at once, as
a token of sincerity in the desire to reform the church. Otherwise
Christ would come down and drive his unworthy servants from His church,
as He once drove the money-changers from the temple. Especially must
churchmen repent with fasting, and take up the word of God, which is a
_sword_, "whereas, at present," said the speaker, "_we have only the
scabbard--in mitres and croziers, in rochets and tiaras_." Everything
that tended to disturb the public tranquillity, whether from seditious
leaders, or from equally seditious zealots, must be repressed.

[Sidenote: The States General must be called.]

Nor was the advice given by Marillac for securing the continued
obedience of the people less sound. He regarded the assembling of the
States General as indispensable,