hich
the world cannot resist.... Direct us, my father, like children by your
counsels in your absence from us, since you cannot be present with us.
For, simple children I daily see and feel that we are, from whose mouth
I hope that our wonderful Lord will perfect the praise of His
wisdom."[1112]

[Sidenote: L'Hospital explains the objects in view.]

The king opened the conference with a few words before the Protestants
were admitted,[1113] and then called upon the chancellor to explain more
fully the objects of the gathering. Hereupon Michel de L'Hospital,
seating himself, by Charles's direction, on a stool at the king's right
hand, set forth at considerable length the religious dissensions which
had fallen upon France, and the ineffectual measures to which the king
and his predecessors had from time to time resorted. Severity and
mildness had proved equally futile. Dangerous division had crept in. He
begged the assembled prelates to heal this disease of the body politic,
to appease the anger of God visibly resting upon the kingdom by every
means in their power; especially to reform any abuses contrary to God's
word and the ordinances of the apostles, which the sloth or ignorance of
the clergy might have introduced, and thus remove every excuse which
their enemies might possess for slandering them and disturbing the peace
of the country. As the chief cause of sedition was diversity of
religious opinion, Charles had acceded to the advice of two previous
assemblies, and had granted a safe-conduct to the ministers of the new
sect, hoping that an amicable conference with them would be productive
of great advantage. He, therefore, prayed the company to receive them as
a father receives his children, and to take pains to instruct them.
Then, at all events, it could not be said, as had so often been said in
the past, that the dissenters had been condemned without a hearing.
Minutes of the proceedings carefully made and disseminated through the
kingdom would prove that the doctrine they professed had been refuted,
not by violence or authority, but by cogent reasoning. Charles would
continue to be the protector of the Gallican Church.[1114]

[Sidenote: The Huguenots are summoned.]

[Sidenote: Beza's retort.]

These preliminaries over, the Protestants were summoned. Conducted by
the captain of the royal guard, they entered and advanced toward the
king, until their farther progress was arrested by a railing which
separated t