o do so
knew it well. Were the handful of Protestants at Poissy the only persons
concerned, there might, in the world's eye, be little likelihood that
danger would result from treating them as their enemies desired. But it
might please her Majesty to consider that they were here in behalf of a
million persons in this realm, in Switzerland, Poland, Germany, England,
and Scotland, who watched the proceedings of the colloquy, and who would
be astonished to hear, as they would hear, that, instead of such a
conference as had been promised, the ministers had received the tenth
part of an article, and had been told: "Sign this; otherwise we will
proceed no farther." What would be gained if the Protestants did sign
it; for, did the prelates agree in the Augsburg Confession? If there was
a real desire to confer, let persons be appointed who were willing to
meet the Protestants, and let them examine together the Holy Scriptures
and the old Fathers of the Christian Church, with the books before them,
and let secretaries write out the results of the discussion in an
authentic form. Then it would be known that the ministers had not come
to sow troubles, but to promote accord.[1154]

[Sidenote: Lorraine's anger.]

The prelates were much excited when Beza concluded. His reference to
episcopal elections stung them to the quick. Lorraine angrily accused
him of insulting not only the _sacerdotal_, but the _royal_ authority,
since it was Francis the First that had taken away the election of the
priesthood from the people.[1155] Beza, replying, said that this very
act was an evidence of the radical disturbance of the ancient order,
when avarice, ambition, and unworthy rivalry between monks and canons
rendered such a change necessary. Pressed again to sign the article
submitted two days before, Beza persisted that it was unjust to endeavor
to compel the Protestants to subscribe to that to which the prelates
refused their own indorsement.[1156]

[Sidenote: Peter Martyr and Lainez the Jesuit.]

The discussion was next carried on between the doctors of the Sorbonne
and Beza and Martyr. The latter spoke in Italian,[1157] and won
universal applause; but he was rudely interrupted by the Cardinal of
Lorraine, who said that he did not want to hear a foreign language. A
little later, a Spaniard, Lainez, the second general of the rising order
of Jesus, who had just reached Paris in the train of the Cardinal Legate
of Ferrara, begged permission to