lly penned by
Calvin, as is not improbable, the change in his religious convictions
would appear to have been as marked and rapid as the development of his
intellectual faculties. At any rate, the recent discovery of the
complete manuscript of Nicholas Cop's oration ranks among the most
opportune and welcome of antiquarian successes in our times.[321]

[Sidenote: He seeks safety in flight.]

Calvin was soon reduced to the necessity of following the rector's
example in fleeing from Paris; for the part he had had in preparing the
address had become the public talk. The young scholar--he was only in
his twenty-fifth year--sought for by the sanguinary
_lieutenant-criminel_, Jean Morin, barely made good his escape.
Proceeding to Angouleme, he enjoyed, under the friendly roof of Louis de
Tillet, a short period of quiet and an opportunity to pursue his
favorite studies.[322]

[Sidenote: Francis rejects roughly the intercession of the Bernese.]

The incessant representations made to the king respecting the rapid
progress of "Lutheran" doctrines in France, and perhaps also the
occurrence of such incidents as that just mentioned, seem to have been
the cause of the adoption of new measures against the Reformation and
its professors. Already, in October, Francis had written a rough answer
to the Council of the Canton of Berne, expressing extreme surprise that
they had ventured to intercede for the relatives of Guillaume Farel,
accused of heresy, and to beg him to give no credit in this matter
either to the royal officers or to the inquisitors of the faith.[323]
And he had used these significant words: "Desiring the preservation of
the name of _very Christian king_, acquired for us by our predecessors,
_we have nothing in the world more at heart than the entire extirpation
of heresies, and nothing could induce us to suffer them to take root in
our kingdom_. Of this you may rest well assured, and leave us to proceed
against them, without your giving yourselves any solicitude. _For
neither your prayers, nor those of any one else whomsoever, could be of
any avail in this matter with us._"[324]

[Sidenote: Royal letter to the Bishop of Paris.]

On his return from the marriage of his son Henry to Catharine de'
Medici, celebrated only four days before Cop's university harangue,
Francis was induced to make new provisions for the detection and
punishment of dissent. Alarmed by the progress of "Lutheran" sentiments
in his very capital