rasbourg, to
Berne, to Zurich, to Basle, imploring the intercession of these states.
Particular attention was drawn to the severe treatment endured by their
brethren in Provence and Dauphiny. The writers declared themselves to be
not rebels, but the most loyal of subjects, recognizing one God, one
faith, one law, and one king. They were not "Lutherans," nor
"Waldenses," nor "heretics;" but simply _Christians_, accepting the
Decalogue, the Apostles' Creed, and every doctrine taught in either
Testament. It was unreasonable that they should be compelled by fines,
imprisonment, or bodily pains, to abjure their faith, unless their
errors were first proved from the Bible, or before the convocation of a
General Council.[381]

[Sidenote: An appeal from Strasbourg and Zurich.]

The Swiss and Germans made a prompt response. The Senate of Strasbourg
addressed Francis, praising his clemency, but calling his attention to
the danger all good men were exposed to. "If but a single little word
escape the mouth of good Christian men, directed against the most
manifest abuses, nay, against the flagitious crimes of those who are
regarded as _ecclesiastics_, how easy will it be, inasmuch as these very
ecclesiastics are their judges, to cry out that words have been spoken
to the injury of the true faith, the Church of God, and its
traditions?"[382]

Zurich, going even further, made the direct request of its royal ally,
that hereafter all persons accused of holding heretical views should be
permitted by his Majesty to clear themselves by an appeal to the pure
Word of God, and no longer be subjected without a hearing to torture
and manifold punishments.[383] Berne and Basle remonstrated with similar
urgency.

[Sidenote: An embassy receives an unsatisfactory reply.]

Receiving no reply to their appeal, in consequence of the king's
attention being engrossed by the war then in progress with the emperor,
and by reason of the dauphin's unexpected death, the same cantons and
Strasbourg, a few months later, were induced to send a formal embassy.
But, if the envoys were fed with gracious words, they obtained no real
concession. Francis assured the Bernese and their confederates that "it
was, as they well knew, only for love of them that he had enlarged the
provisions of his gracious Edict of Coucy, by lately[384] extending
pardon to all exiles and fugitives"--that is, "Sacramentarians" and
"relapsed" persons included. This, it seemed to him, "ou