e natural temperament and disposition of the Roman Catholic prelates,
not less than the zeal of the civil judges. Many clergymen, as well as
lay magistrates, had exhibited a singular supineness in the detection
and punishment of the reformed. Some bishops, supposed to be at heart
friendly to the restoration of the church to its pristine purity of
doctrine and practice, had scarcely instituted a serious search. The
royal edicts themselves bear witness to their reluctance, in spite of
threatened suspension and deprivation. It is true that an attempt had
been made to secure greater thoroughness and uniformity, by augmenting
the number of inquisitors of the faith, and this, notwithstanding the
fact that their authority infringed upon that of the bishops, whose
right was scarcely questioned to exclusive cognizance of heresy within
their respective dioceses. Not only had Matthieu Ory[443] and others
been appointed with jurisdiction over the entire kingdom, but a special
inquisitor was created for the province of Normandy. Even these persons,
however, were not always equally zealous in the performance of their
allotted task. It was notorious that the good cheer with which Ory was
regaled by the astute Protestants of Sancerre led him to report them to
be excellent people. A deputy, who next visited the reputed heretics,
brought back an equally flattering statement. And so the persecuting
"lieutenant particulier" of Bourges seems to have had some ground for
his complaint, "that good wine and a right new coat caused all these
inquisitors to return well satisfied, without bringing him any
prey."[444]

[Sidenote: The Nicodemites and Libertins.]

It could not be otherwise, however, than that these severe measures and
the employment of new agents in the pitiless work of persecution should
induce many feeble souls to suppress their true sentiments, and to make
the attempt, under an external conformity with the Roman Church, to
maintain opinions and a private devotion quite inconsistent with their
professions. And, while the progress of the Reformation was seriously
impeded by the timidity of this class of irresolute
persons--appropriately styled by their contemporaries "the
_Nicodemites_"--scarcely less danger threatened the same doctrines from
the insidious assaults of the _Libertines_, a party which, ostensibly
aiming at reform and religious liberty, really asked only for freedom in
the indulgence of vicious propensities. Against b