orite of the monarch. And it is added that, astonished at the purity
of its doctrine, Francis asked, but in vain, that any erroneous teaching
in it should be pointed out to him.[480] It is not, indeed, impossible
that the king's interest in his Waldensian subjects may have been
deepened by the receipt of a respectful remonstrance against the
persecutions now raging in France, drawn up by Melanchthon in the name
of the Protestant princes and states of Germany.[481]

[Sidenote: Death of President Chassanee, who is succeeded by Baron
d'Oppede.]

[Sidenote: Military preparations stopped by a second royal order.]

The _Arret de Merindol_ yet remained unexecuted when, Chassanee having
died, he was succeeded, in the office of First President of the
Parliament of Provence, by Jean Meynier, Baron d'Oppede. The latter was
an impetuous and unscrupulous man. Even before his elevation to his new
judicial position, Meynier had looked with envious eye upon the
prosperity of Cabrieres, situated but a few miles from his barony; and
scarcely had he taken his place on the bench, before, at his bidding,
the first notes of preparation for a great military assault upon the
villages of the Durance were heard. The affrighted peasants again had
recourse to the mercy of their distant sovereign. A second time Francis
(on the twenty-fifth of October, 1544) interfered, evoking the case from
parliament, and assuming cognizance of it until such time as he might
have instituted an examination upon the spot by a "Maitre de requetes"
and a theologian sent by him.[482]

[Sidenote: Calumnious accusations.]

The interruption was little relished. A fresh investigation was likely
to disclose nothing more unfavorable to the Waldenses than had been
elicited by the inquiries of Du Bellay, or than the report which had led
Louis the Twelfth, on an earlier occasion (1501), to exclaim with an
oath: "They are better Christians than we are!"[483] and, what was
worse, the poor relations, both of the prelates and of the judges, had
only a sorry prospect of enriching themselves through the confiscation
of the property of the lawful owners.[484] It was time to venture
something for the purpose of obtaining the coveted prize. Accordingly,
the Parliament of Aix, at this juncture, despatched to Paris one of its
official servants, with a special message to the king. He was to beg
Francis to recall his previous order. He was to tell him that Merindol
and the neighboring