ed a century before upon their French brethren.]

[Footnote 467: See the remark of M. Nicolai (Leber, Coll. de pieces rel.
a l'hist. de France, viii. 556).]

[Footnote 468: Crespin (fols. 91-94) gives an interesting report of some
discussions of the kind. It may be remarked that the Archbishop of Aix,
who was the prime mover in the persecution, had exposed himself to
unusual censure on the score of irregularity of life.]

[Footnote 469: The remark is ascribed to Chassanee: "itaque decretum
ipsi tale fecissent, eo consilio factum potius, ut Lutheranis, quorum
multitudinem augeri quotidie intelligebant, metus incuteretur, quam ut
revera id efficeretur quod ipsius decreti capitibus continebatur."
Crespin, _ubi supra_, fol. 98.]

[Footnote 470: Crespin, _ubi supra_, fol. 100.]

[Footnote 471: The ludicrous story of the "mice of Autun," which thus
obtains a historic importance, had been told by Chassanee himself. It
appears that on a certain occasion the diocese of Autun was visited with
the plague of an excessive multiplication of mice. Ordinary means of
stopping their ravages having failed, the vicar of the bishop was
requested to excommunicate them. But the ecclesiastical decree was
supposed to be most effective when the regular forms of a judicial trial
were duly observed. An advocate for the marauders was therefore
appointed--no other than Chassanee himself; who, espousing with
professional ardor the interests of his quadrupedal clients, began by
insisting that a summons should be served in each parish; next, excused
the non-appearance of the defendants by alleging the dangers of the
journey by reason of the lying-in-wait of their enemies, the cats; and
finally, appealing to the compassion of the court in behalf of a race
doomed to wholesale destruction, acquitted himself so successfully of
his fantastic commission, that the mice escaped the censures of the
church, and their advocate gained universal applause! See Crespin, fol.
99; De Thou, i. 536, Gamier, xxvi. 29, etc. Crespin, writing at least as
early as 1560, speaks of the incident as being related in Chassanee's
_Catalogus Gloriae Mundi_; but I have been unable to find any reference
to it in that singular medley.]

[Footnote 472: De Thou, i. 539.]

[Footnote 473: This striking incident is not noticed in the well-known
Memoirs of Du Bellay, written by his brother. The reader will agree with
me in considering it one of the most creditable in Du Bellay's event