e fact that the higher magistrates, themselves tainted with
heresy, connived at its spread, and that the "presidial" judges
abstained from employing the powers conferred by the edict, through fear
of compromising themselves with the sovereign courts. Nor could
ecclesiastical courts accomplish much, since the secular judges, to whom
an appeal was open, found means to clear the guilty. They insisted that
the only remedy was the introduction of the _Inquisition_ in the form in
which it had proved so efficacious in Spain and Italy. This, it was
said, could be attained by taking away the appeal that had hitherto been
allowed from the decisions of the church courts, and compelling the
nearest secular court to enforce their sentences. It was, furthermore,
proposed to confiscate, for the king's benefit, all the property of
fugitives, disregarding the claims even of those who had purchased from
them without collusion.[592]

[Sidenote: Opposition of parliament.]

In secret sessions held at the house of Bertrand, keeper of the seals,
at which were present several of the presidents of parliament known to
be least friendly to the Reformation, the necessary legislation was
matured at the instance of the Cardinal of Lorraine.[593] But, when the
edicts establishing the Spanish inquisition were submitted, by order of
the king, to the Parliament of Paris, it soon became evident that not
even the intrigues of the presidents who were favorable to them could
secure their registration. In the hope of better success, the edicts
were for the time withdrawn, and submitted, a few months later, to the
part of parliament that held its sessions in summer,[594] accompanied by
royal letters strictly enjoining their reception (lettres de jussion).
Twice the _gens du roi_ were heard in favor of the new system, pleading
its necessity, the utility of enlarging the jurisdiction of the church
courts, especially in the case of apostatizing monks and fanatical
preachers, and the fact that parliament itself had testified that it was
not averse to an inquisition--not only by recording the edicts of St.
Louis and Philip the Fair, but also by two recent registrations of the
powers of the Inquisitor of the Faith, Matthieu Ory.[595] After many
delays and a prolonged discussion, parliament decided by a large
majority that it could not comply with the king's commands, and would
indicate to his Majesty other means of eradicating heresy more
consistent with the spiri