rain their tears. The desire consequently
seized many to read their books, and to become acquainted with the
foundations of the faith from which it seemed impossible to tear them by
the most refined tortures.... Why need I say more? The greater the
number of those who were consigned to the flames, the greater the number
of those who seemed to spring from their ashes."[800]

[Sidenote: Fate of the remaining judges.]

Of the five counsellors of parliament arrested by the late king's
orders, Du Bourg was the only martyr. By the others greater weakness was
shown, or the judges were less willing to fulfil the cardinal's bloody
injunctions.[801] La Porte was reprimanded for finding fault with the
rigorous sentences of the "grand' chambre," and liberated on declaring
those sentences good and praiseworthy. De Foix was condemned to make a
public declaration of his belief in the sole validity of the sacrament
as administered in the Romish Church, and to be suspended from his
office for a year; Du Faur to beg pardon of God, the king, and his
fellow-judges, for having maintained the propriety of holding a holy and
free universal council before extirpating the heretics, to pay a
considerable fine, and to suffer a five years' suspension. Fumee, more
fortunate than his associates, was acquitted in spite of the most
strenuous exertions of the Cardinal of Lorraine.[802]

[Sidenote: Public indignation against the Guises.]

[Sidenote: Must the faithful submit passively to usurpation?]

The savage persecution of the Protestants tended powerfully to
strengthen the current of popular sentiment that was setting in against
the government of the Guises. The sight of so many cruel executions for
more than thirty years had not accustomed either the dissidents or the
more reflecting among those of the opposite creed to the barbarous work.
"Is it not time," they asked, "to put a stop to the ravages of the
flames and of the sword of the executioner, when such signal failure has
attended their application? Will the terror of the _estrapade_ quench
the burning courage of a sect which has spread over the whole of France,
if it could not stifle the fire when first kindled at Meaux and at
Paris? Has not the policy of extermination thus far persisted in only
accelerating the growth of the new doctrines? Shall the sword rage
forever, and must princes of the blood and the noblest and purest in
lower ranks of society incur a common fate? Must the persecu