to understand that
if, induced by any motives, he should defer the punishment of God's
enemies, he would certainly tempt the Divine patience to change to
anger.[1242]

The victory of Moncontour furnished an occasion for fresh exhortations to
the king not to neglect to inflict upon the enemies of Almighty God the
punishments fixed by the laws. "For what else would this be," said Pius,
"than to make of no effect the blessing of God, namely, victory itself,
whose fruit indeed consists in this, that by just punishment the execrable
heretics, common enemies, having been taken away, the former peace and
tranquillity should be restored to the kingdom. And do not allow yourself,
by the suggestion of the empty name of pity, to be deceived so far as to
seek, by pardoning Divine injuries, to obtain false praise for compassion;
for nothing is more cruel than that pity and compassion which is extended
to the impious and those who deserve the worst of torments."[1243] The
work begun by victories in the field was, therefore, to be completed by
the institution of inquisitors of the faith in every city, and the
adoption of such other measures as might, with God's help, at length
create the kingdom anew and restore it to its former state.[1244]

As often as rumors of negotiations for peace reached him, Pius was in
anguish of soul, and wrote to Charles, to Catharine, to Anjou, to the
French cardinals, in almost the same words. He protested that, as light
has no communion with darkness, so no compact between Catholics and
heretics could be other than feigned and full of treachery.[1245] As the
prospect of peace grew more distinct, his prognostications of coming
disaster grew darker, and sounded almost like threats. Even if the
heretics, in concluding the peace, had no intention of laying snares, God
would put it into their minds as a punishment to the king. "Now, how
fearful a thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God, who is
wont not only to chastise the corrupt manners of men by war, but, on
account of the sins of kings and people, to dash kingdoms in pieces, and
to transfer them from their ancient masters to new ones, is too evident to
need to be proved by examples."[1246] When at last the peace of Saint
Germain was definitely concluded, the Pope did not cease to lament over "a
pacification in which the conquered heretics imposed upon the victorious
king conditions so horrible and so pernicious that he could not speak of
the