s and friars at Lent and Advent, the passions of the
low populace could not have been inflamed to such a pitch as to render it
capable of perpetrating atrocities which will forever render the reign of
Charles the Ninth infamous in the French annals.

* * * * *

[Sidenote: A German account of the massacre at Orleans.]

One of the most vivid accounts of the massacre in any city
outside of Paris is the contemporary narrative of Johann
Wilhelm von Botzheim, a young German, who was at the time
pursuing his studies in Orleans. It forms the sequel to the
description of the Parisian massacre, to which reference has
already been made several times, and was first published by
Dr. F. W. Ebeling, in his "Archivalische Beitraege zur
Geschichte Frankreichs unter Carl IX." (Leipsic, 1872),
129-189. It was also translated into French by M. Charles
Read, for the number of the Bulletin de la Societe de
l'histoire du protestantisme francais issued on the occasion
of the tercentenary of the Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Day.
The chief interest of the narration centres in the anxieties
and dangers of the little community of Germans in attendance
upon the famous law school. Besides this, however, much light
is thrown upon the general features of the bloody
transactions. The first intimation of Coligny's wounding
reached the Protestants as they were returning from the
preche, but created less excitement because of the statement
accompanying it, that Charles was greatly displeased at the
occurrence. That night a messenger arrived with letters
addressed to the provost of the city, announcing the death of
the admiral and the Huguenots of Paris, and enjoining the like
execution at Orleans. Although the letters bore the royal
seal, the information they contained appeared so incredible
that the provost commanded the messenger to be imprisoned
until two captains, whom he at once despatched to Paris,
returned bringing full confirmation of the story. The provost,
a man averse to bloodshed, issued, early on Monday morning as
a precautionary measure, an order to guard the city gates. But
the control of affairs rapidly passed out of his hands, and,
threatened with death because of his moderate counsels, the
provost was himself forced to take refuge for