e prophets of the Cevennes, Marion, Durand-Fage and
Cavalier (a cousin of the famous Jean Cavalier) were in London and were
objects of lively curiosity. The consistory of the French church in the
Savoy sent a protest to the lord mayor against "cette secte impie et
extravagante" and the matter was tried at the Guildhall. Misson, author
of the _Theatre sacre_, declared in defence of the accused, that the
same spirit which had caused Balaam's ass to speak could speak through
the mouths of these prophets from the Cevennes. Marion and his two
friends Fatio, a member of the Royal Society of London, and Daude, a
leading savant, who acted as his secretaries, were condemned to the
pillory and to the stocks. Voltaire relates (_Siecle de Louis XIV._ c.
36) that Marion wished to prove his inspiration by attempting to raise a
dead body (Thomas Ernes) from St Paul's churchyard. He was at last
compelled to leave England.[1]

The inspiration (of which there were four degrees, _avertissement,
souffle, prophetie, dons_) was sometimes communicated by a kiss at the
assembly. The patient, who had gone through several fasts three days in
length, became pale and fell insensible to the ground. Then came violent
agitations of the limbs and head, as Voltaire remarks, "quite according
to the ancient custom of all nations, and the rules of madness
transmitted from age to age." Finally the patient (who might be a little
child, a woman, a half-witted person) began to speak in the good French
of the Huguenot Bible words such as these: "Mes freres, amendez-vous,
faites penitence, la fin du monde approche; le jugement general sera
dans trois mois; repentez-vous du grand peche que vous avez commis
d'aller a la messe; c'est le Saint-Esprit qui parle par ma bouche"
(Brueys, _Histoire du fanatisme de notre temps_, Utrecht, 1737, vol. i.
p. 153). The discourse might go on for two hours; after which the
patient could only express himself in his native patois,--a Romance
idiom,--and had no recollection of his "ecstasy." All kinds of miracles
attended on the Camisards. Lights in the sky guided them to places of
safety, voices sang encouragement to them, shots and wounds were often
harmless. Those entranced fell from trees without hurting themselves;
they shed tears of blood; and they subsisted without food or speech for
nine days. The supernatural was part of their life. Much literature has
been devoted to the discussion of these marvels. The Catholics Flechier