wrought the very doom they had predicted to be
impending, upon the king, his government, and his subjects; but it was
brought about by infidels, and by the papists themselves. It was not the
establishment, but the suppression, of Protestantism, that, three hundred
years later, was to bring upon France these dire calamities.

Suspicion, distrust, and terror now pervaded all classes of society. Amid
the general alarm it was seen how deep a hold the Lutheran teaching had
gained upon the minds of men who stood highest for education, influence,
and excellence of character. Positions of trust and honor were suddenly
found vacant. Artisans, printers, scholars, professors in the
universities, authors, and even courtiers, disappeared. Hundreds fled from
Paris, self-constituted exiles from their native land, in many cases thus
giving the first intimation that they favored the reformed faith. The
papists looked about them in amazement at thought of the unsuspected
heretics that had been tolerated among them. Their rage spent itself upon
the multitudes of humbler victims who were within their power. The prisons
were crowded, and the very air seemed darkened with the smoke of burning
piles, kindled for the confessors of the gospel.

Francis I. had gloried in being a leader in the great movement for the
revival of learning which marked the opening of the sixteenth century. He
had delighted to gather at his court men of letters from every country. To
his love of learning and his contempt for the ignorance and superstition
of the monks was due, in part at least, the degree of toleration that had
been granted to the reform. But, inspired with zeal to stamp out heresy,
this patron of learning issued an edict declaring printing abolished all
over France! Francis I. presents one among the many examples on record
showing that intellectual culture is not a safeguard against religious
intolerance and persecution.

France by a solemn and public ceremony was to commit herself fully to the
destruction of Protestantism. The priests demanded that the affront
offered to high Heaven in the condemnation of the mass, be expiated in
blood, and that the king, in behalf of his people, publicly give his
sanction to the dreadful work.

The 21st of January, 1535, was fixed upon for the awful ceremonial. The
superstitious fears and bigoted hatred of the whole nation had been
roused. Paris was thronged with the multitudes that from all the
surrounding coun