stood as high in his good opinion as ever,
the marechal returned once more to gentle methods, and mitigated the
severity of his first proclamation by a second, granting an extension of
the amnesty:

"The principal chiefs of the rebels, with the greater number of their
followers, having surrendered, and having received the king's pardon,
we declare that we give to all those who have taken up arms until next
Thursday, the 5th instant inclusive, the opportunity of receiving the
like pardon, by surrendering to us at Anduze, or to M. le Marquis
de Lalande at Alais, or to M. de Menon at Saint Hippolyte, or to the
commandants of Uzes, Nimes, and Lunel. But the fifth day passed, we
shall lay a heavy hand on all rebels, pillaging and burning all the
places which have given them refuge, provisions, or help of any kind;
and that they may not plead ignorance of this proclamation, we order it
to be publicly read and posted up in every suitable place.

"MARECHAL DE VILLARS.

"At Saint-Genies, the 1st June 1704."

The next day, in order to leave no doubt as to his good intentions, the
marechal had the gibbets and scaffolds taken down, which until then had
been permanent erections.

At the same time all the Huguenots were ordered to make a last effort to
induce the Camisard chiefs to accept the conditions offered them by
M. de Villars. The towns of Alais, Anduze, Saint-Jean, Sauve,
Saint-Hippolyte, and Lasalle, and the parishes of Cros, Saint-Roman,
Manoblet, Saint-Felix, Lacadiere, Cesas, Cambo, Colognac, and Vabre were
ordered to send deputies to Durfort to confer as to the best means of
bringing about that peace which everyone desired. These deputies wrote
at once to M. de Villars to beg him to send them M. d'Aygaliers, and to
M. d'Aygaliers to request him to come.

Both consented to do as they were asked, and M. d'Aygaliers arrived at
Durfort on the 3rd of June 1704.

The deputies having first thanked him for the trouble which he had taken
to serve the common cause during the past year, resolved to divide
their assembly into two parts, one of which, was to remain permanently
sitting, while the other went to seek Roland and Ravanel to try and
obtain a cessation of hostilities. The deputies charged with this task
were ordered to make it quite clear to the two chiefs that if they
did not accept the proposals made by M. de Villars, the Protestants in
general would take up arms and hunt them down, and would cease to supply
the