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such a man was sure to leave the mark of his foot behind him。 At
Lyons； no great distance up the Rhone； Marguerite had helped to establish
an organised Protestant munity； and when in 1536 she herself had
passed through Montpellier； to visit her brother at Valence； and
Montmorency's camp at Avignon； she took with her doubtless Protestant
chaplains of her own； who spoke wise wordsit may be that she spoke
wise words herselfto the ardent and inquiring students of Montpellier。
Moreover； Rondelet and his disciples had been for years past in constant
munication with the Protestant savants of Switzerland and Germany；
among whom the knowledge of nature was progressing as it never had
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progressed before。 Forit is a fact always to be rememberedit was only
in the free air of Protestant countries the natural sciences could grow and
thrive。 They sprung up； indeed； in Italy after the restoration of Greek
literature in the fifteenth century； but they withered there again only too
soon under the blighting upas shade of superstition。 Transplanted to the
free air of Switzerland； of Germany； of Britain； and of Montpellier； then
half Protestant； they developed rapidly and surely； simply because the air
was free； to be checked again in France by the return of superstition with
despotism super…added； until the eve of the great French Revolution。
So Rondelet had been for some years Protestant。 He had hidden in
his house for a long while a monk who had left his monastery。 He had
himself written theological treatises： but when his Bishop Pellicier was
imprisoned on a charge of heresy； Rondelet burnt his manuscripts； and
kept his opinions to himself。 Still he was a suspected heretic； at last
seemingly a notorious one； for only the year before his death； going to
visit patients at Perpignan； he was waylaid by the Spaniards； and had to
get home through bypasses of the Pyrenees； to avoid being thrown into the
Inquisition。
And those were times in which it was necessary for a man to be
careful； unless he had made up his mind to be burned。 For more than
thirty years of Rondelet's life the burning had gone on in his
neighbourhood； intermittently it is true： the spasms of superstitious fury
being succeeded； one may charitably hope； by pity and remorse； but still
the burnings had gone on。 The Benedictine monk of St。 Maur； who
writes the history of Languedoc； says； quite en passant； how someone was
burnt at Toulouse in 1553； luckily only in effigy； for he had escaped to
Geneva： but he adds； 〃next year they burned several heretics；〃 it being
not worth while to mention their names。 In 1556 they burned alive at
Toulouse Jean Escalle； a poor Franciscan monk； who had found his order
intolerable； while one Pierre de Lavaur； who dared preach Calvinism in
the streets of Nismes； was hanged and burnt。 So had the score of judicial
murders been increasing year by year； till it had to be； as all evil scores
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have to be in this world； paid off with interest； and paid off especially
against the ignorant and fanatic monks who for a whole generation； in
every university and school in France； had been howling down sound
science； as well as sound religion； and at Montpellier in 1560…61； their
debt was paid them in a very ugly way。 News came down to the hot
southerners of Languedoc of the so…called conspiracy of Amboise。How
the Duc de Guise and the Cardinal de Lorraine had butchered the best
blood in France under the pretence of a treasonable plot； how the King of
Navarre and the Prince de Conde had been arrested； then how Conde and
Coligny were ready to take up arms at the head of all the Huguenots of
France； and try to stop this life…long torturing； by sharp shot and cold steel；
then how in six months' time the king would assemble a general council to
settle the question between Catholics and Huguenots。 The Huguenots；
guessing how that would end； resolved to settle the question for
themselves。 They rose in one city after another； sacked the churches；
destroyed the images； put down by main force superstitious processions
and dances； and did many things only to be excused by the exasperation
caused by thirty years of cruelty。 At Montpellier there was hard fighting；
murdersso say the Catholic historiansof priests and monks； sack of the
new cathedral； destruction of the noble convents which lay in a ring round
Montpellier。 The city and the university were in the hands of the
Huguenots； and Montpellier became Protestant on the spot。
Next year came the counter…blow。 There were heavy battles with the
Catholics all round the neighbourhood； destruction of the suburbs；
threatened siege and sack； and years of misery and poverty for Montpellier
and all who were therein。
Horrible was the state of France in those times of the wars of religion