ARRfiTE QUI IMPOSE UNE AMENDE DE 3 SOLZ A CEUX QUI NE VIENDRAIENT
PAS." {Beg. du Conseit.) In AnnaL, 394 sub Jan. 17, 1547.
§ 107. THE EXERCISE OE DISCIPLINE IN GENEVA. 491
to church. The members of the Consistory visited every house once a year to examine into the faith and morals of the family. Every unseemly word and act on the street was reported, and the offenders were cited before the Consistory to be either censured and warned, or to be handed over to the Council for severer punishment. No respect was paid to person, rank, or sex. The strictest impartiality was maintained, and members of the oldest and most distinguished families, ladies as well as gentlemen, were treated with the same severity as poor and obscure people.
Let us give a summary of the most striking cases of discipline. Several women, among them the wife of Ami Perrin, the captain-general, were imprisoned for dancing (which was usually connected with excesses). Bonivard, the hero of political liberty, and a friend of Calvin, was cited before the Consistory because he had played at dice with Clement Marot, the poet, for a quart of wine.^ A man was banished from the city for three months because, on hearing an ass bray, he said jestingly: "He prays a beautiful psalm." ^ A young man was punished because he gave his bride a book on housekeeping with the remark: "This is the best Psalter." A lady of Ferrara was expelled from the city for expressing sympathy with the Libertines, and abusing Calvin and the Consistory. Three men Avho had laughed during the sermon were impiisoned for three days. Another had to do public penance for neglecting to commune on Whitsunday. Three children were punished because they remained outside of the church during the sermon to eat cakes. A man who swore by the " body and blood of Christ " was fined and condemned to stand for an hour in the pillory on the public square. A child was whipped for calling his mother a thief and a she-devil (diabless). A girl was beheaded for striking her parents, to vindicate the dignity of the fifth commandment.
1 Roget, Peuple de Geneve, II. 29, quoted by Merle d'Aubigne, VII. 124.
2 " // chante un beau psaume."
492 THE REFORMATION IN FRENCH SWITZEIILAND.
A banker was executed for repeated adultery, but he died penitent and praised God for the triumph of justice. A person named Chapuis was imprisoned for four days because he persisted in calling his child Claude (a Roman Catholic saint) instead of Abraham, as the minister wished, and saying tliut he would sooner keep his son unbaptized for fifteen years. ^ Bolsec, Gentilis, and Castellio were expelled from the Republic for heretical opinions. Men and women were burnt for witchcraft. Gruet was beheaded for sedition and atheism. Servetus was burnt for heresy and blasphemy. The last is the most flagrant case which, more than all others combined, has exposed the name of Calvin to abuse and execration ; but it should be remembered that lie wished to substitute the milder punishment of the SAvord for the stake, and in this point at least he was in advance of the public opinion and usual practice of his age.^
The official acts of the Council from 1541 to 1559 exhibit a dark chapter of censures, fines, imprisonments, and executions. During the ravages of the pestilence in 1545 more than twenty men and women were burnt alive for witchcraft, and a wicked conspiracy to spread the horrible disease.^ From 1542 to 1546 fifty-eight judgments of death and seventy-six decrees of banishments were passed.^ During the years 1558 and 1559 the cases of various punishments for
1 Registers for April 27, 1546. Henry II. 429.
^ For a fuller statement see chap. XVI.
^ Calvin himself states this fact in a letter to Myconius of Basel, March 27, 1545 (Opera, XII. 55 ; Bonnet, I. 428), where he says : " A conspiracy of men and women has lately been discovered, who, for the space of three years, had spread the plague through the city bj' what mischievous device I know not. After fifteen women have been burnt, some men have even been punished more severely, some have committed suicide in prison, and while twentyfive are still kept prisoners, — the conspirators do not cease, notwithstanding, to smear the door-locks of. the dwelling-houses with their poisonous ointment. You see in the midst of what perils we are tossed about. The Lord hath hitherto preserved our dwelling, though it has more than once been attempted. It is well that we know ourselves to be under His en re."
* According to Galiffe, as quoted by Kampschultc, I. 425.