§ 109. THE LEADERS OF THE LIBERTINES. 509
fear that he coukl no longer maintain his position unless God stretch forth his hand for his protection. ^
A sort of truce was patched up between the contending parties. "Our 9i-devant Ca3sar (Jiesternus noster Ccemr)'' Calvin wrote to Farel, Dec. 28, 1547, " denied that he had any grudge against me, and I immediately met him half-way and pressed out the matter from the sore. In a grave and moderate speech, I used, indeed, some sharp reproofs {punctiones acutas), but not of a nature to wound; yet though lie grasped my hand whilst promising to reform, I still fear that I have spoken to deaf ears." ^
In the next year, Calvin was censured by the Council for saying, in a private letter to Viret which had been intercepted, that the Genevese " under pretence of Christ wanted to rule without Christ," and that he had to combat their " hypocrisy." He called to his aid Viret and Farel to make a sort of apology.^
Perrin behaved quietly, and gained an advantage from this incident. He was restored to his councillorship and the office of captain-general (which had been abolished). He was even elected First Syndic, in February, 1549. He held that position also during the trial of Servetus, and opposed the sentence of death in the Council (1553).
Shortly after the execution of Servetus, the Libertines raised a demonstration against Farel, who had come to Geneva and preached a very severe sermon against them (Nov. 1, 1553).^ Philibert Berthelier and his brother Fran-
i See the extracts quoted on p. 495.
2 Opera, XII. 642 sq. : '■'■ Tametsi resipiscentiam manu in manum impUcita promisit, vereor, we frustra surdo cecinerim Jhbulam." Uyer (p. 221) misdates til is letter Dec. 2 (probably a typographical error).
3 Registers of Council for October, 1548, in Annal. 4;]6-438. About the same time the wife of Calvin's brother, Antoine, was imprisoned on the charge of adultery. Ibid. 441.
* He was charged with saying that " la JenneKse de cette cit<^ sont pitm que. Ics brigands, meurtriers, larrons, luxurieux, atheists." Reg. of Nov. 3, I55o, in Annal. 55U.
510 THE REFORMATION IN FRENCH SWITZERLAND.
9ois Daniel, who had charge of the mint, stirred up the Laborers to throw Farel into the Rhone. But his friends formed a guard around him, and his defence before the Council convinced the audience of his innocence. It was resolved that all enmity should be forgotten and buried at a banquet. Perrin, the chief Syndic, in a sense of weakness, or under the impulse of his better feelings, begged Farel's pardon, and declared that he would ever regard him as his spiritual father and pastor.^
After this time Calvin's friends gained the ascendency in the Council. A large number of religious refugees were admitted to the rights of citizenship.
Perrin, then a member of the Little Council, and his friends, Peter Vandel and Philibert Berthelier, determined on rule or ruin, now concocted a desperate and execrable conspiracy, which proved their overthrow. They proposed to kill all foreigners who had fled to Geneva for the sake of religion, together with their Genevese sympathizers, on a Sunda}' while people were at church. But, fortunately, the plot was discovered before it was ripe for execution. When the rioters were to be tried before the Council of the Two Hundred, Perrin and several other ringleaders had the audacity to take their places as judges ; but when he saw that matters were taking a serious turn in favor of law and order, he fled from Geneva, together with Vandel and Berthelier. They Avere summoned by the public herald, but refused to appear. On the day appointed for the trial five of the fugitives Avere condemned to death ; Perrin, moreover, to have his right hand cut off, with which he had seized the baton of the Syndic at the riot. The sentence was executed in effigy in June, 1555.^
1 Comp. the action of the Council, Nov. 13, in Annal. 561 and 562.
2 Reg. du Conseil, June 3, 1555, in Annal. 608: "Perrin est condumnc par contumace quil ayt le poing du bras droit duquel il a attente' aux bastons sindicalz cope': et tons tans ledit Perrin que Belthesard, Chabod, Verna, et Michalet la teste cope': les testes et ledit poing cloue's an gibet et les corps mis en quartier iouxte la coustume et condamnez a tous despens damps et interestz."