§ 171. BEZA AS THE COUXSELLOK. 859
Beza counselled the Protestants to accept the edict, although it gave them very much less than their rights ; and they obeyed.
On Jan. 27, 1562, he was again at St. Germain by command of Catherine, to argue with Catholic theologians upon the use of images and the worship of saints. As before, the gulf between Protestants and Roman Catholics stood revealed, and the conference did no good except to show that the Protestants had some reason, at all events, for their opinions. Yet they did entertain hopes of maintaining the peace, when the news that on March 1 the Duke of Guise had massacred hundreds of defenceless Protestants, in a barn at Vassy, while engaged in peaceful worship, spread consternation far and wide. The court was then at Monceaux, and there Beza appeared as deputy of the Protestants of Paris to demand of the king of Navarre punishment for this odious violation of the Edict of January. The queen-mother received the demand graciously and promised compliance, but the king responded roughly and laid all the blame on the Protestants, who, he declared, had excited the attack by throwing stones at the Duke of Guise. " Well then," said Beza, " he should have punished only those who did the throwing." And then he added these memorable words : " Sire, it is in truth the lot of the Church of God, in whose name I am speaking, to endure blows, and not to strike them. But also may it please you to remember that it is an anvil that has worn out many hammers." ^
Civil war now broke out, Condd on one side and the Guises on the other; and Beza, although so unwilling, was fairly involved in it.
In a lull in the strife the third national Synod of the
1 " Sire, c'est a la v€rit€ a I'^glise de Dieu, au nom de laqueUe jc parte, d'endurer les coups, et non pas d'en dunner. Mais aussi vous plaira-t-il voits souvenir que c'est une enclume qui a us^beaucoup de marteaux." Quoted by Baird, II. 28 ; cf. Baum, II. 567.
860 THE EEFOKMATION IN FRENCH SWITZERLAND.
Reformed Church was held at Orleans on April 25. Beza was present, and his translation of the Psalms was sung upon the streets.
On May 20, 1562, the Prince of Conde sent a memorable answer to the petition of the Guises that King Charles would take active measures to extirpate heresy in his domains. The reply was really the work of Beza, and is a masterpiece of argument and eloquence.^
The necessity of securing allies induced Cond^ to send Beza to Germany and Switzerland. He went first to Strassburg, then to Basel, and at length on Friday, Sept. 4, he arrived at Geneva. How earnest must have been the conversations between him and Calvin ! How glad must his many friends have been to welcome back home the leader of French Protestantism !
Beza resumed his former mode of life. Two weeks passed and he had just begun to feel himself able in peace to carry out his plans for the Academy and the Genevan churches, when a messenger riding post haste from D'Andelot, a brother of Coligny, and his fellow-deputy to the German princes, announced the fresh outbreak of trouble in France. Beza was at first inclined to stay at home, mistrusting the necessity of his presence among the Huguenot troops, but Calvin urged him to go, and so he went, and for the next seven months Beza was with the Huguenot army. He acted as almoner and treasurer. He followed Cond^ to the battle of Dreux, Dec. 19, 1562, at which Cond^ Avas taken prisoner. It was made a matter of reproach that he took an active part in the battle. He did indeed ride in the front rank, but he denied that he struck a blow. He was in citizen's dress. He then retired to Normandy with Coligny. The expected help from England did not arrive, and it was determined to send him to
1 Baum says (II. 642) that it may with confidence be placed by the side of the most eloquent passages in the French language. A judgment in which Baird (II. (51) concurs.