was not above the middle stature, thin and pale, of a dark complexion, and with bright and penetrating eyes. His habits were frugal and simple. A few personal effects, chiefly books, to the value of about 125 gold crowns, were all the property he left behind him*. He ate once a day, and slept very little affairs of state and of religion, with a consequently extensive correspondence, scarcely leaving him the time necessary for repose. Yet though his latter years were embittered by disease in many of her most trying forms, gout, stone, head-ache, spitting of blood, and the frequent return of intermittent fever, he never relaxed from his pursuits, and never uttered a complaint, being only sometimes heard to say, lifting his eyes to heaven when in great pain, Jusques à quand, Seig

neur?

* The following curious entry is extracted from the registry of the council of state, 4th October, 1541. "Great wages have been granted to Mr. Calvin (the sum is not stated), in consideration of his great learning, and of travellers being such a charge upon him."

348

CHAPTER XXXI.

Independence of Geneva acknowledged by France-The Escalade-Great Plague, and thirty-four Persons burnt alive for propagating it-Witch burnt-Various Anecdotes-Remonstrance of the Clergy against the AristocracyRefugees of high Rank-Letter of Cromwell-Hostilities of the Duke of Savoy.

1579.

HENRY III. of France concluded a treaty of alliance with Switzerland, in which Geneva was included, and its independence acknowledged, which produced great rejoicings among the citizens. That city was denominated in the treaty, confirmed afterwards by Henry IV., the key and bulwark of Switzerland. Yet, as in the treaty of peace between Henry IV. and the Duke of Savoy, in which the allies of the king were mentioned, Geneva was not expressly named, Amadeus pretended that his subjects could not have been the allies of his enemy. Henry did not show on this occasion his usual generosity or even good faith. Geneva and Berne had been induced by his predecessor Henry III. in 1589, and since by himself, to join in the war against the Duke of Savoy, from whom provocations were never wanting. It was an object of great importance for

Geneva to have France and Switzerland for immediate neighbours, instead of Savoy; therefore extraordinary efforts were made in the cause, and the Genevans displayed great ardour, courage, and perseverance, and made equal sacrifices of money during several campaigns. They remained at last in the possession of the Pays de Gex, a small district covering their northern frontier; but when peace was concluded at Vervin between France and Savoy, no notice was taken of this conquest of the Genevans and the Bernese, who were left to settle the matter as they could. A second war occurred soon after, followed by another treaty of peace; this time the Pays de Gex was ceded to France instead of Geneva; nor was the latter ever paid off large sums lent to Henry IV. That prince. was sensible of the injustice committed, and made

up for it by fair words and promises in favour of his dear and good friends the Genevans, with which they, as the weakest, were obliged to rest satisfied. The Pays de Gex, taken and retaken

* Paul Chevalier, syndic of Geneva, was sent to Henry IV. in July, 1592, to solicit payment of a part at least of the sums due to the republic. He did not obtain an audience readily, the court being then continually in motion; and, besides, he was required to kneel before the king, which being the homage paid by vassals to their lord, he positively refused. Henry received

several times, had been so cruelly treated by the Duke of Savoy, that the population, now composed of twenty thousand souls, afforded at the peace only two hundred and fifty effective men, and a general hunt was made to destroy the wild beasts, stags, boars, and wolves, which infested the country known long afterwards by the name of the wilderness. Geneva, exhausted by this war, applied for assistance to the protestant states. Queen Elizabeth was favourably disposed, and the subscription in England produced more than five thousand pounds sterling, a sum equal to fifty

him notwithstanding with great affability; but instead of money, his own treasury being then very low, he gave the envoy letters to the principal protestant churches of his kingdom, recommending his creditor to their charity. The syndic actually went thus a begging, and returned from his embassy with what he could. He obtained, however, for the Genevans established in France most of the rights of native subjects, and especially as to inheritance. About this time a preacher of Geneva ventured to reflect in coarse terms indeed on the Marchioness of Monceaux, the mistress of the king. The council, in great fright, put the imprudent moralist under arrest immediately, and obliged him to make an apology, and acknowledge himself in the wrong, for censuring in the mistress of a king of France what was deemed at Geneva a capital crime, and punished with death. The French ambassador could scarcely be pacified by, the submission of the culprit, but his master took the affair in perfect good humour.

thousand now. The Dutch contributed likewise, but on condition that two very learned men, Jaques Lect, and Isaac Casaubon, whose professorships had been suppressed on account of the difficulties of the times, should be restored to the college; a proof of the importance attached to the establishment by foreigners.

The Duke of Savoy could not bring himself to renounce Geneva, and attempted to get possession of it by surprise. The inhabitants had been lulled into security by an unusual show of pacific intentions, and on the eve of the execution the magistrates disregarded some information given to them respecting this plot. Lieut.-General d'AIbigni, who commanded the duke's forces, reached by a night-march, the 11th of Dec. (20th, new style,) 1602, the esplanade of Plein Palais, before the walls of the town.

Three hundred picked men, well armed and provided with implements to break the chains of the draw-bridge, and with petards to blow up the gates, descended silently into the fosse, called the Corraterie, on the south side of the town, throwing hurdles over the mud as they advanced, to prevent sinking; and the alarm of a flock of geese nearly discovered them, as formerly at Rome on a similar