so much as this; That, it has always been their resolution to teach nothing but what is demonstrated from plain and solid quotations of scripture: but no such quotations can be found therein. My doctrine therefore is condemned by mere clamor and noise, without producing any reason or authority whatsoever. Subscribed by Michael Servetus, who here is alone, but who has Christ for his undoubted protector.'

At the same time Servetus sent a latin letter to Calvin, wherein he accuses him of being ignorant of the principles of things, and that he knew nothing of this great principle, all action is done by contact. Lastly, he says that Calvin maintains, without any reason, that the law of the Decalogue is still in force.

On the whole it is evident the object of Calvin and his associates was not to convince the prisoner of his mistakes, but to persuade the judges that he ought to be condemned for heresy. They used every means to entangle, irritate and ruin him. They collected together the worst things they could find in his writings, gave them the most unfavorable construction possible, and prejudiced his cause, by declaring them to be full of impious blasphemies against God, and of other mad and profane errors,

altogether repugnant to the word of God, and the orthodox agreement of the church;' though they knew the life of the prisoner was at stake. We find nothing like sober reasoning, and calm and earnest expostulation with him, respecting his supposed errors; no attempts to show him from the scriptures, with meekness and gentleness, wherein he was wrong; nothing but bitter invectives, cruel ieproaches, and reiterated censures. Had these men never read the words of the apostle, In meekness instructing them that oppose themselves? nor those others, 'Be gentle towards all men'? Alas! had the faith of Geneva totally supplanted christian charity, and dried up the milk of human kindness in the breasts of its ministers? My soul come not thou into their secret, mine honor be not united unto them; for they devised bloody devices, and spread a net for the life of their brother.

SECTION V.

The petitions of Servetus to his Judges, respecting the cruel treatment he received.

On the 15th of September the Doctor presented the following petition to his Judges.

• Most Honored Lords,

I am

I humbly beseech you, that you would be pleased to put a stop to those great delays, or leave off prosecuting me as a criminal. You see that Calvin is put to his last shift, and knows not what to say, and is resolved that I should rot in a prison to please himself. eaten up with lice: my breeches are torn in pieces, and I have none to shift, nor another doublet; no shirt, but a very sorry one. I presented you with another petition, which was according to God and to prevent the good effect of it, Calvin has quoted Justinian against me. Certainly he is a very unhappy man, to alledge against me what himself does not believe. He himself does not believe what Justinian says of the sanctity of churches, and of bishops and clerks, and other things relating to religion he knows very well, that the church was then corrupted. 'Tis a great shame for him to do so; but 'tis a greater shame still, that he should have kept me a close prisoner these five weeks, without alledging any one passage against me. [Servetus must mean any one passage that is to the purpose.]

My Lords, I also desired you to allow me

an attorney, or an advocate, as you have allowed

one to my adversary, who did not want it so much as I do, who am a foreigner, unacquainted with the customs of this country; and yet you have granted his requests and denied mine, and set him at liberty before you took cognizance of my cause. I desire that my cause may be removed to the council of two hundred, with my petitions; and if I can appeal to them I actually do it, protesting against all charges and expenses, and insisting upon pœna talionis, not only against the first accuser, but also, against Calvin, who has taken the cause upon himself. From your prison at Geneva, September 15, 1553.

MICHAEL SERVETUS pleading his own cause.'

On the 22nd of September Servetus presented another petition as follows.

'Most Honored Lords,

I am confined like a criminal, and prosecuted by John Calvin, who has falsely accused me, pretending that I have published.'

1. That human souls are mortal; and also, 2. That Jesus Christ took only the fourth part of his body from the virgin Mary.'

'These are horrid and execrable things.There is no heresy nor crime so great, as that of

asserting, that the soul is mortal; for there is hope of salvation in all other crimes and heresies, but not in this. Whoever maintains such a thing, does not believe the being of a God, nor a divine justice, nor the resurrection, nor Jesus Christ, nor the holy scriptures; in a word, he believes nothing at all. Had I said and published such a thing, to infect the world, I should condemn myself to death.'

'Wherefore, my Lords, I desire that my false accuser should be punished pæna talionis, and confined to a prison, as I am, till he or I be condemned to death, or to some other punishment. I am willing to die, if he is not convicted both of this and other things, which I shall lay to his charge. I beg of you, my Lords, to do me justice; justice, my Lords, justice. From my prison at Geneva, September 22, 1553.

MICHAEL SERVETUS pleading his own cause.'

This petition was attended with the following articles.

"Some articles, about which Michael Servetus requires John Calvin should be interrogated.'

1. Whether in March last he got William Trie to write to Lyons, and said a great many things against Michael Villanovanus, alias