"History" (Book ii.) which is a tract written in autumn, 1559, and in
purpose meant for contemporary foreign as well as domestic readers. The
performances attributed to the brethren, in the letter to the London
merchant's wife, were of a kind which Calvin severely rebuked. Similar
or worse violences were perpetrated by French brethren at Lyons, on April
30, 1562. The booty of the church of St. Jean had been sold at auction.
There must be no more robbery and pillage, says Calvin, writing on May
13, to the Lyons preachers. The ruffians who rob ought rather to be
abandoned, than associated with to the scandal of the Gospel. "Already
reckless zeal was shown in the ravages committed in the churches" (altars
and images had been overthrown), "but those who fear God will not
rigorously judge what was done in hot blood, from devout emotion, but
what can be said in defence of looting?"

Calvin spoke even more distinctly to the "consistory" of Nimes, who
suspended a preacher named Tartas for overthrowing crosses, altars, and
images in churches (July-August, 1561). The zealot was even threatened
with excommunication by his fellow religionists. {113a} Calvin heard
that this fanatic had not only consented to the outrages, but had incited
them, and had "the insupportable obstinacy" to say that such conduct was,
with him, "a matter of conscience." "But _we_" says Calvin, "know that
the reverse is the case, for God never commanded any one to overthrow
idols, except every man in his own house, and, in public, those whom he
has armed with authority. Let that fire-brand" (the preacher) "show us
by what title _he_ is lord of the land where he has been burning things."

Knox must have been aware of Calvin's opinion about such outrages as
those of Perth, which, in a private letter, he attributes to the
brethren: in his public "History" to the mob. At St. Andrews, when
similar acts were committed, he says that "the provost and bailies . . .