which the schismatics enjoyed. He interfered with the education
of Protestant children, confiscated property bequeathed to
Protestant consistories, and on frivolous pretexts shut up
Protestant churches. The Protestant ministers were harassed by
the tax gatherers. The Protestant magistrates were deprived of
the honour of nobility. The Protestant officers of the royal
household were informed that His Majesty dispensed with their
services. Orders were given that no Protestant should be admitted
into the legal profession. The oppressed sect showed some faint
signs of that spirit which in the preceding century had bidden
defiance to the whole power of the House of Valois. Massacres and
executions followed. Dragoons were quartered in the towns where
the heretics were numerous, and in the country seats of the
heretic gentry; and the cruelty and licentiousness of these rude
missionaries was sanctioned or leniently censured by the
government. Still, however, the edict of Nantes, though
practically violated in its most essential provisions, had not
been formally rescinded; and the King repeatedly declared in
solemn public acts that he was resolved to maintain it. But the
bigots and flatterers who had his ear gave him advice which he
was but too willing to take. They represented to him that his
rigorous policy had been eminently successful, that little or no
resistance had been made to his will, that thousands of Huguenots
had already been converted, that, if he would take the one
decisive step which yet remained, those who were still obstinate
would speedily submit, France would be purged from the taint of
heresy, and her prince would have earned a heavenly crown not
less glorious than that of Saint Lewis. These arguments
prevailed. The final blow was struck. The edict of Nantes was
revoked; and a crowd of decrees against the sectaries appeared in