Unfortunately for the cause of the king, though the rebels met with some
resistance in the villages of the plain, such as St. Germain and St.
Andre, it was otherwise with those situated in the mountains; in those,
when beaten, the Protestants found cover, when victorious rest; so that
M. de Montrevel becoming aware that while these villages existed heresy
would never be extirpated, issued the following ordinance:--

"We, governor for His most Christian Majesty in the provinces of
Languedoc and Vivarais, do hereby make known that it has pleased the king
to command us to reduce all the places and parishes hereinafter named to
such a condition that they can afford no assistance to the rebel troops;
no inhabitants will therefore be allowed to remain in them. His Majesty,
however, desiring to provide for the subsistence of the afore-mentioned
inhabitants, orders them to conform to the following regulations. He
enjoins on the afore-mentioned inhabitants of the hereinafter-mentioned
parishes to repair instantly to the places hereinafter appointed, with
their furniture, cattle, and in general all their movable effects,
declaring that in case of disobedience their effects will be confiscated
and taken away by the troops employed to demolish their houses. And it
is hereby forbidden to any other commune to receive such rebels, under
pain of having their houses also razed to the ground and their goods
confiscated, and furthermore being regarded and treated as rebels to the
commands of His Majesty."

To this proclamation were appended the following instructions:--

"I. The officers who may be appointed to perform the above task shall
first of all make themselves acquainted with the position of the parishes
and villages which are to be destroyed and depopulated, in order to an