their boldness and wicked designs, we have no doubt that you would never have suffered them to come near you, much less to impose on you in so barefaced a manner.” They declare that they do not use lights or tapers in their worship; they justify their ceremonies as being not only unobjectionable in their character, but few in number. But as they say, it is by no means astonishing that these few and simple rites should appear too many, to people who regard the public reading of the word of God as an irksome and useless ceremony! They recount at length the conduct of Knox, whom they charge with treason, for having published a book in which he was alleged to have uttered sentiments injurious to the German emperor, to Philip his son, the king of England, and Mary the queen.2

On the other side, Whittingham the next day after his return to Frankfort, wrote again to Calvin, that his friends. there had already sent forward their effects, that they themselves would follow by as rapid journies as possible, and that they hoped to bring with them some of their countrymen at Basil.

ARRIVAL OF THE FUGITIVES AT GENEVA.

The chief of the church at Geneva had taken the necessary steps with the government to secure an asylum for his new friends. Already, on the tenth of June, the City Council was occupied with this subject. "Rev. Jean Calvin has represented that certain Englishmen are desirous to

repair hither for the sake of the word of God, and asked that

1 It is well known that the public reading of the scriptures was regarded with disfavor in the early churches of New England. Prayers at funerals were unknown for a long time, and were introduced at length after much opposition. See Bib. Sacra, Vol. X. p. 61.

2 This charge was aimed, in fact, at the life of Knox; for if a whisper of it had reached the ears of the Emperor, the reformer would have been seized and put to death. Nothing but the caution of one of the magistrates of the city saved Knox from such a fate. He was compelled, notwithstanding that protection, to leave Frankfort, and take up his abode at Geneva. The charge was founded chiefly on a sermon afterwards printed, which Knox had preached in Buckinghamshire, in which he had inveighed severely against the complicity of the sovereigns named above in the corruptions of the papal church.

it may please the magistrates to open for them a church to enable them to preach and administer the sacraments. Therefore, Decreed that we advise the selecting of a proper place of worship for said English, and that the parties confer thereupon with Monsieur Calvin." 1

This eminent man, at that time, was all powerful at Geneva. It so happened that he had occasion to make this request a few days only after the final overthrow of the Libertines. The leaders of this pestilent sect, arrested or dispersed, lay under the sentence of a capital condemnation, incurred by their attempt to effect a revolution in the state, under the pretext that too many foreigners were admitted to citizenship. They had been the political as well as the personal enemies of Calvin; and hence, deprived of their power at this precise moment, they were driven back and had left an open field to the friends of the strangers. Besides, if some of those who feared the influence of the French refugees were still found in the Council, they must have seen with pleasure the arrival of other strangers who would be able to balance the French influence. Thus everything concurred to favor the applicants, and to ensure their obtaining the same rights which had been granted to others.

Nevertheless, as several Englishmen had already arrived before any final action had been taken, Calvin, on the twentieth of October, presented himself anew before the Council, in support of his former request. He said that they had then promised to the strangers Saint Germain or Notre. Dame-la-Neuve, and added: "At other times the said Eng. lish had received other nations among themselves, and had given to them a church; but now it has pleased God to afflict them." They appointed three councillors to examine the case and report. Subsequently, on the fourteenth of November, it was decided to grant, both to the English and to the Italians, the church of Marie-la-Neuve. Finally, on the twenty-ninth of the same month, the two ministers

2

1 Registres du Conseil, vol. de 1555, fol. 102. 2 Ib., 2d vol. de 1555, fol. 17.

3 Ib. fol. 35.

named by the new congregation and paid by it, were approved by the Council and took the required oath.1

RETURN OF THE EXILES TO ENGLAND.

The English colony having been once established and organized, our registers contain but few notices of them, for the simple reason, as we are authorized to believe, that the exiles furnished no cause for complaint. Since the colony consisted entirely of men who had fled from their country on account of the persecutions which the reformed suffered from Mary, they had of course, after the death of this queen and the succession of Elizabeth, no reason for remaining any longer, but would wish naturally to return to England. Hence on the twenty-fourth of January, 1559, several among them, more especially some of the ministers, presented to the Council of the city a request, stating that, as it had pleased God to reestablish the reformation in their own country, they desired to return thither that they might labor to extend it there; and further, thanking them sincerely for the friendly reception which they had enjoyed in the place of their retreat, they asked that they might receive a regular permission to depart.3 Some months later, a person designated as a bishop of England presents himself to express his desires and feelings to the same effect, and to receive likewise a similar response.*

In pursuing this course, these English not only showed themselves grateful for the hospitality which they had received, but conformed strictly to the law of the Genevans, which forbade the inhabitants to leave the city without per

1 Registre du Conseil, 2d vol. de 1555, fol. 51,

"The tidings of queen Elizabeth's peaceable coming to the crown," says Fuller," was no sooner brought beyond the seas but it filled the English exiles with unspeakable gladness, being instantly at home in their hearts, and not long after with their bodies. I knew one right well, whose father, amongst them, being desperately diseased, was presently and perfectly cured with the cordial of the good news; and no wonder if this queen recovered sick men, which revived religion itself."

3 Registre du Conseil, vol. de 1557-59, fol. 361.

4 Registre du Conseil, 2d vol. de 1559, fol. 81, August 24, 1559.

mission. Besides, some among them had obtained the rights of citizenship. About the middle of the year 1557, we find it mentioned in the records of the Council, that there were certain Englishmen who desired to be received as citizens; and the information was not unwelcome, as it was understood that some among them were wealthy merchants. Still it is not ascertained that, with the exception of some of this commercial class, any were received at this period, at least from the English, except Whittingham; but about a year later, six of his countrymen were also enrolled as citizens. These were John Bodley, having five sons; William Williams; Richard Amondesham; John Baron, having one son; John Knox, having one son, named Nathaniel; and finally, Christopher Goodman. The first five were received on paying the usual fee, very moderate for that time, six gold crowns and a fraction; the last two were received gratuitously, out of respect to their ministry of the word of God.2 For those English who became, in a civil sense, Genevans, it was the more necessary that they should obtain a regular leave of absence in order that they might preserve their new rights for themselves and their children. The importance of this precaution is recognized, for example, in the terms of the dismission granted, at his request, to John Bodley.3 In the month of March, 1560, we find that Baron, named above, asked and obtained liberty to remain, during three years, for the purpose of printing a book against the Anabaptists, and afterwards to return, without loss of his citizenship, to his country of Scotland where the gospel was preached.4

The last departure took place at the end of the month of May, 1560. The reader may be pleased to see, in full, the section of the register which makes mention of this event.

"English citizens and residents. Wm. Whittingham, citizen, in his own name and that of his companions, came to

Registre du Conseil, 2d vol. de 1557, fol. 206, 28th of June.

2 Registre du Conseil, fol. 211, July first.

3 Registre du Conseil, 2d vol. of 1559, fol. 91, 5th of September.

✦ Registre de 1560 and 1651 (1561?), fol. 16, 17, 7th and 8th of March 1560.

thank Messieurs for the good treatment which they have had in this city, and signified that to serve the church in their own country it is necessary that they should remove thither, praying us to retain them as humble servants of the state, and declaring that, at all times and in every way in which they may be able to render service to the state and to individuals of the city, they will exert themselves to do so to the utmost of their power; and requesting us to give them an attestation of their life and conversation while they have been in this city. And they have presented the 'book' of those of their nation who came to sojourn in the city, as a perpetual memorial: Decreed, That an honorable dismission be granted to them and an attestation of the contentment we have had with them, and that they be exhorted to pray for us and to do to strangers among themselves as others have done to them; and let them always be ready to bear good affection to this city. And it is agreed that we retain those who are citizens and subjects as such in the future."1

DESCRIPTION OF THE BOOK.

The book,' which forms the subject of this Article, exists still in the archives of Geneva. It is a manuscript of the quarto form, with a parchment cover, and bears the title, Livre des Anglais. It is divided into four parts. The first is the list of the English Company composing the congregation; that is, those who arrived on the 13th of October, 1555, in order to avail themselves of the privilege which was to be conceded to them (to use the benefit of the churche then newly grannted), those who were at Geneva before the 13th of October, and those who came afterwards. The second is the list of the ministers, deacons, and elders elected annually. The third is a record of the baptisms celebrated in this church (eglise). The fourth is the list of marriages (the names of all soche persons as have bene coupled by mariage); and finally, those of the deaths, or rather the interments (the

Registre du Conseil, fol. 44, May thirtieth 1560.

2 This title, as the contents are in English, was affixed, no doubt, by a foreign hand.