Schaff - History of the Christian Church Vol. 8 - Media Sabda Org

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whether some French troops under his command could be stationed at
Geneva to frustrate the hostile designs of the German emperor against
Switzerland. He gave a conditional consent. This created a suspicion
against his loyalty.
During his absence, Madame Perrin and her father were again summoned
before the Consistory for bacchanalian conduct (June 23, 1547). Favre
refused to appear. Francesca denied the right of the court to take
cognizance of her private life. When remonstrated with, she flew into a
passion, and abused the preacher, Abel Poupin, as “a reviler, a slanderer of
her father, a coarse swine-herd, and a malicious liar.” She was again
imprisoned, but escaped with one of her sons. Meeting Abel Poupin at the
gate of the city she insulted him afresh and “even more shamefully than
before.” f752
On the 27th of June, 1547, Gruet’s threatening libel was published. f753
Calvin was reported to have been killed. He received letters from
Burgogne and Lyons that the Children of Geneva had offered five hundred
crowns for his head. f754
On his return from Paris, Perrin was capitally indicted on a charge of
treason, and of intending to quarter two hundred French cavalry, under his
own command, at Geneva. His excuse was that he had accepted the
command of these troops with the reservation of the approval of the
government of Geneva. Bonivard, the old soldier of liberty and prisoner of
Chillon, took part against Perrin. The ambassadors of Bern endeavored to
divert the storm from the head of Perrin to the French ambassador Maigret
the Magnifique. Perrin was expelled from the Council, and the office of
captain-general was suppressed, but he was released from prison, together
with his wife and father-in-law, Nov. 29, 1547. f755
The Libertines summoned all their forces for a reaction. They called a
meeting of the Council of Two Hundred, where they expected most
support. A violent scene took place on Dec. 16, 1547, in the Senate house,
when Calvin, unarmed and at the risk of his life, appeared in the midst of
the armed crowd and called upon them, if they designed to shed blood, to
begin with him. He succeeded, by his courage and eloquence, in calming
the wild storm and preventing a disgraceful carnage. It was a sublime
victory of reason over passion, of moral over physical force. f756