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

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In the next year, Calvin was censured by the Council for saying, in a
private letter to Viret which had been intercepted, that the Genevese
“under pretence of Christ wanted to rule without Christ,” and that he had
to combat their, hypocrisy.” He called to his aid Viret and Farel to make a
sort of apology. f760
Perrin behaved quietly, and gained an advantage from this incident. He was
restored to his councillorship and the office of captain-general (which had
been abolished). He was even elected First Syndic, in February, 1549. He
held that position also during the trial of Servetus, and opposed the
sentence of death in the Council (1553).
Shortly after the execution of Servetus, the Libertines raised a
demonstration against Farel, who had come to Geneva and preached a very
severe sermon against them (Nov. 1, 1553). f761 Philibert Berthelier and his
brother François Daniel, who had charge of the mint, stirred up the
laborers to throw Farel into the Rhone. But his friends formed a guard
around him, and his defence before the Council convinced the audience of
his innocence. It was resolved that all enmity should be forgotten and
buried at a banquet. Perrin, the chief Syndic, in a sense of weakness, or
under the impulse of his better feelings, begged Farel’s pardon, and
declared that he would ever regard him as his spiritual father and pastor. f762
After this time Calvin’s friends gained the ascendency in the Council. A
large number of religious refugees were admitted to the rights of
citizenship.
Perrin, then a member of the Little Council, and his friends, Peter Vandel
and Philibert Berthelier, determined on rule or ruin, now concocted a
desperate and execrable conspiracy, which proved their overthrow. They
proposed to kill all foreigners who had fled to Geneva for the sake of
religion, together with their Genevese sympathizers, on a Sunday while
people were at church. But, fortunately, the plot was discovered before it
was ripe for execution. When the rioters were to be tried before the
Council of the Two Hundred, Perrin and several other ringleaders had the
audacity to take their places as judges; but when he saw that matters were
taking a serious turn in favor of law and order, he fled from Geneva,
together with Vandel and Berthelier. They were summoned by the public
herald, but refused to appear. On the day appointed for the trial five of the
fugitives were condemned to death; Perrin, moreover, to have his right