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

424
hand cut off, with which he had seized the bâton of the Syndic at the riot.
The sentence was executed in effigy in June, 1555. f763
Their estates were confiscated, and their wives banished from Geneva. The
office of captain-general was again abolished to avoid the danger of a
military dictatorship.
But the government of Bern protected the fugitives, and allowed them to
commit outrages on Genevese citizens within their reach, and to attack
Calvin and Geneva with all sorts of reproaches and calumnies.
Thus the “comic Caesar” ended as the “tragic Caesar.” An impartial
biographer of Calvin calls the last chapter in Perrin’s career “a caricature of
the Catilinarian conspiracy.” f764
3. The case of PIERRE AMEAUX shows a close connection between the
political and religious Libertines. He was a member of the Council of Two
Hundred. He sought and obtained a divorce from his wife, who was
condemned to perpetual imprisonment for the theory and practice of freelovism
of the worst kind. But he hated Calvin’s theology and discipline. At
a supper party in his own house he freely indulged in drink, and roundly
abused Calvin as a teacher of false doctrine, as a very bad man, and nothing
but a Picard. f765
For this offence he was imprisoned by the Council for two months and
condemned to a fine of sixty dollars. He made an apology and retracted his
words. But Calvin was not satisfied, and demanded a second trial. The
Council condemned him to a degrading punishment called the amende
honorable, namely, to parade through the streets in his shirt, with bare
head, and a lighted torch in his hand, and to ask on bended knees the
pardon of God, of the Council, and of Calvin. This harsh judgment
provoked a popular outbreak in the quarter of St. Gervais, but the Council
proceeded in a body to the spot and ordered the wine-shops to be closed
and a gibbet to be erected to frighten the mob. The sentence on Ameaux
was executed April 5, 1546. Two preachers, Henri de la Mare and Aimé
Maigret, who had taken part in the drinking scene, were deposed. The
former had said before the Council that Calvin was, a good and virtuous
man, and of great intellect, but sometimes governed by his passions,
impatient, full of hatred, and vindictive.” The latter had committed more
serious offences. f766