From Rise of Protestantism in France to Publication of the Institutes - James Aitken Wylie

e longer desecrated by such buffooneries. He
visited in person, like a faithful bishop, all his
parishes; summoned the clergy and parishioners
before him: inquired into the teaching of the one
and the morals of the other: removed ignorant
cures, that is, every nine out of ten of the clergy,
and replaced them with men able to teach, when
such could be found, which was then no easy
matter. To remedy the great evil of the time, which
was ignorance, he instituted a theological seminary
at Meaux, where, under his own eye, there might
be trained "able ministers of the New Testament;"
and meanwhile he did what he could to supply the
lack of laborers, by ascending the pulpit and
preaching himself, "a thing which had long since
gone quite out of fashion."[11]
Leaving Meaux now, to come back to it soon,
we return to Paris. The influence of Briconnet's
conversion was felt among the high personages of
the court, and the literary circles of the capital, as
well as amidst the artizans and peasants of the
diocese of Meaux. The door of the palace stood
open to the bishop, and the friendship he enjoyed
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