Protestantism in France From Death of Francis I to Edict of Nantes - James Aitken Wylie

embroidered and jeweled attire can compensate for
the absence of a great moral end.
The king rose and said a few words. Much
could not be looked for from a lad of only ten
years. The chancellor, Michel de 'Hopital, followed
in a long speech, abounding in the most liberal and
noble sentiments; and had the members of the
assembly opened their ears to these wise counsels,
they would have guided its deliberations to a
worthy issue, and made the future of France a
happy and glorious one. "Let us not pre-judge the
cause we are met to discuss," said in effect the
chancellor, "let us receive these men as brethren--
they are Christians as well as ourselves; let us not
waste time in subtleties, but with all humility
proceed to the Reformation of the doctrine of the
Church, taking the Bible as the arbiter of all our
differences." L'Hopital aimed at striking the keynote
of the discussions; but so little were his words
in harmony with the sentiments of those to whom
they were addressed, that the speech very nearly
broke up the conference before it had well begun.
It called for Reform according to the Bible. "The
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