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

citizen. The chancellor, unhappily, was not able to
persuade the Assembly to adopt his wise principle;
but though it did not go all lengths with L'Hopital,
it took a step on the road to toleration. It passed an
edict, commonly known as the "Edict of January,"
"by which was granted to the Huguenots," says
Davila, "a free exercise of their religion, and the
right to assemble at sermons, but unarmed, outside
of the cities in open places, the officers of the place
being present and assistant."[3] Till this edict was
granted the Protestants could build no church
within the walls of a city, nor meet for worship in
even the open country. Doubtless they sometimes
appropriated a deserted Popish chapel, or gathered
in the fields in hundreds and thousands to hear
sermons, but they could plead no statute for this: it
was their numbers solely that made them adventure
on what the law did not allow. Now, however, they
could worship in public under legal sanction.
But even this small scrap of liberty was
bestowed with the worst grace, and was lettered by
qualifications and restrictions which were fitted,
perhaps intended, to annul the privilege it
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