Protestantism in France From Death of Henry IV to the Revolution - James Aitken Wylie

France. There seemed no alternative, and on
October 28th, 1628, La Rochelle surrendered at
discretion. So fell the Huguenots as a political
power in France. The chief obstacle in the path of
Richelieu was now out of his way. The despotism
which he strove to rear went on growing apace.
The throne became stronger every year, gradually
drawing to itself all rights, and stretching its
absolute sway over all classes, the nobles as well as
the peasants, till at last Louis XIV could say, "The
State, it is I." And so continued matters till the
Revolution of 1789 came to cast down this
overgrown autocracy.
But one is curious to know how it came to pass
that the great body of the Protestants in the south of
France looked quietly on, while their brethren and
their own political rights were so perilously
endangered in the fall of La Rochelle. While the
siege was in progress, the Duke of Rohan, the last
great military chief of the Protestants, traversed the
whole of the Cevennes, where the Huguenots were
numerous, appealing to their patriotism, to the
memory of their fathers, to their own political and
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