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On the 19th of December the Parlement orders the Bishop to be examined by Verjus and Menager on a certain book, "Contenant les Evangiles en françois, et s'il a fait faire les exhortations et annotations apposées au dit livre."

On the 29th December the Court of Parlement issues a kind of Mandamus to certain officials to proceed with diligence in certain cases, and especially to seek discovery of the authorship of certain songs, and to the Bishop to assist them in this last duty. (See T. du Plessis, Tome II, 280 to 284, for these proceedings.)

NOTE 19:

(Marginal) "Briçonetus ab Euangelio deficit":-These notes are not intended for the discussion of theological doctrine; but it is necessary here to remark that the Bishop's private opinions have been severally claimed by historians of opposite parties, on behalf of their own different ways of thinking. A fair explanation of his action seems to be, that the Bishop was all along most keenly alive to the Church's impaired discipline; and, observing some decay of old doctrine, hoped a great rejuvenescence from those ancient wells called the Gospels; and that he at first hardly appreciated the various doctrinal effects of such study, while devoting himself both to the instruction of the people from these important books, and to disciplinary reform. Perhaps the firmness of his resolution, or of his views, did not equal the fervour of his zeal.

Certain quotations, used by Baird to show inconsistency in the Bishop's expressions concerning the clergy, will hardly support that charge. His consistent policy at Meaux was to instil into the negligent parish priests his own view of their high instructional responsibility. He himself, a distinguished ecclesiastic, doubtless felt a keen esprit de corps, and heartily condemned its general degradation by the clergy, [Cf: however, Baird, Vol I, 80, 81]. He was, in this respect, singularly like the English Dean Colet.

Toussaints du Plessis, who insists on the Catholicity of the Bishop's views, notes his Synod of 1523, when the Bishop expressed himself strongly against the opinions of Luther, and supported the doctrine of Purgatory, and the invocation of saints, [Compare note 12]. Similar views were vigorously repeated by him in several pulpits, at his visitation in 1524. (T. d. Pl., Tome I, 328, 329; Cf: also Bretonneau p. 198). If the careful Benedictine be here correct, then the inclination of Baird to assign a later date for Briçonnet's "pusillanimous

defection" can hardly succeed. (Cf: Rise of the Huguenots, 1880, Vol. I, p. 81). I do not know what was the heresy of the "notorious" shoemaker, excommunicated by Briçonnet in 1525. [Cf: Note 21, hereafter.]

The boldness, or desperation, of the dissidents at Meaux, who about this time tore down the Pope's bull of indulgence (ordering a fast and participation in the Sacrament) from the Cathedral door, and replaced it by a proclamation that the Pope was Antichrist, very probably caused the Bishop equal distress and indignation. His public censure of this act was slighted by a fresh offence. This time were destroyed, with some sharp instrument, certain forms of prayer attached to the Cathedral walls, or to small wooden tablets, for the use of worshippers. Toussaints du Plessis professes to see here a presage of the later religious war, and charges the perpetrators with meditating some carnage of the Catholics. He gives, however, not the slightest further evidence in support of this theory; which his great assiduity in matters of fact and of detail, together with his fidelity, would certainly have placed on record, had there been any. Perhaps he bases his surmise on the fact, that the Pope's Bull, above named, was to obtain, from God, Peace among Christian Princes. But the event itself must have been bitterly painful to a pastor like Briçonnet. [Compare also the Introduction above.]

We ought not surely to hold the Bishop personally responsible for the punishments of flogging, branding, and banishment, inflicted by the Parlement in the case of the proclamation against the Pope; nor for the ultimate result of the process against a certain Pauvant for heresy, wherein Briçonnet had (March 1525) appointed by order of the Parlement, two theological Commissioners. (See notes 20, 21.) But, painful as were some proceedings with which even he may have been officially connected, we must, in the light of all these events, and with the deepest regard for Crespin's important and practically contemporaneous opinion, yet hesitate to endorse the bald charge of " defection."

The Protestant historian, D'Aubigné, though he attributes to Briçonnet a mystic quietism, seems in another place to claim for Protestantism that Bishop's doctrinal convictions; and even deplores that he did not die in the contest. [Compare D'Aub. Hist. Reformation. Translation, Vol. III, pp. 372, 459.] But cannot we rejoice, rather, that this active Bishop, so zealous a reformer of manners and of discipline, did not perish in the intestine wars of dogma? D'Aubigné suggests further

(Vol. III of Translation, p. 454) that both Briçonnet and Le Fèvre were themselves official iconociasts, though he is constrained to somewhat discount in a footnote the value of the authority he uses.

Here is the translation of a short passage from Carro's judicious" Histoire de Meaux," where he says in reference to Briçonnet and other persons affected by the famous legal proceedings which marked the end of the year 1525:"However he was successful or fortunate in sustaining the "test of examination. Nor does it appear that any very "disastrous consequences to the prisoners resulted from the "proceedings, which had connected their case with his. The King, and indeed the Queen Regent, had intervened in "favour of Fabri, Caroli, and Gérard; but the majority of the "defendants left the diocese; and Mazurier, among others, "after being admitted into the diocese of Paris, distinguished "himself in the sequel by preaching violently against the "Lutherans." (Carro. Hist. d. Meaux, p. 195).

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Iacobus Pauaneus:--Jaques Pavanes, or Pavannes; Jacques Pauvant. The passage referred to relates that Jaques Pavanes of the Boulogne district on the English Channel, was one of the pious and learned men encouraged by Bishop Briçonnet of Meaux, and was imprisoned in 1524. (Compare Note 19). Baird indicates among the declared opinions of Pauvant: the denial of purgatory, the assertion that God had no vicar, repudiation of excessive reliance on doctors of the Church, rejection of the customary salutation" Hail Queen, Mother of Mercy!". He is said to have denied the propriety of offering candles to the saints, and to have maintained that baptism was only a sign, holy water nothing, papal bulls and indulgences an imposture of the devil, the Mass of no avail for remission of sins but unprofitable to the hearer, and that the Word of God was all sufficient. [Baird, Vol. I, pp. 89, 90.] In prison he was visited by various disputants. Among others, Doctor Martial endeavoured to change his views (Cf. Note 12), and said Thou art wrong, Jacques, in thinking only of the waves on "the surface of the sea, while neglecting its depths." And it is related that this phrase, "Thou art wrong, Jacques", ("erras Jacobe") became proverbial in Meaux. [Cf: Actiones et Monimenta Martyrum, (1560), leaf 52, verso.]

Pavanes was persuaded to adopt the amende honorable (emendationem honorariam); but the memory of that conces

sion caused him acute distress, and he afterwards consistently professed his principles, welcoming the sentence of death, which he now regarded as the restoration of his honour. was burned alive at Paris, showing the greatest readiness and the greatest firmness. A note to the Toulouse Edition (1885) of the Histoire des Martyrs, says in reference to Jaques Pavane's death in 1525-"Ces dates ne sont pas exactes." Baird, in his " Rise of the Huguenots" (p. 91, footnote 4) gives some reasons for assigning 1526. The Histoire Ecclésiastique (Edition 1883, Vol. I, p. 14,) gives 1525 as the date, and, in a footnote, refers to the Histoire des Martyrs. [See further, Hist: d: Meaux, Carro, p. 193. Compare also Note 21, hereafter.]

NOTE 21:

PUNISHMENTS AND PROSECUTIONS EITHER AT MEAUX OR UPON MELDENSES FOR ALLEGED HERESY AND THE LIKE:—Jean LeClerc, a wool-comber or carder, elder brother of that Pierre LeClerc who suffered in 1546 at Meaux, had been punished by the Parlement for a placard posted in 1523 on the Cathedral door at that town, denouncing the Pope as Antichrist (compare note 19.) His mother who was present at his punishment of flogging and branding, cried out "Vive Jésus Christ et ses enseignes." Afterwards, while living as a carder at Metz (not then a part of French territory,) where Chatelaine and he actively propagated their views, he one night left the town for a small place in the neighbourhood, whither a solemn procession should come the next day. He there destroyed the images. When charged with this, he confessed it, and announced that Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, should alone be adored. After suffering extreme and brutal tortures, during which he sang from the CXVth Psalm "Leurs idoles sont or et argent ouurage de main d'homme, &c.," he was at last burnt to death. This Jean LeClerc has been called by some Protestant historians the first Martyr of the Gospel in France, who thus imply that he suffered death before Pauvant above mentioned (Note 20.) The year was 1524 or 1525. [Compare Crespin, Actiones et M. Martyrum, 1560, p. 46, who gives one of the dates in LeClerc's case as MDXIII doubtless intending MDXXIII: Histoire Eccl. d. Égl Réf., Edition 1883, Tome I, p. 14; Histoire des Martyrs, Edition 1885, 494; Toussaints du Plessis, Tome I, 330: D'Aubigné (translation) Vol. III, 389, 390, etc., 401, etc.; Baird Vol. I, pp. 87-89; Also the Introduction above, p. 19, footnote.]

Bishop Briçonnet of Meaux was, by decree of the Parlement in 1525, ordered to appoint to Vicariat four specified commissioners in the cases of Saulnier and the above named Pauvant (Note 20). [Compare Toussaints du Plessis, Tome I, 330; II, 227.]

In 1525, Briçonnet excommunicated one Antoine Sextetelle "notoirement diffamé pour crime d'heresie"; also those who should give him asylum. [Cf. Toussaints du Plessis, Tome I, p. 332.] In the same year took place the notable proceedings against Briçonnet himself, and others. The names of the persons to be actually apprehended under the order of the Parlement, dated 3rd October, 1525, (see note 18, above), were "Honoré Gambier, Ponce Duchesne, la femme de Pierre "Bodart, Catherine de la Tour, un nommé Quentin, un autre "nommé Fontenay Cardeur, Antoinette Sextetele, & un "nommé Jean Joueur de Rebets, demeurant en la ditte Ville de Meaux, & Jean Barbier, fils du Maistre de l'Hospital "Jean Rose au dit Meaux;" besides the three that the Judges delegate were commissioned to apprehend. It seems probable that some, if not all, of these, (being included in this particular order), were subjected to a charge of heresy. [See Toussaints du Plessis, Tome I, 332, 333; Tome II, 280, 281.] As to these proceedings of 1525 against Briçonnet, Lefèvre, and others, see above, Notes 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 18, 19.

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The "Journal d'un Bourgeois de Paris sous le règne de François Premier," published by Lalanne in 1854, gives an account on page 276, of a decree of the Parlement against the books of Luther, Feb. 5th, 1526, and recounts also the penalty of "amende honorable" which a young man of Meaux underwent at Paris on Christmas Eve, 1526, for following the sect of Luther. Part of his punishment was to declare false and damnable, and to see burnt before him, certain books, which he had translated from Latin into French. A term of imprisonment followed. His name in the printed text is left blank. It was possibly Jaques Pavannes. One unnamed, [who might possibly be he,] was, according to the "Journal," burnt at Paris, August 28, 1526. [See ibid. pp. 276, 277, 291, 292: also Baird, Vol. I, p. 91, footnote 4; compare note 20, above.]

On the 14th of April, 1526, as we are told by the same authority [page 284], a fuller of woollen cloth, resident at Meaux, also performed the "amende honorable." first at Paris, and then at Meaux. The "Journal" states that, narrowly escaping death by fire, this person, also unnamed, was cast into the Bishop's prison at Meaux to live there on bread and

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