Although the letter was not in every respect to my mind, for I was
afraid that its undue harshness might hurt so delicate a stomach,
I took care to have it forwarded, but in such a way that he should
not know that I had seen it.[73] For this person conveyed it to
his house as if it had been intrusted by you to himself. Should
he thunder after his peculiar fashion, his bolts will die away in
mere clatter. I not only appear before him, but almost obtrude
myself upon him; only, I observe a mean, that I may keep in mind
the place I hold; nor is this done on my own account, but because
the man, being accustomed to adulation, would abuse my modesty,
to the derision of Christ. I therefore despair of him, unless God
apply a remedy. His wife is an unnatural fury. The widow N. is
so shamelessly wanton, that you would say she is quite youthful.
Then, having an evil conscience, she is excited by every word that
is spoken before the congregation, and discharges upon us at home
the venom she harbours. She has manifested towards you, however,
marvellous good-will; for she took to her house your two nephews,
when they were dangerously ill, and treats them as her own sons.
This kind office deserves a liberal meed of thanks, which you will
not omit to convey to her, whenever a messenger shall present
himself. She is so opposed to all of us, that I believe Cæsar[74]
himself is not more of an enemy; and yet, I confess I do not know
what cause is to be assigned for this, unless that she shamelessly
undertakes the defence of all her crimes.
[73] At the request of Calvin, Farel had written a letter to Amy
Perrin, in order to calm his resentment, and lead him back to the
good path. The message of Farel, like that of Calvin himself, was
without effect, and the quarrel between the Reformer and his old
friend, now his adversary, became daily more confirmed and violent.
[74] A term frequently employed by Calvin to designate Perrin, with
the adjunct of a derisive epithet,--_Cæsar our comedian_.
I am now going to give you a humorous story. The wife of Froment[75]
lately came to this place. She declaimed through all the shops, and
at almost all the cross-roads, against long garments. When she knew
that I was aware of it, she excused herself by alleging that she
had said with a smile, that we were either unbecomingly clothed,
to the great detriment of the Church, or that you taught what was
erroneous, when you said that false prophets could be distinguished
by their long vestments. When I was rebutting so stale a calumny,
she began to ascribe even to the Holy Spirit what she had directed
against us. What is the meaning, said she, of that passage of the
Gospel, "They will come to you in long garments?" I replied, that I
did not know where that sentence was to be found, unless, perhaps,
it might occur in the gospel of the Manichæans; for the passage of
Luke xx. 45, is as follows: "Beware of the Scribes, who desire to
walk in long robes," but not, "They will come to you," &c., which
she had interpolated from Matthew vii. [15.] Feeling that she was
closely pressed, she complained of our tyranny, because there was
not a general license of prating about everything. I dealt with the
woman as I should have done. She immediately proceeded to the widow
of Michael, who gave her a hospitable reception, sharing with her
not only her table, but her bed, because she maligned the ministers.
I leave these wounds untouched, because they appear to me incurable
until the Lord apply his hand. We are to celebrate the Supper on
the next Lord's-day. You may thus form a judgment of the straits by
which I am encompassed. Would that it could be celebrated without
me, even on condition that I should creep to you on my hands! I
wish that the verse of Terence would occur to your brothers, "To
lose in time is to make gain." I have admonished them, but they do
not make the haste I wished. They may bear, however, for a short
time the delay that has taken place, although it is disagreeable to
us.--Adieu, brother and most sincere friend. Salute respectfully, in
my name, all the brethren, your family, and the godly citizens. May
the Lord preserve you, and always direct you by his Spirit! Amen.
[_Calvin's Lat. Corresp._--Opera, vol. ix. p. 38.]
[75] See note 1, vol. i. p. 343. It appears, from this passage,
that Froment was not at that time settled in Geneva. He was called
thither a short time afterwards to assist Francis Bonivard in
digesting the Chronicles of the city.