Search for a house for that gentleman in Geneva--Various
details--Mention of Charles V. and Francis I.
FROM GENEVA, _this 25th February 1547_.
MONSEIGNEUR,--Having received your letter by the Sieur de la
Rivière, I feared that the other, of which you made mention, must
have been lost. It has since been brought to me. In reply, I thank
God for having increased your joy and contentment. I have written
briefly a joint letter to the three companions, to congratulate them
on their welfare. I know not whether God will one day so bless us,
that they shall have no more need of my letters. If not, I shall
another time be a little more liberal on paper.
As for yourself, in obedience to the commission which you gave
me, I have looked about since my return for a convenient lodging.
As for that of Clébergue,[106] you would be too far away from the
neighbours you desire;[107] although I have long had a wish for it
myself, for the sake of retirement, when I seek to have leisure:
And they promised to let me have an answer; but none has come. If I
had it at my disposal as they had given me to hope, you know that
it would be very much at your service. Near us, I have not been
able to find one having a garden, which would be more suitable for
you than the one which I have taken. Not that I am quite content
with the lodging, but I took it for want of a better. You will have
in front a small garden, and a tolerably spacious court. Behind
there is another garden. A great saloon, with as beautiful a view
as you could well desire for the summer. The other rooms have not
so pleasant an aspect as I would like. But when you have arrived,
possibly we may devise some satisfactory arrangement. With the
exception of the saloon, one might find houses better furnished and
more conveniently laid out; but there would have been no garden, and
I see that is a feature which you desire above all. However that may
be, it is hired for twelve crowns. When you see it, if you say that
this is too much, I shall have my excuse ready, that I am not such
a manager as to be very sparing of my purse, any more than of that
of others. I have hurried on the bargain solely on account of the
garden. If time hangs heavy with you where you are, it appears to
me the season will be as suitable in a month as at a later period,
provided that the weather be as favourable as it usually is at that
time. As for escort, although my brother is not here at this moment,
I can safely venture to undertake for him that he will willingly
serve you; and he has gone that road so often, that he ought to know
it well. Moreover, he has already had to do with the boatmen: and
I believe you will recollect my advice, that you should come part
of the way by water, to refresh you. Awaiting your full resolve, we
shall sow without making any stir about it, and prune the vines.
[106] The present _Quai des Bergues_.
[107] Calvin at that time inhabited the house of the Sieur de
Fréneville, situated in the _Rue des Chanoines_, near St. Peter's
Church, and corresponding to the house in the same street which is
now No. 122.--See the _Mémoires de la Société d'Histoire de Genève_,
vol. ix. p. 391.
As for your causes of complaint, I beseech you, Monseigneur,
to overlook many things, to avoid that vexation which does not
alleviate the ill, and cannot mend it; above all, to please to bear
with what may have been done from inconsiderate zeal, for that is a
fault which happens with the best. But I believe the matter has been
already settled in some way or other. I hope the consequences have
been modified by your prudence.
With regard to Sieur de Paré,[108] if peradventure he should come
straight to you without passing this way, and that besides he makes
fresh overtures in regard to the proposal, you have there Monsieur
D'Albiac, who, being very intimate with him, will be able to inform
you of everything better than Maldonado can have done. And it will
be right to make diligent inquiry; for I would fear that by the
follies of his youth he may have had some disease, such as many
persons have now-a-days. I openly avow to you my fear, choosing to
exceed in that respect, rather than to conceal anything until it
be too late. You will ask me wherefore then I have put off so much
time already. But my conjectures on this point have arisen since. It
would indeed have been the shortest way to communicate by word of
mouth, if I had conceived in my mind all that I do now. I set the
matter before you, that you may think of it. For I would not have
that reproach,--I mean not only in the sight of the world, but also
before God,--that the girl should have been in any way wronged by
my concealment. I am aware, that by reason of its being a malady so
common and prevalent, many make scarcely any difficulty about it.
But I suspect that you, like myself, will have your scruples.
[108] He sought in marriage a relation of M. de Falais.
To make an end, Monsieur, after having humbly commended me to your
kind favour, and that of Madame, I entreat our good Lord to have you
in his keeping, which is the one thing needful of our whole life, as
well for this present time as that which is to come; I mean that he
may always make you to feel as he does now, that you are under his
guidance. All those who do not write, humbly commend them to your
good graces, and to those of Madame.
Your servant and humble brother,
JOHN CALVIN.
* * * * *
Monsieur, he who will present you this letter, is the ambassador
from this town. There are two who proceed to your quarter, I know
not wherefore, that is to say, on account of their private affairs,
which they have to settle together. I have thought it well to inform
you of this, for no other reason, save that I presume you would
have been sorry not to have been told of it. For if your affairs
admit of your deciding to come, you may avail yourself of this means
of communication; not that there is need of great ceremony, as we
have already spoken of it, but only in order that they may not
fancy themselves slighted, especially if you should come hither. I
speak the language of the country. If there are any good tidings,
I hope that they will bring them to us. But there is need for God
humbling us, from whichever side it may come. I hope, however, that
our Antiochus,[109] who presses us at present, will be so hard
pressed, that he shall be regardless of the gout in his hands and in
his feet; for he will have it over his whole body. As regards his
companion, Sardanapalus,[110] may God have a like care of him! for
they are both well worthy to have the same measure meted to them.
[_Fr. orig. autogr._--_Library of Geneva._ Vol. 194.]
[109] The Emperor Charles the Fifth,--conqueror, without a combat,
of the army of the confederate princes: thanks to the treason of
Maurice of Saxony, this prince, although suffering severely from
the gout, was at this very time receiving the submission of the
confederate towns of Suabia and of the Palatinate, from which he
exacted enormous penalties.
[110] The King, Francis I. He died the following month, the 31st
March 1547.