[_Fr._--Printed in _Histoire des Martyrs_, lib. iv. p. 244.]
CCCXXIV.--TO HIS DEARLY BELOVED, THE PASTORS OF THE CHURCH OF
FRANKFORT.[442]
[442] The rigour of the judges of Servetus could not fail to extend
to the book which served as the basis of the judicial prosecution
directed against his person. From the confession of the accused,
there had been printed a thousand copies of the _Christianismi
Restitutio_, of which a certain number were deposited at Frankfort.
Calvin did not forget the latter portion of this acknowledgment,
confirmed besides by a letter from the printer at Vienne, but wrote
immediately to the Church of Frankfort, desiring the sequestration
and destruction of this dangerous deposit. A clerk of the celebrated
printer, Robert Stephens, then resident at Geneva, was charged with
this mission, which he accomplished with so very great success,
that there are only _three_ copies of the original edition to be
found at the present day; one in the Imperial Library of Paris,
another in that of Vienna in Austria, and a third in a private
collection.--Rilliet, _Relation du Procès de Servet_, p. 9.
Request for the destruction of the copies at Frankfort of the
book of Servetus.
GENEVA, _August 27, 1553_.
Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus
Christ, more peculiarly set apart, and my worshipful brethren.
You have doubtless heard of the name of Servetus, a Spaniard, who
twenty years ago corrupted your Germany with a virulent publication,
filled with many pernicious errors. This worthless fellow, after
being driven out of Germany, and having concealed himself in France
under a fictitious name, lately patched up a larger volume, partly
from his former book, and partly from new figments which he had
invented. This book he printed secretly at Vienne, a town in the
neighbourhood of Lyons. Many copies of it had been conveyed to
Frankfort for the Easter fairs: the printer's agent, however, a
pious and worthy man, on being informed that it contained nothing
but a farrago of errors, suppressed whatever he had of it. It
would take long to relate with how many errors--yea, prodigious
blasphemies against God--the book abounds. Figure to yourselves a
rhapsody patched up from the impious ravings of all ages. There
is no sort of impiety which this monster has not raked up, as if
from the infernal regions. I had rather you should pass sentence
on it from reading the book itself. You will certainly find on
almost every single page, what will inspire you with horror. The
author himself is held in prison by our magistrates, and he will be
punished ere long, I hope; but it is your duty to see to it that
this pestiferous poison does not spread farther. The messenger
will inform you respecting the number and the repository of the
books. The bookseller, if I mistake not, will permit them to be
burnt. Should anything stand in the way, however, I trust that you
will act so judiciously, as to purge the world of such noxious
corruptions. Besides, your way will be clear,--because if the matter
be submitted to your judgment, there will be no necessity for asking
the magistrate to interfere. And while I am so persuaded of your
integrity that I believe it would be sufficient to inform you of it;
yet the magnitude of the affair demands that I should beseech you,
by Christ, faithfully to strive to discharge your duty, lest the
opportunity should slip from you.
Fare ye well, most honoured sirs, and very dear brethren. May the
Lord guide you by his Spirit, shield you by his protection, and
bless your labours.