Hello Fellows and Fellowettes, Some time ago I was reading an article by A.A. Tilley, nice man who at the time was a Fellow of Kings College. Prior to that I have always had an interest in the Estates General, which eventually would become the National Assembley. I hope that some of our subscribers have also had the good fortune to be able to peruse some of the archived material of the Estates General with a particular interest of their doings during the Huguenot times. Now we all have some knowledge of the trials and tribulations of our own ancestors and so I would say that is our main interest. Being interested in the historical aspect of those times can actually shed some light on our own interests. The archives and works by such people as Tilley and others has raised some questions for me concerning just what the Reformation was about and just who may have been behind much of it. Now I imagine some subscribers will immediately jump up and say that the Reformation was all about Religion and suppression and denial of mans rights to practice their religious faith and that was it. Well, I would like to suggest that this ferver for religious reform was not actually what the years of war and suppression were all about in total. We have debated previously just who may have begun much of the reform movement and there have been thousands of words to support this debate. And that is the fun of historical research. It can change at any given moment upon the discovery of as yet unread, original texts. Many of us will feel comfortable with Erasmus' "Praise of Folly" or Brants' "Ship of Fools". Both works became enormously popular with those who were able to read. Contained in these works are some fascinating thought processes, some of which are simply wishful thinking while other sections are the stuff of truth. The beginnings are a blur of names, however, it would not be a stretch to say that when Louis XII met with Pope Julius II things really did get underway. Louis who was always influenced by current opinion, allowed a play to be performed which lay ridicule on the Pope. The Pope was not amused. Louis was also quite interested in the wealth, power and influence of some very worldly Bishops. These, as some refer to them as, immoral Bishops and noble families, really did fancy their own chances at ultimate power. Now Louis had met with a small financial problem in raising the ransom required for his sons. His aides approached these worldly clergy of the Assembley of Notables who convened and within moments 1.3 million livres is donated directly into the Kings bank account. Seperation of church and state, not likely ? Why would I suggest something scandalous going on in this transaction ? Well, it seems that these caring and sharing Caholic clergy made a small proviso. Louis was to take care of the small matter of putting down the Lutheran unrest. And so began the trials of heresy. Guilty, burned at the stake. Life as a defense avocat was rather hellish during this period. In 1533 the new King, Francis I meets with Pope Clement. The new King had up til now been mellow toward the Lutherans but following the meeting it was back to the heresy trials and stake burning. The year is 1534 and by Christmas some 300 to 400 Lutherans are banged up in prison. and Paris by Light had a very different meaning in that year. Many of our ancestors being burned at the stake, often provided the "Light". Not a welcome sight for the unwary tourist on their first visit to Paris. Enter one Jean Cauvin, newly arrived back to France from Geneva. His discourse is read by Nicolas Cop, the newly appointed head of Theology at the Sorbonne. 50 Lutherans are dead or imprisoned within a week of the reading after the King announces that he be rid of this accursed heretic Lutheran sect. Lets skip a few pages of information for now and get to the basis of my proposal. The story of those charming people from the Guise and Montmorency family is a sordid tale of greed, influence, politics and wealth. Many things aoccur and many die on both sides with Edicts being issued almost monthly. The Edict of Nantes was really only one of many, some would have far more effect on the Huguenots than that one. So lets jump to Charles IX or more importantly his Regent Navarre. Things turned for the better by 1561 as the two main characters were rather partial to the Lutheran, or by now the Huguenot, ideals and requests for religious tolerance. The Edict of July 31, 1562 actually had a part concerning the stoppage of prosecutions for relgion and no longer to cause a disturbance. The meeting of Estates General of August 1562 is where I am really heading, as I believe that it indicates that not all of this was about religious freedom. In short, the Estates General looked at three proposals, one of which was the nationalization of church property. As France was heavily in debt such a deal would have been good for the country. The consternation of the well healed Catholic Bishops and their supporters, the delightful Guise family, can only be imagined. A quick meeting behind closed doors, a deal is struck, the state recieves, via the King, 16 million livres to be paid over the next 10 years. The proposal was quashed. Sunday in Paris became synonymous for protest and death, while Huguenot massacres became prevalent throughout France. There are no know records of all those who fled, as there are no known records of all those who died on French soil during those years. And for what purpose ? Was it the political ideals of those who were not French ? Was it for the voices of some evangelists who thought they were above all others in religious faith ? Or was it simply about money and control of emerging business and power over both church and state ? Unfortunately seperation of church and state would not happen easily and so power and wealth would influence religious thought in France for many centuries to come. This is an abridged version of a paper being written for our family project. Much has been omitted, but perhaps it will enlightend some of us as to what was actually happening or indeed it may offer a different thought as to just what the Huguenot years were all about in France. Kind Regards, Peter Leroy