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The Camisard Uprising of the French Protestants

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 September 2009

Henry Martyn Baird
Affiliation:
University of the City of New York.

Extract

The movement known as the War of the Camisards is an episode of the history of Protestantism in France which, though rarely studied in detail and perhaps but partially understood, was not devoid of significance.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © American Society for Church History 1890

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References

page 13 note 1 On the Camisard uprising see Louvreleuil, , “Le Fanatisme renouvellé, ou Histoire des Sacrileges, des incendies … que les Calvinistes revoltez ont commis dans les Sevenes” (Avignon, 1704, 3 vols.)Google Scholar. Concluded in a fourth volume under the title “L'Obstination confondue” (Avignon, 1706)Google Scholar. Brueys, , “Histoire du Fanatisme de notre terns” (3d edition, Utrecht, 1737, 3 vols.)Google Scholar. Cavalier, , “Memoirs of the Wars of the Cevennes” (2d edition, London, 1727)Google Scholar. Though ostensibly written by Cavalier himself, the true author is said to be Pierre Henri Galli, who gives the results of conversations with the Camisard chief, but with such frequent errors as to diminish greatly the value of the narrative. The anonymous “Histoire des Camisards” (London, 1754)Google Scholar is inaccurate and rarely deserving of confidence. The pastoral letters of Bishop Fléchier in the 5th volume of his “Œuvres complètes” (Paris, 1828)Google Scholar, and his correspondence in the 10th volume are of great interest. Antoine Court, “Histoire des troubles des Cévennes ou de la guerre des Camisards, sous le règne de Louis XIV.” (Villefranche, 1760, and Alais, 1819, 3 vols.). By far the most faithful and complete history of the entire war. Although Court was a child at the time of the events described, and is compelled to make use of the narratives of Louvreleuil, Brueys, etc., he had great familiarity with the region of the Cévennes, where he labored as a minister from 1715 onwards. He knew every locality where engagements took place, and held many conversations with surviving eye-witnesses. He is thus able to correct the accounts of his predecessors, and his work is in many parts an original source of information. Both his intelligence and his honesty are unimpeachable. Some of the manuscripts to which he had access have recently been published. This is the case with the valuable “Histoire de la révolte des fanatiques,” by De la Baume, a judge in the presidial court of Nismes (Nismes, 1874). Prof. G. Frosterus, of the University of Helsinfors, Finland, has published the “Mémoires de Rossel d'Aigaliers” (1702–1705) in the “Bibliothèque et revue suisses” (Lausanne, 1866), and a part of the “Mémoires de Bonbonnoux” in his book “Les Insurgés Protestants sous Louis XIV.” (Paris, 1868). The latter memoirs have since been printed entire, in a handsome but limited edition, by Vielles, Pastor (Anduze, 1883)Google Scholar. The narrative of Tobie Rocayrol of his visit to the “Camp of the Children of God,” in May, 1704, is published from the hitherto inedited MS. in the Bulletin de la Société de l'hisloire du Protestantisme Français, tome xvi. (1867), 274, etc. The same invaluable periodical has printed the brief “Mémoires de Pierre Pons” (1702–1704), in tomexxxii. (1883), 218–230; an article by L. Anguez based upon inedited letters of Abbé G. Bégault, and many other articles of importance. Haag, , “La France Protestante” (2d edition, Paris, 1877-,)Google Scholar, sqq. contains biographies of the Camisard chiefs. The “Mémoires du Marquis de Guiscard” (known also as the Abbé de la Bourlie) are republished in Cimber, et Danjou, , “Archives curieuses,” secondesérie, tome xi., 195287Google Scholar. The “Mémoires du maréchal de Berwick,” and the “Mémoires du maréchal de Villars,” in Michaud, et Poujoulat, , “Nouvelle collection des memoires pour servir a l'histoire de France,” troisième série, tomes viii., ixGoogle Scholar. Alby, Ernest, “Les Camisards” (Paris, s. a.)Google Scholar, and Bonnemère, Eugène, “Histoire des Camisards” (4th ed., Paris, 1882)Google Scholar, are popular accounts of considerable merit. The most serviceable map of the Cévennes is that subjoined to Antoine Court's history. The admirable maps of the French War Department leave nothing to be desired in respect to detail.

page 14 note 1 “Ceux qui ne veulent pas souffrir que le prince use de rigueur en matière de religion, parce que la religion doit être libre, sont dans une erreur impie. Autrement, il faudroit souffrir dans tous les sujets et dans tout l'État, l'idolatrie, le mahometanisme, le judaïsme, toute fausse religion: le blasphème, l'athéisme même, et les plus grands crimes seroient impunis.”—Bossuet, “Politique tirée des propres paroles de l'Écriture Sainte,” liv. vii., art. ii., xe proposition: “On peut employer la rigueur contre les observateurs des fausses religions; mais la douceur est préférable.”

page 15 note 1 “Nous protestons sur tout contre cette impie et détestable pratique qu'on tient à présent en France de faire dépendre la religion de la volonte d'un roy mortel et corruptible, et de traiter la perséverance en la foy de rebellion et crime d'état, ce qui est faire d'un homme un Dieu, et autoriser l'athéisme ou l'idolatrie.”—Claude, “Les Plaintesdes Protestans cruellement opprimez dans le royaume de France,” p. 191.

page 18 note 1 Rècit fidèle de ce pui s'est passé dans les assemblées de fanatiques du Vivarais, avec l'histoire de leurs prophètes et prophétesses, au commencement de l'année 1689. À M. le due de Montausier, “Œuvres complètes de Fléchier,” ix., 464.

page 18 note 2 Anthony, Earl of Shaftesbury, in his “Letter concerning Enthusiasm to my Lord Summers,” “Characteristics,” i., 2628.Google Scholar

page 18 note 3 “Works of Benjamin Franklin,” edited by John Bigelow, i., 66, where itis noted that “M. Laboulaye presumes Keimer was one of the Camisards or Protestants of the Cévennes so persecuted by Louis XIV.”

page 19 note 1 “Memoires du maréchal de Villars” (Collection Michaud et Poujoulat), 141Google Scholar. The entire passage, contained in a letter to the secretary of state, Chamillard, Sept. 25, 1704, is interesting: “J'ai vu dans ce genre des choses que je n'aurois jamais crues si elles ne s'etoient passées sous mes yeux: une ville entière, dont toutes les femmes et les filles, sans exception, paroissoient possédeés du diable. Elles trembloient et prophétisoient publiquement dans les rues. J'en fis arrêter vingt des plus méchantes, dont une eut la hardiesse de trembler et prophétiser pendant une heure devant moi. Je la fis pendre pour l'exemple, et renfermer les autres dans des hospitaux.” This was a murder in cold blood.

page 20 note 1 The “Mémoires pour servir à l'histoire du Languedoc,” by M. de Basville, Intendant of the province, apud Court, “Histoire des troubles des Cévennes,” i., 126–131, give the exact figures of the census of 1698. The total for the six dioceses is 663,701 souls, of which 166,777 are set down as of the Reformed faith.

page 20 note 2 On this point see Auguste François Lièvre, “Du rôle que le clergé catholique de France à joué dans la révocation de l'édit de Nantes.” Strasbourg, 1853.

page 21 note 1 Lettre en forme de Mémoire à Monseigneur l'Archevêque de Paris concernant les nouveaux convertis (1698), “Œuvres complètes de Fléchier,” v., 269–275.

page 22 note 1 Text of the letter in G. Frosterus, “Les Insurgés protestants sous Louis XIV.” (Paris, 1868), p. 43.Google Scholar

page 25 note 1 Jean Cavalier was born November 28, 1681. See the baptismal record in Haag, “La France protestante” (2me ed.), iii., 926.

page 26 note 1 “Un officier francois, qui avoit servi contre les Camisards, me disoit un jour, en me parlant de cette guerre: ‘Quand ces diables-là se mettoient à chanter leur B. de chanson, Que Dieu se montre, nous ne pouvions plus être les maîtres de nos gens: ils fuyoient comme si tous les diables avoient été à leurs trousses.’” — “Histoire des Camisards” (London, 1754), i., 244, 245.Google Scholar

page 27 note 1 Brueys, , ii., 263.Google Scholar

page 27 note 2 Order of June 17, 1704, in Court, iii., 17, 18.

page 28 note 1 Louvreleuil, ii., 98; Court, ii., 39.

page 30 note 1 Brueys, , iii., 553, 554Google Scholar. Court, iii., 252, 253.

page 31 note 1 Antoine Court, “Histoire des troubles des Cévennes,” iii., 272, 273.

page 32 note 1 “Nous voyons tout le fruit de nos travaux de dix-sept ans perdu.” Letter of April 25, 1703. “Œuvres,” x., 121.Google Scholar

page 33 note 1 Letter of April 27, 1704, ubi supra, x., 147.Google Scholar