Volume 7

A philosophical and political history of the settlements and trade of the Europeans in the East and West Indies ... / Rev., augm., and pub., in ten volumes, by the Abbé Raynal. Newly translated. from the French, by J.O. Justamond. F.R.S., with a new set of maps adapted to the work, and a copious index.

  • Raynal, abbé (Guillaume-Thomas-François), 1713-1796.
Date:
1783
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A philosophical and political history of the settlements and trade of the Europeans in the East and West Indies ... / Rev., augm., and pub., in ten volumes, by the Abbé Raynal. Newly translated. from the French, by J.O. Justamond. F.R.S., with a new set of maps adapted to the work, and a copious index. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    71/586 (page 57)
    It was in 1685, in the midft of thefe horrors, that the fatal revolution of the edid of Nantes appeared. The clergy who were fteady in their opinions, were ordered to quit the kingdorn within a fortnight, on pain of death. Children were tor’n from the arms of their fathers and mothers. And thefe horrible acts were authorized by a fet of deliberate men i by an affembly of. grave perfonsj by a fupreme court! They were fathers, and yet they did not fhudder while they gave orders for the infringement of the moft facred laws of nature ! In the mean while, the minds of men were in- flamed, The Proteftants aflembled j they were attacked j they defended themfelves, and dra- goons were fent againft them. And now the hamlets, the villages, the fields, the highways, and the gates of the cities, were planted with fcaffolds and drenched with blood. The inten- 4 dants of the provinces vied with each other in cruelty. Some minifters, venturing to preach ^nd to write, were feized upon, and put to death. The prifons were foon incapable of holding the number of thç perfecuted j 'and it was the will of a Angle man that could make To many perfons unfortunate ! At his word, all the civil and moral ties were broken ! At his word, a thoufand ci- tizens, revered for their virtues, their dignities, and their talents, were devoted to death and to infamy 1 O ye people 1 ye herd of weak and mean men 1 And thou, blind tyrant ! becaufe thy priefts have not the art of perfuafion to make their argu- ments