Page:Biographical and critical studies by James Thomson ("B.V.").djvu/30

 14 BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES Lutheran in the first book, and Epicurean only in the fifth, pubhshed after his death. If he did found a secret society, it was probably only as a club for wit and revelry, not for propagandism of any kind. It must be remembered that he was now over fifty years of age, and had outlived all his illusions, and the belief in such a propaganda would be a very youthful illusion indeed. The abbey of The'leme, so magnificently described in the last " Gargantua " (Book i., as we have it now), and in which all the arrangements are in direct contradiction to those of ordinary convents, is supposed to represent this new philosophy as conceived by Rabelais, Etienne Dolet, Bonaventure des Periers, Clement Marot, Maurice Shve, Lyon Jamet, and the most eminent men of the time. It is certain that Rabelais was very intimate with Dolet and Marot ; but they were soon separated. Placards blaspheming the sacrifice of the Mass were posted about Paris in the night, and an image of the Virgin at the corner of a street was profaned. Fran- cis 1. declared that he would cut off his own arm if he knew that it was gangrened with heresy, and ordered the Parliament to proceed with vigour and rigour against all of dubious faith. Six Lutherans were burnt alive, in presence of the king and all the court. Marot heard that his papers and books had been seized in his rooms at Paris, and forthwith fled to Beam, to the protection of the sister of Francis, his Marguerite des Margu.erites, or I*earl of Pearls, the noble Marguerite of Navarre, patroness and pro- tectress of all liberal thinkers and writers. Not feeling safe even with her, he went to Ferrara, and then to Venice ; and, indeed, she did not pass un-