Page:The Rebellion in the Cevennes (Volume 1).djvu/15

x in 1703, proclaimed a plenary summons to a crusade against them, which was put in execution. Notwithstanding this, they almost totally defeated the troops of the Marshal Montrevel sent against them with 20,000 men, in 1703, and the horrible cruelty of the latter only excited still more their fanaticism. Recompensing evil with evil, they strangled eighty-four priests in the diocese of Nismes and burned two hundred churches, after 40,000 of their own party had been put to the wheel, burnt, and hanged. At length, in order to give to the perilous state of affairs another turn, Louis recalled Marshal Montrevel, 1704, and sent Marshal Villars. One of the chiefs of the Camisards meditated an alliance with the Duke of Savoy in Dauphiné The whole country from the coast to the highest crest of the mountains was more or less in their hands and with the inhabitants of Nismes, Montpellier, Orange, Uzes, &c., &c., they maintained communications, which secured to them bread, arms, and other necessaries. A quantity of bells had been melted down by them to serve for cannons, and Cavalier acquitted himself like a skilful general. The Catholic peasantry ventured neither to cultivate the land, nor to carry necessaries of life into the towns. Thus stood affairs, when Villars on the 21st of April, arrived in Nismes. He too was incapable, of subduing the insurgents by force of arms. He therefore decided on trying the effect of milder measures, and proclaimed a general amnesty for all, who would lay down their arms, and set at liberty himself such prisoners as swore fealty. In fact he disarmed in this manner several communities. On the other side he menaced with the harshest punishment, and to give weight