se infamous excesses of lewdness of which their
opponents were notoriously guilty.[96] Their vengeance was satisfied with
the lives, and did not demand the honor of the vanquished.

[Sidenote: The city of Orange.]

The little city of Orange, capital of William of Nassau's principality,
contained a growing community of Protestants, whom the prince had in vain
attempted to restrain. About a year and a half before the outburst of the
civil war, William the Silent, then a sincere Roman Catholic,[97] on
receiving complaints from the Pope, whose territories about Avignon--the
Comtat Venaissin--ran around three sides of the principality, had
expressed himself "_marvellously sorry_ to see how those _wicked heresies_
were everywhere spreading, and that they had even penetrated into his
principality of Orange."[98] And when he received tidings that the
Huguenots were beginning to preach, he had written to his governor and
council, "to see to it by all means in the world, that no alteration be
permitted in our true and ancient religion, and in no wise to consent that
those wicked men should take refuge in his principality." As Protestantism
advanced in Orange, he purposed to give instructions to use persuasion and
force, "in order to remedy a disorder so pernicious to all
Christendom."[99] While he was unwilling to call in French troops, lest he
should prejudice his sovereign rights, he declared his desire to be
authorized to employ the pontifical soldiers in the work of
repression.[100] But in spite of these restrictive measures, the reformed
population increased rather than diminished, and the bishop of the city
now called upon Fabrizio Serbelloni, a cousin of Pope Pius the Fourth, and
papal general at Avignon, to assist him by driving out the Protestants,
who, ever since the massacre of Vassy, had feared with good reason the
assault of their too powerful and hostile neighbors, and had taken up arms
in self-defence. They had not, however, apprehended so speedy an attack as
Serbelloni now made (on the fifth of June), and, taken by surprise, were
able to make but a feeble resistance. The papal troops entered the city
through the breach their cannon had effected. Never did victorious army
act more insolently or with greater inhumanity. None were spared; neither
the sick on their beds, nor the poor in their asylums, nor the maimed that
hobbled through the streets. Those were most fortunate that were first
despatched. The rest were t