friend of Bellarmine, pronounces it a pious and charitable act, which
immortalised its author.[181] Another Jesuit, Bompiani, says that it was
grateful to Gregory, because it was likely to relieve the Church.[182]
The well-known apology for Charles IX. by Naude is based rather on
political than religious grounds; but his contemporary Guyon, whose
History of Orleans is pronounced by the censors full of sound doctrine
and pious sentiment, deems it unworthy of Catholics to speak of the
murder of heretics as if it were a crime, because, when done under
lawful authority, it is a blessed thing.[183] When Innocent XI. refused
to approve the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, Frenchmen wondered
that he should so far depart from the example which was kept before him
by one of the most conspicuous ornaments of his palace.[184] The old
spirit was decaying fast in France, and the superb indignation of
Bossuet fairly expresses the general opinion of his time. Two works were
published on the medals of the Popes, by a French and an Italian writer.
The Frenchman awkwardly palliates the conduct of Gregory XIII.; the
Italian heartily defends it.[185] In Italy it was still dangerous
ground. Muratori shrinks from pronouncing on the question,[186] while
Cienfuegos, a Jesuit whom his Order esteemed one of the most
distinguished Cardinals of the day, judges that Charles IX. died too
soon for his fame.[187] Tempesti, who lived under the enlightened rule
of Benedict XIV., accuses Catherine of having arrested the slaughter, in
order that some cause should remain to create a demand for her
counsels.[188] The German Jesuit Biner and the Papal historian Piatti,
just a century ago, are among the last downright apologists.[189]

Then there was a change. A time came when the Catholics, having long
relied on force, were compelled to appeal to opinion. That which had
been defiantly acknowledged and defended required to be ingeniously
explained away. The same motive which had justified the murder now
prompted the lie. Men shrank from the conviction that the rulers and
restorers of their Church had been murderers and abetters of murder, and
that so much infamy had been coupled with so much zeal. They feared to
say that the most monstrous of crimes had been solemnly approved at
Rome, lest they should devote the Papacy to the execration of mankind. A
swarm of facts were invented to meet the difficulty: The victims were
insignificant in number; they were sl