The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-06-13
SOME E D.
The French Religious Wars In Their
Economic Aspects.

Ina large octave volume OF OYeT Biz
hundred pages We have what apparently
Ia meant TO be the first instalment OF a
comprehensive history OF The Ware OF
Religion in France, 15Ss-l57e, by DR..
JAMEs .WBsTFALL THOMPSON, associate
professor Of European history in the
University Of Chicago (the University OF
Chicago Prees). This may seem at first
eight a s%uperfuous treatment OF a well
worn theme. but as a matter OF fact
thirty years have passed since the appear
ance of Prof. II. NJ. Baird's work on the
subject, and mulch valuable material has
been brought to light in the interval,
including especially the Letters OF
Catharine de- Medici,' the lack OF which
Ranse dep!ored, and many additions to
the Calendar Of State Papers While
the present history, beginning as 1t does
in 1859 and ending, 30 far as this volume
ia concerned, with the formation OF the
so-called Holy League in 1875, falls 3D.
~viorely within the epoch Of the French
Reformation, no attempt has been made
10 treat the latter subject from a theo-
logical point of view, the Reformation
being assumed to nave been primarily a
religious and not a political or economic
phenomenon. Doctrine, save when IT IN
vofved polity. has been ignored in the
book before us. Into the political ana
industrial activities Of the period however
the author has gone at conslderaoie
length. he lays stress on the onomi
ssr>ct Of the religious wars. because our
Interpretation Of sixteenth century France
hss BEEN profoundly changed within the
last twenty years by the progress mace
tn the economic history OF the epoch
Such works as Hauser's -ouvriers du
Temps Passe- have revolutionized the
exposition Of this subject.
Prof. Thompson is, we believe. the hrst
TO present to English readers some OF the
results OF recent research into the eco
nnanic history Of sixteenth century a
He acknowledges an especial indebted
ness to NJ. Hauser for help and suggestion
IN the matter Of industrial investigation,
but he has tried TO show also the bearing
Of changes in the agricultural regime. the
influence Of the failure Of crops owing TO
idpesee' weather conditions, and the dis
intea1anon oil society as the result OF In
oessant war and OF the plague upon the
progress Of the Huguenot movement In
an AGRICULTURAL country such as France
~vas In the sixteenth century the distress
Of the provinces through the failure OF
the harvests was sometimes nearly uni
versal, and the retroactive eject OF such
conditions in promoting popular disoon-
tent in urban centres had a marked infu-
ence upon the religious and political
I-l .lI kAaf fk4 otyfh~r
has hkewiee undertaken to set forth the
intimate relations Of the Huguenot upris-
ing to Spanish and Dutch history.
The Huguenot revolt is generally as
nIrned TO have begun with the conspiracy
az Amboise. After the death Of Henry
II. and the accession Of his eldest son,
Francis L.. the Guises. supported by the
influence Of the young queen. their niece,
Mary Stuart, acquired for a time almost
absolute control Of the French Govern
n,snt. In order to. make head against
the usurpaion OF the Guisee, which they
resented as a foreign domination. the
political Huguenots, as the mobiles as
eociated with the Huguenot sect were
called. commended that it was necessary
10 convoke the States-General in order
to interpret the laws. just as the Caivinist
divines demanded an authoritative in
depreciation OF the Scriptures. The ty-
fannical conduct Of the Guisee. the men
aces which they It'd not hesitate to utter
against high mobiles Of the realm. the re-
drerpent into which they had driven the
Constable .~Aioptmorenci. the removal
from influential positions Of the princes
OF the blood which had been brought
about upon n pretext or another. the
contempt which they expressed for the
S~tatesIGeneral. their corruption of JUS
tee, their e%xorbitant financial policy, and
their disposal Of Offices and benefces
among .favorites-an these provocations,
united with religious persecution, con-
situted q body Of grievances for which
inevitably redress would be exacted.
Tho question was: How could it be
obtained? The leaders Of the Huguenots
the term leaders Is here used more
in a political than in a religious sense
not ignorant Of the history
Of the Reformation in Germany or una
ware OF the fact that politics had been
intimately with religion there.
The Question OF ways and means being
laid before the legists Of the Reformation
and other men OF mark in both France
and Germany, the s was that the
government Of the G1ises could DO legally
opposed and recourse made to force Of
arms, provided that the princes Of the
blood who had legitimate rights to bear
rule In virtue Of their birth. or any one Of
them, could be persuaded TO head the
movement. Necessarily. however. the
attempt would have to DO Of the nature
Of, 4 coup de main. for the reason that
the hing was in the hands Of the Guises,
and the council was composed Of them
and their partisans- After long deliber-
alton it was planned. under pretext Of
presenting q petition to the king. to seize
the Cardinal Of Lorraine and his brother,
the Duke Francis Of Guise. then to
assemble the States-General. for tho pur-
pose Of inquirine into the Guise admins
taion and Of prosecuting tho Ministers
for high treason Three classes Of men
consulted together to this end; first,
thoes aotuAted BY a sentiment of patriot
ism, ~oonoeiving this to be the right way
to serve their prince and their country;
secondly. those stirred by ambition and
fond Of change, and finally zealots who
were filled with religious enthusiasm and
wished to avenge the intolerance and
persecution which they and theirs had
suffered. The progress Of the conspiracy