tacked by thofe, who think it very hard to defpife and to forget in their old Days, what they learned in their Youth, and that others thould get with little Labour that Knowledge, which they could not at tain to without great Pains. AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT of the Life and Trial of MICHAEL SERVET u s. In feveral Letters to ****. By the Author of these Memoirs. Letter VII. SIR. T HE Unfortunate Servetus being fentenced to be burnt alive on the 27th of October, defired † to fee Calvin two Hours before his Execution. That Reformer went to him, accompanied by two Magiftrates. Servetus begged his Pardon. Calvin replied, he never thought of revenging himself for *The Sixth Letter may be feen above, Art. LI. the + Expofitio errorum Michaelis Serveti, &c. among Calvin's Theological Traits. Genev, 1576; Pag. 817. the hard Words which Servetus had given him. He added, That he had endeavoured for the Space of Sixteen Years to reclaim him from his Errors; that he had writ to him with great) and continued to use him like a Friend, till he faw that Servetus inveighed against him, because he had freely reproved him. He exhorted the Prifoner to pray God that he would forgive him, for having attempted to pluck out three Hypoftafes out of his Effence, &c. When Calvin perceived that his Exhortations made no Impreffion upon the Pri foner, He did not prefume to be wiser than his Mafter, and according to St. Paul's Command, went away from that Heretick, who was condemned by his own Confcience. Calvin tells us, That when Serverus heard he was condemned to Death, fometimes he appeared Speechless and without any Motion, fometimes he fetched deep Sighs, and fometimes he made great Lamentations like a Madman, and that he cried out, Mercy, Mercy, after the Spanish way. Here follow fome Verfes, which are a Parody of a Poem written by the French Poet Theophile. That Parody was made by an Admirer of Servetus, or rather by an Enemy to Perfecution. It has been prefixed to my Manufcript of Servetus's Book intituled Chriftianifmi Reftitutio. MOY, qui dans la Cité des geliennes, m Qu'en Qu'en fift ce genereux courage, Quelques Seigneurs picquez d'envië, Et cependant tres ardammhent Quelques uns que les moeurs & l'aage A la fin quand le jufte cours si pod si De fes incomparables jours Fut achevé &c. &c. 750 Le jour venu que la nature avace Redemandoit une chofe fi rare, 7879198 Sans efpargner non plus cefte belle ame,). at you we noM Il falloit bien qu'une divine effence Au grand Servet euft donné la naiffance: Un fens humain n'eft jamais affez fort, Pour fe refoudre a fouftenir la mort, un Luy dans l'object de fa fin toute proche, D'un front de marbre, & d'une ame de roche d'une proche, Monftroit de l'oeil, du gefte, & du propos, Qu'il demeuroit dans un profond repos, Et que pour veoir des pleurs a fon, martyre, Il eut fallu quelque chofe de pire: Et ne fouffrift jamais dans la prifon, June Qu'un seul souspir fist, honte a fa raifon |fa railored ટાઇગ Puis il s'affit, & tout fe repofant,oh A D'un efprit grave, & d'un difcours puiffant Avant fe tafre il nous fift prendre envie,192 19 De l'aller fuyvre au fortir de la vie. Voyez, dict il, comme au plus grand mal-heur, La volupté fuit de prez la douleur Je beni le Juge & la Loy: 3 Car je fcay qu'efloignant la maffe de la terre, Ou tant d'adverfitez m'ont tousjours faict la guerre, Je feray comme un Dieu: Er que dans l'aultre monde Je doibs trouver un lieu, Ou pour les gens de bien tant de douceurs abonde La les fatales ordonnances Donnent les joyes & les tourmens Les bons prennent les recompenfes, Et les mauvais les chaftiments. C'eft pour quoy fans aucun remords, Ou nul fans foy vraye & bonté, C'eft ce grand palais de lumiere) Ou noftre parfaicte raifon, A des felicitez fi rares, C Se doibt donner tout noftre foing I have read in a printed Book, that when Servetus was carried to the Place of Execution, Calvin food at a Window, and fmiled when he faw him go by; but I am fully perfuaded that it is a horrid Calumny., Y 2 William |