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reply　of　the　king　to　the　proposals　which　Cavalier　had　submitted　to
M。　de　Lalande。　　What　this　reply　was　did　not　transpire；　probably　it
was　not　in　harmony　with　the　pacific　intentions　of　the　marechal。　　At
last；　on　the　25th；　the　answer　to　the　demands　which　Cavalier　had　made
to　M。　de　Villars　himself　arrived。　The　original　paper　written　by　the
Camisard　chief　himself　had　been　sent　to　Louis　XIV；　and　he　returned　it
with　notes　in　his　own　writing；　thus　these　two　hands；　to　one　of　which
belonged　the　shepherd's　crook　and　to　the　other　the　sceptre；　had
rested　on　the　same　sheet　of　paper。　　The　following　is　the　text　of　the
agreement　as　given　by　Cavalier　in　his　Memoirs：

　　　　　〃THE　HUMBLE　PETITION　OF　THE　REFORMERS　OF
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　LANGUEDOC　TO　THE　KING

〃1。　That　it　may　please　the　king　to　grant　us　liberty　of　conscience
throughout　the　province；　and　to　permit　us　to　hold　religious　meetings
in　every　suitable　place；　except　fortified　places　and　walled　cities。

'Granted；　on　condition　that　no　churches　be　built。

〃2。　That　all　those　in　prison　or　at　the　galleys　who　have　been　sent
there　since　the　revocation　of　the　Edict　of　Nantes；　because　of　their
religion；　be　set　at　liberty　within　six　weeks　from　the　date　of　this
petition。

'Granted。

〃3。　That　all　those　who　have　left　the　kingdom　because　of　their
religion　be　allowed　to　return　in　freedom　and　safety；　and　that　their
goods　and　privileges　be　restored　to　them。

'Granted　on　condition　that　they　take　the　oath　of　fidelity　to　the
king。

〃4。　That　the　Parliament　of　Languedoc　be　reestablished　on　its　ancient
footing；　and　with　all　its　former　privileges。

'The　king　reserves　decision　on　this　point。

〃5。　　That　the　province　of　Languedoc　be　exempted　from　the　poll　tax　for
ten　years；　this　to　apply；　to　Catholics　and　Protestants　alike；　both
sides　having　equally　suffered。

'Refused。

〃6。　　That　the　cities　of　Perpignan；　Montpellier；　Cette；　and
Aiguemortes　be　assigned　us　as　cities　of　refuge。

'Refused。

〃7。　　That　the　inhabitants　of　the　Cevennes　whose　houses　were　burnt　or
otherwise　destroyed　during　the　war　be　exempt　from　taxes　for　seven
years。

'Granted。

〃8。　　That　it　may　please　His　Majesty　to　permit　Cavalier　to　choose　2000
men；　both　from　among　his　own　troops　and　from　among　those　who　may　be
delivered　from　the　prisons　and　galleys；　to　form　a　regiment　of
dragoons　for　the　service　of　His　Majesty；　and　that　this　regiment　when
formed　may　at　once　be　ordered　to　serve　His　Majesty　in　Portugal。

'Granted：　and　on　condition　that　all　the　Huguenots　everywhere　lay　down
their　arms；　the　king　will　permit　them　to　live　quietly　in　the　free
exercise　of　their　religion。'〃


〃I　had　been　a　week　at　Calvisson；〃　says　Cavalier　in　his　Memoirs；　〃when
I　received　a　letter　from　M。　le　Marechal　de　Villars　ordering　me　to
repair　to　Nimes；　as　he　wished　to　see　me；　the　answer　to　my　demands。
having　arrived。　　I　obeyed　at　once；　and　was　very　much　displeased　to
find　that　several　of　my　demands；　and　in　particular　the　one　relating
to　the　cities　of　refuge；　had　been　refused；　but　M。　le　marechal　assured
me　that　the　king's　word　was　better　than　twenty　cities　of　refuge；　and
that　after　all　the　trouble　we　had　given　him　we　should　regard　it　as
showing　great　clemency　on　his　part　that　he　had　granted　us　the　greater
part　of　what　we　had　asked。　　This　reasoning　was　not　entirely
convincing；　but　as　there　was　no　more　time　for　deliberation；　and　as　I
was　as　anxious　for　peace　as　the　king　himself；　I　decided　to　accept
gracefully　what　was　offered。〃

All　the　further　advantage　that　Cavalier　could　obtain　from　M。　de
Villars　was　that　the　treaty　should　bear　the　date　of　the　day　on　which
it　had　been　drawn　up；　in　this　manner　the　prisoners　who　were　to　be　set
at　liberty　in　six　weeks　gained　one　week。

M。　de　Villars　wrote　at　the　bottom　of　the　treaty；　which　was　signed　the
same　day　by　him　and　M。　de　Baville　on　the　part　of　the　king；　and　by
Cavalier　and　Daniel　Billard　on　the　part　of　the　Protestants；　the
following　ratification：

〃In　virtue　of　the　plenary　powers　which　we　have　received　from　the
king；　we　have　granted　to　the　Reformers　of　Languedoc　the　articles
above　made　known。

〃MARECHAL　DE　VILLARS　　　　　　　J。　CAVALIER

〃LAMOIGNON　DE　BAVILLE　　　　　　DANIEL　BILLARD

〃Given　at　Nimes；　the　17th　of　May　1704〃


These　two　signatures；　all　unworthy　as　they　were　to　stand　beside　their
own；　gave　such　great　delight　to　MM。　de　Villars　and　de　Baville；　that
they　at　once　sent　off　fresh　orders　to　Calvisson　that　the　wants　of　the
Camisards　should　be　abundantly　supplied　until　the　articles　of　the
treaty　were　executedthat　is　to　say；　until　the　prisoners　and　the
galley　slaves　were　set　at　liberty；　which；　according　to　article　2　of
the　treaty；　would　be　within　the　next　six　weeks。　　As　to　Cavalier；　the
marechal　gave　him　on　the　spot　a　commission　as　colonel；　with　a　pension
of　1200　livres　attached；　and　the　power　of　nominating　the　subordinate
officers　in　his　regiment；　and　at　the　same　time　he　handed　him　a
captain's　commission　for　his　young　brother。

Cavalier　drew　up　the　muster…roll　of　the　regiment　the　same　day；　and
gave　it　to　the　marechal。　　It　was　to　consist　of　seven　hundred　and
twelve　men；　forming　fifteen　companies；　with　sixteen　captains；　sixteen
lieutenants；　a　sergeant…major；　and　a　surgeon…major。

While　all　this　was　happening；　Roland；　taking　advantage　of　the
suspension　of　hostilities；　was　riding　up　and　down　the　province　as　if
he　were　viceroy　of　the　Cevennes；　and　wherever　he　appeared　he　had　a
magnificent　reception。　　Like　Cavalier；　he　gave　leave　of　absence　and
furnished　escorts；　and　held　himself　haughtily；　sure　that　he　too　would
soon　be　negotiating　treaties　on　terms　of　equality　with　marshals　of
France　and　governors　of　provinces。　　But　Roland　was　much　mistaken：　M。
de　Villars　had　made　great　concessions　to　the　popularity　of　Cavalier；
but　they　were　the　last　he　intended　to　make。　　So；　instead　of　being　in
his　turn　summoned　to　Nimes；　or　Uzes；　to　confer　with　M。　de　Villars；
Roland　merely　received　an　intimation　from　Cavalier　that　he　desired　to
speak　with　him　on　important　business。

They　met　near　Anduze；　and　Cavalier；　faithful　to　the　promise　given　to
M。　de　Villars；　neglected　no　argument　that　he　could　think　of　to　induce
Roland　to　follow　his　example；　but　Roland　would　listen　to　nothing。
Then；　when　Cavalier　saw　that　arguments　and　promises　were　of　no　avail；
he　raised　his　voice　in　anger；　but　Roland；　laying　his　hand　on　his
shoulder；　told　him　that　his　head　was　turned；　that　he　should　remember
that　he；　Roland；　was　his　senior　in　command；　and　therefore　bound　by
nothing　that　had　been　promised　in　his　name　by　his　junior；　and　that　he
had　registered　a　vow　in　Heaven　that　nothing　would　persuade　him　to
make　peace　unless　complete　liberty　of　conscience　were　granted　to　all。
The　young　Cevenol；　who　was　unaccustomed　to　such　language；　laid　his
hand　on　the　hilt　of　his　sword；　Roland；　stepping　back；　drew　his；　and
the　consultation　would　have　ended　in　a　duel　if　the　prophets　had　not
thrown　themselves　between　them；　and　succeeded　in　getting　Roland　to
consent　to　one　of　their　number；　a　man　much　esteemed　among　the
Huguenots；　named　Salomon；　going　back　to　Nimes　with　Cavalier　to　learn
from　M。　de　Villars'　own　mouth　what　the　exact　terms　were　which
Cavalier　had　accepted　and　now　offered　to　Roland。

In　a　couple　of　hours　Cavalier　and　Salomon　set　out　together；　and
arrived　at　Nimes　on　the　27th　May；　escorted　by　twenty…five　men；　they
halted　at　the　tower　of　Magne；　and　the　Protestants　of　the　city　came
out　to　meet　them；　bringing　refreshments；　then；　after　prayers　and　a
hasty　meal；　they　advanced　to　the　barracks　and　crossed　the　courtyards。
The　concourse　of　people　and　the　enthusiasm　was　no　whit　less　than　on
Cavalier's　first　entry；　more　than　three　hundred　persons　kissing　his
hands　and　knees。　　Cavalier　was　dressed　on　this　occasion　in　a　doublet
of　grey　cloth；　and　a　beaver　hat；　laced　with　gold；　and　adorned　with　a
white　feather。

Cavalier　and　his　travelling…companion　went　direct　to　the　garden　of
the　Recollets；　and　hardly　had　they　got　there　than　MM。　de　Villars　and
de　Baville；　accompanied　by　Lalande　and　Sandricourt；　came　out　to　meet
them：　the　conference　lasted　three　hours；　but　all　that　could　be
learned　of　the　result　was　that　Salomon　had　declared　that　his　brethren
would　never　lay　down　their　arms　till　full　liberty　of　conscience　had
been　secured　to　them。　In　consequence　of　this　declaration；　it　was
decided　that　Cavalier　and　his　regiment　should　be　despatched　to　Spain
without　delay；　in　order　to　weaken　the　Calvinist　forces　to　that
extent；　meantime　Salomon　was　sent　back　to　Roland　with　a　positive
promise　that　if　he　would　surrender；　as　Cavalier　had　done；　he　would　be
granted　the　same　conditionsthat　is　to　say；　receive　a　commission　as
colonel；　have　the　right　to　name　the　officers　of　his　regiment；　and
receive　a　pension　of　1200　livres。　　On　quitting　the　garden　of　the
Recollets；　Cavalier　found　as　great　a　crowd　as　ever　waiting　for　him；
and　so　closely　did　they　press　on　him　that　two　of　his　men　were　obliged
to　ride　before　him　with　drawn　sabres　to　clear　a　way　for　him　till　the
Montpellier　road　was　reached。　　He　lay　that　night　at　Langlade；　in
order　to　rejoin　his　troops　early　next　morning。

But　during　his　absence　things　had　happened　among　these　men；　who　had
hitherto　obeyed　him　blindly；　which　he　little　expected。　　He　had