"Well," cried the Parson, taking a small book out of his pocket, "it is written in the thirteenth section: 'We decree also, that the parading of the streets at night, which up to the present time has led in a great measure to disorder, breaking of the peace, and immorality, be from this time forth done away with.' So that if you do not want to be fined thirty kreutzers per man, you must go to bed at sunset, so soon as the fowls of Herr Garnix[3] go to roost." "Marnix!" shouted the Professor. "Marnix, quite right, but who can remember all the foreign names? But on the other hand Herr Olevianus grants you a concession," cried the Parson holding up his paper. "He whose health permits must go twice to Church on Sundays, and he who on Sundays or holidays is seen standing outside his door, or in a tavern or on the public places will be flogged. Thus, none must dare go to the Wolfsbrunnen on a Sunday or to the Mill at Bergheim, otherwise Miller Ulrich will trounce him with his broom." Mad shouts were heard on all sides. "Silence, my beloved brethren, lest you disturb Herrn Datterich." "Dathen," corrected the irrepressible Professor. "No, I meant in reality Herr Tremellius, but I keep confounding the numerous foreign names, and what is worse we must give our children outlandish names, as decreed by Herr Olevianus."
"How is that, what mean you?"
"Yes, citizens, you must re-christen your children. None shall be called Alexander nor Julius, those names are heathenish, nor Barbara nor Ursula, because they sound catholic, not even Franciscus nor Catherine;--Katie and Bab are not allowed, only such names as Sarah, Rebecca, Mardochaeus, Abraham, Gideon, Melchisedec, Zerubbabel, Zacharias. Biblical names alone are permitted, and the dragoon must call his sweetheart Abigail, and Bab her dragoon Habakuk. Thus is it decreed by the Church counsellors Olesinus and--now what is the name of the other."
"Olevianus and Ursinus," called out the Professor.
"Right, Olevianus and Urschelinus decree."
"It appears to me that this common fellow wishes to make fools of us," said the huge Pithopöus, entering the tavern with a look of withering contempt at Parson Willing. The Parson continued: "Neither can you marry when you will, Lupinus and Citronianus have ordered that no man over 60 dare marry a woman under 30."
"If the man however is Kurfürst?" said a voice from the crowd, amidst shouts of laughter. "Yes, little peasant, that is quite another matter, for that are we Frederic the Pious. Moreover President Beileger ..."
"Zuleger is he called ..." "Well Zuleger, or Hinleger, or Ableger, as you will, he sticks his nose even in the Kurfürst's pie. Dinners must not be in the Castle as they formerly were. Hear only what the mouse-trap dealer says on page 98: 'We order also, that in our district the extravagantly big dinners given at the coronation or at other times, and which have generally led to prodigality, causing drunkenness and dissipation, be abolished from this time on.' Thus no more money is to be made out of the castle, and foreign guests will keep away, if they are to be told by the Council, how many 'costumes' they shall be permitted to wear. Money, profit, pleasure all must stop, only Sunday schools and preaching are to be sanctioned in Heidelberg." A shout of rage arose from all sides. "Shooting for prizes, processions, theatres, dancing, bowls, dice, cards are all forbidden, only psalms, psalms, and yet more psalms." The growls became more threatening, more intense. Here and there was heard the crash of broken windowpanes. "I therefore exhort you, beloved friends, to go home quietly. The Calvinistic gentlemen don't joke. Fines, lock and key will punish all church offences, other crimes mean the rack, burning, or beheading. Above all send the children home. You well know that Master Calvin ordered girls of nine, and boys of twelve to be beheaded, so that the town might be kept in good order and in the fear of God. When I was in Geneva in the year 45, thirty-four people were beheaded between February and May, because they would not acknowledge Calvin as their Master, and refused to profess the dogmas of his Church, among the latter was the executioner's own mother."
After these words things became more quiet. Certain street boys put their hands in their pockets and let the stones which they had stored up, quietly drop on the ground. At the same moment the crowd at the east-end of the market began to disperse. The sound of trumpets was heard in the direction of the cornmarket. "I now repeat," cried Willing in stentorian tones, "he who is an obedient subject of His Highness the Kurfürst will hasten home at once, and go quietly to bed. The Church Council will take heed of everything else. And now I call you all to witness, that I said these words only to exhort you to be quiet and to summon you to go home peacefully, and have not said a word about freeing the prisoners." Saying this he got down and disappeared within the tavern, where Xylander laughingly greeted him. His audience followed his example and dispersed. At the same time the trotting of horses was heard, and an officer's guard of infantry moreover appeared on the Burgway, coming towards the town at the double. Immediately the crowd in the other squares began to break up, at first hesitatingly, growling, and slowly, then by degrees quicker, and when the soldiers appeared they found the market place deserted and empty, and only laughing faces were seen at the windows above looking down at the horses' tails, as they disappeared round the corner of the Heiligengeist towards the Hauptstrasse.
Erastus had taken refuge from the surging crowd in the gable house opposite the church, and resolved to leave Lydia in the care of the owner, his French friend Belier, till he had made further inquiries. Herr Belier was one of those industrious Huguenots, who had founded new businesses in the places to which they had immigrated and had acquired a fortune through unwearied toil. The master of the house, a tall distinguished looking man, whose moustachios reminded one of Henry the Bearnais (IV.), and his small plump wife, greeted their beloved physician with evident pleasure. "Can you tell me what all this means? Three of the Clergy imprisoned, one a fugitive, the people embittered against strangers, cavalry in all the streets, houses searched everywhere," asked the energetic Frenchman, whilst his wife affectionately drew Erastus' daughter with her to the window.