=LA SARRAZ HEADS THE KNIGHTS.=
The Baron of La Sarraz was already at work; he was a man fitted to succeed Pontverre. Prejudiced like him against Geneva, liberty, and the Reformation, he was less noble, less virtuous, and less headstrong than that unhappy gentleman, but surpassed him in genius and in ability. He had sworn that either he or Geneva should give way and perish.... The oath was accomplished, but not in the manner he had anticipated. The knights of the Spoon, summoned by the bishop, excited by La Sarraz, supported by the fugitive mamelukes, and approved of by the duke, took the field immediately. They intercepted the provisions intended for Geneva, and sharp skirmishes occurred every day. If any citizen went beyond the walls to look after his farm or attend to his business, the knights would fall upon him and beat him, shut him up in one of their castle dungeons, and sometimes kill him. But all this was a mere prelude. The bishop came to an understanding with the Baron of La Sarraz, through his cousin, M. de Ranzonière. Another conference took place at Arbois towards the middle of September 1530. After a long conversation about the heresy and independence of Geneva, and the strange changes and singular perils to which that city and the surrounding provinces were exposed, they decided upon a general attack.[837]
On the 20th of September, the men-at-arms of the knights of the Spoon, the Burgundians of the bishop, and the ducal troops, made arrangements to surprise Geneva. On the 24th of September, some well-disposed people came and told the citizens that the Duke of Nemours was at Montluel in Bresse, three leagues from Lyons, with a large army. It was the Count of Genevois, younger brother of the Duke of Savoy, whom his sister, the mother of Francis I., had created Duke of Nemours in 1515. He was, as we have already remarked, an able man, and, even while courting the Genevans, desired nothing better than to destroy their city. His sister, Louisa of Savoy, whose hostile disposition towards the Gospel we have seen, thought it a very laudable thing to crush a place in which the protestants, persecuted by her in France, might find an asylum. The six captains of Geneva, on hearing this alarming intelligence, assembled their troops and addressed them in a touching proclamation. This was on Sunday, the 25th of September. 'We have been informed,' they said, 'that our enemies will attack us very shortly. We pray you therefore to forgive one another, and be ready to die in the defence of your rights.' The citizens unanimously replied to these noble words: 'We are willing to do so.'[838]
=TROOPS MARCH AGAINST GENEVA.=
The next day, Monday, the 26th of September, a man of Granson, coming from Burgundy, confirmed the news of the danger impending over the city. 'Everything is in motion on our side,' he told them. 'M. de St. Sorlin has declared that God and the world are enraged against Geneva (it was the favourite expression of his family); companies of arquebusiers are about to cross the Jura; the gentlemen of the Spoon are approaching with a large number of armed men, and the day after the feast of St. Michael they will enter Geneva by force, to kill the men, women, and children, and plunder the city.' The man of Granson, at the request of the syndics, hurried off to carry the news to Berne and Friburg.[839]
It was a singular thing, this expedition against Geneva in behalf of the holy faith, for there was not a church in the city where mass was not sung, and not one where the Gospel was preached. It was still a catholic city; but, we must confess, it contained little really worthy of the name, except old walls, old ceremonies, and old priests. Mass was performed, but the huguenots, instead of listening to it, walked up and down the aisles. The Reformation was everywhere in Geneva, and yet it was nowhere. The bishop, the duke, and even the emperor, who were not very acute judges, confounded liberty with the Gospel; and seeing that liberty was in Geneva, they doubted not that the Gospel was there also.
=GENEVA BLOCKADED.=
On Friday, the 30th of September, the enemy's army debouched on all sides of Geneva. The six captains of Geneva and their six hundred men got their arms ready. At this moment envoys arrived from Friburg, wishing to see, hear, and advise the councils. They had hardly entered the city, when the troops of Savoy, Burgundy, and Vaud were seen preparing to blockade it. A Friburg herald left immediately, to carry the news to his lords; but at Versoix the ducal soldiers were on their guard; the messenger was seized and conducted to the knight of the Spoon who commanded in the castle. It was to no purpose that he declared himself to be a Friburger: 'You wear neither the arms nor the colours of Friburg,' was the reply; 'go back to Geneva.' And as the herald insisted upon passing (he had had good reasons for not putting on his uniform), the knights maltreated him and drove him before them close up to the drawbridge of Geneva, insulting him from time to time in a very offensive manner. The night was then approaching; the steps of the horses and the shouts of the horsemen could be heard in the city; it was believed that the assault was about to be made, and some citizens ran off to ring the tocsin. The alarm continued through the night.
The enemy had pitched their camp at Saconnex, on the right bank of the Rhone and the lake, about half a league from Geneva, in the direction of Gex and the Jura. On Saturday, the 1st of October, they sallied forth early in the morning, pillaged the houses round the city, set fire to several farms, and returned to their camp: this was a petty prelude to the meditated attack. At this moment a second herald, coming from Friburg, was brought in. He had been stopped at Versoix, for nobody could pass that post in either direction. The Friburgers, uneasy at receiving no news from Geneva, had sent this man to learn whether their friends were really in danger or not. 'What is your business?' asked the officers. The herald, who had learnt the story of his colleague, had recourse to a stratagem which the usages of war justify, but christian truth condemns. 'I am ordered,' he said, 'to go and tell our ambassadors that they must return immediately; and that if Monsieur of Savoy needs the help of my lords of Friburg, they will assist him.' The Savoyards, delighted at the mission of the Friburger, hastened to set him at liberty; he went on to Geneva, and told the whole affair to the ambassadors of his canton. The latter, extremely pleased at his dexterity, asked him if he could once more make his way through the triple barrier that the cavaliers had raised between Geneva and Friburg. He was to report that the state of affairs was as bad as could be; and that Geneva, attacked by superior forces, was on the point of falling. 'We have no time to write,' they added, for they feared their letters would be intercepted; 'but we give you our rings as a token. Go speedily, and tell the lords of the two cities (Berne and Friburg), that if they wish to succour the city of Geneva, they must do so now or never.' Prompt help from the Swiss could alone preserve the liberties of Geneva. The cunning Friburger departed; but even should he succeed in making his way through the Savoyard troops lying between Friburg and Geneva, what might not happen before a Swiss army could arrive?[840]
The next day, Sunday, the 2nd of October, the episcopal army was put in motion; it surrounded the city; a part of the Savoyard troops occupied the suburb of St. Leger and the monasteries of St. Victor and Our Lady of Grace; another part was drawn up opposite the Corraterie. The Genevans could no longer restrain themselves: the gates of the Corraterie were thrown open, and a number of the more intrepid sallied out upon the Savoyards, who received them with their arquebuses: one citizen was shot dead, and the others returned into the city. Erelong similar skirmishes took place on every side, and the trainbands of Geneva, firing upon the enemy from the wall, killed several of them. Masters of the suburbs, the Savoyard army waited until night to make the assault. Death and plunder was the pass-word given by the leaders.