[290] He refers to the process pending between Berne and Geneva which had been submitted to the arbitration of Basle.
[291] See Sleidan, lib. xiv. p. 387.
[292] Letter without date, but written most probably in the month of August 1541. It informs us as to the last inward struggles of the Reformer on the eve of quitting Strasbourg to return to Geneva.
[293] After having overcome the last scruples, and taken leave of the members of his Church, "avec tristesse, larmes, grande sollicitude, et détresse," as he himself tells us in the preface to the Psalms, Calvin left Strasbourg towards the end of August 1541. He stopped a little at Basle; and being called to Neuchatel by unforeseen circumstances, he wrote to the Seigneury of Geneva to excuse himself for this delay.
[294] See Calvin's letter to the Seigneury of Neuchatel, p. 286.
[295] After a short visit at Berne, Calvin, being at Morat, wrote to Farel, to inform him as to some of the incidents of his journey.
[296] That deputation had gone to solicit the favour of the King, Francis I., for the Waldenses of Provence.
[297] Calvin had arrived at Geneva the 13th September 1541. We find under that date, in the Extracts from the Council Registers:—"Calvin, having arrived at Geneva, presented himself to the Council, to whom he brought letters from the Magistrates and Ministers of Strasbourg. He excused himself on account of his journey having been delayed. He represented that it would be necessary to set about the work of ecclesiastical ordinances. Resolved, that they would apply themselves to it immediately, and for that purpose appointed, along with Calvin, Claude Pertemps, Amy Perrin, Claude Roset, Jean Lambert, Poralis, and Jean Balard. Resolved also to retain Calvin here always.—October 1541. The stipend of Calvin assigned at five hundred florins, twelve measures of corn, and two tuns of wine." For a dwelling they offered the mansion Fregneville, purchased at the price of two hundred and sixty crowns, with an ell of velvet for clothing.
[298] That Church was at this time in a state of great disorder, which Calvin had in vain tried to tranquillize, at Neuchatel. See the following Letter.
[299] On the back, in the handwriting of Viret:—"Letters sent to those of Neuchatel, when they wished to drive away Farel, their minister, brought by Viret, sent on the part of the ministers of Geneva, with the following instructions to inform them of their opinion."