The controversy with Bolsec belongs to a later period. Jerome Bolsec was originally a Carmelite monk, but he had thrown aside the habit, and betaken himself to the prac tice of medicine in Geneva. He was led to attack C.'s doctrine of predestination. As soon as C. heard of this, he led him to understand that he was not at liberty to question the Genevan docrine. He and the other clergy dealt with him; but after repeated dispu tations Bolsec was found incorrigible, and was sentenced to banishment from the city. Cast out of the theocratic community, he ultimatety re-joined the Roman Catholic church, and revenged himself in a somewhat mean way against C. by writing his life in a spirit of detraction and slander.
Of all these contests, however, the most memorable is that with Servetus. A melan choly interest encircles the name of this great heretic, which the criminal tragedy of his death keeps always fresh and vivid in the minds of all who hate intolerance, and who love truth rather than dogmatism. The character of Servetus himself has little to do with this interest. He seems to have been more of a vain, restless, and enthusiastic dreamer, than of a calm and patient inquirer. In his very dreams, however, and the vague audacities of his speculation, there is a kind of simplicity and unconscious ear nestness that wins sympathy. He had entered into various connections with C., even from the time of his early residence in Paris; particularly, he had sent him various docu ments containing the views, fully developed in his work subsequently published under the title of Restitutio Christianismi. C. never concealed his abhorrence of these views; and in a letter to Fuel as early as 1546, he threatens that if Servetus should come to Geneva, he would do what he could to bring him to condign punishment: Nam si vene rit, modo valeat mea authoritas, rimtm exire nunquam patian The history of his seizure and condemnation at Vienne by the Catholic authorities, and especially of C.'s share in the correspondence which led to his seizure, is very complicathl and obscure. It has been maintained that C. was the instigator, through a creature of his own of the name of Trie, of the whole transaction; it is certain that he forwarded to the authorities, through Trie, private documents which Servetus had intrusted to him, with a view to the heretic's identification, and as materials for his condemnation. Servetus was sentenced to be burned, but effected his escape, and, after several months' wandering, he was found at Geneva. It was his intention to proceed to
Italy, where he hoped his opinions might meet with some degree of toleration, and he arrived at Geneva on his way. This is the explanation of an event otherwise unaccount able. Having ventured to church, according to the common account, he was recog nized, apprehended, and conveyed to prison by C.'s order, just as he was about to leave the city. The particulars of his trial are full of interest, but too lengthened to be detailed here. It lasted, with various interruptions, for two months. He attacked C. with the most foul epithets, and C. retorted with a virulence and foulness quite equal to his cwn. At length, on the 26th of Oct., 1553, sentence was passed upon Servetus, con demning him to death by fire. C. used his influence to have the mode of death allevi ated, but without success. On the very next morning, the sentence was put into execu tion. On an extended eminence at some distance from the city, Servetus was fastened to a stake surrounded by heaps of oak-wood and leaves, with his condemned book and the MS, he had sent to C. attached to his girdle; and, amid his agonizing cries, the fire was kindled, and the wretched man expiated his heresy amidst the flames. Whatever apologies may he urged for this memorable crime, it must remain a mournful and scan dalous blot on the history of the reformation. The disgrace of it has particularly attached to C., and with some justice, from the special and unhappy relation which he bore to the whole transaction; but most of the reformers are no less implicated in it. The wise Bullinger defended it, and even the gentle Melanehthon could only see cause for gratitude in the hideous tragedy.
After the execution of Servetus, and the expulsion of the Libertines, two years later, C.'s power in Geneva was firmly established, and he used it vigorously and beneficently for the defense of Protestantism throughout Europe. By the mediation of BeZn, he made his influence felt in France in the great struggle that was there going on between the hierarchical party, with the Guises at its head, and the Protestants, led by Conde and Coligny. In 1561, his energies began to fail. He had been long suffering front bad health, but his strength of will and buoyancy of intellect sustained him amid all his bodily weakness. In the year now mentioned, his bad health greatly increased, and although he survived for more than two years, he never regained any vigor. He died on the 27th of May, 1564.