Note 767 — Chapter IX

This local organization did not seem strong enough for Montluc, whose activity against the Protestants in 1562 was already notable and who was suspicious lest some Huguenots might creep into the body and betray it; so the power was taken out of the hands of the jurats of the city at his suggestion and vested in the hands of Tilladet, governor of Bordeaux, who also had possession of the keys of the city. This proceeding was destined to be revolutionary in the development of the municipality. The jurats pleaded their ancient privileges, which were as old as the English domination, which Louis XI had confirmed after the wars of the English in France were over. But the parlement of Bordeaux approved the change and thus the form of government of the greatest city of the Gironde was altered by stress of circumstances (O’Reilly, Hist. de Bordeaux, II, 241-44; Montluc, Lettres et commentaires, IV, 214, note). Cf. Gaullieur, Histoire de la réformation à Bordeaux et dans le ressort du parlement de Guyenne. Tome I, “Les origines et la première guerre de religion jusqu’à la paix d’Amboise” (1523-63), Paris, 1848.