took advantage of a visit which the archbishop paid to his abbey at
Saint-Jouin-les-Marmes, which was only three leagues from Loudun, to make
this appearance; his adversaries, who were discouraged by the result of
the proceedings at Poitiers, scarcely made any defence, and the
archbishop, after an examination which brought clearly to light the
innocence of the accused, acquitted and absolved him.

The rehabilitation of Grandier before his bishop had two important
results: the first was that it clearly established his innocence, and the
second that it brought into prominence his high attainments and eminent
qualities. The archbishop seeing the persecutions to which he was
subjected, felt a kindly interest in him, and advised him to exchange
into some other diocese, leaving a town the principal inhabitants of
which appeared to have vowed him a relentless hate. But such an
abandonment of his rights was foreign to the character of Urbain, and he
declared to his superior that, strong in His Grace's approbation and the
testimony of his own conscience, he would remain in the place to which
God had called him. Monseigneur de Sourdis did not feel it his duty to
urge Urbain any further, but he had enough insight into his character to
perceive that if Urbain should one day fall, it would be, like Satan,
through pride; for he added another sentence to his decision,
recommending him to fulfil the duties of his office with discretion and
modesty, according to the decrees of the Fathers and the canonical
constitutions. The triumphal entry of Urbain into Loudun with which we
began our narrative shows the spirit in which he took his recommendation.




CHAPTER II