Torture was habitually used to extract confession.

For those who recanted before sentence milder, but still severe, punishments were meted out: imprisonment and various sorts of penance.

By the edict of Chateaubriand a code of forty-six articles against heresy was drawn up, and the magistrate empowered to put suspected persons under surveillance.
In the face of this fiery persecution the conduct of the Calvinists was wonderfully fine.

They showed great adroitness in evading the law by all means save recantation and great astuteness in using what poor legal means of defence were at their disposal.

On the other hand they suffered punishment with splendid constancy and courage, very few failing in the hour of trial, and most meeting death in a state of exaltation.