Thispetition,whichwassignedbyseveralnoblesandbyalmostallthelawyersandmerchantsofthecityofNimes,waspresentedtoM。
deVillarsonTuesday,22ndApril,1704,byM。deAlbenas,attheheadofsevenoreighthundredpersonsoftheReformedreligion。
M。deVillarsreceivedtherequestkindly,thankeditsbearerandthosewhoaccompaniedhim,assuringthemthathehadnodoubtofthesincerityoftheirprofessions,andthatifhewereinwantofhelphewouldhaverecoursetothemwithasmuchconfidenceasiftheywereoldCatholics。Hehoped,however,towintherebelsbackbymildness,andhebeggedthemtosecondhiseffortsinthisdirectionbyspreadingabroadthefactthatanamnestywasofferedtoallthosewhowouldlaydownarmsandreturntotheirhouseswithinaweek。
Theverynextdaybutone,M。deVillarssetoutfromNimestovisitalltheprincipaltowns,inordertomakehimselfacquaintedwithmen,things,andplaces。
Althoughtheanswertothepetitionhadbeenadelicaterefusal,d\'Aygalierswasnotdiscouraged,butfollowedM。deVillarseverywhere。WhenthelatterarrivedatAlais,thenewgovernorsentforMM。deLalandeanddeBaville,inordertoconsultthemastothebestmeansofinducingtheCamisardstolaydowntheirarms。Barond\'Aygalierswassummonedtothisconsultation,anddescribedhisplantothetwogentlemen。Asheexpected,bothwereopposedtoit;