ABSTRACT
Historians of religious practices have an immensely wealthy source in inquisitorial documents, which almost goes without saying. But French historians have seemed unable to take advantage of such a blessing to better understand religious evolution in sixteenth-century France. The kingdom never recognized the jurisdiction of the 1542 Congregation, and even the Catholic League consistently rejected the introduction of the Roman Inquisition in France. But France quickly denounced the Holy Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition. The trial at more or less the same time of eight French bishops and that of Jeanne d'Albret are also of no use in elaborating a history of confessional conversion. Witnesses' statements are uninteresting or difficult to verify. The only useful trials are those where the accused was present, which limits us to trials of Italians living in France who returned to Italy after staying in France, and those of Frenchmen arrested in Italy.
