ouerthrow all the authority of the Pope to drie vp all the riuers of gaine and grease of the Clergy And therefore Innocent the third who succeeded Pope Celestine the third of that name about the yeer 1198 tooke another course then that of the ordinary Bishoppes to frame the proces against the Waldenses and others whom he called Heretickes He authorized certaine Monkes who had the full power of the Inquisition in their hands and framed the Proces deliuered to the secular power by a full and absolute authority and a far shorter way but much more cruell deliuering the people by thousands into the hands of the Magistrates the Magistrates to the executioners whereby in a few yeers all Christendome was much moued by those pittifull lamentable spectacles to see all those burnt or hanged that did trust only in one Lord Iesus Christ for their saluation and renounced the vaine hopes inuented by men for their profit which was all the fruit of that aforesaid Inquisition which we shall speake of in the Chapter following CHAP. II. Of the Inquisition by whom it was first put in practise by what subtilties and cruelties the VValdenses haue been vexed by it IN the beginning of the prosecution of the Popes vtterly to exterminate the Waldenses they were content with the meanes aboue mentioned in the precedent Chapter but either because the busines went but slowly forward or because notwithstanding those meanes the number increased in such manner of those that beleeued that these meanes were fouÌ„d to be weake it was resolued by Pope Innocent the third to assay whether by the way of preaching hee could obtain that which by violence he could neuer doe He sent therefore certaine Bishops and Monkes who preached in those places of the Waldenses that were suspected to professe their religion but as he saith that writ the Treasure of Histories The Treas of Hist in the yeere 1206. the said Preachers conuerted not any but a few poore people but for the most part saith he they still persisted in the profession of their faith In Gallia Narbonensi there were imployed two Monks that is to say Pierre de Chateauneuf and Dominique born at Calahorre in Spaine Lib. Inquisit cap. de non dâ—cidendo fol. 100. Sic fuit occifus Sanctus Petrus de Ordine fra trum Praedicatorum to whom they ioyned a certain Abbot of Cisteaux and in a throng as it were together there came many other Priests and Monkes amongst the rest a certain Bishop of Cestre The Monke Pierre de Chateauneuf was slain in this busines and for that canonized for a Saint Dominique continued in his persecution of the Waldenses both in deed and word This Monke seeing himselfe to bee in authority Moynes qui mandient instituted an Order of begging Monkes who after his name were called Dominicans and the said Monke was canonized and his Order confirmed by Pope Honorius being warned saith hee to doe it by a dreame For it seemed to him that the Church of Rome was falling and that Dominique vpheld it with his shoulders in recompence whereof the said Pope commanded that the said Order should haue the first place among the Mendicants Mandians It is said of this Monke The Martirologe in the life of Dominique that his mother when shee went with childe with him shee did dreame that shee had in her wombe a dogge that cast out flames of fire out of his throat His followers interpret this to his aduantage as if hereby we were giuen to vnderstand that hee should be that dogge that should vomit out that fire which should consume the Heretikes But on the contrary they whom hee euery day deliuered vnto death might well say that hee was the dogge that had set on fire all Christendome and that the flames that came out of his throat doe note vnto vs those fiery and infernall sentences which he pronounced against the Christians Howsoeuer hee caried himselfe so well in these affaires that before hee died he built many goodly houses in Languedoc Prouence Dolphine Spaine and elswhere by which hee had obtained great reuenewes either from the liberality of those that affected his Order or the Confiscations of the Waldenses by which the Count Simon of Montfort gaue him great priuiledges and almes as cutting large thongs of another mans leather He laboured in the Inquisition as the chiefe with such contentment to the Popes that from that time forward the Monkes of his Order haue been alwaies imployed in the Inquisition The power giuen to these Monkes Inquisitors was without limits For they could assemble the people whensoeuer it pleased them by the sound of a bell proceed against the Bishops themselues and send out proces if there were need to imprison and to open the prisons without controle All manner of accusations was auailable enough A Sorcerer a Harlot were sufficient witnesses without reproch in the fact of pretended heresie It was no matter who did accuse or whether by word of mouth or by tickets cast in before the Inquisitor for without any personall appearance or confronting one another the the proces were framed without party without witnesse and without other law then the pleasure of the Inquisitor To be rich was a crime neere vnto heresie and he that had any thing to lose was in the way to bee vndone either as an Hereticke or at the least as a fauourer of heretikes One bare suspition stopped the mouthes of fathers and mothers and kinsfolke that they durst not intercede for punishments to come and he that did intreat for the conuey of a cup of cold water or a little straw to lye vpon in some stinking dungeon was condemned for a fauourer of Heretickes and brought to the same or worse extremities There was no Aduocate that durst vndertake the defence of his nearest kinsman or friend or Notary that durst receiue any act in his fauour And that which was more after that a man was once intangled within the snares of the Inquisition he could neuer liue in any assurance for hee was alwaies to beginne againe For if any man were set at liberty it was only for a time till they might better consider of it Death it selfe made not an end of the punishment for they haue left vnto vs certaine coppies of their sentences against the bones of the dead to dis-interre and to burne them yea thirty yeeres after the decease of the party accused They that were heires had nothing certaine for vpon any accusation of their fathers or kindred they durst not vndertake the defence of their owne right or possesse their owne inheritance without the crime or suspition of Heresie and that they rather inherited their bad faith and opinions then their goods The people yea the most mighty and richest amongst them were constrained in a manner to adore these Monkes the Inquisitors and to bestow vpon them great Presents for the building of their Couents and dotations of their
hauing discouered the abuse which they brought into the Church they condemned them for heretickes and deliuered them to the secular power so they call their Magistrates Now this seemed vnto them a cruell simplicitie in the said Magistrates to giue faith to persons passionate and not indifferent such as the aforesaid Priests were and to put to death so many poore innocent people neuer hearing them or examining the cause The tenth calumnie was to make them odious to Kings and Princes that is to say that a lay man in the state of grace had greater authoritie then a Prince liuing in his sinnes Against this imposture they affirme In the booke of the causes of their separation frō the Church of Rome p. 41. that euery one must be subiect to those that are in authoritie obey them loue them be at peace with them honour them with double honour in subiection and obedience and readinesse paying vnto them that which is their due The eleuenth calumnie was grounded vpon that assertion of the Waldenses that the Pope had no authoritie ouer the Kings and Princes of the earth who depend immediatly vpon God alone For from thence they take occasion to call them Manichees as appointing two Princes Against this imputation they say In the booke of the treasure of faith art 2. We beleeue that the holy Trinitie hath created all things visible and inuisible and that he is Lord of things celestiall terrestiall and infernall as it is said in S. Iohn All things are made by him and without him nothing is made The beginning of this calumnie was taken out of the Extrauagantes of Pope Boniface 8. who subiecting the authoritie of Emperours vnto his saith of his owne Quicunque huic potestati resistit Dei ordinationi resistit nisi duo sicut Manichaeus fingat esse principia De Maiorit obedientia Can. Vnam sanctam l. 1. tom 8. The twelfth calumnie imports thus much that they held that whatsoeuer is done with a good intention is good and that euery one shall be saued in whatsoeuer is done with the said good intention To this imposture we need no other answer then that which the Monke Raynerius who was alwaies their back-friend saith elsewhere Rain lib. de forma haeretic art 38. that is that they maintaine that euery man is saued by his faith which he cals a Sect. It is very necessary that a lyer should haue a better memorie then to affirme things contradictorie And to shew that they made no profession of any such beleefe that may suffice that they haue said against Antichrist That he hath brought these errors into the Church vnder a colour of good intention and a shew of faith The thirteenth calumnie was that they maintaine that a man may kill or detaine from the Priests their tithes without scruple of conscience It is certaine that if the Waldenses had power to employ their tithes to some other vse then to the nourishment of those whom they find to be dumbe dogs drowsie watchmen slow bellies seducing and being seduced they had done it It appeareth by the processe against the Waldenses of Dauphiné by Albert de Capitaneis other Monkes Inquisitors but there was neuer any as yet that hath occasioned the least troubles that may be in that regard It well appeareth that in whatsoeuer depended on their owne wils they haue neuer offered more or lesse vnto those people taking no thought for their Masses and Trentals after their death the which the Priests complaine of and from thence take occasion to accuse them for heretickes And as touching reuenge heare what they say The Lord knowing that we shall be deliuered saith In the booke of the Waldenses intituled of Tribulations p. 274. Beware of men but he doth not teach or counsell any of his chosen to kill any but rather to loue their enemies When his disciples said vnto him in the ninth of S. Luke Wilt thou that we command that fire come downe from heauen and consume them Christ answered and said Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of Againe the Lord saith vnto Peter Put vp thy sword into thy sheath c. For temporall aduersities are to be contemned and patiently to be endured for there happeneth nothing therein that is new We are here the Lords floore to be beaten as the corne when it is separated from the chaffe The last calumnie of the Waldenses which we haue gathered out of the writings of their aduersaries is that which Claud. Rubis layes vpon them as a foule aspersion Claud. Rubis in his historie of Lions p. 269. in his Historie of the Citie of Lions That being retired vnto the Alpes at their departure from Lions they became like the rest of the people of that countrey beesome riders And he is not content to tie himselfe to the Vaudois onely but he addeth These are things that ordinarily follow one another Heresie and Sorcerie as it is verified saith he in our times in those Cities and Prouinces that haue giuen entertainment vnto heresie We will first iustifie the Waldenses and then answer Rubis in the behalfe of those Cities and Prouinces which he hath inclosed within this calumnie All they offend against the first Commandemēt say the Vaudois in the exposition of the first Commandement that beleeue that the Planets can enforce the will of man These kind of men as much as in them lies accompt the Planets as gods for they attribute vnto the creature that which belongs vnto the Creator Against which the Prophet Ieremie 10. speaketh Learne not the way of the heathen and be not dismayed at the signes of heauen for the heathen are dismayed at them And S. Paul in the fourth to the Galathians Ye obserue moneths and dayes and times and yeares but I am afraid of you lest I haue bestowed vpon you labour in vaine All they offend against this commandement that beleeue Sorcerers and Soothsayers for these men beleeue the diuels are gods The reason is because they aske of diuels that which God alone can giue that is to manifest things hidden and to foreshew the truth of things to come which is forbidden of God Leuit. 19.31 Regard not them that haue familiar spirits neither seeke after wizards to be defiled with them And in the 20.6 The soule that turneth after such as haue familiar spirits and after wizards to go a whoring after them I will set my face against that soule and will cut him off from amongst his people And in the last verse of that Chapter A man or woman that hath a familiar spirit or that is a wizard shall surely be put to death they shall stone them with stones their bloud shall be vpon them As touching the punishment of this sinne and the vengeance that God taketh vpon such a one we reade in the 2. Kings 1.3 that the Angell of the Lord sent vnto Elijah to meete the messengers of Ahaziah and to say vnto them
the faith is as wee haue promised when we were baptized being little infants As also in remembrance of that great benefit which Iesus Christ hath done vnto vs when hee died for our redemption washing vs with his most pretious bloud These Articles being resolued vpon by them astonished the Priests that were amongst them to gather vp the reuenewes of their Cures being out of all hope to see those people reclaimed and brought vnto the obedience of the Church of Rome by any force much lesse of their owne acord and perceiuing the dore to be shut against their gaine they retired themselues without speaking a word Vpon this their retrait the Masse vanished of it selfe in the Valleys of the said Waldenses And because they had onely the new Testament and some bookes of the old translated into the Waldensian tongue they resolued speedily to send to the presse the whole Bible their bookes being onely manuscripts and those but a few They sent therfore to Newcastle in Suitzerland Suisse See the Ecclesiasticall History of the Churches of France pag. 37 where they gaue fifteene hundred crownes of gold to a Printer who brought to light the first impression of the French Bible which was seen in France and incontinently in the yeere one thousand fiue hundred thirty six they sent to Geneua one Martin Gonin 1536. to prouide a large supply of such bookes which he should see to bee fit for the instruction of the people but they were frustrated of their intent because this good man was apprehended for a Spy passing ouer the hill de Gap by a certaine Gentleman named George Martin Lord de Champolion and so soone as hee was knowne to be a Waldensian he was sent to Grenoble and there kept in prison In the booke of Martyrs of our time lib. 3 fol. III. and afterwards in the night-time cast into the Riuer Lyzere for feare lest hee should speake of his beliefe before the people for the Monke Inquisitor that deliuered him to the secular power told them that it was not good that the world should hare him because saith hee it is to bee feared that they that heare him may become worse then himselfe There happened warres in Piedmont betweene King Francis the first of that name and the Prince of Piedmont which fell out happily for these poore people for so long as those confusions continued they were at quiet vntill Pope Paul the third of that name sollicited the Parliament of Turin to take some violent course against them in doing iustice vpon them as vpon pernicious Heretickes whensoeuer they should bee deliuered into their hands by the Inquisitors This Parliament caused a great number to be burnt at Turin in immitation of other Parliaments in France who burnt in those times those they called Lutherans They had recourse vnto the King presenting vnto him their petition that they might not be persecuted by the said Parliament for the profession of that Religion in the which they and their ancestors had liued for many hundred yeeres and that by the permission of their Princes But they made it worse with them then it was before for the King enioyned them to liue according to the laws of the Church of Rome vpon paine to bee chastised as Heretickes He likewise commanded the Court of Parliament at Turin to cause all his Subiects within their iurisdiction to professe his religion Adding withall that he did not burne the Lutherans throughout his whole Kingdome of France to make a reseruation of them among the Alpes The Parliament endeuoured speedily to put the commandement of the King in execution and for that cause enioyned them vpon paine of their liues to quit themselues presently of their Ministers and to receiue Priests to sing Masse liuing after the manner of other the Kings subiects They answered that they could not obey any such commands against the commandement of God whom in what belonges vnto his seruice they would rather obey then men But had not the King at that time had other imployments elsewhere without all doubt this Parliament would haue made them doe that by force which they would not be brought vnto by simple commands They therefore contented themselues to prosecute them by the Inquisition and to receiue from the Monkes those they condemned to the fire But afterwards in the yeere 1555 they increased the persecution 1555. For hauing condemned to the fire one Barthelmew Hector a Stationer who was executed at Turin because hee died with admirable constancy insomuch that hee edified the assistants and standers by in such manner that he drew teares from their eyes and words of compassion from their mouthes iustifying him with a mutuall applause which they gaue of his good speeches and prayers vnto God The Parliament tooke occasion herupon to do their best endeauor to ouerthrow this profession in the very source and to vse the authority of the King to enforce this people to liue vnder the lawes of the Church of Rome In the Booke of the martyrs of our time lib. 8. fol 122. or miserably to perish To this end and purpose the Parliament of Turin deputed a certaine President of Saint Iulian and a Collaterall named de Ecclesia to transport themselues vnto those places and there to put in practice whatsoeuer they thought good either to reduce or to exterminate the said people with promise to assist them with whatsoeuer shall be needfull to this purpose according to the aduise and counsell they should receiue from them This President with his Collaterall ttooke their iourney to Perouse and caused Proclamations publikly to be made in the name of the King that euery one of the Inhabitants was to goe to Masse vpon paine of his life Afterwards they came to Pignerol where they cited many to appeare before them Amongst others there appeared a poore simple labouring man whom the President commanded to cause his child to be re-baptized which had lately been baptized by the minister of Saint Iohn neere Angrongne This poore man requested so much respite as that he might pray vnto God before hee answered him Which being granted with some laughter he fell downe vpon his knees in the presence of all that were there and his prayer being ended he said to the President that hee would cause his childe to be re-baptised vpon condition that the said President would discharge him by a bill signed with his owne hand of the sinne which he should commit in causing it to be re-baptized and beare one day before God the punishment and condemnation which should befall him taking this iniquity vpon him and his Which the President vnderstanding hee commanded him out of his presence not pressing him any farther Now hauing framed diuers indictments against some particular persons of the said Valleys and made some collections of whatsoeuer the President could imagine might hurt the people hee assayed also to winne them by the preachings of the Monkes whom he brought with him into
haue the true knowledge thereof are the true Church vnto which Christ Iesus hath deliuered the keyes to let in the flocke and to chase away the wolues Behold here saith Vinaux the doctrine of the Waldenses which the enemies of the truth haue impugned and for which in those times they persecuted them as their enemies themselues do witnesse Viret speakes of the Waldenses as followeth Viret of the true false religion lib. 4. chap. 13. p. 249. The Papists saith he haue imposed great crimes and that very wrongfully vpon those ancient faithfull people commonly called Waldenses or the poore people of Lions frō Waldo whose doctrine they followed by which they make it appeare that the Pope is Antichrist and that his doctrine is nothing else but humane traditions contrary to the doctrine of Christ Iesus For which cause they haue dealt against them as the ancient Painims did against the Christians accusing them that they killed their owne children in their assemblies The Author of the Historie of the reformed Churches in France writeth thus The Ecclesiasticall History of the reformed Churches of France tom 1. lib. 1. p. 35. The Waldenses saith he time out of mind haue opposed themselues against the abuses of the Church of Rome and haue in such sort bene persecuted not by the sword of the word of God but by all kind of violence and crueltie as also by a million of calumnies and false accusations that they haue bene enforced to disperse themselues into what parts of the world they could wandring through desart places like poore sauage beasts the Lord neuerthelesse preseruing the remnant of them in such sort that notwithstanding the fury of the whole world they were still preserued in three countries farre distant one from the other that is Calabria Bohemia and Piemont with the bordering parts thereabout from whence they haue bene dispersed into the quarters of Prouence about two hundred seuentie yeares since And as touching their religion they haue alwayes auoyded the Papall superstition For which cause they haue bene alwayes vexed by the Bishops and Inquisitors abusing the power of secular iustice in such sort that it is an euident miracle of God that they should be able to continue Iohn Chassagnon writes as followeth Iohn Chassagnon in his Historie of the Albigeois p. 25. It is written of the Waldenses saith he that they reiected all the traditions and ordinances of the Church of Rome as vnprofitable and superstitious and that they made no great account of their Clergie and Prelates And for this cause being excommunicated and chased out of the countrey they dispersed themselues into many and diuerse places as into Dauphiney Prouence Languedoc Piemont Calabria Bohemia England and other places Some haue written that one part of the Waldenses retired themselues into Lombardie where they multiplyed in such a manner that their doctrine was dispersed throughout all Italie and came as farre as Sicile Neuerthelesse in this great dispersion they alwayes kept themselues in vnion and fraternitie for the space of foure hundred yeares liuing in great sinceritie and the feare of God The Author of the Historie of the State of the Church writes of them thus The Historie of the Estate of the Church p. 336. After that Waldo saith he and his followers were driuen out of Lions one part of them retired to Lombardie where they multiplied in such a manner that their doctrine began to disperse it selfe into Italie and came into Sicile as the Patents of Fredericke the second giuen out against them whilest he reigned do witnesse Vesembecius saith Vesemb in his oration of the Waldenses p. 3. that when the Pope and his catchpoles saw that the Romane Hierarchie receiued great detriment by meanes of the Waldenses insomuch that there were certaine Princes that had taken their defence amongst whom was the King of Aragon and the Earles of Toulouze in those dayes puissant Princes in France they began to oppresse them vpon most vniust occasions bringing them into hatred with the people and especially of Kings to the end that by this meanes they might be vtterly exterminated Vignier makes mention of the Waldenses in his Historical Bibliotheke Vignier in his Historicall Bibliothec p. 130. and saith that they haue endured many long and grieuous persecutions and yet notwithstanding there was neuer any thing that could hinder them from retaining that doctrine which they had receiued from the Waldenses deliuering it as it were from hand to hand vnto their children Hologaray affirmes Hologaray in his History of Foix p. 120. 121. that the Waldenses and Albigenses were of a contrary opinion to the Bishop of Rome in all those maximes or principles that were publickly preached commanded by his authoritie that is that were inuented by him and contrary to the word of God And he witnesseth withall that there were amongst them wise men and very learned and sufficient to defend their beliefe against the Monkes Mathias Illyricus writes Math. Illyricus in his Catal. of the witnesses of the truth p. 134. that he finds by the writings of Waldo which lay by him in certaine ancient parchments that Waldo was a learned man and that he did not cause the bookes of the Bible to be translated into the vulgar tongue but that he tooke paines therein himselfe It is most certaine that the aduersaties of Waldo and the Waldenses make no great account of these aboue named testimonies because they hold them to be both of one and the same ranke and order both the witnesses and those to whom they beare witnesse that is all for hereticks but this Historie is not onely for the enemies of the truth but to the end the louers thereof may see that that which is here produced doth not intend onely our owne particular commendations but to shew that there haue bene before vs certaine great personages whose memorie they reuerence that haue spoken of the Waldenses as of the true Sacraments of God who haue maintained the truth with the losse of their liues and earnestly desired in their times to see the reformation we enioy in ours And as le Sieur de S. Aldegonde saith In the first table of his differences the third part p. 150. the occasion why they were condemned for heretickes was no other but because they maintained that the Masse was an impious corruption of the holy Supper of the Lord. That the Hoste was an idoll forged by men That the Church of Rome was wholly adulterated and corrupted and full of infidelitie and idolatrie That the traditions of the Church were but superstitions and humane inuentions That the Pope was not the head of the Church and for other points of this nature And as the said Aldegonde obserues it was a great worke of God that how diligent soeuer the Popes with their Clergie haue bene vsing likewise the assistance of secular Princes and magistrates to roote them out yet they could neuer do it
Saint Martin Mathew de Bobi Philip of the valley Lucerna George of Piemont Steuen Laurence of the valley Saint Martin Martin de Meane Iohn of the valley of Lucerna who for some offence was suspended from his office for seuen yeates during which time he remained at Gennes where the Pastors had a house as they had also another very faire one at Florence Iohn Girard de Meane surnamed with the great hand Of the valley of Angrongne Thomas Bastie who died in the seruice of the Waldenses Churches at Pouille Sebastian Bastie who died in Calabria Iohn Bellonat of the same valley who was the first amongst the Pastors that married a wife Of the valleys of Perouse Iames Germain Benedict Gorran Paul Gignous de Bobi Iohn Romagnol of Sesena in Italie Of Dauphiney Francis of the valley of Fraissiniere Michel Porte of the valley Loyse in Briançonnois Peter Flot of Pragela Of Prouence Angelin de la Coste Daniel de Valentia and Iohn de Molines These two were sent into Bohemia to serue in the Churches of the Waldenses gathered together in the said Realme but they betrayed the Churches and brought much mischiefe vpon them by discouering vnto the enemies of the said Waldenses whatsoeuer they knew of their troupes and meetings whereby there happened a great persecution which occasioned the Churches of Bohemia to write to the Waldensian Churches of the Alpes from thence forward not to call to such vocations any persons whose faith honestie and zeale was not throughly knowne by long proofe and experience The last Pastors which they had were George Maurel and Peter Masçon who in the yeare of our Lord 1530. were sent into Germany to confer of religion with Oecolampadius Bucer and others Peter Masçon was taken prisoner at Dijon Steuen Negrin and Lewis Paschal were sent into Calabria in the yeare 1560. to the Waldensian Churches at Montald Saint Xist and other places thereabout Steuen Negrin was taken prisoner and sent to Cosence where he died in prison for want of sustenance Lewis Paschal was sent to Rome where he was condemned and burnt aliue Pope Pius the fourth of that name being present and his Cardinals whom he summoned to appeare before the throne of the Lambe to giue an account of their cruelties There are a great number of others as may appeare by the processe commenced against the Waldenses of Dauphiney which are come to our hands wherein mention is made of diuers Pastours which they haue had It appeareth by that bagge of procese which was found in the Cabinet du Sieur d' Auençon Archbishop of Ambru◠at the last taking of Ambrū against the Waldenses of Froissiniere Largentiere who haue bene many times imprisoned and deliuered vnto death by the Monkes the Inquisitors who caused them to be watched euen vpon the high Alpes when they trauelled from one companie to another This small number may suffice to giue vs to vnderstand that though their enemies did their best endeuour wholly to banish them and to roote them out from off the earth yet the eternall God hath not ceassed to prouide laborers for his haruest when there was any need to preserue euen to this present day only in Dauphiney and Prouence many thousands that thinke it their glory to haue come from the ancient Waldenses and are rather inheritours of their zeale and pietie then their earthly substance which their persecutors do possesse as the Pope doth at this present who hath ioyned to his pretended Apostolike chamber all the inheritance of the Waldenses who haue had any thing in his countrie of Venecin and vnder the pretence of heresie if he could he would take away their lieus too so far is he from thinking to restore that which in vaine he hath bene importuned to do which his officers haue promised to restore with more vanitie and falshood then honestie or true meaning Now forasmuch as the Reader not knowing what manner of men their Pastors were they may be the lesse esteemed we will in the Chapter following insert what we find in their writings which may make proofe of their vocation the exercise of their charge zeale and pietie CHAP. X. What manner of men the Barbes or Pastors of the Waldenses were what their vocation with what zeale and fidelitie they haue exercised their charge THe Monke Rainerius reports many things touching the vocation of the Pastors of the Waldenses Rain de forma haeret fol. 8. which neuer were As that which is imposed vpon them that they haue one greater Bishop and two followers which he cals the elder sonne and the yonger and a Deacon that he laid his hands vpon others with soueraigne authoritie and sent them whither he thought good like a Pope Against these impostures I haue here set downe what is found in their writings touching the vocation of their Pastors All such say they as are to be receiued for Pastors amongst vs The booke of the Pastors George Maurel and Peter Masçon pa. 8. notwithstanding they remaine yet with their parents are to intreat vs to receiue them to the ministerie and that we will be pleased to pray vnto God for thē that they may be made capable of so great a charge Which the said suppliants do to no other end but to shew their humilitie They are to learne certaine lessons and to learne by heart all the Chapters of Saint Matthew and Saint Iohn and all the Epistles which they call Canonicall a good part of the writings of Salomon Dauid and the Prophets Afterwards hauing good testimonies of their learning and conuersation they are receiued with the imposition of hands into the office or function of preaching The last that are receiued are to do nothing without the leaue and licence of their Seniours receiued before them As also they that are first ought not to attempt any thing without the approbation of their companions to the end that all things might be done amongst vs in order We Pastors do assēble our selues together euery yeare once to determine of our affaires in a general Councell Our nutriment and apparell are willingly administred vnto vs and as it were by way of almes very sufficiently by the people whom we teach The money that is giuen vs by the people is carried to the aforesaid generall Councell and is deliuered in the presence of all and there it is receiued by the most ancients and part thereof is giuen to those that are trauellers or wayfaring men according to their necessities and part vnto the poore When any of vs that are Pastors shall fall into anie foule or vncleane sinne he is cast out of our companie and forbidden the charge of preaching Amongst other power and authoritie which God hath giuen to his seruants it belongs vnto them to chuse guides of the people and Ancients in their charges according to the diuersitie of imployment in the vnitie of Christ Which is proued by the saying of the Apostle in his Epistle to Titus
Iesus Christ nor transferre vnto the creatures the honor that is due to the Creator nor say of the Bread that it is God and adore it as being God without the incurring of eternall damnation for Idolaters shall not inherit the Kingdome of Heauen For all these things affirmed by them they haue beene hated and persecuted to the death CHAP. II. Pope Innocent the third of that name made shew of a desire to winne the Albingenses to the Church of Rome by preaching and conference A famous disputation at Montreal To what end the Pope permitted disputation in matter of Religion POpe Innocent the third of that name seemed to be carried with a desire to reduce the Albingenses vnto the Church of Rome by preachings and reasons or to oppresse them and vtterly root them out by violence of armes and by crueltie of punishments But before he would come to extremities he thought it necessary for the better iustification of his proceedings to begin with words and afterwards to come to blowes Hee sent therefore amongst them certaine Preachers who endeuoured to draw them by gentle perswasions The Comp. of the Treasure of Histories in the yeere 1206. See here how the Compiler of the treasure of Histories speakes of those times When there came newes saith he to Pope Innocent the third that in his Prouince of Narbonne the traiterous Heresie was spread abroad not onely amongst the poore but Earles Barons and Knights he sent the Abbot of Cisteaux and two Monkes with him to preach against those disloyall buggerers When they had trauelled some little way preaching throughout the Countrey they came to Mompelier where they met with a worthy man that was Bishop of Cestre This honest man asked the Abbot of Cisteaux what hee did there He answered that the Pope had sent him thither against those Sodomites but that he could not conuert them This good man was nothing astonied at it but he still maintained the worke of the Lord valiantly and went on foot to giue good example to others and they stayed and went on foot with him Afterwards the Abbot returned to the Chapter or generall assembly but the Bishop and the two Monkes passing a long time through the Countrey and preaching they conuerted many of the meaner sort of people but of the great ones and richer sort there were few or none that returned to the true faith The Abbot came backe into the Countrey and brought with him another Abbot and diuers Monkes and came all on foot whereupon the Bishop of Cestre began to thinke with himselfe how to returne into his Countrey but dyed by the way The Monkes who preached throughout the Countrey found the Princes so obdurate in their malice that they resolued to stay no longer there but returned into their Countries except one good man who was called Frier Peter of Chasteauneuf who continued preaching with one of his companions When the Albingenses knew the intention of the Pope which was to pretend that he was not the cause why they whom he iudged to be wanderers did not returne to the bosome of the Church of Rome by gentle meanes and force of reason they began to thinke that it stood them vpon to maintaine their beleefe by such conference otherwise they should giue occasion to the aduersaries to thinke that there was in their Religion some weaknesse if there were not any Pastor that would take vpon him the defence thereof It was therefore concluded amongst the Albingenses to giue the Bishops to vnderstand that their Pastors or any one of them for the rest were ready to maintaine their beleefe by the word of God prouided that the conference were well ordered and moderated that is to say that there may be moderators that are men of authoritie both on the one side and the other that may haue wherewithall to hinder all tumult and sedition Prouided also that it be in a place vnto which there may be free accesse and the place secured for all persons that may assist or be present at the said conference Moreouer that there bee some matter or subiect chosen by common consent not to bee giuen ouer before it be determined and that he that cannot defend it by the word of God is to bee reputed and held to be vanquished This disputation was the most famous that hath bin betweene the Albingenses the Bishops and Priests The Bishops and Monkes did all allow of the said conditions The place was Montreal neere Carcasonne the time in the yeere one thousand two hundred and six The Arbitrators agreed vpon by the one part and the other B. de Villeneufue and B. Auxerre for the Bishops and for the Albingenses R. de Bot and Antony Riuiere Arnold Hott was the Pastor for the Albingenses Chassagnon maketh mention in his first booke of the History of the Albingenses pag. 72. accompanied with those that were accounted fit for such an action He was the first that arriued at the place and day assigned Afterwards came the Bishop Eusus and the Monke Dominique a Spaniard with two of the Popes Legats that is to say Peter Chastel and Racul de Iust Abbot of Candets P. Bertrand Prior d' Auteriue Also Iaques de Riberia in his collect of the Citie of Toulouze as also the Prior de Palats and diuers other Priests and Monkes This disputation was sent me from the Albingēses by Mr. Rafin Pastor of the Church of Realmont in old Manuscripts The Theses or generall questions proposed by Arnold were these That the Masse with the Transubstantiation was the inuention of men not the ordinance of Christ nor his Apostles That the Romish Church is not the Spouse of Christ but the Church of tumult and molestation made drunken with the bloud of Martyrs That the policie of the Church of Rome is neither good nor holy nor established by Iesus Christ Arnold sent these Propositions to the Bishop who demanded a respit of fifteene dayes to answer which was granted him At the day appointed the Bishop failed not to appeare with a long and large writing Arnold Hott desired to bee heard by word of mouth saying That he would answer to all that was contained in the said writing intreating his auditorie that it might not be troublesome vnto them if he were long in answering to so long a discourse It was granted that he should bee heard with attention and patience and without interruption He discoursed at diuers houres for foure dayes together and with such admiration of those that were present and readinesse for his part that all the Bishops Abbots Monkes and Priests had reason to desire they had beene elsewhere For he framed his answer according to the points set downe in the said writing with such order and plainnesse that hee gaue all that were present to vnderstand that the Bishop hauing written much had neuerthelesse concluded nothing that might truly turne to the aduantage of the Church of Rome against his Propositions
his Wife The Earle Simon by them recouereth the Castles of Menerbe and Termes and the Towne De la Vaur The Earle Remond is cited before the Legat He refuseth to appeare Folquet the Bishop of Toulouze ouer-reacheth him causeth him to lose the Castle Narbonnes The Legat Milon dieth IN the yeare one thousand two hundred and ten 1210. the Earle Simon being shut vp saith the Treasure of Histories within Carcassonne for want of Pilgrims he vnderstood that the Countesse his Wife came from France and brought with her a great number of Pelerins which gaue him great comfort and he went out to meet her A pleasant warre it was wherein Priests leuied the Souldiers and a woman conducted them to the warres The Pelerins were imployed in the recouerie of the Castle of Menerbe a place very strong by nature vpon the Frontiers of Spaine This siege was procured by the intreatie of Ameri Lord of Narbonne and the Inhabitants thereof who complained that alwaies in former times this place had beene as a thorne in their feet They yeelded themselues for want of water to the discretion of the Legat who caused the Pilgrims to enter the place with the Crosse and the Banner and singing Te Deum laudamus The Abbot of Vaux would needs preach to those that were within the Castle and to exhort them to acknowledge the Pope and to sticke to the Romish Church but they not staying till he had ended his Discourse they all of them cryed out The Monk of the Vallies of Sernay chap. 47. Chass lib. 3. chap. 7. saying We will not forsake our faith we reiect the Romish you labour but in vaine for neither life nor death shall make vs to abandon our beleefe Vpon this answer the Earle Simon and the Legat commanded a great fire to bee made and cast into it a hundred and fortie persons as well women as men who went into it with ioy giuing thankes vnto God for that it pleased him to doe them the honour to suffer and to dye for his names sake Thus did these true Martirs of Christ Iesus finish their fraile liues in the midst of the flames to liue eternally in heauen And thus did they triumph ouer the Legat of the Pope resisting him to his face and threatning the iust iudgement of God vpon the Earle Simon and that one day hee would pay dearely for his cruelties howsoeuer he seemed now to commit them scotfree yet he would pay for all when the bookes should be opened There were a number of Priests and Monkes that did exhort them to take pitty on themselues promising them their liues if they would liue according to the beleefe of the Church of Rome There were only three women that accepted of the condition that is to say to liue by abiuring their religion all the rest died constantly but they were vanquished by the allurements of the mother of Richard de Marsiac After this expedition Termes The Lord of Tholo in the hist of his time pa. 459. the Earle Simon besieged the Castle of Termes in the same territorie of Narbonne a place that seemed impregnable by any force of man It was taken for want of water not by any capitulation but because hauing had along time a great want of water it rained and they dranke of the water which fell into their Cisternes not sufficiently purified whereupon they fell into diuers diseases Seeing therefore themselues brought to such an estate that if they had beene driuen to fight they had had no power to make resistance they resolued one night to quit the place which they did not being descried by any The souldiers of the Bishop of Chartres made entrie as soone as they perceiued they were all departed and there set vp the ensigne of their Bishop Amongst other reasons which the Earle Simon vsed The Monke of the Valleis Sernay ch 51. and so forward to animate his Pilgrims this was the most pregnant that this place was the most execrable of all the rest because there had beene no Masse sung there since the yeare 1180. that is to say for the space of thirty yeeres La Vaur The Castle Vetuille de la Vaur much troubled the Earle Simon It was besieged with new troopes of Pilgrims which a little before came from France whilest the siege was at Termes that is to say the Bishop of Chartres Chass lib. 3. pa. 141. Ologarei in hist of Foix. pag. 129. of Beanuais the Earle of Dreux and the Earle of Pontieure This place was vpon the riuer of Agotte about fiue leagues from Carcassonne towards Toulouze whereof the sister of Aimeri Lord of Montreal whose name was Gerande was Lady The Legat had taken from the said Lord of Montreal all his places which was the cause why he put himselfe into the city de la Vaur to defend his Sister There were within this place many honest men There came Pilgrims from all parts to the Legat From Normandie the troopes being conducted by their Bishops especially by him of Lifieux and there came also vnto him six thousand Alemans The Earle of Foix being aduertised which way they came went and lay in ambuscado for them where he ouerthrew them all not any escaping but a certain Earle who at the first encounter ran away to carry newes to the Earle Simon who pursued the Earle of Foix with foureteene thousand men but in vaine for he had before retired himselfe to Mongiscard After six moneths siege the city de la Vaur was taken by assault where all were put to the sword except fourescore gentlemen whom the Earle Simon caused to bee hanged and strangled and Aimeri was hanged vpon a gibber higher than all the rest and the Lady of Lauar was cast aliue into a ditch and therein couered with stones Chass lib. 3. pag. 150. One onely act of humanity wee reade was done by the troopes of the Earle Simon and that is that a gentleman vnderstanding that there were in a house diuers women and children sicke hee begged them of the Generall and they were granted vnto him who conducted them safe and sound out of the citie not being offered by any man the least indignitie that may be These were the principall places that the Legat tooke in the yeere one thousand two hundred and ten 1210. We must now returne to the Earle Remond of Toulouze who at his returne from Rome with letters of fauour from the Pope gaue the Legat Milon to vnderstand that he was reconciled vnto the Pope and had receiued from him his full absolution and that he had bestowed vpon him some presents The Treatise of hist in the treat of the Albing In the meane time the matter is otherwise set downe in the Treasure of histories for there it is said That the Pope writ to the Bishop of Rhodois to Master Miles and Master Theodosius that if the Earle could purge himselfe sufficiently before them of the death of
Frier Peter and the heresie for which he was suspected that they should giue him his purgation This clause gaue authority againe to the Legats to heare the said Earle touching the aforesaid businesse which was to bring him backe againe to the beginning of all his misery The Earle Simon pressed the Legat to proceed in the fact of the Earle Remond either to absolue or to condemne him to the end he might know whether he should hold him for a friend or for an enemie of the Pope and of the Church to be at peace with him or to make war against him The Legat Milon commanded him to appeare in his owne person because he would know once for all Chass lib. 3. pag. 129. how he and his subiects liued with them that is to say with the Earle Simon and the Church The Earle Remond answered that neither he nor his Subiects had any thing to doe with them that he had made his agreement and reconciliation with the Pope which the Legat could not be ignorant of to whom he had shewed the Bulles and therefore hee intreated them to forbeare any farther to disquiet him The Earle Simon and the Legat writ vnto him againe that it was very necessary that he should make repaire vnto him to fulfill the contents of the Bulles He answered that he had rather take the paines to goe to king Philip of France and to the Emperor yea to Rome to the Pope himselfe to complaine of the wronges they did vnto him than to put himselfe any more into their hands When the Legat saw that he could not winne him by Letters he resolued to play the fox and to winne him by subtleties They sent vnto him Folquet Bishop of Toulouze and instructed him how hee should cary himselfe to deceiue him This was a capable instrument for the premeditated treason He went therefore to the Earle Remond insinuated himselfe into his fauour with fained protestations of his desire to serue him and his great griefe to see so little loue betwixt the Legat and himselfe wishing that it were in his power to stand him in any steed therein though with the losse of his owne bloud and offering vnto him all loue and assistance That he had far greater reason to procure the preseruation of his good than any other person whatsoeuer That he would aduise him as a friend to take from the Legat all pretence of suspition That when he had once shewed himselfe confident of him they would no longer doubt of his fidelitie and that euen now a faire occasion was offered to binde the Legat and the Earle Simon vnto him and that was that whereas he knew they were shortly to come to Toulouze if he would offer vnto them his Castle Narbonnes to lodge in it would be an excellent testimony of that confidence hee had in them and binde them to loue him The Earle Remond being thus guiled by this Bishop offered them his castle They accepted thereof and presently placed therein a great garrison The word was no sooner slipt the Earles mouth but he was sure he should repent it but it was now too late to recall it He cursed his owne imprudency and his friends and subiects his too great facility for he saw them incontinently to fortifie his Castle that it might serue them for a canesson and bridle for his owne subiects As also from the time of their entrance into that place he found that they grew bold to speake all the ill they could of the Earle Remond and that with open mouth saying that he had mocked the Pope giuing him to vnderstand that which was false and promising that which he would neuer performe insomuch that he was as great an heretike as he was before his abiuration That in the ruine and punishment of the Earle Remond the destruction of the Albingenses did consist but on the contrary though the ground were couered with the dead bodies of the Albingenses if the Earle Remond should remaine they would alwaies bud and spring vp againe and therefore it was resolued to exterminate and vtterly to destroy the house of Remond from the bottome to the top But when men purpose that which God hath otherwise disposed they come many times short So it was with the Earle Simon who was frustrated of this hope by the sudden vnexpected death of the Legat Milon which changed the face of the affaires of the said Earle Milon for he was faine to spend many yeares in the ruinating of that house of the Earle Remond and his adherents which hee had promised to doe in a few daies CHAP. VIII Theodosius succeedeth the Legat Milon proceedeth against the Earle Remond excommunicateth him and frames very violent articles against him The Earle Remond retireth himselfe from St. Giles and Arles with the king of Aragon lest they should be apprehended by the Legat Simon besiegeth Montferrand Baudoin reuolteth The king of Aragon allieth himselfe with the Earle Simon IN the yeere of our Lord 1211. 1211. Thodize gaue the Earle Remond to vnderstand that he should haue what was iust and right touching his affaires and with faire words perswaded him to come to St Giles Being there he ript vp the businesse touching the murder of the Monke Frier Peter de Chasteauneuf from the beginning without consideration of any precedent iustification and excommunicated the said Earle Remond not as being guilty of the death of the said Monke but because he had not driuen the Albingenses out of his countrey as he was bound by promise The Earle Remond hauing felt the blast of the said excommunication retired himselfe to Toulouze not speaking a word before the Legat had meanes to publish the sentence The Bishop of Toulouze knowing hee was excommunicated sent one to certifie vnto him that hee was to depart out of the citie of Toulouze so long as the Masse was singing because he might not say Masse there being an excommunicated person within the citie The Earle Remond being much moued with the audacious boldnesse of the Bishop sent a Gentleman one of his followers to tell him that hee was to depart and that speedily out of his territories vpon paine of his life The Bishop departed and sent to the Prouost of the Cathedrall Church and to the Canons that they were to depart with them and that with the Crosse and the Banner and the Hoast and for the greater deuotion they should goe barefoot and in procession In this equipage they arriued at the Armie of the Legat where they were receiued as Martyrs persecuted for the Masse euen with teares of the Pilgrims and the generall applause of euery one The Legat thought now that he had sufficient cause to prosecute the Earle Remond as a relapse and impenitent man but yet he desired much to get hold of him because if he could once apprehend him hee would quickly make him to conclude that businesse as the Earle of Beziers did To this purpose hee flattered him by Letters