it with the losse of our liues goods and honours and to continue therein the remainder of our liues And if any shall pretend that we are in an error we require him to make vs see our error and offer incontinently to abiure and do likewise promise to follow that which shall be proued vnto vs to be the better desiring nothing so much as with an assured and safe conscience to follow the true and lawfull seruice which we poore creatures owe vnto our Creator and by that meanes to attaine to the true and eternall felicity But if any shall goe about by force and constraint to cause vs to forsake and abandon the true way of our saluation and to enforce vs to follow the errours and superstitions and false doctrines inuented by men wee desire a great deale rather to abandon our houses our goods and liues too We therefore humbly beseech his Highnesse whom we acknowledge to bee our lawfull Prince and Lord not to suffer vs to molested without cause but rather permit vs to continue so long as wee liue and our children and posterity after vs in that obedience and seruice which vnto this day wee haue rendred vnto him as faithfull and loyall Subiects and so much the rather because we demand no other thing of him but that we yeelding faithfully vnto him that which we are bound vnto by the expresse commandement of God it may likewise bee lawfull for vs to render vnto God that homage and seruice which wee owe vnto him and he requires at our hands in his holy word Beseeching in the meane time in the middle of our exile and calamity the Reformed Churches to hold vs and acknowledge vs to bee true members therereof being willing to seale with our blood if God will haue it so the Confession of faith made and published by them which we acknowledge in all things and throughout conformable to the doctrine taught and written by the holy Apostles and therefore truely Apostolicall Wee promise to liue and die therein And if so doing we be afflicted and persecuted we yeeld hearty thanks vnto God who hath done vs that honour to suffer for his name leauing the issue of our affaires and the iustice of our cause in the hands of his diuine prouidence who will deliuer vs when and by what meanes it pleaseth him Humbly beseeching him that as he hath the hearts of Kings and Princes in his hands he will be pleased to mollifie the heart of his Highnesse to take pitty of those that haue neuer offended him or purpose to offend him to the end hee may hold and acknowledge those to be more faithfull loyall and obedient to his seruice then they are that prouoke him to such persecutions In the the meane time that hee would bee pleased to support vs in the middest of these temptations and strengthen vs with Patience and Constancy to perseuere in the profession of the truth vnto the end of our liues and our posterity after vs Amen This persecution hath cotinued vnto this present time at the instance of Pope Paul the fift and his Nuntio who still troubleth and vexeth this poore people by his Monkes the Inquisitors They haue made some to alter their opinions who had no power to quit themselues of their goods but haue accommodated themselues to the world but the greatest number persisted constant in calling on the name of God chusing rather to be banished here on earth from their natiue countries then to be depriued of eternall life hating their Possessions their Country their Houses being the places where they could not inhabit whithout the deniall of Christ and his truth CHAP. VI. Of the Waldenses inhabiting in the New Lands and the persecutions which they haue suffered THe New lands of which wee are here to speake are in the Alpes in the Frontiers of Piedmont Dauphine and Prouence of which the cheefe Citty is Barcelona or Barcelonetie Within the said Lands there are certaine Villages which haue been peopled by the Waldenses time out of minde placed in the best part of the said Lands amongst others Iosiers These places haue continued a long time the Princes of Piedmont nothing regarding the abode of the said peoples within their Prouinces but the Priests made them odious to the world because they were vnprofitable vnto them by not liuing after the manner of other people who contributed vnto them for the liuing and for the dead in such sort that when his Highnesse persecuted in his state those that had quit themselues of the Lawes of the Romish Church these were not forgotten especially when the Gouernours of the said Valley opposed themselues against them These were therefore of the number of those that were summoned in the yeere 1576 to goe to the Masse or to forsake his Highnesse Country 1576. wherein they found not better meanes to helpe themselues then to ioyne themselues vnto others who being threatned with the same banishment had recourse to the Protestant Princes beseeching them to intercede for them to their Prince that he would be pleased not to trouble them in such manner for their beliefe which they had made profession off from the father to the sonne for many hundred yeeres during which time their Princes haue not had any Subiects that haue yeelded vnto them more faithfull obedience then they not giuing place vnto any other in their duties submissions and contributions which they haue alwaies most willingly payed to their Princes as they were still ready to continue yeelding obedience to their commands onely that that they might not be troubled in their consciences The Prince Palatine of the Rhine delegated to the Prince of Piedmont a Counseller of his State with certaine other honorable personages Being arriued at Turin they saluted his Highnesse in the name of the said Prince Palatine and deliuered their Letters of Credence He was heard by the Prince Emanuel Philibert very peaceably This Councellor gaue him to vnderstand that the onely charity of their Master towards Christians of the same Religion that he professed had moued him to mediate for them that his Highnesse would bee pleased to suffer them to liue peaceably in the exercise of their Religion not offering any violence to their consciences That he would account this benefit as done vnto himselfe and hee should oblige vnto him all the Protestant Princes of Germany who likewise made the selfesame request by their mouthes That he should haue God the more fauourable and his Subiects the more faithfull if he did not shew himselfe inexorable That the confusions that haue happened in all the States of Kings and Princes that haue indeauoured to raigne and reclaime the soules of their Subiects by armes and to reduce them by violence may make wise all other Princes which were not yet come to such extremities That forasmuch as they that haue not vsed rigorous courses haue won the hearts of their people to be more faithfull vnto them this meanes being in his power
Honour continue in the same purpose and intent to preserue and to loue that Church for which Christ Iesus died and to dedicate the rest of your dayes to his glory and the edification of those flockes for whom he hath shed his most precious bloud Herein consists all your glory And that your felicitie may spring from hence I begge at Gods hands from the bottome of my heart euen with the same affection which binds me euer to continue Your Honours most humble seruant Iohn Paul Perrin of Lion From Nyons in Dauphiney Ian. 1. THE PREFACE THe Church of God in the world is of higher esteeme then the world it selfe It is the fruition of our Lord Iesus Christ He was crucified for it and without it nothing can be accounted good But as our Redeemer inuiteth vs to enter and to continue therein for our saluation so Satan endeuoureth to make men wander from the right way to their damnation He blindeth them to the end they may take that for the Church that hath but the name thereof holding them in error seducing them by a worldly glorious pompe and so makes them disdaine the true Church principally because it is subiect to persecution in the world wherein they that honour not the Maister cannot cherish the seruants in such sort that not acknowledging any other Church then that which hath triumphed for many ages together in the bloud of those Martyrs whom it hath killed they demand with great importunitie what and in what parts of the world the Chatholicke Church hath bene if that which so long and so peaceably hath obtained the title thereof be not the same Where was it hid say they during the fiue ages last past They are instant vpon vs that at the least we shew them some one in the whole course of so many yeares that hath beleeued that which in our times hath bene so much extolled vnder the name of Reformation This historie of the Christians called Waldenses Albingenses will satisfie those that can reade it without passion For therein appeares that for these last foure hundred and fiftie yeares there haue bene especially in Europe a great number in diuers kingdomes and countries which haue made profession of a religion altogether conformable to the word of God and the doctrine which hath bene receiued in the reformed Churches hauing mourned vnder the darkenesse of Antechrist wherein they shined like precious stones in a dunghill and roses among the thornes They seemed to the world but as abiect men but God beheld them as his children and gaue them eyes to see and eares to heare and an heart to vnderstand the truth And as he made way to his iudgements by leauing those to the spirit of amazednesse that had forsaken his word so he hath made way to his mercies in withdrawing this remainder of his people from the Temples polluted with idolatries causing the sacred inward ministerie of his Spirit to worke in them prouiding them temples and preseruing them from the infection of the externall ministerie defiled with infinite humane inuentions The writings of the said Waldenses and Albingenses which haue bene miraculously preserued vnto this present time make good in this historie the puritie of their religion and iustifie them against the imputations of their aduersaries They make it appeare vnto the world that they haue had for the foundation of their faith the Simbole of the Apostles allowing also of that of Athanasius for the rule of their obedience the eternall law of God for the substance of their prayers the Lords prayer And finally that they haue preserued the Sacraments instituted by our Lord Iesus Christ in the selfe same puritie wherein he first ordained them And also that they haue alwayes liued vnder a good and holy discipline carrying themselues in regard of their manners and conuersation according to the same word which is the rule of their faith And yet neuerthelesse we shall make it appeare that for all these things without which no man can be a true Christian they haue bene cruelly condemned to death banished sacked burnt cursed and persecuted with violence of armes Without reason then is it demanded where the Church was in these ages last past since it appeares that the almost infinite numbers which the Popes for righteousnesse sake haue put to death were the Church how contrarie soeuer to the Church of Rome and the Popes in whatsoeuer they were contrary to the Church of God Now forasmuch as the first point of the truth which these faithfull Martyrs haue maintained concerneth God who is without beginning and without end without whose command there is nothing true or auailable it must necessarily follow that the inuentions of men must giue place when God speaketh especially the truth being as ancient as the lye And we must also acknowledge that they that haue beleeued in former ages in one onely God by Iesus Christ haue bene the true members of the Church making the Catholike Church in what part of the world soeuer they haue bene placed Now it appeares by the doctrine and confession of the faithfull whereof much is spoken in this historie that they haue alwayes put their hope in the liuing God expecting saluation and life by no other meanes but by the Sonne of God If then for these things they haue bene slaughtered what wrong is done vnto those that are guiltie of the same sinnes by those bloudie desires which they haue to banish those out of the world whose mouthes by reason they cannot stop if seeming to seeke the Church in ages past they be sent vnto those faithfull whom such as themselues haue put to death Haue they not rather reason to be thankfull vnto God with vs for that the violent assaults of Satan haue bene alwayes in vaine because the Church hath euer continued in the person of Gods seruants victorious by faith and triumphant by martyrdome which we haue not measured in this historie according to the crueltie of their punishment but the iustice and goodnesse of the cause It will adde much to the glory of God to follow this bloud by the trace gathering together the certaine proofes of the faith and constancie of millions of witnesses who haue sealed the truth with the losse of their owne liues They whose hearts God shall moue to enlarge this historie by the true narration of what hath passed touching this subiect in those places where it hath pleased the Lord to make them grow increase as there is no Kingdome State Principalitie nor almost Citie towne or village in Europe where this innocent bloud hath not bene shed shall adde much to the edification of his Church when many shall contribute to the notice thereof that which God hath done in passed ages that we may know where and how he hath preserued it In this holy employment we need not doubt of the venome of wicked tongues the scoffes of Atheists and profane persons A stomacke ill affected loues nothing but what
in them worthy reprehension And that was that they yeelded to much to their infirmities since that hauing once knowne the truth they neuerthelesse frequented Papisticall Churches being present at those idolatries which they condemned basely prophaning and polluting themselues that wee are not onely certainly to beleeue with the heart but wee must likewise make confession with our mouth to saluation Moreouer they told them of another fault which they had taken notice of and that was that they were too carefull in heaping vp gold and siluer for though the end were good that is to helpe and comfort them in time of persecution yet forasmuch as euery day brought with it affliction enough and that such cares are not befitting those that are to looke only before them and to lay vp a treasure in heauen they condemned that which was superabundant in them and which in the end they would principally rely vpon Joachimâ— Cam. in Hist de Ecclesijs fratrum in Bohemia Morauia p. 105 The Waldenses of Austria did heartly thanke them intreating them to continue this holy affection towards them and for their part to doe their best endeauour to further their communion and to appoint a day and place of meeting and conference for they hauing a long time knowne those their defects which they had taken notice of as yet they had not power to prouide conuenient remedies for the same but their hope was that being altogether they should be able better to resolue with themselues as also touching many other points of greatest moment Now when it was euen vpon the point to send to the place where they had agreed to meete and to assemble themselues they began to doubt that the businesse might be discouered and it might be dangerous to all of them And besides that they considered with themselues that they had been supported notwithstanding their assemblies and beliefe were sufficiently knowne and therefore they should put themselues into extreame danger if they should ioyne themselues with other people These considerations made their former designes and purposes of their mutuall communications to vanish away as also in the yeere following that is in the yeere one thousand foure hundred siixty eight 1468. the persecution increased against the said Waldenses of Austria for there were burnt a great number at Vienna Among others the History makes mention of one Steuen an ancient man who being there burnt confirmed many with his constancy They that would escape this persecution retired themselues into the coast of Brandebourg where they stayed not long being also there exposed to fire and sword Amongst those there was one named Tertor that retired himselfe into Bohemia where hee ioined himselfe to the Churches of the Hussites Ioach. Cam. in hist de Ecclesijs Fratrum in Bohemia Morauia p. 117. and finding that a man might there remaine in peace both of body and soule he returned into his Country and perswaded many to goe to Bohemia and to inhabit there who were louingly entertained and after that time there haue been no assemblies of the Waldenses in particular but they haue ioyned themselues vnto the Churches of the Hussites CHAP. XI Of the Waldenses inhabiting in Germany and the persecutions that there they suffered whereof we haue the proofes NOtwithstanding that incontinently after that Peter Waldo with those that followed him came into Germany there was so great a persecution along vpon the Rhine by the incitement and instigation of the Archbishops of Mayence and Strasbourg that there were burnt in one day in one fire Dubranius in the history of Bohemia to the number of eighteene yet wee find that in the time of the Emperor Frederic the second about the yeere one thousand two hundred and thirteene Germany and especially Alsatia was full of the VValdenses The searchers were so diligent and exact Coistans vpon the Reuel that they were inforced to disperse themselues into other places to auoide the persecution This flight turned to the great benefit of the Church because hereby many learned Teachers were scattered here and there to make knowne vnto the world the purity of their Religion In the yeere one thousand two hundred thirty 1230. a certaine Inquisitor named Conrad de Marpurg Vignier in the 1. part of his Bibli Historiale was ordained by the Pope Superintendent of the Inquisition He exercised this charge with extreame cruelty against all sorts of persons without any respect euen of the Priests themselues whose bodies and goods he confiscated He tried men with a hot iron Trithem in Chron. Hirsaugiensi Godefridus Mon in Aâ—nalibus saying that they that could hold an iron red hot in their hands and not be burnt were good Christians but on the contrary if they felt the fire he deliuered them to the secular power In these times the Waldenses had in the Diocesse of Treues many Schooles wherein they caused their children to be instructed in their beliefe and notwithstanding all the Inquisitions persecutions executed vpon their flockes yet they aduentured to preach calling their assemblies by the sound of a bell Krautz in Metropol l. 8. § 18. in Saxon l. 8. ca. 16. maintaining in publica statione saith the Historiographer publikly that the Pope was an hereticke his Prelates Simonaicall and seducers of the people That the truth was not preached but amongst them and that had not they come amongst them to teach God before he would haue suffered their faith to perish would haue raised others euen the stones themselues to enlighten his Church by the preaching of the word Vntill these times say they our Preachers haue buried the truth and preached lyes we on the contrary preach the truth and bury falshood and lyes and lastly we offer not a feined remission inuented by the Pope but by God alone and according to our vocation Mathew Paris an English writer obserueth 1220. Math Pâ—ris in Henry 3. anno 1220. that abou the yeere 1220 there were a great number in a part of Germany that tooke armes where the Waldenses were cut in peeces being surprised in a place of great disaduantage hauing on the one side a marish ground and on the other the sea in such sort that it was impossible for them to escape 1330. Vignier in his third part of his Historicall Biblio in the yeere 1330. About the yeer 1330 they were strangely vexed in many parts of Germanie by a certaine Iacobin Monke Inquisitor named Echard but after many cruelties executed vpon them as hee pressed the Waldenses to discouer vnto him the reasons for which they were seperated from the Church of Rome being vanquished in his owne conscience and acknowledging those defects and corruptions which they alleaged to be in the Church of Rome to bee true and not being able to disproue the points of their beliefe by the word of God he gaue glory vnto God and confessing that the truth had ouercome him hee became a
a Waldensibus adiutus Hussium nostrum excitauit pa. 264. From hence it was said to the Husites that Wicklif had awakened their Iohn Hus. This Wicklif writ aboue a hundred volumes against Antichrist or the Church of Rome the Catalogue whereof is in the booke of the Images of famous men that haue combated with Antichrist CHAP. XIII Of the Waldenses that did flie into Flanders and were there persecuted S. Aldeg in his 1. Table of the diff fol. 149. Iohn Dubrauius in the Hstory of Bohemia lib. 14. AFter the great persecution of the Waldenses in the time of Phillip the faire Historigraphers make mention of their repaire into Flanders whether he pursued them and caused a great number to bee burnt And because they were constrained to retire themselues into the woods to flie from those that pursued them they were called Turlupins that is dwellers with wolues See before l. 1. c. 1. as you haue heard before in that Chapter where we haue shewed what names were giuen vnto them Math. Paris in the life of Henry 3. Mathew Paris saith that a certaine Iacobin Monke named Robert Bougre had liued amongst the Waldenses making profession of their Religion but hauing afterwards forsaken them became a Monke and a very violent persecuter in such sort that he caused many to be burnt in Flanders Now his owne friends hauing taken knowledge that he much abused the power and authority of his office laying to their charge many things whereof they were innocent and executing his authority against many that were altogether ignorant of the beliefe of the VValdenses he was not only depriued of the office of an Inquisitor but cast into prison and being conuicted of diuers crimes was condemned to perpetuall prison CHAP. XIV Of the VValdenses that were persecuted in Poland ABout the yeere of our Lord 1330 there were many that made profession of the Religion of the Waldenses in the Kingdom of Poland 1330. The Bishops had recourse to the meanes established by the Pope that is to say the Inquisition whereby they deliuer many of them into the hands of the executioner Flac. Illy in his Catol of the wit pa. 539. The Author of the Catalogue of the witnesses of the truth hath written that he hath lying by him the forme of the Inquisition which the Inquisitors made vse off in this persecution Vignier in his Biblio pa. 130. In his History lib. 1. Vignier saith that at their departure out of Picardy many of them that were persecuted there retired themselues into Poland Le Sieur de Popeliniere hath set downe in his History that the Religion of the Waldenses hath spred it selfe almost into all parts of Europe enen amongst the Polonians and Lutherans and that after the yeer one thousand one hundred they haue alwayes sowed their doctrine little differing from that of the moderne Protestants and maugre all the powers and Potentates that haue opposed themselues against them they haue defended it to this day CHAP. XV. That many Waldenses haue been persecuted at Paris IN the yeer 1210 foure and twenty VValdenses were apprehended at Paris 1210. The history of Languedoc 1. Forier 10 l. 7. wherof some were imprisoned some burnt It happened also that during the one twentieth schisme and during the time of Pope Iohn the one and twentieth of that name the persecution was great throughout all France against the VValdenses but especially at Paris Againe in the yeere 1304 the Monkes Inquisitors appointed for the search of the VValdenses 1304. 1. Tab. pa. 152 apprehended at Paris a hundred and fourteene who were burnt aliue and endured the fire with admirable constancy 1378 The Sea of histories in the yeere 1378. We find also in the Sea of Histories that in the yeere 1378 the persecution continuing against the VValdenses there were burnt at Paris in the place de Greue a very great number CHAP. XVI Of the Waldenses inhabiting in Italy and the persecutions which we can proue they haue there suffered IN the yeere 1229 the Waldenses were spread abroad in great numbers throughout Italy 1229 Sigonius de regno Itaâ—â—câ— lib. 17. Valcamonica onely they had Schooles and from all parts of their abode they sent money into Lombardy for the maintenance of the said Schooles Vignier in the 3 part of his Bibl. hist Rain in summa fol. 18. Rainerius saith that about the yeere of our Lord one thousand two hundred fifty the Waldenses had Churches in Albania Lombardy Milan and in Romagina 2250 as also at Vincence Florence and Val Spoletine In the yeere of our Lord 1280 1280 there were many Waldenses in Sicile Le Sieur de Hail in the â—ife of Phil. 3. as le Sieur de Haillan obserueth in his History In the yeere 1492 1492 Albert de Capitaneis Inquisitor and Arch-deacon of Cremona apprehended one of the Pastors of the Waldenses It appeares by the InditemeÌ„t of the said Pastoâ— the orginal whereof is in our hands named Peter de Iaeob passing ouer a mountaine in Dauphine called le Col de Costeplane as he was going to Pragela in the Valley of Frassinieres Being asked from whence he came he answered that he came from the Churches of the Waldenses in Italy where he had been to performe his duty to his charge and that the had passed by Gennes where he told them Genoa that the Waldensian Pastors had a house of their owne which agreeth with that which Vignaux noteth in his Memorials Vignaux in his memorials fol. 15. That is that a certaine Pastor named Iohn of the Valley of Lucerna was suspended from the office of a Pastor for the space of seuen yeeres for some fault he had committed and that during the said time he remained at Gennes where saith he the Pastors had a house as also they had a faire one in Florence Besides all these testimonies of the abode of the Waldenses in Italy we haue those of Calabria Chap. 7. of whom there was question before The persecutions that they haue suffered in Italy were continuall vntill they were wholly rooted out The Emperour Frederic the second of that name did grieuously persecute them by Edicts In the coÌ„stitutioÌ„ which begins Jnconsuâ—ilem tunicam by the Inquisition by constitutions especially by that which condemneth Gazaros Patarenos Leonistas Speronistas Arnoldistas c. where hee bewailes the simplicity of those whom he calleth Patareniens as if he should say exposed to passions and suffrings in that they prodigally yeelded their liues to contempt affecting martirdome whereas if they would peaceably maintaine the faith of the Church of Rome they might saith he liue peaceably amongst other men who acknowledge her to be their mother and the head of all the Churches in the world It was his pleasure that they should be seuerely and speedily punished for feare lest they should farther spread themselues seeing also that they had begun to
who participate in the trueth of that Ministerie Q. How doest thou know the Ministers A. By the true apprehension of faith by sound doctrine by the life of good example the preaching of the Gospell and the due administration of the Sacraments Q. By what markes doest thou know the false Ministers A. By their fruits by their blindnesse by their wicked workes by their peruerse doctrine and by their vnfit disorderly administration of the Sacraments Q. How may we know their blindnesse A. When they not knowing that truth which belongeth of necessity to saluation they obserue humane inuentions as the Commandements of God of whom that is verified that the Prophet Esay speaketh and that hath beene alledged by our Sauiour Christ Iesus Mat. 15. This people honour mee with their lips but their heart is farre from me but they serue me for nothing teaching the doctrine and commandements of men Q. By what meanes or markes are wicked workes made knowne A. By those manifest sinnes of which the Apostle speaketh Rom. 1. saying that they that doe such things shall not inherit the kingdome of God Q. By what markes is false doctrine knowne A. When men teach against Faith and Hope as diuers kinds of Idolatries worshipping the reasonable sensible visible or inuisible creature for it is the Father onely with his Sonne and the holy Ghost that must be serued and no other creature But contrarily we attribute to man and to the worke of his hands or to his words or to his authority in such manner that men being blinded thinke that God is a debtour vnto them for their false religion and couetous Simony of Priests Q. By what markes is the disorderly administration of the Sacraments knowne A. When the Priests know not the intention of Christ in the Sacraments and teach that all grace and truth is included in them by the onely outward ceremonies and leade men to the participation of the Sacraments without the truth of Faith Hope and Charitie It is the will of the Lord that all his should take heed of false prophets saying Beware of false prophets And againe Beware of the Pharises that is to say of their leuen and false doctrine And againe Beleeue them not follow not after them Dauid hateth all such persons and therefore he saith I hate the congregation of the wicked And the Lord commandeth vs to withdraw our selues from among such people Numbers 16.26 Depart from the tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs lest you be consumed in all their sinnes And the Apostle 2. Cor. 6.14 Be ye not vnequally yoked together with vnbeleeuers for what fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse and what communion hath light with darkenesse what concord hath Christ with Belial or what part hath he that beleeueth with an Infidell And What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idoles Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separated saith the Lord and touch not the vncleane thing and I will receiue you Againe in the 2. Thes 3.12 We command and exhort you by our Lord Iesus Christ that ye withdraw your selues from euery brother that walketh disorderly And in the 18. of the Reuel 4. Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sinnes and that yee receiue not of her plagues Q. By what markes may we know those that are not in the truth of the Church A. By their publike sinnes and erroneous faith for we are to flie such people least wee bee contaminated with their sinnes Q. By what things oughtest thou to communicate with the holy Church A. I must communicate with the Church in regard of the substance by Faith by Hope and by Charity and by the obseruation of the Commandements and by finall perseuerance in that which is good Q. How many Ministeriall things are there A. Two the Word and the Sacraments Q. How many Sacraments are there A. Two that is to say Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. Q. VVhat is the third vertue necessary to saluation A. Hope Q. VVhat is Hope A. It is a certaine expectation of the grace and glory to come Q. By what meanes doe we hope for grace A. By the Mediatour Iesus Christ of whom Saint Iohn speaketh Chap. 1.17 Grace came by Iesus Christ And againe VVe beheld his glory full of grace and truth and we haue all receiued of his fulnesse Q. VVhat is Grace A. It is Redemption Remission of sinnes Iustification Adoption Sanctification Q. By what meanes doe wee hope for this Grace in Christ A. By a liuely faith and true repentance Iesus Christ saying Repent and beleeue the Gospell Q. From whence doth Hope proceed A. From the gift of God and his promises and therefore saith the Apostle He is able to accomplish whatsoeuer he promiseth for he hath promised himselfe that at what time soeuer a sinner shall know him and repent him of his sinnes and hope that hee will haue mercy pardon and iustifie c. Q. VVhat are the things that diuert a man from this hope A. A dead faith the seducing of Antichrist to any other then Christ that is to say to Saints and the power of that Antichrist in his authority words benedictions Sacraments reliques of the dead The teaching men to haue hope by those meanes that directly oppose themselues against the Trueth and against the Commandements of God as Idolatry after diuers manners and Simoniacall wickednesses c. Abandoning the fountaine of liuing water giuen by grace to runne after broken cesterns adoring and honouring and seruing the creature by Prayers and Fastings and Sacrifices Donations Offerings Pilgrimages Inuocations c. Trusting thereby to attaine grace which none can giue but God alone in Christ Iesus So that in vaine they trauell and lose their siluer and their life and doubtlesse not only this life present but that which is to come for which cause it is said that the hope of felons shall perish Q. And what say you of the blessed Virgin Mary For she is full of grace as the Angel testifieth Haile Mary full of grace c. A. The blessed Virgin hath beene and is full of grace in her selfe but not to communicate vnto others for her Sonne only is full of grace to bestow on others as it is said of him And we all receiue of his fulnes grace for grace Q. Doest thou not beleeue the Communion of Saints A. I beleeue there are two things in the which the faithfull doe communicate the one is substantiall the other Ministeriall They communicate in the substantiall by the holy Ghost in God by the merit of Iesus Christ But they communicate in the Ministeriall or Ecclesiasticall by the Ministery duely exercised that is to say by the Word by the Sacraments and by Prayer I beleeue the one and the other of these two Communions of Saints The first onely in God by the Spirit the other in the Church by Christ Q. In what doth life eternall consist A. In
cleared from the calumnies contained in the former Chapter by those writings which they haue left THe Waldenses of Bohemia whether they were the remainder of that people that followed Valdo as some are of opinion that he ended his dayes in Bohemia after he had retired himselfe out of Germany and escaped the hands of the Bishops of Mayence and Strasburge or whether they were such persons as afterwards professed the same faith which the Waldenses did it is without all doubt that they were grieuously persecuted by king Ladislaus king of Hungary and Bohemia and we haue in our owne hands an Apologie of the said Waldenses which they sent vnto the king whom they called Lancelau to iustifie themselues against sundry complaints which were made against them by their aduersaries as also we haue a booke with this inscription Aiço es la causa del nostre despartiment de la Gleisa Romana That is to say Behold the cause of our separation from the Church of Rome And forasmuch as the answer to the first calumnie that is that they assembled themselues in darke corners where the candles being put out their aduersaries do affirme they committed villanons incests we haue copied out the answer of the said Apologie in their owne tearmes and language for the more certaintie and better edification This Apologie the author Iean Paul Perrin set downe in two columnes the one French the other in the language of the Waldenses which for breuity sake we set downe onely in English referring those vnto the French booke that desire to see the originall AMong other things say they they publish In the letter to king Ladislaus pa. 2. like angrie barking curres that it is a law and common amongst vs to say Yeeld thy selfe to whomsoeuer shal request thee and that we take our pleasures in darke caues and corners with whomsoeuer shall present themselues vnto vs whether they be our mothers or daughters or wiues or sisters How true this is it may appeare in that God hauing kept and preserued vs for aboue these forty yeares past it hath bene neuer knowne that there hath bene any whoredome amongst vs that hath escaped vnpunished or any such villanie committed In such sort that our liues and carriages condemne those that accuse vs. And for as much as the Waldenses speake this of themselues and to their owne praise and therefore this their iustification may seeme but weake looke a little into that which they haue written elsewhere against whordome which may suffice to shew that they were very far from this diabolicall affection to debase themselues by incests The sinne of luxury is very pleasing to the diuell Their booke of the remedie against the sinne of luxury Chap 21. displeasing vnto God and iniurious against our neighbours because therein a man obeyeth the basest part of his bodie rather then God who hath preserued it A foolish woman doth not onely take from a man his good but himselfe too He that is giuen to this vice keepes faith to no man and therefore Dauid caused his faithfull seruant to be slaine that he might enioy his wife Amon defiled his sister Tamar This vice cōsumes the heritage of many as it is said of the prodigall child that he wasted his goods liuing luxuriously Balaam made choise of this sinne to prouoke the children of Israel to sinne by occasion whereof there died twenty foure thousand persons This sinne was the cause of the blindnesse of Sampson it peruerted Salomon and many haue perished by the beautie of a woman Prayer and fasting and distance of place are the remedies against this sinne For a man may ouercome other vices by combating with them but in this a man is neuer victorious but by flying from it and not approching neare vnto it whereof we haue an example in Ioseph It is therefore our duties to pray daily to the Lord that he will keepe vs farre from the sinne of luxury and giue vs vnderstanding and chastitie See their book of Vertues in the Chapter of marriage Against the second imposture that they maintaine that a man may put away his wife when it pleaseth him they say that marriage is a knot that cannot be vntyed but by death except it be for fornication as our Sauiour Christ saith And Saint Paul 1. Corinth 7. saith That the wife is not to depart from her husband nor the husband from his wife See the booke of the Waldenses intituled of vertues in the Chapter of mariage To the third calumnie touching the communitie of goods and wiues they say concerning marriage that it was ordained by God long since in the terrestriall Paradise and that it is a good remedie against whoredome And that Saint Paul speaking thereof saith Let euery man haue his wife and euery woman her husband As also that the husband ought to loue his wife as Christ loued his Church and that the married couple ought to liue together in holinesse with their children bringing them vp in the feare of God As touching goods euery man hath possessed his owne proper substance at all times and in all places In Dauphiney It appeareth by the proces that we haue in our hands by which it appeares that Lewes the 12. of that name condemned the vsurpers of the goods of the Waldenses to a restitution It appeares by the treatises of Meneobe and other instances made by the Waldenses of Prouence when the Archbishops of Ambrun Iohn and Rostain had spoiled them of their goods when the Lord of Argentiere and Montainar and Arreas of Bonne had dispossessed the Waldenses that dwelt in the valley of Fraissimere and of Argentiere of their goods and possessions the restitution of euery mans inheritance was prosecuted by the particular persons from whom they had taken them The Waldenses of Prouence do demand at this present of the Pope the goods and lands which haue bene annexed to their demaine and taken from them by confiscation euery particular person making faith for euery part and parcell of goods and lands which had descended vpon them from their ancestors the Waldenses time out of mind they neuer hauing had any such communitie amongst them that might any way derogate from that lawfull proprietie which euery one had to his owne lands In the booke of the Waldenses intituled the Spiritual Almanacke fol. 45. The fourth calumnie was touching Baptisme which it is said they denied to little infants but from this imputation they quit themselues as followeth The time and place of those that are to be baptized is not ordained but the charitie and edification of the Church and congregation must serue for a rule therein c. And therefore they to whom the children were nearest allied brought their infants to be baptized as their parents or any other whom God had made charitable in that kind True it is that being constrained for some certaine hundred yeares to suffer their children to be baptized by the Priests of
appointed that I am come to the end of my daies and that it pleaseth the Almighty God that I shall render vp my soule which hee hath long time lent me my trust in him is that out of his abundant mercy hee will receiue it into heauen for the loue of his Sonne Christ Iusus by whom I belieue that our sinnes are blotted out euen by his precious death and passion And I begge at his mercifull hands that he will accompany mee vnto the end by the powerfull assistance of his holy Spirit Bee alwaies carefull to pray vnto God and to serue him for so God will blesse and serue you Take no care to send me any thing for these three weekes and then you may send me if you please some money to pay the Iaylor and some thing else to succour me if I liue till then Remember also that which I haue often told you that is that God prolonged the life of King Ezechias for fifteene yeeres but that he had prolonged mine a great deale more for it is a long time agoe that you haue seen me in a manner dead and neuerthelesse I am yet aliue and I hope and hold for certaine that hee will still preserue mee aliue vntill my death shall be better for his glory and mine owne felicity through his grace and mercy towards me From the Prison at Ast Sept. 16. 1601. The Bishop of Ast was much troubled what to determine concerning this poore man For if he should let him goe they feared a scandall and that many would gather heart and courage to speake with a loud voice against the Romish Religion On the other side there was a clause in the treaty made betweene his Highnesse and the Waldenses which cleared him from all offence in these words And if any question shall bee mooued vnto them touching their faith being in Piedmont with other his Highnesses Subiects it shall be lawfull for them to answere not incurring thereby any punishment reall or personall Now he was asked the question and therefore to be quit from blame But the Bishop would not haue it said that hee had committed him to prison vniustly To the end therefore that his death might not bee imputed vnto him and it might not be thought that he sent him away absolued he sent his indictment to Pope Clement the eight to vnderstand what course hee should take herein It could neuer be knowne what answere the Bishop had but shortly after hee was found dead in prison not without some appearance that he was strangled for feare least if he should haue been publickly executed he might edifie and strengthen the people by his confession and constancy After his death he was condemned to be burnt and so being brought out of prison his sentence was read in the same place and cast into the fire And this was the last of the Waldenses that is come to our knowledge that hath been persecuted to the death for his beliefe CHAP. V. Of the Waldenses inhabiting in the Valleys of Meane and Maites and the Marquisate of Saluces and the last persecutions that they suffered AT what time the Waldenses of Dauphine dispersed themselues in Piedmont there were some that made their abode in the Marquisate of Saluces in the Valleys Maties and Meane and the parts thereabouts These were not forborne during the grieuous persecutions which their brethren of the Valleys of Angrongne Saint Martin and others suffered All their refuge was to flie into the said Valleys namely when the said Gouernours of the said Marquisate persecuted them by the commandement of the Kings of France who condemued to death within their Realmes all such as made profession of the same beliefe that they did Now the deceased King of Happy memory Henry the Great and fourth of that name hauing giuen to his Subiects an edict of pacification the Waldenses that liued in the Marquisate inioyed the same priuiledges that the other Subiects did of the same Realme but when afterwards by the treaty with the Duke of Sauoy la Bresse was changed for the Marquisate of Saluces the poore Waldenses were depriued of the free exercises of their Religion within the iurisdiction of the said Marquisate for at the instance of the Nuntio of Pope Clement the eight the free liberty of their Religion was not onely interdicted but by a new edict all they were banished that within the said Marquisate made profession of any other Religion then that of the Church of Rome and for the better furtherance of their speedy departure there were sent to the said Valleys and Marquisate a great number of Monkes Inquisitors who went from house to house examining the consciences of euery one by which meanes there were aboue fiue hundred families banished who retired themselues into the Realme of France but especially into Dauphine And to the end that in those places into which they were come it might not be cast in their teeth that they were banished out of their Countries for some wickednesse that they had committed but that it was onely the zeale they bare to their religion that had made them wanderers in the world they made this Declaration following in the yeere 1603. 1603. The Declaration of the VValdenses of the Valleys Maties and Meane and the Marquisate of Saluces made in the yeere 1603. FOrasmuch as time out of minde and from the father vnto the sonne our Predecessors haue been instructed and nourished in the doctrine and Religion whereof from our infancy we haue made open profession and haue instructed our families as we haue learnt of our fore-fathers As also that during the time that the King of France held the Marquisate of Saluces it was lawfull for vs to make profession not being disquieted or molested as our brethren of the Valleys of Lucerna la Perouse and others who by an expresse treaty and agreement made with our Soueraign Prince Lord haue inioyed vnto this present the free exercise of the reformed religion but his Highnesse being perswaded by euill councell and ill affected people rather then his owne will hath resolued to molest vs and to that end hath published an edict To the end therefore that it may be made known to all men that it is not for any crime committed either against the person of our Prince or for any rebellion against his edicts or the committing of any murthers or theft that wee are thus tormented and spoiled of our goods and houses Wee declare that being certainly assured and perswaded that the doctrine and Religion taught and followed in the reformed Churches as well of France Switserland Germany Geneua England Scotland Denmarke Suedia Polonia as other Realmes Countries and Signories whereof we haue vnto this present time made open profession vnder the obedience of our Princes and Soueraigne Lords is the onely true doctrine and Christian religion ordained and approued of God which onely can make vs agreeable vnto him and conduct vs to saluation Wee are resolued to follow
Castles to the guard and power of the Pope for proofe of his fidelitie to the Church whereof they were to be aduertised to the end likewise that they from thence forward should acknowledge themselues to bee the lawfull subiects of his Holinesse in case the said Earle Remond should doe any thing against the oath of obedience which hee had made to the Pope and to the Church of Rome in which case as already in those times they were discharged of all oaths of fidelitie giuen in times past to the said Earle and his lands were confiscated to the Pope The Consuls being much astonished to see their Lord thus stript of all his lands and possessions could not refuse in the presence of himselfe to doe whatsoeuer the said Legat required at their hands But that which did afflict them most was that they saw the Earle Remond conducted to St. Giles where he was reconciled to the Pope and to the Church with these ceremonies that follow First the Legat commanded the said Earle Remond to strip himselfe starke naked without the Church of St. Giles hauing onely to couer his nakednesse a close paire of linnen breeches the rest was all bare head feet and shoulders Then he put a Stole which Priests weare about their necks vpon his necke and leading him by the said Stole hee made him to goe nine times about the graue of the deceased Frier Peter de Chateauneuf who had beene buried in the said Church scourging him with rods which the Legat had in his hand as long as hee went about the said Sepulcher The Earle Remond demanded satisfaction for this extraordinary penance for a sinne which he had not committed for he had not killed the Monke The Legat answered him That notwithstanding hee had not killed him nor caused him to be killed yet forasmuch as this murder was committed within his territories and hee had made no pursuit after the murderer this murder was deseruedly imputed vnto him and therefore that hee was to satisfie the Pope and the Church by this his humble repentance if hee desired to be reconciled to the one and to the other It was therefore necessary he should likewise bee scourged in the presence of the Earles Hilagarey in his History of Foix. Barons Marquises Prelates and all the people He made him to sweare vpon the Corpus Domini as they call it and certaine other reliques which were brought thither for that purpose that he should all his life time bee obedient in all things to the Pope and the Church of Rome and that he should make perpetuall mortall and vnreconcileable warre against the Albingenses vntill they were either vtterly exterminated or brought to the obedience of the Church of Rome which to performe hee hauing solemnly and perforce sworne the Legat to honor him the more and to bind him to doe what he had sworne made him Captaine and Leader of the Souldiers of the Crosse for the siege of Beziers Which he did to the end hee might driue the Albingenses into despaire euer to be defended by him who hauing abiured their Religion had now power and charge to persecute them CHAP. IIII. The perplexitie the Earle Remond was in after his reconciliation The siege of Beziers The intercession of the Earle of Beziers for his Citie The intercession of the Bishop auaileth nothing The taking of Beziers what and with what crueltie THe Earle Remond was much perplexed about that charge that was giuen him for the conducting of the Armie of the Souldiers of the Crosse before Beziers For to carry himselfe as an enemie against the Albingenses was to doe against his conscience and to fight against those whose part hee had taken vntill then as a principall motiue and Captaine This was to binde himselfe to the perpetuall seruitude of the Pope and his Legats On the other side if hee should goe about to flye and to forsake the Armie this were to furnish them with new matter of persecution for in such a case they might iustly pursue him as a perfidious relapsed and perâ—ured person and that if hee should bee apprehended hee should bee in danger of loosing his life goods and friends altogether And yet doing that which the charge the Legat laid vpon him bound him vnto he must be an instrument of the losse of Beziers and the totall destruction of the subiects of his Nephew the Earle of Beziers and his Nephew himselfe In this extremitie and anguish of spirit hee chose rather to stay in the Armie for certaine daies and afterward tooke his leaue of the Legat and went to Rome to humble himselfe before the Pope which could not bee denied him In the meane time they made an approch to the Citie of Beziers the Rammes Slings Frames Shedbords and other engines of warre were prouided to giue a generall escalado setting to the walls of the Citie so great a number of Ladders that it was impossible to resist the furious assault which the Pelerins made with all the force and power that they had The Earle of Beziers went forth of the Citie and cast himselfe downe at the feet of the Legat Milon craning mercie for his Citie of Beziers and humbly beseeching him not to inflict the same punishment vpon the innocent and the nocent which without all doubt must needes come to passe if Beziers should be taken by force which was easie to be done by so great and so puissant an Armie such as was then ready to scale the walles in euery part of the said Citie that there would be great effusion of bloud on both sides which might be auoided That there were within Beziers a great number of good Romish Catholikes that would be subiect to the same ruine contrary to the intention of the Pope whose desire was onely to chastise the Albingenses That if it pleased him not to spare his subiects for the loue of themselues that he would yet haue regard vnto him to his age and profession since the losse would light vpon himselfe being in his minoritie and a most obedient seruant to the Pope as hauing beene brought vp in the Romish Church and in which he would both liue and die And if hee tooke it ill that such persons as were enemies to the Pope had beene tolerated within his territories it ought not to be imputed vnto him because hee had no other subiects but those which his deceased father had left vnto him and that in his minoritie and afterwards in that little time wherein he had beene master of his owne goods hee could not as yet by reason of his incapacitie know this euill nor minister the remedy though it were his purpose so to doe but yet his hope was in time to come to giue all contentment that might be both to the Pope and Church of Rome as an obedient sonne both of the one and of the other Chass in his History of the Albingen pag. 107. The answer of the Legat was That all his excuses preuailed
nothing and that he must doe as he may The Earle of Beziers returned into the Citie and assembled the people together giuing them to vnderstand that after he had submitted himselfe to the Legat hee mediated for them not being able to obtaine any otherthing at his hands but pardon vpon condition that they that made profession of the beleefe of the Albingenses should come and abiure their Religion and promise to liue according to the Lawes of the Church of Rome The Romish Catholikes intreated them to yeeld to this so great a violence and not to be the cause of their death since the Legat was resolued not to pardon any if they liued not all vnder one and the same Law The Albingenses answered That they would not forsake their Religion for the base price of this fraile life That they knew well that God was able to defend them if it pleased him and that if he would bee glorified by the confession of their saith it should bee a great honour to them to die for righteousnesse sake That they had rather displease the Pope who could destroy their bodies onely than God who could cast both body and soule into Hell fire That they would neuer be ashamed or deny that Religion by which they haue beene taught to know Christ and his righteousnesse or with the danger of an eternall death professe a Religion which doth annihillate the merit of Christ and burieth his righteousnesse and that therefore they would couenant for themselues as they could and promise nothing contrary to the duty of true Christians This being vnderstood the Romish Catholikes sent their Bishop to the Legat humbly to intreat him that he would not include in this chastisement of the Albingenses those that were alwayes obedient to the Church of Rome of whom he that was their Bishop had certaine knowledge being likewise assured that the rest were not altogether past hope of repentance but that they might be wonne by gentle meanes best befitting the Church which tooke no pleasure in the effusion of bloud The Legat herewith grew into extreme choller and passion swearing and protesting with horrible threats that if all they that were in the Citie did not acknowledge their fault and submit themselues to the Church of Rome they should all taste of one cup and without respect of Catholike sex or age they should all be exposed to fire and sword And incontinently he commanded that the Citie should bee summoned to yeeld it selfe to his discretion which they refusing to doe hee caused all his engins of warre to play and commanded an assault and generall escalado to bee made Now it was impossible for those that were within to resist so great a violence in such sort The Treasure of Hist in the taking of Beziers Paul Aemil. pag. 517. that being thus assaulted by aboue a hundred thousand Pelerins in the end saith the Compiler of the Treasure of Histories they within vere vanquished and the enemie being entred slew a great multitude and afterwards set fire to the Citie and burnt it to dust The Citie being taken the Priests Monkes and Clerkes came forth of the great Church of Beziers called St. Nazari with the Banner the Crosses their holy-water bare headed attired with the ornaments of the Church and singing Te Deum laudamus as a signe of ioy that the Towne was taken and purged of the Albingenses The Souldiers who had receiued command from the Legat to kill all ranne in vpon them brake the order of their procession made the heads and armes of the Priests to flie about striuing who should doe best in such a manner that they were all cut in pieces To excuse this crueltie disallowed by some of those that were spectators they haue inserted into the Historie these reports that is to say That the Pelerins were incensed against the inhabitants of Beziers because they had cast ouer the walls of the Citie the booke of the Gospels crying vnto them See there the Law of your God whereupon the Souldiers grew to this resolution to kill all those they should find within the circuit of Beziers that so they might be sure not to spare those that had thus blasphemed But how could the Albingenses doe any such thing so impious against the Gospell of our blessed Sauiour considering that one of the principall causes for which they had forsaken the Church of Rome was because the Gospel of Christ Iesus was as it were buried amongst them the people forbid to reade it And besides one of the great crimes which they laid to the charge of the Earle Remond was because hee carried alwayes about him the New Testament To this they added a miracle and that was that Beziers was taken vpon the day of Marie Magdalen because say they heretikes speake ill of Magdalin in their law The Treasure of hist in the taking of Beziers In the hist of the Monke Pet. of the Valleis Seruey of the Albing ch 18. Thus speakes the compiler of the Treasure Now this imposture is so deuillish that I hardly durst commit it to paper and yet notwithstanding the Monke of the Valleis Seruay sets it downe at large without doubts or scruples though the very thought thereof would make the haire of any man that hath but the least sparke of pietie to stand on end Now the citie being burnt razed and ransacked the Pilgrims who thought they merited Paradise by this sacceige and effusion of bloud were speedily conducted to Carcassonne before the forty daies of fight which they had vowed to the Church of Rome were expired because then they were permitted euery man to depart to his owne home CHAP. V. The Siege of Carcassonne the taking of the towne or Borough of Carcassonne An assault and generall Escalado giuen to the citie A great number of the soldiers of the Crosse slaine The Intercession of the King of Aragon for the Earle of Beziers to no purpose A stratagem for the taking of the Earle of Beziers The flight of the people of Carcassonne by what meanes The taking of Carcassonne THe Earle of Beziers when he saw that he could obtaine nothing of the Legat in fauour of the city of Beziers hauing left this charge to the Bishop to make triall whether he by any meanes could obtaine pardon for those poore inhabitants and in the meane time because he knew very well that hauing taken Beziers he would not suffer the city of Carcassonne to continue in peace because being strong by nature the Legat knew there was no store-house for the warre nor better place of repose for the Soldiers than that was he was counselled to retire himselfe thither and speedily to cause it to be furnished with whatsoeuer was fit to maintaine a long siege He put himselfe therfore into Carcassonne being accompanied with his most faithfull attendants He was followed as it were foot by foot by the Legats armie vnto which there came new Croises or soldiers of the Crosse that
All the bordering neighbours of the Earle Simon began to feare him vpon a report which he gaue forth that at the spring following he would haue a great Armie of Pelerins aâ— his command and that then hee would chastise those which had not acknowledged the authoritie wherein the Church had placed him Castres sent vnto him the Keyes of thoâ—â— Citie by some of their Bourgesses The Castle of Paâ—ies was yeelded vnto him euery one submitted themselues to his command round about Carcassonne and the Vicountie of Beziers But he receiued a back-blow in the middest of his prosperitie which was a presage vnto him of some euill For the King of Aragon keeking secretly the Gentlemen of the Vicountie of Beziers in breath encouraged them to bring vnto equall termes this petty-tyrant who was brought in for the good of another saying That if he were not constrained to haue alwaies a world of Pilgrims for his conquests he would abuse this his rest to take heart to inuade the goods of all those that are neere adioyning vnder a pretence of that charge hee hath from the Pope but if he once knew how dangerous it would be for him to want his Souldiers of the Crosse hee would be better aduised considering that it is not possible that he should alwaies haue so great a number of Pilgrims that should alwaies make him fearefull for there must be time for the leuying of them time for the conducting of them from farre Countries and if he should make no vse of them within fortie daies of their arriuall hee would be more weake than before after the expiration of their Pilgrimage That to hurt and hinder him there can be no better course taken than to keepe themselues locked vp in their Garrisons at the comming of the Pilgrims and at their departure when they were weake to set vpon him on euery part that at the last he will be so weary of his great trauels that he will thinke he hath bought at a deare rate the good which he beleeued he had gotten by the title of a Donation of those that had nothing to giue The King of Aragon added hereunto that he had neuer heard of any so vniust a vsurpation for if this war were made to take away the goods and liues of the Albingensens by what title had the Legat confiscated the goods of the Earle of Beziers who had alwaies liued and also died in the beleefe of the Church of Rome That he therefore perceiued that the greatest crime they could finde in the said Earle was that they found him to be young and no way powerfull That if God gaue him life he would make it appeare that he loued the Earle of Beziers and that he was his Kinsman and would likewise shew himselfe a true friend to those that had any feeling of those wrongs and outrages that were offered him Those hopes to be succoured by the King of Aragon gaue heart and courage vnto those that with great impatiency bare the dominion and power of the Earle Simon of Montfort The Monke of the Valley Sernay Chap. 33. in such sort that the said Earle being one day gone from Carcassonne to Montpelier he found at his returne that diuers had taken Armes to shake off their yoake hauing besieged certaine of his Souldiers in a Tower neere to Carcassonne He speedily made his returne to succour them but too late for not being able to passe a Riuer called Sarasse and being gone to Carcassonne to passe by the bridge the Tower was taken before hee came This small affront brought him into some contempt and gaue heart to others to offer the like About this time Captaine Boucard for the said Earle Simon at the Castle of Seissac attempted the surprise of the strong Castle of Cabaret whereof mention hath beene made heretofore for this end and purpose he made his approach vnto the said Castle as closely as he could Captaine Roger who was within the said Castle for the Earle Remond was come forth with fourescore horse to forrage and seeke for bootie Boucard vpon the sudden and vnlooked for charged him and had well-neere discomfited him but Roger hauing taken knowledge of the enemy doubled the charge vpon him in so â—uâ—ious a manner that he ouercame the troops of Boucard and brought him Prisoner to that Castle which he said he came to surprise At this very time Gerard of Pepios tooke part with the Albingenses and seized vpon Puisorignier and the Castle of Menerbe Now the warre began to grow very cruelâ— for if it be true that the Monke of the Vallies Sernay hath written Gerard caused the eyes of all the Souldiers of the Earle Simon which he could take to be pluckt out and cut off their eares and their noses with their vpper lip sent them all naked to the Earle Simon of Montfort leauing one for a guide vnto the other with one eye On the other part whensoeuer the Earle Simon was victorer in any place he caused a great fire to bee made and cast into it as many of the Albingenses as he could take All they of the Romish Church did as much that bare Armes for the Albingenses for William of Rochford Bishop of Carcassonne caused the Abbot of Cisteaux to be slaine meering him neere vnto Carcassonne his body being found murdered with six and thirtie wounds and the Monke which accompanied him with foure and twentie Then the Citie of Carcassonne saith the Monke and the Souldiers that were in it were stricken with such feare That they had little hope to defend themselues but by flight for they saw themselues saith he enuironed on all sides with infinite enemies From these miseries which did much moue the patience of the Earle Simon hee tooke occasion to write to all the Prelats throughout Europe that if in the Spring following he were not assisted with new succours of Pilgrims it was impossible for him to hold out for his enemies finding his weaknesse tooke the aduantage thereof witnesse that after the last departure of the Pilgrims he had lost aboue forty townes Castles of which the people had before brought him the keyes and were now all reuolted from him and the Church being beyond his power to remedy it for want of men Hee therefore intreated them in the name of God to giue their helping hand otherwise he must be enforced to yeeld vp the rights of the Church and the Countrey altogether Now matters thus standing the Earle Simon attending new succours tooke the Castle of Beron neare Montreal where he caused the eies of aboue a hundred Albingenses to bee pulled out and cut off their noses leauing onely one with one eye to bee a guide to the rest and to conduct them to Cabaret This stirred vp the Albingenses in such sort Chass pag. 136. that had not succours instantly come they had shut him vp on euery side CHAP. VII New succours of Pilgrimes come to the Earle Simon conducted from France by
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
obtaine that by gentle and peaceable meanes which by warre could not be obtained without danger That the Legat was in counsell with all those of his part that he would write vnto them and that if hee could not obtaine what he desired by Letters he would enforce them to do him reason by Armes He writ therefore to the said Councell beseeching them to end these deadly warres enterprised vnder a pretence of Religion offering for the Earles their obedience to the Pope and the Church of Rome but yet that they should neuer promise any peace before restitution was made vnto the said Earles of all their lands and goods The Councell de la Vaur returned this answer We haue vnderstood the requests that heretofore you haue made in the behalfe of the Earle of Toulouze The Monke of the Valley Sernay fol. 113. his son his Counsel the Earle of Foix and of Comminge the Lord of Bearne wherein you name your selfe the humble deuoted son of the Church for which wee giue thankes to our Lord God and to your Highnesse Assure your selfe that in respect of that loue you beare to the Church wee giue our best attention vnto them with our eares and receiue them with gladnesse from our hearts but touching the answer we are to make to your Greatnesse and the request made by the Earle of Tolouze his Counsell and his sonne we certifie you that the cause and denotation thereof belongs to our Soueraigne Father hauing reserued it to his Holinesse You may call to minde if you please the infinite offers grants and graces which our holy Father the Pope hath offered vnto him after innumerable cruelties and horrible outrages You may likewise remember the kinde entertainment which hee found in the Archbishoprick of Nerbonne by the Abbot of Cisteaux Legat at Montpelier two years since as also the offers which were made vnto him which he would not accept of Which grace and fauour he so much scorned that he made it appeare confidently and with all oft that he was not only enemy to God but to his Church for which cause he hath deserued to be banished for euer from God his Grace and his Church Touching the requests of the Earle of Foix Comminge and Lord of Bearne they haue infringed the oathes giuen by them and in stead of accommodating themselues to that kinde and courteous admonishment they are filled with that abominable heresie for which to their great shame and ignomie they were excommunicated And this is all the answer wee can giue to the demand of your Greatnesse Giuen at La Vaur 15. Kalend. Febr. 1 2 1 2. 1 2 1 2. The King of Aragon being much moued with this answer sent againe to the Counsell demanding truce for the said Earles vntill they had receiued an answer from the Pope but it was denied The Earle of Foix was well contented that the Councell had yeelded nothing to the requests of the King of Aragon because he must haue beene engaged by promise â—or him that he should acknowledge his tenure of the Pope and the Church of Rome And which was more seeing that the King persisted in this opinion that such promises were to bee made to reobtaine their goods to the end they might neuer engage themselues for that they could not performe knowing that the King of Aragon the Earle of Toulouze and Comminge were assembled at Toulouze to prouide for their affaires he came thither and thus he spake vnto them Holagaray in his hist of Foix Sir and you my Masters Friends Forasmuch as ambition can teach men both valour and temperancy and auarice can plant in the heart of a Shop-boy brought vp in the shade and in idlenesse an assurance to depart from his houshold harth and to commit himselfe to the billowes of the Sea and the mercy of angry Neptune in a small and fraile vessell it shall be great weaknesse and litherly negligence in vs who by the renowned Acts of our Trophees are knowne euen to the Confines of Arabia if we shall now come by a seruile and treacherous acknowledgement to ouerthrow the Tables and Registers of our valours so highly eleuated No no mine arme shall neuer consent thereunto we are not now in bondage I and my sonne chuse rather to make triall of the inconstant hazzard of warre than to bring vpon vs and ours so great and so notable an infamy And therefore for the honour of God quit vs of that shame that men take no notice of our lamentable estate mourning sighing after our losses like Distaffe-bearers If we must needs bow let it be when we haue first done the parts of good and braue Captaines It is an aduenturous and high enterprise you will say but it was resolued vpon by your selues Que ie voy maintenant les ressors qui lui donnent le branle de sa cheute Fare ye well Sir We yeeld not our consent in any thing Come what come may The King of Aragon was much moued with this discourse of the Earle of Foix wherein hee layeth an imputation vpon him that hee was the cause of their ruine because he had animated them against the Legat and the Earle Simon and that now hee left them as a prey by procuring a peace worse than a bloudy warre You haue Sir saith hee opened a doore to our enemies to tyrannize ouer vs if they had accepted of it and to a glorie more great than they could hope to attaine by Armes for we had beene all their Subiects without any other charge than your owne instant request As for my selfe saith he I had rather haue giuen my selfe the stab than to haue drunke of that cup. And after many examples produced by him of those that haue changed a miserable life for a present death killing themselues before they would serue for Trophees to their enemies he continued his discourse as followeth For mine owne part I had rather follow these great Spirits than hauing so often giuen testimony of my valour for another preferre life before honour by being lazie and negligent in a businesse that concernes my selfe And though Fortune deny me all meanes to make opposition against that wrong that another shall offer mee yet my courage will neuer giue way that I should make my selfe the speech of the people or a triumph for men more vnworthy than my selfe This their deniall of what you demanded doth comfort me and it vpholds our honor for we must either haue broken our faith or played the Cowards like needy beggers and liued a life more cruell more intollerable than any torment of Phalaris like miserable men yeelding our neckes to the yoake of the enemie and confessing our selues beaten sell our owne libertie and our childrens after vs and that for euer Good God what a blow were this Sir For asmuch therefore as the tempest is growen so great and wee are driuen to so extreme a necessitie imbrace vs in your armes be our
a liuely working faith and perseuerance therein Our Sauiour saith Iohn 17.3 This is life eternall that they might know thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent And he that perseuereth to the end shall be saued Amen A confession of sinnes common both with the Waldenses and Albingenses CHAP. II. O Dio de li Rey Segnor de li Segnor yo me confesso a â—u car yo soy aquel peccador que tay moâ— offendu c. This confession is taken out of the Booke of the Waldensec intituled New comfort O God of Kings and Lord of Lords I confesse my selfe vnto thee for I am that sinner that hath grieuously offended thee by mine ingratitude I cannot excuse my selfe because thou hast shewed mee what is good and what is euill I haue knowne what thy power is and haue vnderstood thy wisedome I haue taken notice of thy Iustice and seene thy goodnesse and therefore all the euill that I haue done proceedeth from my owne corruption O Lord forgiue me and giue mee repentance for I haue contemned thee by my pride and presumption I haue giuen no credit to thy wisedome nor obeyed thy Commandements but I haue transgressed them all for which I am sorry and much displeased with my selfe I haue not feared thy Iustice nor thy Iudgements but I haue committed many wickednesses euen from my cradle vnto this day neither haue I loued thy great bountie and goodnesse as I should and as thou hast commanded mee but I haue giuen too great a trust vnto the deuill by the fraile corruption of my nature I haue followed pride and hated humilitie and if thou pardon me not I am vndone so deepely is sinne rooted in my heart I am so carried away with the loue of riches and vaine-glory affecting the praise of men that I beare but little loue vnto those to whom by their good deeds I am most obliged If therefore thou forgiue mee not there remaineth nothing for my poore soule but euerlasting perdition Anger reigneth in my heart because I haue not endeuoured to alaye it enuy fretteth mee because I haue no charitie O Lord forgiue me for thy goodnesse sake I am rash lazie and sluggish to doe that which is good hardie and bold to doe euill and more then diligent O Lord vouchsafe mee thy grace that I may not bee of the number of the wicked I haue not shewed my selfe thankefull for that good thou hast done vnto mee and giuen vnto me out of thy loue as I ought and as thou hast commanded mee for I haue beene alwayes by the peruersenesse of my nature disobedient vnto thee in all things O Lord forgiue mee for I haue not serued thee but contrarily I haue greatly offended thee I haue beene too carefull to serue my body and mine owne will in many vaine thoughts and wicked desires wherein I haue taken pleasure I haue blinded my body and exercised my thoughts and imaginations against thee in many wickednesses and I haue sought after many things against thy will Haue pitie on mee and giue mee humilitie I haue cast vp mine eyes to behold the vaine delights and pleasures of this world and I haue turned them away from thy countenance I haue giuen eare to the sound of vanitie and to wicked speeches and it hath beene a grieuous thing vnto me to vnderstand thy Law and thy Discipline I haue committed many sinnes especially in my vnderstanding for the stench of wickednesse hath beene more pleasing then the diuine sweetnesse of thy celestiall honours for adoring the euill I haue therein taken greater contentment because I haue committed many sinnes and omitted much good that I should haue done and not acknowledging my faults I haue endeuoured to cast them vpon another I haue not been temperate in my eating and drinking I haue many a time and oft returned wrong for wrong and therein I haue taken greatest pleasure I haue a wounded body and soule I haue stretched out my hands to touch vanitie and I haue laboured to possesse the goods of another man and to mischiefe my neighbour My heart hath delighted in that I haue said and much more in many other vaine delights and pleasures O Lord pardon mee and giue mee chastitie I haue ill imployed the time that thou hast giuen mee and I haue followed during my yonger yeeres my vanities and pleasures I haue wandred from the right way and haue giuen an ill example by my lightnesse I know but little good in my selfe and I finde much euill I haue displeased thee by my wickednesse and condemned mine owne soule and hated my neighbour O Lord preserue mee that I bee not condemned I loue my neighbour for my temporall benefit I haue not carried my selfe faithfully when there hath beene any question of giuing and receiuing but I haue had respect vnto the persons according to mine affection I haue loued the one too much and too much hated the other I haue taken too little ioy and comfort in the good of the godly and too great delight in the sinne of the wicked And besides all the euill that I haue committed in times past vnto this present day I haue not had any repentance or distaste of my sinnes answerable to my manifold offences I haue many a time and oft returned to that wickednesse I haue committed and now confessed for which I am hartily sorrie O Lord God thou knowest that I haue confessed my selfe vnto thee and that there are yet in me many wickednesses which I haue not recounted vnto thee but thou knowest the wicked thoughts the wicked words the wicked works that I haue committed vnto this day O Lord forgiue me giue me time in this life to repent me of my sins and vouchsafe me the grace in time to come so to hate those sins I haue committed as that I neuer offend in that kind any more that I may so loue vertue and keepe it in my heart that I may loue thee aboue all things and feare thee in such sort that when the houre of death shall come I may doe that that shall be pleasing vnto thee And giue me suâ—â— affiance in thee at the day of Iudgement that I neither feare the deuill nor any other thing may affright mee but receiue me and set me at thy right hand without offence free from all sinne Good Lord let all this come to passe according to thy good pleasure for thy Son Christ Iesus sake Amen An Exposition of the Waldenses and Albingenses vpon the ten Commandements of the Law of GOD. CHAP. III. An Exposition of the first Commandement Lo premier Commandement de la Ley de Dio es aquest Non aures Dio straing deuant mi. Exod. 20. c. Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me ALI they that loue the Creature more then the Creator Taken out of the Booke of the Waldenses intituled The Booke of vertues pag. 197. obserue not this Commandement That which euery man
Sauiour hath made vnto all those that come vnto him and from the bottome of their heart call vpon him and how God the Father hath promised pardon whensoeuer wee shall aske it in the name of his Sonne and our Sauiour Christ Iesus These are the things wherein the true Preacher of the Word ought faithfully to employ himselfe to conduct the party visited to his Sauiour And when he is departed this life he must giue heart and courage to the suruiuers by godly exhortations to the end they may be comforted to praise God and to conforme themselues to his holy will and whereas in former times it hath beene the manner to cause the poore and desolate widow to spend much siluer hauing lost her Husband vpon singers and ringers and eaters and drinkers whilest shee sits weeping and fasting wronging hereby her fatherlesse Children to the end that losse be not added to losse it is our duty taking pitty on them to aide them with our councell and with our goods according to that ability that God hath bestowed on vs taking care that the Children be well instructed to the end that liuing like Christians according to the will of God they may labour to get their liuing as God hath ordained and commanded CHAP. IX The Conclusion of this Booke BY that which is contained in this Booke and what hath beene faithfully gathered out of the Bookes the Waldenses haue left vnto vs it appeareth that the Doctrine which they maintaine in these dayes that make profession of reformation hath beene maintained by them many ages before they that are enemies thereunto would take notice of it there being nothing in all that is deliuered that doth either repugne the Word of God or is not altogether conformeable to that which is taught in the reformed Churches For the Waldenses and Albingenses haue knowne the necessity of instructing their children by making vse of such familiar Catechismes as haue beene practised in the Primatiue Church They haue confessed their sinnes to one onely God with termes of true humility proofes of great zeale and a holy confidence in the mercy of God by his Sonne and our Sauiour Christ Iesus They haue acknowledged the Law of God for the onely rule of their obedience and confessing themselues to bee farre distant from that perfection which ought to bee in vs to appeare vnblameable before the face of God from their imperfection they haue taken occasion to haue recourse to the only righteousnesse of the Sonne of God our Redeemer the Law being as a Looking-glasse to make them know their staines and blemishes and to send them to Christ Iesus the true lauor or washing poole They haue called vpon God in their necessities by and through one onely Iesus Christ our Sauiour They haue receiued the Sacraments with faith and repentance and without alteration They haue entred the state of Matrimony as ordained by God holy and honourable and finally they haue not beene ignorant with that charity they were to comfort and to visite and to exhort their sicke and such as are in any aduersity And what hath there beene in all these that for these they should be condemned to death as Heretikes especially seeing that with the goodnesse and puritie of their Doctrine they haue liued religiously vnder a holy Discipline which the Booke following will make good vnto vs. Luke 21.23 Heauen and earth shall passe away but my words shall not passe away THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE THIRD PART OF THE HISTORY of the Waldenses and Albingenses contayning the Discipline vnder which they liued CHAPTER I. De la Disciplina La Disciplina conten en si tota doctrina Moral segond l'enseignament de Christ c. Of Discipline DIscipline containeth in it all Morall Doctrine according to the Institution of Christ and his Apostles shewing after what manner euery one ought to liue in his vocation by faith and to walke worthily in true holinesse and righteousnes There are many instructions in the Booke of God touching this Discipline shewing not only how euery man ought to liue in his owne particular estate of what age or condition soeuer he be but also what must bee that vnion consent and band of loue in the communication of the faithfull And therefore if any man desire the knowledge of these things let him reade what the Apostle hath said in his Epistles and he shall finde at large and especially in what manner euery one is bound to keepe himselfe in vnity and to walke in such sort that hee be not a scandall and an occasion of falling to his neighbour by wicked words or actions and in what manner he is bound not only to flye what is euill but also the occasions of euill and whensoeuer any man hath failed therein how he may be reformed and come to amendment of life By many such generall instructions the reclaimed people newly brought vnto the Faith must be taught to the end they may walke worthily in the house of the Lord that they make not his house a den of theeues by their wicked conuersation and toleration of euill CHAP. II. De li Pastor Tuit aquilli liquol deuon esser receopu Pastor dentre de nos c. Of Pastors ALL they that are to bee receiued as Pastors amongst vs whilest they are yet with their owne people they are to intreate ours that they would bee pleased to receiue them to the Ministery and to pray vnto God that they may bee made worthy of so great an office but yet know that these Petitioners make this request to shew their humility We set them their taske causing them to learne by heart all the Chapters of Saint Mathew and Saint Iohn and all the Epistles that are Canonicall a good part of the writings of Salomon Dauid and the Prophets Afterwards hauing gotten some good testimony of their sufficiency they are receiued with imposition of hands into the Office of Teachers He that is admitted in the last place shall not doe any thing without the leaue and allowance of him that was admitted before him As also hee that is first shall doe nothing without the leaue of his companion to the end that all things with vs might be done in order Diet and apparell is giuen vnto vs freely and by way of almes and that with good sufficiency by those good people whom we teach Amongst other powers and abilities which God hath giuen to his seruants hee hath giuen authority to chuse Leaders to rule the people and to ordaine Elders in their charges according to the diuersity of the worke in the vnity of Christ which is proued by the saying of the Apostle in the first Chapter of the Epistle to Titus For this cause haue I left thee in Creete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and ordaine Elders in euery City as I haue appointed thee Whensoeuer any of our said Pastors committeth any foule sinne hee is thrust out of our company and
confidence of the World making themselues seruants to ceremonies which make for these things fraudulently causing the people to fall downe and to worship the Idols of the World vnder the name of Saints and reliques in such sort that men wandring wickedly from the way of truth thinke they serue God and doe well and so they are moued to hatred and malice against those that loue the truth commit diuers murders of soules as the Apostle speakes truly This is that compleat man of sinne which exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God and that oppugneth all truth who sits in the Temple of God that is in the Church shewing himselfe as if hee were God who is come with all falshood and lying for those that perish And forasmuch as he is truly come wee neede no longer expect him for hee is already olde by the permission of God yea he is already in the wayne and his power and authority much diminished for the Lord hath long since slaine this man of sinne with the breath of his mouth by sundry good and godly persons giuing them a power contrary to his and those that loue him and hath brought vnto naught his place and his possessions and diuided this City of Babylon in which all manner of wickednesse is in his full strength and vigour What the workes of Antichrist are THe first worke of Antichrst is to take away the truth and to change it into falsehood and errour and heresie The second to couer falsehood with the truth and to confirme an vntruth by seeming faith and by vertue and to mingle falsehood with things spituall amongst those people that are subiect vnto him whether it bee by meanes of his Ministers or the Ministerie Now this two-fold manner of proceeding containeth a perfect and most accomplished malice which could not bee in any tyrant or powerfull Potentate from the beginning of the world vntill the time of Antichrist Neither hath Christ had any enemy before this which could so change the way of truth into falsehood or that had power to peruert those that make profession either of the one or the other that is to say of truth or falsehood In such sort that our holy Mother the Church with her true children is trodden vnder-foot especially for the true seruice of God and the Ministery thereof insomuch that shee and her members breake out into those mournefull complaints of the Prophet Ieremy How doeth the Citie sit solitary that was full of people How is shee become a widdow that is destitute of the trueth of her Spouse Shee that was great among the nations because of that power shee had ouer sinne and errour and the Princesse among the Prouinces by that part shee had in the world and the things in the world Mourne and behold with a carefull eye and thou shalt finde all these things accomplished euen in these times For the holy Church is reputed a Synagogue and the Synagogue of the wicked is acknowledged to bee the mother of those that beleeue in God and obey his Lawes Falsehood is Preached for truth wrong for right Iniustice is held for Iustice errour for faith sinne for vertue vanity for verity Obiect But what other workes proceed from these first Answer These that follow The first worke is that hee turneth that seruice and worship which is onely proper and due vnto God to himselfe and his workes and to the poore creature reasonable and vnreasonable sensible and insensible Reasonable as to men hee-Saints and shee-Saints that are departed out of this world Vnreasonable and to Images carrion or reliques His workes are the Sacraments especially the Sacrament of the Eucharist which he adoreth as God and as Iesus Christ seruing things blessed and consecrated and forbidding the worship of the onely God The second worke of Antichrist is that he robbeth Christ of his merit with all the sufficiency of grace righteousnesse regeneration remission of sinnes sanctification confirmation in grace and spirituall nourishment and imputeth and attributeth it to his authority and to the forme of words and to his workes and to Saints and to their intercession and to the fire of Purgatory drawing the people from Christ and his conduct vnto the things aboue-named to the end men should not seeke the things of Christ nor by Christ but trust only to be saued by the works of their hands and not by a liuely faith in God and his Sonne Christ Iesus and his holy Spirit but by the will and workes of Antichrist for so he teacheth that all saluation consisteth in his workes The third worke of Antichrist consisteth in this that he attributeth the renewing by the holy Ghost to an outward dead faith and baptizeth children into that faith and that by it wee haue the Baptisme and the regeneration and therein hee giueth Orders and Sacraments and in it he groundeth all Christianity which is repugnant to the Spirit of God The fourth worke of Antichrist is that hee hath ordained and placed all Religion and Sanctity of the people in the Masse and hath patched together many ceremonies whereof some are Iudaicall some Heathenish some Antichristian To the hearing whereof leading the congregation and the people hee depriues them of their spirituall and Sacramentall food and separateth them from the true Religion and the Commandements of God and withdrawes them from the workes of mercy by his Offertory and by his Masse he setteth the people in a vaine hope The fift worke of Antichrist is that hee doeth all his workes to the end hee may bee seene of men that he may solace himselfe in his vnsatiable auarice that he may make gaine of all things and doe nothing without Simony The sixt worke of Antichrist is that hee giueth way to all open and apparant sinnes without any Ecclesiasticall sentence neither doth hee excommunicate the impenitent The seuenth worke of Antichrist is that hee neither ruleth nor defendeth his vnity by the Word and power of the Spirit of God but by the secular power and hee addeth vnto his ayde things spirituall The eight worke of Antichrist is that hee hateth and persecuteth and putteth to death the members of Christ These are in a manner the principall workes which he doth against the truth for all of them can by no meanes bee written or numbred Let it suffice for this present that wee haue noted the more generall and shall likewise set downe by what workes this iniquity is couered First and principally by an outward confession of Faith whereof the Apostle sayth They confesse they know God with their mouthes but they deny him in their hearts Secondly hee couereth his iniquity by length of time and in that he is maintained by certaine Sages and religious Monkes and Virgins and Nunnes and Widowes and other women of austere life As also by the people without number of whom it is said in the Reuelation And power was giuen vnto him ouer euery Tribe and Language and Nation and all the Inhabitants of
be made by him that is more mercifull then all others for hee knowes for whom there is reason he should pray for hee hath shed his bloud for them which hee will neuer forget hauing grauen them in the palmes of his hands Fourthly in the primitiue Church their prayers for spirituall aide were made onely to Christ as a Mediator Fiftly then did the Church profit and encrease a great deale more then now it doth in these times wherein men haue found many intercessions which are as so many clouds without water darkening Christ the Sonne of Righteousnesse who is the true Intercessor For many expecting spirituall comforts are forsaken in their vaine hopes For though so it be that God is iust and we vniust and insufficient of our selues yet it is he that pardoneth our sinnes both passed and present For hee gaue himselfe for our redemption that is to say he hath been the Sacrifice by which our pardon hath been obtained God hath sent his Sonne to the end he might pardon our sinnes hee is the remedy against sinne to the end we should not fall into despaire We must haue recourse to Christ our Aduocate who continually defendeth our cause beseeching his Father for vs whom wee haue not onely for an Aduocate but for a Iudge too For the Father hath giuen all iudgement to the Sonne and consequently all penitent sinners haue great reason to hope that hee that is our Iudge is our Aduocate This faith is grounded vpon Christ as vpon a strong Rocke vpon which all the Saints of God haue rested themselues vntill the man of sinne had power to bring in new intercessions of Saints which faith all the Saints haue professed liuing here and vnto this day doe confesse that they are not saued by oblations or the intercession of any other God but by him they haue obtained Heauen of whom it is said in the Reuelation Chap. 5.9 Thou art worthy to take the Booke and to open the seales thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed vs to God by thy bloud out of euery kindred and tongue and people and Nation and hast made vs vnto our God Kings and Priests You see how their humility and thankfulnesse doth still resound vpon the Earth when they acknowledge that they are entred into that place wherein they are by his bloud and confesse that they haue receiued all their good by him and whatsoeuer they enioy so long as they remaine in this life that they receiue no good thing but by their good Mediator and Intercessor Christ Iesus CHAP. IIII. Of Baptisme and the other Sacraments of the Romish Church THe things that are not necessary in the administration of Baptisme are the Exorcismes breathings the signe of the Crosse vpon the forehead and breast of the infant the salt put into his mouth spittle into his eares and noftrills the anoynting of the breast the Monkes Cowle the vnction of the Crysome vpon the crowne of his head and all other things consecrated by the Bishop as the putting the Waxe candle into his hands the cloathing him with a white garment the blessing of the water and so foorth All these things vsed in the administration of this Sacrament are not necessary they neither being of the substance nor required in the Sacrament of Baptisme from which things many take occasion of errour and superstition rather then edification to saluation and according to the opinion of some Doctours there is neither power nor profit in them Of the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord. THe eating of the Sacramentall Bread is the eating of the Body of Christ in a figure Christ himselfe hauing said As oft as yee shall doe this doe it in remembrance of mee for if this were not to eate in a figure Christ should be bound to bee eaten continually for this spirituall eating is almost alwayes necessary as Saint Augustine speaketh Hee eateth Christ in truth that beleeueth in him And Christ saith that the eating is to dwell in him In the celebration of this Sacrament these things are profitable Prayer Loue the Preaching of the Word in the vulgar tongue and other things whatsoeuer they bee that are ordained to this purpose according to the Euangelicall Law to the end that loue and charity may grow and increase amongst the people But other things besides the consecration of the Eucharist as those that the Priests vse in the Masse or that the Clerke sings to the Queere from the beginning to the end and the ornaments which the Priests vse at this present in the Church of Rome they belong of necessity to the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord. Of Marriage and Orders PRayer and fasting are profitable when there is any question of the celebration of Matrimony and the instructions and aduertisements touching the same But the imposition of hands and those Ligatures made with the Stole and other things that are commonly obserued therein by humane custome without the expresse Word of God are not of the substance nor necessarily required in marriage As for Orders we are to vnderstand by them that power which is giuen of God vnto man duely to administer to the Church the Word and Sacraments But we haue nothing in the Scriptures that makes good any such Orders but onely the custome of the Church And the letters testimoniall the anoynting of the hands the donation of the seniture and violl into his hands and other things commonly obserued heerein without the expresse Word are not of the substance thereof nor necessarily required in the taking of Orders Of the Crysome or Confirmation VVEe are now to speake of the Crysome which at this present is called a Sacrament hauing no ground for it in the Scriptures First that it should be consecrated by a Bishop and made with Oyle of Oliues and Balsome applyed to the forehead of the man baptized in the figure of the Crosse and with these words I signe thee with the signe of the Crosse and confirme thee by the signe of saluation In the Name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost which is done with imposition of hands and with white vestments bound to the head This is that which they call the Sacrament of Confirmation which was neuer ordained by Christ or his Apostles For Christ the patterne and president of the whole Church was not confirmed in his owne person neither did he require at his Baptisme a Crysome but the water onely And therefore this Sacrament cannot be necessary to saluation whereby a man blasphemeth the Name of God and is brought in by the motion of the deuill to the end the people might bee deceiued and depriued of the faith of the Church and that he might the rather put his trust and confidence in these solemnities Of extreame Vnction THe seuenth Sacrament of the Romish Church is the extreame Vnction of the sicke which they goe about to prooue by that saying of Saint Iames. But we finde not that it hath beene ordained by Christ or his Apostles For if this corporall Vnction were a Sacrament as they would haue men beleeue Christ or his Apostles would not haue beene silent in the manifestation of the execution thereof which being well considered we should not dare to hold and confesse as an Article of our faith that this Sacrament was instituted by Christ and his Apostles Of Fasts THere is a two-fold Fast Spirituall and Corporall The Spirituall is to abstaine from sinne The Corporall from meates and drinkes But a Christian hath liberty to eate at all times and to fast euery day prouided that he fast not superstitiously as a vertue of continency Note also that there are certaine Fasts which are not to bee obserued or commended by the faithfull but rather to bee abhorred as the Fasts of the Scribes and Pharises which are ordained by Antichrist and smell of Idolatry The Fasts of Heretikes and superstitious persons which are obserued by Enchanters Sorcerers Negromancers and the Fasts dedicated to creatures not to the Creator which are not grounded vpon the Law of God Disorderly Fasts obserued with delicate viands of highest price as fish figges raysons almonds which the poore are depriued of and the rich glut themselues with whereby the almes is withdrawne from the poore whereas if they did fast so as afterwards to feed vpon common diet of lower price they might the better prouide for their families and the poore Moreouer Fasts consist not in the abstayning from corporall viands as if they were vncleane for all things are cleane to those that are cleane and we are to refuse nothing that is taken with thankesgiuing for that is sanctified by the Word of God and by Prayer 1. Tim. 4.4 All these Fasts aboue-mentioned are reiected and detested by the faithfull and for the not obseruation of these no man is to bee blamed FINIS
bought vs with his precious bloud bee all honour and glory for euer and euer So be it FINIS THE THIRD PART OF THE HISTORIE OF THE WALDENSES AND ALBINGENSES THE FIRST BOOKE Contayning the Doctrine and Discipline that hath beene common amongst them The Catechisme or manner of instructing their Children which the Waldenses and Albingenses haue vsed in manner of a Dialogue where the Pastor asketh the question and the Childe answereth set down iointly in their owne proper Language in the French Copy for the more Authority CHAPTER I. The learned Reader desirous to see the Originall may haue recourse to the French Booke where it is faithfully set forth in their owne old Language Lo. Barba Si tu fosses demanda qui sies tu Respond L'Enfant Creatura de dio rational mortal c. The Pastor Question WHat art thou Answer A creature of God reasonable and mortall Q. Why hath God created thee A. To the end I should know and serue him and that I might be saued by his grace Q. In what doth thy saluation consist A. In three essentiall vertues which doe necessarily belong to saluation Q. Which be they A. Faith Hope and Charity Q. How dost thou proue it A. The Apostle saith in the 1 Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 13.13 These three things remaine Faith Hope and Charity Q. What is Faith A. According to the Apostle Heb. 11.1 It is the substance of things hoped for the euidence of things not seene Q. How many kindes of Faith are there A. There are two sorts of Faith that is a liuely and a dead Faith Q. What is a liuely Faith A. That which worketh by Charity Q. What is a dead Faith A. According to Saint Iames That Faith which is without workes is dead Againe Faith is nothing without workes Or a dead faith is to beleeue there is a God and to beleeue those things concerning God and not to beleeue in God Q. What is thy Faith A. The true Catholike and Apostolike Faith Q. What is that A. It is that which in the Apostles Symbole is diuided into twelue Articles Q. What is that Symbole A. I beleeue in God the Father Almighty c. Q. By what meanes canst thou know that thou beleeuest in God A. By this Because I know that I haue giuen my selfe to the obseruation of the Commandements of God Q. How many Commandements of God are there A. Ten as it appeareth in Exodus and Deuteronomy Q. Which are they A. Hearken O Israel I am the Lord thy God Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in Heauen c. Q. Vpon what doe all these Commandements depend A. Vpon the two great Commandements that is to say Thou shalt loue God aboue all things and thy Neighbour as thy selfe Q. What is the foundation of these Commandements by which euery one ought to enter into life without which foundation no man can worthily fulfill the Commandements A. Our Lord Iesus Christ of whom the Apostle saith in the first to the Corinthians None can lay any other foundation but that which is laid euen Iesus Christ Q. By what meanes may a man attaine to this foundation A. By Faith So saith Saint Peter 1 Epist 2.6 Behold I lay in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect precious and he that beleeueth in him shall not be confounded And our Sauiour saith Hee that beleeueth in me shall haue eternall life Q. How doest thou know that thou beleeuest A. Because I know him to bee true God and true man who was borne suffered c. for my redemption and Iustification and that Houe him and desire to fulfill his Commandements Q. By what meanes may a man attaine to the Essentiall vertues that is to say Faith Hope and Charity A. By the gifts of the holy Ghost Q. Doest thou beleeue in the holy Ghost A. I doe beleeue For the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne and is a person of the Trinity and according to the Diuinity is equall with the Father and the Sonne Q. Doest thou beleeue God the Father God the Sonne God the holy Ghost to be three Persons Then there are three Gods A. No there are not three Q. But yet thou hast named three A. That was by reason of the difference of the Persons not of the Essence of the Diuinity For though there be three Persons yet there is but one Essence Q. After what manner doest thou adore and serue that God in whom thou beleeuest A. I adore him by an exterior and interior adoration Exterior by the bowing of the knees the lifting vp of the hands the inclination of the body with hymnes and spirituall songs fasting inuocation but inwardly by a holy affection a will ready to doe what hee pleaseth and I serue him by Faith Hope Charity in his Commandements Q. Doest thou adore and serue any other thing as God A. No. Q. Wherefore A. Because of his Commandement whereby hee hath straightly commanded saying Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue As also I will not giue my glory to another Againe I liue saith the Lord Euery knee shall bow vnto me And Christ Iesus saith There shall be true worshippers who shall worship the Father in spirit and truth and the Angell would not be adored by Saint Iohn nor Saint Peter by Cornelius Q. After what manner doest thou pray A. I pray according to that Prayer that was taught vs by the Sonne of God Our Father which art in Heauen c. Q. Which is the other substantiall vertue belonging of necessity to saluation A. It is Charity Q. What is Charity A. It is a gist of the holy Ghost whereby the soule is reformed in will illuminated by Faith whereby I beleeue all that I ought to beleeue and hope whatsoeuer I ought to hope Q. Doest thou beleeue in the holy Church A. No for that is a creature but I beleeue there is a Church Q. What is that thou beleeuest touching the holy Church A. I say that the Church is considered after a twofold manner the one in it substance the other in it Ministery Considered in it substance by the Church we vnderstand the holy Catholike Church which containeth all the Elect of God from the beginning of the World to the end in the grace of God by the merit of Christ assembled by the holy Ghost ordained from the beginning to eternall life the names and number of whom is known onely to God who hath elected them And lastly in this Church there remaineth no excommunicated person But the Church considered according to the veritie of the Ministery are the Ministers of Christ with the people subiect vnto them or committed to their charge vsing their Ministery by Faith Hope and Charity Q. By what markes doest thou know the Church of Christ A. By fit and conuenient Ministers and by the people