at Thoulouze The Bishop was gone thither before and told the Consuls and Principall of the Citie that they were to make their appearance before the Earle Simon They went vnto him but to their great losse for they were no sooner come before the Earle but hee commanded them all to bee bound with cords whereof some taking notice that had meanes to escape to the Citie an alarme was giuen within the Citie so hot that before his arriuall all the people were in armes but being entred by the Castle Narbonne they recouered certaine Towers which were yet remaining and put themselues into certaine places and hauing already begun to pillage neere the Castle Narbonne the people fortified themselues and gaue the chase with such violence to those Boothaylers and Fire-houses who had already set fire on some houses that they draue them to the Castle of Narbonne The Earle Guy came vpon the very instant of this combat to the succour of his brother the Earle Simon but after he had fought a while hee was faine in the end to flye to his brother A great part of the people of the Earle Simon were enforced to retire themselues to St. Steuens and the Tower of Mascaro and the Bishops house where a great number were slaine The Bishop who knew that he had beene the cause of this misfortune hauing counselled the Citizens to make their appearance before the Earle Simon and the Earle Simon to cease vpon them still continuing his treasons went forth of the Castle Narbonnes ranne into the streets crying out vnto the people to pacifie themselues for the Earle determined to end these differences with mildnesse and gentlenesse and that they should not refuse the wayes of peace He alleadged so many matters vnto them that in the end they gaue care vnto him and were willing to hearken to a reconciliation seeing themselues dismantled and brought vnder the subiection of a Castle strong garrison and knowing too well that at the first succours of the Pilgrims their Citie would be exposed to pillage When they were to know the conditions of their peace the first Article was That the Earle Simon would yeeld to nothing before all the Inhabitants had carryed their armes to the Towne-house This point was hardly obtained but at the last they yeelded vnto it which being done the Earle Simon caused his people to make their approch and so being seazed on the Towne-house against a people disarmed and hauing conuayed their Armour to the Castle Narbonnes hee imprisoned the principall men of the Citie and caused them to bee sent out of Thoulouze whither hee thought good being so vnciuilly vsed and with such inhumane cruelties that a great number died by the way Thus was Toulouze dispeopled of it principall Inhabitants and the rest put to their ransome whereby the Earle Simon did greatly inrich himselfe And shortly after returning from the Countrie Bigorre where hee could not take the Castle of Lourde he discharged his choller vpon this poore Citie permitting it to be pillaged by his Pilgrims and then caused the rest of the Towers that were yet about the Citie to be beaten downe In this meane time the poore Earle of Toulouze was at Mountauban who vnderstanding of the bad vsage of his miserable subiects for certaine moneths could not but bewaile their lamentable estate with sighs and teares At this time that is to say in the yeere one thousand 1214. two hundred and fourteene See Paulus Aemil. in the life of Philip Ang. the Legat held a Councell at Montpelier for the renewing of the Armie of the Church and to confirme the authoritie of the Earle Simon The Monke of Sernay saith that he was there declared Prince of all the conquered Countries of the Albingenses The Monke of the Valleis Sernay chap. 146. and that by a common consent they sent Barnard Archbishop of Ambrun to the Pope to perition his Holinesse in the name of the Prelats who were present at that Councell that the Earle Simon of Montfort might by him be pronounced Lord and Monarch oâ— all the conquered Countries of the Albingenses which was done The Councell sent vnto him to come and receiue this dignitie of Prince and Monarch He entred into the Citie and being in the Church of our Lady des Tables where the Prelats of the said Councell were to pronounce their sentence in fauour of the said Montfort they heard a rumor in the Citie They sent to know what the matter was It was told them that the people had vnderstood that the Earle Simon of Montfort was within the Citie and that thereupon they betooke themselues to their armes purposing to kill him as being their capitall enemie He was aduised to steale away along by the walls of the Citie and to saue himselfe for feare left the whole Councell suffered with him He went therefore on foot without companie lest he should haue beene knowne at the Gate and so he escaped this great danger So that he saw himselfe in one houre honored almost as a God chosen and saluted Prince and Monarch and to flie disguised and to hide himselfe like a base scundrell for feare of the rascall people In regard of the resolution of this Councell the Pope euer writ vnto him The Monke of the Valleis Sernay chap. 148. as to a Monarch stiling him The actiue dexterious Souldier of Iesus Christ The inuincible defender of the Catholike faith And in the yeere one thousand two hundred and fifteene 1215. he sent him a Bull dated the fourth of the Nones of Aprill by which hee giues him authoritie to keepe all those lands hee had gotten vnder his power granting vnto him the reuenues profits and power to administer iustice considering saith the Pope that you neither can nor ought to make warre at your owne charge This the Popes bountie of another mans purse in a businesse where he had nothing to giue made him to goe to the King of France to bee inuested into the Dukedome of Narbonnes the Earledome of Toulouze together with all the lands which the Souldiers of the Crosse had conquered and taken from those they call Heretikes or the Protectors of them which he obtained of the King to hold in fee. The Monke saith The Monke of the Valleis Sernay Chap. 153. it was not possible for him to relate the honor which was donne vnto him vpon his way going to France there being neither Citie nor Towne through which he passed where the Clergie and people came not to see him crying out Blessed is hee that comes in the name of God For such and so great saith he was the deuout Religion of the people towards him that there was not any that thought not himselfe happy to touch the hem of his garments In the yeere one thousand 1216. two hundred and sixteene hee returned from France with an hundred Bishops The Monke of the Valleis Sernay Chap. 161. who had caused this expedition of the Crosse
saith he abuse the sacrament of the Eucharist to commit their villanies He likewise complaineth that Theologie and Physicke are polluted with coloured exorcismes by their mumbling of barberous words in an vnknowne tongue by abusing the word of God by bands neck-laces and charmes all which conspire and procure the vtter ruine and damnation of men Moreouer he saith that the Priests haue very apparently made vse of diuerse apparitions of Sathan affirming themselues to be the soules of this or that man and faining to be in the paines of Purgatory for their owne particular profit And when the diuell hath not sufficiently furnished them they haue counterfeited themselues to be spirits to draw the liuing to more frequent oblations donations and dotations to satiate their auarice Lauater saith as much Lauater in his booke of the apparition of diuels Chap. 14.7 and relates at large the history of the false spirit of Orleans and of the Iacobins at Berne which amongst others were the most famous impostures of Monkes The famous Parliaments of Aix Grenoble haue condemned vnto death diuerse Priests that were sorcerers as namely at Aix a certaine Hermit adored of the people for a Saint And Lewes Godfrey that famous Magician beneficed in the Church of Acoules at Marseilles who was burnt in Prouence the last of Aprill 1611. And at Grenoble Nobilibus a Monke and a certaine Priest in the Diocesse of Ambrun who baptized infants in the name of Baalzebub And therefore we may conclude that forasmuch as in these venerable Parliaments they haue condemned sorcerers to death which is not done elsewhere they are to haue the blame that do it not of which fault Rubis would seeme to taxe the States and Cities without exception More modestie becomes a man then was in this passionate Rubis for it is great reason that among Priests such should be excepted as God hath not so farre forth abandoned as to suffer them to adhere to the sorceries of Satan This pratler should haue thought that either soone or late this calumnie would be retorted to his owne shame He should haue contented himselfe with his reprochfull speeches against the Waldenses of whom he hath belched many false reports carried by the violence of his owne humour and not haue laid aspersions on the liuing yea he should blush to thinke that he hath giuen vs iust occasion to retort vpon himselfe and his wicked Priests that which he would lay vpon those that make profession of the Gospell and that punish with death all sorcerers so farre are they from hauing communion or conuerse with them Thus you haue the iustification of the greatest calumnies that haue bene layed vpon the Waldenses by their owne writings which may satisfie any man that is not carried with passion It is necessarie that we now produce such witnesses for the better defence of their innocencie as are free from all suspition CHAP. V. Testimonies of pietie probitie and erudition giuen to the Waldenses by diuerse of their aduersaries themselues IAcobus de Riberia who in his time gaue aide to the persecution of the Waldenses saith that they held a long time the higher place in Gallia Norbonen Iacob Rib. in his collections of the Citie of Tholous in the Diocesse of Albi Rodes Cahors and Agen and that in those times they were of little esteeme that would be called Priests and Bishops Chassagnō citeth Riberia in his historie of the Albigeois pa. 27. because the said Priests for the most part were either vnworthy or ignorant and therefore it was an easie matter for the Waldenses saith he to get the vpper hand amongst the people for the excellencie of their doctrine Rainerius a Iacobin Monke and a cruell Inquisitor of the Waldenses Rain in his booke De forma heret fol. 98. thinking to darken their reputation because they vsually read the Scriptures saith that when the Waldenses would giue knowledge of their doctrine they alledged many things touching chastitie humilitie and other vertues shewing that we are to flie all vice and wickednesse alledging the words of Christ and his Apostles insomuch that the women that vnderstood them were so rauished therewith that they seemed to them rather to speake like Angels then men He addeth that they taught what manner of men the disciples of Christ ought to be Ibid. fol. 98. out of the words of the Gospell and the Apostles affirming that they onely were the successours of the Apostles that imitated them in their liues Concluding hereupon saith he that the Pope the Bishops the Clergie that enioy the riches of this world and imitate not the sanctitie of the Apostles are not the gouernours of the Church it not being the will of Christ to commit his Church to such kinde of people that should rather prostitute her by their ill examples and wicked actions then to present her a chast virgin in the same purity they haue receiued her frō him and therefore that we are not to obey them He addeth moreouer that they liued very religiously in all things their manners well seasoned and their words wise and polished by their wils alwayes speaking of God and his Saints perswading to vertue and to hate sinne to the end saith he that they might be in greater esteeme with good men Claud. in his treatise against the Waldenses Claud. de Seissel Archbishop of Turin giues this testimonie of the Waldenses that as touching their life and manners they haue bene alwayes found and vnreproueable without reproch or scandall amongst men giuing themselues to their power to the obseruation of the Commandements of God Baronius in his Ecclesiasticall Annals Tom. 12. an 1176. pa. 835. The Cardinall Baronius attributeth to the Waldenses of Tholouse the title of good men which tels vs that they were a peaceable people howsoeuer he elsewhere imputeth vnto them sundrie crimes and that very falsely As touching erudition Rainerius hath said Raine ibid. sol 97. that they teach their children yea euen their daughters the Epistles and the Gospels Iacobus de Riberia saith that they were so well instructed in the Scriptures Iacob de Rib. in his collections of the Citie of Toulouze that he hath heard a plaine countriman repeate the booke of Iob word by word and diuerse others that could perfectly repeate the whole new Testament The Bishop of Cauaillon in the time of the great persecution against the Waldenses of Merindall in Prouence of which historie we shall speake in his due place appointing a certaine Monke a Diuine Vesembec in his Oration touching the Waldenses to enter into conference with them to conuince their error before saith he we come to violence but the Monke being much perplexed retired himselfe saying that he had not so much profited in his whole life in the Scriptures as he had done in those few dayes of his conference with the said Waldenses in examining the Articles of their Confession by the passages of Scripture cited by
is to say the Bishop of Agenois the Bishop of Limoges of Bazades of Cohors and the Archbishop of Burdeaux euery one with the Pilgrims of their owne Diocesse There likewise arriued the Earle of Turaine Bertrand de Cardaillac and the Lord of Bastlenau of Montratier who conducted the troopes of Querci and of all these troopes the chiefe Leader was the Earle of Dunoy There came also a great number of Prouenceaux Chassagnon in his hist of the Albing lib. 1. pag. 112. Lombardes and Germaines and that in so great a number that the army of the Legat Milon rose to the number of three hundred thousand fighting men when he came before Carcassonne The situation of Carcassonne is in this manner There is a city and a Bourrough or towne The city is seated vpon a little hill enuironed with a double wall the towne is in the plaine distant from the citie about two miles At that time the city was accounted a place of great strength and in this city there dwelt a great number of Albingenses The Pilgrims thought to haue taken it at the first sight for they ran with great violence vpon the first Rampier and filled the ditch with fagots but they were beaten backs with such courage a nd resolution that the ground was couered with the dead bodies of Pilgrims tound about the citie The young Earle of Beziers Lord of Carcassonne wonde great honour in this first daies encâ—4ter encovraging his subjects and telling them that they must remember the vsage of those of Bezieâ—s that they were to deale with the same enemies who had changed the siege not the humour nor the will to extirminate them if they could That it was farre better for them to die fighting than to fall into the hands of so cruell and mercilesse enemies That for his owne part he made profession of the Romish Religion but yet he saw very well that this warre was not for Religion but a certaine robbery agreed vpon to inuade the goods and lands of the Earle Remond and all his That they had greater cause to defend themselâ—es than he who could loose no more but his goods and his life without change of his religion but they might loose that and besides the exercise of their religion too Thanke would neuer abandon them in so honourable an action which was to defend themselues against the inuasions of their common chemies masked with an ontward appearance of pietie and in affect true theenes The Albingenses being much animated by the speech of this young Lord swore vnto him that they would spend their goods and their liues for the preseruation of the citie of Carcassonne and whatsoener did concerne the said Lord. The next morrow the Legat commanded an assauit and generall escaindo to bee made vpon the Borough of Carcassonne The people that were within very valiantly defended themselues but the ladders were so charged with men and so neere the one to the other that they touched one another insomuch that they forced those within from the walls and so entred the towne carying themselues towards the inhabitants thereof after the same manner as they had dodne before to those of Beziers for they put them all to the sword and fire Whilest those things were in doing and king of Aragon arriued at the army of the Legat and were first to the rent of the Earle Remond who was constrained to giue his assistance at this siege against his owne Nephew From thence he went to the Legat and told him that hauing vnderstood that his kinsman and Earle of Seziers was besieged within Carcassonne hee was come vnto him to doe his best endeuour to make the said Earle to vnderstand what his duty was towards the Pope and the Church which hee presumed hee should the more easily doe because hee knew well that the said Earle had alwaies made profession of the Romish religion The Legat gaue him leaue to vndertake what hee had said The king of Aragon made his approach to the Rampiers The Earle of Beziers came to pariey with him The king of Aragon desired to know of him what had moued him to shut vp himselfe within the citie of Careassonnes against so great an Army of Peleriâ—â— The Earle answered that it greatly stood him vpon hauing so necessary and so iust cause to defend his life his goods and his subiects That hee knew well that â—nder the pretence of religion the Pope had a purpose vtterly to ouerthrow the â—aâ—le Remond his vncle and himselfe That he found by that mediation which he had made for his subiects of Bâ—ziers the Romish Catholikes whereof the would not receiue into grace and fauour neither had spared the Priests themselues who were a ll cut i n peeces euen adorned with their Priestly ornaments and vnder the banner of the Crosse That this example of cruell impietie added vnto that which had passed in the towne of Carcassonne where they were all exposed to fire and sword without distinction of age or sex had taught him not to looke for any mercy either at the hands of the Legat or his Pelerins And that therefore he chose rather to die with his subiects defending himselfe than to bee exposed to the mercy of so inexorable an enemy as the Legat was And that notwithstanding there were within the city of Carcassonne diuers of his subiects that were of a contrary religion to that of the Church of Rome yet they were such a kinde of people as had neuer wronged any that they were come to succor him at his greatest extremity and for this their good seruice he was resolued not to abandon them as they had promised for their part to expose their liues and goods for his defence to all bazard and danger whatsoeuer That his trust was in God who is the defender of the oppressed that he would bee pleased to assist them against that world of men ill-aduised who vnder the colour of meriting heauen haue forsaken their houses to burne and pill and sacke and ransacke and kill in the houses of other men without either reason iudgement or mercy The King of Aragon returned to the Legat who assembled together diuers of his great Lords and Prelates to heare and vnderstand what the King of Aragon would relate vnto him who rold him that hee found the Earle of Beziers his kinsman much discontented with the former proceedings against his subiects of Beziers and the Towne of Carcassonne which gaue him reason to beleeue that forasmuch as they had not spared the Romish Catholikes nor the Priests that it was not a warre vndertaken for the cause of Religion but vnder the colour of Religion a kind of theeuery that his hope was that God would giue him the grace to make him know his innocencie and the iust occasion he had to defend himselfe that they should no longer hope they would yeeld themselues to their discretion because they saw their discretion was no other but to kill as
abilitie towards an action of such importance CHAP. X. The siege of Castlenau d'Arri the retrait of the Earle Simon The Earle of Foix offers him battaile The King of Aragon intercedeth for the Earles of Toulouze of Foix and Comminge he writeth for them to the Councell de la Vaur and obtaineth nothing The King of Aragon defies the Earle Simon they make leuies both on the one side and the other but the Earle Simon aduancing himselfe takes diuers places Hoâ—agary in his hist of Foix. THE first exploit of this warre which the Confederates vndertooke was the siege of Castlenau d' Arri whether they marched in this order The Vauntgard was conducted by the Earle of Foix and Prince Roger his sonne The maine battell by Remond Earle of Toulouze The rereward by the Prince and Lord of Bearn This Armie was composed of fiftie thousand foot and ten thousand horse and besides that the Citie of Toulouze was furnished with a good and strong garrison and all munitions and instruments of warre The Earle Simon put himselfe into Castlenau d' Arri. The situation of this place was good and the Castle one of the best and there were in the Citie many Souliers and great Captaines and great store of munition for a long siege The Earle of Foix made his approach lodged himselfe neere the rampiers where hee framed many fabricks In the meane time the enemy sallied forth of the Cittie and put themselues very rudely and resolutely vpon an Army of the Vauntguard but they were with such courage repulsed that diuers remaining dead within the trenches the rest retired to bethinke themselues of a better course The Subburbs were taken by the besiegers The Earle Roger was there wounded with a stone cast from the Citie by one of their Engines The Earle of Toulouze incamped himselfe vpon a little hill right ouer against the Castle intrenching and enuironing himselfe with railes and barriers The Prince of Bearn lay on the other side of the Citie The Armie of the Albingenses increased daily vpon a report giuen forth that the Earle Simon was there shâ—t vp so great a desire had euery one to see his ruine And because there were too many of the Albingenses at this siege it was thought good that the Earle Remond should take a part of the Army to surprize certaine small holds and Castles which were somewhat disaduantagious to the Army He tooke Puylaurens Albi Rabasteins Gaillac Montagut and Sauerdun The Earle Simon began to see his ouer-sight to suffer himselfe to be inclosed within Castlenau d' Arri and that inasmuch as hee was the Generall it was fit hee should be at libertie to prouide for all other places depending vpon his authoritie He left within the place Guy de Leuis called the Marshall of Faith and to the end he might slip out the better he caused a sally to be made vpon the besiegers ingaging certaine troops whilst he in the meane time might make his escape The Earle Remond being aduertised of the departure of the Earle Simon was much offended therewith with more for shame than for any ill hee conceiued thereof because the report had beene euery where spread abroad that the Generall was in the Cage and that he should not come forth but bare-headed the halter about his neck and begging mercy They complained one of another The Earle of Foix that they had left him without succour in so dangerous a flight The Earle Remond that he would put himselfe into so great danger without knowledge giuen vnto any In the end they resolued to raise the siege because of Winter and a great leuy of Pilgrims marching towards them whose liues the Earle Simon did not greatly tender because hee had the Popes Bull that whosoeuer should lose his life in that warre should goe presently to Paradice as neat from all sinne as a Hen-roost from ordure The Earle Simon was strangely puft vp with pride making himselfe merry with that great preparation of warre altogether vnprofitable to the Albingenses especially that they had suffered him to make an escape being twelue to one Vpon this retrait they in Castlenau would needs follow the Armie but it cost them deare For Roger made a furious returne vpon them killing many of them and beating them backe euen to the gates of the Citie The Monke of the Valley Sernay tells this Fable That notwithstanding there were a hundred thousand fighting men in the Armie of the Albingenses yet they of Castlenau d' Arri went forth to their Vintage and gathered their Grapes as if there had beene no enemy before the Citie and that their seruants went to water their Horses halfe a league from the Citie the Albingenses not daring to charge them See here the truth of a Monkish Historiographer So likewise when he falls into outrages they are without measure or end In this Discourse he growes very chollerick against one Sauari of Mauleon President to the King of England at Guienne who had conducted some troops before Castlenau d' Arri in fauour of the Albingenses he cals him Infidell Expugner of the Church a dangerous poyson a wicked forlorne person enemy to God the Prince of Apostacy artificiall in cruelties the author of all peruersenesse a diabolicall man nay the Deuill himselfe Doubtlesse he had either giuen him a hard chase or his stile is very Monkish After this retreat all the Lords of the Albingenses retired themselues into their quarters The Earle of Foix vnderstanding that the Earle Simon was gone to Pamies where he much troubled his Subiects he departed from Toulouze with two thousand men and came to the gates of Pamies offering battell to the Earle Simon but he would by no meanes harken thereunto finding his Pilgrims too weake And doubting that at the Spring following the Albingenses would take the field the Earle Simon all the Winter thought of nothing so much as to strengthen the places which he held to maintaine the sieges Among the rest being desirous to prouide for Faniaux a place of great importance Roger perceiuing it lay in Ambush in such manner and to such purpose that he discomfited all those that brought either victuals or munitions In the meane time the Earle Simon who doubted nothing so much as the King of Aragon caused the Legat to write vnto him that he should no more meddle with the affaires of the Albingenses except he would intangle himselfe in the same miseries with them and include himselfe in the same excommunication He likewise caused Philip King of France to write vnto him intreating him not to fauour those that were enemies to the Pope and to the Church The Legat likewise caused him to write to the Pope touching the same matter These intreaties of the Pope and the French King were vnto him as expresse Commands and therefore when the Earle of Foix Toulouze and Comminge pressed him to assist them he told them he would doe it but it was fit hee should first doe his endeuour to
So king Iohn hauing an armie of sixty thousand men was discomfited and taken prisoner by the Prince of Wales who had not aboue eight thousand men notwithstanding the cause of the king of France were very iust defending himselfe against his enemie who assaulted him in his owne countrey The warre of the Albingenses encreased for the Earle Simon thought it was necessary hee should pursue his enemies being halfe dead and ouerthrowne and the Albingenses for their part knew that they must of necessiâ—ie defend themselues or bee vanquished and brought into thraldome CHAP. XII Pope Innocent the third sent against the Albingenses a new Legat named Bonauenture Prince Lewis the sonne of Philip tooke on him the Crosse and caused Toulouze and Narbonne to be dismantled and the walles laid euen with the ground THe Earle Simon being puffed vp with this victorie sent one to summon the Earle of Toulouze Foix and Comminge and the Prince of Bearne to deliuer vnto him the keis of those cities and castles that they possessed and that they should subscribe to what it pleased the Legat or resolue miserably to perish He receiued no answer but euery one betooke himselfe to his owne territories there to prouide the best they could possibly for their affaires The Earle Remond retired himselfe to Montauban and writ to those of Toulouze from whence he was but then departed that he vnderstood that Rodolph the Bishop of Arras was comming with a great number of Pilgrims and therefore forasmuch as he saw that they had no meanes to defend their city against so great a force that they should treat and grow to some composition with the Earle Simon reseruing only their hearts vnto himselfe vntill God should giue meanes to free them from those miseries wherein they were plunged by the insatiable auarice of their common enemie In the meane time he the Earle of Foix Comminge and the Prince of Bearne did their endeuours to trouble and to infest the enemies Armies with all the power they could for their common good The citie of Toulouze deputed six of the principall men of the city to offer to the Earle Simon the keies of Toulouze He receiued them honourably and commanded them not to depart from him without his permission In the meane time he writ to Lewis the sonne of king Philip that since the battle of Muret they of Toulouze offered to yeeld themselues vnto him but his desire was that he should haue the praise of that conquest being onely worthy of himselfe King Philip his father would not heretofore permit that he should war against the Albingenses because he had promised the King of Aragon to carry himselfe as a neuter betwixt both but now hearing of the death of the said King of Aragon he suffered him to goe The Prince being at Toulouze the citie was deliuered into his hands and presently the Legat hauing assembled the Bishops of his ranke it was concluded that the pillage should be granted to the Pilgrims and that the city should be dismantled the Castle of Narbonne excepted which was incontinently executed contrary to the promise which had beene giuen them that nothing should be altered within the citie This good vse did the Earle Simon make of the presence and forces of Prince Lewis for otherwise he durst not haue enterprised the saccage and dismantling of this goodly and great citie without the endangering of his fortunes were his forces neuer so great At this very time arriued Bonauenture the Popes new Legat and of those that tooke on them the Crosse the Bishop of Beauuois the Earle of Saint Paul the Earle of Sauoy the Earle of Alençon the Vicount of Melun Mathew de Montmorenci and other great Lords that accompanied him The Legat seeing so many Pilgrims began to feare lest Prince Lewis should dispose of diuers places which the Albingenses held to the preiudice of the Popes authoritie vnder whose name all those conquests were made for the auoiding whereof he sent vnto all those places that held for the said Albingenses the absolution and safeguard of the Church in such sort that the Prince thinking to make an assault vpon any of them they produced their absolution and shewed that they were vnder the protection of the Church And this Legat grew so audacious as to tell Prince Lewis that since he was become a souldier of the Crosse he was subiect to his commands because he did represent the person of the Pope whose pardons he was come to obtaine by obeying â—â—e Church not by commanding as the sonne of a King reproching him besides that the King his father made no account to contribute to the extirpation of the Albingenses when the time and season serued and there was best opportunity but now after those victories miraculously obtained he came to gleane the eares of that glory which was due vnto those only that had prodigally spent their liues for the Church The Prince dissembled this audacious boldnesse Narbonne was dismantled by the agreement of the said Prince which neither the Legat nor the Earle Simon would not haue durst to enterprise without his presence The Bishop of Narbonne did what he could to hinder the dismantling of it affirming that it did much import that a place in the frontiers of Spaine should bee preserued with the walles and rampiers thereof but the Earle Simon and the Legat were very instant to the contrary they obtained their desires Here endeth the good fortune of the Earle Simon for in the end of this leuy of Pilgrims which Prince Lewis brought with him he had enough to doe to defend himselfe from blowes notwithstanding the Albingenses were also wearied with continuall warres and visited from time to time with new expeditions insomuch that they sunke vnder the burthen of them Now forasmuch as this warre changeth countenance in the person of the chiefe Leaders and that from hence forward we shall speake more of the sonne of the Earle Remond of Toulouze another Remond and of Roger the sonne of the Earle of Foix then of the old Earles We here make a second booke of the actions of the children succeeding their fathers miserably afflicted only for that they had for in effect there was not any of these great Lords that was deseâ—â—edly assaulted for Religion for many times they had their recourse to the Pope as to the fountaine of all their euills and in all respects to a poore remedy neuer bringing with them from Rome other thing than good words with very dangerous effects The end of the first booke THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE HISTORY OF the WALDENSES called ALBINGENSES containing the warres which they maintained after the yeare one thousand two hundred and thirteene vntill they were vtterly exterminated CHAP. I. The warre is renewed against the Earle of Foix the Aragonians make hostile incursions vpon the Lands of the Earle Simon he is discomfited by the Earle of Foix Simon is called into Dauphine The Legat Bonauenture perswades the Earle of
made those to tremble that were within The Earle Montfort being at Montolieu tooke counsell how to carry himselfe in this tedious siege and against enemies so animated The Bishop of Thoulouze said vnto him to comfort him thaâ— hee was to take a good heart vnto him for Monsieur the Cardinall had sent letters and messengers throughout the world to giue him succours and that shortly he should haue so many people that hee should not want power to doe what he would The abouenamed Robert de Pequigni answered him that hee spake his pleasure and that if the Earle of Montfort had not beleeued him nor any such hee had beene in those troubles that now hee was but hee had beene at peace within Toulouze and that hee was the cause of that danger they now were in and of the death of so many people as were continually slaine by the wicked counsell that hee had giuen After many combats the winter grew on and stayed the course of the besiegers who withdrawing themselues to couert where they could about Toulouze expected with good denotation and much impatiencie new succours of Pilgrims The Earle Remond on the other side inclosed the Citie with a Rampier and fortified himselfe against the Castle Narbonnes and prepared to receiue the Pilgrims whensoeuer they should present themselues vnto them In this meane time hee sent his sonne to seeke for succours In the end about the Spring time in the yeere one thousand two hundred and eighteene 1218. there came to the Earle Simon an hundred thousand Souldiers of the Crosse and to the Earle Remond great succours from Gascongne conducted by Narcis de Montesquiou As also the young Remond of Toulouze and Arnaud de Villemur brought vnto him goodly troopes This great multitude of Pilgrims being come the Legat and the Earle Simon thought good they should earne their pardon knowing that at the end of fortie daies this great cloude of Pilgrims would vanish They therefore commanded them instantly to giue a generall scalado which was deferred to the next morning by which time they had other worke to doe for the very first night of their arriuall putting their confidence in their great multitude they kept no good guard Which the Earle of Toulouze perceiuing made a salley out vpon them and that with so good successe that the next morning all the field was couered with dead bodies The Toulouzains being wearie with killing returned to giue thankes vnto God for his assistance The Earle Simon entred the Castle Narbonnez to descrie whether from thence there were any way to inuade the Citie but finding none it much troubled him whereupon two of his Lords of the Crosse gaue him aduice to come to some honourable agreement The Cardinall Bertrand told them there needed no speech of that and that the Church could saue them in despite of them if they spake any thing to the aduantage of the Albingenses One amongst them answered And where finde you Monsieur Cardinall that without cause and reason you should take from the Earle Remond and his sonne that which belongs vnto them If I had vnderstood as much as I now know saith he I had neuer made this voyage The whole Countrie was enemie to the Earle Simon which was the cause of the famine in his Armie but on the contrary there was within Toulouze all plenty and abundance Tpon St. Iohn the Baptists Eue betimes in the morning the troopes of the Earle Remond went forth of Toulouze crying out Auignon Beaucaire Muret and Toulouze killing as many as they encountred A Souldier ranne to the Earle Simon and told him that the enemie was come forth to whom he answered that he would first see his Redeemer and then see his enemie Diuers others came vnto him crying out Wee are vndone if no man will come out and command the Armie which did flie before the Toulouzains He againe answered that he would not stirre a foot from the Masse though he were there to die before hee had seene his Maker insomuch that had not the Priest that sung the Masse clipt and curtolled it a little for feare lest his eares should haue beene clipt he had beene taken or slaine before the Altar Heare what Noguiers saith Noguiers in his Hestory of Toulouze lib 3. chap. 10. At this so violent a shocke the Earle Simon being mounâ—ed his horse his horse was wounded in the middle of his head with an Arrow which the horse feeling got presently the bit betweene his teeth in such sort that Montfort could neuer stay him but hee carryed him here and there in dispite of himselfe which a Souldier of the Citie seeing assuring himselfe of him shot him with his Crosse-bow through the thigh with which wound Montfort lost great store of bloud and finding himselfe much payned therewith entreated the Earle Guy his brother to leade him forth of the presse to stench his bloud In the time whilest hee was talking with his brother a stone out of a sling or engine whereout stones or arrowes were darted which a woman thinking nothing let flie hit Montfort yet talking with his brother and parted his head from his shoulders so that his body fell dead to the ground It was saith he a wonderfull thing and thereby may his successors consider that they maintained an vniust quarrell not to punish those that were wandred from the faith for that had beene a thing very commendable and commodious but to oppresse his owne vassals heaping on them miseries vpon miseries to rauish women and their daughters to the end they might vtterly ruine and confound them all especially doing the duty of vassals and to retaine the goods of another who though hee were an Heretike as Monifort supposed yet neuerthelesse in the twinckling of an eye he might be better aduised and amend his life But as I thinke saith hee a couetous desire to raigne blinded him which wee may easily iudge by the bad vsage oppressions and extortions which he executed against the innocent people of Toulouze who honored him cherished and wished him prosperitie as to their Lord. This skirmish and discomfiture was in Iune the day after the feast of St. Iohn the Baptist in the yeere 1218. 1218. Thus you see how Noguiers the Historiographer of those times hath spoken of this man as of one that was caried with passion and vnsatiable couetousnesse But that which was worthy the obseruation is that he was not ouerthrowne but at that very instant when by three diuers Councels he had beene proclaimed the Monarch of his conquests the Captaine of the Armies of the Church the sonne the seruant the fauorite thereof the defender of the faith Adored of the people scared of the great the terror of Kings Thus you see Iudges 9. that as that ambitious Paracide Abimelech was slaine with a peece of a Mill-stone which a woman cast from a Tower which brake his skull so this destroyer of the people ruiner of Cities deuourer of the states
into a Sepulcher that he that by his valour had restored all his Subiects to their houses Holaga pag. 164 and their Citie to it former greatnesse he whose death they lamented as a Father should be cast out like a Dogge It is neither true nor hath it any resemblance of truth that they should deny him this last office of charitie which they haue not refused to bestow vpon their greatest enemies for it was neuer heard of that the Albingenses haue denied sepulture vnto any As touching the Earle of Foix Remond he was a Prince of whom the Historie giues this testimony that he was a Patron of Iustice clemency prudence valour magnanimitie patience and continency a good Warriour a good Husband a good Father a good House-keeper a good Iusticer worthy to haue his name honoured and his vertues remembred throughout all generations When this good Prince saw that he was to change the earth for heauen he defied death with an assured constant carriage and tooke comfort in forsaking the world and the vanities thereof and calling his sonne Roger vnto him hee exhorted him to serue God to liue vertuously to gouerne his people like a Father vnder the obedience of his Lawes and so gaue vp the ghost His Wife the Lady Philippe of Moncade followed him shortly after not without suspition of poyson by some domesticall enemy of the Albingenses whose religion she professed with all deuotion A Princesse of a great and admirable prouidence faith constancy and loyaltie She vttered before her death many excellent sentences full of edification as well in the Castilian tongue as the French in contempt of death which she receiued with a maruellous grace fortifying her speeches with most Christian consolations to the great comfort and edification of all that were present and in this estate she changed her life All these deaths made a great alteration in the wars of the Albingenses both on the one side and the other CHAP. V. Almaric of Montfort restored to King Lewis the eight the conquered Countries of the Albingenses the siege of Auignon the King appointeth a Gouernor in Languedoc The warre continues against the Albingenses Toulouze is besieged a treatie of peace with the Earle Remond and the Toulouzains ALmaric of Montfort had not the fortune of his Father in the warres of the Albingenses For he had neither King Philip Auguste who permitted the leuie of the Pilgrims nor Pope Innocent the third to appoint them Moreouer there was neither Citie nor Village in France where there were not widowes and fatherlesse children by reason of the passed warres of the Albingenses And besides all this the Prelats were many times put into great feares by those cruell combats that were ordinarily made and many of them left behinde them their Miters and some Abbots their Crosses The speech of the expeditions of the Crosse was not so common This was the cause why Almaric did not long enioy his conquered Countries wherewith being much afflicted hee went into France Inuentory of Serres in the life of Lewis the eight and deliuered vp vnto Lewis the eight of that name King of France all the right that he had to the said Countries which the Pope the Councels of Vaur Montpelier and Lotran had granted vnto him and in recompence thereof King Lewis created him Constable of France 1224. in the yeare 1224. To put himselfe into possession King Lewis the eight came into Languedoc and comming to the gates of Auignon he was denied entrance because professing the Religion of the Albingenses they had beene excommunicated and giuen by the Pope to the first Conquerour for then Auignon was no chiefe Citie of the Earldome of Venessin as at this present but belonged to the King of Naples and Sicily The King being much moued with this deniall resolued to besiege it which continued for the space of eight moneths in the end whereof they yeelded themselues about Whitsontide in the yeare 1225. 1225. During this siege almost all the cities of Languedoc acknowledged the king of France by the mediation of Mr. Amelin Archbishop of Narbonne The King established for Gouernour in Languedoc Imbert de Beauieu and tooke his way to France but hee died by the way at Montpensier in September in the yeare 1226. The young Remond Earle of Toulouze was bound by promise to the king to goe to receiue his absolution of Pope Honorius and afterwards he should giue him peaceable possession of all his lands but the death of the king in the meane time happening he saw the Realme of France in the hands of king Lewis a childe and in his minority and the regency in the power and gouernment of his mother Hee thought that hauing to deale with an infant king and a woman regent he might recouer by force that which he had quit himselfe of by agreement He therefore resolued to take armes being encouraged thereunto by the succours of the Albingenses his subjects who were in great hope to maintaine their part in strength and vigor during the Non-age of the King of France but they were deceiued in their proiect For though Lewis the ninth were in his ninoritie yet he was so happie as to haue a wise and a prudent mother if euer there were any For King Lewis the eighth before his death had appointed her the Tutrix or Gardianesse of his sonne and Regent of the Realme knowing very well her great capacity and sufficiency Besides Imbert de Beauieu maintained the authority of the king in Languedoc tooke armes and made opposition against the Earle Remond and the Albingenses The Queene sent him diuers troopes The History of Languedoc sol 31. by the helpe whereof he recouered the Castle de Bonteque neare to Toulouze which was a great hinderance to Imbert and his portizans All the Albingenses that were found within the Castle were put to death and a certaine Deacon with others that would not abiure their Religion by the commandement of the said Imbert Amel the Popes Legat and the aduise of Guyon Bishop of Carcassonne they were burnt aliue 1227. in the yeare 1227. suffring death with admirable constancy The more the persecution increased the more the number of the Albingenses multiplied which Imber of Beauieu perceiuing he went to the Court to let them vnderstand that without succours he could no longer defend the countrey and the places newly annexed to the Crowne and patrimony of France against the Albingenses and the Earle Remond In the meane time whilest he was absent the Earle Remond tooke the Castle Sarrazin one of the strongest places that Imbert had in his keeping and holding the field did much hurt to his enemies Imbert came from France 1228. at the spring of the yeare one thousand two hundred twenty eight accompanied with a great Armie of the Crosse in which there was the Archbishop of Bourges the Archbishop of Aouch and of Burdeaux euery one with the Pilgrims of their iurisdiction The Earle
glorious mother of God who only hath destroied all heresies WEE William de Gourdon Captaine and President of Carcassonne and Beziers doe make knowne vnto all men that we command in the name of our most excellent Lord Philip by the grace of God king of France neere the Castle of Lombes in the Diocesse of Albi called Realmont for the exaltation of the Catholike faith and the extirpation of all wicked heresies and the benefit of our Lord the King and his subiects that the dens and lurking corners of all that either ioyne in beleefe with Heretikes or fauour them to bee quite rooted out by this Colonie all and at once and that by the command and authoritie of the King And as for the innumerable numbers of children of Heretikes and fugitiues because the peruersitie of Heretikes is so damnable that we are not onely to punish themselues but their posteritie Wee ordaine that the children of Heretikes which of their owne will and good motion shall not bee reduced forsaking their errors to the purity of the Catholike faith and the vnitie of the Church shall not be admitted to the citie of Realmont or the territorie thereof in any fort whatsoeuer to any place of honour or publike office Which shall likewise be obserued against the fugitiues for heresie who before their departure shall not of their owne accord willingly be reclaimed Also they that shall giue credit vnto Heretikes concealing them or fauouring them after they are made knowne and declared to be such by the Church shall be banished for euer from the citie of Realmont and all their goods confiscated and their children wholly excluded from all honours and publike dignities except some one amongst them doe make knowne such Heretikes and doe ioyne in the search and inquisition of them Thus you see the very last instrument which hath come to our hands for the proofe of the persecution against the Albingenses Though it be very certaine that they haue beene continually persecuted by the Inquisition though their enemies could neuer preuaile so farre against them but that they still lay hid like sparkles vnder the ashes desiring once againe to see that which their posteritie hath enioyed that is the liberty to call vpon God in puritie of conscience without any constraint to yeeld to any superstition or Idolatry and so secretly instructing their children in the seruice of God the fruit of their pietie tooke life againe when it pleased the Lord that the light of his Gospell should appeare amongst the palpable darknesse of Antichrist for then many of those places that had made profession to receiue the faith of the Albingenses haue receiued with greedinesse the doctrine of the Gospell and namely the city of Realmont where the precedent thunderbolts were darted and notwithstanding that great distance of time during the which they appeared not yet the eternall God hath not giuen ouer his worke and to make manifest that he can preserue his faithfull euen in the middest of the confusion of Babylon as Diamonds in a dunghill wheat amongst the straw gold in the middest of the fire And notwithstanding the enstruction haue not passed from the father to the sonne vntill the time of the restauration yet the goodnesse of God ceaseth not to be wonderfull in that many of those places where this first dew of Gods grace hath fallen haue beene abundantly enriched with his heauenly benedictions in these latter times An excellent prouocation doubly to obliege them to loue the truth which hath bin freely manifested vnto them and to bring forth fruits worthy thereof As it should be an extreme griefe to those places that haue neglected and reiected it that God hath abandoned them and left them to their owne sence euen in that darkenesse which they loued reuenging the contempt of his word by the ignorance thereof and suffering those to perish in their error that haue preferred it before the truth CHAP. XII The conclusion of this History of the Albingenses IT is an easie matter to gather by the contents of this History of the Albingenses that the people inhabiting in the Countrey of Albi Languedoc and diuers other places neere adioyning haue made profession of the selfe-same Religion that they haue that elsewhere were called Waldenses and the rather because their aduersaries themselues haue affirmed that they haue persecuted them as Waldenses As also that the greatest troubles that haue lighted vpon them haue beene procured by the Priests whose corruptions they haue descryed and discouered their abuses maintaining against the Church of Rome the Gospell of Christ Iesus in it puritie refusing to yeeld to those Idolatries that bare sway in those times but aboue all detesting the Masse and the inuention of Transubstantiation shaking the authoritie of the Popes dominion as being abusiue and tyrannicall hauing no resemblance of the well-befitting humilitie of the true Pastors of the Church or conformitie to the doctrine and vocation of the Apostles but rather an excesse and ryot befitting those that loue the world and perish with the world By which libertie which they tooke vnto themselues to reprehend those that beleeued the right of all redargution to belong onely to themselues they haue beene charged with diuers faults and condemned for rash inconsiderate people prophane secular persons who had thrust themselues into the office of teaching when with silence they should rather learne And the Popes not being able to winne them to the obedience of their commands nor to conuince them of error by the word of God they haue persecuted them by their Monkes Inquisitors who haue deliuered to the secular Magistrate as many as the said Monkes could apprehend and forasmuch as this way was somewhat too slow to cut them off and to see the end of them the Popes haue drawne their swords against them haue armed their Cardinals and Legats and driuen to these bloudy warres the Kings and Princes of the earth giuing Paradice for a recompence to whomsoeuer would beare armes against them and aduenture his life for the extirpation of them for fortie daies together Many great Lords haue beene desirous to know the cause of that vnreconcilable enmitie of the Pope against their subiects and hauing perceiued that passion carried those that were offended for the truth they haue maintained their cause being grounded vpon this reason That when they should bee conuinced of this errror by the word of God they would giue the glory vnto God From hence haue proceeded those cruell warres wherein a million of men haue lost their liues In the meane time euen then when it seemed that all truth was buried in the ground and that the Dragon had ouercome God raised in diuers of those places where this grace had beene knowne and receiued many goodly Churches wherein his name is purely inuocated maugre the Deuill and all his adherents To God therefore who hath begunne to destroy the sonne of perdition by the blast of his Spirit To the Sonne of God who hath
they were called Iosephists In England they were called Lollards Lollards of the name of one Lollard who taught there Of two priests who taught the doctrine of Valdo in Languedoc called Henry and Esperon they were called Henriciens Henriciens Esperonistes and Esperonistes Of one of their pastors who preached in Albegeois named Arnold Hot they were called Arnoldists Arnoldistes Siccars In Prouence they were called Siccars a word of Pedlers french which signifieth Cutpurse In Italie they were called Fraticelli Fraticelli as much to say as Shifters because they liued in true loue and concord together And because they obserued no other day of rest but the Sabbath dayes Insabathas they called them Insabathas as much to say as they obserued no Sabbath And because they were alwayes exposed to continuall sufferings Patareniens or Paturins from the Latin word Pati which signifieth to suffer they called them Patareniens And forasmuch as like poore passengers they wandred from one place to another Passagenes they were called Passagenes In Germany they were called Gazares Gazares as much to say as execrable and egregiously wicked In Flanders they were called Turlupins Turlupins that is to say dwellers with wolues because by reason of their persecutions they were constrained many times to dwell in woods and desarts Toulousains Lombards Piccards Lionistes Bohemiens Sometimes they were called by the names of those countries and regions where they dwelt as of Albi Albigeois of Toulouze Toulousains of Lombardie Lombards of Piccardie Piccards of Lion Lionists of Bohemia Bohemiens Sometimes to make them more odious they made them coÌ„federates with ancient heretickes but yet vnder more then ridiculous pretexes For because they made profession of puritie in their liues and of faith they called them Cathares And because they denied the bread which the priest shewed in the Masse to be God Cathares they called them Arriens Arriens as denying the diuinitie of the eternall Sonne of God And because they maintained that the authoritie of Emperours and Kings depends not vpon the authoritie of the Pope they called them Manicheens Manicheens Gnostiques Cataphrigiens Adamites Apostoliques as appointing two Princes And for other causes which they fained they called them Gnostiques Cataphrigiens Adamites and Apostoliques Sometimes they spitefully abused them Matthew Paris cals them Ribalds Ribalds Buggerers Sorcerers The compiler of the Treasure of histories calles thrm Buggerers Rubis saith that when a man speakes of a sorcerer hâ—â—â—ls him Vadois And that which is more he takes vpon him to proue that they are so To which temeritie it shall be necessarie to answer in his due place where they shall be cleared from all those impostures which their enemies haue layed vpon them out of those bookes from which we haue gathered that which followeth First they impose vpon them This imposture is found in the booke of Albertus de Capitaneis of the originall of the Vadois pa. 2. In the booke of Rameruis de forma hoereticandi hoereticos fol. 36. Item in the accusation of the Priests of Bohemia which they make to the king Ladislaus against the Vadois Rai ibid. fol. 37. that ancient calumnie wherewith the painims defamed the Christians of the Primatiue Church that is that they assembled themselues in the night time in corners and lurking holes and that the Pastour coÌ„manded the lights should be put out saying Qui potest capere capiat that is catch who catch can whereupon euery man endeuoreth to fasten vpon whom he can without any respect of bloud or parentage and that the lights being put out they committed abhominable incests many times the child with his mother the brother with his sister and the father with his owne daughter adding moreouer that they were to vnderstand that the children begotten by such copulations were most fit to be Pastours Secondly they haue charged them that they maintaine that a man may put away his wife when he will and the wife her husband to follow that sect The third calumnie that they charge them withall is Cloud Rubis in his historie of Lion pa. 269. that they haue communitie of all things amongst them euen of their wiues and all The fourth is S. Bernard in his Homily 66. vpon the Canticles that they reiect the baptisme of little infants The fifth Albert ibid. that they adore their Pastors prostrating themselues before them The sixth Albert ibid. that they maintaine that it is not lawfull to sweare for any cause whatsoeuer The seuenth Rain fol. 36. that they â—aintaine that the Pope doth sinne mortally when he makes warre against the Turke and that they likewise sinne mortally that do obey him when by them he makes warre against heretickes The eight calumnie is Rain ibid. fol. 22. article 32. that they vse no reuerence towards holy places and that he sins not more grieuously that burneth a Church then he that breakes into any other priuate house The ninth Albert ibid. that they maintaine that the Magistrate ought not to condemne any to death and that they that do it sinne mortally and that they maintaine this error to the end they may escape the hands of the Iudge and go vnpunished The tenth Idem ibid. that the lay-man being in the state of grace hath more authoritie then the Prince that liues in his sinne The eleuenth Rain in Summa fol. 12. that with the Manicheens they ordaine two Princes that is one good God the creator of good and one bad that is the diuell the creator of euill The twelfth Idem lib. de forma haeret fol. 21. that whatsoeuer is done with a good intention is good and that euery one shall be saued in that which he doth in that said good intention The thirteenth Albert. de origine Vaud fol. 4. that it is a meritorious worke to persecute the Priests of the Church of Rome the Prelates and their subiects And that a man may without sinne hurt them in their persons or goods and withhold their tenthes from them without scruple of conscience The last is taken out of the booke of Rubis Claud. Rubis in his historie of Lion booke 3. pa. 269. where he saith that Valdo and his Pastors retired themselues into Dauphiney in the vale Pute and the valley Angrongne where they found certaine people rather like sauage beasts then men suffering themselues to be mocked and abused and where they became saith he one like another and such as rid post vpon a besom Adding therewithall to bring within the compasse of his calumnies the Townes Cities States where the Gospell is receiued in our times And to say the truth saith he these are two things that commonly follow the one the other heresie and sorcerie as it is verified in our times in those Cities and Prouinces which haue giuen entertainment vnto heresie CHAP. IIII. How the Waldenses are iustified and
hauing discouered the abuse which they brought into the Church they condemned them for heretickes and deliuered them to the secular power so they call their Magistrates Now this seemed vnto them a cruell simplicitie in the said Magistrates to giue faith to persons passionate and not indifferent such as the aforesaid Priests were and to put to death so many poore innocent people neuer hearing them or examining the cause The tenth calumnie was to make them odious to Kings and Princes that is to say that a lay man in the state of grace had greater authoritie then a Prince liuing in his sinnes Against this imposture they affirme In the booke of the causes of their separation frō the Church of Rome p. 41. that euery one must be subiect to those that are in authoritie obey them loue them be at peace with them honour them with double honour in subiection and obedience and readinesse paying vnto them that which is their due The eleuenth calumnie was grounded vpon that assertion of the Waldenses that the Pope had no authoritie ouer the Kings and Princes of the earth who depend immediatly vpon God alone For from thence they take occasion to call them Manichees as appointing two Princes Against this imputation they say In the booke of the treasure of faith art 2. We beleeue that the holy Trinitie hath created all things visible and inuisible and that he is Lord of things celestiall terrestiall and infernall as it is said in S. Iohn All things are made by him and without him nothing is made The beginning of this calumnie was taken out of the Extrauagantes of Pope Boniface 8. who subiecting the authoritie of Emperours vnto his saith of his owne Quicunque huic potestati resistit Dei ordinationi resistit nisi duo sicut Manichaeus fingat esse principia De Maiorit obedientia Can. Vnam sanctam l. 1. tom 8. The twelfth calumnie imports thus much that they held that whatsoeuer is done with a good intention is good and that euery one shall be saued in whatsoeuer is done with the said good intention To this imposture we need no other answer then that which the Monke Raynerius who was alwaies their back-friend saith elsewhere Rain lib. de forma haeretic art 38. that is that they maintaine that euery man is saued by his faith which he cals a Sect. It is very necessary that a lyer should haue a better memorie then to affirme things contradictorie And to shew that they made no profession of any such beleefe that may suffice that they haue said against Antichrist That he hath brought these errors into the Church vnder a colour of good intention and a shew of faith The thirteenth calumnie was that they maintaine that a man may kill or detaine from the Priests their tithes without scruple of conscience It is certaine that if the Waldenses had power to employ their tithes to some other vse then to the nourishment of those whom they find to be dumbe dogs drowsie watchmen slow bellies seducing and being seduced they had done it It appeareth by the processe against the Waldenses of Dauphiné by Albert de Capitaneis other Monkes Inquisitors but there was neuer any as yet that hath occasioned the least troubles that may be in that regard It well appeareth that in whatsoeuer depended on their owne wils they haue neuer offered more or lesse vnto those people taking no thought for their Masses and Trentals after their death the which the Priests complaine of and from thence take occasion to accuse them for heretickes And as touching reuenge heare what they say The Lord knowing that we shall be deliuered saith In the booke of the Waldenses intituled of Tribulations p. 274. Beware of men but he doth not teach or counsell any of his chosen to kill any but rather to loue their enemies When his disciples said vnto him in the ninth of S. Luke Wilt thou that we command that fire come downe from heauen and consume them Christ answered and said Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of Againe the Lord saith vnto Peter Put vp thy sword into thy sheath c. For temporall aduersities are to be contemned and patiently to be endured for there happeneth nothing therein that is new We are here the Lords floore to be beaten as the corne when it is separated from the chaffe The last calumnie of the Waldenses which we haue gathered out of the writings of their aduersaries is that which Claud. Rubis layes vpon them as a foule aspersion Claud. Rubis in his historie of Lions p. 269. in his Historie of the Citie of Lions That being retired vnto the Alpes at their departure from Lions they became like the rest of the people of that countrey beesome riders And he is not content to tie himselfe to the Vaudois onely but he addeth These are things that ordinarily follow one another Heresie and Sorcerie as it is verified saith he in our times in those Cities and Prouinces that haue giuen entertainment vnto heresie We will first iustifie the Waldenses and then answer Rubis in the behalfe of those Cities and Prouinces which he hath inclosed within this calumnie All they offend against the first Commandemēt say the Vaudois in the exposition of the first Commandement that beleeue that the Planets can enforce the will of man These kind of men as much as in them lies accompt the Planets as gods for they attribute vnto the creature that which belongs vnto the Creator Against which the Prophet Ieremie 10. speaketh Learne not the way of the heathen and be not dismayed at the signes of heauen for the heathen are dismayed at them And S. Paul in the fourth to the Galathians Ye obserue moneths and dayes and times and yeares but I am afraid of you lest I haue bestowed vpon you labour in vaine All they offend against this commandement that beleeue Sorcerers and Soothsayers for these men beleeue the diuels are gods The reason is because they aske of diuels that which God alone can giue that is to manifest things hidden and to foreshew the truth of things to come which is forbidden of God Leuit. 19.31 Regard not them that haue familiar spirits neither seeke after wizards to be defiled with them And in the 20.6 The soule that turneth after such as haue familiar spirits and after wizards to go a whoring after them I will set my face against that soule and will cut him off from amongst his people And in the last verse of that Chapter A man or woman that hath a familiar spirit or that is a wizard shall surely be put to death they shall stone them with stones their bloud shall be vpon them As touching the punishment of this sinne and the vengeance that God taketh vpon such a one we reade in the 2. Kings 1.3 that the Angell of the Lord sent vnto Elijah to meete the messengers of Ahaziah and to say vnto them
neither by proscriptions nor banishments not excommunications nor publications of their Bulles nor Indulgences and Pardons to all those that shall make warre against them nor by any manner of torments fire flames gibets or other cruell effusion or bloud could they euer hinder the current of their doctrine but it hath spread it selfe almost into all the corners of the earth This hath le Sieur de Saint Aldegonde writ of the Waldenses But forasmuch as doubt may be made whether we haue in these dayes any proofes in the world of their beleefe it is necessary that we produce hereabouts an inuentorie of bookes which they haue left vnto vs to the end that when there shall be any question of their doctrine euery one may vnderstand what the writings are out of which we haue gathered that which they taught CHAP. VII That Peter Waldo and the Waldenses haue left bookes which make proofe of their beliefe and what they are In the former Chap. THat Waldo left something in writing vnto vs it appeares by that which Math. Illyricus saith that he hath certaine parchments of his which shew him to be a learned man The Author of the Historie of the Estate of the Church giues this testimonie that followeth Historie of the Estate of the Church p. 307. Waldo at the same time saith he made a collection in the vulgar tongue of sundry passages of the ancient Fathers to the end he might defend his opinions not onely by the authoritie of the holy Scripture but also by the testimonie of the Doctors against his aduersaries About fortie yeares since le Sieur de Vignaux Pastor of the Churches of the Waldenses in Piemont writ as followeth in his memorials that he made Of the beginning Antiquitie Doctrine Religion Manners Discipline Persecutions Confessions and progresse of the people called Waldenses I that write saith he can witnesse that being sent vnto these people to preach the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ which I did about some fortie yeares together I had no need to take much paines to win them from the ceremonies of the Church of Rome nor to roote out of their minds the Pope the Masse Purgatory and such other things wherein they were a long time Doctors before my coming although the greatest part of them knew neither A nor B. It is to this seruant of God to whom we are much bound for the multitude of bookes written by the Waldenses For as oft as he lighted vpon any he gathered them together and kept them carefully which he did the more commodiously for that as he sâ—ith he conuersed with them almost for the space of fortie yeares which was about some fourescore yeares past For it was about the end of his dayes that he deliuered to some particular persons his said Memorials which he had gathered touching the Waldenses and all those ancient bookes which he had collected in their vallies touching the substance of which he thus speaketh We haue saith he certaine ancient bookes of the Waldenses tontaining Catechismes and Sermons Ibid. p. 3. which are manuscripts written in the vulgar tongue wherein there is nothing that makes for the Pope or poperie And it is wonderfull saith he that they saw so clearely in those times of darknes more grosse then that of Egypt Le Sieur de Saint Ferriol Pastor in the Church of Orange being carried with an holy curiositie gathered together many of the said bookes In his first table p. 153. which he shewed to le Sieur de S. Aldegonde who made mention of them in his first table wherein he saith that there are other manuscripts written in a very ancient letter in the Library of M. Ioseph de la Scale Now all the bookes hereunder mentioned being deliuered vnto me to furnish me with proofes for this Historie I will reduce into this Catalogue First we haue in our hands a new Testament in parchment in the Waldenses language very well written though with a very ancient letter Also there is a booke intituled the Antechrist which thus begins Qual cosa sia l'Antechrist en datte de l'an mille cent vingt In the same volume there are contained diuers Sermons of the Pastors of the Waldenses With a Treatise against sinne and the remedies to resist sinne Also a booke entituled The booke of Vertues In that volume there is another Treatise with this inscription De l'enseignament de li filli that is to say of the Instructions of children A Treatise of Mariage A Treatise entituled Li parlar de li Philosophes Doctors that is sentences of Philosophers and Doctors All which bookes are written in the language of the Waldenses which is partly Prouenciall and partly Piemontaine All of them sufficient to instruct their people to liue well and to beleeue well the doctrine of all which bookes being conformable to that which is taught and beleeued at this present in all the reformed Churches From hence we conclude that that doctrine that hath bene maintained in our times against humane inuentions is not new but to those that haue buried it wilfully or whose ancestors haue detested it out of their ignorance of the goodnesse thereof there being found diuers writings and that in great number which make good that for these foure hundred and fiftie yeares the doctrine of the reformed Churches is the selfesame which for many ages hath bene buried by ignorance and ingratitude Which our aduersaries themselues haue in some sort auouched when they say and confesse that that doctrine which they call new is but the substance of the errors of the ancient Waldenses as may appeare by their owne writings from whence we haue gathered that which remaineth in the Chapter following CHAP. VIII That the aduersaries of the Waldenses haue acknowledged that the doctrine of the Waldenses is conformable to that of those that at this present make profession of reformation Lindan in his analiticke tables LIndanus makes Caluin an inheritor or heire of the doctrine of the Waldenses Hosius in his fâ—â—t booke of thâ— heresies of our times The Cardinall Hosius saith that the leprosie of the Waldenses hath infected all Bohemia at what time following the doctrine of Waldo the greatest part of the kingdome of Bohemia was separated parated from the Church of Rome Gwaltier Monke the Iesuite Gwalt in his Chro. table see 12. Chap. 15. pa. 494. in his Chronographicall table or to speake otherwise in his mole-hill of lyes makes the Waldenses and those they call the poore abused and the Ministers of Caluin to be of one and the same beleefe in twentie seuen Articles Claud. Rubis saith Claud. Rubis in his historie of the Citie of Lions lib. 3. pa. 269. that the heresies that haue bene in our times haue bene grounded vpon the heresies of the Waldenses and he cals them the reliques of Walde Aeneas Syluius who was afterwards Pope Pius the second of that name Syluius and Dubrauius in their Histories
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
they humbly beseeched him to imitate herein the most debonaire and gentle Princes It appeared by his Highnesse answere that he took but little pleasure in this intercession but much more by the effects that followed For hee answered that notwithstanding that for his part he made no enquiry how the Prince Palatine of the Rhine and other Princes of Germany gouerned their Subiects and being a Soueraigne Prince he was not to yeeld an account vnto any of his courses and resolutions yet neuerthelesse he thanked the said Prince and all the rest that were thus charitable towards him his Estate and his Subiects as to wish their content and peace but that the miseries and calamities that haue happened amongst them by the diuersity of Religions had made him to desire to haue in his State but onely one and that must be that which he there found and in which he had been alwaies brought vp for feare lest vnder the mantle of Religion and liberty of conscience he must dispute with his subiects as a companion of those things which by iust title were in his power to determine as a Master as it had happened to other Princes in Europe that in this case had no power to rule their Subiects as Soueragines And that in might appeare vnto them that he loued peace he had maintained his Subiects the Waldenses dwelling in his State in the Valleys of the Alpes vnder an edict which he caused to be obserued vnuiolably That if without the said Valleys he had in his State any itching busie spirits affecting nouelties those he caused to be punished as Rebelles That he thought that as the said Princes had compassion of his Subiects that they might enioy the exercise of their Religion so he assured himselfe that they would not take it in ill part so iust and iudicious they were if he prouided for his surety and preseruation of his State by punishing the seditions that he would inquire in consideration of this their intercession more narrowly into the estate of his Subiects making profession of their Religion and would giue them some refreshing And because they had spoken particularly of a certaine Minister named Giles whom he detained locked vp in a dungeon he caused him to be brought forth and placed in a chamber and after inquiry made of what he was accused that is that he had writ to those of Geneua to the preiudice of his seruice he set him at liberty He disclaimed a certaine captaine of a Castle of the Valley Meane for some thing he had done against the Waldenses of the said Valley but for the rest the Counsellor was hardly gone halfe his way home-ward but the persecution grew greater then it was before Amongst others the Gouernour of the New-lands in the end of Nouember following proclaimed with the sound of a trumpet that whosoeuer would not within the space of a Moneth goe to Masse were to auoide the Lands and Territories of his Highnesse within that time vpon paine of confiscation of body and goods These poore people of the New lands they could conuey themselues to no place without danger of their liues For in Prouence they burnt those whom the Parliament of Aix called Lutherans In the Territories of Honorat Earle of Tendes they were deliuered into the hands of the Executioners Gonsague Duke of Neuers commanding for the King of France in the Marquisate of Saluces put them to death In Dauphine as many as the Archbishop of Ambrun could apprehend so many he caused either to rot in the dungeons or to perish in the Tower Brun with cold and famine and out of Piedmont they were banished There remained no other succour but in the dead time of winter to make their passage by night ouer a high mountaine almost inaccessible couered with ice and snow into the Valley of Frassiniere if possibly they could They therefore betooke themselues vnto the mountaine about the feast of the Natiuity of our Lord in the coldest time of all the yeere But before they could come to the height thereof the greatest part of the women and children were benummed with cold and the night ouertaking them being in the top of the hill they were inforced to lie vpon the ice where a great part of them in the morning were found dead They that escaped the danger retired themselues into the Valley of Frassiniere Now after that the houses of these poore people had remained for a time void of Inhabitants there was no man that would seise or take possion of their Lands much lesse till and husband them and therefore their Gouernours permitted the said Waldenses to continue there and to tolerate them making profession of their beliefe onely they were to depart out of the confines of the State of the Prince for the exercise of their Religion They haue re-peopled the said Valley Thus you haue heard as much as is come to our knowledge touching their sufferings howsoeuer they haue been persecuted from time to time from the father to the sonne as the rest of the Waldenses in Dauphine and Piedmont but their indictments are not come to our hands CHAP. VII Of the Waldenses dwelling in Calabria and the persecutions which they haue suffered ABout the yeere of our Lord 1370 the Waldenses of the Valleys of Pragela and Dauphine 1370. grew to so great a number in so small a Country that they were enforced to send away a certaine number of their yonger people to seeke some other Country to inhabite in In their trauaile they found in Calabria certaine waste and vntilled land and ill peopled but yet very fertile as they might well iudge by those parts neere adioyning They therefore finding the Country fit to bring forth corne wine oyle of Oliues and chestnuts and that there were hilles fit for the breeding and nourishing of cattle and to furnish them with fuell and timber fit for building they came vnto the Lords of those places to treate with them touching their abode in those Countries The said Lords receiued them louingly agreed to their lawes and orders to the great aduantage of these new Inhabitants came to an agreement with them touching their Rentes Tenthes Toles penalties in case there fall out any differences or offences amongst them and so hauing assigned vnto them certaine quarters or parts of the Country they returned for the most part of them to aduertise their parents of the good aduenture that had happened vnto them in a rich country likely to abound in all temporall benedictions They brought backe with them from their parents and friends whatsoeuer it pleased them to bestow vpon them to begin their house-keeping many of them married and brought their wiues into Calabria where they built certaine small Townes and Citties to which their owne houses were as walles as namely Saint Xist la Garde la Vicaricio les Rousses Argentine Saint Vincens and Montolieu The Lords of the said Countries thought themselues happy in that they had met with
inhabit in Lombardie and within his Realme of Sicile where he commanded they should be persecuted with all rigour to the end they might be driuen out from thence and the whole world together Roger King of Sicile made also constitutions against them and caused them to be persecuted Pope Gregory the 9. did grieuously persecute them Sigonius de regno Italicâ— li. 17. A Legat of his banished them out of all Italy Citties and Countries and gaue command that their houses should be razed He appointed in the Citty of Milan two Preachers who by the authority of the Arch-bishop made a strict enquiry of the Waldenses and where they could apprehend any they caused them to be brought by the Pretor to the place where the Arch-bishop had appointed and that at the publike charge Pope Honorius caused them to be grieuously persecuted vnder the name of Fraticelli that is to say shifting companions for some doe hold that as many as were so called in Italy were no other but Waldenses In the time of Boniface 8 they were charged with the same calumnies as the Waldenses of Dauphine and the Christians of the primitiue Church The Monkes Inquisitors haue alwaies made in Italy an exact search that they might deliuer them to the secular power and not being content to condemne the liuing they framed indictments against the dead dis-interred their bodies burnt their bones and confiscated their goods Paul Aemil. in Charles the faire Paulus Aemilius speakes thus of these shifting fellowes In the time of Charles le Bel saith he there were many great spirits and men very learned That age flourished in learning and some there were that were truely holy others who endeauouring vnseasonably and without measure to out-strip others became wicked others whose manners and institutions were doubtfull as for the best and holiest the wicked of those times bare them a grudge afflicting them not speaking a word or telling them wherefore And as for those whom they called Fraterculos Shifters the Preachers condemned them both by word and writing cest escarlotte I vnderstand the words but not the sence ces biens ceste domination and taught that they agreed not with the Religion of Christ They were said to be of the same beliefe with the Waldenses because such was their doctrine One amongst the rest named Herman being buried at Ferrara See the Sea of histories in the yeer 1300. was condemned twenty yeeres after his death to bee dis-interred and his bones to be burnt notwithstanding that wâ—ilest hee liued hee were accounted a holy man Also there was another named Andrew and his wife Guillaume that were dis-interred and their bones burnt CHAP. XVII That some of the Waldenses did flie into Dalmatia Croatia Sclauonia Constantinople Grecia Philadelphia Digonicia Liuonia Sarmatia Bulgaria and were there persecuted THe Monke Rainerius in his booke of the forme of proceeding against the Heretickes Rain de forma haereticaÌ„di fol. 10. in that Catalogue that he made of the Churches of the Waldenses or poore people of Lion notes that there were in his time that is to say in the yeere 1250 1250. Churches in Constantinople Philadelphia Sclauonia Bulgaria and Digonicia Vignier saith Vignier in bis 3 part of his historiall Bib. pa. 130. Math. Paris in the life of Hen. 6 king of England that after the persecution of Picardie were dispersed abroad in Liuonia and Sarmatia Math. Paris saith that long since they were gone as far as Croatia and Dalmatia and that they had there taken such footing that they had won vnto them diuers Bishops He saith moreouer that there was one Barthelmew who came from Carcassonne vnto whom they all yeelded obedience And that he stiled himselfe in his Letters Barthelmew the seruant of the seruants of the holy faith and that the created Bishops and ordained Churches Here may be some imposture in that he attributeth to his owne person that which is attributeth to the Pope that is that he called himselfe the seruant of the seruants and yet neuerthelesse had taken vpon him a kind of Soueraingty contrary to the order enioyned by the Sonne of God and followed and practised by his Apostles Albert. de Cap. lib. de origine Waldensium p. 1. As also in that Albertus de Capitaneis saith that the Waldenses had their great Master in the Citty of Aquillia in the Realme of Naples vpon whom they absolutely depended For there is not one word in all their writings that aimes at that end Only we alleage the saying of this Historiographer to proue the extent of those places where the Waldenses exiled themselues to auoid the persecution Antonin relateth that the Waldenses called in Italy Fratecelli Antonin part 3 Tit. 2. were in his time burnt in diuers parts of the world insomuch that many of them forsaking Italy retired themselues into Greece especially one amongst them of principall note named Lewis de Baniere and that two Monkes or grey Friers were burnt for adhearing vnto them that is to say Iohn Chastillon and Francis de Hercatura CHAP. XVIII Of the VValdenses inhabiting in Spaine and that they were there persecuted IN the time of the warres against the Earle Remond of Toulouze and the Earle de Foix and comming when the Waldenses were persecuted by the Popes Legates many of them went into Catalogne and the Realm of Aragon This is that which Math. Paris sets down Math. Paris in the raigne of Henry 3. saying that the time of Pope Gregory the 9 there were a great number of Waldenses in Spaine about the yeer 1214 in the time of Alexander the fourth 1214. who complained in one of his Bulles that they had bin suffered to take such footing that they should haue so much leasure as to multiply as they had done For in the time of Gregory the 9. they so far forth increased in number and credit that they ordained Bishops ouer their flockes to preach their doctrine which the other Bishops taking notice off there followed a grieuous persecution CHAP. XIX The Conclusion of the History of the Waldenses BY that which is contained in this first and second Booke it appeareth that the Christians called Waldenses haue opposed themselues against the abuses of the Church of Rome and for these foure hundred and fifty yeeres and vpward they haue been persecuted not by the sword of the word of God but by all kind of violence and cruelties besides many calumnies and false accusations Which inforced them to disperse themselues here and there where they could haue any abiding wandring through desert places and yet neuertheles the Lord hath in such sort preserued the remainder of them that notwithstanding the rage of Satan they haue continued inuincible against Antichrist to whom they haue offered a spirituall combat destroying him by the blast of the spirit of God Crying with a loud voice not onely throughout all Europe but in many other parts of the earth that it
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
thereof being found they all began this iourney through it about the beginning of the night with their wiues and children carrying only with them some victuals for a few dayes This remoue and departure accompanied with outcries and gronings Chass lib. 2. chap. 14 pag. 121. and sorrow to leaue their houses and moueables furnished with al manner of goods and furniture to betake themselues to an vncertaine course to saue themselues by flight leading with them their infants old decrepit people with the pittifull skreechings and outcries of women was a most heauy and lamentable spectacle They arriued the next morrow at the said Castle and from thence they dispersed themselues here and there some to Aragon others to Catalongue others to Toulouze and other Townes that tooke part with them whither it pleased God to conduct them The morrow after in the morning the Pelerins were all strangely astonished for that they had heard no noise all that night but much more because they saw no man stirring that day They came neere to the walls but yet with some doubt fearing lest it should be a baite to draw them within the toyle but yet neuerthelesse finding nothing that might make them any way distrustfull they mounted the breach entred the Citie and cryed out to the Armie that the Albingenses were fled The Legat speedily sent to make publike Proclamations that no man should ceaze vpon any body in his owne right but that all should bee carryed to the great Church of Carcassonne from whence afterwards all things should be brought and sold for the benefit of the Pelerins rewarding euery one according to his merit And so it was done and the Earle of Beziers committed to prison in one of the strongest Towers of Carcassonne CHAP. VI. The Legat Milon establisheth a Captaine of warre for the Church the Earle Simon of Montfort accepteth the charge The Earle Remond is absolued by the Pope The Earle of Beziers dieth The King of Aragon displeased with the Earle Simon Diuers reuolt from his obedience He demandeth of the Prelats a new supply of the Souldiers of the Crosse THe Citie of Carcassonne being in the possession of the Legat hee resolued with himselfe to make it a Towne of warre an Arcenall against the Albingenses and presently hee assembled all the Prelats and great Lords which were yet in his Armie to take counsell how hee might make it a place fit to maintaine a warre of long continuance in time to come Besides he gaue them to vnderstand that notwithstanding heâ— thought it very necessary that there should bee alwaieâ— in the Armies of the Church a Legat of his Holinessâ— to giue authoritie to whatsoeuer should passe yet neuerthelesse it was likewise necessary that there should be a secular Captaine of the warre one that was puissant wise valiant and fearefull absolutely to command all occurrences and to expedite all affaires concerning the warre by his prudent guide and gouernment it not belonging to the capacitie of Ecclesiasticall persons to leade Armies or to make warre and thaâ— therefore they should consult with themselues to caâ—â— their eyes vpon some one of the Lords of the Crosse to whom the conquered Countries might be committed and the care for the direction of this holy warre vntill it might be otherwise determined by the Pope This charge was first offered to the Duke of Burgongue afterwards to the Earle of Enneuers and to the Earle of St. Paul who did all refuse it Which the Legat seeing and perceiuing it would be a difficult matter to agree in the nomination of a Captaine with one mutuall consent they named two Bishops with the Abbot of Cisteaux Legat of the Apostolike Sea and foure men of Armes to whom they gaue power to choose him that hereafter should leade the Armie of the Church They named the Earle Simon of Montfort neere Paris notice whereof being giuen vnto him hee excused himselfe alledging his incapacitie and vnhabilities but in the end he accepted of it after that the Abbot of Cisteaux had laid his commandement vpon him enioyning him by vertue of obedience to accept of the said nomination whereupon hee promised saith the Compiler of the Treasure of Histories to doe his best endeauour to vex the enemies of our Lord The Treasure of Histories in the Treat of Albingenses for so they tearme the Albingenses The Earle Simon of Montfort being Generall of the Armie of the Church made his abode at Carcassonne with foure thousand of his Pelerins which as yet remained of that great Leuy of three hundred thousand men Montreal Fauiaux and Limons contributed great summes of money for the Garison For they were not to harbour those Pilgrims that were not bound to any seruice their time of fortie daies being expited but such Souldiers as were well affected for the guard of that place In this meane time the Earle Remond of Toulouze went to King Phillip Dieu-donne to get his letters of Commendation to the Pope to the end he might bee fully cleered and iustified touching the death of the Monke Frier Peter de Chasteauneuf of the which hee was iniustly forced to confesse himselfe guilty onely because the murder was committed within his territories for which the Legat Milon had imposed an vnâ—ust penance vpon From the Court of the King of France he trauelled to Rome where he did immediatly receiue his absolution of Pope Inâ—ocent the third as if it had beene ready and prouided for him The Pope receiued him with all the curtesie that might be giuing him for a present a rich Cloke and a Ring of great price and granting vnto him full remission and absolution touching the said murder and declaring that he held him in this regard sufficiently iustified The Earle of Beziers being prisoner at Carcassonne dyed shortly after the Earle Simon of Montfort was put in possession of his Lands not without great suspition of poison The Earle Simon made shew to be much grieued therewith and caused him to be interred in the great Church of Carcassonne with great pompe and with his face vncouered to the end that none of his Subiects might afterwards doubt of his death Presently after he made challenge to the inheritance and whole estate of the said Earle by vertue of those donations which the Legat of the Pope had conferred vpon him and that charge that was laid vpon him for the Church In pursuit whereof hee demanded of the King of Aragon the inuestiture of the Earledome of Beziers and the Citie of Carcassonne The King of Aragon would not yeeld thereunto bewraying much discontent to see this house ouerthrowne vnder a pretence of Religion The like discontent did the Duke of Bourgongue shew at what time the charge of the Generall was offered vnto him saying Chassing pag. 126. That hee had Lands and Lordships enough without the accepting of those of the Earle of Beziers and the spoiling him of his goods adding therewithall that he had alreadie suffered wrong enough
full of testimonies of his great loue towards him by this meanes drew him once againe to Arles The Earle entreated the King of Aragon that he would be there to hinder if need should be any foule play that might bee offered Being come to the place the Legat commanded the King of Aragon and the said Earle Remond that they should not depart the city without his leaue vpon paine of indignation and to be prosecuted as rebells to the Church Some friend of the Earles vsed the meanes to giue him a sight of the Articles of the Sentence which the Legat had a purpose to publish against the said Earle Remond which were these that follow That the Earle of Toulouze shall incontinently dismisse and casheere all his men of Armes not retaining any one of them That he shal be obedient and subiect to the Church of which he shall repaire the damages and satisfie all costs and charges That throughout all his lands no man shall eat more than two sorts of flesh That he shall expell out of his countries and territories all the heretikes and their allies That he shall deliuer into the hands of the Legat and the Earle of Montford all those that shall bee named vnto him to doe with them as they please and that within one yeare That no man within his lands noble or ignoble shall weare any apparell of great price but blacke and course clokes That all the strong places and castles of defence belonging vnto him shall be ouerthrowne and laid euen with the ground That no Gentleman of his shall remaine or dwell in any City or Castle but shall make his abode in the fields and countrey houses as a villager That he shall not leuy in his lands any tolles but those that haue beene of old time imposed That euery master of an house shall pay yearely to the Legat foure Toulouzian pence That when the Earle of Montford or any of his people shall passe through his countries they shall pay nothing for any thing they take or spend That hauing performed all things as aboue he shall trauell beyond the Seas to make warre against the Turkes neuer returning againe into these parts but by the commandement of the Legat. That after all these things the Legat and the Earle of Montfort should restore vnto him all his Lands and Signories when it should please them These Articles being communicated to the King of Aragon he found them so vniust that he would stay no longer in that place but counselled the Earle of Toulouze presently to mount on horse-backe for feare lest they should ceaze vpon his person euen to the full execution of those Articles who it should seeme went about to enrich themselues by his spoyles And forasmuch as the said King of Aragon had perswaded the said Earle that hee should put no more confidence in the Legat and Earle Simon hee cast in his teeth his too great facillitie saying vnto him in Gascongne tongue Pla bous an pagat that is to say They haue well payed you The Legat and the Earle Simon being much discontented that this prey had escaped their hands and knowing that he would no more suffer himselfe to bee abused and ouer-reached by words they endeuored to get that by force which either by faire words or foule they could not Whereupon they went presently and besieged the Castle of Montferrand into which the Earle Remond had put the Earle Baudoni his brother with the Vicount of Montelar Remond of Pierregourde and Pons Roux of Toulouze and diuers other valiant men to defend that place which he knew to be of great importance After some breach and assaults the Earle Simon being out of all hope to winne this place by force of Armes desired to speake with the Earle Baudoni which hauing obtained he told him that his brother made it appeare vnto the world that he had desire to vndoe him in that hee had shut him vp in so paltrie a place which he very well saw hee could not long defend for that at the arriuall of that world of Pilgrims which were now marching towards him hee would quickly know how great an ouersight it was to locke vp himselfe within so weake a hold That if he did attend any violent assault of these Pilgrims there would be no more place for mercie That if he would yeeld himselfe and the place hee would leaue it to his guard for the Church and besides he would make him for the time to come a partner of his conquests with such aduantage that hee should shortly bee a greater man and in greater authoritie than his brother who had procured vnto himselfe by his rebellion his vtter ouerthrow That hee could neuer haue power sufficient to resist the force of so many Kings Princes and Potentates who sent their people to this warre rewarded by their owne zeale without any charge of the Church That euery man would commend and admire this his retreat besides that happinesse he should gaine vnto himselfe by consecrating himselfe to the seruice of God and his Church and acquitting himselfe of that people amongst whom there was not any that was not iudged by the Church worthy to be condemned to the fire The Earle Baudoni suffered himselfe to bee carryed by the promises and faire speeches of the Earle Simon and so deliuered vp the place and put himselfe into Bruniquel a place very strong which belonged to the Earle Remond and promised neuer to beare Armes but in defence of the Church These two places drew with them to the Earle Simons part the places of Rabasteins Gaillac Montague La Guarda Pech Selsas La Guipia St. Antonin with other places neere adioyning The Earle Remond being much astonished to see himselfe betrayed and abandoned by his owne brother bewayled his misfortunes at Toulouze where from day to day hee attended to bee inuested when vpon the surcharge of these euils hee vnderstood that the Legat and the Earle Simon had wonne vnto them the King of Aragon his one and only prop vpon earth vnder God The meane to worke it was this The Legat writ vnto him that he should winne great commendation and doe greater seruice to the Pope and to the Church if he would once againe become a mediator for the peace of the Church And to that end they entreated him to come to Narbonne where they hoped to lay a good foundation Hee tooke his iourney thither where the first thing they proposed was to make some agreement betwixt the Earle of Foix and the Church and the Earle Simon A premeditated designe againe to spoyle the Earle Remond of his succours Afterwards they gaue him to vnderstand that the Earle Simon desired to liue with him â—s with his best kinsman and friend that he had in the world and for this cause he was very willing to ioyne in alliance with him if he would be pleased to accept of a daughter of the Earle Simons to marry with his eldest sonne And such conditions
to bee preached in their Bishoptikes being resolued with this great Armie to make himselfe Master Prince and Monarch of all those lands which the Pope had giuen him And to make it apparant that he had not treated or made any agreement with Girard Adememar or Guitaud Lord of Monteil-Aimar nor with Aimar of Poitiers but vntill such time as hee had power to deuoure them he passed the Rhosne at Viuiers and besieged Monteil-Aimar Guitaud or Girard made great resistance but when the Inhabitants saw the great Armie of Pilgrims they entreated their Lord to come to composition for feare lest the Citie should be pillaged Which hee did though it were with the losse of his Castle From thence he went and besieged the Tower of Crest-Arnaud belonging to Aimar of Poitiers He that commanded within did yeeld it vp out of cowardlinesse for otherwise it had beene impossible the Pilgrims should haue taken it Afterwards the Earle Simon gaue a daughter of his to a sonne of the said Poitiers and there was peace concluded betwixt the said Poitiers and the Bishop of Valence against whom hee had a long time before made cruell warre A little before the Earle Simon had married one of his sonnes to the daughter of Dauphin of Viennois and another to the Countesse of Bigorre All which alliances did fortifie him much against his enemies All men trembled before him and with this great Armie of Pilgrims that followed him he tooke Pesquieres neere to Nysmes and Bezonce and put all to the sword hee found within not sparing the women Hee tooke his way to Toulouze to pillage and to raze it and to seeke the Earle of Toulouze euen to the center of the Earth if he were there to be found at which time hee receiued letters from his wife aduertising him that hee should speedily come to deliuer her from the hands of the Earle of Toulouze who had besieged her in the Castle Narbonnes that hee was very strong and had all the people at his deuotion who had reciued him with great applause crying out with a loude voice Long liue the Earle of Toulouze That he was accompanied with his Nephew the Earle of Comminge Gaspar de la Barre Bertrand de Iorda Engarrand of Gordo Lord of Caraman Armand de Montagu and Estephe de la Valette all braue and valiant men and well accompanied This was about the end of the yeere one thousand two hundred seuenteene 1217. that the Earle Remond entred into Toulouze the Drumme beaten the Ensignes displayed and the Trumpets sounding The people pressing to cast themselues downe at his feet to embrace his legges and to kisse the hem of his garment and killing as many as they found in the Citie that tooke part with the Earle of Montfort Whereas had the Earle Simon come directly to Montauban at his returne from France the Earle Remond could not haue told what to haue done but he stayed at Monteil-Aimar and Crest Arnaud and Besince and Pasquieres and made delaies about the mariages so long that the Earle had time to gather his troopes together and to prepare himselfe for a strong assault In such sort that when hee was aduertised that hee was at Toulouze the greater part of his Pilgrims were returned into France But yet it was necessary hee should goe to Toulouze with those forces that he had for his wife was in danger to be lost And hee that had beene the death of so many women and children was doubtfull what would become of his falling into the hands of his enemies The Earle Remond created an officer which they called Vignier or Proâ—ost to whom all were bound to obey vpon paine of death This was the first Vignier that was established at Toulouze His charge was to prouide for the defence of the Citie to keepe the Moates or Ditches cleane to repaire the breaches to appoint to euery one his quarter and his Captaine especially in times of combat There came from all parts troopes of succours to the Earle Remond of those that desired consideration for the violencies of the Earle Simon The Earle Guy was one of the first in the combat for his brother the Earle Simon but he was beaten and put to flight The Archbishop of Aix and of Armagnac with their Pilgrims retired themselues without fight The Earle Simon being come made shew to besiege Toulouze but the frequent issues of those that were within gaue him to vnderstand that it was not for his good He assembled therefore the Prelats and Lords to take aduise of what was to bee done The Legat perceiuing the Earle Simon somewhat astonished said vnto him Feare nothing for in a short time wee shall recouer the Citie and put to death and destroy all the Inhabitants and if any of the Souldiers of the Crosse shall die in this pursuit they shall passe to Paradice as Martyrs and hereof they shall assure themselues To whom one of the great Captaines answered Monsieur Cardinall you talke with great assurance but if the Earle beleeue you it will be little for his profit For you and all the other Prelats and men of the Church haue beene the cause of all this euill and ruine and will bee yet more if he beleeue you It was no time for Monsieur the Cardinall to bee offended with this audacious reply but he must needs sup vp this censure The resolution was that there should be no more any assault giuen but that the Citie should bee besieged on the side of Gascongne For which cause the Earle of Montfort caused one part of his Armie to passe the Riuer Garonne towards St. Soubra now they within the Citie made so blunt a salley and to such purpose that they put their enemies to flight During this combat came the Earle of Foix with his fresh troopes as well of his subiects as Nauarreans and Catalans who violently set vpon the Earle Montfort pursuing him euen to the brinke of Garonne where with affrightment and precipitation they cast themselues in heapes into their Boats and many were drowned in the Riuer The Earle Simon also fell in all armed with his horse and hardly escaped The Earle Remond caused a generall assembly to bee made at St. Saornin wherein hee exhorted the people to giue thankes vnto God for this happy beginning of victorie which they had obtained against their enemies which was a testimonie of Gods loue and that they should hope for better hee exhorted euery one to giue their helping hands to build and to prepare and to cause their warlike engins to play against the Castle Narbonnes because this place being last by the enemie their totall ruine must needes follow and being once recouered by them they should be in safetie In a very short time were their woodden engins to cast stones their Slings their Mangonnels to dart their Arrowes their Fowlers Crossebowes and other Instruments which were in vse in those times prepared and all of them mounted against the Castle Narbonnes which
for the Pope I neuer offended him for he hath neuer demanded any thing at my hands as a Prince in which I haue not obeyed him Hee is not to intermeddle with my Religion since euery man is to haue it free My Father hath alwaies recommended vnto me this libertie to the end that being setled therein though the heauens shake I might looke vpon them with a constant and assured countenance and a perswasion that they could neuer hurt me Nothing troubles me but this For in consideration that the Earle of Toulouze holds mee discharged of that homage which he pretends to belong vnto him I am ready louingly to imbrace the King and to doe him seruice in the same condition vnder the dependance of my other rights which maintaine me in Regall authoritie in that Country It is not feare that makes me stagger or yeeld to your desires and that constraines me to humble my will and desires to the earth or dunghill-like to submit my selfe to your appetite but being prouoked by that benigne and generous feare of the miseries of my Subiects the ruine of my Countrey the desire not to be accounted mutinous braine-sicke and the fire-brand of France I yeeld my selfe to this extremitie otherwise I would bee as a wall without breach or escalado against the brauest of mine enemies I giue you therefore a gage of my affection for the good of the peace in generall Take my Castles of Foix Mongaillard Montreal Vicdesos Lordat whilest that I yeeld him that homage that you demand As for the Earle of Comminge and the Prince of Bearne it was impossible they should continue firme in their resolutions to make resistance being destitute of these two props the Earles of Foix and Toulouze For they were but weake both in money and men Behold then the end to the outward appearance of the Albingenses 1234. when in the yeare 1234. there arose a certaine bastard of the Earle of Beziers who tooke armes for the Albingenses or craued their assistance to reuenge the death of his deceased Father CHAP. IX The last warre of the Albingenses by Trancauel Bastard of the Earle of Beziers The progression thereof The last expedition leuied against the Albingenses A treatie betweene the Legat Amelin and the said Trancauel The end of the warre Matthew Paris history of England in the yere 1234. MAtthew Paris an English Writer saith That in the yeare 1234 the warres began againe against the Albingenses and that there came a great Army of the Crosse against them yea that they lost aboue a hundred thousand men all at once with all their Bishops that were in that battell and that none escaped He was no doubt mis-informed For the Historiographer of Languedoc who relateth all that passed in those times hath made no mention thereof neither is it likely that he would haue forgotten so famous a victorie ouer the Albingenses whom hee hated to the death True it is that at what time the Earle of Toulouze of Foix Comminge and the Prince of Bearne tooke part with them and were their Leaders Trancauel the Bastard of the Earle of Beziers deceased did not appeare but as a priuat man of small importance but when the Albingenses were destitute of all support there were that awakned this Souldier and made him to know that if he would haue any feeling of the outrages done vnto his Father depriued of his lands vniustly betraied imprisoned and poysoned that they would giue him the best assistance they could Wherevpon he tooke the field said That he would reuenge the death of his Father and win that by the sword that had beene taken from him by in-iustice Hee was assisted by a number of valiant Captaines that is to say Sieur Oliuier de Fumes Bertrand Hugon de Serrelongue Bernard de Villeneufue Iordain de Satiat all braue Leaders who had a number of men at their command and before the enemy tooke any notice of his designe he seased vpon the Castles of Montreall Saixac Montolieu Limous and others Peter Melin the Popes Legat and Bishop of Toulouze being much astonished to see those that tooke part with the Albingenses whom he thought to bee vtterly buried to spring vp againe hee had presently recourse to the ordinary meanes of the Pope and his Agents that is presently to cause the pardon of sins to be preached to whomsoeuer would fight vnder the banner of the Crosse a kinde of pay of lesse value but more common in those times The Archbishop of Narbonnes animated also the people of his Diocesse to goe to make an end of that poore remainder of the Albingenses that were left These Priests with their troopes presented themselues before the gates of Carcassonne The Citie receiued them but when they came to the Towne the gates were shut against them Amelin made a speech vnto those that shewed themselues vpon the rampiers telling them that he was come thither for their preseruation They thanked him but they told him withall that if he did not instantly retire himselfe they would giue him the chase Vpon this conference came Trancauel who set so hotly and valiantly vpon the troope of Pilgrims that accompained the Legat that he chased them beating and killing them till he came to the gates of the Citie of Carcassonne and the Legat had enough to doe to saue himselfe but that which offended him most was that the gates of the Towne were opened to Trancauel who lodged therein and made it his principall retrait from whence he euery day hurt and hindred the Pilgrims of the Citie in such sort that they hardly durst come forth of the gates And whensoeuer he heard of any troopes of Pilgrims to come he went to meet them laying ambushes for them and many times ouerthrew them before they could ioyne themselues to the Legat. This man kept the field 1242. vntill the yeare 1242. because when any Pilgrims were required to goe against a Bastard of the diseased Earle of Beziers euery one did beleeue the forces that were leuied within the Principalitie might suffice for the destruction of so weake an enemie but Amelin writ to the Pope that if in good earnest he cause not the expedition of the Crosse to be preached in many places of Europe that the Church was like to receiue a great losse by this last enemy who had reuiued the part of the Albingenses and was more cruell and more subtill than any other that had maintained them vnto this time Innocent the fourth caused the expedition of the Crosse to be published in diuers parts of Europe Trancauel being aduertised that a very great Army of Pilgrims was prepared to come against him finding himselfe not strong enough in the Towne of Carcassonne retired himselfe to Realmont whither the Pilgrims followed him and besieged him He couragiously resisted them and hauing many times discomfited the Pilgrims in the end Amelin seeing there was nothing to bee gotten of a man whom when they thought him fast shut vp