euer to be defended by him who hauing abiured their Religion had now power and charge to persecute them CHAP. IIII. The perplexitie the Earle Remond was in after his reconciliation The siege of Beziers The intercession of the Earle of Beziers for his Citie The intercession of the Bishop auaileth nothing The taking of Beziers what and with what crueltie THe Earle Remond was much perplexed about that charge that was giuen him for the conducting of the Armie of the Souldiers of the Crosse before Beziers For to carry himselfe as an enemie against the Albingenses was to doe against his conscience and to fight against those whose part hee had taken vntill then as a principall motiue and Captaine This was to binde himselfe to the perpetuall seruitude of the Pope and his Legats On the other side if hee should goe about to flye and to forsake the Armie this were to furnish them with new matter of persecution for in such a case they might iustly pursue him as a perfidious relapsed and periured person and that if hee should bee apprehended hee should bee in danger of loosing his life goods and friends altogether And yet doing that which the charge the Legat laid vpon him bound him vnto he must be an instrument of the losse of Beziers and the totall destruction of the subiects of his Nephew the Earle of Beziers and his Nephew himselfe In this extremitie and anguish of spirit hee chose rather to stay in the Armie for certaine daies and afterward tooke his leaue of the Legat and went to Rome to humble himselfe before the Pope which could not bee denied him In the meane time they made an approch to the Citie of Beziers the Rammes Slings Frames Shedbords and other engines of warre were prouided to giue a generall escalado setting to the walls of the Citie so great a number of Ladders that it was impossible to resist the furious assault which the Pelerins made with all the force and power that they had The Earle of Beziers went forth of the Citie and cast himselfe downe at the feet of the Legat Milon crauing mercie for his Citie of Beziers and humbly beseeching him not to inflict the same punishment vpon the innocent and the nocent which without all doubt must needes come to passe if Beziers should be taken by force which was easie to be done by so great and so puissant an Armie such as was then ready to scale the walles in euery part of the said Citie that there would be great effusion of bloud on both sides which might be auoided That there were within Beziers a great number of good Romish Catholikes that would be subiect to the same ruine contrary to the intention of the Pope whose desire was onely to chastise the Albingenses That if it pleased him not to spare his subiects for the loue of themselues that he would yet haue regard vnto him to his age and profession since the losse would light vpon himselfe being in his minoritie and a most obedient seruant to the Pope as hauing beene brought vp in the Romish Church and in which he would both liue and die And if hee tooke it ill that such persons as were enemies to the Pope had beene tolerated within his territories it ought not to be imputed vnto him because hee had no other subiects but those which his deceased father had left vnto him and that in his minoritie and afterwards in that little time wherein he had beene master of his owne goods hee could not as yet by reason of his incapacitie know this euill nor minister the remedy though it were his purpose so to doe but yet his hope was in time to come to giue all contentment that might be both to the Pope and Church of Rome as an obedient sonne both of the one and of the other The answer of the Legat was Chass in his History of the Albingen pag. 107. That all his excuses preuailed nothing and that he must doe as he may The Earle of Beziers returned into the Citie and assembled the people together giuing them to vnderstand that after he had submitted himselfe to the Legat hee mediated for them not being able to obtaine any other thing 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 faith 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 The Treasure of Hist in the taking of Beziers Paul Aemil. pag. â—17 in such sort 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
of all euill rapine lying vaine and idle speeches oaths blasphemies against God ill example the losse of time Thus by playing a man winds himselfe vniustly into the goods of another man An Exposition on the 9. Commandement En aquest Commandement non es solament deffendu la messogna ma tot a offensa c. Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy Neighbour IN this Commandement we are not onely forbidden to lye but all offences that may be done vnto our Neighbours by false or fained words or workes For all such as loue lying are the Children of the Diuell as also they that impeach the honour of their Neighbour by lying or beare false witnesse for the wicked Hee that beares false witnesse saith Saint Augustine wrongs these three First God whose presence is thereby contemned Secondly the Iudge who is deceiued by him that lieth And thirdly he wrongs the Innocent partie who is oppressed by his false witnesse All detractors sinne against this Commandement A detractor or slanderer is compared to an open sepulchre as Dauid speaketh Their mouth is an open sepulchre There is no graue so loathsome vnto God as the mouth of a slanderer And this was that that made S. Ambrose to say that a thiefe is more to be boren-with then a detractor for the one robbeth a man of his corporall substance onely the other of his good name The slanderer deserueth to be hated of God and man The stroke of the whip maketh markes in the flesh but the stroke of the tongue breaketh the bones An Exposition of the 10. Commandement En aquest Commandement es defendua la Cubititia de tui liben c. Thou shalt not couet c. IN this Commandement is forbidden the couetous desire of all goods that is of wife seruants fields vineyards houses c. As also the concupiscence of the eyes and of the flesh The lust of the flesh is like a running water but the lust of the eyes is like earth by reason of our earthly affections And as of water and earth there is made a materiall dirt so of concupiscense is made the spirituall durt and dunghill of the soule which maketh a man odious vnto God From hence ariseth the pride of life which like a violent winde disquieteth the soule and turneth this earthly lumpe into dust The conclusion of the Exposition of the Commandements Aquesti son li dies Commandament de la Ley c. THese are the ten Commandements of the Law whereof the first concerne our duty to God the latter toward our neighbour And whosoeuer will be saued must keepe these Commandements Many excellent blessings are promised to those that keepe these Commandements and to those that transgresse them many grieuous and horrible maledictions As Deut. 28. If wee truely acknowledge our sinnes we know that we are farre from God For saluation is farre from sinners and the knowledge of sinne bringeth vs to repentance for no man can repent that knoweth not his sinne The first degree to saluation is the knowledge of sinne and therefore acknowledging our fault we approach with confidence to the throne of the grace of God and confesse our sinnes for hee is faithfull and iust to pardon our sinnes and to clense vs from all iniquitie and to bring vs to the life of grace Amen A briefe Exposition of the Waldenses and Albingenses of the Apostles Creed con firming the Articles thereof by expresse passages of the Scripture CHAP. IIII. Nos deuen creyre en Dio Paire tot Poissant c. WEe must beleeue in God the Father Almightie maker of heauen and earth which God is one Trinitie as it is written in the Law Deut. 64. Heare O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. And the Prophet Esay I am Lord and there is none other neither is there any God but I And Saint Paul in the 4. to the Ephes There is one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and one Father of all And Saint Iohn 1. Epist 5.7 There are three that beare record in heauen the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one And in the Gospel by Saint Iohn it is said Chap. 17.11 That the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost are one when our Sauiour saith That they may be one as we are one Againe wee must beleeue that this holy Trinitie hath created all things visible and that he is Lord of all things celestiall terrestriall and infernall as it is said in Saint Iohn Chap. 1.3 All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made And in the Reuelation it is said Chap 4.11 Thou art worthy O Lord to receiue glory for thou hast created all things the heauens the earth and the sea and the fountaines of water And the Prophet Dauid saith And thou O Lord hast founded the earth in the beginning and the heauens are the workes of thy hands And againe The heauens are framed by the word of the Lord and all the powers thereof by the breath of his mouth All these and diuers other testimonies and reasons drawne from the Scriptures doe affirme that God created all things of nothing whatsoeuer they be Againe we must beleeue that God the Father hath sent his Sonne from heauen vnto earth and that for our sakes hee hath taken vpon him our flesh in the wombe of the Virgin Mary for our saluation as the Prophet Esay speaketh Chap. 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall conceiue and beare a Sonne and his name shall be Emanuell which is God with vs. And the Lord saith in the Gospel that this hath beene accomplished saying I am come from my Father into the world and againe I haue left the world and goe to my Father And againe Saint Iohn saith Chap. 1.14 The Word was made flesh and dwels amongst vs. And in the first Epistle of Iohn 5.20 Wee know that the Sonne of God is come and that hee hath taken our flesh vpon him for vs and is raised againe from death for vs and hath giuen vs vnderstanding that wee may know him that is true and wee are in him that is true euen in his Sonne Iesus Christ This is the true God and eternall life And in the fourth to the Galatians 4. When the fulnesse of time was come God sent foorth his Sonne made of a woman made vnder the Law to redeeme them that were vnder the Law who by the commandement of God the Father and his owne free will was lifted vp vpon the altar of the crosse and crucified and hath redeemed mankinde with his owne blood which hauing accomplished he arose from death the third day hauing dispersed in the world a light euerlasting like a new sunne that is the glory of the resurrection and heauenly inheritance which the same Sonne of God hath promised to giue to all those that in faith serue him For ascending vp vnto heauen the fortieth day after his resurrection and the tenth after his assention
vna chascuna persona Dio o Seignor enaimi per Catholica Religion nos sen defendu dire esser tres Dios ni tres Seignors Lo Filli es sol del Paire non faict ni crea ma engenra lo Sanct Esperit es del Paire del Filli non fait ni crea ni engenra ma procedent Donc lo es vn Paire non tres Paires vn Filli non tres filli vn Sanct Esperit non tres Sanct Esperits En aquesta Trinita alcunna cosa non es premiera ni derniera alcuna cosa maior o menor ma totas tres personas entre lor son ensem Eternals eygals Enaimi que per totas cosas coma esdict de sobre la sia dhonorar la Trinita en Vnita l'Vnita en Trinita Donc aquel que vol esser fait salf senta enaima de la Trinita Ma a la salut eternal es necessari creyre fidelment l'encarnation del nostre Seignor Iesus Christ Donc la fe dreita es que nos crean confessan que lo nostre Seignor Iesus Christ filli de Dio es Dio home Et es Dio engendra auant li segle de la substantia del Paire es home na al segle de la substantia de la Maire essent perfect Dio perfect home d'anima rational d'humana carn aigal del Paire second la Diuinita menor second l'humanita Loqual iaciaço quel sia Dio home emperço lo es vn Christ non dui ma vn non per conuersion de la Diuinita en carn ma propiament de la Humanita en Dio vn totalment non per confusion de la Diuinita en carn ma propiament de la humanita en Dio vn totalment non per confusion de substantia ma per vnita de personas Car enaima larma rational la carn es vn home enaima Dio home es vn Christ loqual est passionna per la nostra salut descende en li enfern lo ters iorn resuscite de li mort monté en li cel see a la dextra de Dio lo Paire Omnipotent Daqui es a venir iugear li vio li mort A laduenament delqual tuit an a resuscitar cum li lor corps son a rendre raçon de li lor propi faict Et aquilli que auran faict ben anaren en vita eterna aquilli que aurant faict mal anaran al fuoc eternal The beliefe of the Waldenses is sufficiently knowne by that which is contained in the pure holy doctrines of their confessions aboue mentioned and yet neuerthelesse it is for the same that they haue bene persecuted for the space of foure hundred and fiftie yeares still should be if they liued neare those places where humane inuentions are preferred before the word of God For though Satan be confounded and his kingdome dissipated by the brightnesse of the Gospell yet he ceasseth not to hold those vnder the yoke of Idolatrie whose vnderstandings he hath blinded and to keepe them by violence vnder the tyrannie of his lawes hiding that ignorance and errour that men do naturally loue in those darknesses wherein they take pleasure But as it hath not pleased the eternall God that the faith of his seruants and Martyrs should be buried so it likewise pleaseth him that their constancie should be made manifest for our edification and example And this is the reason why hauing shewed in the first booke that the Waldenses beleeued to saluation what was necessary I haue thought good to publish in the second booke that which is come to my knowledge of their sufferings for righteousnesse The end of the first Booke PART OF THE CATALOGVE OF the Waldenses bookes being accidentally omitted in page 44. after the 30. line are here inserted as followeth A Commentarie or paraphrase vpon the Symbole of the Apostles A Treatise of the Sacraments A Commentarie or Paraphrase vpon the Commandements A Commentarie vpon the Lords prayer A Treatise of Fasting A Treatise of Tribulation A little Catechisme intituled Interogations menors A Treatise against dancing and tauernes A Treatise of foure things to come that is to say death vnto all eternall life to the good hell to the wicked and the last iudgement A Treatise entituled Del Purgatori soima that is to say Of the dreame or inuention of Purgatory A Treatise against the inuocation of Saints We haue also a booke very ancient whereof the title is Aeyço es la causa del nostre dispartimēt de la Gleisa Romana That is to say This is the cause of our separation from the Church of Rome In this volume there is an Epistle or Apologie of the Waldenses entituled La Epistola al Serenissimo Rey Lancelau a li Ducs Barons a li plus veil del regne lo petit tropel de li Christians appella per fals nom falsamente P. O.V. that is to say Poore or Waldenses There is also a booke wherein there are many Sermons of their Barbes and an Epistle called The Epistle to our friends containing many excellent doctrines to teach all sorts of people how to leade their liues in all ages In the same volume there is a booke entituled Sacerdotium wherein is shewed what is the charge of a good Pastor and what the punishment of a wicked There is also come to our hands a booke of poetry in the Waldensian tongue wherein are these Treasties following A prayer entituled New comfort A rithme of the foure sorts of seeds mentioned in the Gospell Another entituled Barque And one called The noble lesson In his first Table p. 153. of which book Le Sieur de Saint Aldegonde makes mention We haue also an excellent Treatise entituled Vergier de consolation containing many good instructions confirmed by the Scriptures and diuers authorities of the Ancients Also an old Treatise in parchment entituled Of the Church and another called The Treasurie and light of faith Also a booke entituled The spirituall Almanacke Also a booke in parchment Of the meanes to separate things precious from the base contemptible that is to say vertues from vices Also the booke of George Morel wherein are contained all the questions which George Morel and Peter Masçon moued to Oecolampadius and Bucer touching religion and the answers of the said parties THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE HISTORY OF THE WALDENSES Containing that which is come to our knowledge of the grieuous persecutions which they haue endured for their Faith for the space of more then foure hundred and fifty yeeres CHAP. I. By whom the Waldenses haue been persecuted for what by what meanes and in what times THE Waldenses haue had no greater enemies then the Popes Rainerius of the Waldenses because saith the Monk Rainerius that amongst all those that haue raised themselues against the Church of Rome the Waldenses haue been alwaies the most dangerous and pernicious insomuch that they haue resisted him for a long time as
that it is not only not possible to defray the charge of their nourishment but to prouide lyme and stone to build prisons for them we therefore counsell you say they that you defer a little such imprisonments vntill the Pope may bee aduertised of the great numbers that haue been apprehended and that he doe aduise what pleaseth him to bee done if not there is no reason you should take offence for those that are impenitent and incorigible Vous tuissies or that you should doubt of their relaps or that they should escape away or hauing their liberty should infect others because you may condemne such persons without delay There needs no other proofe then this of the aforesaid Prelats to make it appeare that the number of those whom the Inquisition had deliuered vnto death was very great For touching the question moued by the said Inquisitors whether they that haue frequented the company of the Waldenses and haue receiued the Supper of the Lord with them are to be excused because they say they offended out of ignorance not knowing that they were Waldenses The the answer of the said Prelats was that they were not to be excused Because say they who is so great a stranger as not to know that the Waldenses haue been punished and condemned for these many yeers since and who knoweth not that for a long time they haue been pursued and persecuted at the charge and trauell of Catholikes this pursuit being sealed by so many persons condemned to death if it cannot be called into doubt And yet neuertheles the speech of the said Prelats being conferred with that which George Morell in the yeer a thousand fiue hundred and thirty hath written it would be none of the least wonders that God hath wrought that notwithstanding the bloody persecutions after Waldo his time in the yeere a thousand one hundred sixty George Morel in his memorials pa. 54. there were according to the report of Morel aboue eight hundred thousand persons that made profession of the faith of the said Waldenses As touching the subtleties of the said Inquisitors we should not haue had any knowledge thereof but from such as haue escaped from the Inquisition of Spaine but that it was the will of God that their cunning trickes should not bee so closely hid but that wee had examples thereof euen from themselues Behold then the crafty subtleties of the Inquisitors which serued them for a rule in the framing of their proces against the Waldenses It is not expedient to dispute of matter of faith before lay-people No man shall be held for a penitent man if he accuse not those that he knowes to be such as himselfe He that accuseth not those that are like vnto himself shall be cut off from the Church as a rotten member for feare lest the members that are sound should be corrupted by him After that any one hath been deliuered to the secular power great care must bee taken that hee bee not suffered to excuse himselfe or to manifest his innocencie before the people because if be he deliuered to death it is a scandall to the lay-people and if hee make an escape there is danger of his loyalty Good heed must bee taken not to promise life vnto him that is condemned to death before the people considering that an Heretike will neuer suffer himselfe to bee burnt if hee may escape by such promises And if he shall promise to repent before the people if he haue not his life granted vnto him there will arise ascandall amongst them and it will be thought that he is wrongfully put to death Note say they that the Inquisitor ought alwaies to presuppose the fact without any condition and is onely to enquire of the circumstances of the fact as thus how often hast thou confessed thy selfe vnto Heretickes In what chamber of the house haue they layen and the like things The Inquisitor may looke into any booke as if he found there written the life of him that is accused and of all that he enquires of It is necessary to threaten death to the accused if he confesse not and to tell him the fact is too manifest that it is fit he should thinke of his soule and renounce his Heresie for he must die and therefore it shall bee good for him to take patiently whatsoeuer shall light vpon him And if he shall answer since I must die I had rather die in that faith I professe then in that of the Romish Church then conclude for certaine that before he made but a shew of repentance and so let him suffer iustice Wee must not thinke to vanquish Heretickes by learning or by the scriptures inasmuch as men that are learned are rather confounded by them whereby it comes to passe that the Heretickes fortifie themselues seeing they are able to delude the most learned Againe great heed must bee taken that the Heretikes neuer answer directy and when they are pressed by frequent interrogations they haue a custome to alledge for themselues that they are simple and foolish people and therefore know not how to answere And if they shall once see the assistants to bee moued with compassion towares them as if they should doe them wrong thinking them to be simple people and therefore not culpable then they gather heart and make a show of shedding teares like poore miserable creatures and flattering their iudges they endeauour to free themselues from the Inquisition saying Sir If I haue been faulty in any thing I will willingly doe penance but yet giue me your aide and assistance to deliuer me from this infamy into which I am fallen by the malice of others not mine owne fault But then the couragious Inquisitor must not yeeld for all these flatteries nor giue any beliefe to those dissimulations Moreouer the Inquisitor must tell them that they shall gaine nothing by swearing falsly because they haue enough to conuince them by witnesses and therefore they must not thinke that by meanes of their oath they shall auoide the sentence of death but they must promise them say they that if they will freely confesse their error they shall haue mercy for in such perplexities there are many that confesse their error in hope to escape Thus you see the subtilties of the Monkes the Inquisirors such as they practised in times past against the Waldenses throughout all Europe It remaines that we now see what their practise hath been in euery particular Realme and Prouince so far forth as is come to our knowledge And first we will begin with Dauphine because it is the Prouince into which Waldo and his followers retired themselues at their departure from Lion CHAP. III. Of the Waldensian Churches in Dauphine and the persecutions which they haue suffered which are come to our knowledge THe Waldensian Churches in Dauphine haue been for these many hundred yeeres spread abroad throughout diuers parts of the Prouince For they haue had Churches in Valentia
aboue fiftie yeeres Vnder this name wee comprehend all the subiects of the Earles Remonds of Toulouze father and sonne and the subiects of the Earles of Foix and Comminge and all those that haue taken part with them that haue fought for their Religion and suffered the selfesame persecutions They receiued the beleefe of the Waldenses a little after the departure of Waldo from Lion The instruments that were imployed in this worke were Peter Bruis one Henry one Ioseph one Esperon and Arnold Hott of whom they were afterward called Pierrebruisiens or Petrobrusiens Henriciens Iosephists Esperonists and Arnoldists but aboue all the rest Henry and Arnold trauelled in the Countrey of Albi and that with so good successe that in a short time there were found but a few and in some places not any that would goe any more to Masse affirming that the sacrifice of the Masse was onely inuented to enrich the Priests and to make them to be more esteemed in the world as making the Body of Christ by their words and sacrificing him to God the Father for the sinnes of the liuing and of the dead which was an impierie destroying the sacrifice of the Sonne of God and annihilating the merit of his death and passion There were many that gaue eare to their reasons in the diocese of Rhodes Cahors Agen Toulouze and Narbonne Iaques de Riberia in his collections 〈◊〉 the Citie of Toulouze because the Doctors that taught amongst the Waldenses were learned men conuersant in the reading of the holy Scriptures whereas on the other side the Priests who studied nothing more than the sacrifices of the Masse and how to receiue their oblations for the dead were altogether ignorant and therefore contemned of the people Pope Alexander the third Claud. de Rubis in his History of the Citie o◠Lion Lib. 3. pa◠269. being much mooued with anger because he saw many great Prouinces to shake off the yoke of the Romish Church and to dispence with their obedience condemned them for Heretikes in the Councell of Latran Neuerthelesse they were in such a manner multiplied that in the yeere 1200. they possessed the Cities of Toulouze Apamies Montauban Villemur Saint Antonin Hologaray in his History of Foix. Puech Laurence Castres Lambes Carcassonne Beziers Narbonne Beaucaire Auignon Tarascon the Count Venecin and in Dauphine Crest Arnaud and Monteil-Amar And which is more they had many great Lords who tooke part with them that is to say the Earle Remond of Toulouze Remond Earle of Foix the Vicount of Beziers Gaston Lord of Bearne the Earle of Carmain the Earle of Bigorre the Lady of Lauaur and diuers others of whom we shall make mention in their deu place And besides all these the Kings of Aragon and of England haue many times defended their case by reason of that alliance that they had with the Earle Remond of Toulouze The doctrines that they maintained against the Church of Rome were these 1 That the Romish Church is not the holy Church and Spouse of Christ but a Church watered with the Doctrine of Deuils That Babylon which Saint Iohn hath described in the Apocalypse the mother of fornications and abominations couered with the bloud of Saints 2 That the Masse was not instituted by Christ nor by his Apostles but that it is the inuention of men 3 That the prayers of the liuing profit not the dead 4 That Purgatorie maintained in the Church of Rome was a humane inuention to glut and satisfie the couetousnesse of the Priests 5 That Saints are not to be praied vnto 6 That Transubstantiation is the inuention of men and an erroneous doctrine And that the adoration of the Bread is a manifest Idolatry And that therefore they were to forsake the Church of Rome wherein the contrary was affirmed and taught because a man may not bee present at the Masses where Idolatry is practised nor attaine saluation by any other meanes than by Iesus Christ nor transferre vnto the creatures the honor that is due to the Creator nor say of the Bread that it is God and adore it as being God without the incurring of eternall damnation for Idolaters shall not inherit the Kingdome of Heauen For all these things affirmed by them they haue beene hated and persecuted to the death CHAP. II. Pope Innocent the third of that name made shew of a desire to winne the Albingenses to the Church of Rome by preaching and conference A famous disputation at Montreal To what end the Pope permitted disputation in matter of Religion POpe Innocent the third of that name seemed to be carried with a desire to reduce the Albingenses vnto the Church of Rome by preachings and reasons or to oppresse them and vtterly root them out by violence of armes and by crueltie of punishments But before he would come to extremities he thought in necessary for the better iustification of his proceedings to begin with words and after wards to come to blowes Hee sent therefore amongst them certaine Preachers who endeuoured to draw them by gentle perswasions See here how the Compiler of the treasure of Histories speakes of those times The Comp. of the Treasure of Histories in the yeere 1206. When there came newes saith he to Pope Innocent the third that in his Prouince of Narbonne the traiterous Heresie was spread abroad not onely amongst the poore but Earles Barons and Knights he sent the Abbot of Cisteaux and two Monkes with him to preach against those disloyall buggerers When they had trauelled some little way preaching throughout the Countrey they came to Mompelier where they met with a worthy man that was Bishop of Cestre This honest man asked the Abbot of Cisteaux what hee did there He answered that the Pope had sent him thither against those Sodomites but that he could not conuert them This good man was nothing astonied at it but he still maintained the worke of the Lord valiantly and went on foot to giue good example to others and they stayed and went on foot with him Afterwards the Abbot returned to the Chapter or generall assembly but the Bishop and the two Monkes passing a long time through the Countrey and preaching they conuerted many of the meaner sort of people but of the great ones and richer sort there were few or none that returned to the true faith The Abbot came backe into the Countrey and brought with him another Abbot and diuers Monkes and came all on foot whereupon the Bishop of Cestre began to thinke with himselfe how to returne into his Countrey but dyed by the way The Monkes who preached throughout the Countrey found the Princes so obdurate in their malice that they resolued to stay no longer there but returned into their Countries except one good man who was called Frier Peter of Chasteauneuf who continued preaching with one of his companions When the Albingenses knew the intention of the Pope which was to prerend that he was not the cause why they whom
downe all trees that bare fruit plucked vp the Vines by the roots at what time the President of Ageues came forth of Toulouze with a great number of the inhabitants thereof who seeing them to spoile their possessions ranne vpon the Pilgrims with violence scattered here and there through the fields and slew a great number of them On the other side the Earle of Foix conducting some troopes of horse and foot slew as many as hee met with The Earle of Bar held his troopes in better order and seeing the disorder especially of those that were flying away hee cryed out a Bar a Bar which the inhabitants of Toulouze vnderstanding charged them so brauely before any of them could gather themselues vnto him that he was discomfited with the rest The Earle Remond retired his troopes into Toulouze and commanded solemne thankes to bee giuen vnto God for so admirable a victorie ouer his enemies The fame of the Earle Remonds victories being spread abroad there came vnto him diuers succours from all the parts round about him for they were all weary of the troopes of the Pilgrims and willingly offered both their goods and their liues to driue them out of the Countrey Chass lib. 3. chap. 14. pag. 169. The Earle Simon being in some scarsitie of victuall because the wayes whereby they should be releeued were stopt was constrained to raise his siege And besides the Earle of Chalons the Earle of Bar The Monke of the Valley Sernay Chap. 79. and certaine other Germaine Earles retired themselues their quarantaines or fortie daies being expired but yet he would not bee altogether idle that Autumne Hee therefore marched into the Countries of the Earle of Foix to refresh the rest of his Armie and to possesse himselfe of some places Hee went as farre as the Towne of Foix made spoyle of all that was about it and then set fire to the Towne Being at Panies the Legat tooke the one halfe of the Armie to accompanie him to Roquemaure where hee went to passe the winter and in his way being in the Earledome of St. Felix of Caraman he tooke the Tower of Cassas and about one hundred men therein and caused them all to be burnt aliue and laid the place leuell with the ground In the meane time the Earle Simon ruinated the Countries of the Earle of Foix as long as the said Earle kept his bed being visited with a grieuous sicknesse during the which his seruants that were about him durst not tell him of his losses that is to say of Pamies Sauerdun Mirepoix and Prissant which had beene likewise battered a place very strong neere Carcassonne Being recouered of his sicknesse and vnderstanding what hauocke the Earle Simon had made of his houses and what ruine his poore subiects had endured he went to the Armie and desired to speake with the Generall and thus hee deliuered his minde vnto him The inconstancie of tottering fortune my masters and most renowned Lords is the cause why I am not astonished to see my selfe thus infinitely afflicted by this cruell Step-mother Hologoray in his Hist of Foix. pag. 133. I haue heretofore braued mine enemies fought in the field amongst those that would resist my power entertained the great and mightie Monarches as my friends None haue threatned me much lesse offended me neither could my sword euer beare it I haue beene imployed in publike negotiations which carry with them as their attendants infinite discommodities neither haue I gotten any dishonor thereby and I should haue held my labor ill imployed if they had not bin vpon worthy occasions neuer hauing desired to bee accounted an honest man by those vnworthy and vniust meanes that some men purpose vnto themselues For he that is not an honest man but because other men should know him to bee so and that hee might be the better esteemed after knowledge taken thereof he that will not doe good but vpon condition that his vertue may be knowne by other men he is not the person from whom any great seruice can be expected Wee must saith the Maxime goe to war out of dutie and attend the reward which is neuer wanting to all honorable actions be they neuer so secret yea euen our vertuous cogitations being the onely contentment which a conscience well ordered receiueth in it selfe for well doing Hauing therefore my masters and friends my courage still lodged in a firme and assured place against all the assaults of Fortune my conscience cleere in this that I neuer gaue you any occasion to rise vp against me I haue made no doubt to appeare before you in this assembly and to bring with me my head not my treasures to expose them to the mercy of the Souldier or my commodities to plant them as Barriers about my lands and territories which you haue begunne without reason to bring into a lamentable estate to be iudged by your Counsell and according thereunto to condescend to that which shall be determined For I had rather neuer to haue beene borne than to suruiue my reputation neither can I suffer that honor and glory which in my yonger yeeres I haue iustly wonne to be extinguished Haue you euer knowne me to be an enemie to the Realme of France If it be so let me lose both life and honour with shame and dishonour And who dares speake it to my face Haue I conspired against the Church What haue I done that any man should haue that conceit of me And doe you thinke that for the poore remainder of this fantasticall imaginary life which I haue to liue I will lose the essentiall life and purchase to my selfe to please any mans appetite an eternall death The wise men of the world haue proposed to themselues a more honourable and iust end to so important an enterprize There is no man of honour that chooseth not rather to lose his honour than his conscience It is that which I hold to bee the dearest Iewell within my Cabinet Keepe me I pray you in that range which the Kings of France haue giuen mee that is to bee thought faithfull as they haue heretofore censured me when they haue had occasion to deale in the affaires of my House to the end saith he that being offended I be not constrained to defend my selfe and to offend you which shall bee much against mine owne will and intention And this by oath I vow vnto you Roger the sonne of the Earle of Foix was much afflicted with the submission of his father as being an action too base for the greatnesse of their house The King of Aragon did likewise distaste it For notwithstanding he were allied to the Earle Simon yet hee did not feare to let him vnderstand that he could not approue of his vsurpations vnder the pretence of religion The Earle Simon on the other side Holag pag. 133. said with a loud voice That the conquests were iust and lawfull that he had his right from the Pope that there was
And which was more seeing that the King persisted in this opinion that such promises were to bee made to reobtaine their goods to the end they might neuer engage themselues for that they could not performe knowing that the King of Aragon the Earle of Toulouze and Comminge were assembled at Toulouze to prouide for their affaires he came thither and thus he spake vnto them Sir Holagaray in his hist of Foix and you my Masters Friends Forasmuch as ambition can teach men both valour and temperancy and auarice can plant in the heart of a Shop-boy brought vp in the shade and in idlenesse an assurance to depart from his houshold harth and to commit himselfe to the billowes of the Sea and the mercy of angry Neptune in a small and fraile vessell it shall be great weaknesse and litherly negligence in vs who by the renowned Acts of our Trophees are knowne euen to the Confines of Arabia if we shall now come by a seruile and treacherous acknowledgement to ouerthrow the Tables and Registers of our valours so highly eleuated No no mine arme shall neuer consent thereunto we are not now in bondage I and my sonne chuse rather to make triall of the inconstant hazzard of warre than to bring vpon vs and ours so great and so notable an infamy And therefore for the honour of God quit vs of that shame that men take no notice of our lamentable estate mourning sighing after our losses like Distaffe-bearers If we must needs bow let it be when we haue first done the parts of good and braue Captaines It is an aduenturous and high enterprise you will say but it was resolued vpon by your selues Que ie voy maintenant les ressors qui lui donnent le branle de sa cheute Fare ye well Sir We yeeld not our consent in any thing Come what come may The King of Aragon was much moued with this discourse of the Earle of Foix wherein hee layeth an imputation vpon him that hee was the cause of their ruine because he had animated them against the Legat and the Earle Simon and that now hee left them as a prey by procuring a peace worse than a bloudy warre You haue Sir saith hee opened a doore to our enemies to tyrannize ouer vs if they had accepted of it and to a glorie more great than they could hope to attaine by Armes for we had beene all their Subiects without any other charge than your owne instant request As for my selfe saith he I had rather haue giuen my selfe the stab than to haue drunke of that cup. And after many examples produced by him of those that haue changed a miserable life for a present death killing themselues before they would serue for Trophees to their enemies he continued his discourse as followeth For mine owne part I had rather follow these great Spirits than hauing so often giuen testimony of my valour for another preferre life before honour by being lazie and negligent in a businesse that concernes my selfe And though Fortune deny me all meanes to make opposition against that wrong that another shall offer mee yet my courage will neuer giue way that I should make my selfe the speech of the people or a triumph for men more vnworthy than my selfe This their deniall of what you demanded doth comfort me and it vpholds our honor for we must either haue broken our faith or played the Cowards like needy beggers and liued a life more cruell more intollerable than any torment of Phalaris like miserable men yeelding our neckes to the yoake of the enemie and confessing our selues beaten sell our owne libertie and our childrens after vs and that for euer Good God what a blow were this Sir For asmuch therefore as the tempest is growen so great and wee are driuen to so extreme a necessitie imbrace vs in your armes be our head seruing vs for an example a watch-tower a conduct So shall we engage our wills and our liues to shew our selues your most humble seruants in time of need and valorous Souldiers when occasion shall be offered And though I be now worne with yeares yet neuer had I greater courage or better resolution The Earle Remond on the other side intreated the King of Aragon not to abandon their cause offering vnto him both his goods and his life to fight vnder his authoritie The King of Aragon being ouercome with these intreaties and moued with compassion towards the afflicted in the end tooke armes and sent this ticket of defiance to the Earle Simon by two Trumpetters Indeuour without delay to execute the will of the Pope or to fight with your Lord and if you fall into my hands you shall pay for it It is your dutie and I will haue it so and I rather desire it than to put my selfe to the charge of a great Army for your ruine The Earle Simon made good vse of this Letter of defiance for hee sent it into diuers parts of Europe shewing by the Bishops and Monkes that preached the Croisade that the care was not now for the Earle of Toulouze Foix Comminge or the Prince of Bearne but for a puissant King who had made himselfe the Generall of the Albingenses and that if he were not assisted extraordinarily the cause of the Church was at an end and therefore he entreated all good Christians especially the King of France to giue his best assistance in these holy warres and extreme necessitie On the other side the King of Aragon writ to the King of France that the Earle Simon of Montfort had a spirit puffed vp with high conceits farre exceeding both the capacitie of his vnderstanding and his forces That al his intentions were no other than plaisterings vnder the pretence of Religion and in the meane time he intended nothing so much as to bee a King in deed and Simon by name He beseecheth the King by Letters and by his Agents that hee would not interpose himselfe in this warre neither on the one part nor the other Which he obtained of the King insomuch that it troubled him to see his Subiects continually drawne to the shambles of this warre of the Albingenses vnder a pretence of the Popes pardon and to see so many of his great Lords his Kinsmen so vexed by the Earle Simon When the Earle Simon vnderstood that the King of France was made a Neuter he was much afflicted therewith hauing now no other recourse but to the threats of the Legat to excommunicate him if he should proceed any farther The Legat sent him an Ambassage and Letters The King of Aragon returned this answer Goe speedily and tell your Master that I will come and see him and giue him an answer with ten thousand fighting men and will him to defend himselfe for I will teach him to play with his Peere Euery one makes preparation The Monke of the Valleis Sernay Chap. 89. The Earle Simon sent into France to the Archdeacon of Paris and Master
vtterly destroyed The Pope delegated one named Contat who went thither Now albeit Almeric were very valiant yet he had not gotten that authoritie which his Father had who had made himselfe at the charges of the Albingenses a great Captaine loued of the Souldier of an admirable valour patient in affliction inuincible in his trauels diligent in his enterprises fore-seeing and prouiding for the necessities of an Armie affable but of an vnreconcileable enmitie against his enemies because he hated them onely to haue their goods and that he could not haue but after their death which he procured and hastned as much as he could and that vnder the mantell of a plausible pretence of religion His sonne was a true inheritor of the hatred of his father but slow and sluggish louing his ease and no way fit for an action of great importance Besides he was depriued of the Monke Dominique of whom his Father had made very profitable vse for lodging him in the conquered Cities he gaue him in charge to finish that destruction by his inquisition which he could not doe by warres He died in the yeare 1220. the sixt of August so rich that notwithstanding he were the author of an order mendicant that is to say of Iacobin Monkes or Iacobins yet he made it knowne before his death that a scrip well ordered was better than a rent ill assigned for hee left many houses and much goods shewing thereby that he vsed his scrip but for a shew and outward appearance of pouertie but in effect he thought it good to haue wherewithall to liue else-where witnesse the Protection which the Earle Simon gaue him a little before his death whereof this is the tenure Simon by the Grace and prouidence of God Duke of Narbonnes Earle of Toulouze Vicount of Licestre Beziers and Carcassonne wisheth health and dilection After the Historie of the Monke of the valley Sernay We will and command you to haue a speciall care to keepe and defend the houses and goods of our most deare brother Dominick as our owne Giuen at the siege of Toulouze Decemb. 13. The death of this Monke was a great comfort to the Albingenses who had persecuted them with such violence but yet they were more weakned by the death of the Earle Remond of Toulouze the Earle Remond of Foix and the Ladie Philippe of Moncade Wife to Remond Earle of Foix. The Earle Remond of Toulouze died of a sicknesse much lamented of his Subiects if euer man were He was iust gentle valiant and couragious but yet too easie to giue eare vnto those that gaue him counsell for his ruine Hee was carried at the first by a true loue and charitie onely towards those his Subiects that made profession of the Religion of the Albingenses but afterwards hauing beene basely and dishonorably handled by the Legats of the Pope he knew both the crueltie of the Priests and the falshood of their doctrine by those conferences that had beene in his presence with the Pastors of the Albingenses His Epitaph was written in two Gascon verses Non y a home sur terre per grand Segnor que fous Qu'em iettes de ma terre si Gleisa non fous He that writes the Historie of Languedoc saith That he died a sudden death and that hee was carried into the house of the Friers of the Hospital S. Iohn and that he was not buried because he died an excommunicate person There was shewed not long since at Toulouze a head which some did beleeue was the head of the Earle Remond which was said to be alwaies without a sepulture but there is no likelihood that he that died amongst his owne and being Ruler ouer them should not haue so much credit after his death as to bee put into a Sepulcher Holaga pag. 164 that he that by his valour had restored all his Subiects to their houses 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 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 notwithout 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 Citiâ—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 Inuentary 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
which cause let it be and dwell alwayes in vs that wee may addict our selues to holinesse and righteousnesse Lo teo regne vegne Thy Kingdome come YOu must vnderstand that God the Father hath two Kingdomes the one of glory life eternall the other of grace the life Christian And these two Kingdomes are ioyned together in such manner that betwixt them there is no middle but the point of death But according to the order of diuine Iustice the Kingdome of grace is before the Kingdome of glory And therefore they that liue in the Kingdome of grace by which we are to passe if wee will enter the Kingdome of glory without doubt they shall raigne in the Kingdome of glory and no man can reigne there by any other meanes And therefore Christ our Lord saith vnto his Disciples Seeke first the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof that is the Kingdome of grace and vertue as Faith Hope Charity and the rest But forasmuch as you cannot performe this of your selues without the heauenly grace beg it at Gods hands saying O our Father which art in Heauen thy King dome come that is to say the loue of vertue and the hatred of the World La toa volunta sia faita enaimi es faita en cel sia faita en terra Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heauen A Man cannot affect desire or doe any better thing in this life then to endeuour with all his wit and vnderstanding and with all his heart to doe the will of God as the Angels doe it in Heauen Now to doe the will of God is to renounce himselfe that is to say his owne proper will and to dispose and employ that which is in his owne soule and heart or that is without him in things temporall according to the Law of God and the Doctrine of the Gospell of Christ Iesus And to be well content with whatsoeuer it shall please God to doe or permit both in aduersity and prosperity Many there are who thinke they are to be excused because they know not the will of God But these men deceiue themselues For the will of God is written and plainely manifested and proued by the word of God which they will not reade or vnderstand And therefore saith the Apostle Conforme not your selues vnto those that loue the World but be reformed and renewed in the truth of your vnderstanding to the end you may know what is the will of God And againe this is the will of God euen your sanctification There is no worke that is little if it be done with a willing and feruent affection And our Sauiour teacheth his Disciples both by words and examples that the will of God must be done not theirs saying I am come into the world not to doe my will but to doe the will of my Father who hath sent me Againe being neere his passion and seeing the torments of death which he was to endure as he was man he cryed out O my Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me but yet not my will but thy will be done To be briefe we must thus pray in all our affaires O our Father which art in Heauen Thy will be done in vs by vs and of vs in Earth as it is done by the Angels in Heauen without idlenesse continually without fault vprightly without humane desire doing that which is good leading a vertuous and a pure life obeying our superiours and contemning this World Dona nos lo nostre pan quotidian enchoi Giue vs this day our daily bread WEe may heere vnderstand two kinds of bread Corporall and Spirituall By Corporall bread wee are to vnderstand our meates and drinkes and clothing and all things necessary for the body without which we cannot liue naturally The Spirituall Bread is the Word of God the Body of Christ without which the Soule cannot liue And of this Bread Christ spake vnto his Disciples Whosoeuer shall eate of this bread shall liue eternally And therefore it is the dutie of euery man in all humilitie to aske this Bread at Gods hands who can giue it him saying O our Father doe vs the grace and fauour that wee may obtaine by our iust labour the bread that is necessary for our bodies and to vse it with sobriety and measure yeelding thee alwayes thankes and praises and that wee may charitably bestow some part of them vpon the poore Moreouer we beseech thee that thou wilt bee pleased so to deale with vs that wee may vse this bread with sobriety to thy glory and the good both of body and soule For the Prophet Ezekiel saith Chap. 16.49 That fulnesse of bread and abundance of idlenesse was the cause of the iniquities and abominations of Sodom which were so great in the sight of God that he sent downe fire and brimstone to consume them Whereupon a certaine learned Father saith that costly apparrell superfluitie in diet play idlenesse and sleepe fatten the body nourish luxurie weaken the spirit and leade the soule vnto death but a spare diet labour short sleepe poore garments purifie the soule tame the body mortifie the lusts of the flesh and comfort the Spirit The spirituall Bread is the Word of God Of this Bread the Prophet speaketh Thy bread quickeneth mee And Christ saith in the Gospell Verily I say vnto you that the houre commeth when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare him shall liue And this is found true by this experience That is that many being dead in their sinnes hearing the Preaching of the Word of God haue departed quickned raised by the said Word of God betaken themselues to true repentance which giueth life This bread of the Word illuminateth the soule according to that of Dauid Psal 119.130 The entrance of thy word giueth light it giueth vnderstanding to the simple that is to say to the humble to the end they may know what to beleeue and to doe what to feare to flye to loue to hope This bread delighteth the soule more then honey and the honey-combe And therefore saith the Spouse Canticles 2.11 Let me heare thy voyce for sweete is thy voyce and thy countenance is comely There is another Spirituall Bread and that is the Body and Blood of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ In the Sacrament they that receiue it worthily receiue not onely grace but Christ the Sonne of God spiritually in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome Pardonna a nos li nostre debit o pecca coma nos per donnen a li nostre debitor o offendadors Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. IT should not seeme or bee grieuous to any man to forgiue his neighbour those offences hee hath committed against him For if all the offences which haue beene or can bee committed against all the men in the world were put into a ballance they would not weigh so much
proceed nothing but what is good from him that is the Fountaine of all goodnesse and that he that is Almighty is our mercifull Father more carefull of vs then euer Father or Mother hath beene of their Children telling them that though a Mother may forget her Childe and the Nurse him to whom shee hath giuen sucke and which shee hath boren in her wombe yet notwithstanding our heauenly Father will not forget vs doing all things for our benefit and sending all things for our greater good and if it were more expedient for vs to enioy our health wee should haue it And therefore wee are to submit our wils to his will and our liues to his conduct and direction and assuredly beleeue that he loueth vs and out of his loue he chastiseth vs. Neither must wee respect the griefe or pouerty we endure nor thinke that God hateth vs and casteth vs off but rather we must thinke that we are the more in his grace and fauour nothing regarding those that flourish in this World and haue here their consolation but looking vpon Christ Iesus more beloued of his Father then any other who is the true Sonne of God and yet hath beene more afflicted then we all and more tormented then any other For not onely that bitter passion that he suffered was very hard and grieuous vnto him but much more in regard that in the middest of his torments euery one cryed out against him like angry dogs belching out against him many villanous speeches doing against him the worst they could in such sort that hee was constrained to cry out in his torments My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And finding the houre of his passion to draw neere he grew heauy vnto the death and prayed vnto his Father that that Cup might passe from him insomuch that he did sweat water and bloud because of that great beauinesse and anguish of heart which he should endure in this cruell death And therefore the sicke man must consider with himselfe that he is not so ill handled nor so grieuously tormented as his Sauiour was when he suffered for vs for which he is to yeeld thankes vnto God that it hath pleased him to deliuer vs and to giue this good Sauiour vnto the death for vs begging mercy and fauour at his hands in the name of Iesus And it is necessary that we haue with all this perfect confidence and assurance that our Father will forgiue vs for his goodnesse sake For hee is full of mercy slow to anger and ready to forgiue And therefore the sicke party must recommend and commit himselfe wholy vnto the mercy of his Lord to doe with him as shall seeme good in his eyes and to dispose both of his body and soule according to his good will and pleasure Also it shall be necessary to admonish the sicke person to doe vnto his Neighbour as hee would haue his Neighbour doe vnto him not wronging any man and to take such order with all that are his that hee may leaue them in peace that there may not be any suites or contentions amongst them after his death He must also bee exhorted to hope for saluation in Iesus Christ and not in any other or by any other thing acknowledging himselfe a miserable sinner to the end hee may aske pardon of God finding himselfe to be in such a manner culpable that he deserueth of himselfe eternall death And if the sicke party shall be stricken with a feare of the iudgement of God and his anger against sinne and sinners he must put him in minde of those comfortable promises which our Sauiour hath made vnto all those that come vnto him and from the bottome of their heart call vpon him and how God the Father hath promised pardon whensoeuer wee shall aske it in the name of his Sonne and our Sauiour Christ Iesus These are the things wherein the true Preacher of the Word ought faithfully to employ himselfe to conduct the party visited to his Sauiour And when he is departed this life he must giue heart and courage to the suruiuers by godly exhortations to the end they may be comforted to praise God and to conforme themselues to his holy will and whereas in former times it hath beene the manner to cause the poore and desolate widow to spend much siluer hauing lost her Husband vpon singers and ringers and eaters and drinkers whilest shee sits weeping and fasting wronging hereby her fatherlesse Children to the end that losse be not added to losse it is our duty taking pitty on them to aide them with our councell and with our goods according to that ability that God hath bestowed on vs taking care that the Children be well instructed to the end that liuing like Christians according to the will of God they may labour to get their liuing as God hath ordained and commanded CHAP. IX The Conclusion of this Booke BY that which is contained in this Booke and what hath beene faithfully gathered out of the Bookes the Waldenses haue left vnto vs it appeareth that the Doctrine which they maintaine in these dayes that make profession of reformation hath beene maintained by them many ages before they that are enemies thereunto would take notice of it there being nothing in all that is deliuered that doth either repugne the Word of God or is not altogether conformeable to that which is taught in the reformed Churches For the Waldenses and Albingenses haue knowne the necessity of instructing their children by making vse of such familiar Catechismes as haue beene practised in the Primatiue-Church They haue confessed their sinnes to one onely God with termes of true humility proofes of great zeale and a holy confidence in the mercy of God by his Sonne and our Sauiour Christ Iesus They haue acknowledged the Law of God for the onely rule of their obedience and confessing themselues to bee farre distant from that perfection which ought to bee in vs to appeare vnblameable before the face of God from their impersection they haue taken occasion to haue recourse to the only righteousnesse of the Sonne of God our Redeemer the Law being as a Looking-glasse to make them know their staines and blemishes and to send them to Christ Iesus the true lauor or washing poole They haue called vpon God in their necessities by and through one onely Iesus Christ our Sauiour They haue receiued the Sacraments with faith and repentance and without alteration They haue entred the state of Matrimony as ordained by God holy and honourable and finally they haue not beene ignorant with what charity they were to comfort and to visite and to exhort their sicke and such as are in any aduersity And what hath there beene in all these that for these they should be condemned to death as Heretikes especially seeing that with the goodnesse and puritie of their Doctrine they haue liued religiously vnder a holy Discipline which the Booke following will make good vnto vs. Luke
Law of God and common Justice so also by several Decrees of the Dukes of Savey made in favour of the Protestants September 29. 1603. and June 4. 1653. it is prohibited that the innocent should not suffer for the guilty so the Professors of the Reformed Religion do not desire to hinder but make it their humble and earnest Request that such as are guilty may be brought to punishment From hence then it is obvious enough to any man upon what account it is that the enemies of the Reformed Churches have not onely driven very many of them out of their native Countrey and ancient dwellings into banishment but goe on stil to persecute them by a most cruel and bloody war which they have cause to believe is not carried on against them by the proper inclination and direction of the Prince himselfe but through the perswasion and instigation of the Congregation for propagating the Faith and extirpation of Hereticks who have usurped the cognizance of this Controversie being the onely persons that have hindred the Protestants from being heard by the Prince when they have presented their Petitions or made any Addresses to his Royal Highnesse But yet they so ordered the matter that they directed divers Courtiers their creatures to feed the poore Protestants with hope that the eares of the Prince being wearied out with continued Petitions they might at length obtaine the favour to have their businesse brought to a triall before competent Judges while in the mean time they prepared Forces underhand with which they make it their businesse to fall upon them unawares and oppresse and destroy them It is against this unjust violence that the Protestants endeavour to defend themselves They struggle not against their Prince but with the said Congregation for extirpating Hereticks who as in the hearing and judging of this Cause so also in the bloody execution of their sentence by the sword have for the covering of their injustice made use of the name and Authority of the most illustrious Prince Moreover they with the like injury blame those Churches in the Valleys of Piedmont about those Letters of intercession written on their behalf to the Duke of Savoy by forrein Magistrates of the Reformed Religion as if they applied themselves to States Princes abroad for protection whereas those Letters are no more but friendly offices writtten without the privity of those Churches much lesse upon their intreaty and sent by those Magistrates of their own accord induced thereto by a Pious and Zealous affection and out of a brotherly commiseration of that most grievous calamity which might have moved even stocks and stones and whereof they had sufficient notice from other Parts seeing the turning of so many men women children Infants and sick persons out of dores to the wide world in the midst of winter at three daies warning upon pain of death was become a most notorious businesse which cried out aloud of it self and by reason of the wandring of those miserable Exiles who were forced to rove up and down like vagabonds to beg their bread Nor could they be ignorant how unjustly those their Protastant brethren of the Valleys of Piedmont were oppressed by their Adversaries in the Congregation for propagating the Faith who had openly arrogated to themselves the judging of the Cause of those our brethren in the Archbishop of Turin's house contrary to all the Rules of judicial proceeding and abused the Authority of the Duke of Savoy to oppresse and destroy them An Appendix to the foregoing Apologie AS we are informed by severall Letters the ruine long intended by the enemies of the truth of the Churches of Piedmont by the permission of God being angry because of our sinnes is now executed Indeed they had put off the execution by fained shewes and hopes of reconciliation that they might the while provide all necessaries to compasse their ends But against our expectation upon the 16. of April 1655. the Army made up of the Forces of the Duke of Savoy and of the King of France amongst which were some Irish Regiments fell upon the Churches of the Valley of Lucerna and with them the Militia of Piedmont and a crew of banished theeves felons and other malefactors let on purpose out of prison and from all parts flocking together in hope of prey whose incursions in an hostile manner the Reformed mistrusting at first and fearing to be crushed ere they could be heard when all means of approach by supplication to his Highnesse the Duke of Savoy was taken from them they withdrew themselves into the mountaines But the Commander of that Army the Marquesse of Pianesse sewing the Fox skin to that of the Lyons feigned he had no other intention then to intreate the Reformed that they would approve to the Prince their faith and obedience not by bare words but by reall facts viz. by quartering onely for three daies three Regiments of the Army viz. one at Angrogne another at Villars and a third at Boby which if they did he faithfully promised that no harme to them or theirs should be done which when it was granted by the Reformed and they had received the three Regiments presently the whole Army rushed upon them no difference made of men women children or sucking babes dashing them against stones some laying hold on them by the legges and either dismembring them or hurling them headlong into precipices with such fury that the very rocks were wet bloody with their brains and that in sight of the mothers who after the murther committed upon their children were themselves likewise murthered as it was done in the Borrough of Villars and Boby with such horrible butchery that some appeared to be indeed partakers of the crosse of Christ by being nailed to trees and put to imgring deaths am ongst whom one Paul Clement a man of a very upright life who being nailed the head downward did undergoe with great constancy the butchery and continued in holy prayers to God to the very last others especially of the weaker age and sex striving to flie from the fury of the souldiers being driven through Precipices into the mountaines full of snow died of cold and of other accidents as the numerous family of the L. Scipion Bastia In the Countries of St. John and la Tour they fell with fire and Sword upon Churches and private houses this holy fire being kindled by a Priest and a Franciscan Frier thereby to prove himselfe a Seraphin with his St. Francis to whom his Disciples give the seat of Lucifer This disaster being made in the Churches of Lucerne the Commander of the neighbour Valleys under the Duke of Savoy namely in that of Perouse St. Martine and Rupelate as glorying at the thing done commanded the Inhabitants of those places in case they did not turn Papists to leave the Countrey Whereupon those who perferred the richesses of Christ and Heaven to the earthy Country chearfully went out carrying his shame and followed him