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
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
Matchlesse Crueltie DECLARED At large in the ensuing History of the WALDENSES Apparently manifesting unto the World the horrible Persecutions which they have suffered by the Papists for the space of four hundred and fifty years Wherein is related their Original and Beginning their Piety and Purity in RELIGION both for Doctrine and Discipline LIKEWISE Hereunto is added an exact Narrative of the late Bloody and Barbarous Massacres Murders and other unheard of Cruelties committed on many thousands of the Protestants dwelling in the Valleys of PIEDMONT c. by the Duke of Savoy's Forces joyned with the French Army and several bloody Irish Regiments Published by Command of his Highness the Lord Protector LONDON Printed for Edward Brewster at the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1655. THE HISTORIE OF THE WALDENSES COMMONLY CALLED IN ENGLAND LOLLARDS The first Booke CHAP. I. That God in all times hath raised vp labourers for the gathering together of his Saints At what time Valdo began to teach and with what fruite what he was and all they that from his name are called Waldenses GOD hath neuer left himselfe without witnesses but from time to time he raiseth vp instruments to publish his grace enriching them with necessarie gifts for the edification of his Church giuing them his holy Spirit for their guide and his truth for a rule to the end they may discerne the Church which began in Abel from that which began in Caine As also teaching them to define the Church by the faith and the faith by the Scriptures strengthening them in the middest of their greatest persecutions and making them to know that the crosse is profitable so long as the faithfull change by that meanes earth for heauen and the children of God are not lost when being massacred and cast into the fire by a course of iustice we may find in their bloud and ashes the seed of the Church That which hath bene obserued in all ages hath after a more particular manner appeared amongst those Christians that are called Waldenses who were raised in a time when Satan held men in ignorance hauing wrapt the greatest part of those that call themselues Christians in that great sinne of the world I meane Idolatrie Kings and Princes imploying their authoritie for the establishment thereof appointing all those to the slaughter that would exempt themselues from the wounds due vnto Idolaters This was about the yeare of our Lord a thousand one hundred and threescore at what time the punishment of death was inflicted vpon all those that did not beleeue that the words of consecration being pronounced by the Priest the body of our Lord Iesus Christ was in the Hoste vnder the accidents of the bread the roundnesse and whitenesse yea the very bodie as great and as large as it was vpon the crosse the bread vanishing and being transsubstantiated into the flesh of Christ At what time it was likewise enioyned to adore the Hoste to crouch vnto it to bow the knees before it yea it was called God and men did beate their breasts before it and locked it vp in a boxe to worship it as they still vse euen at this day This doctrine being altogether vnknowne to the Apostles who neuer spake word of any such mysterie as also in the Primitiue Church wherein there was neuer any Doctor that taught this expiatorie sacrifice for the liuing and for the dead occasioned many Christians to enter into a detestation thereof chusing rather to suffer a temporall death by resisting such Idolatrie then by consenting thereunto to suffer in hell Peter Valdo a citizen of Lions shewed himselfe most couragious in the opposition of this inuention Guido de Perignan in the flower of Chronicles taxing therewithall diuerse other corruptions which with time crept into the Church of Rome affirming that she had lost the faith of Iesus Christ that she was that whore of Babylon that barren fig-tree which our Sauiour had long before cursed That we were not to obey the Pope in as much as he was not the head of the Church That Monkerie was a stinking carrion and the marke of the Beast That Purgatorie Masses dedication of Temples worshipping of Saints commemoration of the dead were no other then the inuentions of the diuell and the snares of Auarice Valdo was so much the more attentiuely hearkned vnto See the Sea of Histories fol. 203. Claud. Rubis in his historie of the Citie of Lions p. 269. because he was in high esteeme for his learning and pietie as also for his great bountie towards the poore not onely nourishing their bodies with his materiall bread but their soules with the spirituall exhorting them principally to seeke Iesus Christ the true bread of their soules Many Historiographers do write Lois Cam. in his hist of the orthod brethren of Bohemia p. 7. Guido de Perignan in his flower of Chronicles that he had a resolution to leade an vnblameable life approching as neare as he could to that of the Apostles that vpon a mournfull vnluckie accident that fell out vnexpected and it was this Being one euening in the company of some of his friends after supper passing the time with talke and refreshing themselues one of the company fell downe dead vpon the ground The Catal. of witnesses of the truth p. 535. Simon de Noion in his booke of the names of the Doctors of the Church with which sudden accident all that were present being strangely affrighted Valdo amongst the rest was touched to the quicke and by this dart of Gods iustice was wrought to an extraordinary amendment of life applying himselfe wholly to the reading of the Scriptures seeking in them his saluation and sometimes consulting the writings of the ancients he continually instructed those poore people that resorted vnto him for almes The Archbishop of Lions called Iohn de Belles Mayons being aduertised that Valdo made profession of teaching the people boldly blaming the vice luxury excesse and arrogancie of the Pope and his Clergie inhibited him from teaching especially for that being a lay person he exceeded the limits of his profession and condition of life and therefore that he should not continue therein vnder paine of excommunication proceeding against him as against an Hereticke Valdo replyed that he could not hold his peace in a matter of so high importance as the saluation of men and that he would rather obey God who had enioyned him to speake then man who had commanded him to hold his peace Vpon this answer the Archbishop endeauoured to haue him apprehended but that could not be because Valdo hauing many kinsfolke and friends was beloued of many and so continued closely in Lions by the fauour and protection of his friends for the space of three yeares Pope Alexander the third of that name hauing vnderstood that in Lyons there were diuers persons that called into question his soueraigne authoritie ouer the whole Church fearing that this beginning of rebellion might giue some blow to
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 Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the God of Ekron and therefore saith the Lord in that place Thou shalt not come downe from that bed on which thou art gone vp but shalt surely die Saul died because he had disobeyed the commandement of God which he gaue vnto him he regarded it not neither did he hope in the Lord but tooke counsell of Sorcerers for which cause the Lord tooke away his life and transferred his kingdome vnto Dauid the sonne of Ishai Let euery man therefore know that all enchantment or coniuration or charme in writing made to giue remedie to any kind of persons or beasts is of no value but is rather a snare of our ancient aduersarie the diuell by which he entrappeth and deceiueth mankind Here you may see what the Waldenses haue written against Sorcerers out of the word of God It remaineth that we answer vnto that calumnie of Rubis that it is apparent in our times that heresie and sorcerie are inseparably ioyned together in those Cities and Prouinces that haue giuen place vnto heresie He taxeth without all doubt the Citie of Geneua and the States of the Cantons that haue receiued the Gospell without any other shew of proofe but that most commonly in those places Sorcerers are cōdemned to death following the commandement of God which suffereth no Sorcerer to liue He might farre better haue concluded if he had said that in those places where the reformation of Religion was established in our times no man doth either conuerse or hath acquaintance with Sorcerers but so soone as any such is found he is put to death And therefore no man can affirme that to be true except he will say that to burne Sorcerers is to support them and by the authoritie of the word to put them to death be a kind of heresie It is true indeed that in those places heresie and sorcerie are ioyned together where they that make profession to teach the people are for the most part Sorcerers whereof many men haue complained who haue written with a great deale of griefe that which they knew to be put in practise by their Priests and Monks yea by some of the Popes themselues Bodin affirmeth Bodin in his Demon l. 4. c. 6. p. 211. that there are infinite indictments in which it appeareth that the Priests many times are not onely Sorcerers or at least wise that Sorcerets haue intelligence with the Priests but
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
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
Lay-people shall take example by those Images and figures of the liues of Saints it is most certaine that it is impossible For the Virgin Mary was an example of humility pouerty and chastity and they adorne her Image rather with vestments of pride then humility So that the Lay-people doe not reade in their habits humility but pride and auarice if they conforme themselues to the said Bookes corrupted and ill written For the Priests and the people in these dayes are couetous proud and luxurious and therefore they cause their Images to be pictured like themselues And therefore saith Dauid Thou thinkest foolishly that I am like vnto thee Obiect But there are others that say We worship the visible Images in honour of the inuisible God Answer This is false For if wee will truly honour the Image of GOD by doing good vnto men we serue and honour the Image of GOD For the Image of GOD is in euery man but the resemblance or likenesse of God is not in all but onely in those where the thought is pure and the soule humble But if we will truly honour God wee giue place vnto the truth that is to say wee doe good vnto men that are made after the Image of God we doe honour vnto God when we giue meate to those that hunger drink to those that thirst cloath to those that are naked And therefore what honour doe wee giue vnto God when we serue him in a stock or a stone when we adore idle Figures without soules as if there were some diuinity in them and contemne man who is the true Image of God Saint Chrysostome vpon Mathew saith That the Image of God cannot be painted or pictured in gold but figured in man The Money of Caesar is gold but the money of God is man And therefore if the Iewes were commanded vnder the Law that they should destroy all the figures and Images and addict themselues to one onely God as it is written in the first Booke of the Kings But Samuel said to all the House of Israel If you turne vnto the Lord with all your heart and remoue from you all your strange Gods and keepe your heart vnto the Lord and serue him onely he will deliuer you from the hands of the Philistines Much lesse then ought Christians to depend vpon such signes and Images which the Iewes did not but they ought rather to lift vp their affections vnto Christ who sitteth at the right hand of God An Exposition of the 3. Commandement Tu ne prendras point le nom du Seigneur ton Dieu en vain c. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine c. IN this Commandement we are forbidden to sweare falsly vainely and by custome as it is written Leuit. 19. The man that is accustomed to sweare shall bee filled with iniquity and the plague shall not depart from his house An oath confesseth God to know the truth and it is to confirme a thing doubtfull for an oath is an act of Gods seruice and therefore they that sweare by the Elements doe sinne This is the reason why Christ Iesus forbiddeth vs to sweare by any thing neither by the heauen nor by the earth or any thing else but that our speech bee Yea yea and No no and whatsoeuer is otherwise is sinne And Saint Iames in the fift Chapter of his Epistle saith Aboue all things my brethren sweare not neither by heauen neither by the earth neither by any other oath lest ye fall into condemnation An Exposition of the 4. Commandement Souuienne toy du iour du repos c. Remember thou keepe holy the Sabbath day c. THey that will keepe and obserue the Sabbath of Christians that is to say Sanctifie the day of the Lord must be carefull of foure things The first is to cease from all earthly and worldly labours The second not to sinne The third not to be idle in regard of good workes The fourth to doe those things that are for the good and benefit of the soule Of the first it is said In sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all that thou hast to doe but the seuenth is the Sabboth of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no manner of worke and in Exodus it is said Keepe my Sabbath for it is holy he that polluteth it shall die the death and in the Booke of Numbers we reade that one of the children of Israel being seene to gather stickes vpon the Sabbath day hee was brought vnto Moses who not knowing what course to take therein the Lord said vnto Moses This man shall die the death all the people shall stone him with stones and he shall die God would that his Sabbath should be kept with such reuerence that the children of Israel durst not to gather Manna therein when it was giuen them from heauen The second thing which we are to obserue is to preserue our selues from sinne as it is said in Exodus Remember to sanctifie the day of rest that is to obserue it by keeping thy selfe carefully from sinne And therefore saith Saint Augustine It is better to labour and to dig the earth vpon the Lords day then to bee drunke or to commit any other sinnes for sinne is a seruile worke by which a man serues the deuill Againe he saith that it is better to labour with profit then to range and roame abroad idly For the day of the Lord was not ordained to the end that a man should cease from worldly good workes and giue himselfe vnto sinne but to the end he should addict himselfe to spirituall labours which are better then the worldly and that hee repent himselfe of those sinnes he hath committed the whole Sabbath throughout for idlenesse is the Schoole-master of all euill Seneca saith It is a sepulchre of a liuing man The fourth thing is to doe that which may be good and profitable to the soule as to think on God deuoutly to pray vnto him dilligently to heare his Word and Commandements to giue thankes vnto God for all his benefits to instruct the ignorant to correct the erroneous and to preserue our selues from all sinne to the end that saying of Esay might bee accomplished Repent you of your sinnes and learne to doe good for rest is not good if it bee not accompanied with good workes An Exposition of the 5. Commandement These Commandements tell vs how we are to carry our selues towards our neighbours Non sentend tant solament de la reuerentia de fora c. Honour thy father and thy mother c. WEe are not to vnderstand these words as if the question were onely touching outward reuerence but also concerning matter of complement and things necessary for them and therefore wee are to doe that which is enioyned in this Commandement for that honour which is due vnto fathers and mothers for we receiue from them three excellent gifts that is to say our Being our
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