they which kept the straites perceiuing that their enemies prepared themselues to fight fell down vpon their knees and made their praiers vnto God that it woulde please hym to take pitie vpon them The prayer of the Angronian and not to looke vpon their sinnes but to the cause which they mainteyned to turne the harts of their enemies and so to worke that there might be no effusion of bloud and if it were his wyll to take them with their wiues infantes out of this world that he would then mercifully receiue them into his kingdome In this sort most feruent prayers were made of all those that kept the passages with exhortation that they should altogether cry vnto God and craue hys succour and assistance in thys great distresse All this the Lord of Trinitie and the army did well perceiue Their prayers thus ended sodenly they perceyued their enemies comming towards them through the vines to wynne the top of the mountayne of Angrongne In the meane tyme the Prior of Saint Iohn and Iacomel were within the temple of Angrongne and communed wyth the Rulers touching an agreement These were sent thyther by the Lord of Trinitie to keepe the people occupyed To be short the combat began in diuers places and endured for a long space in the passages of Angrongne The poore Waldoys being but few in number and some of them hauing but slings and crossebowes were sore pressed with the multitude of their enemies A combatâ— betweene the Lorde of trinity the Waldoys At length they retired to the toppe of the mountaine where they defended themselues vntill night When they had found a place where they might wythstande their enemies still pursuing them they turned themselues and slue diuers of them and hurt many When the euening came the enemies rested and were about to encampe themselues there to suppe and lodge all night Which thing when the Angrongnians perceiued they fell to prayer desiring God to assist and succour them but the enemies flouted them and laughed them to scorne Then y e poore people deuised to send a drumme into a litle valley hard by And as they were makyng their prayers vnto God the drumme sounded in y e valley the Lord of Trinitie caused his souldiers whiche were about Beholde the polecye of this pore people to encampe themselues to remoue thence which was a great vauntage to the poore people whiche now were sore weeried with trauaile al wet with sweating and very thyrstie and in great perill if God had not geuen them some litle breathing time Many of the enemies that day were slayne and many hurt of the which very few escaped In so much that they reported that the shot was poysoned which this poore simple people neuer vsed to do in all these warres Of the Angrongnians that daye there were but three slayne and one hurt which afterwardes was well healed agayne This combate gaue greate courage to the Waldoys and sore astonished the aduersaries The same tyme the army retyring burnt many houses and made greate spoyle as they went destroyeng also the wines which were in the presses The sayd Lord of Trinitie with his army camped in a village beyond Tour in the valley of Luserne at the foote of the hill betweene Angrongne and y e other townes of y e valley of Luserne Gods secret in â—â—ement in helping his and punishing his enemies which professed y e Gospell They of the sayd village were alwayes sore against y e Waldoys haters of true religion and were glad of this outrage and violence done against the professours therof but they had their iust plague for they were all destroied After this the sayde Lorde of Trinitie caused the Fortresse to be built agayne which the Frenchmen had rased and placed there a garrison and after sent another to the Forte of Uillars which is of the valley of Luserne and an other he sente to the Fortresse of Perouse and a fourth garrison he placed in the Castle of S. Martin They of Angrongne seeyng themselues to be now as it were in a sea of troubles after they had recommended themselues vnto God by prayer and committed their cause vnto him sent to them of Perouse of S. Martin and of Pragela for ayde and succour which sent them all the helpe that they were able The nexte daye folowing there came letters to Angrongne from the Lord of Trinitie The effect whereof was this A crafty mesâ—aâ—e of the Lord of Trinitie to the Angronians that he was sorye for that whiche was done the day before and that he came not thyther to make warre against them but onely to view if it were a place conuenient to build a Fort therein to serue the Duke Furthermore that his souldiers seeing the people assembled as it were to defie them vpon that occasion onely were stirred vp to geue assault and to set vpon them Also that he was sory that suche spoyle was made of their goodes and suche hurt done by fire But if they would shew themselues obedient to y e Duke he had good hope that al should be wel and trusted that some good agreement shoulde be made The Angrongnians answeared that they were marueylously agreeued to be so assaulted The Angronians aunswere to the message spoyled and tormented by the subiectes of their liege and naturall prince and as they had oftentymes before offered themselues to be more faythful and obedient to their soueraigne prince the Duke then any of all his subiects besides so yet still they offered the same obedience Also they most humbly besought hym not to thinke it strange if they being constrayned by such extreame necessitie defended themselues Finally as touching their Religion they affirmed that it was the pure word of God euen as it was preached by the Prophetes and Apostles and the same which their predecessours had obserued for certayne hundreth yeares past Moreouer that the cause was not coÌ„cerning the goodes of the world but the honour and glory of God the saluation or destruction of the soules both of them and theirs and therefore it were much better for them to dye all together then to forsake their religion and yet if it might be proued vnto them by good demonstration out of the word of God that they were in errour not by force of armes by bloud and fire they would then yeeld themselues with all obedience most humbly beseeching him and all other the Lordes of the Countrey of Piemont to be their intercessours and aduocates to the Duke in this behalfe The towne of Vellers assaulted Upon Monday being the fourth day of Nouember the Lord of Trinitie sent his army to Uillars and Tailleret The lesser company ascended toward Uillers The people seeing their enemies aproching after they had called vppon God with feruent prayer The towne of Tailleret assaulted strongly defended themselues and slue many many also were hurt and the rest fled The other companye ascended
not one man hurt In the tyme of thys siege they attempted dyuers meanes to take the sayde Fortresse but without ordinaunce it was impossible so to doo wherefore they were now past all hope of winning it Moreouer the Lorde of Trinitie returning with his armie was come to the valley of Luserne and the next day after myght easily haue raised the siege Wherefore when the Garrison not knowing that the Lord of Trinitie was so neare desired that they might depart with bagge and baggage they grauÌ„ted theyr request The iust haÌ„d of God vpon his enemies Note how the Ministers of the Gospell promise to their enemies performe doing good foreâ—ill In thys siege halfe of the souldyers were slayne and many were hurt as well with harquebushes as with stones During thys siege the souldyers for lacke of water were constrained to bake their bread with wine which tormented their stomackes and caused great diseases Here is not to be forgotten that the souldiours which a while before dyd so cruelly persecute the poore Ministers seeking by all meanes possible to destroy them were now faine to pray them to saue their liues and to promise them that they should haue no hurt and also to safeconduct them into a sure place neyther woulde they depart vntill they had promised them so to do Which the Ministers dyd promise and also perfourme verye willingly Then the souldiours seeyng themselues much beholden to the Ministers so gently dealing with them gaue them greate thankes and promised them in recompence thereof all the pleasure that they could shew them The same night the Fortresse was rased The 2. day of February the Lorde of Trinitie camped at Luserne The Fortresse gottâ— by the Angronians and placed a Garison in the Priory of S. Iohn a village of the Waldoys betwene Luserne AngroÌ„gne The next day in the morning the sayde Lorde of Trinitie sent word vnto them of Angrongne that if they wold not take part with the rest they should be gently handled All the weeke before they were sollicited by him to consent to the same but they woulde geue no aunswere The same day they of Angrongne and the rest of the Ualleys fully agreed and determined to defend their religioÌ„ by force and that the one shoulde aide the other God compelleth his â—eruantes to defeÌ„d their religion by force and no agreement to be made by any one without the consent of the rest About noone the Lorde of Trinitie marched wyth hys armie by S. Iohn to enter into the borders of Angrongne by a place called La Sonneillette where they had foughte before The people had made certaine bulwarkes of earth and stone not past three foote hie where they defended themselues valiauntly against their ennemies whyche assailed them diuers wayes An other combat betweene the Lord of Trinity and the AngronyaÌ„s God geueth victory agayne to his people When the ennemies were so wearye that they coulde fighte no longer they put fresh Souldiers into their places so that the combate endured vntill nighte and all that day the armie coulde not enter into the borders of Angrongne Many of the ennemies were slaine and a great number hurt and but two of Angrongne slaine of whome the one was slaine by his owne folly because he was too greedy vpon the spoile The army being nowe well beaten and tired rested a while to make themselues stronger for a further mischiefe The Friday following which was the seuenth of Februarye at the breake of the day the armie marched towardes Angrongne by fiue seuerall places The people of Angrongne were not yet assembled and none there were to resiste but onely a fewe whyche kepte the watche the which seeing their ennemies comming vppon them in so many places An other fighte betweene the Lorde of Trinity and the Angronians and perceiuing that they went about to inclose them after they had valiantly fought for a space they reculed by little and little to a highe place called La Casse where the combate was renued wyth a greater fiercenesse then before But the Lord of Trinitie seing the losse of his men and aboue all that one of great creditie and authority in the Dukes Courte was wounded to death blewe a retreite and descended to Angrongne the people being fled to the Medowe of Toure and there spoyled and burnt all the wines victuals and the rest of the goodes that he could finde so that in a shorte space he had burned about a 1000. houses of Angrongne And heere is not to be forgotten that they oftentimes set fire vpon the two Temples of Angrongne where the worde of God was preached A notable miracle of God in keeping the teÌ„ples of the Gospell froÌ„ burning but they coulde neuer burne them So did they also to the Ministers house which notwithstanding remained whole the houses rounde about being all consumed with fire That day none of Angrongne was slaine or hurt sauing onely one that was hurte in his thighe There were in all Angrongne but two that were enemies to the woorde of God whiche that same daye were slaine by the souldiers not in the Combate but for their riches Note againe the secret worke of God Vnkindenes to parentes rightly rewarded whych they had about them as they were running away The one of them was a very couetous wretche and had great store of golde and siluer and woulde spende nothing either to helpe himselfe or succour others no not his poore parentes All this was spoiled by the soldiours with a hundreth or two hundreth crownes besides which he had about him Besides these two there was not one of Angrongne slaine that day All the rest of the people retired to the Medowe of Toure The situation whereof we will heere declare for the better vnderstandyng of that which followeth Tour is a little Ualley vpon the borders of Angrongne The medowe of Tour described enuironed aboute wyth Mountaines two miles in length but very narrowe On both sides and in the mids thereof there be about two hundreth small houses and cotages also medowes pastures for cattell grounde for tillage trees and goodly fountaines On the South side and the North the mountaines be so high that no man caÌ„ that way approche vnto the sayd Ualley On the other coastes a man may enter by seuen or eight wayes This place is not past two miles from Angrongne The way thether is very narrow and il to passe by because of the hilles which be on both sides There is also a Riuer harde by but very small but the bankes thereof be very high in many places The people had caryed thether very fewe victuals partly because the way was so yll and also through the sodaine returne of the armie In the meane time the Lorde of Trinitie after he had nowe twise assaulted Angrongne sent certaine to burne Rosa and to discouer the wayes whiche ledde to the valley of Luserne but the Souldioures were driuen backe foure dayes
together by those whyche kepte the passages The enemies againe driuen backe Whereuppon hee sent hys whole armie whome they valiauntly withstoode from the morning till nighte Then they of Luserne sent newe aide During thys combate an ambushment of souldiours descended from the toppe of the mountaine by a place so harde to passe by that no manne would haue suspected it The poore Christians rūne through the pickes The poore people seeing themselues so enuironed of their enemies saued them selues some running through the middes of their ennemies and other some into the rockes The ennemies being entred into Rosa consumed all with fire and swoorde The Angroniās with their yoūg infantes flie into the mountaines The residue of the people fledde by a secrete way leading to the Ualley of Luserne and wandred al that night vppon the mountaines full of snowe loden with their stuffe carrying their litle infantes in theyr armes and leadinge the other by the handes wyth greate paine and trauail When they of the valley saw them they ranne vnto them praising God for their deliueraunce for they thought they had beene all slaine All be it thys poore people were heere in suche great extremitie yet they were ioyfull and comforted them selues wythout any lamentation or mourning excepte the little poore infantes whych cried out for colde A fewe dayes after the Lorde of Trinitie entred into the Ualley of Luserne by three seuerall wayes that is to say by Rosa by the plaine and by the sides of Tailleret They which kept the passages at the first resisted their ennemies valiauntly but perceiuing that they were assailed on euery side they retired to Uillars The Waldoys agayne assaulted by the Lorde of Trinity and there defended them selues a while But because they sawe that their enemies hadde already passed the Plaine and gotten aboue Uillars towardes Boby they gaue ouer and leafte Uillars and fled into the mountaines The souldiours beyng entred burned houses and slew all that they coulde finde The poore people which were fled to the mountaines seeing the village on fire praised God and gaue him thanks that had made them worthy to suffer for his name and for his cause and also they were glad to see the village on fire least that their enemies should encampe there themselues Then the souldiours in great rage mounted the hilles on euery side pursuing this poore people in great furie but a few of them after they had ardently called vpon God toke courage and beate backe theyr ennemies to Uillars This done the armie retired Fewe dayes after the medowe of Tour was assaulted by three seuerall wayes on the East side The combate dured a long season where diuers of the enemies were hurt and many slaine but none of this poore people were slaine that day onely two were hurt which were soone healed againe But to declare the conflictes assaultes skirmishes and alarmes which were at Angrongne and other places therabout it were too long for breuities sake it shall be sufficient to touch the most principall those which are most worthy of memorie On Saterday which was the fourteenthe day of Februarye the people which were in the vppermost parte of the Medowe of Toure perceiued that a company of souldiours were ascended vp the hill to Angrongne and burning y e rest of the houses there They doubted that it was a pollicie of theyr ennemies to drawe them thether and in the meane time to sette on them behynde and so to winne the Medowe of Tour from them Therefore they sent onely sixe harquebushes against those souldiours the whych hauing the higher grounde and not espied of theyr ennemies discharged their gunnes altogether Whereuppon incontinent the souldiers fledde The wicked flyeth when no man pursueth hym albeit no man pursued them Whether they fledde of pollicie or for feare it was not knowen Shortly after they of the warde of the Medowe of Tour whiche were in the watche on the top of the mountaine because euery morning there was a sermone made whereunto the people resorted and they mighte see a farre of rounde about them espied a troupe of souldiours marching on that side of the hill which is betweene the Easte and the Northe and soone after that discouered an other companye whyche marched on the North side towardes the sayde troupe The firste were ascended an houre before the other and fought on the toppe of the mountayne called Melese but they were soone discomfited The persecutors pursued and because they coulde not runne faste by meanes of the deepe snowe and difficulty of the waies in fleeing they fell often downe vpon the grounde Whiles they that pursued them were earnest in the chase and had taken from them theyr drumme beholde there came certaine vnto them cryinge out that the other troupe was entred into the medowe of Toure by meanes wherof they gaue ouer the chase or els not one of their enemies had escaped Gods people fight with prayer as they whych were there reported for a trueth Not one of Angrongne were slayne or hurt The other troupe which came by the North side tooke a high hil in the top of the mountaine the whych seemed to be almost inaccessible by reason of the snow and ice which was there The chiefest of this company were Lodouicke of Monteil which had bene before master of the campe in the kings warres and Charles Truchet When they wer come to the toppe of the hill they caused seuen souldiours to goe downe the hill and to viewe the waye and to see whether the troupe might descende that way or no. These 7. went downe almost to the houses They sent also other to occupie the rest of the high places which were neare to the foote of the hill and the rockes In the meane time the ministers and the people which were in the middes of the valley of the medowe sawe al this and were much discouraged therwith wherfore they fell to prayer called vpon God ardently not without great sighes lamentation and teares euen vntill night The seuen spies whiche came downe to discouer the wayes cried vnto their captaine Truchet Come downe come downe Seignior Charles this day Angrongne shal be taken The other cried to them againe ascend ascend returne or els ye shall be slaine euery one of you Immediately issued out fiue against these spies and tooke certaine and chased the rest The first of the fiue which set vpō them cast two of them downe vppon the grounde with a forke of fire Soone after eight of Angrongne issued out agaynste the whole troupe which was wonderfull to see them goe with suche courage and boldnesse to assaile suche a multitude and it seemed that they should haue ben all destroyed and hewen in pieces The firste of the eight went a good way before the other to discouer the enemies and caryed a great staffe The courage of Gods people against their enemies which they call a Rancon and is somewhat bigger then
a halbarde The other folowed by two two together with harquebushes These eight went froÌ„ rocke to rocke from hill to hill about the mountaine and chased their ennemies valiauntly Then came twelue other the which ioyning wyth the rest foughte with a woonderfull courage and made great slaughter of their enemies Sone after there came from the valley of Luserne an hundreth harquebushes with one of their Ministers according to their maner which are wont to sende out a minister withall as well for prayer and exhortation as to kepe the people in order that they exceede not measure as it came to passe that day A conflict betweene the Angronians and the enemies At the length they sawe them also commyng whyche returned from the discomfiture of the former troupe making a great noyse and hauing a drumme sounding afore them whyche they had taken from their ennemies which ioyned with them of the valley of Luserne and hauing made their earnest praier vnto god immediatly they came to succour the other that nowe were encountring valiantly wyth their ennemies Then the ennemies seeing suche a company marching against them with suche courage and boldnesse after the other had once called vpon God theyr hearts were so taken from them that sodenly they fledde and as soone as the other began to pray they beganne also to flee But because they could not well saue them selues by running away they turned backe twise and foughte and some in the meane time fled He that caried the Rancon and discouered the enemies was but a very young and a simple man and was estemed to be one that coulde doe nothing but as they say in their language handle La Sappe that is to say a Hatchet and kept cattell The maruelous workes of the Lord. and yet he with those that folowed so discomfited the ennemies that it was woonderfull to beholde He brake his great Rancon with laying load vpon them and after that he brake also foure of their own swordes in pursuing of them There was a boy of 18. yeares of age and of smal stature Dauid with his sâ—ing killeth Goliath which alone slue the Lord of Monteil master of the campe as is said to the king wherwith the enemies were maruellously astonished and discouraged An other simple man who a man wold haue thought durst not once haue looked Charles Truchet in the face because hee was a very bigge man strong puissant and one of the chiefest captaines of the whole army threw downe the saide Truchet with the stroke of a stone Then a young man leapte vpon him and slue him with his owne sworde which was foure fingers broad and cleaft his head in peeces The crueltye of this wretched Truchet agaynst this pore people appeareth before in this story This Truchet was one of the principall authours of this warre and one of the chefest enemies of true religion and of the poore Waldoys that could then be fouÌ„d It was sayd also that he vaunted and promised before to the sayde Lord of Trinitie that he would deliuer into his hands the medow of Tour. But God soone brought his proude brag to nought And for his spoyling pilling and polling of the poore people hee lay spoyled and naked like a beast in the wilde mountaine of Angrongne Two of the chiefest among them offered to paye a great summe of crownes for their ransome but they coulde not be hearde They were pursued more then a mile were so discomfited that they fled w tout any resistance and if the nighte had not let them they had pursued them further The minister when he saw the great effusion of bloud and the enemies to flee he cried to the people saying that it was enough and exhorted them to geue thankes vnto God They which heard him obeied and fel to prayer but they which were further of and heard him not chased their ennemies till darke night In so muche that if the rest had done the like very few of their enemies had escaped That day they spoiled their ennemies of a great part of theyr armour and munition So God restored in this combat and in others to the poore Waldoys God fighteth for 〈◊〉 people the armor which the Lord of Trinitie had taken from them before Thankes were geuen vnto God in euery place and euery man cried who is he which seeth not that God fighteth for vs This victorie gaue great courage to the poore Waldoys and greatly astonished the enemies The eightenth of February the Lorde of Trinitie not satisfied with burning and destroying the greatest parte of Uillars returned to burne all the little villages rounde about which pertaine to the same and especially Pharaos hart yet remaineth indurate to pursue the poore people which were fled vp into the mountaines and diuiding his armye into 3. partes he entered by the 3. seuerall wayes aboue mentioned The two first companies ioyned together betwene Uillars and Boby hauing a great company of horsemen From thence they went to seeke the people which were in the mountaine of Combe by suche a way as they did not suspecte and where there were no warders to defende the place Notwithstanding the warders which were nexte seeing their ennemies ascending that way speedely ranne before them and callyng vpon God for his aide and succour they set themselues against their ennemies and albeit they were but thirtie in number yet they valiauntly beate them backe twise comming out of their bulwarkes that is to say The Waldoys againe driue their enemyes backe certaine houses which at that time serued them for that purpose albeit they were not made to that vse Many of y e enemies were slaine at those two combates and not one of the other side The Lorde of Trinitie seeing his men so fiercely driuen backe sent out the greatest parte of his armie whych were esteemed to be aboue xv hundreth men There came also about a 100. to succour the warders The combate was very cruell and fierce At lengthe the poore people were assaulted so vehemently that they were faine to forsake their bulwarkes loosing two of their men Then the ennemyes thought all to be theirs and blew their trumpettes triumphing that they had put the people to flight But the people retiring not past a stones cast toke courage and crying altogether to the Lord for succour they turned themselues to the face of their enemies and with great force and power they hurled stones at them with their slings After this the enemies rested themselues a while and by and by after they gaue a furious assaulte but yet they were againe mightely resisted Yet once again the enemies rested and in the meane time the people fell to praier calling vpon God altogether with their faces lifted vppe towardes heauen which frayed the enemies more then any thing els After this they gaue yet an other great assaulte but God by the handes of a fewe droue them backe Yea God here shewed his great power eueÌ„
geueth victory to the Waldois against the Spanyardes As they fled they founde often some Fortes where they did resiste for a litle while but they were alway beaten out In this combate God gaue victorie to the poore Waldoys wyth great slaughter of the Spanyards where also very many of theÌ„ were sore hurt and wounded The sayd L. of Trinitie sent vnto the Spanyards that they should not faint and giue ouer but sticke to it like meÌ„ and he woulde shortly send them succour but they would not Those of the Ualley of Luserne hearing of thys conflict came in the meane time to helpe their neighboures Amongest other there was one slaine in that battaile for whom the Lord of Trinity much lamented saying that he would rather haue lost a whole band then that man The other 2. companies whiche marched by Angrongne perceiuing the Spanyardes to be so beaten and put to flyght seing also those of y e medow of Tour coÌ„ming to encounter w t them retired in hast Upon that the lord of Trinitie went to Cauors thre miles from Luserne being in a great perplexitie and as he was about to sende succoure to the Spanyards he heard the sounde of a drumme aboue Luserne suspected that there was an army of the Waldoys comming against him Upon this diuers of the souldiors fled away by the plaine crying that all was lost It was certainly reported God taketh the 〈…〉 that if the Waldoys had pursued the armye as they mighte easyly haue done the campe had that day ben chased out of Luserne The poore people lacked no courage so to do for albeit they had neither eaten nor dronken all that day before God geueth coâ—â—age to the poore Waldoys had sore trauelled and fought yet they sayde that if they had but a little refreshed themselues with a morsel of bread and a glasse of wine they durst take vpon them to enter into the campe of their enemies Within a few daies after they of Angrongne were aduertised by the L. of Trinities letters that hee fully determined to cut down their trees and vines and destroy their corne being on the ground And furthermore that 2. fortes should be builded at Angrongne The day was assigned horsemen appoynted with all spede to execute this mischeuous enterprise The poore people thought y t they shuld be assailed as sore as euer they were and fight as harde as euer they did before The mischieuous purpose of Trynitye stayed by the prouidence of God But God preuented this cruell atteÌ„pt For the night afore that this should be executed the lord of Trinitie receiued certaine letters from the Duke which staied this enterprise They of the medowe of Tour being aduertised that the lord of Trinitie did now entend to send ordinance to beat downe the bulwarks which were made of stones they made a bulwarke of earth whyche was in compasse about 500. paces which they might easily see froÌ„ Luserne They of the medow of Tour told the lord of Trinities men that if they brought any artillery they shoulde not so soone cary it away againe and shortly the ordinance was sent backe againe About this season the chief rulers and ministers of the Waldoys requested earnestly the Lord of Raconis to present a supplication which they had made to the Duchesse of Sauoy The Waldoys send a supplication to the Duchesse For they had intelligence that she was sore offended y t her subiects were so cruelly handled In the whych supplication they declared the equitie of their cause protesting all due obedience to the duke their soueraigne Lord and if it mighte be prooued by the pure worde of God that they held any error The Waldoys offer to be iudged by the word of God they would with all humble submission receiue correction and be reformed humbly beseeching her grace to appease the displeasure which the Duke had coÌ„ceiued against them by the vntrue surmises of theyr aduersaries and if there were any thing wherin they had offended him they most humbly craued his gracious pardoÌ„ About this time the lord of Trinitye by sicknes was in great daunger of his life The Lord of Trinyty sore sicke Soone after the supplication was deliuered the Duchesse sent an aunswer to the Waldoys by the sayd Lorde of Raconis The effect thereof was that she had obteined of the Dukes grace all that they demaunded in their supplication vpon such conditions as the said lord Raconis would propound vnto them But wheÌ„ they vnderstoode that the sayd conditions were very rigorous they sent an other supplication vnto the Duches An other supplycatyoÌ„ sent to the Duchesse wherein they humbly besought her grace to be a meane that the said conditions and Articles might be moderated which Articles here follow First that they should banish their Ministers Secondly that they shoulde receiue the Masse and other ceremonies of the Romish church Thirdly that they should pay a raunsome to the souldiours for certaine of their men which they had taken Fourthly that they shoulde assemble and preache no more as they were wont to do Fifthly that the Duke woulde make fortresses at his pleasure in all that countrey with other like things The people made humble request in this their last supplication The supplicatyoÌ„ to the Duchesse that it would please the sayd Duches to geue the Duke her husband to vnderstand how y t these conditions were straunge and rigorous And as for their partes although they had good triall of their ministers y t they were good men and fearing God of sounde doctrine of good life honest conuersation yet neuerthelesse they were contented so to do if he woulde geue leaue to some of them to remaine requesting this that it might be permitted vnto theÌ„ to chuse some other good Ministers in their places before they departed least that their Churches shoulde remaine without Pastors The conditioÌ„s whereâ—â—to the Waldoys did agree consent Concerning the Masse and other Ceremonies of the church of Rome if the duke should cause them to be ministred in their parishes they neither wold nor could withstand the same and for their part they would do no iniurie or violence to those that should minister them or be present therat notw tstanding they besought him that they myght not be constrained to be present theÌ„selues at the ministratioÌ„ thereof or to pay any thing to the maintenaunce of the same or els to yelde either fauour or consent thereunto As touching the raunsome which was demaunded of them for their prisoners considering the extreme pouertie that they were in and the great calamities and damages whiche they had suffred it was to them a thing vnpossible Yea if his highnes wer truly informed what losse they had susteined by burning spoiling and sacking of their houses and goods without all mercy or pity he wold not only require of them no suche thing but as a gracious and mercifull Prince he would succour and
betwene the French kyng and the Emperour among which other diuers conditions it was agreed that they should resist the Turkes oppresse the Lutheranes and so was the kyng set at libertie leauyng behynd him his ij eldest sonnes for pledges But shortly after he reuoked his othe beyng absolued by y e Byshop of Rome sayd The pope absolueth the French king froÌ„ his othe that he was forced to sweare or els he should neuer haue bene deliuered Which was an 1526. Pope Clement vij seyng the French kyng restored to libertie misdoubting the puissance and domination of the Emperour in Italy so neare vnder his nose absolueth the French king froÌ„ his othe also ioyneth together a confederacie of Uenetians other Princes agaynst the Emperour bearyng great hatred agaynst all theÌ„ that any thyng fauored the Emperours part especially the familie of Columna in Rome which familie was then Imperiall therfore to shew his hatred against them he sayd to Pompey Cardinall of the same familie in threatnyng words that he would take away his Cardinals hatte To whoÌ„ it was aunswered agayne of the Cardinall that if he so did he would put on a helmet The answerâ— of the Cardinall to the Pope to ouerthrow the Popes triple crowne Whereby it may appeare here by the way what holynesse and vertue lyeth in the Pope and Cardinals in that Catholicke sea of Rome Thus the false Pope vnder the lying title of holynes was the father of much mischiefe of great warres which after ensued The Pope stirreth vp warres For the Duke of Bourbon and other of the Emperours Captaines hauyng intelligeÌ„ce of the Popes purpose confederacie gathered their army together and after much bloudshed and fightyng about MillaÌ„ Hawde and Cremona at length they approched bent their siege agaynst Rome after three sharpe assaultes obteined the Citie with the whole spoyle therof where also they besieged the foresayd Pope with his Cardinals in the mount of AdriaÌ„ and tooke him prisoner an 1527. As touchyng the cause of the besiegyng of Rome now ye haue heard for the maner of taking of Rome and of the Pope the order therof is thus described in Hall and other ¶ The sackyng of Rome and takyng of Pope Clement THe Emperours army departyng from FloreÌ„ce to the Citie of Seynes where they lost their ordinauÌ„ce The taking of Rome tooke counsaile there to go to Rome and so much they trauailed by night and day commoÌ„ly passing xl myle day and night their good will was such that the vi day of May with baÌ„ners displayed Ex Paralip Abbat Vrsp. they came before the Citie of Rome beyng Saterday the same day and on Sonday the Romaines made Bulwarkes Rampires and other defences and layd ordinaunce on the walles and shot at them without fiercely The Duke of BourboÌ„ determined that it was not best to lye still without and be slayne with ordinaunce The Duke of BourBon coÌ„sideryng that they were all naked people without great ordinaunce wherfore he determined to take the chaunce to geue the assault and so maÌ„fully they approched the walles betwene the Burgo Nouo old Rome But the Romaines valiauntly defeÌ„ded them with haÌ„dgunnes pykes stones and other weapons so that the enemyes were fayne to retreit Then the Romaines were glad and set many fayre banners on their towers and bulwarkes and made great shoutes whiche seyng the Duke of Bourbon cryed to a new assault Threâ— assaultes against Rome Then the drumsâ—ades blew and euery man with a ladder mounted and at first encounter againe the Romaynes put them a little backe Which the Duke of Bourbon p 〈…〉 uing cryed God and the Emperour Then euery man manfully set on There was a sore fight many an arrow shot and many a man felled but at last the Emperors men got the wall and betweene euery assault fell a mist so that they within could not see what part they without would assayle which was profitable to the Emperours partie At the three assaultes were slaine three C. Switzers of the Popes gard In this last assault was the Duke of Bourbon striken in the thigh with a handgonne The Duke of 〈◊〉 wounded of the which he shortly dyed in a chappell of S. Sist whether his souldiors had brought him and this chance notwithstanding the army entred into Rome and tooke the Popes palace and set vp the Emperors armes The same daye that these three assaultes were made Pope Clement passed little on the Emperours army The Pope curseth his enemies for he had accursed them on the Saterday before and in hys curse he called the Almaynes Lutheranes and the Spanyards Murreines or Mores and when he was hearing of Masse sodeinly the Almaines entred into the Church and slue his Barde and diuers other He seeing that fledde in all haste by a priuie way The Pope flieth to the Castle of S. Angell and all they that folowed him that way and could not enter were slayne and if he in that fury had bene taken he had bene slayne The Cardinals and other Prelates fled to y e Castle of S. Angell ouer the bridge where many of the common people were ouerpressed and trodden downe as they gaue way to the Cardinals and other estates that passed toward the Castle for succour The Cardinals besieged The Cardinall of Senes of Sesarine of Tudertine of Iacobace and of the Ualle taried so long that they could not get to the Castle for the multitude of people wherfore they were compelled to take an other house called the Palace of S. George where they kept themselues for a while as secretly as they might You must vnderstand through the Citie of Rome runneth a famous Riuer called Tiber and on the one side of the Riuer standeth the Castle of S. Angell or the Borough of S. Angell and the other side is called Burgo Nouo or the New Borough Thys Bridge is called the Bridge of Sixte which lyeth directly before the Castle At the ende of this Bridge was a woonderfull strong Bulwarke well ordinanced and well manned The Emperours men saw that they could do nothing to the Pope nor to that porte of y e City but by the bridge determined to assault the Bulwarke and so as men without feare came on the bridge and the Romaynes so well defended them that they fiue almost iiij M. men That seeing the Prince of Orenge The Bulwarke of the Romaines besieged takeÌ„ and the Marques of Gnasto with all speede gaue assault and notwithstanding that the Romaynes shot great ordinances handgunnes quarels and all that might be shot yet the Imperiall persons neuer shranke but manly entered the Bulwarke and slue threw downe out of the loupes all the Romaynes that they found and after rased the Bulwarke to the grounde The Pope was in the Castle of S. Angell and beheld this fight and with him were xxiij Cardinals of whiche one called the Cardinall Sanctorum
euening Prayers and exhortations the men departed that night to auoyde a greater inconuenience When they had gone all the night long and had passed ouer y e great hill of Libron they might see many villages and farmes set on fire Miniers in the meane time had deuided his army into two partes marching himselfe with the one towardes the Towne of Merindoll and hauing knowledge by espiall whether the Merindolians were fled he sendeth the other parte to set vpon them and to shewe theyr accustomed crueltie vpon them Yet before they came to the place where they were some of Miniers armye eyther of good will or mooued with pitie priuily conueyed themselues awaye and came vnto them to geue theÌ„ warning that their enemies were comming and one from the top of an high rocke where he thought that the Merindolians were vnderneath casteth downe two stones and afterward although he could not see them he calleth vnto them that they should immediately flye from thence But the enemies suddenly came vpon them The Merindolians ouertaken of their enemies finding them all assembled together at praiers and spoyled them of all that they had pulling off their garments from their backes some they rauished some they whipped and scourged some they sold away like cattell practising what cruelty and villanie soeuer they could deuise against them The women were in number about fiue hundreth In the meane time Miniers came to Merindoll where he founde none but a young man named Maurice Blanc who had yelded himselfe to a souldiour promising him for his raunsome two French crownes Miniers woulde haue had him away by force but it was answered that the souldiour ought not to lose his prisoner Miniers therefore paying the two crownes himselfe tooke the young man and caused him to be tyed to an Oliue tree and shot thorough with harquebushes and most cruelly martired Vile cruelty shewed vpon a youÌ„g man of Merindoll Many Gentlemen which accompanied Miniers against their willes seeyng thys cruell spectacle were mooued wyth greate compassion and could not forbeare teares For albeit this yong man was not yet very well instructed neyther had before dwelt at Merindoll yet in all hys tormentes hauyng alwayes hys eyes lyfted vp to heauen wyth a loude voyce he ceased not still to call vpon God and the last words that he spake were these Lord God these men take away my life full of miserie but thou wilt giue vnto me life euerlasting by thy sonne Iesus Christ to whome be glory So was Merindoll without any resistance valiantly taken ransackt burnt rased The towne of Merindol destroyed of the Papists and layed euen with the ground And albeit there was no man to resist yet this valiant Captaine of Opede armed from toppe to toe trembled for feare and was seene to chaunge his colour very much When he had destroyed Merindoll he layed seege to Cabriers and battered it with his ordinaunce The towne of Cabriers falsely takeÌ„ but when hee coulde not winne it by force he with the Lorde of the Towne and Poulin his chiefe Captaine persuaded wyth the inhabitauntes to open their gates solemnely promising that if they would so do they would lay downe theyr armour and also that their cause should be heard in iudgement with all equitie and Iustice and no violence or iniurie should be shewed against them Upon this Othe and promise brokeÌ„ of the Papistes they opened their gates and let in Miniers with his Captaynes and all his army But the Tyraunt when he was once entred falsified his promise and raged like a beast For first of all he picked out about thirtie men 30. men Martyrs causing them to be bound and caried into a medowe neare to the Towne and there to be miserably cut and hewen in peeces of hys souldiours Then because he would leaue no kinde of crueltie vnattempted 40. Women Martyrs hee also exercised outrage and fury vppon the poore selly women and caused fortie of them to be taken of whome diuers were great with child and put them into a barne full of strawe and hey and caused it to be set on fire at foure corners And when the sely women running to the great window where the hey is wont to be cast into the barne woulde haue leaped out they were kepte in with pikes and halberdes Then there was a souldyoure which moued with pitie at the crieng out and lamentation of the women opened a dore to let them out but as they were comming out the Tyraunt caused them to be slaine and cut in peeces opening their belyes that theyr children fell out whome they trode vnder their feete Many were fled into the wineseller of the Castell Cruelty Neronicall or rather furye diabolicall and many hid themselues in caues whereof some were caryed into the medowe and there stripped naked were slaine othersome were bound two and two together and caried into the hall of the Castell where they were slaine by the Captaynes reioysing in theyr bloudy butcherie and horrible slaughter That done this Tyraunt more cruell then euer was Herode commaunded Captayne Iohn de Gay wyth a bande of ruffians to go into the Churche where was a great number of women children and yong infantes to kill all that he founde there Which the Captayne refused at the first to do sayeng that were a crueltie vnused among men of warre Whereat Miniers being displeased charged him vpon payne of rebellion and disobedience to the King to do as he had commaunded hym The Captaine fearing that myght ensue entred with hys men and destroyed them all sparing neither young nor olde In this meane while certaine souldiors went to ransacke the houses for the spoyle where they founde many poore men that had there hidden themselues in sellers and other priuy places flying vpon them and crying out kill kill The other souldiors that were without the town killed all that they could meete with The noÌ„ber of those that were so vnmercifully murdered Aboue a â—000 Martyrs of Cabriers were about M. persons of men women and children The infantes that escaped their furie were baptised againe of their enemies In token of this ioly victory the Popes Officers caused a piller to be erected in the said place of Cabriers in the whych was engrauen the yeare and the day of the taking and sacking of this Towne by Iohn Miniers Lorde of Opede chiefe President of the Parlament of Prouince for a memoriall for euer of the barbarous crueltie the like whereof was yet neuer heard of Whereupon we withall our posterity haue to vnderstand what be the reasons and arguments wherewith the Antichrist of Rome is wont to vphold the impious seate of his abhomination Who now is come to such excesse and profunditie of all kindes of iniquitie The argumentes wherevpoÌ„ the doctrine of the popes church staÌ„deth that all iustice equitie and veritie being set a side he seeketh the defence of his cause by no other thyng then only
towardes Tailleret And although they of that place were but few in number and that parte of the army the greater yet making theyr prayers vnto God and coÌ„mending their cause vnto him they defended themselues likewise valiantly In the meane season they of Uillars being emboldened by their late victorie came to assist their neighbours and beyng assembled together they couragiously pursued their enemies and put them to â—light In this pursute it chaunced which here is not to be forgotten that this poore people God geueth victory to his seruants by an ambush of their enemies which came an other way were sodeÌ„ly enclosed on euery side and like to be destroyed but yet they all escaped and not one of them was slayne onely iij. were hurt which were soone cured agayn On the enemies side there were so many slayne that they were layd together by whole cart loades This was the reward of those which were so desirous to shed innocent bloud The iust reward vpon the Lords enemies The same day the inhabitauntes of Sanson neare to Roccapiata assembled in great number together and went to a riche mans house of Roccapiata and spoyled all that hee had Certaine of Roccapiata in number not past xvij vnderstanding this set vpon them soone put them to flight tooke away their drumme forced them to leaue their bootie behynde them After that the Lord of Trinitâ—e had receiued the letters of the Angrongnians he sent vnto them his Secretary Gastaut a false brother named Christopher Gastaut which said him selfe that he fauoured the veritie of the Gospell accompanyed with a Gentleman of the sayd valley Whose charge was to cause the chief rulers to send certaine to common with the sayd Lord of Trinitie Deepe dissimulation in a crafty Papist saying that he had good tydinges to declare vnto them moreouer that he would deliuer them a safe conduct to come and go Wherupon they sent foure vnto him whom he entreated very courteously rehearsed vnto them how the Duke at his departure from the Court told him that although the Pope the Princes and Cities of Italie yea his own counsell were fully resolued that of necessitie they of the sayd Religion should bee destroyed yet notw tstaÌ„dyng God otherwise put in his mind and that he had taken counsell of God what he should do in this matter that is that he would vse them geÌ„tly Furthermore he declared vnto them that the Duches bare them good affection and fauoured them very much The Dutches a fauourer of the Angronians that she had commended their cause vnto the Duke perswadyng with him to haue regard to that poore people that their Religion was auncient old with many such other thynges Moreouer they had sayd he great frendes in the Dukes Court not doubtyng but if they would send certaine to the Court with a Supplication they should obteine more then they themselues would require and he for his part would employ himselfe in their affaires to the vttermost of his power and so hee promised that he would retire him selfe with his army This hee seemed to speake vnfaynedly The people desiring but to liue peaceably in their Religion and vnder the obedience of their Prince were content to folow his counsell About this season they of Angrongne perceiued that a part of the army ascended the hill of Tailleret which is the halfe way betwene Angrongne and those of the valley of Luserne the other part had already gotten a way whiche led to the Medow of Tour by the whiche they of AngroÌ„gne might easily haue bene enclosed Therfore they sent certaine immediately to keepe the way who soone after encountered with their enemies and obteined the victorie pursuyng and chasing them to their camp not without great losse of their men The number of their enemies slayne was not knowen for their custome was A combate betweene the Angronians the persecutors immediately to carry away those which were slayne Not one of Angrongne perished that day nor yet was hurt It was feared that this combate would haue hyndred the agreement But the Lord of Trinitie could well dissemble this matter and excused that dayes iourney The crafty dissimulation of the Lord of Trinity puttyng the fault vpon them of Tailleret whom he charged to haue slayne certaine of his men in the hygh way but amongest other his Barber On Saterday folowyng beyng the ix of Nouember the said Lord of Trinitie sent agayne for them of Angrongne to consult with him touchyng the agreement vsing the like communication as before and added thereunto that in token of true obedience they should cary their armour into two of the houses of the chief Rulers not fearyng but it should be safe for it should remayne in their owne keeping and if neede were they should receyue it agayne Also that he vppon Sonday which was the next day would cause a Masse to be song within the temple of S. Laurence in Angrongne accoÌ„panyed with a very few and thereby the Dukes wrath would be asswaged The next mornyng he went in the temple whereat they were sore agreeued albeit they could not withstaÌ„d him his army marchyng afore him and hauyng caused a Masse to be song he desired to see the Medow of Tour so much spokeÌ„ of that therof he might make a true report vnto the Duke and thether the Rulers with a great troupe of his owne men went the residue of his company remayne behynde the which spoyled certaine houses and seased the armour which they had deliuered vp before but they fouÌ„d no great store for the people had taken away the greatest part therof The sayd Lord being entred into the Medow of Tour the people began to make a commotion Whereof he hauing intelligence returned immediately All that daye he shewed himselfe very courteous to all whome he met The people in this meane time perceiued themselues to be in great daunger and were sore moued at the sight of the army the spoyle of the souldiours the taking away of their armour but especially because the sayd Lord of Trinitie had viewed the Medow of Tour foreseeing his trayterous meaning and purpose A few dayes after the sayde Lord of Trinitie sent his Secretary Gastaut to Angrongne Beholde the double dealing and dissimulatioÌ„ of the Papistes to bring their wiâ—kâ—d purpose to passe to talke with them concerning the agreement and to make a full resolution thereof which was read in the assemble by the Secretarie the summe whereof was this That the people of Angrongne submitted themselues to render all honour and reuerence to God according to his holy word and all due obedience to the Duke their soueraigne Prince to whome they shoulde send certaine men to demaund pardon of him concerning theyr bearing of armour in their extreme necessitie and humbly to beseech him that he would suffer them to liue peaceably in their religion whiche was according to the worde of God not compelling them
in the litle children also which feruently called vpō God threw stones at their enemies and gaue courage also vnto the men So did also the wemen and the vulgare sort that is to say God geueth victorye by the handes of a fewe those which were meete for no feates of warre remaining vppon the mountaine and beholding these furious combates kneeling vpon the ground and hauing their faces lifted vp towards heauen with teares and gronings they cried Lord helpe vs. Who heard their praiers After that these three assaults were geuen there came one vnto them crying Be of good courage God hath sent those of Angrongne to succour vs hee meant that they of Angrongne were fighting for them in an other place that is to say towardes Tailleret where the thirde parte of the army was The people perceiuing y t they of Angrongne were come to that place to succour them began to cry blessed be God who hathe sent vs succour they of Angrongne be here they of Angrongne be here to succour vs. The enemies 〈◊〉 The ennemies hearing thys were astonished and sodenly blew a retreit and retired into the plaine That troupe whith was gone towards Tailleret deuided themselues into three companies The first marched by the side of the mountaine burning many houses The Angronians helpe their fellowes ioyned with the maine armie The seconde companie whyche was of seuen score marched hygher thinking to take the people at vnwares But they were by seuen men strongly resisted and driuen backe The third company attained the toppe of the mountain thinking to enclose the people but as God woulde they of Angrongne which came to succor them encountred with them wyth great force put them to flight They of Uillars of whom mention is made before after they had refreshed them selues with a little breade and wine for the most part of them had eaten nothing all that day chased their enemies til it was almost night so fiersly that the maister of the campe was faine to send to the Lord of Trinitie whiche was at Toure for succoure or else all would haue bene lost Which he did and immediately hee roade with all speede to Luserne to saue him selfe hearing the alarme which was geuen at S. Iohn by those of Angrongne fearing least the way should haue ben stopped The armye retired with great difficultie notwithstanding the newe aide whiche was sent them and wyth great losse of their men The persecutors put to flight One of their captaines confessed since that if they had bene pursued any further they had fledde all that night longe Since that time they neuer returned againe into the valley of Luserne On Monday being the 17. day of Marche next folowing the Lorde of Trinitie to be reuenged of those of the medow of Tour assembled al the force that he could make with the Gentlemen of the Countrey In so muche that whereas before his army was commonly but foure thousand it was nowe betweene sixe and seuen thousande and secretly in the night season he encamped with parte of hys army in the middest of Angrongne from whence the poore inhabitants were fled before The next morning after the Sermon and praiers were ended they perceiued the other parte of the army to be encamped at the foote of the mountaine of Angrongne on the East side Sone after they perceiued how both partes of the army coasted the hilles side the one towards the other being such a multitude so glittering in their harnesse marching in such araye that the pore people at the first were astonished therat Notwythstanding the assemble fell downe vpon their knees 3. or 4. times crying Help vs O Lord beseching him to haue regarde to the glory of his holy name The Angroniās fall to prayer to staye the effusion of bloud if it were his good pleasure to turne the hearts of their enemies to the trueth of his holy Gospell These two partes of the army ioyned together nere to the bulwarks of the medow of Toure gaue the assault in three seuerall places One of the bands mounted secretly by the rockes thinking to haue enclosed the people in their Bulwarkes But assoone as they which kept the bulwarke be lowe had espied them they forsooke their place and marched straight towardes them as they marched they met with the aide which was sent vnto them from the vally of Luserne very luckily and comming as it were from heauen whych ioyning together sone discomfited their enemies w t stones and harquebushes They pursued them fiersly in y e rockes and vexed them woonderfully because the rockes are so steepe that no man can ascende or descende without great paine and difficultie The Captaine of this band was named Bastian of Uergil a man very expert in the affaires of warre The proud threates of Amman Hee at his going out of his lodging threatned y t he would do great terrible things that day His hostesse hearing that said vnto him Monsieur if our religiō be better then theirs you shall haue the victorie but if theyrs be better then ours you shall not preuaile Shortly after the captaine was brought againe into his Inne so wounded and so feeble that he was not like to liue Then sayde hys hostesse vnto him Monsieur it is nowe wel seene that their religion is better then oures There was also an other bande that kept the top of the hill to assault the bulwarkes from thence The middlemost bulwarke was then assaulted in the which were very fewe to defend the same the which seeing the number of their enemies retired backe leauing therein but 5. onely to defend it There was a huge cocke not farre from the foresayd bulwarke behinde the same a great number of the enemies were hid And anone there issued out two ensigns assuring them selues to winne the bulwarke but immediately one of their ensigne bearers was wounded to death Whereupon many reculed backe The other set vp his ensigne vpon the bulwarke They which were wythin had neither halbard nor any other long weapon but only one Pike The Bulwarke manfully defended and the same without an yron the which one of the 5. tooke and threw downe the ensigne and manfully beate backe the sealers and threwe them downe to the grounde Diuers of the enemies were entred into the bulwarke by a doore belowe and slue one of the fiue which kept y e middle parte of the bulwarke The other foure looked to be destroyed out of hande Then one of the foure chased awaye those which had entred belowe with stones and the other three leauing their handguns defended themselues likewise with great stones and perceiuing the bande whych was on the rockes to flee they tooke courage and w tstoode their enemies valiantly til their companions were returned from the chase In the meane time the Bulwarke which was vppon the side of the mountaine was furiously assailed by the one halfe of the armie Those that were within
limites dwell not oute of them and they which be of the townes villages of the said valleis dwel not out of them nor of their borders The liberty of Trafficke graunted and in so doing they shall not be molested by any meanes and shall not be offended nor troubled in body or goods but shall remaine vnder the protection and sauegarde of his highnesse Furthermore his highnes shal set order to stay al troubles inconueniences secret cōspiracies of wicked persons after such sort The elders of the Valleys of Pyemont that they shall remaine quietly in theyr religion For obseruation whereof George Monastier one of the elders of Angrongne Constantion Dialestini otherwise called Rembaldo one of the Elders of Uillars Pirrone Arduino sent frō the comminaltie of Boby Michael Ramondet sent from the comminaltie of Tailleret and of la Rua de Bonet bordering vpon Tour Iohn Malenote sent from certaine persons of S. Iohn Peter Paschal sent from the comminaltie of the valley of S. Martin Thom. Roman of S. Germain sent from the comminaltie of the same place and of all the Ualley of Perouse promise for thē and their comminalties seuerally that the cōtents of these conclusions aforesayd shall be inuiolately kepte and for breach thereof do submit themselues to such punishment as shall please his hignes promising likewise to cause the chiefe of the families of the comminalties to allow and confirme the sayd promise The honourable Lorde of Raconis doth promise that the Dukes highnes shall confirme and allow the foresayde conclusions to them both generally and perticularly The Lord of Raconnis at the intercession and especiall fauour of the noble Lady the Princesse The Lady Princes intercessour for the Waldoys In testimonie whereof the foresayde Lord of Raconis hath confirmed these present conclusions wyth hys owne hand and the Ministers haue lykewise subscribed in the name of all the sayd Ualleys and they which can write in the name of all theyr comminalties At Cauor the v. of Iune 1561. Phillip of Sauoy Fraunces Valla Minister of Villars Claudius Bergius Minister of Taillaret Georgius Monasterius Michael Raymundet THis accord being thus made and passed by the meanes of the Duchesse of Sauoy the poore Waldoys haue ben in quiet vntill this present and God of his infinite goodnes hauyng deliuered them out of so many troubles and conflicts hath set them at libertie to serue him purely and with quietnes of conscience Wherfore there is none at this present except he be altogether blind or senceles but he seeth and well perceiueth that God would make it knowen by experience to these poore Waldoys All thinges turne to the best to thē that loue the Lord. and al other faithful people that al things turne to the best to them which loue and feare hym For by all these afflictions which they suffered as is before rehearsed this good heauenly father hath brought them to repentance and amendement of life He hath effectuously taught them to haue recourse to his fatherly mercy and to embrace Iesus Christ for their onely Sauiour and redeemer Furthermore he hath taught them to tame the desires and lustes of the flesh to withdrawe their harts from the world and lift them vp to heauen and to be alwayes in a readines to come to him as vnto their most louing and pitifull father To be short hee hath set them to the schoole of hys children to the end they should profite in patience and hope to make them to mourne weepe and cry vnto hym And aboue all he hath made them so oft to proue his succours at time of need to see them before their eyes to feele and touch them with their handes as a man would say after such sort that they haue had good occasion and all the faithfull with them neuer to distrust so good a father and so carefull for the health of his children but to assure themselues neuer to be confounded what thing soeuer happen And yet to see thys more manifestly and that euery man may take profite therof it shal be good to vnderstand what this poore people did whiles they were in these combates and conflictes The behauiour of these good men in their persecutiōs So soone as they sawe the armye of theyr enemies approch they cryed altogether for ayde and succour to the Lord and before they begā to defend thēselues they fell to prayer and in fighting lifted vp their hartes and sighed to the Lorde As long as the enemyes were at rest euery one of these poore people on their knees called vpon God When the combate was ended they gaue him thankes for the comfort and succour which they had felte In the meane time the rest of the people with the Ministers made their harty prayer vnto God with sighes and teares and that from the morning vntill the euening When night was come they assembled agayne together They which had fought rehearsed the woonderfull ayde and succour which God had sent them and so altogether rendred thankes vnto hym for hys fatherly goodnes Alwayes he chaunged their sorrow into ioye In the morning trouble and affliction appeared before them wyth great terrour on all sides but by the euening they were deliuered and had great cause of reioysing and comfort Warre and famine two enemies against these men This poore people had two terrible enemies warre and famine which kepte them vnder in such sort that a man would haue thought they had bene vtterly lost destroyed But God of his endles mercy deliuered thē from such dangers and restored them to their houses where they remained afterwards in peace and quietnes al they which had declared themselues to be their open enemyes were brought to confusion as well those whiche fought to get their goodes as those whiche onely desired to shedde their bloud For proofe wherof the onely exāple of two Gentlemen of the Ualley of Luserne shall suffice These not onely moued cruell warre agaynst their poore tenauntes and others but most shamefully spoyled them and tooke vntollerable fines of all those that disobeyed their Edictes to keepe a good conscience Besides this Example of Gods fauour toward his seruantes cōfusion toward their persecutors they went about to sease all their goodes as forfaite waytyng to haue the whole forfayture thereof themselues And for this cause they did not onely incense the Duke with false reportes and with greeuous complayntes and accusations agaynst these poore Waldoys but also pursued the same so long and with such charges that they were fayne to sell their inheritaunce in hope to bring their purpose to passe and to enioy that goodly pray which they thought could not escape their handes But in the ende for their rewarde they got nothyng but shame and confusion And as for the Monkes and Priestes whiche by such meanes thought to aduaunce themselues to bryng their trumpery to estimation they haue lost the litle rule which they had ouer
also conferring with Iohn Frith The causeâ— mouing Tindall to translate the Scripture into the Englishe tongue thought wyth him selfe no way more to conduce therunto then if the Scripture were turned into the vulgar speach that the poore people might also reade and see the simple plaine woord of God For first hee wisely casting in hys minde perceiued by experience how that it was not possible to stablish the lay people in any truth except the Scripture were so plainly layde before theyr eyes in theyr mother tongue that they myght see the processe order and meaning of the text For els what so euer truth shuld be taught them these enemies of the truth would quenche it againe either wyth apparant reasons of Sophistrie and traditions of their own making founded without all ground of Scripture either els iuggling with the text expouÌ„ding it in such a sense as impossible it were to gather of the text if the right processe order meaning thereof were seene Againe right wel he perceiued and considered this only or most chiefly to be y e cause of all mischief in the church Hiding of Scripture the cause of mischiefe that the Scriptures of God were hidden from the peoples eyes For so long the abhominable doings and idolatries maintained by the Pharisaicall Clergie could not be espied and therefore al theyr labour was wyth might maine to keepe it downe so that eyther it should not be red at all or if it were they would darken the right sense with y e misâ— of theyr Sophistrie and so entangle them whych rebuked or despised theyr abhominations wyth arguments of philosophie and with worldly similitudes and apparant reasons of naturall wisedom and with wresting the scripturâ— vnto their owne purpose contrary vnto the processe order and meanyng of the texte woulde so delude them in descanting vppon it with Allegories and amaze them expounding it in many senses layed before the vnlearned lay people that though thou felt in thy hart were sure that all were false that they said yet couldest not thou solue their subtle ridles For these and such other considerations this good man was moued and no doubt styrred vp of God to translate the Scripture into his mother tongue The newe testament and the 5. bookes of Moyses translated with Tindalls prologues for the publicke vtility and profit of the simple vulgar people of the country first setting in hand with the newe Testament whiche he first translated about the yeare of our Lord 1527. After that he tooke in hand to translate the olde Testament finishing the fiue bookes of Moyses with sondry most learned and godly prologues prefixed before euery one most worthy to be read and read againe of all good Christians as the lyke also he did vpon the new Testament Hee wrote also diuers other woorkes vnder sundry titles among the which is that most worthy monument of his intituled The obedience of a Christian man wherin with singulare dexteritie he instructeth all men in the office and duetie of Christian obedience wyth diuers other treatises as The wicked Mammon The practise of Prelates wyth expositions vppon certaine partes of the Scripture and other Bookes also aunswearing to Syr Thom. More and other aduersaries of the truthe no lesse delectable then also most fruitfull to be read which partly before beyng vnknowen vnto many partly also being almost abolished and worne out by time the Printer heereof good Reader for conseruing and restoring such singulare treasures hath collected and set foorth in Print the same in one generall volume all and whole together as also the woorkes of Iohn Frith Barnes and other as are to be seene most special and profitable for thy reading These bookes of W. Tyndal being compiled published sent ouer into England it cannot be spoken what a dore of light they opened to the eies of the whole English nation which before were many yeres shut vp in darkenesse At his first departing out of y e realme he toke his iorny into y e further parts of Germany as into Saxony Tindal weâ—â— into Saxony where he had conference w t Luther and other learned meÌ„ in those quarters Where after y t he had continued a certen season he came down from thence into the netherlands Tindal came to Antwerpe had his most abiding in the town of Antwerp vntil y e time of hys appreheÌ„sioÌ„ wherof more shal be said god willing hereafter Amongst his other bokes which he compiled one work he made also for the declaration of the sacrament as it was then called of the alter the which he kept by him considering how the people were not as yet fully persuaded in other matters tending to superstitious ceremonies grose idolatry Wherefore he thought as yet time was not come to put forth that work but rather that it should hinder the people from other instructions supposing that it woulde seeme to them odious to heare any such thing spoken or set foorth at that time sounding againste their great Goddesse Diana that is againste their Masse being had euery where in great estimation as was the Goddesse Diana amongest the Ephesians whom they thought to come from heauen Wherfore M. Tindall being a man both prudent in his doings and no lesse zealous in the setting foorth of Gods holy truth Tindal bearing with â—yme after such sort as it might take most effect wyth the people did forbeare the putting forth of that work not doubting but by Gods mercifull grace a time shuld come to haue that abhomination openly declared as it is at this present day the Lorde almighty be alwaies praised therefore Amen These godly bookes of Tindall and specially the newe Testament of his translation after that they begaÌ„ to come into mens handes and to spread abroad as they wroughte great and singuler profite to the godly Darckenes hateth light so the vngodly enuying and disdaining that the people should be any thing wiser then they againe fearing least by the shining beames of truth their false hypocrisie workes of darkenesse should be discerned began to stirre with no small ado like as at the birth of Christ Herode al Ierusalem was troubled with him Sathan an enemye to all good purposes especially to the Gospell But especially Sathan the prince of darkenes maligning y e happy course and successe of the Gospel set to his might also how to empeache and hinder y e blessed trauailes of that man as by this and also by sondry other wayes may appeare For at what time Tindall had translated the fift booke of Moises called Deuteronomium minding to Printe the same at Hamborough hee sailed thereward where by the way vpon the coast of Holland he suffred shipwracke by the which he loste all his bookes wrytings and copies and so was compelled to begin al againe a new to his hinderaÌ„ce and doubling of his labors Thus hauing lost by that ship both money his copies and time he
at the Quire dore while the Deane stayd to take holy water and reaching vp his hand as he went pluckt away y t paper with hym The Deane beyng come to hys stall Testwoodâ— taketh downe the blasphemous 〈◊〉 called Testwood vnto him and sayd that he maruelled greatlye how he durst be so bolde to take downe the paper in hys presence Testwood aunswered agayne that he maruelled much more that his maistership would suffer suche a blasphemous paper to be set vp beseeching hym not to be offended with that he had done for he woulde stand vnto it So M. Deane being a timerous man made no more ado with him After this were no mo papers set vp but poore Testwood was eaten and drunken among them at euery meale and an heretike he was and would rost a fagot for this geare one day Now maister Magnus being sore offended with Testwood for pluckyng downe his papers M. 〈◊〉 magnus Idolatra to be reuenged on him deuised with the Deane and the rest of the Canons to send their letters to D. Chamber one of their brethren and the Kings Phisition who lay for the most part at the Court to see what he would do against Testwood Which letters being made were sent with speede But whatsoeuer the cause was Conspiracy of the Priestes of Windsore agaynst Testwood whether he durst not meddle for feare of Cromwell or what els I cannot tell their suite came to none effect Then wyst they not what to do but determined to let the matter sleepe till S. Georges feast whiche was not farre of Now in the meane tyme there chaunced a prety storye betweene one Robert Phillips Gentleman of the Kings Chappel and Testwood Which story though it was but a mery pranke of a singing man yet it greeued his aduersary wonderfully The matter was this Robert Phillips was so notable a singing man wherein he gloryed that wheresoeuer he came the best and longest song with most counteruerses in it shuld be set vp at his commyng A blasphemous Antheme calling the virgin Mary our Sauiour and redeemer And so his chaunce beyng now to be at Windsore agaynst hys comming to the Antheme a long song was set vp called Lauda viui In which song there was one counteruerse toward the end that began on this wise O redemptrix saluatrix Which verse of all other Robert Phillips woulde sing because he knew that Testwood could not abide that dittie Now Testwood knowing his mynd well enough ioyned with him at the other part A mery coâ—â—tention betweene Rob. Philips of the kings chappell and Testwood about O Redemâ—â—â— and Non Redemtriâ— and when he heard Robert Phillips begin to fetch his flourish with O redemptrix saluatrix repeating the same one in anothers neck Testwood was as quicke on the other side to answer hym agayne with Non redemptrix nec saluatrix and so striuyng there with O and Non who should haue the maistrie they made an ende of the verse Whereat was good laughyng in sleeues of some but Robert Phillips with other of Testwoods enimies were sore offended Within 14. dayes after this the Lordes of the Garter as their custome is yearely to doe came to Wyndsore to keepe S. Georges feast at which feast the Duke of Norfolke was President Testwood complayâ—â— of to the olde 〈◊〉 of Northfolke vnto whom the Deane and canons made a greeuous complaint on Testwood Who being called before the Duke he shooke hym vp and all to reuiled hym as though he would haue sent him to hangyng by by Yet neuerthelesse Testwood so behaued himselfe to the Duke that in the ende he let hym go without any further molestyng of hym to the great discomfort of the Deane and Canons Here haue ye heard the causes which moued Testwoods enemies to seeke his destruction and coulde not attayne their purpose till that wicked Aman D. London came as shall be shewed in the processe followyng The originall of Henry Filmers trouble ABout the yeare of our Lord 1541. after all the orders of superstitious and beggyng Friers were suppressed and put downe there chaunced one Sir Thomas Melster which had bene a Frier before and changed his Friers coat but not his Friers hart to be Uicare of Wyndsore This priest on a tyme made a Sermon to his Parishioners in the which he declared so many fond and Frierish tales Fryer Melster Vicar of Windsor as that our Lady should hold out her brests to S. Bernard and spout her milke into his eyes with such like festiuall tales that many honest men were offended therwith and specially this Henry Filmer then one of the Church wardens 〈◊〉 Lady 〈◊〉 in S. Bernardes eyes who was so zelous to gods word that he could not abide to heare the glory of Christ so defaced with superstitious fables Whereupon he tooke an honest man or two with him and went to the priest with whom he talked so honestly and so charitably that in the ende the Priest gaue him hartie thanks and was content at hys gentle admonition to reforme himselfe without any more ado and so departed frendly the one from the other Now was there one in the towne called W. Symons a Lawyer as is aforesayd who hearyng that Filmer had bene with the Priest and reproued him for his Sermon tooke pepper in the nose and gat him to the Uicar and did so animate him in his doings that he slipped quite away from the promise he had made to Filmer and followed the mynd of Symons who meeting with Filmer afterward all to reuiled him Simons the Lawyer agaynst Filmer saying he would bring him before the bishop to teach him to be so malapert Then Filmer hearing the matter renewed which he had thought had bene suppressed stood against Symons and said that the Uicar had preached false and vnsound doctrine and so would he say to the Bishop whensoeuer he came before hym Then Symons slipt not the matter but went to the Mayor and procured of him and his brethren a letter signed with their own hands in the priests fauour Simons complaineth of Filmer to D. Capon Bishop of Sarum as much as could be deuised and so prepared himselfe with other his frendes to go to the bishop whose name was D. Capon and to take the priest with them which was a paynfull iourney for the sely poore man by reason he had a sore leg Now Filmer hearing how Simons went about to put him to a foile consulted with his frends what was best to do who concluded to draw out certain notes of the vicars Sermon and to prepare themselues to be at Salisbury as soone as Symons or before hym if it might bee possible Thus both the parties being in a readines it chanced theÌ„ to set forth of Windsore all in one day But by reason the Priest beyng an impotent man could not endure to ride very fast Filmer and his company gate to the towne an houre and
to deathe and that by an Assise for violatinge as was alleaged the Acte of Parliament in reasoning and conferrynge vppon Scriptures for eating flesh vppon dayes forbidden for interrupting the holy frier in the pulpitte for dishonouryng of Images and blaspheming of the virgine Mary as they alleaged After sentence geuen theyr handes were bounde and the men cruelly entreated Which thing the woman beholding desired likewise to be bounde by the sergeantes with her husband for Christes sake There was great intercession made by the Towne in the meane season for the lifâ— of these persones aforenamed to the Gouernour who of him self was willing so to haue done that they myght haue bene deliuered But the Gouernour was so subiect to the appetite of the cruel priestes that he could not do that which he would Yea they manaced to assist his ennemies and to depose him except he assisted their crueltie There were certaine priestes in the Citie who did eate and drinke before in these honest mens houses to whoÌ„ the priestes were much bounden These priestes were earnestly desired to entreate for their hostesse at the Cardinalles handes but they altogether refused desiring rather theyr death then preseruation So cruell are these beastes from the lowest to the highest Then after they were caried by a great band of armed men for they feared rebellion in the towne except they had theyr men of warre to the place of execution whych was common to all theeues that to make their cause appeare more odious to the people Robert Lambe at the gallowes foote made his exhortation to the people desiring them to feare God and leaue the leauen of Papisticall abominations The Marâ—tyrdome 〈◊〉 these 〈◊〉 manifestly there prophesyed of the ruine and plague whych came vpon the Cardinall thereafter So euerye one comforting an other and assuring them selues to sup together in the kingdome of heauen that night commended themselues to God and died constantly in the Lord. The woman desired earnestly to die with her husband but shee was not suffered yet folowing him to the place of execution shee gaue him comfort exhorting hym to perseueraunce and pacience for Christes sake and parting from him with a kisse sayd on this maner Husband reioyce for we haue liued together many ioyful dayes but this day in which we must die ought to be most ioyfull to vs both because we must haue ioy for euer Therefore I will not bid you good night for we shall sodainely meete with ioy in the kingdome of heauen The woman after was taken to a place to be drowned and albeit she had a child sucking on her brest yet this moued nothing the vnmercifull hearts of the enemies So after she had commended her children to the neighbors of the towne for Gods sake and the sucking barne was geuen to the nurse she sealed vp the truth by her death Ex Registris instrumentis à Scotia missis * The condemnation of M. George Wiseheart Gentleman who suffered Martyrdome for the faith of Christ Iesus at saint Andrewes in Scotland An. 1546. Marche 1. wyth the Articles obiected againste him and his answeares to the same WIth most tender affection and vnfained heart consider gentle Reader the vncharitable manner of y e accusation of M. George Wiseheart Anno 1546 made by y e bloudy enemies of Christs faith Note also the articles whereof he was accused by order digested and hys meeke answeares The exaâ—â—ation of George 〈◊〉 so farre as he had leaue and leisure to speake Finally ponder with no dissembling spirite the furious rage and tragicall cruelnes of the malignant Church in persecuting of thys blessed man of God and of the contrary hys humble pacient and most godly answeres made to them sodainly without all feare not hauing respect to their glorious manasings and boysterous threats but charitably and wythout stop answearing not moouing his countenaunce nor changing his visage as in his accusation hereafter folowing manifestly shall appeare But before I enter into his Articles I thoughte it not impertinent somewhat to touche concerning the life and conuersation of this godlye man according as of late came to my handes certified in wryting by a certaine scholler of hys sometime named Emerey Tylney whose wordes of testimoniall as he wrote them to me here folow Aboute the yeare of oure Lorde a thousande fiue hundreth fortie and thre there was in the vniuersitie of Cambridge one maister George Wiseheart commonlye called maister George of Bennettes Colledge who was a man of talle stature polled headed and on the same a rounde Frenche cappe of the best Iudged of Melancholye complexion by his Phisiognomie blacke heared long â—earded comelye of personnage well spoken after his countrey of ScotlaÌ„d courteous lowly louely glad to teach desirous to learn was wel traueled hauing on him for his habit or clothing neuer but a mantell friese gowne to the showes a blacke Millian fustian dowblet and plaine blacke hosen course newe canuesse for his Shirtes and whyte fallinge Bandes and Cuffes at the handes All the whych Apparell hee gaue to the poore some weekelye some monethly some quarterlye as hee liked sauing hys Frenche cappe whyche hee kepte the whole yeare of my being with hym Hee was a manne modest temperate fearinge God hatinge Couetousnesse For his Charitie had neuer ende nyghte noone nor daye hee forbare one meale in three one daye in foure for the moste parte except somethyng to comforte nature Hee lay harde vppon a pouffe of straw course newe canuesse Sheetes whyche when hee chaunged hee gaue awaye hee hadde commonly by his beddes side a tubbe of water In the whyche hys people being in hedde the candell puâ—te out and all quiet he vsed to bathe hymselfe as I being very yong being assured often heard him and in one light nighte descerned hym hee loued mee tenderly and I him for my age as effectually He taught wyth great modestie and grauitie so that some of his people thought hym seuere and woulde haue slaine hym but the Lorde was hys defence And hee after due correction for their malice by good exhortation amended them and he went hys way O that the Lord hadde left hym to me his poore boye that hee might haue finished that he hadde begonne For in his Religion he was as you see heere in the rest of hys life when he went into Scotland with diuers of the Nobilitie that came for a treatie to kinge Henry the eighte Hys learning no lesse sufficient then his desire alwayes prest and readye to doe good in that hee was able bothe in the house priuately and in the Schoole publikely professing and reading diners authours If I shoulde declare hys loue to mee and all menne hys Charitie to the poore in geuinge relieuinge caringe helpinge prouidinge yea infinitelye studyinge howe to doe good vnto all and hurte to none I shoulde sooner wante woordes then iuste cause to commende All thys I testifie wyth my whole heart and trueth of thys Godly manne
bishop of Rome should sodainly arriue in some place of England eyther driuen by tempest or of purpose to do hurt ye should see such order kept by firing of their Becons as hath already bene written vnto you by our letters to repulse the same in so good aray as you can as we do not doubt but you will for the safegard of your countrey so that the enemy shall haue little ioy of his comming and for that purpose you shall see diligently that men haue horse harnesse and other furniture of weapon ready according to the Statutes and good orders of the realme and the kings maiesties commandements And so for this tyme ye may depart What zealous care was in this yong kyng and in the L. Protector his vncle Tâ—e singular zeale of king Edward and his Vncle in reforming religion concerning reformatioÌ„ of Christes Church and sincere religion by these Iniunctions letters precepts and exhortations as well to the bishops as to y e Iustices of the realme aboue premised it may right well appeare Wherby we haue to note not so much the careful diligence of the king and his learned counsaile as the lingering slacknes and drawing backe on the other side of diuers the said Iustices and Lawyers but especially of Bishops The slacknes of Popish Curates in furthering the kinges proceedinges and old popish curates by whose cloked contempt wilfull winkyng and stubburne disobedience the booke of common prayer was long after the publishing therof eyther not knowen at all or els very irreuerently vsed thoroughout many places of this realme Which when y e king by complaint of diuers perfectly vnderstood beyng not a little agreued to see the godly agrement of the learned the willyng consent of the Parliament and his graces owne zealous desire to take so small effect among his subiects decreed presently with the aduise of his whole Counsaile agayne to write vnto all the bishops of his realme for spedy and diligent redresse therin willing and commanding them therby that as well they themselues should thenceforth haue a more speciall regard to the due executioÌ„ of the premisses as also that all others within their seuerall precincts and iurisdiction should by their good instructions willing example be the more oftener and with better deuotion mooued to vse and frequent the same As further appeareth by the contents of hys letter here ensuyng ¶ Another letter directed by the King and hys Counsaile to Boner Bish. of London partly rebuking hym of negligence partly chargyng hym to see to the better settyng out of the seruice booke within his Diocesse RIght reuerend father in God right trusty and welbeloued we greete you well An other letter to Boner Byshop of London and where as after great and serious debating and long conference of the bishops and other graue and well learned men in the holy Scriptures one vniforme order for common prayers and administration of the Sacramentes hath bene and is most godly set forth not only by the common agreement and full assent of the nobilitie and Commons of the late Session of our late Parliament but also by the lyke assent of the bishops in the same Parliament and of all others the learned mâ— of this our realme in their Synodes and conuocations prouinciall Like as it was much to our comfort to vnderstand the godly trauaile then diligently willingly taken for the true openyng of things mentioned in the sayd booke whereby the true seruice and honour of almighty God and the right ministration of the Sacraments beyng well and sincerely set forth accordyng to the Scriptures vse of the primatiue church much idolatry vayne superstition great and slanderous abuses be taken away so it is no small occasion of sorow vnto vs to vnderstand by the complaints of many that our sayd booke so much traueled for also sincerely set forth as is aforesaid remayneth in many places of this our realme eyther not knowen at all or not vsed or at the least if it be vsed very seldome The kinges booke neglected and that in such light and irreuerent sort as the people in many places either haue herd nothing or if they heare they neither vnderstand nor haue that spirituall delectation in the same that to good christians appertaineth The fault wherof lyke as we must of reason impute to you and other of your vocation called by God thorough our appointment to haue due respect to this and such lyke matters so consideryng that by these and such like occasions our louyng subiectes remaâ—ne yet still in their old blyndnes and superstitious errors and in some places in an irreligious forgetfulnes of God wherby his wrath may be prouoked vpon vs and them and remembring with all that amongst other cures committed to our princely charge we thinke this the greatest to see the glory and true seruice of hym maintained extolled by whose clemency we knowledge our selues to haue all that we haue we could not but by aduise and consent of our deerest vncle Edward duke of Somerset gouernour of our person and protector of our realme dominions and subiects and the rest of our priuy counsaile Anno 1549. admonish you of the premisses Wherein as it had bene your office to haue vsed an earnest diligence and to haue preferred the same in all places within your Diocesse as the case required so haue we thought good to pray and require you Boners neâ—â—ligence noted and neuerthelesse straightly to charge and commaund you that from henceforth ye haue an earnest and speciall regard to the reduce of these things so as the Curates may do their dueties more often and in more reuerent sort the people be occasioned by the good aduises and examples of your selfe your Chauncellor Archdeacons and other inferior ministers to come with oftener and more deuotioÌ„ to their sayd common prayers to geue thanks to God and to be pertakers of the most holy Communion Wherein shewyng your selfe diligent and geuyng good example in your owne person you shall both discharge your duty to the great pastor to whom we all haue to accompt and also do vs good seruice and on the other side if we shall hereafter these our letters and commaundement notwithstandyng haue eftsoones complaint and finde the lyke faults in your dioces we shall haue iust cause to impute the fault thereof and of all that ensue thereof vnto you and consequently be occasioned therby to see otherwyse to the redresse of these things wherof we would be sory And therfore we do eftsoones charge and commaund you vpon your allegiance to loke well vpon your duety herein as ye tender our pleasure Geuen vnder our signet at our Manor of Richmond the 23. of Iuly the 3. yeare of our raigne 1549. The B. of London among the rest of the bishops receiuyng these letters did as alwayes tofore in outward shew willingly accept the same and therfore immediately with the sayd letters directed this his precept
Iusticer spare of dyet sparer of words sparest of time In housekeping very liberall and sometime more free then his liuing would extend vnto Briefly of all those vertues and qualities required of S. Paul in a good B. in his epistle to Timothe I know not one in this good B. lacking He bare in countenauÌ„ce talke alwayes a certayn seuere graue grace which might peraduenture be wished sometimes to haue bene a little more populare and vulgarlike in him but he knewe what he had to doe best himselfe This by the way I thought to note for that there was once an honest Citizen to me not vnknowne which hauing in himselfe a certaine coÌ„flict of conscience came to his doore for couÌ„sell but being abashed at his austere behauior durst not come in but departed seking remedy of his trobled minde at other mens hands which he afterward by y e help of almighty God did finde obtayn Therefore in my iudgement such as are appointed made gouernours ouer y e flock of Christ to teach and instruct them ought so to frame their life maners Discretioâ— how minâ—â—sters and preacherâ— ought to behaue themseluâ—â— countenaunce and externall behauiour as neither they shew themselues to familiar light whereby to be brought in contempt nor in the other side agayn that they appeare more lofty and rigorous then appertayneth to the edifiyng of the simple flocke of Christ. Neuertheles as euery maÌ„ hath his peculiar gift wrought in him by nature so this disposition of fatherly grauitie in this man neither was excessiue neither did hee beare that personage which was in him without great consideratioÌ„ For it seemed to him peraduenture that this licencious and vnbrideled life of the common sorte ought to be chastened not onely with wordes and discipline but also with the graue and seuere countenaunce of good men After he had thus practised himself in this popular and common kinde of preaching at length and that not wythout the great profite of many he was called to preache before the kinges maiestie and soone after made Bishop of Gloucester by the kinges commaundement M. Hooâ—â—â— made Biâ—shop of Glocesteâ— and Worâ—cester In that office he continued two yeares and behaued himself so wel that his very enemies except it were for his good doings and sharpe correcting of sinne could finde no fault with hym and after that he was made Bishop of Worcester But I cannot tell what sinister vnlucky contention concerning the ordering and consecration of Bishops and of their apparell with suche other like trifles began to disturbe y e good lucky beginning of this godly byshop For notwithstanding that godly reformation of religion then begon in the church of England besides other ceremonies more ambitious then profitable or tending to edification they vsed to weare suche garmentes and apparrell as the popish Bishops were wont to doe first a Chymere Popish aâ—â—tyre vnder that a white Rochet then a Mathematicall cap wyth iiij angles deuiding the whole world into foure partes These trifles tending more to superstition theÌ„ otherwyse as he could neuer abide so in no wise could he be perswaded to weare them For this cause he made supplication to the kings maiestie most humbly desiring his highnes eyther to discharge him of the bishopricke or els to dispense with him for such ceremoniall orders Whose petition the kyng graunted immediately writyng his letter to the Archb. after this tenour ¶ The Kings letters or grant for the dispensation of Iohn Hooper elected B. of Gloucester written to the Archbishop of Caunterbury and other Bishops RIght reuerend father and right trusty and welbeloued wee greete you well Whereas we by the aduise of our Counsail haue called and chosen our right welbeloued and well worthy M Iohn Hooper professor of Diuinitie to be our B. of Glocester as well for his great knowledge deepe iudgement and long study both in the scriptures and other prophane learnyng as also for his good discretion ready vtteraunce and honest life for that kynd of vocation to the intent all our louing subiects which are in his sayd charge and elsewhere might by his sound and true doctrine learne the better their duety towards God theyr obedience towards vs and loue towards their neighbors from consecrating of whom we vnderstand you do stay because he would haue you omit and let passe certayne rites and ceremonies offensiue to his conscience wherby ye thynke you should fall in Premunire of lawes we haue thought good by the aduise aforesaid to dispense and discharge you of all maner of dangers penalties and forfaitures you should run and be in any maner of way by omitting any of the same And these our letters shall be your sufficient warrant and discharge therfore Yeuen vnder our signet at our Castell of Wyndsore the 5. of August the 4. yeare of our raigne Ed. Somerset W. Wiltshire W. North. W. Paget An. Wingfield N. Wootton Besides this letter of the kyng also the Earle of Warwicke which was afterward D. of Northumberland adioined his letter to the foresayd Archb. of Cant. to this purpose and effect that M. Hooper might not be burdened with the oth vsed then commonly in the consecratioÌ„ of bishops which was against his conscience as by the purport of the letter here is to be seene as followeth A letter of the Earle of Wâ—â—wicke to 〈◊〉 Archb. in the behalfe of M. Hooper AFter my most harty commendatioÌ„s to your grace these may be to desire the same that in such reasonable things wherein this bearer my L. elect of Glocester craueth to be borne withall at your hands you would with safe to shew him your graces fauour the rather at this my instaunce which thyng partly I haue taken in hand by the kyngs Maiesties owne motion The matter is wayed by his highnes none other but that your grace may facily condescend vnto The principal cause is that you would not charge this said bearer wiâ—h an oth burdenous to his conscience And so for lacke of tyme I commit your grace to the tuition of almighty God From Westm. the 23. of Iuly 1550. Your graces most assured louing friend I. Warwike ¶ Both this graunt of the King and also the Earles letters aforesayd notwithstandyng the bishops still stoode earnestly in the defence of the foresayd ceremonies sayeng it was but a small matter and that the fault was in the abuse of the thyngs and not in the thyngs themselues adding moreouer that he ought not to be so stubburne in so light a matter The kinges 〈◊〉 noâ— the Earles â—ould take 〈◊〉 Dâ—scorde 〈◊〉 rituall gâ—â—ments of 〈◊〉 M. Hooper 〈…〉 to the â—iâ—hops M Hooper â—â—â—pelled to preach before the 〈…〉 and that his wilfulnesse therein was not to be suffered To be short whilest both parties thus contended about this matter more then reason would in the meane tyme occasion was geuen as to the true Christians to lament so to the
they which hate me may see it and be ashamed because thou Lord hast helped me and comforted me Neare vnto the stake was a litle hill vpon the top wherof were pitched vp foure staâ—es quadrangle wise with a couering round about like a pulpit into the which place as Wade was thus praying at y e stake entred a Frier wyth a booke in his hand whoÌ„ when Wade espied he cried earnestly vnto y e people to take hede of the doctrine of the whore of Babilon exhorting them to imbrace the doctrine of the gospel preached in K. Edward his daies Whom the sheriffe thus speaking to the people often interrupted saying be quiet Wade and die pacieÌ„tly I am sayde hee I thanke God quiet Maister Sheriffe and so trust to die All this while the Frier stoode still looking ouer the couerlet as though he woulde haue vttered somewhat but Wade very mightily admonished y e people to beware of that doctrine whiche when the Frier perceiued whether he were amased or coulde haue no audience of the people withdrewe himselfe oute of the place immediately wythoute speaking anye woorde and went awaye downe to the Towne Then the Reedes being sette about hym he pulled them and imbraced them in his armes alwayes with his handes making a hole against his face that his voyce might be heard which they perceiuing that were hys tormentours alwaye caste fagottes at the same hole whych notwythstanding he still as he coulde put off his face being hurte with the ende of a fagotte cast thereat Then sire being putte vnto him he cried vnto God often Lorde Iesus receiue my soule wythout any token or signe of impaciencie in the fire till at lengthe after the fire was once throughly kindled he was hearde no man speake still holding hys handes vp ouer hys head together towardes heauen euen when he was dead and altogether rosted as though they had bene stayed vppe wyth a proppe standing vnder them Thys signe did God shewe vppon hym whereby his very ennemies might perceiue that God had according to hys prayer shewed such a token vppon hym euen to their shame and confusion And this was the order of this godly Martyrs execution thys was his ende Whereby God seemed to confound and strike with the spirit of dumbnes the Frier that Locuste which was risen vp to haue spoken against hym and also no lesse woonderfully susteined those handes which he lifted vp to him for coÌ„fort in his torment Spectatores praesentes Richardus Fletcher pater nunc Minister Ecclesiae Crambroke Richardus Fletcher filius Minister Ecclesiae Riensis The apprehension examination condemnation and burning of Diricke Caruer and Iohn Launder who suffered martyrdome for the testimonie of Christes Gospell THe 22. day of this moneth of Iuly was burned at Lewes within the Countie of Sussex one Diricke Caruer late of the parish of Brighthamsted in the same Countie And the next day being the 23. day of the same moneth was also burned at Steuing an other named Ihon Lander late of Godstone in the Countie of Surrey Whych 2. men were w t others about the ende of the moneth of October An. 1554. apprehended by Edwarde Gage Gentleman as they were at prayer within the dwelling house of the said Diricke and by him were sent vp vnto the Queenes Counsaile Who after examination sent them as prisoners to Newgate there to attende the leisure of Boner Bishop of London From whence vpon the Bishops receipte of a letter from the Lorde Marques of Winchester now Lord Treasurer they were brought by the keeper of the prison the 8. of Iune next after into the bishops chamber at his house in LoÌ„don and there being examined vpon diuers poynts of religion they made their seueral confessions subscribing and signing them with theyr owne hands Which being read the Bishop obiected vnto them certaine other Articles causing them to sweare truely and directly to aunswere thereunto whiche Articles they confessed to be true referring them selues chiefly to theyr former confessions This done after long perswasions and faire exhortations they were demaunded whether they would stand to their aunsweres To whom Launder sayde I will neuer goe from these answeres so long as I liue The other also confirmed the same and therfore they were commanded to appeare againe before the Bishoppe in the Consistorie at Paules the 10. day of the same moneth nexte followynge Which articles and confessions wyth the afore mencioned letter do here ensue A letter sent from the Marques of Winchester Lord Treasurer vnto Boner B. of London touching the examination of the said prisoners AFter my right harty commendations to your good Lordship I shall not forget your liuerie of blacke against this time no more I shall maister Deane to whom I wrote to make the sermon who must now assuredly do it for my L. of Chichester cannot attend it To whom I haue geuen like knowledge by my letter now sent and your Lordshippe must commaund the Sextens of youre church to be in readines for ringing in the time of seruice And if ye be not furnished with blacke apparell for the aultar and for the Priest Deacon and Subdeacon I must haue knowledge therof that it be taken of the Queenes stuffe whereof I pray you let me be aduertised And ye haue sent Bradford to Newgate as a man determined of heresie before you but as I perceiue ye haue not sent me a Significauit and therfore you must send me one that I may procede with him and that shal I do assone as I am answeared of you There be diuers like prisonners that came from Sussex that be not yet examined before you lying nowe in Newgate whych must be examined by you since they be come to London and so I pray you they may be and I certified of your proceedings that I may follow which I shall doe thanking your Lordship heartely for my Conies trusting to recoÌ„pence your Lordship again shortly with twise as many From my house this 7 of Iune 1555. Your louing friend Winchester The Confession of Diricke Caruer before Boner Bishop of London DIricke Caruer bearebrewer of Brighthamsted Diricke Caruer his confession in the countie of Sussex where he hathe dwelled by the space of 8. or 9. yeares borne in the village of Dilson by Stockome in the land of Luke 40. yeres of age or thereabout and nowe prisoner in Newgate where he hath remained and continued at the Counsailes commaundement since Alhollowne day last past being examined concerning hys faith and beliefe in the sacrament of the altar The materiall substance of the Sacrament denyed to be the body of Christ really sayeth that he hath doth beleue that the very substance of the body and bloud of Christ is not in the sayd Sacrament that there is no other substaunce remaining in the said sacrament after the woordes spoken by the Priest but onely the substance of bread and wine Item being examined concerning the Masse in Latin now
take aduise what in such an extremitie Deliberation among the Waldois how to defend and how not to defend themselues were best to do In the ende they determined that for certeine daies folowing there should be kept a generall fast and y e Sonday after a coÌ„munion Also that they should not defend themselues by force of armes but that euery one should withdraw himselfe into the high mountaines and euery one to cary away such goods as he was able to beare and if their enemies pursued them thether then to take such aduise and counsel as it pleased God to geue them This Article of not defendyng themselues seemed very strange to the people being driuen to such an extremity and y e cause being so iust But yet euery one begaÌ„ to cary their goods and vitailes into the mountaynes and for the space of eight dayes all the wayes were filled wyth commers and goers to the mountaines like vnto Ants in Sommer which prouide for winter All this did they in this great perplexitie danger with a wonderful courage and cherefulnes praising of God and singing of Psalmes and euery one coÌ„forting an other Briefly they went with such ioy and alacritie that you should not haue seene any which grudged to leaue their houses and faire possessions but were wholy determined patiently to abide the good pleasure of God and also to dye if he had so appoynted Whether subiects for religioÌ„ may stand to their owne defence A few dayes after certeyne other Ministers hearyng what they of Angrongne Luserne had concluded wrote vnto them that this resolution seemed very straunge to some that they ought not to defend themselues against the violence of their enemies alleadging many reasons that in such an extremitie and necessitie it was lawful for them so to do especially the quarell being so iust that is for the defence of true Religion and for the preseruation of theyr owne liues and the liues of theyr wiues and children knowing that it was the Pope and hys Ministers which were the cause of all these troubles and cruell warres and not the Duke The AngronyaÌ„s refuse to heare masse Who was stirred vp thereunto onely by their instigations Wherefore they might well and wyth good conscience withstand such furious and outragious violence For the proofe heereof they also alleadged certeine examples During this season the Lorde of Angrongne named Charles de Comptes of Luserne laboured earnestly by al meanes possible to cause them of Angrongne to coÌ„descend to the Dukes pleasure sollicited them to send away their Ministers promising that he woulde cause a Masse to be song at Angrongne and that the people should not be coÌ„pelled to be present thereat hoping that by that means the Dukes wrath would be appeased The chief of AngroÌ„gne thereupon were assembled and made this answere that if the Duke would permit them to choose other Ministers they were content to send away their forreine ministers straungers But as touching the Masse hys hyghnes might well cause it to be song in their parishes but they for their part could not with safe consciences be present at the same nor yet geue their consent vnto it The xxij of October the sayde Lord of Angrongne went from Luserne to Mondeuis where he was then gouernour for the Duke and sent for the chiefe Rulers of Angrongne at seuerall times declaryng vnto them the great perils and daungers wherewith they were enuironed the army beyng alreadie at hande yet promising them if they woulde submitte themselues vnto hym he would send immediately to stay the armye They of Angrongne aunswered that they all determined to stande to that which they two dayes before in theyr assemble had put in writing With thys aunswer he seemed at that present to be content The next day the rumor was that they of Angrongne had submitted themselues to the Duke On the morrow whiche was Sonday you should haue seene nothing but weeping and mourning in Angrongne The Sermon being ended the Rulers were called before the ministers and the people The determination answere of the Angronians was falsified the whiche affirmed that they wholy cleaued vnto their former writing and they sent secretly to the Notary for the copie of that which was passed in the counsaile house at their last assemble before the Lord de Comptes in the whiche was comprised that Angrongne had wholy submitted hirselfe to the good pleasure of the Duke The people hearing that were sore astonished and protested rather to dye then obey the same and therevpon it was agreed that at that very instant albeit it were very late certayne should be sent to the Lorde of Angrongne to signifie vnto him that the determination of the Councell was falsified and that it might please him the next morning to come to Angrongne to heare the voyces of the people not onely of the men but also of the women and children But he himselfe went not thyther hauing intelligence of the vprore but sente thyther the Iudge of that place Then that which had bene falsified was duly corrected the Iudge laying all the blame vpon the Notary During this time the aduersaries cryed out through all the Countrey of Piemont To the fire wyth them Open procclamatioÌ„ against Angrongne to the fire with them The Thursday after Angrongne by proclamations and writings set vp in euery place was exposed to the fire and sworde On Friday after being the seconde of Nouember the army approched to the borders of the valley of Luserne and certayne horsemen came to a place called S. Iohn a little beneath Angrongne Then the people retired into y e mountaines Certaine of S. Iohn perceiuing that the horsemen not only spoiled their goods but also tooke their felowes prisoners set vpon them It is not certayne what number of the enemies were there slayne but sodenly they retired to Bubiane where theyr campe then was and not one of them of S. Iohn was slayne or hurt It happened at the same tyme that two of the foresaide horsemen beeing sore amased galoped before the rest towards the army being ready to march towards Angrongne crying they come they come At whose cry the whole armye was so astonished Senacharâ—b flyeth from the face of Israell that euery man fled his way and they were all so scattered that the Captaines that day were not able to bring them in order againe and yet no creature folowed them On the Saterday in the morning the army mustered in the medowe grounde of S. Iohn neare to Angrongne They of Angrongne had sent certaine to keepe y e passages and stoppe the armye that they shoulde not enter if it were possible In the meane season the people retyred into the medowe of Tower and little thought of the comming of the army so soone or that they would haue made such a sodeine assault for they were yet carying of victuals and other stuffe so that few of them kept the passages Now
suffered theyr enemies to approche neare to the Bulwarke without any gunshot or other defence whereat the enemies much marueiled But when they were euen at hand they fell vppon them some with throwing of stones some wyth rollynge downe mighty stones some with harquebushes Behold the Artillary of this simple people with what weapoÌ„s they fought There was a huge stone rolled downe whych passed throughout y e whole army and slue diuers The souldiers at that time had wonne a litle cotage neare to the said bulwark which did much hurt to the poore men But among them one deuised to roll downe a great huge stone against the cottage which so shooke it and amased the soldiors that they thought they had bene all destroyed and incontinent they fled and neuer would enter into it againe Then the souldiors made certaine fences of woode fiue foote long three foote broade and of the thicknesse of three boardes but they were so sore vexed w t the shot of the harquebushes that they were faine to lay al those fences aside The miners also made others of earth for the souldiours But al these policies of the enemies auailed them nothing for the slaughter was so great that in diuers places you might haue sene three lyâ—ng dead one vpon an other God so wrought wyth the poore Christians that the shot of two harquebushes slewe foure men It was sayd for a certaintie that the shot of an harquebush came so neare the Lorde of Trinities heade that it brake a wande which he bare in his hand and made him to retire six score pases backward The Lord of Trinitye with his army driuen backe and seeing his soldiors in suche great numbers murthered wounded on euery side he wept bitterly Then hee retired the rest of his army That day he thought assuredly to haue entred into the medowe of Tour. Moreouer he was determined if that dayes iourney had not succeeded to encampe therby and the next morning very early to renewe the assault Many gentlemeÌ„ and others came thither to see the discomfiture of the pore Waldois and likewise those of the Plaine looked for nothing but to heare y e piteous ruine and desolation of thys poore people But God disposed it otherwise For the Lorde of Trinitie had muche adoe to saue himselfe and his and seeing the mischiefe which they intended to do vnto others was fallen nowe vppon their owne heads they were wonderfully astonished They of y e plaine also when they saw the number of the dead bodies the wounded to be so great for from noone vntil the euening The papistes astonished and dismayde on euery side by the wonderfull iudgement of God they ceased not to cary them away were likewise exceedingly dismaied Albeit they caried not away al for ther were many that lay nere to the bulwarks whiche the people couered with winding sheetes the next morning The souldiers them selues confessed to them of the medowe of Tour that if they had pursued them they had ben al slain they were so tired and cleane out of heart Many marueiled why the people did not followe the army but especially the souldiers seeing the great discomfiture which they had done and that they had gotten suche vantage of them already But this was done for two causes The one was because they had alredy determined not to folow the army being once retired Gods people auoyde the shedding of bloud to auoid the effusion of bloud meaning onely to defend them selues The other cause was for that they were weary and had speÌ„t all theyr munition For many of them had shot of about 30. times and none of them vnder tweÌ„ty spending great store bothe of pellets and haileshot The rest of the army retired crying with a loude voyce God fighteth for them and we doe them wrong The next day one of the principal captaines of the army surrendred his charge to the L. of Trinitie saying vnto him that he would neuer fight against this people anye more and vpon that he departed It is a maruelous thing and worthy of perpetual memorie that in y e combate there were but two of the Waldoys slaine and two hurt Thorow y e whole countrey of Piemont euery man sayde God fighteth for them One of the Captaines confessed that hee had bene at many fierce assaultes and combates and sundry battailes wel fought but yet he neuer sawe souldiers so faint hearted and amased yea the souldiours themselues told him they wer so astonished God fighteth for his people that they could not stryke Moreouer they sayde that thys people neuer shotte but they hurte or killed some of the Souldiours Some other sayd that the ministers by their prayers coniured and bewitched them that they could not fight and in dede wonderful is it and maruellous are the iudgements of God that notwithstanding so many combates and conflicts so great assaults and aduentures so much so terrible shot continually made against this poore people yet all in a maner came to no effecte So mightily Gods holy power wrought for his people In so much that for al y e sayd combates skirmishes and so many conflicts of all the Angrongnians there were but 9. only that miscaried and the whole number of those that were slaine were but only 14. persons Onely 14. of all the Waldoys slaine in all these conflictes Where also is to be noted not without great admiration how few there were and those also but poore sely shepherds and neatherds to encounter w t such a mighty power of so strong and braue souldiours comming against them with weapon and armor being so well furnished and appoynted with munition as they were in all poynts accordingly and the other on the contrary side being vnarmed and vnprouided of all habiliment of warre hauing for their defence for the most parte nothing els but slings and stones and a fewe harquebushes The 9. day of Marche there was a hotte skirmishe at Angrongne For 3. companies of souldiours went to Angrongne to burn and spoile all that remained to destroy the wines which were hidden in the grounde Where amongest themselues they mocked flouted the poore people saying these Lutherane Waldoys are valiant felowes behinde their bulwarkes but if they had bene in the plain field they had bene wel canuased After this it chanced that 30. of the Waldoys weÌ„t and assailed these foresayd companies in the plain field An other skirmishe betweene the enemies and the AngroÌ„gniaÌ„s They fought a long season and that so neere that some of them fought hande to hande In this conflict one of those of Angrongne wrestled w t a captaine of the enemies strong and mighty and cast him downe vpon the ground Many of the souldiours were slayne and many hurt But of y e Angronians there was but one slaine and an other hurt a little which notwithstaÌ„ding gaue not ouer to fight manfully Then the souldiours seing the losse of their men
proceedings called before them all the Iustices of peace where was vttered vnto them by the Lord Rich then Lord Chauncellour an eloquent and learned admonition the tenor whereof ensueth IT hath bene vsed and accustomed before this tyme to call at certayne tymes the Iustices of peace before the Kings Maiesties Counsaile An exhortation or adâ—onition vnto the Iustices of peace to geue vnto them admonition or warnyng diligently as is their dutie to looke to the obseruing of such thyngs as be committed to theyr charges according to the trust which the Kinges Maiestie hath in them Howbeit now at this tyme we call you before vs not onely of custome but rather of necessitie For hearyng daily and perceiuing of necessitie as we do the great negligence and the little heed which is taken and geuen to the obseruyng of the good and wholesome lawes and orders in this realme wherupon much disorder doth daily ensue and the kings maiesties proclamations and orders taken by the Counsaile as we are aduertised not executed the people are brought to disobedience and in a maner all his Maiesties study and ours in setting a good and most godly stay to the honour of God and the quiet of the Realme is spent in vayne and come to nothing The which as we haue great hope and trust not to be altogether so yet so much as it is and so much as it lacketh of keepyng the Realme in a most godly order and stay we must needes impute and lay the fault thereof in you which are the Iustices of peace in euery Shiere to whom we are woont to direct our writinges and to whose trust and charge the Kings Maiestie hath committed the execution of all hys Proclamations of hys actes of Parliament and of hys lawes We are informed that many of you are so negligent and so slacke herein that it doth appeare you do look rather Iustices slacke in furthering of Religion as it were through your fingers then diligently see to the execution of the sayd lawes and Proclamations For if you would according to your duties to your othe to the trust which the kinges Maiesty hath in you geue your diligeÌ„ce and care toward the execution of the same most godly Statutes and Iniunctions there should no disobedience nor disorder nor euill rule be begon or arise in any part of the realme but it should by and by be repressed kept downe reformed But it is feared and the thing it selfe geueth occasion therto that diuers of you do not onely not set forth but rather hinder so much as lyeth in you the Kings maiesties procedinges and are content that there should arise some disobedience and that meÌ„ should repine against godly orders set forth by his maiesty you do so slackly looke to the execution of the same So that in some shyres which be further off it may appeare that the people haue neuer heard of diuers of his maiestyes proclamations or if they haue heard you are content to wincke at it to neglect it so that it is all one as though it were neuer commaunded But if you do consider and remember your dueties first to almighty God and then to the Kings maiestie the wealth of the whole realme the safegard of your owne selues you must needes see that except such orders as the kings Maiestie hath set and hereafter shall appoynt be kept neither can the realme be defended if the enemie should inuade nor in peace it cannot stand but vpon the contempt of good and wholesome lawes all disorder and inconueniences should come the people should be wyld and sauage and no man sure of his owne If at any tyme there was occasion and cause to be circuÌ„spect and diligent about the same there was neuer more tyme then now How we stand in Scotland you know that their foreine power maketh great preparation to aide them and in deed doth come to their ayde wherof we are surely informed and certified The fruite of obedience in a Realme Wherfore if there should not be good order and obedience kept in the realme the realme were lyke vtterly to be destroyed Neuer forreine power could yet hurt or in any part preuaile in this realm but by disobedience and misorder within our selues That is the way wherwith God will plague vs if he mynd to punish vs. And so long as we do agree among our selues and be obedient to our prince and to his godly orders and laws we may be sure that God is with vs that foreine power shall not preuayle agaynst vs nor hurt vs. Wherfore once againe and stil we must and do lay this charge vpon you that are the better of the shiere and Iustices of the peace that with so conuenient speed as you can you do repayre downe into your Countries and you shal geue warning to the gentlemen of the shiere which haue not necessarie busines here that they repaire downe eche man to his countrey Order taken for Iustices and there both you and they who be reckoned the stay of euery shiere to see good order and rule kept You that your Sessions of gaole deliuery and quarter Sessions be well kept and therein your meetyngs be such that iustice may be wel and truly ministred the offenders and malefactors punished according to the lawes of this Realme without any feare of any man or that for fauour you should suffer those to escape which with their euill example might bring other to the like mishap that all vagabonds and lewd and light tale tellers and sedicious bearers of false newes of the kings maiestie or of hys counsaile or such as will preach without licence be immediately by you represt and punished And if there should chaunce any lewd or light fellowes to make any routes or riotes or vnlawfull assemblies any seditious meetings ProuisioÌ„ against priuy conspiracy rebellion vprores or vprisings in any place by the seditious and diuelish motion of some priuy Traitors that you and they appease them at the first and apprehend the first authors and causers thereof and certifie vs with speed The lightnes of the rude and ignorant people must be represt and ordered by your grauitie wisedome And here you may not if any such thing chance dissemble with those such lewd men and hide your selues for it shall be required of you if such misorder be and surely without your ayde and helpe or your dissembling such misorder can not be Nor we do not say that we feare any such thing or that there is any such thing likely to chaunce but we geue you warning before least it should chaunce We haue to much experience in this realme what inconuenience commeth of such matters And though some light persons in their rage do not consider it yet we doe not doubt but you way it and know it well enough Prouision agaynst foreine power And if it should chaunce our enemies who are mainteyned by other forraine power and the