to bee preached in their Bishoptikes being resolued with this great Armie to make himselfe Master Prince and Monarch of all those lands which the Pope had giuen him And to make it apparant that he had not treated or made any agreement with Girard Adememar or Guitaud Lord of Monteil-Aimar nor with Aimar of Poitiers but vntill such time as hee had power to deuoure them he passed the Rhosne at Viuiers and besieged Monteil-Aimar Guitaud or Girard made great resistance but when the Inhabitants saw the great Armie of Pilgrims they entreated their Lord to come to composition for feare lest the Citie should be pillaged Which hee did though it were with the losse of his Castle From thence he went and besieged the Tower of Crest-Arnaud belonging to Aimar of Poitiers He that commanded within did yeeld it vp out of cowardlinesse for otherwise it had beene impossible the Pilgrims should haue taken it Afterwards the Earle Simon gaue a daughter of his to a sonne of the said Poitiers and there was peace concluded betwixt the said Poitiers and the Bishop of Valence against whom hee had a long time before made cruell warre A little before the Earle Simon had married one of his sonnes to the daughter of Dauphin of Viennois and another to the Countesse of Bigorre All which alliances did fortifie him much against his enemies All men trembled before him and with this great Armie of Pilgrims that followed him he tooke Pesquieres neere to Nysmes and Bezonce and put all to the sword hee found within not sparing the women Hee tooke his way to Toulouze to pillage and to raze it and to seeke the Earle of Toulouze euen to the center of the Earth if he were there to be found at which time hee receiued letters from his wife aduertising him that hee should speedily come to deliuer her from the hands of the Earle of Toulouze who had besieged her in the Castle Narbonnes that hee was very strong and had all the people at his deuotion who had reciued him with great applause crying out with a loude voice Long liue the Earle of Toulouze That he was accompanied with his Nephew the Earle of Comminge Gaspar de la Barre Bertrand de Iorda Engarrand of Gordo Lord of Caraman Armand de Montagu and Estephe de la Valette all braue and valiant men and well accompanied This was about the end of the yeere one thousand two hundred seuenteene 1217. that the Earle Remond entred into Toulouze the Drumme beaten the Ensignes displayed and the Trumpets sounding The people pressing to cast themselues downe at his feet to embrace his legges and to kisse the hem of his garment and killing as many as they found in the Citie that tooke part with the Earle of Montfort Whereas had the Earle Simon come directly to Montauban at his returne from France the Earle Remond could not haue told what to haue done but he stayed at Monteil-Aimar and Crest Arnaud and Besince and Pasquieres and made delaies about the mariages so long that the Earle had time to gather his troopes together and to prepare himselfe for a strong assault In such sort that when hee was aduertised that hee was at Toulouze the greater part of his Pilgrims were returned into France But yet it was necessary hee should goe to Toulouze with those forces that he had for his wife was in danger to be lost And hee that had beene the death of so many women and children was doubtfull what would become of his falling into the hands of his enemies The Earle Remond created an officer which they called Vignier or Proâ—ost to whom all were bound to obey vpon paine of death This was the first Vignier that was established at Toulouze His charge was to prouide for the defence of the Citie to keepe the Moates or Ditches cleane to repaire the breaches to appoint to euery one his quarter and his Captaine especially in times of combat There came from all parts troopes of succours to the Earle Remond of those that desired consideration for the violencies of the Earle Simon The Earle Guy was one of the first in the combat for his brother the Earle Simon but he was beaten and put to flight The Archbishop of Aix and of Armagnac with their Pilgrims retired themselues without fight The Earle Simon being come made shew to besiege Toulouze but the frequent issues of those that were within gaue him to vnderstand that it was not for his good He assembled therefore the Prelats and Lords to take aduise of what was to bee done The Legat perceiuing the Earle Simon somewhat astonished said vnto him Feare nothing for in a short time wee shall recouer the Citie and put to death and destroy all the Inhabitants and if any of the Souldiers of the Crosse shall die in this pursuit they shall passe to Paradice as Martyrs and hereof they shall assure themselues To whom one of the great Captaines answered Monsieur Cardinall you talke with great assurance but if the Earle beleeue you it will be little for his profit For you and all the other Prelats and men of the Church haue beene the cause of all this euill and ruine and will bee yet more if he beleeue you It was no time for Monsieur the Cardinall to bee offended with this audacious reply but he must needs sup vp this censure The resolution was that there should be no more any assault giuen but that the Citie should bee besieged on the side of Gascongne For which cause the Earle of Montfort caused one part of his Armie to passe the Riuer Garonne towards St. Soubra now they within the Citie made so blunt a salley and to such purpose that they put their enemies to flight During this combat came the Earle of Foix with his fresh troopes as well of his subiects as Nauarreans and Catalans who violently set vpon the Earle Montfort pursuing him euen to the brinke of Garonne where with affrightment and precipitation they cast themselues in heapes into their Boats and many were drowned in the Riuer The Earle Simon also fell in all armed with his horse and hardly escaped The Earle Remond caused a generall assembly to bee made at St. Saornin wherein hee exhorted the people to giue thankes vnto God for this happy beginning of victorie which they had obtained against their enemies which was a testimonie of Gods loue and that they should hope for better hee exhorted euery one to giue their helping hands to build and to prepare and to cause their warlike engins to play against the Castle Narbonnes because this place being last by the enemie their totall ruine must needes follow and being once recouered by them they should be in safetie In a very short time were their woodden engins to cast stones their Slings their Mangonnels to dart their Arrowes their Fowlers Crossebowes and other Instruments which were in vse in those times prepared and all of them mounted against the Castle Narbonnes which
himselfe that his Highnesse would blot out the remembrance of all that was past But yet he thought it necessary that aboue all things they should giue some testimony of obedience to their Prince who in other places was enforced by the Pope to establish the Masse in all his territories and therefore they should permit that the Masse might be song in Angrongne which was but a thing indifferent vnto them since he did not require their presence at it but onely that hee might write vnto his Highnesse that they were his good and obedient Subiects And moreouer to the end that his Highnesse might not still persist in his opinion that any strange minister did make his abode within his Prouinces that it was in their power to intreat them to retire themselues vnto Pragela for some few daies and that afterwards when his Highnesse should be pacified towards them they might call them home againe It cost him a great deale of labour to gaine thus much of them for if we intreat our Pastors to retire themselues say they it will be a counsell of the flesh and God will not blesse it for our enemies when they shall haue gotten this aduantage of vs and that we haue no man left to comfort vs to counsell vs to reproue to exhort vs they will endeauour no doubt to the vtmost of their power euer to shut the gates against the returne of our good Pastors by wose ministry we haue been so worthily instructed and fortified against a world of temptations And therefore to the end we may not be accused as Rebels for recalling them home againe it shall bee better for vs not to depriue our selues at all of the fruit of their ministry and from hence forward to be reputed for such in seruing of God as preserue those whom he hath sent to preach his word vnto vs. He is as powerfull to preserue vs as he hath been heretofore in times past and vngratefull wretches wee are to doubt of his assistance and not to thinke that we so miserable a flocke the dogges being chased away shall not bee deuoured by the wolues Those and diuers the like were the speeches and motions of those that were most cleere sighted and more zealous then the rest but yet this could not hinder others from intreating their Pastors to retire themselues for some few daies to Pragela a Valley neer vnto theirs peopled with their brethren the Waldenses of Dauphine Here a man might perceiue the heauy iustice of God pon them and the beginning of misery euery one to melt into teares the rockes resounding and calamities with cryes and lamentations when euen women and infants conducted their Pastors to the high mountaines to passe ouer to the other part of them And from other parts when they saw the principall amongst them to take their iourney to Turin to the middest of their enemies many presaged the euill that would ouertake them and it seemed vnto them that God had foraken them at that time when they had forsaken him in the person of his seruants It came to passe euen as it had been foretold by those that could not allow of those counsels of the flesh For being arriued at Turin they were presently lockt vp in strong prisons their indictments framed as against Heretickes the passages garded to hinder any that might giue aduertisement of the vsage and intertainment they receiued that were deputed to this seruice And in the meane time la Trinite told them that he knew that his Highnesse had agreed to all that they demanded and that he had written vnto him that he detained them for no other cause but to assure him of their promises for time to come to which purpose he likewise raised a Fort which he built neere to Angrongne Which made them to thinke hardly of their affaires in that they could heare no newes of their poore prisoners and much lesse would la Trinite suffer them to send any thither In the end hauing a long time consulted with themselues what they should doe seeing a Fort built which might curb and bridle them for euer if they should suffer it to be brought to perfection and on the other side fearing if they should enterprise any thing against those that laboured therein that it should cost them their liues that they sent to Turin they were in great and extreme perplexities not knowing what course to take for they found that they had been mocked by that Prater de la Trinite and therefore it stood them vpon to commit the euent to the prouidence of God and to reconcile themselues to him by prayer and fasting which when they had done they called home their Pastors implored the assistance of their neighbours of Pragela who came vnto them with their armes entred into the Temples wherein la Trinite had caused them to build Altars and to place images and ouerthrew the Altars and laid them leuell with the ground rased vp the foundations themselues brake downe the images besieged the Fort and tooke it killed as many as made resistance beate the succours that were sent to the said Fort put them to flight and slew a great number of them The Prince Emanuel Philibert being much offended herewith would haue reuenged himselfe vpon those that hee kept in prison but Madame Margarite interceeding for them pacified the Prince shewing that is was necessary for them to consult with themselues touching that vsage and intertainment his Highnesse had giuen to those that were deputed and that seeing themselues in the way to a totall destruction they had taken this oblique meanes to relieue and to helpe themselues His Highnesse therefore by the aduise and instigation of the Popes Nuntio had enforced the said deputies to goe to the Masse and there to aske pardon of God the Pope and their holy mother the Church of Rome with promise to liue according to the Lawes thereof and afterwards sent them to prison attending the perfection of his Fort. But seeing himselfe frustrated of his expectation he followed the course proposed by Madame Margarit vnder which they haue liued vnto this present which agreement we doe not here insert because it is elswhere set downe in their History True it is that afterwards they suffered at sundry times sundry persecutions which they bare patiently and with much zeale Among the rest that in the yeere 1570 1570. was very extreame For their Prince being entred into an offensiue league against the Protestants with many other Princes of Europe he began to trouble and to vexe his said Subiects of the Valleys of the Waldenses First by forbidding them to haue any commerce with the VValdenses of Dauphine vpon paine of their liues and secondly to assemble themselues in any Synod or Consultation but in the presence of the Gouernour of Castrocaro for the fulfilling whereof he failed not to be present at the first Synode which they called at Bobi The Pastors and Ancients that were there signified to the said
Castles to the guard and power of the Pope for proofe of his fidelitie to the Church whereof they were to be aduertised to the end likewise that they from thence forward should acknowledge themselues to bee the lawfull subiects of his Holinesse in case the said Earle Remond should doe any thing against the oath of obedience which hee had made to the Pope and to the Church of Rome in which case as already in those times they were discharged of all oaths of fidelitie giuen in times past to the said Earle and his lands were confiscated to the Pope The Consuls being much astonished to see their Lord thus stript of all his lands and possessions could not refuse in the presence of himselfe to doe whatsoeuer the said Legat required at their hands But that which did afflict them most was that they saw the Earle Remond conducted to St. Giles where he was reconciled to the Pope and to the Church with these ceremonies that follow First the Legat commanded the said Earle Remond to strip himselfe starke naked without the Church of St. Giles hauing onely to couer his nakednesse a close paire of linnen breeches the rest was all bare head feet and shoulders Then he put a Stole which Priests weare about their necks vpon his necke and leading him by the said Stole hee made him to goe nine times about the graue of the deceased Frier Peter de Chateauneuf who had beene buried in the said Church scourging him with rods which the Legat had in his hand as long as hee went about the said Sepulcher The Earle Remond demanded satisfaction for this extraordinary penance for a sinne which he had not committed for he had not killed the Monke The Legat answered him That notwithstanding hee had not killed him nor caused him to be killed yet forasmuch as this murder was committed within his territories and hee had made no pursuit after the murderer this murder was deseruedly imputed vnto him and therefore that hee was to satisfie the Pope and the Church by this his humble repentance if hee desired to be reconciled to the one and to the other It was therefore necessary he should likewise bee scourged in the presence of the Earles Hilagarey in his History of Foix. Barons Marquises Prelates and all the people He made him to sweare vpon the Corpus Domini as they call it and certaine other reliques which were brought thither for that purpose that he should all his life time bee obedient in all things to the Pope and the Church of Rome and that he should make perpetuall mortall and vnreconcileable warre against the Albingenses vntill they were either vtterly exterminated or brought to the obedience of the Church of Rome which to performe hee hauing solemnly and perforce sworne the Legat to honor him the more and to bind him to doe what he had sworne made him Captaine and Leader of the Souldiers of the Crosse for the siege of Beziers Which he did to the end hee might driue the Albingenses into despaire euer to be defended by him who hauing abiured their Religion had now power and charge to persecute them CHAP. IIII. The perplexitie the Earle Remond was in after his reconciliation The siege of Beziers The intercession of the Earle of Beziers for his Citie The intercession of the Bishop auaileth nothing The taking of Beziers what and with what crueltie THe Earle Remond was much perplexed about that charge that was giuen him for the conducting of the Armie of the Souldiers of the Crosse before Beziers For to carry himselfe as an enemie against the Albingenses was to doe against his conscience and to fight against those whose part hee had taken vntill then as a principall motiue and Captaine This was to binde himselfe to the perpetuall seruitude of the Pope and his Legats On the other side if hee should goe about to flye and to forsake the Armie this were to furnish them with new matter of persecution for in such a case they might iustly pursue him as a perfidious relapsed and perâ—ured person and that if hee should bee apprehended hee should bee in danger of loosing his life goods and friends altogether And yet doing that which the charge the Legat laid vpon him bound him vnto he must be an instrument of the losse of Beziers and the totall destruction of the subiects of his Nephew the Earle of Beziers and his Nephew himselfe In this extremitie and anguish of spirit hee chose rather to stay in the Armie for certaine daies and afterward tooke his leaue of the Legat and went to Rome to humble himselfe before the Pope which could not bee denied him In the meane time they made an approch to the Citie of Beziers the Rammes Slings Frames Shedbords and other engines of warre were prouided to giue a generall escalado setting to the walls of the Citie so great a number of Ladders that it was impossible to resist the furious assault which the Pelerins made with all the force and power that they had The Earle of Beziers went forth of the Citie and cast himselfe downe at the feet of the Legat Milon craning mercie for his Citie of Beziers and humbly beseeching him not to inflict the same punishment vpon the innocent and the nocent which without all doubt must needes come to passe if Beziers should be taken by force which was easie to be done by so great and so puissant an Armie such as was then ready to scale the walles in euery part of the said Citie that there would be great effusion of bloud on both sides which might be auoided That there were within Beziers a great number of good Romish Catholikes that would be subiect to the same ruine contrary to the intention of the Pope whose desire was onely to chastise the Albingenses That if it pleased him not to spare his subiects for the loue of themselues that he would yet haue regard vnto him to his age and profession since the losse would light vpon himselfe being in his minoritie and a most obedient seruant to the Pope as hauing beene brought vp in the Romish Church and in which he would both liue and die And if hee tooke it ill that such persons as were enemies to the Pope had beene tolerated within his territories it ought not to be imputed vnto him because hee had no other subiects but those which his deceased father had left vnto him and that in his minoritie and afterwards in that little time wherein he had beene master of his owne goods hee could not as yet by reason of his incapacitie know this euill nor minister the remedy though it were his purpose so to doe but yet his hope was in time to come to giue all contentment that might be both to the Pope and Church of Rome as an obedient sonne both of the one and of the other Chass in his History of the Albingen pag. 107. The answer of the Legat was That all his excuses preuailed
they proposed vnto him that he was content that his sonne should marry the daughter of the said Earle Simon in regard of which alliance the King of Aragon gaue to the Earle Simon the inuestiture of the Earledome of Beziers which before hee would neuer agree vnto nor to that of Carcassonne which he likewise at the same time obtained But that which did most hurt the Earles of Toulouze and of Foix was that they caused the King of Aragon to sweare that he would no more fauour the Albingenses but carry himselfe as a Neuter in this warre betwixt the Church and them The Earle Simon hauing gotten that which he desired that is to alienate the King of Aragon from the Earles of Toulouze and of Foix hee tooke his time to bend his forces both against the one and the other CHAP. IX The Earle Simon besiegeth Toulouze makes a spoile and is beaten he raiseth the siege Aimeri is taken prisoner The Earle of Toulouze is succored and by whom The Earle Simon makes warre with the Earle of Foix who goes in person to speake with the Legat but obtaines nothing The King of Aragon animateth the Earle of Foix and his sonne Roger and intercedeth for them in vaine THe first attempt that the Earle Simon made after his alliance with the King of Aragon was the siege of Toulouze being strengthned with a great multitude of Pilgrims which the Bishop of Toulouze went to leuy in France whilest the Legat Thedize and the Earle Simon did delay the Earle Remond vnder the shadow of a treaty of peace with him Being arriued at Montandran vpon the borders of Garonne neere to Toulouze Chas lib. 3. ch 14 pa. 162. the Earle Remond made a sallie out of Toulouze with fiue hundred horse and footmen a great number and came as farre as the bridge in hope to gaine it or to breake it downe There was at that bridge a great fight and many there died both on the one side and the other In the end the Earle Remond sounded a retreat whereupon the enemie tooke heart passed the bridge and pursued the Earle Remond euen to the gates of Toulouze The Earle Remond made so sudden and so furious a reincounter vpon them that he beat backe his enemy vnto the bridge which was not large inough to receiue them so that they were almost all slaine before they were at the foot thereof Aimeri the sonne of the said Simon of Montfort was taken prisoner The Earle Simon seeing this losse and his sonne taken prisoner animated his Pilgrims to the combat They endeuoring to be reuenged of this ouerthrow ranne into the ditches set vp their ladders but they were valiantly repulsed The ditches were filled with the dead bodies of the Pilgrims and the Earle Simon was beaten from his horse In the middest of this conflict arriued the Earle of Champagne with a great number of Pilgrims and he came in good time to bee well beaten The Earle Simon commanded them all to goe to the spoile whereupon the Pilgrims ranne into the Vineyards Orchards and Gardens cut downe all trees that bare fruit plucked vp the Vines by the roots at what time the President of Ageues came forth of Toulouze with a great number of the inhabitants thereof who seeing them to spoile their possessions ranne vpon the Pilgrims with violence scattered here and there through the fields and slew a great number of them On the other side the Earle of Foix conducting some troopes of horse and foot slew as many as hee met with The Earle of Bar held his troopes in better order and seeing the disorder especially of those that were flying away hee cryed out a Bar a Bar which the inhabitants of Toulouze vnderstanding charged them so brauely before any of them could gather themselues vnto him that he was discomfited with the rest The Earle Remond retired his troopes into Toulouze and commanded solemne thankes to bee giuen vnto God for so admirable a victorie ouer his enemies The fame of the Earle Remonds victories being spread abroad there came vnto him diuers succours from all the parts round about him for they were all weary of the troopes of the Pilgrims and willingly offered both their goods and their liues to driue them out of the Countrey Chass lib. 3. chap. 14. pag. 169. The Earle Simon being in some scarsitie of victurall because the wayes whereby they should be releeued were stopt was constrained to raise his siege And besides the Earle of Chalons the Earle of Bar and certaine other Germaine Earles retired themselues The Monke of the Valley Sernay Chap. 79. their quarantaines or fortie daies being expired but yet he would not bee altogether idle that Autumne Hee therefore marched into the Countries of the Earle of Foix to refresh the rest of his Armie and to possesse himselfe of some places Hee went as farre as the Towne of Foix made spoyle of all that was about it and then set fire to the Towne Being at Panies the Legat tooke the one halfe of the Armie to accompanie him to Roquemaure where hee went to passe the winter and in his way being in the Earledom of St. Felix of Caraman he tooke the Tower of Cassas and about one hundred men therein and caused them all to be burnt aliue and laid the place leuell with the ground In the meane time the Earle Simon ruinated the Countries of the Earle of Foix as long as the said Earle kept his bed being visited with a grieuous sicknesse during the which his seruants that were about him durst not tell him of his losses that is to say of Pamies Sauerdun Mirepoix and Prissant which had beene likewise battered a place very strong neere Carcassonne Being recouered of his sicknesse and vnderstanding what hauocke the Earle Simon had made of his houses and what ruine his poore subiects had endured he went to the Armie and desired to speake with the Generall and thus hee deliuered his minde vnto him Hologoray in his Hist of Foix. pag. 133. The inconstancie of tottering fortune my masters and most renowned Lords is the cause why I am not astonished to see my selfe thus infinitely afflicted by this cruell Step-mother I haue heretofore braued mine enemies fought in the field amongst those that would resist my power entertained the great and mightie Monarches as my friends None haue threatned me much lesse offended me neither could my sword euer beare it I haue beene imployed in publike negotiations which carry with them as their attendants infinite discommodities neither haue I gotten any dishonor thereby and I should haue held my labor ill imployed if they had not bin vpon worthy occasions neuer hauing desired to bee accounted an honest man by those vnworthy and vniust meanes that some men purpose vnto themselues For he that is not an honest man but because other men should know him to bee so and that hee might be the better esteemed after knowledge taken thereof he that will
abilitie towards an action of such importance CHAP. X. The siege of Castlenau d'Arri the retrait of the Earle Simon The Earle of Foix offers him battaile The King of Aragon intercedeth for the Earles of Toulouze of Foix and Comminge he writeth for them to the Councell de la Vaur and obtaineth nothing The King of Aragon defies the Earle Simon they make leuies both on the one side and the other but the Earle Simon aduancing himselfe takes diuers places Hoâ—agary in his hist of Foix. THE first exploit of this warre which the Confederates vndertooke was the siege of Castlenau d' Arri whether they marched in this order The Vauntgard was conducted by the Earle of Foix and Prince Roger his sonne The maine battell by Remond Earle of Toulouze The rereward by the Prince and Lord of Bearn This Armie was composed of fiftie thousand foot and ten thousand horse and besides that the Citie of Toulouze was furnished with a good and strong garrison and all munitions and instruments of warre The Earle Simon put himselfe into Castlenau d' Arri. The situation of this place was good and the Castle one of the best and there were in the Citie many Souliers and great Captaines and great store of munition for a long siege The Earle of Foix made his approach lodged himselfe neere the rampiers where hee framed many fabricks In the meane time the enemy sallied forth of the Cittie and put themselues very rudely and resolutely vpon an Army of the Vauntguard but they were with such courage repulsed that diuers remaining dead within the trenches the rest retired to bethinke themselues of a better course The Subburbs were taken by the besiegers The Earle Roger was there wounded with a stone cast from the Citie by one of their Engines The Earle of Toulouze incamped himselfe vpon a little hill right ouer against the Castle intrenching and enuironing himselfe with railes and barriers The Prince of Bearn lay on the other side of the Citie The Armie of the Albingenses increased daily vpon a report giuen forth that the Earle Simon was there shâ—t vp so great a desire had euery one to see his ruine And because there were too many of the Albingenses at this siege it was thought good that the Earle Remond should take a part of the Army to surprize certaine small holds and Castles which were somewhat disaduantagious to the Army He tooke Puylaurens Albi Rabasteins Gaillac Montagut and Sauerdun The Earle Simon began to see his ouer-sight to suffer himselfe to be inclosed within Castlenau d' Arri and that inasmuch as hee was the Generall it was fit hee should be at libertie to prouide for all other places depending vpon his authoritie He left within the place Guy de Leuis called the Marshall of Faith and to the end he might slip out the better he caused a sally to be made vpon the besiegers ingaging certaine troops whilst he in the meane time might make his escape The Earle Remond being aduertised of the departure of the Earle Simon was much offended therewith with more for shame than for any ill hee conceiued thereof because the report had beene euery where spread abroad that the Generall was in the Cage and that he should not come forth but bare-headed the halter about his neck and begging mercy They complained one of another The Earle of Foix that they had left him without succour in so dangerous a flight The Earle Remond that he would put himselfe into so great danger without knowledge giuen vnto any In the end they resolued to raise the siege because of Winter and a great leuy of Pilgrims marching towards them whose liues the Earle Simon did not greatly tender because hee had the Popes Bull that whosoeuer should lose his life in that warre should goe presently to Paradice as neat from all sinne as a Hen-roost from ordure The Earle Simon was strangely puft vp with pride making himselfe merry with that great preparation of warre altogether vnprofitable to the Albingenses especially that they had suffered him to make an escape being twelue to one Vpon this retrait they in Castlenau would needs follow the Armie but it cost them deare For Roger made a furious returne vpon them killing many of them and beating them backe euen to the gates of the Citie The Monke of the Valley Sernay tells this Fable That notwithstanding there were a hundred thousand fighting men in the Armie of the Albingenses yet they of Castlenau d' Arri went forth to their Vintage and gathered their Grapes as if there had beene no enemy before the Citie and that their seruants went to water their Horses halfe a league from the Citie the Albingenses not daring to charge them See here the truth of a Monkish Historiographer So likewise when he falls into outrages they are without measure or end In this Discourse he growes very chollerick against one Sauari of Mauleon President to the King of England at Guienne who had conducted some troops before Castlenau d' Arri in fauour of the Albingenses he cals him Infidell Expugner of the Church a dangerous poyson a wicked forlorne person enemy to God the Prince of Apostacy artificiall in cruelties the author of all peruersenesse a diabolicall man nay the Deuill himselfe Doubtlesse he had either giuen him a hard chase or his stile is very Monkish After this retreat all the Lords of the Albingenses retired themselues into their quarters The Earle of Foix vnderstanding that the Earle Simon was gone to Pamies where he much troubled his Subiects he departed from Toulouze with two thousand men and came to the gates of Pamies offering battell to the Earle Simon but he would by no meanes harken thereunto finding his Pilgrims too weake And doubting that at the Spring following the Albingenses would take the field the Earle Simon all the Winter thought of nothing so much as to strengthen the places which he held to maintaine the sieges Among the rest being desirous to prouide for Faniaux a place of great importance Roger perceiuing it lay in Ambush in such manner and to such purpose that he discomfited all those that brought either victuals or munitions In the meane time the Earle Simon who doubted nothing so much as the King of Aragon caused the Legat to write vnto him that he should no more meddle with the affaires of the Albingenses except he would intangle himselfe in the same miseries with them and include himselfe in the same excommunication He likewise caused Philip King of France to write vnto him intreating him not to fauour those that were enemies to the Pope and to the Church The Legat likewise caused him to write to the Pope touching the same matter These intreaties of the Pope and the French King were vnto him as expresse Commands and therefore when the Earle of Foix Toulouze and Comminge pressed him to assist them he told them he would doe it but it was fit hee should first doe his endeuour to
head seruing vs for an example a watch-tower a conduct So shall we engage our wills and our liues to shew our selues your most humble seruants in time of need and valorous Souldiers when occasion shall be offered And though I be now worne with yeares yet neuer had I greater courage or better resolution The Earle Remond on the other side intreated the King of Aragon not to abandon their cause offering vnto him both his goods and his life to fight vnder his authoritie The King of Aragon being ouercome with these intreaties and moued with compassion towards the afflicted in the end tooke armes and sent this ticket of defiance to the Earle Simon by two Trumpetters Indeuour without delay to execute the will of the Pope or to fight with your Lord and if you fall into my hands you shall pay for it It is your dutie and I will haue it so and I rather desire it than to put my selfe to the charge of a great Army for your ruine The Earle Simon made good vse of this Letter of defiance for hee sent it into diuers parts of Europe shewing by the Bishops and Monkes that preached the Croisade that the care was not now for the Earle of Toulouze Foix Comminge or the Prince of Bearne but for a puissant King who had made himselfe the Generall of the Albingenses and that if he were not assisted extraordinarily the cause of the Church was at an end and therefore he entreated all good Christians especially the King of France to giue his best assistance in these holy warres and extreme necessitie On the other side the King of Aragon writ to the King of France that the Earle Simon of Montfort had a spirit puffed vp with high conceits farre exceeding both the capacitie of his vnderstanding and his forces That al his intentions were no other than plaisterings vnder the pretence of Religion and in the meane time he intended nothing so much as to bee a King in deed and Simon by name He beseecheth the King by Letters and by his Agents that hee would not interpose himselfe in this warre neither on the one part nor the other Which he obtained of the King insomuch that it troubled him to see his Subiects continually drawne to the shambles of this warre of the Albingenses vnder a pretence of the Popes pardon and to see so many of his great Lords his Kinsmen so vexed by the Earle Simon When the Earle Simon vnderstood that the King of France was made a Neuter he was much afflicted therewith hauing now no other recourse but to the threats of the Legat to excommunicate him if he should proceed any farther The Legat sent him an Ambassage and Letters The King of Aragon returned this answer Goe speedily and tell your Master that I will come and see him and giue him an answer with ten thousand fighting men and will him to defend himselfe for I will teach him to play with his Peere The Monke of the Valleis Sernay Chap. 83. Euery one makes preparation The Earle Simon sent into France to the Archdeacon of Paris and Master Iaques de Vitri to preach the Croisade The King Phillip Anguste would not haue this Leuy to bee made in his Realme but yet neuerthelesse there went a great number from Auuergne Normandie and about Lion The Pilgrims arriued before the King of Aragon had prepared his Armie which gaue great aduantage to the Earle Simon for hee tooke in the meane time Graue came into the Earle dome of Foix tooke Tudelle of the Albingenses Chass chap. 17. pag. 177. and slew all that hee found in it without distinction of age or sex besieged St. Antonin and tooke it and caused thirtie of the principall of that place to bee hanged and strangled and that in cold bloud and after he had granted them their liues and permitted the Conuent of Monkes that was in that place to be sacked and ransacked He besieged Penes and receiued it by composition as he did likewise Marmande He ceased vpon the Castle of Biron neere the Sea The Earle Simon caused Martin Alquay to bee tyed to the taile of a horse and to be dragged through his Armie and afterwards hanged him because he had before deliuered vp the place to the Earle Remond Moreouer the Castle Sarrazin and Agen were yeelded to the Earle Moissac opened the gates to the Souldiers of the Crosse and all this did the Earle Simon before the King of Aragon or his Armie did appeare CHAP. XI The exploits of the Earle Simon before the King of Aragon had prepared his Armie The King of Aragon would come to no composition with the Earle Simon being weakned The Citie of Muret taken by the King of Aragon Battell giuen The King of Aragon is slaine and his Armie dissipated IN the yeere of our Lord one thousand two hundred and thirteene and the thirteenth of September the King of Aragon with the Earle Remond of Toulouze Remond Earle of Foix and the Earle of Comminge and Prince of Bearne appeared in the field with their Armie composed of seuen thousand horses and thirtie thousand foot They tooke Muret a little Citie vpon the borders of the Earledome of Foix seated vpon Garonne but they tooke not the Castle The Earle Simon was of opinion that that was the place where the Armie of his enemies should waste and spend it selfe because the Castle was good and strong and that if he made resistance for sometime it would of it selfe bee scattered and ouerthrowne Hee therefore put himselfe into that Castle with some small number of his most expert and valorous Souldiers and furnihed it with munition and gaue by his presence such assurance vnto the besieged that they thought themselues inuincible of such power is the good opinion that the Souldiers haue of their Captaine to confirme those that are most weake There were some that began to enter into consideration of the proceedings of the King of Aragon in that he would not accept of a composition so aduantagious for himselfe and the Lords of the Albingenses as the Earle Simon had offered him when hee saw the inequalitie of their forces For the Earle Simon had not aboue seuen hundred men on foot and fiue hundred horse It is not good to assault a man that hath no hope to escape but by armes for there is not a more violent Schoole-mistris than necessitie But the King of Aragon thought it no time to smoothe and to flatter after so many insolent brauados against his Lord of which the Monke hath noted some The Monke of the Valleis Sernay Chap. 126. as where hee saith that hee writ certaine letters vnto him without any salutation containing these tearmes that if hee continued in his obstinate defiance hee returned the defiance vpon himselfe and that from thence forward he held not himselfe bound to doe him any seruice and that hee doubted not by the helpe of God to defend himselfe against him and his confederates
So king Iohn hauing an armie of sixty thousand men was discomfited and taken prisoner by the Prince of Wales who had not aboue eight thousand men notwithstanding the cause of the king of France were very iust defending himselfe against his enemie who assaulted him in his owne countrey The warre of the Albingenses encreased for the Earle Simon thought it was necessary hee should pursue his enemies being halfe dead and ouerthrowne and the Albingenses for their part knew that they must of necessiâ—ie defend themselues or bee vanquished and brought into thraldome CHAP. XII Pope Innocent the third sent against the Albingenses a new Legat named Bonauenture Prince Lewis the sonne of Philip tooke on him the Crosse and caused Toulouze and Narbonne to be dismantled and the walles laid euen with the ground THe Earle Simon being puffed vp with this victorie sent one to summon the Earle of Toulouze Foix and Comminge and the Prince of Bearne to deliuer vnto him the keis of those cities and castles that they possessed and that they should subscribe to what it pleased the Legat or resolue miserably to perish He receiued no answer but euery one betooke himselfe to his owne territories there to prouide the best they could possibly for their affaires The Earle Remond retired himselfe to Montauban and writ to those of Toulouze from whence he was but then departed that he vnderstood that Rodolph the Bishop of Arras was comming with a great number of Pilgrims and therefore forasmuch as he saw that they had no meanes to defend their city against so great a force that they should treat and grow to some composition with the Earle Simon reseruing only their hearts vnto himselfe vntill God should giue meanes to free them from those miseries wherein they were plunged by the insatiable auarice of their common enemie In the meane time he the Earle of Foix Comminge and the Prince of Bearne did their endeuours to trouble and to infest the enemies Armies with all the power they could for their common good The citie of Toulouze deputed six of the principall men of the city to offer to the Earle Simon the keies of Toulouze He receiued them honourably and commanded them not to depart from him without his permission In the meane time he writ to Lewis the sonne of king Philip that since the battle of Muret they of Toulouze offered to yeeld themselues vnto him but his desire was that he should haue the praise of that conquest being onely worthy of himselfe King Philip his father would not heretofore permit that he should war against the Albingenses because he had promised the King of Aragon to carry himselfe as a neuter betwixt both but now hearing of the death of the said King of Aragon he suffered him to goe The Prince being at Toulouze the citie was deliuered into his hands and presently the Legat hauing assembled the Bishops of his ranke it was concluded that the pillage should be granted to the Pilgrims and that the city should be dismantled the Castle of Narbonne excepted which was incontinently executed contrary to the promise which had beene giuen them that nothing should be altered within the citie This good vse did the Earle Simon make of the presence and forces of Prince Lewis for otherwise he durst not haue enterprised the saccage and dismantling of this goodly and great citie without the endangering of his fortunes were his forces neuer so great At this very time arriued Bonauenture the Popes new Legat and of those that tooke on them the Crosse the Bishop of Beauuois the Earle of Saint Paul the Earle of Sauoy the Earle of Alençon the Vicount of Melun Mathew de Montmorenci and other great Lords that accompanied him The Legat seeing so many Pilgrims began to feare lest Prince Lewis should dispose of diuers places which the Albingenses held to the preiudice of the Popes authoritie vnder whose name all those conquests were made for the auoiding whereof he sent vnto all those places that held for the said Albingenses the absolution and safeguard of the Church in such sort that the Prince thinking to make an assault vpon any of them they produced their absolution and shewed that they were vnder the protection of the Church And this Legat grew so audacious as to tell Prince Lewis that since he was become a souldier of the Crosse he was subiect to his commands because he did represent the person of the Pope whose pardons he was come to obtaine by obeying â—â—e Church not by commanding as the sonne of a King reproching him besides that the King his father made no account to contribute to the extirpation of the Albingenses when the time and season serued and there was best opportunity but now after those victories miraculously obtained he came to gleane the eares of that glory which was due vnto those only that had prodigally spent their liues for the Church The Prince dissembled this audacious boldnesse Narbonne was dismantled by the agreement of the said Prince which neither the Legat nor the Earle Simon would not haue durst to enterprise without his presence The Bishop of Narbonne did what he could to hinder the dismantling of it affirming that it did much import that a place in the frontiers of Spaine should bee preserued with the walles and rampiers thereof but the Earle Simon and the Legat were very instant to the contrary they obtained their desires Here endeth the good fortune of the Earle Simon for in the end of this leuy of Pilgrims which Prince Lewis brought with him he had enough to doe to defend himselfe from blowes notwithstanding the Albingenses were also wearied with continuall warres and visited from time to time with new expeditions insomuch that they sunke vnder the burthen of them Now forasmuch as this warre changeth countenance in the person of the chiefe Leaders and that from hence forward we shall speake more of the sonne of the Earle Remond of Toulouze another Remond and of Roger the sonne of the Earle of Foix then of the old Earles We here make a second booke of the actions of the children succeeding their fathers miserably afflicted only for that they had for in effect there was not any of these great Lords that was deseâ—â—edly assaulted for Religion for many times they had their recourse to the Pope as to the fountaine of all their euills and in all respects to a poore remedy neuer bringing with them from Rome other thing than good words with very dangerous effects The end of the first booke THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE HISTORY OF the WALDENSES called ALBINGENSES containing the warres which they maintained after the yeare one thousand two hundred and thirteene vntill they were vtterly exterminated CHAP. I. The warre is renewed against the Earle of Foix the Aragonians make hostile incursions vpon the Lands of the Earle Simon he is discomfited by the Earle of Foix Simon is called into Dauphine The Legat Bonauenture perswades the Earle of
of the Earle Montfort and I will procure that the Pope shall publish and preach the Croisade or expedition of Christians throughout the world for your better aid and succours Thus you see how the Legat commands the King of France His sonne arriued at Marmande and summoned those within to yeeld They compound with him and he promiseth them their liues Almaric complaines thereof saying That they were not worthy of life that tooke away his Fathers He assembleth the Prelats declareth vnto them the discontent which he receiued by this composition in that life was granted vnto those who were the murderers of his Father The Prelats were all of opinion that notwithstanding the word giuen they should all die Prince Lewis his will was that the composition should hold Almaric neuerthelesse caused his troopes to slip into the Citie with charge to kill all men women and children They doe it whereat the Prince being offended departed from the Legat and Almaric and passing along summoned those of Toulouze to yeeld They defend themselues against him Hee receiueth newes of the death of his father which caused him to retire Thus you see all the effects of this great expedition which should haue buried all the Albingenses aliue and vanished without any assault giuen CHAP. IIII. The warre of the Albingenses changeth countenance because of the death of Pope Innocent the third of the change of the Legat the death of the Earle Remond of Toulouze of the disease of Remond Earle of Foix and the Lady Philippe de Moncade mother to the Earle of Foix and of the Monke Dominick THe Legat Bertrand Bonauenture being weary of the long labours of this warre and perceiuing that therein the danger was greater than either the pleasure or the profit tooke occasion vnder a pretence of his decrepit age to retire himselfe to Rome euen at that time when Pope Innocent the third being departed Pope Honorius his successour who had not managed this warre by his authoritie from the beginning thereof knew neither the importance thereof nor what direction to giue and therefore had need to be enformed by his Legat touching the meanes of the continuance thereof and the commoditie that might arise vnto his Seat Bonauenture entreated him to depute another Legat and told him that the necessitie of this warre was such that it concerned not onely the losse of all those Lands of the Albingenses which were conquered because they might be easily recouered by them if no opposition were made but also the ruine of the Church of Rome because the Doctrine of the Waldenses and Albingenses did directly shake the authoritie of the Popes and ouerthrow the Statutes of the Church That this warre had beene very chargeable and cost them deere for within the space of fifteene yeares and lesse there had died aboue three hundred thousand souldiers of the Crosse that at diuers times had come to end their liues in Languedoc as if there were not enough else-where to burie them or as if there were a necessitie in those times to be borne in France and to dye encountring the Albingenses That all this would be lost if they continued not to spend and weaken them vntill they were vtterly destroyed The Pope delegated one named Contat who went thither Now albeit Almeric were very valiant yet he had not gotten that authoritie which his Father had who had made himselfe at the charges of the Albingenses a great Captaine loued of the Souldier of an admirable valour patient in affliction inuincible in his trauels diligent in his enterprises fore-seeing and prouiding for the necessities of an Armie affable but of an vnreconcileable enmitie against his enemies because he hated them onely to haue their goods and that he could not haue but after their death which he procured and hastned as much as he could and that vnder the mantell of a plausible pretence of religion His sonne was a true inheritor of the hatred of his father but slow and sluggish louing his ease and no way fit for an action of great importance Besides he was depriued of the Monke Dominique of whom his Father had made very profitable vse for lodging him in the conquered Cities he gaue him in charge to finish that destruction by his inquisition which he could not doe by warres 1220. He died in the yeare 1220. the sixt of August so rich that notwithstanding he were the author of an order mendicant that is to say of Iacobin Monkes or Iacobins yet he made it knowne before his death that a scrip well ordered was better than a rent ill assigned for hee left many houses and much goods shewing thereby that he vsed his scrip but for a shew and outward appearance of pouertie but in effect he thought it good to haue wherewithall to liue else-where witnesse the Protection which the Earle Simon gaue him a little before his death whereof this is the tenure Simon by the Grace and prouidence of God Duke of Narbonnes Earle of Toulouze Vicount of Licestre Beziers and Carcassonne wisheth health and dilection We will and command you to haue a speciall care to keepe and defend the houses and goods of our most deare brother Dominick as our owne Giuen at the siege of Toulouze After the Historie of the Monke of the valley Sernay Decemb. 13. The death of this Monke was a great comfort to the Albingenses who had persecuted them with such violence but yet they were more weakned by the death of the Earle Remond of Toulouze the Earle Remond of Foix and the Ladie Philippe of Moncade Wife to Remond Earle of Foix. The Earle Remond of Toulouze died of a sicknesse much lamented of his Subiects if euer man were He was iust gentle valiant and couragious but yet too easie to giue eare vnto those that gaue him counsell for his ruine Hee was carried at the first by a true loue and charitie onely towards those his Subiects that made profession of the Religion of the Albingenses but afterwards hauing beene basely and dishonorably handled by the Legats of the Pope he knew both the crueltie of the Priests and the falshood of their doctrine by those conferences that had beene in his presence with the Pastors of the Albingenses His Epitaph was written in two Gascon verses Non y a home sur terre per grand Segnor que fous Qu'em iettes de ma terre si Gleisa non fous He that writes the Historie of Languedoc saith That he died a sudden death and that hee was carried into the house of the Friers of the Hospital S. Iohn and that he was not buried because he died an excommunicate person There was shewed not long since at Toulouze a head which some did beleeue was the head of the Earle Remond which was said to be alwaies without a sepulture but there is no likelihood that he that died amongst his owne and being Ruler ouer them should not haue so much credit after his death as to bee put