whatsoeuer they affirmed by the onely word of God it might bee imposed vpon the Bishops and Priests to make good their Masse such as they sing it part by part to haue beene instituted by the Sonne of God and sung in the like manner by his Apostles beginning at the entrance vnto the Ite Missa est as they terme it but the Bishops were not able to proue that the Masse or any part thereof was ordained in such an action either by Iesus Christ or his Apostles With this the Bishops were much discontented and ashamed For Arnold had brought them to the onely Canon which they pretended to be the best part of their Masse touching which point he proued That the holy Supper of our Lord was not the Masse For if the Masse were the holy Supper instituted by our Sauiour there would remaine after the Consecration all that which was in the Supper of the Lord that is to say Bread but in the Masse there is no bread for by Transubstantiation the bread is vanished away therefore the Masse saith he without bread is not the holy Supper of the Lord for there is bread Iesus Christ brake bread St. Paul brake the bread The Priest breakes the body not the bread Therefore the Priest doth not that which Christ Iesus hath done and St. Paul Vpon these Antitheses which Arnold made touching the Supper of the Lord and the Masse to proue that it came not from Christ nor his Apostles the Monkes Bishops Legats and Priests retired themselues not being willing to heare any more and fearing lest they should worke such an impression in those that were present as might shake their beleefe touching the Masse The Monke of the Valley Seruay in his Hist of the Albing chap. 5. The Monke of the Valley Seruay endeuoureth to bring this action into suspition affirming that at what time the Hereticall Iudges exceeded in number seeing the badnesse of their cause and the wretchednesse of their disputation they would not saith hee give any iudgement thereof nor deliuer their writings to their aduersaries for feare lest they should come to light and render to the Heretikes their owne But how should two Legats of the Pope the Bishops Abbots Monkes and Priests put themselues into any such place where they could bee thus ouercharged with number This Monke saith in the same place that the principall Arch-heretikes came to the Catholikes at the Castle of Montreal to dispute with them So that they held then the Castle and therefore there was no occasion of doubt or any such violence And furthermore how could it be that the Bishops should request the moderators to giue iudgement in a point of disputation when they hold that there needs no other sentence than the Popes who cannot erre Againe how did the Monke know that the Albingenses were ouercome if there were no iudgement or sentence giuen against them There were about the same time many other disputations as at Serignan Pannies but this was onely to delay the Albingenses from further proceeding For in the meane time whilest the Bishop of Toulouze and the Bishop of Onezimonde disputed at Pamies and the Popes two Legats with Arnold at Montreal B. of Villeneufue Arbitrator and Moderator for the Bishops signified That there could bee nothing determined or agreed vpon by reason of the comming of those Armies that were to fight vnder the badge of the Crosse This was the subtiltie of the Pope Hilagaray in his Hist of Foix pa. 126. to entertaine them in conferences touching matter of Religion that in the meane time he might prepare great Armies to roote out if hee could both themselues and their Religion CHAP. III. The end of the disputation touching Religion it was not long continued by the Pope and his Legats The presence of the Pope to publish the expedition against the Albingenses The Earle Remond humbleth himselfe before the Popes Legat he is whipped by the Legat and depriued of his Earledome of Venessin by the Pope hee is made chiefe Leader of the Armie of those that fought vnder the badge of the Crosse at the siege of Beziers NOw when Pope Innocent had prepared his Armies of the Crosse So tearmed because euery one that vndertaketh the iourney weares on his Cassocke or Coate-armour the badge of the Crosse and had dispersed them here and there about the Countries of the Albingenses there were no longer any disputations except it were with Fire and Faggots the chiefe disputers being the Executioners and the Monkes Inquisitors the Harpies or rauenous birds which the Pope made vse of for the extirpation of the Albingenses The pretence of this so famous an expedition was made against the Earle Remond of Toulouze about the death of a certaine Iacobin Monke who was slaine by the Albingenses For the Pope tooke from thence occasion to send throughout all Europe Preachers to assemble men together to take vengeance of the innocent bloud of Frier Peter de Cateauneuf who had beene slaine by the Heretikes promising Paradice to whomsoeuer would come to this warre and beare armes for fortie daies This warre he called the holy warre and for which he gaue the selfe-same Pardons the selfe-same Indulgences as he did vnto those who went to the warres of the holy Land for the conquest thereof He likewise termed it the warre for the Crucifixe and the Army of the Church And as for the Earle Remond heare with what termes he thundered against him in his Bull. A Bull giuen at Latran in the yeer 1208. We ordaine saith hee that all Archbishops and Bishops are to denounce throughout all their Dioceses the Earle Remond accursed and excommunicated as being murderer of a good seruant of God and that with the sound of the Bell and the extinction of Candles euery Sunday and Festiuall daies Wee promise moreouer to all those that shall take armes to reuenge the said murder forgiuenesse of their sinnes seeing that these pestilent Long Slops seeke nothing else but to take away our liues And forasmuch as according to the Law of the holy Canons faith is not to be kept to him that keepes not his faith to God we would haue all to vnderstand that euery man that is bound to the said Earle by oath of fidelitie societie alliance or otherwaies by the Apostolicall authoritie is absolued from any such bands and it shal bee lawfull for euery Catholike man not onely to pursue the person of the said Earle but also to hold and possesse his land c. And as touching the Albingenses see how hee handleth them Wee therefore admonish you more carefully and exhort you more speedily as being a matter of great necessitie c. That yee endeuour to vnderstand by all the meanes that God shall reueale vnto you and studie to abolish the Hereticall prauitie and these Sectaries and that more seuerely then the Sarasines impugning them with a strong hand and a stretched-out arme as being worse than they c.
baptized as their parents or any other whom God had made charitable in that kind True it is that being constrained for some certaine hundred yeares to suffer their children to be baptized by the Priests of the Church of Rome they deferred the doing thereof as long as they could possibly because they had in detestation those humane inuentions which were added to that holy Sacrament which they held to be but pollutions therof And forasmuch as their Pastors which they called Barbes were many times abroad imployed in the seruice of their Churches they could not haue the Sacrament of Baptisme administred to their infants by their owne Ministers for this cause they kept them long from Baptisme which the Priests perceiuing and taking notice of charged them thereupon with this imposture which not onely their aduersaries haue beleeued but diuerse others who haue well approued of their life and faith in all other points The fifth calumnie was that they adored their Pastors prostrating themselues before them To iustifie the Waldenses from this imposture there needs no more but that the Reader will be pleased to take the paines to reade that which they haue written touching the adoration of one onely God in the exposition that they made in the booke of their doctrine vpon the first Commandement of the Law of God There you shall find that they haue giuen much honour euen to their Pastors as vnto those that keepe the word of Reconciliation entertaining them charitably accompting themselues obliged thereunto for conscience sake but that they euer had any intention to giue that worship to the creature that is onely due vnto the Creator can neuer be made good but by way of calumnie It appeareth by the processe formed by the said Albert against the Waldenses of the Alpes Howsoeuer Albert de Capitaneis their deadly enemie in the Diocesse of Turin would haue extorted from them that they adored their Pastors which he could neuer enforce them to confesse The sixt calumnie was that they maintained that it was not lawfull to sweare at all In their booke intituled the Spirituall Almanacke in the exposition of the third commandement They say and affirme that there are lawfull oathes tending to the honour of God and the edification of our neighbours alledging that place in the 6. Heb. 16. That men sweare by the greater and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife As also they alledge that it was enioyned the people of Israel to sweare by the name of the eternall God Deut. 6.13 and the examples of those oathes that past betweene Abimelec and Isaac Gen. 26.31 and the oath of Iacob Gen. 31.53 The seuenth calumnie was to make them odious to the people as if they had preferred the peace with the Turke before that with the Church the kingdome of Christ affirming that they maintained that the Pope did mortally sinne when he sends an expedition of souldiers with the badge of the crosse vpon their Cassockes or Coatarmour against the Sarazens For their iustification herein we must obserue In the booke of the causes of their separation frō the Church of Rome p. 235 that they complaine not of the enterprise of warre against the Turkes but of those spoiles that the Popes make of the goods of the Church and other diuine graces vnder the pretence thereof abusing the ignorant people with their Buls and Benedictions who too willingly receiue their lies and inuentions buying them at a deare rate As also they thinke hardly of it that the Pope should send out his Croisades his crossed souldiers being strangers to pursue them as heretickes before they be heard or conuinced to be such But they are not the onely men that condemne this auarice which the reuenging spirits of the Popes haue shewed by their Croisades Paulus Langius a Germane Historiographer layes an imputation vpon Leo the tenth Paul Lan. in his Chronicle of France 1513. See the examination of the Councell of Trent lib. 1. c. 5 that he leuied great summes of money vnder a pretence of warre against the Turkes which he bestowed shortly after vpon thirtie Cardinals which he had newly created Guicciardine noteth in his Historie that the selfe same Pope imposed great exactions vpon the people the benefit whereof fell into the lap of his sister Magdalen and that all that leuie of money was but to satisfie the auarice of a woman and that the Bishop of Aremboldo was thought by him a commissarie worthy such an action to put it in execution with all manner of extortion Alexander the fourth conuerted the vow of Hierusalem to the vow of Pouille that is to say A part of Naples whose inhabitants are held very dangerous the vow of reuenge For he gaue power to his Legats to absolue the King of England Henry the third by name dispensing with his vow of the crosse for Hierusalem vpon condition that he should go to Pouille to make warre against Manfred Frederic Emperour not long before It is the Historiographer Math. Paris Math. Paris in his Historie of England See the first booke of the examination of the Councell of Trent cap. 5. In the booke of the causes of their separation frō the Church of Rome p. 125 that setteth downe the complaint that then was made that is to say that the tenths imployed for the succour of the holy Land were taken away and conuerted to the reliefe of Pouille against the Christians The eight calumnie was that they vsed no reuerence towards holy and consecrated places holding that that man sinned not more grieuously that burneth a Church then he that breakes into any other house They say that neither the place nor the chaire make a man the more holy and they haue maintained that they deceiue themselues much that comfort themselues or presume the more because of the dignitie of the place for what place more high then Paradise what place more secure then heauen and yet neuerthelesse man was banished out of Paradise for sinning there and the Angels were throwne from heauen to the end they might be examples to those that came after and to teach them that it is not the place nor the greatnesse nor dignitie thereof that makes a man holy but the innocencie of his life Against the ninth calumnie that is to say that they defend that the Magistrate ought not to condemne any to death they say In the booke of the Waldenses entituled The light of the treasure of faith fol. 214. That it is writtē that we are not to suffer the malefactor to liue and that without correction and discipline doctrine serues to no purpose neither should iudgements be acknowledged nor sinnes punished And therefore iust anger is the mother of discipline and patience without reason the seed of vices and permitteth the wicked to digresse from truth and honestie It appeareth by the complaint they made to the King Ladislaus King of Hungary and Bohemia True
Rousses Argentine Saint Vincens and Montolieu The Lords of the said Countries thought themselues happy in that they had met with so good Subiects as had peopled their Lands and made them to abound with all manner of fruits but principally because they found them to be honest men and of a good conscience yeelding vnto them all those duties and honours that they could expect from the best Subiects in the world Onely their Parsons and Priests complained that they liued not touching matter of religion as other people did they made none of their children Priests nor Nunnes they loued no chaunting tapers lampes belles no nor Masses for their dead They had built certaine Temples not adorning them with images they went not on pilgrimage they caused their children to be instructed by certaine strange and vnknown School-masters to whō they yeeld a great deale more honour then to them paying nothing vnto them but their tithes according to the agreement with their Lords They doubted that the said people made profession of some particular beliefe which hindred them from mingling themselues ioyning in alliance with the naturall home-borne people of the Land and that they had no good opinion of the Church of Rome The Lords of those places began to feare that if the Pope should take notice that so neere his Seate there were a kinde of people that contemned the lawes of Romish Church they might chance to lose them detained their Priests from complaining of these people who in euery thing else shewed themselues to be honest men such as had enriched the whole Country yea and the Priests themselues for the onely tithes which they receiued of that great abundance of fruites which arise from those lands out of which in former times they receiued no profit at all were such as might very well giue them reason to beare with other matters That they were come to inhabit in those places from far Countries where perhaps the people were not so much giuen to the ceremonies of the Church of Rome but yet since in the principall they were faithfull and honest charitable towards the poore and such as feared God they were very willing they might not be molested by any more particular enquiry into their consciences These reasons wrought much with those that bare them ill will For the Lords of those places stopped the mouthes of their murmuring neighbours who could by no meanes draw them into any alliance with them and who saw their goods their cattell and all that they possessed blest after a more particular manner then other mens that they were a temperate people wise not lewd or dissolute not giuen to dancing or haunters of Tauernes and out of whose mouthes there did neuer proceed any blasphemy and to be briefe liuing in a Country where the Inhabitants were giuen to all manner of wickednesse they were as precious stones in a common sinke and therefore both enuied and admired but yet alwaies maintained by their Lords who comparing these subiects and vassals with others that they had could not satiate themselues with their praises Thus were they maintained by their Lords against all enuy and that maugre the Priests vntill the yeere 1560 1560. at what time they could no longer defend them against the Popes thunderbolts The occasion was because they then vnderstood that in their Valleys of Pragela and Piedmont there were Pastors that with a loud voyce did preach the Gospell For they had sent to Geneua to be furnished with teachers and they sent them two that is to say Steuen Negrin and Lewis Paschal who at their arriuall did their best endeauours to establish the exercise of their Religion Pope Pius the fourth of that name being aduertised hereof the Colledge of Cardinals was assembled and presently concluded and resolued vpon the vtter ruine and extirpation of this people who so neere the Popes Seate durst to plant the Religion of the Lutherans The charge of this persecution was giuen to Cardinall Alexandrin a violent man if there were euer any amongst the Cardinals Hee chose two Monkes of his owne humour to be his Informers that is to say one Valerio Maluicino and a Dominican Monke named Alphonsus Vrbin who began with the Inhabitants of Saint Xist Being in the place they assembled the people giuing them good speeches and protesting that their comming thither was not any way to molest them but onely louingly to aduertise them that they were not to heare any other Doctours and teachers then those which should be giuen vnto them by the Prelats of their Diocesse That they knew well that they had receiued teachers from Geneua but by quitting themselues of them and liuing hereafter according to the lawes of the Church of Rome they should haue no cause to feare any thing but if they presumed to keepe their said teachers amongst them they did put themselues in danger to lose their liues their goods and honours because they were to be condemned for Heretickes And that they might the better know who they were that had wholly forsaken the lawes of the Church of Rome they caused a bell to be rung to Masse inuiting the people to goe thither but in steed of going to the Masse they quit themselues of their houses and with their wiues and children that could follow them they did flie into the woods leauing onely within the Citty some few decrepit men and women and little children The Monkes dissembled this flight that they might the better intrap them all at once They went to la Garde not threatning any one of those that stayed in Saint Xist Being there they caused the gates of the Towne to be locked and the people to be assembled They told them that they of Saint Xist had abiured their Religion and being gone to the Masse had asked pardon at Gods hands promising them if they would doe the like that no man should offer the least hurt that might be These poore people thinking the Monkes had spoken a truth vnto them they were content to yeeld to whatsoeuer they would haue them doe But when they had vnderstood that their brethren of Saint Xist had refused to goe to Masse and that they were fled into the woods they were ashamed of their weaknesse and much displeased with their reuolt and therefore instantly resolued with themselues to goe with their wiues and children to their bretheren of Saint Xist but the Lord of the place Saluator Spinello would not suffer them to retire themselues in so miserable a manner promising to defend them against whomsoeuer prouided saith he that they caried themselues like good Romish Catholikes In the meane time the Monkes sent after those of Saint Xist two Companies of foote-men who ran after these poore people as after wild beasts crying out Amassa amassa that is kill kill They slew diuers of them But they that could get to the top of the mountaine being on the hight of the rockes intreated they might be heard which being
had submitted himselfe to the Legat hee mediated for them not being able to obtaine any other thing at his hands but pardon vpon condition that they that made profession of the beleefe of the Albingenses should come and abiure their Religion and promise to liue according to the Lawes of the Church of Rome The Romish Catholikes intreated them to yeeld to this so great a violence and not to be the cause of their death since the Legat was resolued not to pardon any if they liued not all vnder one and the same Law The Albingenses answered That they would not forsake their Religion for the base price of this fraile life That they knew well that God was able to defend them if it pleased him and that if he would bee glorified by the confession of their faith it should bee a great honour to them to die for righteousnesse sake That they had rather displease the Pope who could destroy their bodies onely than God who could cast both body and soule into Hell fire That they would neuer be ashamed or deny that Religion by which they haue beene taught to know Christ and his righteousnesse or with the danger of an eternall death professe a Religion which doth annihillate the merit of Christ and burieth his righteousnesse and that therefore they would couenant for themselues as they could and promise nothing contrary to the duty of true Christians This being vnderstood the Romish Catholikes sent their Bishop to the Legat humbly to intreat him that he would not include in this chastisement of the Albingenses those that were alwayes obedient to the Church of Rome of whom he that was their Bishop had certaine knowledge being likewise assured that the rest were not altogether past hope of repentance but that they might be wonne by gentle meanes best befitting the Church which tooke no pleasure in the effusion of bloud The Legat herewith grew into extreme choller and passion swearing and protesting with horrible threats that if all they that were in the Citie did not acknowledge their fault and submit themselues to the Church of Rome they should all taste of one cup and without respect of Catholike sex or age they should all be exposed to fire and sword And incontinently he commanded that the Citie should bee summoned to yeeld it selfe to his discretion which they refusing to doe hee caused all his engins of warre to play and commanded an assault and generall escalado to bee made Now it was impossible for those that were within to resist so great a violence The Treasure of Hist in the taking of Beziers Paul Aemil. pag. 317. in such sort that being thus assaulted by aboue a hundred thousand Pelerins in the end saith the Compiler of the Treasure of Histories they within vere vanquished and the enemie being entred slew a great multitude and afterwards set fire to the Citie and burnt it to dust The Citie being taken the Priests Monkes and Clerkes came forth of the great Church of Beziers called St. Nazari with the Banner the Crosses their holy-water bare headed attired with the ornaments of the Church and singing Te Deum laudamus as a signe of ioy that the Towne was taken and purged of the Albingenses The Souldiers who had receiued command from the Legat to kill all ranne in vpon them brake the order of their procession made the heads and armes of the Priests to flie about striuing who should doe best in such a manner that they were all cut in pieces To excuse this crueltie disallowed by some of those that were spectators they haue inserted into the Historie these reports that is to say That the Pelerins were incensed against the inhabitants of Beziers because they had cast ouer the walls of the Citie the booke of the Gospels crying vnto them See there the Law of your God whereupon the Souldiers grew to this resolution to kill all those they should find within the circuit of Beziers that so they might be sure not to spare those that had thus blasphemed But how could the Albingenses doe any such thing so impious against the Gospell of our blessed Sauiour considering that one of the principall causes for which they had forsaken the Church of Rome was because the Gospel of Christ Iesus was as it were buried amongst them the people forbid to reade it And besides one of the great crimes which they laid to the charge of the Earle Remond was because hee carried alwayes about him the New Testament To this they added a miracle and that was that Beziers was taken vpon the day of Marie Magdalen because say they heretikes speake ill of Magdalin in their law The Treasure of hist in the taking of Beziers In the hist of the Monke Pet. of the Valleis Seruey of the Albing ch 18. Thus speakes the compiler of the Treasure Now this imposture is so deuillish that I hardly durst commit it to paper and yet notwithstanding the Monke of the Valleis Seruay sets it downe at large without doubts or scruples though the very thought thereof would make the haire of any man that hath but the least sparke of pietie to stand on end Now the citie being burnt razed and ransacked the Pilgrims who thought they merited Paradise by this sacceige and effusion of bloud were speedily conducted to Carcassonne before the forty daies of fight which they had vowed to the Church of Rome were expired because then they were permitted euery man to depart to his owne home CHAP. V. The Siege of Carcassonne the taking of the towne or Borough of Carcassonne An assault and generall Escalado giuen to the citie A great number of the soldiers of the Crosse slaine The Intercession of the King of Aragon for the Earle of Beziers to no purpose A stratagem for the taking of the Earle of Beziers The flight of the people of Carcassonne by what meanes The taking of Carcassonne THe Earle of Beziers when he saw that he could obtaine nothing of the Legat in fauour of the city of Beziers hauing left this charge to the Bishop to make triall whether he by any meanes could obtaine pardon for those poore inhabitants and in the meane time because he knew very well that hauing taken Beziers he would not suffer the city of Carcassonne to continue in peace because being strong by nature the Legat knew there was no store-house for the warre nor better place of repose for the Soldiers than that was he was counselled to retire himselfe thither and speedily to cause it to be furnished with whatsoeuer was fit to maintaine a long siege He put himselfe therfore into Carcassonne being accompanied with me most faithfull attendants He was followed as it were foot by foot by the Legats armie vnto which there came new Croises or soldiers of the Crosse that is to say the Bishop of Agenois the Bishop of Limoges of Bazades of Cohors and the Archbishop of Burdeaux euery one with the Pilgrims of their owne
Grandselue named Elias Garin came from Amelin the Popes Legat to offer peace to the Earle Remond and the Toulouzains He was receiued with great ioy offering peace and plenty to those that were almost famished and wearied with warre Neuerthelesse the wisest amongst them who better foresaw the euent of things knew well enough that so soone as they had gotten the Earle Remond into their hands they would make vse of him to persecute them that they would establish the inquisition and kindle their fires againe and so vtterly destroy them both bodies and soules but the reasons of these men were ouercome by the importunate cries of the common people almost famished who could not see the time wherein they were fettered with the halter that should strangle them Besides the enemie wanted not people in Toulouze that were willing to terrifie the Earle Remond saying that he was not now to deale with Americ of Montfort but with a king of France who had power sufficient to ouerthrow him that continuall feuers kill men and long warres would at the last burie them all The Earle Remond passed his word to the Abbot to be at a certaine day at Vasieges there to resolue vpon that which was to bee done to bring the peace to a perfection In the meane time a truse was agreed vpon with the Toulouzains for certaine daies The Earle Remond came at the day to the place appointed and so did the Abbot of Grandselue After much discourse and communication touching a peace the Abbot made him beleeue that it would be for his greater aduantage to bee in France than in that place and that forasmuch as the businesse concerned the King that it was necessary that the Queene-mother being Tutrix vnto him and Regent of France should be present and that more would be done in a few daies than in a whole yeare the businesse requiring so many iournies and goings and commings which peraduenture would bee long and vnprofitable and so pawned his faith that hereby he should receiue all contentment Being vanquished by these promises he consented to come into France whethersoeuer the Queene-mother should appoint Meaux was the place she made choise of and his time was appointed He came thither but he was no sooner arriued but he repented and acknowledged his great ouersight in that he had giuen credit to the words of a Priest especially knowing that his deceased father had alwaies sped so ill by trusting to those that hold this for a maxime that Faith is not to be kept with Heretikes or their fauourers That he being held for such a one had no reason to looke for better successe There was therefore now no more question of treaties or communications but of submission to whatsoeuer should be enioyned him He had now no longer freedome of speech but he was carefully guarded for feare least he should fly to the Albingenses The Historiographer of Languedoc The Hist of Lang. fol. 34. though in other matters much animated against the Albingenses yet hee could not write of this without commiseration so lamentable was the condition of this Lord. These are his words It was a lamentable thing saith hee to see so braue a man that was able for so long a time to make resistance against so many people to come in his shirt and his linnen breeches bare foot to the Altar in the presence of two Cardinalls of the Church of Rome the one the Legat in France the other the Legat in England But this is not all the ignominious punishment that was inflicted but he notes besides that of so many conditions of that peace euery one of them saith he had beene sufficient for the price of his ransome if the king had beene in the field making warre against him CHAP. VI. The Articles of the treatie of the Earle Remond of Toulouze with the Popes Legat Amelin and the Queene mother of Lewis the ninth King of France IT was an easie matter to finish this treatie These articles are to be foūd in the Biblioth of Peres Tom. 7. because the Articles were proposed to the Earle Remond with this condition that they should be signed by himselfe without reply Article 1. That after the Earle Remond shall haue asked pardon according to the order appointed that is to say bareheaded barefoot in his shirt with a torch in his hand for all that he had done against the Church he shall promise to defend the faith and driue away all Heretikes out of his lands and territories Article 2. That hee should pay to the Church as long as he liueth euery yeare three Markes of Siluer 3. That he should giue once and incontinently the summe of six thousand Marks of Siluer for the reparations of the Cities Castles and houses that had beene either by himselfe or his father destroyed and ruinated during the warres past 4. That he should giue for the reparation of Moustier and the maintenance and nourishment of the Monkes of Cisteaux two thousand Markes of Siluer 5. For the Monkes of Cleruaux fiue hundred Markes of Siluer 6. For those of Grand Selue and the reparation of their Moustier a thousand Markes of Siluer 7. For the Church of Belle Perche three hundred Markes of Siluer 8. For the reparation of the Castle Narbonnes six thousand markes of Siluer and that the Legat should keepe it for ten yeares in the name of the Church 9. For the maintenance of foure Masters in diuinitie two Doctors of the Canon Law two Masters of Art and two Masters Gramarians who should reade euery one in his quality euery day to such schollers as should come to Toulouze the summe of foure thousand markes of Siluer whereof euery Master in Diuinitie should haue twenty fiue Markes of Siluer by the yeare for the terme of ten yeares the Doctor of the Law should haue fifteene Markes by the yeare during the space of ten yeares The Master of Artes ten Markes 10. That he should take the Crosse at the hands of the Legat to goe beyond the seas to make warre against the Turkes and Sarazins and should goe to Rhodes where hee should stay for the space of fiue yeares from whence he should bring a certificat from the great Master of Rhodes 11. That from thenceforward hee should enterprise nothing against the Church 12. That he should make warre against the Earle of Foix and his allies neuer making peace with them but by the leaue of the Legat. 13. That he should ouerthrow and demollish all the walles towers and fortresses of Toulouze as the Legat shall ordaine and appoint 14. That he should vtterly subuert and pull downe from the bottome to the top thirty fiue cities or Castles of which these that follow should bee of the number that is to say Fauiaux Castelnau d'Arri la Bastide Auignonnet Pech Laurence Saint Paul La Vaur Rebasteins Guaillac Montagut Hautpec Verdun Castel Sarrazin Montauban Agen Sauerdun Condon Auterine and others that shall be named vnto him by the
Commandament defend tota non licita cubititia c. Thou shalt not commit adultery THis Commandement forbids all vnlawfull lust and pollution of the flesh as it is said in the fift by Saint Mathew He that looketh vpon a woman and lusteth after her hath already committed adultery with her in his heart And in the fift of the Apostle to the Ephesians it is said This ye know that no whoremonger nor vncleane person nor couetous man shall inherite the Kingdome of God And in the 1 Corinthians 6.9 Be not deceiued neither fornicators nor vncleane persons shall inherite the Kingdome of Heauen And in the 5. Chapter If any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or couetous c. Eate not with such a one Now as there is a corporall whoredome so there is a spirituall that is to say when a man separateth himselfe from God An Exposition of the 8. Commandement En aquest Commandament es deffendu totalment furt et fraud de cosas stragnas c. Thou shalt not steale IN this Commandement we are forbid all manner of theft and all vnlawfull meanes to get vnto our selues the goods of another by fraud or auarice or iniury or violence For they are not onely theeues that take the goods of another but they that command them that receiue theeues into their Houses and that buy stollen goods and make profit of them wittingly All they that doe such things and they that consent thereunto they shall suffer equall punishment or if thou finde any thing and restorest it not thou hast robbed thy Neighbour for thou art bound to make restitution of that thou hast found They that depriue their subiects of their goods and commodities as Lords vse to doe imposing vniust charges and taxations ouer-burthening the poore by their wicked inuentions and if they refuse to doe it they imprison them and many times torment them euen to the death and so take from them their goods vniustly they are theeues Of these the Prophet Esay speaketh Chapter 1.23 Thy Princes are rebellious and companions of Theeues and follow after rewards They are also Theeues that retaine the wages of the labourer by fraud Of such it is said in the 19 of Leuiticus The wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night vntill the morning And as Saint Iames speaketh in his fift Chapter Ye that haue heaped treasure together for the last dayes Behold the hire of the Labourers which haue reaped downe your fields which is of you kept backe by fraud cryeth and the cries of them which haue reaped are entred into the eares of the Lord of Hosts They play the theeues that hurt the weale publike as Coyners in the weight number value and generally all such as falsifie their weights and measures and diuers Merchandizes these are called robbers of the common good and such according to the Law are to be put to death in boyling oyle They are Theeues that labour to get by fraud that deceiue men in their wares and merchandize selling bad for good Also Gamesters who inuite others to gaming who play out of auarice the roote of all euill rapine lying vaine and idle speeches oaths blasphemies against God ill example the losse of time Thus by playing a man winds himselfe vniustly into the goods of another man An Exposition on the 9. Commandement En aquest Commandement non es solament deffendu la messogna ma tota offensa c. Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy Neighbour IN this Commandement we are not onely forbidden to lye but all offences that may be done vnto our Neighbours by false or fained words or workes For all such as loue lying are the Children of the Diuell as also they that impeach the honour of their Neighbour by lying or beare false witnesse for the wicked Hee that beares false witnesse saith Saint Augustine wrongs these three First God whose presence is thereby contemned Secondly the Iudge who is deceiued by him that lieth And thirdly he wrongs the Innocent partie who is oppressed by his false witnesse All detractors sinne against this Commandement A detractor or slanderer is compared to an open sepulchre as Dauid speaketh Their mouth is an open sepulchre There is no graue so loathsome vnto God as the mouth of a slanderer And this was that that made S. Ambrose to say that a thiefe is more to be boren-with then a detractor for the one robbeth a man of his corporall substance onely the other of his good name The slanderer deserueth to be hated of God and man The stroke of the whip maketh markes in the flesh but the stroke of the tongue breaketh the bones An Exposition of the 10. Commandement En aquest Commandement es defendua la Cubititia de tui li ben c. Thou shalt not couet c. IN this Commandement is forbidden the couetous desire of all goods that is of wife seruants fields vineyards houses c. As also the concupiscence of the eyes and of the flesh The lust of the flesh is like a running water but the lust of the eyes is like earth by reason of our earthly affections And as of water and earth there is made a materiall dirt so of concupiscense is made the spirituall durt and dunghill of the soule which maketh a man odious vnto God From hence ariseth the pride of life which like a violent winde disquieteth the soule and turneth this earthly lumpe into dust The conclusion of the Exposition of the Commandements Aquesti son li dies Commandament de la Ley c. THese are the ten Commandements of the Law whereof the first concerne our duty to God the latter toward our neighbour And whosoeuer will be saued must keepe these Commandements Many excellent blessings are promised to those that keepe these Commandements and to those that transgresse them many grieuous and horrible maledictions As Deut. 28. If wee truely acknowledge our sinnes we know that we are farre from God For saluation is farre from sinners and the knowledge of sinne bringeth vs to repentance for no man can repent that knoweth not his sinne The first degree to saluation is the knowledge of sinne and therefore acknowledging our fault we approach with confidence to the throne of the grace of God and confesse our sinnes for hee is faithfull and iust to pardon our sinnes and to clense vs from all iniquitie and to bring vs to the life of grace Amen A briefe Exposition of the Waldenses and Albingenses of the Apostles Creed confirming the Articles thereof by expresse passages of the Scripture CHAP. IIII. Nos deuen creyre en Dio Paire tot Poissant c. WEe must beleeue in God the Father Almightie maker of heauen and earth which God is one Trinitie as it is written in the Law Deut. 6.4 Heare O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. And the Prophet Esay I am Lord and there is none other neither is there any God but I And Saint Paul
nor wrinckle nor any such thing but that it should bee holy and vndefiled And this testimony of washing the Spouse of Christ in his Blood is not onely currant heere vpon earth but in heauen too by those that haue obtained the actuall washing of whom it is said in the Reuelation Chap. 7. These are they which came out of great tribulation and haue washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lambe Therefore are they before the Throne of God and serue him day and night Thus you see how many purgings may be gathered out of the Scriptures to prooue that they that trauell in this life are heere purged of their sinnes In the third place we thinke it a great deale the surer way that euery man doe so liue in this present world that hee may haue no need afterwards of any purgation For it is a great deale better to doe good in this present life then afterwards to hope for an vncertaine helpe And it is a surer course that what good a man hopes shall be done vnto him by others after his death he doe it himselfe whilst he liueth being a more happy thing to depart a free-man then to seeke his liberty after he is bound Moreouer besides that which hath beene hitherto spoken we say that there is no place in Scripture to be found nor amongst the Doctours grounded vpon the Scriptures that doth make good vnto vs that the faithfull are any way bound by any necessity to beleeue or publikely to confesse as an Article of their faith that there is any such place as Purgatory after this life wherein after the ascension of Christ into Heauen the soules especially of those that shall be saued not hauing satisfied in this life for their sinnes endure sensible paines when they are departed of their bodies and thereby are purged of which soules some depart out of Purgatory sooner some later then others and some a little before others at the day of Iudgement And first as touching the Scriptures no man can prooue it by them For it is manifest that if a man shall reade the whole Law he shall neuer finde therein any one place of Scripture that bindeth a Christian necessarily to beleeue as an Article of his faith that there is after this life any place called Purgatory as some doe affirme And there is no place in the whole Volume of the Booke of God which doth so much as name it neither was there euer any soule found that hath entred the same Purgatory and came out againe There is no man bound therefore to beleeue it or to hold it to be an Article of our faith For confirmation heereof Saint Augustine in his Booke intituled A thousand words writes thus We beleeue according to the Catholike faith and diuine authority that the Kingdome of heauen is the first place wherein Baptisme is receiued The second is that wherein such as are excommunicates and strangers to the Faith of Christ endure euerlasting torments As for a third place we are altogether ignorant of any neither doe wee finde it in the Scriptures The same Saint Augustine in the same place vpon these words They shall not inherite the kingdome of God writeth thus O my brethren let no man deceiue himselfe for there are onely two places and a third is not to be found For hee that deserueth not to reigne with Christ shall without all doubt perish with the deuill And to this purpose Saint Chrysostome writing vpon those words in the 12. by Saint Matthew The Kingdome of heauen is like vnto a man that is an housholder saith thus The man that is the father of the family is Christ vnto whom heauen and earth are as a house but his families are celestiall and terrestriall for whom he buildeth a house with three Chambers that is hell heauen and earth The Combatants are they that dwell vpon the earth the vanquished in hell and the Conquerours in heauen Let vs saith hee that are in the middle roome take heed wee descend not to those that are in hell but rather mount vpward to those that are in heauen By these authorities you may plainely see that there are onely two certaine places after the ascension of Christ into heauen into which the soules departed out of their bodies doe goe and that there is no third place neither can it be found in the Scriptures And therefore forasmuch as in the whole Law of God there is no expresse mention of any such place as Purgatory is and the Apostles haue giuen vs no instructions touching the same and the Primatiue Church gouerned by the Apostles according to the Gospell haue left vs no Ordinances or Commandements but that Pope Pelagius fiue hundred fiftie eight yeeres after Christ did ordayne as wee may reade that the dead should bee remembred in the Masse it followeth that since there is no expresse proofe thereof in the Law of God there is no necessity to beleeue the sayd Purgatory as an Article of our faith or that there is any such place after this life But heere is matter of doubt because men in these dayes are strangely affected to the helpe and ayde of the dead notwithstanding that in all the Scripture there be nothing expresly taught except in the Booke of Macchabees which is no part of the Old Testament nor Canonicall And that neither Christ nor the Prophets nor the Apostles nor the Saints neere their time haue euer taught to pray for the dead but haue rather carefully taught that the people that liue vnblameably shall bee Saints And therefore answering to the doubt aboue-mentioned wee say that the principall cause of this doting affection proceedeth from the deceit and trumperies and auarice of the Priests who haue not taught the people as the Prophets of Christ nor as his Apostles to liue well but to offer much and to place their hope of deliuerance and happinesse in Purgatory CHAP. III. Of the Inuocation of Saints WEe are now to speake of prayer vnto Saints which certaine great Masters with their followers preach vnto the people extolling and publishing it with great diligence as an Article of their Faith affirming that the Saints that are in their celestiall Countrey are to be prayed vnto by vs in the selfe same manner as the Priests were accustomed to doe and other of the people by their instruction enioyning them many other things as helpes to their Inuocation By which Inuocation authorization and magnification the people carnally erroneously beleeue it Imagining that as it is the manner and practice before earthly Kings when they are angry that such as are not in choller should intercede for them and pacifie their anger so the people thinke it is so with God that is that the Saints doe appease the wrath of God when he is angry with sinners But wee are not to beleeue any such thing for if it were so there could be no true conformity betweene the will of the Saints and the
with mony These Inquisitors discharged this Peironette vntill they were otherwise aduised hauing first drawen from her whatsoeuer shee knew of the assemblies of the Waldenses of such persons as frequented them of the places and times which afterwards brought great trouble to the said Churches of the Waldenses and gaine and prey to the Inquisitors In the yeere of our Lord 1597. one thousand foure hundred ninety seuen the Arch-bishop of Ambrun named Rostain would know at his arriuall how things had passed vntil then against the Waldenses of his Dioces and finding that they that dwelt in the valley of Frassiniere had been excommunicated by the Inquisitors that had then framed their indictmēts that they had deliuered them to the secular power nothing hindring the execution of the sentences pronounced against them but their flight he would not enter into the said Valley though he were earnestly requested by one Fazion Gay an inhabitant of the said Valley saying that they had been condemned authoritate Pontificis Romani and therefore he might beginne his iourney vnto them inconsulto Pontifice but when our holy father laxabit mihi manus saith he and their absolution shall be plaine and apparent vnto me I will go to visit them FaZion Gay speaking in the behalfe of the said Inhabitants that made profession to liue like good Catholikes say they answered that the King had released of such punishments prouided that they liued like good Catholikes for time to come The Arch-bishop replied that hee would doe nothing vntill he had sent to the Pope and that to that purpose he had deputed a Master in Theology called Frier Iohn Columbi and he would write to the Pope and Cardinals and send them a verball report of what had passed against them and he would request their aduise how to carry himselfe in this businesse But he gaue them afterwards to vnderstand that he could receiue no answere Hereupon King Charles the eight of that name King of France being departed this life the said Arch-bishop tooke his iourney to the Coronation of King Lewis the twelfth in the yeer one thousand foure hundred ninety eight 1498. which being come to the knowledge of the said Inhabitants of Frassiniere and knowing too well that they had no reason to expect that any thing in their fauour could come from Rome and that the Arch-bishop would be easily intreated to enioy those goods that had been confiscated by his predecessors and that hee would be vnwilling to make restitution of those goods which they had annexed to his Arch-bishopricke they resolued with themselues to send to King Lewis the twelfth and to become humble petitioners vnto him that hee would be pleased to take some order for the restituti-of their goods the which the said Arch-bishop the Monkes Inquisitors and diuers others detained from them The King committed this busines to his Chancellor and his Counsell The Chancellor speaking therof to the Arch-bishop he answered that the restitution that they demanded concerned not himselfe because the said goods were confiscated by the Inquisitors long time before he was called to the Arch-bishoprick of Ambrun but there were then at Paris faith he the President of Grenoble and the Chancellor Rabot that were able to answere to the said Article they being the men that had condemned them The Waldenses on the other side were very earnest that the said Arch-bishop namely and especially might be enioyned to make restitution of their goods because many parcels of the said goods were annexed to the demaine of the said Arch-bishop and that whensoeuer they demanded them he sent to the Pope to the preiudice of that which the late deceased King had ordained The grand Counsell hauing taken knowledge of this businesse ordained that nothing should be innouated in that which concerned the Waldenses of Frassiniere the King hauing written to the Pope that there might be Apostolicall Commissaries ioyned with the said Arch-bishop as Ordinary to make an end of this busines for this time For the prosecution of the said ordinance there were named for Apostolicall Commissioners a certaine Confessor of the Kings and the Officiall of Orleans who came to Ambrun in the yeere one thousand fiue hundred and one and the fourth of Iuly 1501. Here let the Reader iudge of the capacity of the said Arch-bishop by those memorials that he hath left and which wee haue heere written out word for word The Gentlemen saith he the Confessor and the Officiall of Orleans being arriued at Ambrun sent vnto mee a Post for the Packet to bring the Letter missiues of the King to the which being receiued by me I obeyed and sent vnto them to intreat them that they would be pleased to lodge with me as Monsieur the Confessor had promised to doe at Lyon and presently I sent some of my people to offer them a lodging and sent them of my wine to whom they answered that I should no more send any thing to the end that they of Frassiniere should not haue them in suspition and that therefore they would not accept of my lodging And after dinner I went to their lodging accompanied with Monsiuer the Abbot of Boscaudon some of my Canons and other Officers and to the said Commissioners I offered againe my house doing them honour and reuerence as to Apostolicall and Royall Commissioners and for the honour of their charge and persons Then the said Commissioners presented vnto me the said Apostolicall and Royall Commissions requiring of me as being ioyned in the said Commissions and as ordinary to take notice of it The Commissions being viewed and read I presently offered my self with all honor and reuerence to giue them all the aid and fauour I could possibly and that for my part there should nothing bee wanting but that the said Commission should be fully accomplished offering vnto them all the proces and indictments that I had as they demanded them notwithstanding a great part of the said proces were remaining in the great Counsell from the time of that Monsieur the Chancellor Adam Fumee who caused my predecessor and his Secretary to be arested at Lion vntill the said Adam Fumee had the originall of the proces which were about the charge of a moyle not suffering the said Secretary to retaine any writing as the said Secretary medio iuramento in their presence deposed Afterwards Monsieur the Confessor began to blame those Commissioners which in former times had been imployed therein And did charge and admonish semel bis ter sub poena excommunicationis latae sententiae trina Canonica monitione praecedente that I should shew and that incontinently all the indictments that I had touching this matter for he was to spend in this businesse but a few dayes being to returne vnto the Court at the Feast of our Lady in August to the King who expected him as his Confessor notwithstanding that before I had offered to deliuer him the said proces But when I saw
that he proceeded against all forme of Law and that hee purposed to proceede against the dignity Episcopall rather by suspensions then excommunications and that I was a Iudge as well as he and more then that Ordinary I asked the Copy of their Commissions terminum ad respondendum according to the forme of the Law written Then Monsieur the Confessor answered that he had vsed the said Censures and Commands not long before against the Masters of the Parliament of Grenoble and that therefore he might vse it against my selfe Replying also vnto me You petty Clarkes know nothing but two C. C. Codice Capitulo and two ff Digestis and will take vpon you to suppresse Diuinity and that he heard the King speake it out of his owne mouth that the Arch-bishop of Ambrun would oppose himselfe against his Commission and bee an open accuser of the Waldenses To whom I answered that hee must pardon me for I did not beleeue but that the King had a better opinion of me because in this matter I had neuer trauelled but to a good end as I alwaies intended to doe Then Monsieur the Confessor continuing in his discourse spake these words Vos ad me in modum Scribarum Pharisaeorum Christum accusantium ad Pilatum accessistis cum tantis viris Ecclesiasticis ad terrendum me sed nihil teneo sub vobis aut domino vestro de nihilo vos timeo That is to say You are come vnto mee as the Scribes and Pharisies when they accused Christ before Pilate and with so many Ecclesiasticall persons to terrifie mee but I hold nothing vnder you or your dominion and I feare you not at all To which I answered that I brought no more with mee then those that were accustomed to beare mee company walking through the Citty And suddenly he commanded the lay-people to auoid the chamber then reuoked the sentences which hee had thundred out against mee against all forme of law saying that it was expedient to vse those rigorous tearmes in the presence of the lay-people and especially there being some of the Waldenses present as more at large touching the kind carriage of Monsier the Confessor and of matters aboue spoken of it appeares by a publike instrument Thus you see part of the notes of the Arch-bishop Rostain set downe word by word wherein we finde sundry falshoods as for example He writ in great griefe that the said Commissioners heard not aboue three or foure witnesses and we finde in the said bundle of writings for remembrance of the Arch-bishop Rostain a Coppy of informations wherein there were foure and twenty witnesses heard and examined Againe he saith that they asked no other question but if they were good Catholikes or no to which being well taught they answered yea and with that answere the Commissioners contented themselues And yet it appeareth that they demanded diuers questions touching the Eucharist Purgatory Inuocation of Saints and diuers other points Againe he saith that the witnesses were fearefull and durst not speake and yet it plainly appeareth that the witnesses produced were for the most part Priests and Monkes of the faction of the Arch-bishop exhibited by him Againe that they suffered nothing to be set downe in writing whereas it appeareth that there are no Indictments where there is more written then in those that were framed by the said Commissioners But that which troubled the Arch-bishop most was that the said Commissioners gaue sentence of absolution touching Contumacy sine praeiudicio causae principalis iuris cuicunque acquisiti against which the Arch-bishop protested and would not yeeld his consent to seale the said sentence complaining that Monsieur the Officiall of Orleans had made knowen by his proceedings that he fauoured the said Waldenses especially hauing said openly at his lodging at the signe of the Angell in Ambrun that he desired to be but as good a Christian as the worst of Frassiniere But the greatest hurt came to himselfe for he saw that hee must restore diuers viniards belonging to the said Waldenses situated at S. Clements S. Crespin and at the place Chanteloube and diuers inheritances at Chateau-Roux which his Predecessor named Iohn had ioyned to the Demaine of his Arch-bishopricke The Confessor of the King hauing reported vnto him and to his Counsell what he knew touching the Waldenses and how they were absolued of their contumacy did ordaine that the goods of the said Waldenses should be restored whereupon these Letters following were granted by King Lewis the twelfth of that name Lewis by the grace of God King of France c. FOr as much as it is come to our knowledge that the Inhabitants of Frassiniere haue endured great troubles and vexations punishments and trauels VVe desiring to releeue them and that they should be restored to their goods moueables and immoueables do by these Presents command all those that detaine the said goods that incontinently and without delay they desist and renounce the said goods and restore them to the said Suppliants or their Atturneies for them euery one in his place and ranke And in case of opposition refusall or delay Wee hauing regard to their pouerty and misery wherein they haue a long time and now are detained without power to obtaine iustice desiring withall Our heart it should bee administred vnto them Our will is to take notice thereof in Our owne proper person warning all those that shall oppose themselues or make delay to appeare before Vs at a certaine competent day c. Giuen at Lion the twelfth of Oct. 1501. These Letters being executed it was the opinion of most men that since the fairest and best part of the goods of the said Waldenses was possessed by the Lord Arch-bishop that there was great reason that hee should giue example vnto others seeing especially that that which they held came vnto some of them as a sallary or fee for their punishments and by the hands of the Arch-bishop Iohn his Predecessor The Arch-bishop Rostain answered that he held none of the goods of the Frassinieres onely certaine goods had been annexed to his Arch-bishopricke vpon good and iust cause and incorporated to his Church by his Predecessor the said goods being within the territories and iurisdiction thereof in which no commandement of the King hath euer been accustomed to be executed and therefore it is not to bee beleeued that it commeth from the will of the King being Protector of the Churches and following the example of his great predecessors But yet neuerthelesse the said Arch-bishop being willing to please our Lord the King will bee content to yeeld vnto the said Inhabitants of Frassiniere the said vineyards vpon condition that other the Lords and Masters of Dauphine deliuer that which they haue of the said goods and then the Arch-bishop will be content to restore that which hee and his Church doe possesse Thus these poore people were frustrated of their attempt For there was not any one that