and according to the opinion of some Doctours there is neither power nor profit in them Of the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord. THe eating of the Sacramentall Bread is the eating of the Body of Christ in a figure Christ himselfe hauing said As oft as yee shall doe this doe it in remembrance of mee for if this were not to eate in a figure Christ should be bound to bee eaten continually for this spirituall eating is almost alwayes necessary as Saint Augustine speaketh Hee eateth Christ in truth that beleeueth in him And Christ saith that the eating is to dwell in him In the celebration of this Sacrament these things are profitable Prayer Loue the Preaching of the Word in the vulgar tongue and other things whatsoeuer they bee that are ordained to this purpose according to the Euangelicall Law to the end that loue and charity may grow and increase amongst the people But other things besides the consecration of the Eucharist as those that the Priests vse in the Masse or that the Clerke sings to the Queere from the beginning to the end and the ornaments which the Priests vse at this present in the Church of Rome they belong of necessity to the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord. Of Marriage and Orders PRayer and fasting are profitable when there is any question of the celebration of Matrimony and the instructions and aduertisements touching the same But the imposition of hands and those Ligatures made with the Stole and other things that are commonly obserued therein by humane custome without the expresse Word of God are not of the substance nor necessarily required in marriage As for Orders we are to vnderstand by them that power which is giuen of God vnto man duely to administer to the Church the Word and Sacraments But we haue nothing in the Scriptures that makes good any such Orders but onely the custome of the Church And the letters testimoniall the anoynting of the hands the donation of the seniture and violl into his hands and other things commonly obserued heerein without the expresse Word are not of the substance thereof nor necessarily required in the taking of Orders Of the Crysome or Confirmation VVEe are now to speake of the Crysome which at this present is called a Sacrament hauing no ground for it in the Scriptures First that it should be consecrated by a Bishop and made with Oyle of Oliues and Balsome applyed to the forehead of the man baptized in the figure of the Crosse and with these words I signe thee with the signe of the Crosse and confirme thee by the signe of saluation In the Name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost which is done with imposition of hands and with white vestments bound to the head This is that which they call the Sacrament of Confirmation which was neuer ordained by Christ or his Apostles For Christ the patterne and president of the whole Church was not confirmed in his owne person neither did he require at his Baptisme a Crysome but the water onely And therefore this Sacrament cannot be necessary to saluation whereby a man blasphemeth the Name of God and is brought in by the motion of the deuill to the end the people might bee deceiued and depriued of the faith of the Church and that he might the rather put his trust and confidence in these solemnities Of extreame Vnction THe seuenth Sacrament of the Romish Church is the extreame Vnction of the sicke which they goe about to prooue by that saying of Saint Iames. But we finde not that it hath beene ordained by Christ or his Apostles For if this corporall Vnction were a Sacrament as they would haue men beleeue Christ or his Apostles would not haue beene silent in the manifestation of the execution thereof which being well considered we should not dare to hold and confesse as an Article of our faith that this Sacrament was instituted by Christ and his Apostles Of Fasts THere is a two-fold Fast Spirituall and Corporall The Spirituall is to abstaine from sinne The Corporall from meates and drinkes But a Christian hath liberty to eate at all times and to fast euery day prouided that he fast not superstitiously as a vertue of continency Note also that there are certaine Fasts which are not to bee obserued or commended by the faithfull but rather to bee abhorred as the Fasts of the Scribes and Pharises which are ordained by Antichrift and smell of Idolatry The Fasts of Heretikes and superstitious persons which are obserued by Enchanters Sorcerers Negromancers and the Fasts dedicated to creatures not to the Creator which are not grounded vpon the Law of God Disorderly Fafts obserued with delicate viands of highest price as fish figges raysons almonds which the poore are depriued of and the rich glut themselues with whereby the almes is withdrawne from the poore whereas if they did fast so as afterwards to feed vpon common diet of lower price they might the better prouide for their families and the poore Moreouer Fasts consist not in the abstayning from corporall viands as if they were vncleane for all things are cleane to those that are cleane and we are to refuse nothing that is taken with thankesgiuing for that is sanctified by the Word of God and by Prayer 1. Tim. 4.4 All these Fasts aboue-mentioned are reiected and detested by the faithfull and for the not-obseruation of these no man is to bee blamed FINIS A COLLECTION OR NARATIVE Sent to his Highness the LORD PROTECTOR of the COMMON-WEALTH of ENGLAND SCOTLAND IRELAND c. CONCERNING The Bloody and Barbarous Massacres Murthers and other Cruelties committed on many thousands of Reformed or Protestants dwelling in the Vallies of Piedmont by the Duke of Savoy's Forces joyned therein with the French Army and severall Jrish Regiments Published by Command of his Highness Printed for H. Robinson at the three Pigeons in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1655. To his Highness the Lord Protector of ENGLAND SCOTLAND and IRELAND and the Dominions thereto belonging May it please your Highness YOUR Highness having thought it convenient that I should put in print the writings I have received concerning the horrible massacre committed upon the poor Protestants of Piedmont I humbly dedicate them to your Highness as to whom they do of right belong not onely because they were sent me to present to your Highness or that your Highness hath received them from other hands but chiefly for that every one knowing the Piety of your Highness and the fervent Charity you have testifi'd to the poor Protestants the strait Communion you hold with them and the care you have of their preservation it seems as if your Highness were particularly interess'd herein And so much the more because this cruell action was chiefely executed by the Irish as in revenge to those who have driven them out of their own Country for the cruell Massacres they there committed So that every one believes your Highness will expresse a
prayers by pilgrimages by almes-deeds by offerings and sacrifices of great charge The which creature they serue adore honor after a diuers manner with songs orations solemnities and celebrations of Masses vespers complines to the selfe-same creatures with prayer bookes for certaine houres vigils feasts purchasing of grace which is essentially in one onely God and in Iesus Christ meritoriously and is obtained by faith onely and by the holy Ghost For there is no other cause of Idolatry then the false opinion of grace of truth of authority inuocation intercession which this Antichrist hath taken from God and attributed it to his ceremonies authorities the workes of his hands and to Saints and to Purgatory And this iniquity of Antichrist is directly against the first Article of our Faith and the first Commandement of the Law In like sort the disorderly loue of the World which is in Antichrist is that from whence doe spring all the sinnes and wickednesse that is in the Church in those that are the Leaders and Rulers and Officers thereof who sinne without controlement against the truth of faith and the knowledge of God the Father witnesse Saint Iohn who saith He that sinneth knoweth not God for if any man loue the world the charity of the Father is not in him The second iniquity of Antichrist consists in the hope which he giueth of pardon grace righteousnesse truth and eternall life as not being in Christ or in God by Christ but in men liuing and dead in authorities ecclesiasticall ceremonies in benedictions sacrifices prayers and other things aboue mentioned not by true faith which brings forth repentance by charity and a departure from euill and cleauing to that which is good Now Antichrist teacheth vs not to place our hope and confidence in such things that is to say regeneration spirituall confirmation or communion the remission of sinnes sanctification eternall life but to hope in his Sacraments and his wicked Simony by which the people are abused in such sort that they make sale of all things and inuent many ordinances old and new to bring siluer into their chests promising that if any man doe this or that hee shall obtaine grace and life And this double iniquity is called in Scriptures adultery and fornication And therefore such Ministers as leade the brutish people into these errours are called the Apocalipticall Whore And this iniquity is against the second Article and the second and third Commandement The third iniquity of Antichrist consisteth in this that he hath inuented besides those aboue-named other false religions and orders and Monasteries giuing hope to obtaine grace by building oratories for Saints as also by deuout and frequent hearing of the Masse by the receiuing the Sacrament by Confession though seldome with a contrite heart by satisfaction by fastings and emptying the purse by professing himselfe a member of the Church of Rome by making vowes and giuing themselues to orders of Capouches and Cowles which against all truth they affirme that men are bound vnto And this iniquity of Antichrist is directly against the eight Article of our Beliefe I beleeue in the holy Ghost The fourth iniquity of Antichrist consisteth in this that notwithstanding hee bee the fourth Beast described by Daniel and the Apocalipticall whore hee neuerthelesse adorneth himselfe with authority power dignity offices Scriptures and compareth himselfe and maketh himselfe equall to the true and holy Mother the Church in which there is saluation Ministerially and not elsewhere in which there is the truth of life and Doctrine and of the Sacraments For if he should not thus couer himselfe and his wicked Ministers being knowne for manifest sinners hee would soone be forsaken and abandoned of euery one For Emperours and Kings and Princes thinking him to be like to the true and holy mother the Church they haue loued and endowed him contrary to the Commandement of God And this iniquity of Ministers and subiects and such as are brought vp in errour and sinne is directly against the ninth Article I beleeue in the holy Catholike Church And thus much touching the first part Secondly as they that are partakers of the onely outward ceremonies ordained by the inuention of men doe beleeue and hope truely to performe their Pastorall duties and cures prouided onely that they be shauen like sheepe and anoynted like walles and blessed by touching the Booke and the cup with their hands and so publish themselues to haue taken the order of Priesthood as they should So likewise as it hath beene sayd before the people that are subiect vnto them doe communicate by words by signes by outward exercises and by their diuers gestures and actions thinke they participate of the truth it selfe drawne from thence And this is against the other part of the ninth Article I beleeue the Communion of Saints It standeth vs therefore vpon to depart from the most wicked Communion of Monkes whereunto carnall men are drawne causing them for couetousnesse to put their trust in things of naught yea though they bee luxurious and couetous onely to the end men should giue them and then they tell them that they participate of their pouerty and of their chastitie The fift iniquity of Antichrist consists in this that he sayneth and promiseth remission of sinnes to such offenders as haue no true sorrow and contrition for their sinnes and cease not to perseuere in their wickednesse and that in the first place hee promiseth remission of their sinnes because of their auricular confession and humane absolution in their Pilgrimages and all for money And this iniquity is against the eleuenth Article of our faith I beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes For that is in God by authority in Christ by ministration Faith Hope Charity Repentance Obedience to the Word and in man by participation The sixt iniquity is that they hope euen to their liues end in the aboue-mentioned iniquities and especially in extreame Vnction and deuised Purgatory in such sort that the ignorant and rude people perseuere in their errour by giuing them to vnderstand that they are absolued from their sinnes though they neuer depart from them of their owne free wills but hope thereby to haue forgiuenesse of their sinnes and life euerlasting And this iniquity is directly against the eleuenth and twelfth Article of our Faith CHAP. II. Of inuented Purgatory THe Purgatory which diuers Priests and Monkes seeke to aduance and teach as an Article of our Faith with many lies and fables is this They affirme that after this life and after the Ascension of Christ into heauen the soules especially of those that shall bee saued not hauing satisfied in this life for their sinnes endure sensible paines and are purged in Purgatory after this life and that after they are purged they come out of Purgatory some sooner and some later and some not vntill the Day of Iudgement which soules all the faithfull may and ought to helpe after they are departed this life by the band of charity by
declaring that it was never his design nor of his Royall Predecessours by any act done or to be done nor his intention much lesse his will to enlarge their bounds and that if any thing hath been done or published to the contrary it was both against his own orders or those of his Magistrates but a meer usurpation against the disposition of those Acts as it is manifest and therefore the transgressours have undergone the penalties mentioned in his Declarations Besides that his Highnesse doth intend that in all those places and each of them where they are lovingly tolerated the sacrifice of the holy Masse be celebrated Prohibiting all subjects of the pretended Reformed Religion to give any molestation in deeds or words to the Fathers Missionaries and those that officiate under them much lesse to disturb or divertany of the pretended Reformed Religion from turning Catholiques under pain of death Charging and particularly commanding each particular Minister of the pretended Reformed Religion to see the forementioned injunctions inviolably observed as they will answer it at their utmost perills Declaring his intention to be that the execution hereof be done by posting or fixing Copies of these presents which shall be at the like value as if they had been made and intimated to each in particular Given at Lucerne the 25th of January 1655. Andrew Galstaldus Commissioner A second Apology in the behalfe of the Reformed inhabiting the Valleys of Piedmont THe History of the Reformed Churches whom God hath preserved in a corner of Italy in the valleys of Piedmont as miraculously as he did Moses his Bush in Horeb not onely since the yeare 1100 when the poore Vaudois and Albigeois retired themselves thither well knowing that the traditions of the Romish Church namely the modern had no accesse there but also time out of minde that is alwaies and from all time as saith the Monk Belvedere in his book intitled a Relation to the Congregation de propagandâ fide and as it is gathered out of Thuanus his History and many others is at large described in several books written to that purpose by Mr. du Perrin and lately by Master Giles Pastor in those quarters and shall yet further be seen God willing by a second Edition which will come forth with an exact addition of what hath happened since and very suddenly by as ample a Manifest as the case doth require it that will be more particularly made manifest which now in these few lines is but slightly touched concerning their number their extent their fights their deliverances the Edicts Priviledges and Concessions by vertue whereof they have enjoyed the peaceable habitation and the exercise of their Religion the disturbances which from time to time the Romish Clergy hath raised unto them and the deliverances the Lord hath vouchsafed them until these latter dayes wherein he hath broken down their hedges and the Boars of the wood have utterly wasted that Vineyard and the Hawks have chased and torne to pieces that Dove even in the very clefts of the Rocks In the years 1560. and 1561. Emanuel Philebert Duke of Savoy and Prince of Piedmont at the instigation of the Komish Clergy sent a mighty army to destroy the poore Reformed of the Valleys of Lucerne Perouse and Saint Martin in the said Piedmont hard by the Dauphinè under the command of the Count de la Trinité That Warre was long and bloody After they grew weary of it both parties came to an agreement bearing among several other heads the permission unto all of the Reformed Religion to inhabit all places and lands of the aforesaid three Valleys wherein were any afore the Warre begun In consequence of which agreement and Concession they were restored into Lucerne Lucernette Saint John la Tour Fenil Bobiane and Saint Second which places are lower towards the plaine about Turin and Pinerol as well as into the more remote places towards the neighbouring Mountaines of Dauphiné and they have been preserved there and protected by their Princes until the year 1602. Then Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy and Prince of Piedmont of glorious memory after the banishment of the reformed out of the Marquisate of Salluces gave leave to his Delegates to pubblish several Orders against the inhabitants of the Valley of Lucerne who dwelt towards the South of it beyond the river called Pelice viz. the Reformed of the Borroughs of Lucerne Bobiane and Fenil which are but small dependences of the Church of Saint John but would not suffer them to touch the rest And indeed it shall not be found that during the former persecutions any Duke of Savoy hath ever pretended that all the other places nor any of them of those marked in the Order be out of the limits of the habitation granted to the Reformed It is very remarkable that soon after viz. in April 1603. he made a Decree whereby he ordered to those of Lucerne Bobiane and Fâ—nil who alone had beene turned out to inhabite againe their houses and enjoy their estates recalling all orders to the contrary He confirmed the same by a Decree of the 29th of September in the same yeare in the first Article And he kept them in the possession untill the year 1620 at which time yet they offered to stirre against those of the same Lands of Lucerne Bobiane and Fenil but the clemency and Justice of his said Royall Highnesse was yet such that he no sooner had granted the order for their banishment but presently he recalled it and granted them againe a fine Decree whereby he declared That he was willing and intended that all the pretended Reformed for such are his words should peaceably enjoy their habitation in all the places formerly granted and accustomed such as the aforesaid were Ordered that they should be no more molested therein and even granted them the enjoyment of some Temples pretended to be lower towards the plaine then the limits of the preaching extended unto and that he granted for a Sum of 6000 Ducatoons he exacted from them All these have been confirmed by the Ducal Chamber and the Senate and were observed during all the rest of the life of the same Charles Emanuel After him Victorio Amedeo his successor of glorious memory left them also in the full enjoyment of whatsoever his Predecessors had granted unto them and specially the free commerce in his Dominions and the peaceable habitation in all the places which are questioned in the order which shall follow having only deprived them contrary to their ancient Concessions of bearing any publick Office saying that if his Father and Granfather had granted them that priviledge for his part he was not willing to continue it or as now the Marquis of Pianess doth speak that graces of Princes are not unalterable Afterwards Madam Royall during the time of her whole Regency hath yet preserved them in the same state without disturbing them for their habitation and even in 1638. issued out a fine Decree bearing an expresse promise
and that punish with death all sorcerers so sarre are they from hauing communion or conuerse with them Thus you haue the iustification of the greatest calumnies that haue bene layed vpon the Waldenses by their owne writings which may satisfie any man that is not carried with passion It is necessarie that we now produce such witnesses for the better defence of their innocencie as are free from all suspition CHAP. V. Testimonies of pietie probitte and erudition giuen to the Waldenses by dinerse of their aduersaries themselues I Acobus de Riberia who in his time gaue aide to the persecution of the Waldenses Iacob Rib. in his collections of the Citie of Tholous saith that they held a long time the higher place in Gallia Norbonen in the Diocesse of Albi Rodes Cahors and Agen and that in those times they were of little esteeme that would be called Priests and Bishops Chassagnō citeth Riberia in his historie of the Albigcois pa. 27. because the said Priests for the most part were either vnworthy or ignorant and therefore it was an easie matter for the Waldenses saith he to get the vpper hand amongst the people for the excellencie of their doctrine Rainerius a Iacobin Monke and a cruell Inquisitor of the Waldenses Rain in his booke De sorma heret fol. 98. thinking to darken their reputation because they vsually read the Scriptures saith that when the Waldenses would giue knowledge of their doctrine they alledged many things touching chastitie humilitie and other vertues shewing that we are to flie all vice and wickednesse alledging the words of Christ and his Apostles insomuch that the women that vnderstood them were so rauished therewith that they seemed to them rather to speake like Angels then men He addeth that they taught what manner of men the disciples of Christ ought to be Ibid. fol. 98. out of the words of the Gospell and the Apostles affirming that they onely were the successours of the Apostles that imitated them in their liues Concluding hereupon saith he that the Pope the Bishops the Clergie that enioy the riches of this world and imitate not the sanctitie of the Apostles are not the gouernours of the Church it not being the will of Christ to dommit his Church to such kinde of people that should rather prostitute her by their ill examples and wicked actions then to present her a chast virgin in the same purity they haue receiued her frō him and therefore that we are nor to obey them He addeth moreouer that they liued very religiously in all things their manners well seasoned and their words wise and polished by their wils alwayes speaking of God and his Saints perswading to vertue and to hate sinne to the end saith he that they might be in greater esteeme with good men Claud. de Seissel Archbishop of Turin Claud. in his treatise against the Waldenses giues this testimonie of the Waldenses that as touching their life and manners they haue bene alwayes sound and vnreproueable without reproch or scandall amongst men giuing themselues to their power to the obseruation of the Commandements of God The Cardinall Baronius attributeth to the Waldenses of Tholouse the title of good men Baronius in his Ecclesiasticall Annals Tom. 12. an 1176. pa. 835. which tels vs that they were a peaceable people howsoeuer he elsewhere imputeth vnto them sundrie crimes and that very falsely As touching erudition Rainerius hath said Raine ibid. fol. 97. that they teach their children yea euen their daughters the Epistles and the Gospels Iacobus de Riberia saith that they were so well instructed in the Scriptures Iacob de Rib. in his collections of the Citie of Toulouze that he hath heard a plaine countriman repeate the booke of Iob word by word and diuerse others that could perfectly repeate the whole new Testament The Bishop of Cauaillon in the time of the great persecution against the Waldenses of Merindall in Prouence of which historie we shall speake in his due place appointing a certaine Monke a Diuine Vesembec in his Oration touching the Waldenses to enter into conference with them to conuince their error before saith he we come to violence but the Monke being much perplexed retired himselfe saying that he had not so much profited in his whole life in the Scriptures as he had done in those few dayes of his conference with the said Waldenses in examining the Articles of their Confession by the passages of Scripture cited by them This Bishop not being satisfied by this triall sent a companie of yong Doctors that came lately from Sorbonne to confound them by the subtiltie of their questions But one there was among the rest that said at his returne with a lowde voice that he had learned more touching the doctrine necessarie to saluation in attending to the answers of the little children of the Waldenses in their catechizings then in all the disputations of diuinitie which he had ouer heard in Paris Bernard de Girard Lord of Haillan saith Bern. de Gir. in his history of Fraunce lib. 10. that the Waldenses haue bene charged with more wicked opinions then they held because saith he they stirred the Popes and great men of the world to hate them for the libertie of their speech which they vsed in condemning the vices and dissolute behauiour of Princes and Ecclesiasticall persons King Lewis 12. Vosemb in his Oration of the Waldenses hauing bene informed by the enemies of the Waldenses dwelling in Prouence of many grieuous crimes which were imposed vpon them sent to make inquisition in those places the Lord Adam Fumee maister of Requests a Doctor of Sorbon called Parui who was his Confessour They visited all their Parishes and Temples and found neither images not so much as the least shew of any ornaments belonging to their Masses and ceremonies of the Church of Rome much lesse any such crimes as were imposed vpon them but rather that they kept their Sabbathes duely causing their children to be baptized according to the order of the Primatiue Church teaching them the Articles of the Christian faith and the Commandements of God The king hearing the report of the said Commissioners said and he bound it with an oath that they were better men then he or his people It appeareth by the memorials of the Archbishop of Ambrun named Rostain The same king vnderstanding that in Dauphiney namely in the valley of Fraissiniere in the Diocesse of Ambrun there were a certaine people that liued like beasts without religion hauing an euill opinion of the Romish religion he sent a Confessour of his with the Officiall of Orleans to bring him true information thereof This Confessour with his colleague came vnto the place where they examined the Waldenses dwelling in the said valley touching their beleefe and conuersation The Archbishop of Ambrun who made account that the goods of the said Waldenses were annexed to the demaine of his Archbishopricke as
de Chateauneuf was slain in this busines and for that canonized for a Saint Dominique continued in his persecution of the Waldenses both in deed and word This Monke seeing himselfe to bee in authority Moynes qui mandient instituted an Order of begging Monkes who after his name were callad Dominicans and the said Monke was canonized and his Order confirmed by Pope Honorius being warned saith hee to doe it by a dreame For it seemed to him that the Church of Rome was falling and that Dominique vpheld it with his shoulders in recompence whereof the said Pope commanded that the said Order should haue the first place among the Mendicants Mandians It is said of this Monke The Martirologe in the life of Dominique that his mother when shee went with childe with him shee did dreame that shee had in her wombe a dogge that cast out flames of fire out of his throat His followers interpret this to his aduantage as if hereby we were giuen to vnderstand that hee should be that dogge that should vomit out that fire which should consume the Heretikes But on the contrary they whom hee euery day deliuered vnto death might well say that hee was the dogge that had set on fire all Christendome and that the flames that came out of his throat doe note vnto vs those fiery and infernall sentences which he pronounced against the Christians Howsoeuer hee caried himselfe so well in these affaires that before hee died he built many goodly houses in Languedoc Prouence Dolphine Spaine and elswhere by which hee had obtained great reuenewes either from the liberality of those that affected his Order or the Confiscations of the Waldenses by which the Count Simon of Montfort gaue him great priuiledges and almes as cutting large thongs of another mans leather He laboured in the Inquifition as the chiefe with such contentment to the Popes that from that time forward the Monkes of his Order haue been alwaies imployed in the Inquisition The power giuen to these Monkes Inquisitors was without limits For they could assemble the people whensoeuer it pleased them by the sound of a bell proceed against the Blshops themselues and send out proces if there were need to imprison and to open the prisons without controle All manner of accusations was auailable enough A Sorcerer a Harlot were sufficient witnesses without reproch in the fact of pretended heresie It was no matter who did accuse or whether by word of mouth or by tickets cast in before the Inquisitor for without any personall appearance or confronting one another the the proces were framed without party without witnesse and without other law then the pleasure of the Inquisitor To be rich was a crime neere vnto heresie and he that had any thing to lose was in the way to bee vndone either as an Hereticke or at the least as a fauourer of heretikes One bare suspition stopped the mouthes of fathers and mothers and kinsfolke that they durst not intercede for punishments to come and he that did intreat for the conuey of a cup of cold water or a little straw to lye vpon in some stinking dungeon was condemned for a fauourer of Heretickes and brought to the same or worse extremities There was no Aduocate that durst vnder take the defence of his nearest kinsinan or friend or Notary that durst receiue any act in his fauour And that which was more after that a man was once intangled within the snares of the Inquisition he could neuer liue in any assurance for hee was alwaies to beginne againe For if any man were set at liberty it was only for a time till they might better consider of it Death it selfe made not an end of the punishment for they haue left vnto vs certaine coppies of their sentences against the bones of the dead to dis-interre and to burne them yea thirty yeeres after the decease of the party accused They that were heires had nothing certaine for vpon any accusation of their fathers or kindred they durst not vndertake the defence of their owne right or possesse their owne inheritance without the crime or suspition of Heresie and that they rather inherited their bad faith and opinions then their goods The people yea the most mighty and richest amongst them were constrained in a manner to adore these Monkes the Inquisitors and to bestow vpon them great Presents for the building of their Couents and dotations of their houses for feare to bee accused of Heresie and not to be estemed zealous for the faith of those holy fathers And the better to entertaine men with an apprehension of these things they sometimes made shewes and brauadoes of their prisoners leading them in triumph at their Processions some being enioyned to whip themselues others to goe couered after the manner of St. Benedicts that is to say with certaine red Cassockes with yellow crosses to signifie that they were such as had been conuinced of some errour and that at the first offence they should afterward commit they were already condemned for Heretickes Others appeared in their shirts bare-foote and bare-headed with a with about their neckes a torch in their hands that being thus prepared and furnished they might giue terror to the beholders to see such persons of all estates and sex brought to so miserable a condition being all forbid to enter into the Church but to stay in the porch or to cast an eye vpon the Hoste when it was showed by the Priest vntill it was otherwise determined by the Fathers the Inquisitors And for the full accomplishment of the contentment of the said Fathers their accused were exiled for a penance into the holy Land or enrolled for some other expedition against the Turkes or other Infidels leuied by the command of the Pope to serue the Church for a certaine time at their owne charge and in the meane time the said holy Fathers tooke possession of the goods of the poore Pilgrims and that which was worst of all at their returne they must not enquire whether the said Monkes had in their absence any priuate familiarity with their wiues for feare lest they should be condemned for back-sliders impenitent and altogether vnworthy of any fauour Now these violences being executed from the yeer a thousand two hundred and six which was baout the time that Dominique erected his Inquisition to the yeere one thousand two hundred twenty eight there was so great a hauock made of poore Christians that the Archbishops of Aix Arles and Narbonne being assembled together at Aingou in the said yeere 1228 at the instance of the said Monkes the Inquisitors to confer with them about diuers difficulties in the execution of their charge had compassion of the misery of a great number that were accused and kept in prison by the said Monkes the Inquisitors saying It is come to our knowledge See the Catal. of the Test of the truth pag. 53â— that you haue apprehended so great a number of the Waldenses
of the Waldenses or poore people of Lion notes that there were in his time that is to say in the yeere 1250 Churches in Constantinople Philadelphia Sclauonia Bulgaria and Digonicia Vignier saith that after the persecution of Picardie Vignier in his 3 part of his historiall Bib. pa. 130. Math. Paris in the life of Hen. 6 king of England were dispersed abroad in Liuonia and Sarmatia Math. Paris saith that long since they were gone as far as Croatia and Dalmatia and that they had there taken such footing that they had won vnto them diuers Bishops He saith moreouer that there was one Bar. thelmew who came from Carcassonne vnto whom they all yeelded obedience And that he stiled himselfe in his Letters Barthelmew the seruant of the seruants of the holy faith and that he created Bishops and ordained Churches Here may be some imposture in that he attributeth to his owne person that which is attributeth to the Pope that is that he called himselfe the seruant of the seruants and yet neuerthelesse had taken vpon him a kind of Soueraingty contrary to the order enioyned by the Sonne of God and followed and practised by his Apostles Albert. de Cap. lib. de origine Waldensium p. 1. As also in that Albertus de Capitaneis saith that the Waldenses had their great Master in the Citty of Aquillia in the Realme of Naples vpon whom they absolutely depended For there is not one word in all their writings that aimes at that end Only we alleage the saying of this Historiographer to proue the extent of those places where the Waldenses exiled themselues to auoid the persecution Antonin relateth Antonin part 3 Tit. 2. that the Waldenses called in Italy Fratecelli were in his time burnt in diuers parts of the world insomuch that many of them forsaking Italy retired themselues into Greece especially one amongst them of principall note named Lewis de Baniere and that two Monkes or grey Friers were burnt for adhearing vnto them that is to say Iohn Chastillon and Francis de Hercatura CHAP. XVIII Of the VValdenses inhabiting in Spaine and that they were there persecuted IN the time of the warres against the Earle Remond of Toulouze and the Earle de Foix and comming when the Waldenses were persecuted by the Popes Legates many of them went into Catalogne and the Realm of Aragon This is that which Math. Math. Paris in the raigne of Henry 3. Paris sets down saying that the time of Pope Gregory the 9 there were a great number of Waldenses in Spaine about the yeer 1214 in the time of Alexander the fourth who complained in one of his Bulles that they had bin suffered to take such footing that they should haue so much leasure as to multiply as they had done For in the time of Gregory the 9. they so far forth increased in number and credit that they ordained Bishops ouer their flockes to preach their doctrine which the other Bishops taking notice off there followed a gricuous persecution CHAP. XIX The Conclusion of the History of the Waldenses BY that which is contained in this first and second Booke it appeareth that the Christians called Waldenses haue opposed themselues against the abuses of the Church of Rome and for these foure hundred and fifty yeeres and vpward they haue been persecuted not by the sword of the word of God but by all kind of violence and cruelties besides many calumnies and false accusations Which inforced them to disperse themselues here and there where they could haue any abiding wandring through desert places and yet neuertheles the Lord hath in such sort preserued the remainder of them that notwithstanding the rage of Satan they haue continued inuincible against Antichrist to whom they haue offered a spirituall combat destroying him by the blast of the spirit of God Crying with a loud voice not onely throughout all Europe but in many other parts of the earth that it was time to depart out of Babylon lest wee participate of her plagues This is the people that haue enforced themselues to re-establish the true and pure seruice of God by the power of his word a contemptible people euen as the filth of the world by whom neuerthelesse the eternall God hath wrought wonderfull things restoring and re-establishing by them his Church First in France afterwards as it were from a new Sion causing the riuers of his holy Law and pure doctrine to distill and drop downe vpon the rest of the world gathering together his elect by the preaching of his holy Gospell And that which is most admirable in this so great a worke is that the doctrine which they haue beleeued and preached hath been likewise miraculously preserued amongst them in the middle of all their gricuous and continuall persecutions which they haue suffered for righteousnesse sake As it is also worthy admiration that their aduersaries haue kept a register of the euils which they haue caused them vniustly to suffer It hath been their glory that they haue shed that blood that crieth for vengeance exiled the Church for a limitted time in the wildernesse and made knowne by their Histories that the Dragon hath done but that which was granted vnto him that is to make warre against the Saints but being deliuered from their great tribulation and their robes whitned in the blood of the Lamb they haue been conducted to the liuing fountaines of water and God hath wiped all teares from their eies LAVS DEO Reuelation 21.7 He that ouercommeth shall inherit all things and I will be his God and be shall be my sonne FINIS THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE HISTORY OF THE ALBINGENSES CHAP. I. Who the Albingenses were what their beleefe who were comprehended vnder the name of Albingenses at what time and by whom they haue beene instructed in what esteeme their Pastors haue beene by whom and in what Councell condemned how they haue increased what Cities and great Lords haue taken their part For what doctrine the Papists haue hated them and persecuted them to the death THe Albingenses which we are to speake of in this History differ nothing at all from the Waldenses in their beleefe but they are onely so called of the Countrey of Albi where they dwelt and had their first beginning The Popes haue condemned them as Waldenses the Legates haue made warre against them as professing the beleefe of the Waldenses the Monkes Inquisitors haue formed their Proces and Indictments as against Waldenses The people haue persecuted them as being such and themselues haue thought themselues honored by that title vpon the assured knowledge that they had of the puritie of their doctrine Iaques de Riberia in Collectaneis vrbis Tolozae being the selfesame with the Waldenses In respect whereof many Historiographers call them Waldenses Wee therefore will distinguish them not by their beleefe but by the places of their abode and by the particular warres which they haue endured for the space of
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 his 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 Diocesse There likewise arriued the Earle of Turaine Bertrand de Cardaillac and the Lord of Bastlenau of Montratier who conducted the troopes of Querci and of all these troopes the chiefe Leader was the Earle of Dunoy There came also a great number of Prouenceaux Chassagnon in his hist of the Albing lib. 1. pag. 112. Lombardes and Germaines and that in so great a number that the army of the Legat Milon rose to the number of three hundred thousand fighting men when he came before Carcassonne The situation of Carcassonne is in this manner There is a city and a Bourrough or towne The city is seated vpon a little hill enuironed with a double wall the towne is in the plaine distant from the citie about two miles At that time the city was accounted a place of great strength and in this city there dwelt a great number of Albingenses The Pilgrims thought to haue taken it at the first sight for they ran with great violence vpon the first Rampier and filled the ditch with fagots but they were beaten backe with such courage and resolution that the ground was couered with the dead bodies of Pilgrims round about the citie The young Earle of Beziers Lord of Carcassonne wonne great honour in this first daies encounter encouraging his subiects and telling them that they must remember the vsage of those of Beziers that they were to deale with the same enemies who had changed the siege not the humour nor the will to extirminate them if they could That it was farre better for them to die fighting than to fall into the hands of so cruell and mercilesse enemies That for his owne part he made profession of the Romish Religion but yet he saw very well that this warre was not for Religion but a certaine robbery agreed vpon to inuade the goods and lands of the Earle Remond and all his That they had greater cause to defend themselues than he who could loose no more but his goods and his life without change of his religion but they might loose that and besides the exercise of their religion too That he would neuer abandon them in so honourable an action which was to defend themselues against the inuasions of their common enemies masked with an outward appearance of pietie and in effect true theeues The Albingenses being much animated by the speech of this young Lord swore vnto him that they would spend their goods and their liues for the preseruation of the citie of Carcassonne and whatsoeuer did concerne the said Lord. The next morrow the Legat commanded an assault and generall escalado to bee made vpon the Borough of Carcassonne The people that were within very valiantly defended themselues but the ladders were so charged with men and so neere the one to the other that they touched one another insomuch that they forced those within from
even in this that the poor Protestants through the influence of their Adversaries and accusers upon the Magistrate were without hearing or the least Summons sentenced to banishment upon pain of death without giving them any respite or admitting them to make any Protestation or Appeal unlesse their Petitions were drawn in such form as might please the Commissioner who is the great Protector of this persecution and according to the mind of their Adversaries in such termes as they should prescribe whereby they must necessarily betray themselves and their Cause and then after execution of the foresaid penalty they have been pleased to give some of the poor Exiles a hearing and permitted them to plead their Cause and that onely by a Popish Advocate or Proctor who had been so charmed and terrified by the Clergy that before he entered upon the Cause he was faign to crave pardon upon his knees for undertaking to plead it And as for the pleading it was not managed before competent and lawfull Judges but the Protestants chiefest adversaries sat in judgment the Arch-Bishop of Turâ—n the Dukes Confessor the Abbot de la Monta the Prior of Rorene and some others devoted to the Court of Rome yea and in the Arch Bishops own house Moreover whereas according to certain Grants made by the Prince leave was given to the Protestants to dwell in their wonted habitations where they had a Toleration and it remaines on their part to be proved that those were the accustomed places of their habitation the matter was so handled by the Romish Clergie that they endeavoured as much as in them lay to hinder the Papists from giving any testimony on the behalfe of their Neighbours of the Reformed Religion concerning this their habitation which at length our brethren made a hard shift to wrest out of them to the exceeding regret and indignation of the Clergy and so proved at last by those authentick testimonials under the hands of their Popish Neighbours that all those places out of which they were driven have been places inhabited by Protestants time out of mind But to the end that it may more fully and clearly appear upon what account of right or wrong the Popish adversaries do incite their Soveraign the Duke of Savoy who is yet but young to the driving of the poor Protestants out of their antient patrimonies and places of abode in the midst of a sharp and terrible winter and this upon pain of death unlesse within three daies after publication of that decree of perpetuall banishment they immediately quit their native Country or else abjure the true and devote themselves and their families to the Romish Religion It is to be observed omitting the mention of their more antient rights and priviledges and the long possession which they have held beyond the memory of man that in the * They are to be seen in the History of the Martyrs set forth in French to the year 1561. Edicts set forth by the Dukes of Savoy and the agreements made for the Protestants enjoying a liberty of Religion the limits appointed for the publick preaching of the Reformed Religion do not extend so far as the dwellings of those men that professe it nor are the limits of their dwelling to be contracted into so narrow a compasse as the places limited for preaching But that the reformed professors have a right of habitation in those places out of which they are now expelled is evident not only by an antient prescription of many ages seeing their Fathers Grandfathers Great-Grandfathers and other their Ancestors have inhabited there before them but also by those very Grants and Concessions confirmed by Duke Charles Emanuel wherein it was acknowledged by publick Edict that this habitation was derived to them from their fathers For when he through the instigation of the Court of Rome had by a surreptitious dâ—cree commanded them to depart thence towards the latter end of the year one thousand six hundred and two afterward being well informed of their right he by an authentick Charter gave them leave to dwell there again for the confirmation of which Charter they paid six thousand Ducatoons into the Duke's Exchequer upon the 17th day of August Anno 1620. and it was confirmed again by the Prince now raigning upon the 29th of Decemberr Anno 1655. And yet now contrary to faith given upon the 25th of January last in the depth of winter not sparing even women with child near delivery nor those that had Infants hanging on their breasts they were all without distinction both men women and children driven out to wander through frost and snow in a most bitter season without the least warning or delay And no sooner had these old inhabitants quitted their antient inheritances for the saving of their lives but those savage Theeves that gaped after the prey presently fell to plundering and spoiling their houses driving away their Cattle felling and cutting down trees or else rooting them up In a word they destroy all and by this means attempt to drive these poor wretches to the utmost point of desperation and if any man endeavour to withstand or oppose them they immediately crie out he is a Traitour So I commend these miserable exiles to the mercy of God and the compassion of their brethren of the reformed Churches Andreas Galstaldus Doctor in Law Conservator and ordinary Auditor sitting in the Honourable Chamber of accounts of his Royall Highnesse and Generall Conservator of the holy Faith appointed to put in execution all orders which are published against the pretended Reformed Religion in the Valleys of Lucerne Perouse and St. Martin and particularly appointed by his said Highnesse for this speciall businesse ACcording to the power given us by his Highnesse by his Letters dispatched to us in due form signed Violetta and sealed bearing date of the thirteenth of this Month and in performance of the instructions given us as also at the instance made to us by Master Barth lomew Gastaldus intervening in the behalfe of the Royall Exchequer we ordain and command the first Sergeant or Bailiffe sworn to make command and injunction to all the heads of Families and to each particular of the pretended Reformed Religion of whatsoever estate condition and degree no inhabitant excepted possessing any goods in the territories of Lucerne Lucernette Saint John la Tour Bobiane Fenill Campiglion Bricheras and St. Seeond within three daies next after the publication hereof to relinquish and abandon with their Families the said places and to transport themselves into those places and limits which by the good pleasure of his Royall Highnesse are prescribed unto them viz. Bobiane the valley of Angrogne Rorata and Country of Bonetti under pain of life and confiscation of their houses possessous and goods which are extant without the said limits in case they cannot within twentie daies make proofe before us that they are Catholiques or that they have sold their estates unto some Catholiques His Royall Highnesse
of the Prefect of that Province who is a Romish Cathosike and had already slain another Priest in the same place A young man of the Reformed Religion having been accused to have been partaker with him therein hath been delivered by the said Reformed into the hands of Justice and of the Delegate of his Royall Highness who having deposed there that the said Secretary called Pagot had perswaded him to go along with him in that horrid execution promised to give him three hundred Pistolls but that he had refused to do it and took onely two to bind him not to say a word of it hath been released and declared not guilty After this considering the scruples of some yet the same man hath severall times presented himselfe to Madame Royall and the cheifest of her Ministers and the Reformed have still represented him upon all occasions to be examined and brought face to face before the parties but they still refused it holding him as sully justified and the other convicted Besides though among the Reformed there should have been found a Thiefe neither their Concessions nor their Laws do suffer the innocent to be punished for the guilty Such Assassinations were never commited by order of the Reformed and could have no advantage by the death of an inconsiderable Country Priest who could never do them neither good or evill Secondly Some say that at La Tour an Asse hath been dressed like a Monk It is a Diabolicall invention In a word it was thus The Youth of the place partly Papists partly Reformed to jeere and mock at a very Heterocâ—iticall Marriage made a Charivary as they call it and tooke the asse or the Bridegroome whom they did set on the topp of the Oven in a publick place where it was seen of all all the day long and nothing therein touched the Monks nor the Masse nor the Host The Roman Catholikes in such occasions have often set up Asses upon the top of their Pinacles in those places Thirdly Therefore the published Order alledges no such reasons onely the Marquessâ— de Piannesa as appears in the answer he got M Gâ—beline the Roman Catholike Atturney of the the Reformed at Turin to make said that his Royall Highues was willing to abase their pride for having craved the Protection of the Forraign Princes because the Lords of Zurick and Berne after the Order published against them though not required but out of their own inclinations had sent to his Royall Highnes some Letters in their behalf Let the Reader judge of the validity of this Reason This Fourth is most cryed up in Piedmout viz. That the Reformed have cruelly murthered the Catholiques in Ireland and have wholly expelled them and that they ought to murther the Reformed in Piedmont and clear the State of them to lodge the Irish in their place Let yet the Reader Judge of this reason Besides it is false the Reformed have murthered the Catholicks in Ireland but to the contrary Therefore it remains that there hath been no other true cause of this but the hatred they bear to the Religion it being known to all the world that no Subjects have ever been true or more obedient to their Prince than they who never stirred when all the rest of the State was up in Arms who still payd their Taxes though over burthened have borne extraordinary Winter Quarters afforded their men for the war as often as demanded and even some few days afore their desolation sent their Militias for the service of his Royall Highness upon the seceipt of his very first command I have hastily given you a Copy of this tract of the horrible furies of the Adversaries desiring you to see if his Highness the Serenissinie Lord Protector could take occasion to insert in the Treaty with France the re-establishment of our Brethren escaped from the Massacres which they have caused the Irish to do as in revenge of their being banished out of their Country for Massacring the Protestants there Your Brother hath assured us he will give us the Charity ordained by your Church A generall Collection in your Quarters will be necessary there being so many thousands despolld of all that are seeking for refuge There are two Ministers viz. Master Gross and Master Aghit Prisoners at Turin God strengthen and deliver them and conserve you and your Colleagues whom I salute remaining May 8. 1655. Most honoured Brother wholy yours A Letter written to his Highness the Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland c. about the said Murthers Massacres and cruelties sent together with the said descriptions To his Highness My Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland ALthough his Highness the Lord Protector be well informed of whatsover comes to pass in most places of the world yet we have thought he would not be sorry to see as in a contracted picture the horrid crueltie praâ—â—sed by the Duke of Savoy's men upon the Faithfull in the Valleys of Piedmont That it to say upon such people that if any in the world did live in the greatest purity and the greatest innocency whose onely crime is that neither they nor their Fathers nor their Auncestors 500 years since would ever pollnte themselves with the Roman Superstitions and Idolatries The whole Christendome have their eyes fixed on his Highness and all good men hope that he will avenge or rather God will avenge by his hand such a hellish barbarousness If we should have a less knowledge of his Zeal and of his Heroicall courage we would tell him what once Mordecai said to the Queen Esther Esther c. 4. v. 14. If thou holdest thy peace at this time then shall their enlargement and deliverance arise from another place But thou and thy Father's house shall be destroyed And who knoweth whether thou art come to such a high dignity for such a time as this But as his Highness possesses lights altogether extraordinary he will of himself consider that God hath given him a great power to imploy it to his glory and that he hath put a victorious sword in his hand Rom. c. 13. v. 4. to be a revenger to execute wrath upon those that do evill So that as since the Creation of the World nothing hath been seen so dreadfull so nothing shall be punished in such an exemplary mander It is hoped that with him severall Protestant Princes will imbrace so just a cause But if there be any that be not sensibly moved by so deep and so sharp a wound and that having power yet be not willing to prosecute and pursue those Murtherers and those Incendiaries that saying will be applyed unto them of the Prophetess Deborah Curse ye Meroz Iudges c. 5 v. 23. curse ye bitterly the Inhabitants thereof because they came not to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord with the mighty In the mean while your Highness will spread through the whole earth the sweet savour of his name and as it hath been said The sword of the Lord and of Gideon so hereafter they will say the sword of the Lord and of OLIVER His praises will be celebrated to the world's end and they will say that the Protector of Great Brittain is become the Protector of all those that are persecuted for righteousness sake All those that do sincerely love God and that are sick because of the bruise of Joseph will heartily pray unto God that he might be pleased to prolong the days of his Highness to settle his Government and to pour upon his posterity his most holy and most precious blessings Let his Highness be assured that this draught hath been made by a faithfull hand and let him have the goodness not to enquire who he is that sends it It is not so much the voice of men or the blood of the Martyrs as the voice of God himself who crys for vengeance for the injury done to his great name and who commands him to work the deliverance of those that are Prisoners for the Lord Jesus and to restore to their Native Country the poor banished men who like the faithfull of old are mandring in the wildernesses in the Dens in the Mountains and in the clefts of the earth That they might sing as those that returned from the Babylonian Captivity Psal 126. v. 1.2 When the Lord turned again the Captivity of Zion we were like them that dream Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing c. FINIS