not altogether alone seeing the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob is with me he is my exceeding great reward and will not fail to reward me so soon as I shall have laid down this earthly tabernacle Pray unto God that he will strengthen me to the end for every hour I expect the dissolution of this house of clay When he was brought forth before the Judges and examined of his faith he answered freely and proved what he said by the holy Scriptures and being asked whether he was resolved to die for the faith which he professed he answered I will not only venture to give my body but my soul also for the confirmation of it and so being condemned he was shortly after burned dying with much comfort The persecution growing hot in Flanders one Giles Annik and John his sonne removed to Emden but by reason of their sudden departure they could not take their wives with them whereupon in the year 1568. they returned back to fetch their wives who were at Renay yet in regard of the danger they durst not go into the town openly but took up their lodging in the evening at an honest mans house called Lewis Meulin Now it so fell out that that very night the enemies had appointed to make a secret search after such as professed the Gospel and so passing by this house and seeing the light of a candle in it expecting their prey they forced open the door and took these two together with their Host prisoners God having appointed them to bear witnesse to his truth After they had been in prison awhile they were all three condemned for Hereticks and presently after Giles the father was burned John the son being fetched to execution when he saw the man that first apprehended him he called him to him saying I forgive thee my death and so he with Lewis Meulin were both beheaded About the same time there was also a godly widow apprehended and cast into prison her crime was for that about two years before she had suffered a Minister to preach in an out-house on the backside of her dwelling She was very charitable in relieving the poor and every way shewed forth the fruits of a true saving faith After seven moneths imprisonment she was condemned to die and a Priest coming to her to hear Confession she spake to him with such a divine grace and with a spirit so replenished with zeal that he went from her with teares trickling down his cheeks saying I came to comfort you but I have more need to be comforted of you when she was carried forth to execution she went with much boldnesse and joy of heart and having her head cut off she sweetly slept in the Lord. There was also one Christopher Gauderin that at first was brought up under the Abbat of Hename but the Abbat dying he betook himself to the weaving of linnen and quickly grew expert in his trade But having been trained up in a bad schoole when the Sabbath came he spent riotously what he had gotten all the week by his labour Now through Gods mercy it so fell out that a godly man working with him would often tell him of the danger of his present condition exhorting him rather to distribute his gettings to the poor assuring him that if he spent his money so wastfully God would call him to an account for it These with the like exhortations so wrought upon him through the grace of God that he began to change his course and in stead of frequenting Taverns he became a diligent hearer of Sermons and gave himself much to reading of the holy Scriptures so that not long after he was called by the Church to the office of a Deacon which he discharged carefully and faithfully Shortly after having occasion to go to a place called Audenard to distribute some almes to the poor there he was apprehended and the Bailiffe that had formerly seene him in the Abbats house asked him how he came to turn Heretick Nay said he I am no Heretick but a right believing Christian and what I learned of him I am now ashamed to remember In prison he had many disputes about his faith which he so maintained and defended by the Word of God that he silenced all his adversaries Some told him that he would cast away himsef in his youth being but thirty years old to whom he answered That mans life consisted but of two dayes viz. The day of his birth and the day of his death and therefore he must needs die once And for my part said he I am now willing by death to passe into eternal life When news was brought him in the evening that he must die the next day he retired himself and poured out his soul in prayer unto God till ten a clock and after his rest the like he did the next morning Having ended his Prayer he put on a clean shirt and washed himself saying to his fellow-prisoners Brethren I am now going to be married I hope ere noon to drink of the wine of the Kingdome of heaven When he came down he found three other prisoners that were to suffer with him These four exhorted and encouraged one another to suffer patiently and constantly Then came a Friar saying that he came to convert them To whom Christopher said Away from us thou seducer of souls for we have nothing to do with thee The Hangman coming to put gagges into their mouths one of them said What shall we not have liberty at this our last hour to praise God with our tongues Christopher answered Let not this discourage us the more wrong our enemies do to us the more assistance we shall finde from God and so ceased not to comfort them till himself was gagged also Their sentence was that they should be hanged for hearing Sermons and so with admirable constancy they yielded up their souls to God One of them being a woman was condemned to be beheaded because she had sung Psalms and exhorted her neighbours out of the Word of God at a womans upsitting Her body was grown very feeble so that she was caused to sit on a stool where she received three blows with a sword overthwart her teeth yet did she constantly sit still till she received the Crown of Martyrdom Anno 1568. About the same time there was in a town a mile distant from Gand a Minister whom it pleased the Lord to illuminate with the saving knowledge of his Gospel whereupon he became a diligent and faithful Preacher of it both in his life and doctrine yea he went from house to house exhorting and comforting every one as he had occasion out of the Word of God and above all labouring with them to beware of the abominable superstitions of the Papacy The Popish Clergy of Gand having intelligence hereof fearing lest by this means their doctrine and authority
purged him but to no purpose for by degrees he so faded away as caused great astonishment to many He long strugled against his disease but at last was faine to betake himself to his bed and the two last weeks of his sicknesse much blood issued from divers parts of his body and once he rolled himself in his own blood and a little before he died he desired his mother to pursue his enemies to the uttermost with great vehemency reiterating his speeches saying Madam I pray you heartily to do it and so he breathed forth his soul May the thirtieth Anno Christi 1574. I shall here adde a few words also of the great miseries which the people of God endured in Rochel Anno Christi 1628. expecting help from England which proved but a staffe of reed which whilst they leaned upon it ran into their hands The City being besieged by the King of France his Army the inhabitants were brought to such extremity that for want of other meat the Citizens and Souldiers having eaten up all the horses dogs cats rats and mice lived two moneths with nothing but Cow-hides and Goats-skins boiled then did they eat up all the old gloves and whatsoever was made of leather yea the poor people cut off the buttocks of the dead and did eat them Young maids of fourteen or sixteen years old did look like old women of one hundred years old All the English that came out after the surrender of the City looked like Anatomies The prizes of things were as followeth a Bushel of Wheat twenty pounds A pound of bread twenty shillings a quarter of mutton above sixe pounds A pound of butter thirty shillings An egge eight shillings An ounce of Sugar two shillings and six pence A dried fish twenty shillings A pint of French wine twenty shillings A pint of milk thirty shillings A pound of grapes three shillings c. Anno 1593. There was one Margaret Pierron of the Town of Sansay in France who by her maid-servant was accused to the Jesuites for not going to Masse and for keeping a Bible in her house in reading whereof was her whole delight The Jesuites complaining hereof to the Magistrate caused her to be apprehended yet had she some notice of it before-hand from her friends that advised her to flie from the danger but God had a purpose that she should bear witness to his truth so that she was taken and cast into prison After a while the Judges sent for her saying Margaret Are you not willing to returne home to your house and there to enjoy your husband and children Yes said she if it may stand with the good Will of God Then said they if thou wilt do but a small matter thou shalt be set at liberty If said she it be not contrary to Gods glory and mine own salvation you shall hear what I will say to you No such thing said they for all that we require is but this that a Scaffold being set up in the chief part of the City you shall there crave pardon for offending the Law and a fire being by you shall burne your Bible in it without speaking a word I pray you my Masters said she Tell me is my Bible a good Book or no Yea said they we confesse it is Why then said she would you have me cast it into the fire Only said they to give the Jesuites content imagine it to be but paper and then you may burne it and you may buy you another Bible at any time and hereby you may save your life Thus they spent above two hours in perswading her that thereby she might do a lesse evil and a greater good would come of it But she confidently answered that by the help of God she would never do it What will the people say said she will they not say Yonder is a wrethed woman indeed that burns the Bible wherein all the Articles of Christian Religion are contained I will certainly burne my body rather than my Bible Then did they commit her close prisoner fed her only with bread and water and her friends were debarred from coming to her but when nothing could remove her from her constancy she was condemned to be set upon a scaffold to have her Bible burnt before her face her self to be strangled and her body to be dragged through the streets to a dunghil which sentence she underwent cheerfully and so slept in the Lord. Collected out of the History of the Tragical Massacres of France under Henry the second Francis the second Charles the ninth Henry the third and Henry the fourth Translated out of French Here place the ninth Figure CHAP. XXXVII The Persecution of the Church of Christ in the Valtoline Anno Christi 1620. THe Grison Lords who were the Soveraign Magistrates of this Countrey had by sundry Decrees granted liberty to the Protestants to exercise their Religion freely But when as the Minister of Tell with his Congregation were met together about the service of God the bloody Papists rising in arms set upon them slew one and beate others so cruelly with staves that they were forced to desist from their purpose Shortly after they murthered some others and conspiring with some other bloody villaines they set guards upon all the passages of the valley that so none of the Protestants should escape them then ringing their bells they raised all the Countrey and if any Protestants stirred out of their houses they murthered them in the streets they also brake into the houses of others drew them out of their beds and murthered them Some of the Protestants retired to the houses of Papists that were neer of kin or otherwise engaged to them to secure themselves but there they were betrayed and murthered Some they strangled some they shot Of some they beate out their brains and others they drowned in the river Alba. A noble Gentleman that had hid himself in the river was found by them who requested them to spare his life for his dear childrens sake But they told him that this was no time for pity except he would abjure his faith and swear by the Popes Bull Nay said he God forbid that to save this temporal life I should deny my Lord Jesus Christ who with his precious blood upon the Crosse redeemed me at so dear a rate and having through his grace so long freely and publikely professed him that I should now hazard the losse of eternal life to which I was elected before the foundation of the world I say God forbid Hereupon in a barbarous and savage manner they murthered him They brake also into the Palace of the Governour and murthered him women and maidens they defloured and of all the Protestants in that part of the Countrey there were onely three that escaped over the horrid and vast mountains of the Alps into Rhetia These wicked villaines having thus dispatched the Protestants in this place they
requested the Albingenses to yield to this but the Albingenses answered that they would not forsake their religion for the base price of their frail life that God was able if he pleased to defend them but if he would be glorified by the confession of their faith it should be a great honour to them to die for his sake that they had rather displease the Pope who could but kill their bodies then God who could cast both body and soul into hell c. Then did the Popish party send their Bishop to the Legate beseeching him not to include them in the chastisement of the Albingenses and that the best way to win the others was by gentle means not by rigour the Legate grew into great choler at this swearing that if all the City diâ— not acknowledg their fault they should all taste of one cup without distinction of religion sex or age and accordingly he summoned the City presently to yield to his discretion which they refusing he caused that his Engines should play and that a generall assault should be given It was impossible for them within the City to resist so great violence being assaulted by above an hundred thousand Pilgrims so that the enemies entred and slew a great multitude and set the City on fire and burnt it to ashes When the City was first taken the Priests and Monks came forth of the great Church with Banners and Crosses singing Te Deum laudamus but the Souldiers who were commanded by the Legate to kill all ran upon them made their heads and arms to fly about the streets so that they were all cut in pieces In this City of Beziers they slew sixty thousand persons the Popes Legate saying to the Captains and souldiers Caedite eos omnes novit enim Dominus qui sunt ejus Kill them all Catholicks and Hereticks for the Lord knoweth who are his Then were these Pilgrims presently conducted to Carcasson before the fourty daies of service which they had vowed to the Church of Rome were expired The Earl of Beziers when he saw that he could obtain no favour of the Legate before the City was taken left his charge to the Bishop and went to Carcasson endeavouring to prepare and furnish it for a long siege but the Legates Army followed him presently unto which there came a new supply of crossed souldiers out of sundry Countries so that his Army now consisted of three hundred thousand fighting men Near to the City of Carcasson was a Town of the same name the City was seated on an hill and fenced with a double wall yet the Pilgrims thought to take it at the first sight and therefore ran with great violence upon the first Rampier filling the ditch with fagots but they were beaten back with such courage that the ground was covered with their dead bodies The young Earl of Beziers won much honor in this first encounter encouraging his men and telling them that it was better to die fighting then to fal into the hands of such cruel and merciless enemies c. The Albingenses much encouraged hereby swore to him that they would spend their lives for the preservation of the City The next morning the Legate commanded a general assault to be made upon the Town of Carcasson which was two miles from the City The people valiantly defended themselves but being oppressed with multitudes the souldiers entred the Town putting all to the sword and fire as they had done at Beziers Then came the King of Arragon to the Camp and told the Legate that he understood that his kinsman the Earl of Beziers was in the City and that with his leave he would go to him not doubting but that he should prevail with him to do his duty to the Pope and Church The Legate gave him leave and the King approaching to the Rampier called for the Earl who came to him then said the King that he desired to know of him what moved him to shut up himself in that City against so great an Army of Pilgrims the Earl answered that it was to defend his life goods and Subjects that he knew well that the Pope under the pretence of religion resolved to destroy his Uncle Remund and himselfe that he saw the cruelty which they had used at Beziers even against the Priests themselves adding also what they had done to the Town of Carcasson and that they must look for no mercy from the Legate or his Army and that therefore he rather chose to die defending himself with his subjects then to fall into the hands of so inexorable an enemy as the Legate was that though he had in his City some that were of another religion yet they were such as had wronged none and were come to his succour in his greatest extremity and for their good service he was resolved not to abandon them and that his trust was in God the defender of the oppressed that he would assist them against that world of ill advised men who forsook their own houses to burn sack and ransack and kill in their houses other men without reason judgement or mercy The King returning to the Legate told him that his cozen was much discontented with his former dealings against his Subjects of Beziers Carcasson that he believed seeing they spared not the Romish Priests their war was not for Religion but a kinde of theevery that he would not yield himselfe to the descretion of such mercilesse men c. The Legate after some debate told the King that for his sake he would receive the Earl of Beziers to mercy and that with him twelve more might come out with bag and baggage but for the rest he would have them wholly at his discretion and that they should all come forth stark naked men women maids and children without shirts smocks or other covering and that then they might hope well of his mercy he being the Popes Legate c. The King much distasted this propositions yet reported it to the Earl of Beziers who returned answer that he would not come forth upon such unreasonable and unjust propositions but would defend himself and his Subjects as God should enable him Then did the Legate cause all his Engines to play commanding that they should take the City by storm but he was little pleased when he saw the losse of a great number of his Pilgrims for they in the City threw down stones fire pitch brimstone and boiling water wherewith they so galled the assailants that the earthâ—â—s covered and the ditches filled with their deads bodies which 〈◊〉 a wondrous noysom stink both in the City an Camp This overthrow caused divers of the crossed souldiers having accomplished their fourty daies service and thereby gained Paradise to refuse to conquer more after so faire a purchase and therefore they returned home The Legate being much troubled to see his Army so decreased thought of this Stratagem he sent for
imprisoned and whipt Some godly persons being met together with a Minister in a private Chappel two Colonels with some troops came upon them encompassed the Church rusht in with their drawn swords took the Minister from the Communion-table stript off his cloaths and sent him away to prison then they cast the bread upon the earth poured out the wine and trampled upon it Then they fell upon the people stripping men and women naked it being fâ—â—st and snow so that many of them died some were wounded others so affrighted that they fell into diseases Modestly forbids to tell how they used the women even in the Church Then came out an Edict that whosever refused to turn Papist whether men or women young or old bond or free their names should be returned to the Council of State who would give instructions what should be done with their persons and estates Marriage Buriall and Baptism were forbidden to the Protestants and if any did it privately they were imprisoned and not dismissed without Apostasie or a great fine Then was all trading inhibited or means of getting their living and at last buying of food so that the poor people being oppressed with hunger and want were either forced to fly or to Apostatize The countrymen they fetched out of their houses yea out of their beds by troopes of souldiers driving them like beasts before them in the sharpest cold and filled the common prisons towers cellers stables yea and hogsties with them where they were killed with hunger cold and thirst A godly Chirurgion with others was cast into a place full of snakes Another company was thrust into a stable and all the windows stopt up that the were almost stifled for want of breath In some places they shut them up in privies that they might be poisoned with the stink In some places they mad holes and knockt them full of iron spikes wherein those that were shut could neither sit nor stand but bending and crooked It was not possible that any man could endure this posture above two or three hours their sinews in the mean time trembling and their members quivering and their hearts ready to faint with anguish so that some were forced to promise to turn Catholiks others that refused were brought back to torture Then the devised a prison upon the water very narow and not above a cubit and an half in length wherein the prisoner could by no meanes lay himself at length and if he turned himself unawares he must fall into the water Another design was first to assault men of greatest authority to make them an example to the rest In the town of Minion the Commissioner demanded of the people a positive answer whether they would turn Catholicks And one of them in the name of the rest saying that conscience neither would nor could be forced he was presently laid upon the ground and beaten and still denying to turn Catholick when he could hardly speak he was torn in pieces The rest affrighted at this terrible spectacle promised obedience if time were given them In another place the Senator refusing to turn Apostates the cheifest of them was made to ride the wooden horse in the market-place for six hours space though he was very ancient so that he was lame and half dead when he was taken off When any desired to die raâ—her then to forsake their Religion it was answered that the Emperour did not thirst after their bloud but rather after the welfare of their souls To others they said Oh you affect the glory of Martyrdom but you are base knaves and are unworthy to have any thing to glory in There were many who would have died in the maintenance of their Christian faith but there were none that would inflict death upon them for these cruel Tyrants brought up in the devils school would not kill the body but the soul and therefore they sought by lingring and continual punishments to bring them first to stagger and then to deny the truth When any man desired to be convinced by Scripture they answered with scoffs and jears accusing the Scripture of imperfection of obscurity of ambiguity saying that it was the Fountain of Heresie the Sanctuary of Hereticks and that Laymen had nothing to do with it They called the Bible Wiblia which in the Bohemian language signifies vomit They took away all Orthodox books from the people that thereby they might be the more easily led into error In some places they shut up the people in the Church and forced them to receive in one kinde and if they would not fall down to the Host they used to beat their legs with clubs till they fell down Some they imprisoned and racked severall times to force them to auricular confession Of others they set open their mouths with gags and thrust the Host down their throates In other places they forced the people not only to abjure the Cup but to throw it down and to spit upon it and tread it under â—oot If any to avoid this Tyranny fled into the woods and secret places hunger drave them out again whereby they became a prey to their adversaries if they went to neighbouring places some or other would betray them Edicts also were published forbidding all to entertain such as fled upon pain of forfeiting a hundred pieces of silver for every nights entertainment Yet these miserable people could not go out of the Kingdom not being acquainted with any other language besides they were told that ere long the like tragedy should be acted every where Four men of Kossenberg continuing constant after long imprisonment they were first exposed to cold for five weeks together in the depth of winter Then for nine daies they were pined with hunger they having only a small portion of bread that kept life and soul together and drinking their own urine and when they were threatned harder usage if they turned not they answered We willingly imbrace all afflictions of famin hanging burning or any thing rather then we would sin against God Thereupon only twice a week there was given them a mouthfull of bread and a draught of water Then were they parted asunder one thrust into the sink of the prison another into a furnace and none permited to visit them and when nothing would prevail they set a fine upon them and banished them Others were kept in prisons and bonds till they died One was kept in a filthy prison till his feet rotted off and yet he passed away the time with singing of Psalms as if he injoyed all manner of deligths Another man being tired out with imprisonement promised to turn Catholick and was released but presently as himself wrote afterwards God chastened him for this his fault holding his conscience captive for an whole year together so that he could have no hope in Gods mercy Yet he recalled to minde former sinners who upon their
them that in England they had caused the Queens Priests to be hanged before her face and that they held herself under a most severe discipline and that the like cruel Laws should be made against Popery in Ireland c. When their plots were ripe for execution we finde their first proceedings against the English very various some of the Irish only stripping and expelling them others murthering man woman and childe without mercy yet all resolving universally to root out all the Protestants out of Ireland yea so deeply malicious were they against the English Protestants that they would not endure the very sound of that language but would have all such punished as spake English and the names of all English places they would have changed into old Irish. In many places they killed the English Cowes and Sheep meerly because they were English sometimes they cut off their legs or cut out a piece of their buttock and so left them to live in pain yea in some places what they could not devoure they killed and left in great multitudes stinking in the fields The Priests gave the Sacrament unto divers of the Irish upon condition that they should neither spare man woman nor childe of the Protestants saying that it did them a great deale of good to wash their hands in their blood One Halligan a Priest read an excommunication against all those that from thenceforth should relieve or harbour any English Scotch or VVelch man or give them almes at their doores whereby many were famished to death The Friars with tears exhorted them not to spare any of the English they boasted that when they had destroyed them in Ireland they would go over into England and not leave the memorial of an English man under heaven They openly professed that they held it as lawful to kill a Protestant as to kill a sheep or a dog One of their Priests said that it was no more pity or conscience to take their lives or estates from them than to take a bone out of a dogs mouth The day before this Massacre was to begin the Priests gave the people a dismisse at Masse with free liberty to go out and take possession of all their lands which they pretended to be unjustly detained from them by the English As also to strip rob and despoil them of all their goods and cattel the Protestants being as they told them worse than Dogs for they were Divels and served the Divel and therefore the killing of such was a meritorious act and a rare preservative against the pains of Purgatory for that the bodies of such of them as died in this quarrel should not be cold before their soules should ascend up into heaven so that they should not need to feare the paines of Purgatory and this caused some of these Murtherous Cains to boast after they had slain many of the English that they knew that if they should dye presently they should go strait to Heaven The chief Gentlemen of the Irish when this persecution first began perswaded many of their Protestant neighbours that if they would bring their goods and cattel to them they would secure them from the rage of the common people and hereby they got abundance peaceably into their hands whereof they cheated the Protestants refusing to restore them again yet so confident were the Protestants at first of their good dealing in regard of former familiarity that they gave them Inventories of all they had nay digged up such of their best things as they had hidden in the ground and deposited them in their custody They also gat much into their hands by fair promises and deep oaths and engagements that if they would deliver them their goods they would suffer them with their wives and children quietly to depart the Country yet having got what they could they afterwards murthered them Having thus seised upon all their goods and cattel ransack't their houses and gotten their persons under their power the next work was to strip man woman and childe stark-naked and so to turn them out of doors not suffering them so much as to shelter themselves under bushes or in the woods strictly prohibiting all the Irish under great penalties not to give them any relief as they passed in the high wayes and their great designe herein was that they on whom they would not lay their hands and cruelly murther in cold blood might miserably perish through cold nakednesse and want and therefore if any of them gat any old rags to cover their nakednesse with they stripped them again and again sometimes twice or thrice over the Irish women being very active herein yea they taught their very children to do the like yea they would not leave to the women so much as a smock or an hairlace So that many of them being starved fell down dead in the high wayes Others that gat to any English town by reason of famine and cold suffered by the way died so soon as they came thither In the town of Colerain of these miserable people that fled thither for succour many thousands died in two dayes so that the living being not able to bury them laid the Carkasses of those dead persons in great ranks in waste and wide holes piling them so close and thick as if they had packed up herings together One Magdalen Redman deposed that she and divers others Protestants amongst whom were twenty two widows were first robbed and then stripped stark-naked and when they had in an house covered themselves with straw the bloody Papists threw burning straw in amongst them on purpose to burn them Then did they drive them so naked in to the wilde woods in frost and snow so that the snow covered their skins where a long time it lay unmelted and some of their Children died in their armes with the extremity of the cold and whereas some of these poor soules went towards the Burre for shelter the cruel Irish turned them back again saying they should go to Dublin and when they went towards Dublin they beat them back saying they should go to the Burre and so tossed them to and fro that some of them died those which through many difficulties gat to the Burre many of them died there and those that survived lived miserably by reason of their many wants Yet though these bloody Villaines exercised such inhumane cruelties towards the poor Protestants they would commonly boast that these were but the beginnings of their sorrows and indeed they made it good for having disarmed the English robbed them of their goods and cattel stript them of their cloathes and having their persons in their power they furiously broke out into all manner of abominable cruelties horrid massacres and execrable murthers so that it would make any Christians eare to tingle and his heart to ake to hear the mention of them For there were multitudes murthered in cold blood some whilst they were at plough others as they sate
burned to death In Munster they hanged up many Ministers in a most barbarous manner One Minister they stripped stark naked and drove him through the town pricking him forwards with darts and rapiers and so pursued him till he fell down dead Neither did all the malice that they bore to these poor Christians end with their lives when they had slain them but extended after death to the denying burial to their carcasses casting some into ditches leaving others to be devoured of ravenous beasts and fouls yea some that had been formerly buried they digged up and left them as dung upon the face of the earth These barbarous Villains vowed that if any Parents digged graves to bury their children in they should be buried therein themselves They stripped one William Loverden naked then killed him before his wife and children cut off his head and held it up for them to gaze at and when his wife had buried hin in his garden they digged him up and threw him into a ditch Divers Ministers bones that had been buried some years before they digged up because they were as they said Patrons of Heresie Poor children that went out into the fields to eate weeds and grasse they killed without all pity And a poor woman whose husband was taken by them went to them with two children at her feet and one at her breast hoping to beg her husband but they slew her and her sucking infant brake the neck of another and the third hardly escaped And which was a great aggravation of their wickednesse they exercised all this cruelty upon the English Protestants who never provoked them thereto yea that had alwayes lived peaceably with them administring help and comfort to them in distresse putting no difference betwixt them and those of their own Nation and cherished them as friends and loving neighbours Notwithstanding all which courtesies they now shewed them no favour or pity Alas who can comprehend the fears terrours anguish bitternesse and perplexity that seized upon the hearts of the poor Protestants finding themselves so suddenly surprized without remedy and inextricably wrapt up in all kind of outward miseries which could possibly by man be inflicted upon humane creatures What sighs and groans trembling and astonishment what shrikes cries and bitter lamentations of wives children servants and friends howling and weeping finding themselves without all hope of deliverance from their present miseries How inexorable were their barbarous tormentors that compassed them in on every side without all bowels of compassion or the least commiseration and pity One Ellen Millington they put into an hole fastning her in with stones and left her there to languish to death bragging how many of them went to see her kick and tosse in the hole Yea they boasted upon their successe that the day was their own and that ere long they would not leave one Protestant Rogue living but would uttery destroy every one that had but a drop of English blood in them their women crying out Slay them all the English are fit meat for dogs and their children are bastards Yea so implacable was their malice that they vowed that they would not have an English beast alive nor any of the breed of them How grievous was it to any Christian heart to hear a base Villain boast that his hands were so weary with killing and knocking down Protestants into a bog that he could not lift up his armes to his head Another boasted that he had been abroad and had killed sixteen of the rogues Others boasted that they had killed so many that the grease and fat which stuck upon their swords might well make an Irish candle Yea two boyes boasted thar at several times they had murthered and drowned thirty six women and children These mercilesse Papists having set a Castle on fire wherein were many Protestants they rejoycingly said amongst themselves O how sweetly do they fry At Kilkenny when they had committed many cruel murthers they brought seven Protestants heads amongst which one was the head of a Reverend Minister all which they set upon the Market-crosse on a Market day triumphing slashing and mangling them and putting a gag into the Ministers mouth they slit up his cheeks to his ears and laying a leaf of a Bible before it they bid him preach for his mouth was wide enough it cannot be imagined with what scorn and derision they acted these things and with what joy and exultation their eyes beheld the sad spectacle of the Protestants miseries what greedy delight they took in their bloody executions An English woman whom they had stripped stark naked gat a little straw which she tied about her middle to cover her nakednesse but these impudent villaines set fire to it boasting what brave sport they had to see how the fire made the English Jade dance At Kilmore they put many Protestants men women and children together into a thatched house and then set fire on it boasting of the lamentations and out-cries that they made whilest they were in burning and how the children gaped when the fire began to burne them taking pride and glorying in imitating those cries They took one Mistris Maxwel being in labour and threw her into a river boasting that the childs arme appeared and that it was half-born when the mother was drowned These bloody Persecutors took great pleasure and delight in their cruelty and to encrease their misery when they butchered them they used to say Thy soul to the Devil One of them coming into an house with his hands and cloaths all bloody made his boasts that it was English blood and that his skeine had pâ—â—cked the cleane white skins of many of them even to the hilt thereof When any of them had killed a Protestant many of them would come one after another each of them stabbing wounding and cutting his body in a most despiteful manner and then leave it naked to be devoured of dogs beasts and fouls and when they had slain any number of them they would boast that they had made the Devil beholding to them in sending so many souls to hell But it s no wonder that they carried themselves so towards these innocent Christians when they spared not to belch out their execrable blasphemies against God and his holy Word In one place they burnt two Protestant Bibles and then said it was hell-fire they burnt Other Bibles they took cut in pieces and then burnt them saying that they would do the like to all Puritane Bibles In the Church at Powerscourt they burnt the Pulpit Pues Chests and Bibles belonging to it Others of them took the Protestants Bibles and wetting them in dirty water did several times dash them on the faces of the Protestants saying I know you love a good lesson here is an excellent one for you come to morrow and you shall have as good a Sermon as this Others they dragged by the hair of the head into the Church there stripped and whipped them
shalt suffer eternal torments though thou art above others yet he that made other men made thee also of the same nature for all are born and must die alike He that kils another sheweth that he himself may be killed thou tearest and tormentest thine own Image all in vain In thy fury thou killest him whom God created like thy self c. thou pullest out our tongues tearest our bodies with flesh-hooks and consumest us with fire but they that have already suffered have received everlasting joyes and everlasting punishments attend thee Think not that I expect any favour I will follow my brethren and remain constant in keeping Gods Law The Tyrant herewith inraged caused him to be tormented but his mother comforted him and with her kind hands held his head when through violence of the torturers the blood issued out of his mouth nose and privy parts the tormentors not ceasing till his life was almost spent but then giving over God gave him strength to recover and to endure more then any of his brethren had done At last his hands and arms being cut off with his eyes lift up to heaven he cryed O Adonai be mercifull unto me and receive me into the company of my brethren c. Then was his tongue pulled out and he of his own accord going into the fiery frying pan to the great admirarion of Antiochus died The mother seeing all her Children dead was inflamed with a holy zeal to suffer Martyrdom also and despising the Tyrants threats she offered her motherly brest to those torments which her Children had suffered before her Indeed herein she excelled them all in that she had suffered seven painfull deaths before she came to suffer in her own person and feared in every one of them lest she should have been overcome She alone with dry eyes did look upon them whilst they were torn in pieces yea she exhorted them thereunto rejoycing to see one torn with flesh-hooks another racked upon the wheel a third bound and beaten a fourth burned and yet she exhorted the rest not to be terrified thereby and though her grief in beholding their torments was greater then that which she had in child-birth yet did she frame a chearfull countenance as if it had been one triumphing wishing rather the torments of their bodies then of their souls for she knew that nothing was more frail then our lives which are often taken away by Agues Fluxes and a thousand other ways Therefore when they were first apprehended she thus exhorted them in the Hebrew tongue O my most dear and loving Children let us hasten to that Agony which may credit our profession and be rewarded by God with eternal life Let us fearlesly present our bodies to those torments which aged Eleazer endured Let us call to mind our father Abraham who having but one only son willingly sacrificed him at Gods command and feared not to bring him to the Altar whom with many prayers he had obtained in his old age Remember Daniel the three Children c. Antiochus being enraged against her caused her to be stripped naked hanged up by the hands and cruelly whipt then were her dugs and paps pulled off and her self put into the red hot frying pan where lifting up her eyes and hands to heaven in the midst of her prayers she yielded up her chast soul unto God But God suffered not the cruel Tyrant to escape unpunished for in his wars against the Persians the Lord struck him with madness his intrals were devoured with worms and stinking like a Carrion in the extremity of his torments he gave up the ghost Concerning this Antiochus Daniel chap. 8.9 10. c. saw in the vision that there came forth a little horn which waxed exceeding great towards the south and towards the East and towards the pleasant Land and it waxeth great even towards the host of heaven and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground and stamped upon them Yea he magnified himself even to the Prince of the host and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away and the place of the Sanctuary was cast down And an host was given him against the daily Sacrifice by reason of transgression and it cast down the truth to the ground and it practised and prospered Which afterwards is thus interpreted by the Angel unto Daniel verse 23. c. In the latter time of their Kingdom when the Transgressors are come to the full a King of fiery countenance and understanding dark sentences shall stand up and his power shall be mighty but not by his own power and he shall destroy wonderfully and shall prosper and practise and shall destroy the mighty and holy people And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand and he shall magnifie himself in his heart and by peace shall destroy many He shall also stand up against the Prince of Princes but he shall he broken without hand Collected out of Josephus and the Books of the Maccabees Here place the first Figure CHAP. VI. The Persecution of the Church from Christs time to our present Age and first of those mentioned in the New Testament HErod the great hearing by the wise men of one that was born King of the Jews and being informed by the chief Priests and the Scribes that the place of his birth should be Bethlehem of Judah he sent forth souldiers and slew all the Children that were in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof from two years old and under hoping thereby to have destroyed Christ for which cruel fact the Lord gave him over to such a spirit of phrensie that he slew his own wife his Children and nearest kins-folks and familiar friends And shortly after Gods heavy Judgement fell upon him by a grievous sickness which was a slow and slack fire in his inward parts and withal he had a greedy appetite after food and yet nothing sufficed him he had also a rotting in his Bowels and a greivous flux in his fundament a moist and running humour about his feet and the like malady vexed him about his bladder his privy members putrified engendring abundance of worms which continually swarmed out He had a short and stinking breath with a great pain in breathing and through all the parts of his body such a violent cramp as humane strength was not able to endure Yet longing after life he sent for Physitians from all parts by whose advice he went to the hot bathes of Calliroe but finding no ease thereby his torments still encreasing he sought to lay violent hands upon himself if he had not been prevented by his friends and so in extream misery he ended his wretched life Then Herod the less having married the daughter of Aretas King of Arabia put her away and took Herodias who had forsaken her husband Philip brother to Herod for which incestuous and adulterous marriage John Baptist
not I pray you for me but for the enemies of God which fight against the Christians weep I say for them which prepare a fire for us purchasing hell-fire thereby for themselves in the day of vengeance and cease I pray you thus to molest my quiet and setled mind for truly for the name of Christ I am ready to suffer a thousand deaths c. Others perswaded him to deny Christ with his mouth and to keep his conscience to himself My tongue saith he which by Gods goodnesse I have cannot be brought to deny the author and giver of the same for with the heart we beleeve unto righteousnesse and with the tongue we confesse unto salvation and thus perswading and encouraging the people to be willing to die in the like cause with an unappalled countenance he willingly gave himself to be burnt Also Menas an Egyptian and a souldier by profession in this persecution forsook all and went into a desart where he gave himself to fasting prayer meditation and reading of the Scriptures at last returning into the city of Cotis when the people were at their pastimes he with a loud voice proclaimed himself to be a Christian and thereupon was carried before the President and being demanded of his faith he said Convenient it is that I confesse God in whom is light and no darknesse for with the heart we beleeve to righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made to salvation Then was he pinched and excruciated with sundry torments But said he there is nothing in my minde that can be compared to the Kingdom of heaven neither is all the world if it were weighed in a balance comparable to the price of one soul and further said Who can separate us from the love of Christ can tribulation or anguish c. and again I have learned of my Lord Christ not to feare them that can kill the body and have no power to kill the soul c. Having endured manifold torments he received the sentence of death and at the place of execution he said I give thee thanks my Lord God which hast accepted me to be a partaker of thy precious death and hast not suffered me to be devoured of my fierce enemies but hast made me constant in thy true faith unto the end and so he lost hiâ— head but found a crown Basil relates a story that the Emperours officer brought the Edict against the Christians to a place to be published and then privily suborned some to detect and accuse the Christians then he caused the sword gibbet wheel and whips to be brought forth at the sight whereof the hearts of all the beholders did shake and tremble Some for fear fled others stood in doubt what to do Some again for fear denied their faith others suffered cruell torments but at last vanquished by the intollerable pain they made shipwrack of their consciences and lost the glory of their confession Amongst others fourty young gentlemen that were souldiers freely and boldly confessed themselves to be Christians declaring to the Marshall their names who amazed at this their boldnesse stood in doubt what to do then he assaied with fair words and flatteries to win them perswading them to consider their youth and not to change a pleasant life for a painfull and untimely death promising them honour money c. But they boldly answered that they neither desired money honour nor life but only the celestiall Kingdom of Christ for the love of which they were ready to endure the wheel crosse fire c. The Marshall being much offended herewith devised a new torment for spying a pond in the street that did lie open to the Northen winde it being in the cold winter time he caused them to be put into it all night but they being merry comforted one another as they put off their clothes saying We put not off now our cloths but our old man corrupt with the deceit of concupiscence for which we blesse and praise God for by meanes of the serpent we once put on the old man but by the means of Jesus Christ we now put him off and being brought naked to the place where they felt the vehement cold they were put into the pond so that all their members were stark and stiffe with it and as soon as it was day they hauing breath yet remaining in them were brought to the fire wherein they were consumed into ashes which ashes were thrown into the floud It happened that one of the company being more lively and not so near death as the rest the executioners pitied him and delivered him to his mother who stood by to save his life but she led him to the piles of wood where the other starved creatures lay ready to be burnt admonishing him to accomplish the blessed journey he had taken in hand which accordingly he did and was burnt with his companions Syrus a Physician of Alexandria in this persecution fled into Syria where he lived a private life unto whom one John a souldier adjoined himlelf but not long after one Athanasia with her three daughters being virgins were cast into prison at Canope in Egypt for the profession of their faith Cyrus being of their acquaintance fearing lest through infirmity they should fall he together with his partner John went thither to the prison to comfort and confirm them for which he was accused to the President who thereupon condemned them all and so they were beheaded Sebastian also borne in France and Captain of the avaunt-guard of the Emperour encouraged many Martyrs by his exhortations unto constancy and kept them in the faith for which being accused to the Emperour he caused him to be brought forth into the open field where by his own souldiers he was thrust through with arrows Basil also maketh mention of one Barlaam who having endured all sorts of tortures to the point of death was then by the tormentors laid upon the altar and they put fire and frankincense in his right hand hoping that the burning of the fire would have forced him to scatter the incense upon the altar and so to have sacrificed but his hand enduring the fire remained steady the Martyr in the mean time singing Blessed be the Lord my God which teacheth my hands to fight c. Ambrose mentioneth one Agricola and Vitalis his servant who agreed betwixt themselves to give their lives with other Martyrs for the name of Christ Vitalis first offering himself to Martyrdom the persecutors laboured by all means to draw him to deny Christ but not prevailing they exercised upon him all sorts of torments so that he had no whole skin left on all his body Vitalis in the midst of his sufferings having by prayer commended himself to God gave up the ghost Then was Agricola set upon by the tormentors whose vertuous life and gentle conditions had won him such respect that they delayed tormenting of him
Kings Court To whom the lad answered You shall not get me from the fellowship of these holy men who bred me up with whom I lived in the fear of God and with whom I desire to die and with whom I trust I shall obtain the glory to come And so being all put into the ship they were burned together After the death of Hunrick Gundabund succeeded in the Kingdom who continuing in the steps of his cruel predecessors afflicted the Christians grievously by sundry kinds of persecution during the space of twelve years at the end whereof he died and Thrasamund succeeded him a man that excelled all his Predecessors in magnanimity and courage His manner was by perswasions flatteries promises and rewards to seek to draw the Christians to his Arrian Heresie but they which would not be prevailed with hereby he no way punished or molested them In his time there were great Wars between the Moors and Vandals the Moors had one Cabaon for their General who commanded all his souldiers to use abstinence in their diet and to abstain from women and from all Injury and wrong-doing The women he enclosed within trenches by themselves commanding that under pain of death no man should have access to them Then did he send forth a certain company of Moors commanding them privately to follow the Camp oâ— the Vandals and that wheresoever the Vandals profaned any Church of the Christians presently after their departure they should follow and purge the same For saith he if the Christians God be a good God then will he assist them that are devoted to him and punish the Blasphemers These men in counterfeit base attire followed the Vandals Camp and whereas the Vandals where ever they came took up the Christians Churches for their Horses and Beasts of burthen carrying themselves very insolently against God and his House beating and abusing the Ministers and Church-Officers making them to attend upon them as their slaves After their departure the Moors on the contrary cleansed the Churches carried out the dung kneeled down to and reverenced the Ministers and distributed money to the poor and thus they did continually Then did Cabaon prepare to give his enemies battel and whereas the Vandals were all Horse-men and very well mounted their Horses were so afrighted at the sight of the Moors Camels that they were presently put into disorder and the Moors with darts and arrows did so pelt them that they put them to flight and slew many of them whereupon Thrasamund shortly after died of grief Then did Ilderick the son of Hunrick succeed in the Kingdom who was equally mild and gentle both to the Vandals and Christians and one that kept very fair correspondence with the Emperour Justinian But Gilimer a cunning and ambitious man deposed him and usurped the Kingdom to himself Whereupon Justinian sent against him that brave and gallant General Billisarius who overcame him in several battels took him prisoner freed the Christians from persecution and subverted the Empire of the Vandals in Africk after they had reigned there for the space of ninety years wherein for the most part they had been cruel persecutors of the true Church of God Salvian who was Bishop of Masilia and lived at the same season complaineth that before these brutish Vandals came into Africk the Church of God there was much degenerated from its ancient purity and the power of Godliness was much decaid insomuch as they which lived exactly according to the Rule of Gods Word were hissed at as they went in the streets as if they had been monsters Whereupon saith he the passage of the Vandals into Africk was not to be imputed to Gods rigour but to the Africans wickedness c. Collected out of a Book written by Victor Bishop of Utica who lived at the same time and was himself a Sufferer under this persecution Here place the fifth Figure THE PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH UNDER THE PAPACY CHAP. XXI The Persecutions of the Waldenses which began Anno Christi 1160. WHen the darkness of Popery had overspread the Christian world so that Kings and Princes imploied their Authority to establish the Romish Idolatry appointing to slaughter such as denied Transubstantiation Adoration of the Host bowing the knees before it c. this occasioned many Christians to detest this superstition as unknown to the Apostles and primitive Church And first of all God raised up Berengarius presently after the year one thousand who boldly and faithfully preached the Truth and against the Romish Errors continuing his Ministry till about the time that William the Conqueror came into England whereupon the Gospellers were called Berengarians till about the year 110. At which time common notice being taken of their separation from the Church of Rome and their disagreeing from so many of their Tenents they were branded with the odious name of Hereticks And twenty years after when they were grown into a very great multitude they had one Peter Bruis for their most famous Preacher who taught long and publickly at Tholouse under the protection and favour of a noble Earl called Hildephonsus whereupon in those parts they were called Petro-Brusians For Peter Bruis Anno Christi 1120. published their Tenents in a book called Anti-Christ wherein he declared both the ground of their Doctrine and the causes of their separation from the Romish Church Twenty years after this they were grown into a mighty multitude about Anno Christi 1140. whereupon the Popes of Rome now began to lay about them for their Extirpation For which end he stirred up his most learned followers to write against them and warned Princes to take heed of them and to banish them out of their Territories Anno Christi 1147. they had Henry of Tholouse for their most eminent Preacher whereupon they began to be called Henericians and because they were well red in the Scriptures especially in the Epistles of St. Paul whom by way of eminency they called the Apostle alleadging Texts out of him nnd would admit of no Testimonies for the proof of Religion but only out of Scripture they were called Apostolicks And shortly after God raised up Peter Valdo a Citizen of Lions in France who shewed himself most couragious in opposing the Popish inventions withal taxing divers other innovations which were crept into the Church of Rome and he was the more eagerly hearkened unto because he was in high esteem for his Learning and Piety and his liberality to the poor for besides the nourishing of their bodies he did also feed their souls by exhorting them to seek Jesus Christ and salvation by him The Arch-Bishop of Lions being informed that Valdo used thus to instruct the people boldly taxing the vice luxury and pride of the Pope and his Clergy forbad him the same upon pain of Excommunication and proceeded against him as an Heretick Valdo replied that he could not be silent in a cause of so great importance
trust in my God that he will graciously accept my contrite spirit When upon the Scaffold the Jesuites exhorted him he listned not to them but turned from the Crucifix and falling down on his knees he prayed softly Then looking up towards heaven he cried They can take away the body but they cannot take away the soul O Lord Jesus I commend that unto thee and so he ended his life being fifty six years old The next was an aged man about seventy years old that had been long lame his crime was that he had assisted Frederick with his counsel and wealth at the time of his death he said O Lord Jesus who being innocent didst undergo death grant that I may die the death of the righteous and receive my soul into thy hands The next was the Lord of Rugenia a man of excellent parts and full of zeal for God when he was iudged to die he said that it was more welcome to him then if the Emperour had given him life and restored him to his estate with addition of more afterwards he said to the Minister God is our witnesse that we fought for nothing but the Liberty of Religion and in that we are overcome and condemned to die we acknowledge and finde that God will not have his truth defended by our swords but by our bloud c. When he saw divers called out before him he said What is the matter my God thou knowest that I resign my self wholly unto thee Ah do not despise thy servant but make haste to take me away and when the Sheriff came for him he rejoyced and said Praised be my God that I shall now be taken out of the world that I may be with Christ and so he went to meet him On the Scaffold he comforted himself with that promise Father I will that where I am my servants may also be to behold that glory which thou gavest me Therefore said he I make haste to die that I may be with Christ and see his glory and so he suffered Martyrdom couragiously The next was Valentine Cockan of about sixty years old During his imprisonment he was full of heavenly discourse and at the Scaffold he said Grant me O God to passe through this valley of death that I may presently see thee for thou knowest my God that I have loved thy word bring me O God through the paths of life that I may see fulnesse of joy in thy presence and kneeling down he said into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit and so holily ended his life The next was Toby Steffick a man of a composed temper and sincere in Religion he spent most of the time of his imprisonment in silent sighs and tears Before his Execution he said I have received many good things of the Lord all my life long shall I not therefore receive this cup of affliction I imbrace the will of God who by this ignominious death makes me conformable to his son and by a narrow way brings me to his heavenly Kingdom I praise God who hath joyned me undeservedly to these excellent men that I might receive with them the crown of martyrdom When he was called to die he said My Saviour being about to die said Father not as I will but as thou wilt thy will be done Shall I therefore who am but a worm yea dust and a shadow contradict his will far be it from me yea I come willingly my God only have mercy on me and cleanse me from my sins that no spot or rinckle may appear in me but that I may appear pure in thy sight and so he lifted up himself full of sighs yet full of hope and as he was praying he rendered up his spirit unto God Then was Jessenius a Doctor of Phisick called forth a man famous for piety and learning all over Europe Having hard his sentence he said You use us too cruelly and disgracefully but know that our heads shall be buried which you ignominiously expose for a spectacle which afterwards came to passe Anno 1631. when the King of Sweden with his Army took prague and caused the Martyrs heads to be taken from the Tower and solemnly and honourably buried When the Hangman required his tongue to cut it off he willingly put it out and falling upon his knees as he was praying his head was cut off his body quartered and set upon four stakes The next was Christopher Chober who much encouraged his fellow-Martyrs and then cited the words of Ignatius I am Gods corn and shall be ground with the teeth of wilde beasts So we saith he are Gods corn sown in the field of the Church and that we may be for our Masters use we are now to be torn by beasts but be of good chear the Church is founded in bloud and hath ever encreased by bloud God is able to raise up a thousand worshippers of himself out of every drop of our bloud for though truth now suffers violence yet Christ reigns and no man shall throw him from his Throne Being called to execution he said I come in the name of my God neither am I ashamed to suffer these things for his glory for I know whom I have beleeved I have fought the good fight of faith and finished my course c. then praying into thy hands Lord I commend my spirit he received the Crown of Martyrdom John Shultis was next who on the Scaffold said Why art thou so sad O my soul Hope thou in God for thou shalt yet praise him c. The righteous seem to die in the eyes of fools but indeed they go to their rest Lord Jesus thou hast promised that whoso comes to thee thou willt not cast off Behold I now come look on me pity me pardon my sins and receive my soul to thy self then kneeling down he said Come come Lord Jesus and doe not tarry and so he was he headed The next was Maximillian Hostialick a learned and pious man after his condemnation he was sadder then the rest and being asked by the Minister the reason of it he said The sins of my youth doe now come into my minde for though I know that nothing remains to condemn them which are in Christ Jesus yet I know that God exerciseth justice as well as mercy towards his own Being called to death he said Look upon me O Lord my God and lighten mine eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death and lest mine enemies say We have prevailed Afterward repeating the words of Simeon Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation he was beheaded The next was John Kutnaur who when the Jesuites began to speak to them said Pray you trouble not our consciences we are sufficiently furnished against the fear of death we need none of your help and when they would have proceeded
dare say nothing to the purpose for fear of angring the Inquisitors only he chears up his Client and bids him tell the truth in any case as the only way to prevail in that Court and then is the Prisoner sent back again who hopes that now his cause will be heard and his businesse dispatched whereas usually these good fathers let him lie two three or four years in prison without ever calling for him again and if through loathsomnesse and intolerablenesse of the prison any sue to come to hearing it may be with much ado he obtains it but usually that favour is denied him yet at length when they please they call for him to hear the depositions of the witnesses against him which yet is not done till the poor Prisoner by his grievous imprisonment is brought so low as that they think he will rather choose death than such a life and therefore will be willing to tell all that so he may be rid out of his misery Then between rebuking and a gentle admonition they tell him that though he hath stood out so long yet at length they would have him wiser to confesse the truth but if he yet refuse to be his own accuser then the Fiscal produceth the depositions which are delivered to the Prisoner but they are drawn up so intricately and ambiguously that he knows not what to make of them and this they do to conceal the witnesses lest he should except against them and to set him on guessing that so if he chance to reckon up any others to whom he spake any thing about any of those matters they may thereby get more grists to their mill For they presently out-law such persons as favourers of hereticks for suffering an heretick to sow such pestilent seeds amongst them without complaining thereof to the Inquisitors The Keeper of the Prison also is examined what he hath seen and observed of him in the Prison and his testimony is as good as two witnesses to take away the Prisoners life They have also Promoters to bring in accusations who are admitted though frantick Bedlams or the veriest Varlets that be and in their informations if they chance to want words of weight the Inquisitors will help them out and prompt them word by word Then after three or four dayes the Prisoner is called again to put in his answer to the depositions but in the interim his Advocate never comes at him to assist or direct him but he is left to himself without all help save of God alone His answer being viewed he is remanded to prison again with this Item that if he confesse not the truth they will extort it out of him by extremity After two or three moneths more he is called for once again and required to speak what he hath for himself or else they must draw to an end and if he still shrinks not but stands firme in his own Justification they proceed to other dealings in comparison of which all their former proceedings are not only sufferable but seeme very reasonable and full of gentlenesse For their future actions farre exceed all barbarousnesse the Devil himself being not able to go beyond them in their monstrous tyranny For not long after the Prisoner is called in before the Inquisitors who tell him that they have deeply considered his whole case and found out that he doth not declare the whole truth and therefore they are resolved that he shall be racked that by force they may draw from him what by fair means he will not acknowledge and therefore they advise him rather to do it voluntarily and thereby to avoid the paine and peril that yet attends him yet whether he confesse or not confesse all is one for to the Rack he must go Then is he led into the place where the Rack standeth which is a deep and dark dungeon under ground with many a door to passe through ere a man come to it because the shreekes and cries of the tormented should not be heard then the Inquisitors set themselves upon a scaffold hard by the Rack and the torches being lighted the Executioner comes in all araied from top to toe in a sute of black canvas his head is covered with a long black hood that covereth all his face having only two peep-holes for his eyes which sight doth more affright the poor soul to see one in the likenesse of the Devil to be his tormentor The Lords being set in their places they begin again to exhort him to speak the truth freely and voluntarily Then with sharp words they command him to be stripped stark naked yea though the modestest maid or chasest Matron in the City whose grief in regard of the Rack is not half so great as to be seene naked in the presence of such manner of persons For these wicked villains without any regard of honesty will not by any Prayers of godly Matrons or chast Maidens forbear one jot of that barbarous impudence as if a shirt or smock could hinder the violence of the Rack from sufficiently tormenting them The Party being thus stripped the Inquisitors signifie to the Tormentor how they would have him or her ordered The first kind of torment is the Jeobit or Pully but first one comes behind him and binds his hands with a cord eight or ten times about the Inquisitors calling upon him to strain each harder than other they cause also his thumbs to be bound extream hard with a small line and so both hands and thumbs are fastened to a Pully which hangs on the Jeobit then they put great and heavy bolts on his heels and hang upon those bolts between his feet certain weights of iron and so hoise him or her up from the ground and whilst the poor wretch hangs in this plight they begin to exhort him again to accuse himself and as many others as he knows of Then they command him to be hoised up higher to the very beam till his head touch the Pully Having hung thus a good while they command him to be let down and twice so much weight to be fastened to his heels and so hoised up again and one inch higher if it may be Then they command the hangman to let him up and down that the weights of the iron hanging at his heels may rent every joynt in his body asunder With which intolerable pains if the Party shreek or cry out they roare out as loud to him to confesse the truth or else he shall come down with a vengeance Then they bid the hangman suddenly to slip the rope that he may fall down with a sway and in the mid-way to stop then give him the Strappado which being as soon done it rends all his body out of joynt armes shoulders back legs c. by reason of the sudden jerk and the weights hanging at his legs If he yet remain constant they adde more weight to his heels the third time and the poor wretch already half
after another by the hand and so dispatching them all no otherwise than as a Butcher doth kill his Calves and Sheep This was in Calabâ—ia Anno Christi 1560. Persecution raised by the Pope in Venice THe City of Venice was a long while from the cruel Inquisition whereby the face of a Church was discerned there from the year 1530. to the year 1542. yea and multitudes of good Christians flocked thither from other parts which so provoked the Divel to envy that he stirred up the Pope to send Inquisitors which erected an Inquisition in that City and for divers years the Pope sent them money to distribute amongst their Flies and such persons as would betray the faithful to them By this means many of the worthy servants of Jesus Christ were apprehended imprisoned and after a while sent to Rome to be there butchered Then was a new-found manner of death inflicted upon divers others never till then heard of whereby they were drowned in the bottome of the Sea The manner of it was thus After any of them had received the sentence of death by the Inquisitors an iron chain was fastned about their middle with a very heavy stone tyed thereto then were they laid upon a plank between two boats and so rowed to an appointed place in the Sea where the boats parting asudder the Martyrs presently sunk into the bottome of the Sea and were drowned Yet notwithstanding this cruelty many godly persons ceased not to assemble together in a place appointed for that purpose where they talked and discoursed of heavenly matters for their spiritual edification and made collections for the relief of the poor amongst them And Anno 1566. they called to them a Minister of the Gospel and constituted a Church where they enjoyed all the Ordinances with much comfort but some false brethren creeping in amongst them after a while betrayed them then were many apprehended cast into the Sea and drowned Others were sent to Rome where they were cast into prison till they rotted and dyed there Amongst others that were condemned to be drowned at Venice was one Mr. Anthony Ricetto to whom after his condemnation his sonne a youth about twelve years old came beseeching him with tears to yield that his life might be saved and himself not left fatherlesse To whom he answered A good Christian is bound to forgoe children goods yea and life it self for the maintenance of Gods honour and glory For which cause said he I am now resolved to lay down my life the Lord assisting me The Lords of Venice offered to restore to him his Patrimony which was partly morgaged and partly sold if he would submit to the Church of Rome but he resolutely refused that condition Not long after came a Captain to him and told him of one Francis Sega his prison-fellow that waâ— resolved to recant To whom he answered What tell you me of Sega I am resolved to performe my vows to the Lord my God Then was he carried forth bound to the boats and by the way a Priest presented him with a wooden Crosse exhorting him to recant c. But he on the contrary perswaded him and others to come out of the snares of the Divel and to cleave to Jesus Christ and to live not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit For said he otherwise your unbelief will bring you into the lake of fire that never shall be quenched When he came to the place where he was to suffer the Captain lastned the chain and stone to him whereupon lifting his eyes to heaven he said Father forgive them they know not what they do Lord Jesus into thy hands do I commend my spirit and so in the sea he ended his life A few dayes after one Mr. Francis Spinola was apprehended and committed to prison and when he was brought forth before the Inquisitors they shewed him a Treatise about the Lords Supper demanding whether he was the Author of it which he acknowledged avouching that the doctrine that was contained therein was agreeable to the holy Scriptures Then was he return'd to his prison where the aforementioned Sega was who waiting for his coming as he passed by saluted him by his name after which they conferred together about the doctrine of the Gospel and Sega having heard that Spinola had stood stoutly in the Confession of the truth he was much comforted saying that God had reserved him for such a time as this to make him Partaker of so great consolation Shortly after the Jailor told Sega that he was to die one hour within night at the hearing whereof he entreated Spinola to pray with him and after prayer he said that his soul was heavy unto death Spinola answered Fear not for it will not be long before your soul shall partake of those joyes which shall endure for ever At the appointed time he was fetched out of the dungeon where he took his leave of Spinola and the other Prisoners As he went into the boat a Friar perswaded him to return to the Church of Rome Sega answered that he was already in the way to our Lord Jesus Christ and so passing on he called upon the name of God He seemed to be a little amazed at the fastning of the chaine and stone to his body yet presently recollecting his spirits he took it patiently and so commending his soul into the hands of God he quietly slept in the Lord. Spinola being again called before the Inquisitors he boldly reproved the Popes Legate and the other Judges for that contrary to their consciences they persecuted the truth of God calling them the off-spring of the Pharisees c. The third time that he was called before them they asked him if he would not recant his errours he answered that the doctrine which he maintained was not erroneous but the same truth which Christ and his holy Apostles taught and for which all the Martyrs both in former and later times did willingly lay down their lives and endured the pains of death Yet after all this Spinola by the crafty perswasions of some seeming friends began to strike saile and to faint but through Gods goodnesse he soon recovered again and being called before the Judges he openly confirmed the truth and so had sentence passed upon him that he should be drowned as an Heretick To which he answered I am no Heretick but the servant of Jesus Christ at which words the Popes Legate commanded him silence and told him that he lyed the night after he was conveyed into the sea and there drowned praising and blessing God with invincible constancy Anno 1595. There was at Rome a young Englishman who going into a Church and seeing their grosse idolatry was so inflamed with zeal that he could not endure the sight of those horrible impieties and therefore he went out into the Church porch and as the Procession passed by him he waited till the Bishop came
cast into several prisons yet remained chearfull praising God for accounting them worthy to suffer for his truth and after a few dayes they were all brought forth before the Magistrates who speaking to Robert Oguire said We hear that you never come to Masse That you disswade others from it That you keep Conventicles in your house where erroneous doctrine is preached c. Robert answered I indeed refuse to go to Mass because the death and precious blood of Christ is utterly abolished there and troden under foot c. And I cannot deny but there have met together in my house honest people fearing God Not with intention to harm any I assure you but for the advancement of Gods glory and the good of many c. Then one demanded what they did when they met together To which Baudizon ansvvered When vve meet together in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to hear the Word of God vve first falling on our knees before God in the humility of our spirits do make confession of our sins before his Divine Majesty then we pray that the Word of God may be rightly divided and purely preached then we pray for our Soveraign Lord the Emperour that the Common-wealth may be peaceably governed to the glory of God yea we forget not you whom we acknowledge our Superiours intreating our good God that you may maintain this City in tranquillity c. Thus you hear what we do in our Assemblies and if you will not be offended to hear the summe of our prayers I am ready to recite the same unto you One of the Magistrates wished him to go on whereupon kneeling down he prayed before them all with such fervency of affection and ardency of zeal that it forced the Magistrates to break forth into tears Baudizon rising up said Your Masterships may hereby take a scantling how we are imployed in our meetings Being further examined every one of them made an open Confession of his faith and so were returned to prison again And not long after they were tortured upon the Rack to make them confesse who they were that met at their house but they would discover none but such as they knew were at that time out of their reach Four or five dayes after the men were again convented before the Magistrates who asked them if they would submit themselves to the will of the Magistrates Robert and Baudizon said they would but Martin the younger sonne said he would not submit thereto but would accompany his Mother and so he was sent back to prison and the Father with his eldest son were presently adjudged to be burnt alive Sentence being pronounced one of the Judges said This day shall you go to dwell with all the Divels in hell fire Then were they returned to prison praising God and by their patience and constancy conquerred the rage and fury of their enemies In prison there came some Friars to them telling them that the hour was come wherein they must finish their dayes They answered Blessed be the Lord our God who now delivering our bodies out of this vile prison will receive our souls into his glorious and heavenly Kingdom Then said one of the Friars Father Robert thou art an old man I intreat thee in this thy last hour think of saving thy soule and if thou wilt give ear to me I le warrant thee thou shalt do well Robert answered Poor man how darest thou assume that to thy self which belongs to God alone and so rob him of his honour c. Another wishing him to pity his soul he said Dost thou not see what pity I have on it when for the name of Christ I am willing to give my body to the fire hoping to day to be with him in Paradise c. Then said a Friar Out Dog thou art not worthy the name of a Christian thou and thy sonne are resolved to damne your soules with all the Divels in hell Then would they have severed the Father from his son which Baudizon perceiving said Pray you let my Father alone he is an old man hinder him not from receiving the Crown of Martyrdome Another Friar said Away Varlet thou art the cause of thy Fathers perdition Whilst Baudizon was stripping and fitting himself to be sacrificed some of the Friars had fastned a Crucifix in the old mans hands perswading him that it would please the People and that for all that he might lift up his heart to God c. But so soon as Baudizon saw it he said Alasse Father what do you now will you play the Idolater at your last hour and so pulling the Idol out of his hand he threw it away At the place of execution they were set upon a Scaffold and Baudizon desired leave to make a Confession of his faith answer was made that he might confess himself to a Friar if he would which he refusing was readily haled to the stake where he began to sing the 16. Psalm then said a Friar Do you not hear what wicked errors these Hereticks sing to beguile the people withall Baudizon hearing him replyed Thou simple Idiot callest thou the Psalms of David errours but no marvel for thus are ye wont to blaspheme against the Spirit of God Then seeing them about to chain his Father to the stake he said to him Be of good courage Father the worst will be past by and by Then did he often breath forth Oh God Father everlasting accept the sacrifice of our bodies for thy well-beloved Son Jesus Christ his sake A Friar cryed Out Heretick thou liest God is none of thy Father the Divel is thy Father Baudizon fixing his eys upon heaven said to his Father Behold I see the heavens open and millions of Angels ready to receive us and rejoycing to see us thus bearing witness to the truth in the view of the world Father let us rejoyce and be glad for the joys of heaven are opened to us Then said a Friar I see Hell open and millions of Divels are ready to carry you thither A poor man in the croud cryed out Be of good comfort Baudizon stand to it thou fightest in a good quarrel I am on thy side which words so soon as he had spoken he departed and so hastened himself from danger The fire being kindled Baudizon oft said to his Father Yet a very little while and we shall enter into the heavenly mansions the fire encreasing the last words which they spake were Jesus Christ thou Sonne of God into thy hands we commend our spirits and so they sweetly slept in the Lord. After the death of these worthy champions of Christ many of the Popish rabble were sent if possible to seduce the Mother and son remaining in prison and coming to them the first subtilty they used was to separate them asunder then they set upon the woman as the weaker vessel and so wrought upon her
that she began to waver and let go her first faith this the adversaries much rejoyced in and the poor flock of Christ in that place hearing of it were as much afflicted with the news but God left them not in this mournful condition long For a Monk one day going to her perswaded her to draw her sonne Martin to the same recantation with her self which she promised to do but when they came together Martin perceiving the grievous Apostacy of his Mother bewailed it with many tears saying to her Oh Mother what have you done have you denied him that redeemed you Alas what injury hath he done you that you should requite him with so great an injury and dishonour Now am I plunged into that woe which I most feared Ah good God that I should live to see this which pierceth me to the very heart His mother hearing his pittiful complaints and seeing him drowned in tears for her sake began again to renew her strength in the Lord and with tears cryed out Oh Father of mercies be merciful to me miserable sinner and cover my transgression under the righteousnesse of thy blessed Son Lord enable me with strength from above to stand to my first confession and make me to abide stedfast therein even to my last breath Presently in came the seducers hoping to finde her in the same minde that they left her but she no sooner saw them but cryed Avoid Satan get thee behind me for henceforth thou hast nether part nor portion in me I will by the help of God stand to my first Confession and if I may not sign it with ink I will seal it with my blood and so after this time through Gods gracious assistance she grew stronger and stronger Then were they both condemned to be burnt alive and their ashes to be sprinkled in the aire When the sentence was passed as they returned to prison they said Now blessed be God who causeth us thus to triumph over our enemies This is the wished hour our gladsome day is come let us not therefore forget to be thankfull for that honour that God doth us in thus conforming us to the image of his Sonne Let us remember those that have troden this path before us for this is the high-way to the Kingdom of heaven c. Hereupon some of the Friars being ready to burst for anger said unto Martin that was most valiant We see now Heretick that thou art wholly possest body and soul with a Divel as were thy father and brother who are now in hell Martin answered As for your railings and cursings God will this day turn them into blessings in the sight of himself and all his holy Angels When they came into prison there came to them two persons of great quality of whom one of them said to Martin Young man I have compassion on thee if thou wilt be ruled by me and return to the Church of Rome thou shalt not only be freed from this shameful death but I will also give thee an hundred pounds Martin presently replyed Sir you present before me many temporal commodities But alas do you think me so simple as to forsake an eternal Kingdome for the enjoyment of a short temporal life No Sir it s now too late to speak to me of worldly commodities I will hearken to no other speech but of those spiritual commodities which I shall enjoy this day in Gods Kingdome c. Soon after Martin and his mother were carried to the place of their Martyrdome and being bound to the stake the woman said We are Christians and that which we now suffer is not for murther nor theft but because we will believe no more than the Word of God teacheth us The fire being kindled the heat of it did nothing abate the fervency of their seal but they continued crying Lord Jesus into thy hands we commend our spirits and so they blessedly slept in the Lord. A Friar at Gaunt called Charles Coninck being through Gods mercy converted to the truth left his Friars weed and joyned himself to the brethren for which he was apprehended and remaining constant was condemned then came a special friend perswading him to recant and he would procure him a Cannonship To whom Charles answered Sir I thank you for your good will and kind offer but I cannot accept them without offending God and that rest is no true rest and quietnesse which is obtained against the peace of a good conscience Shortly after his death one of his adversaries which had the greatest hand in procuring of it fell into grievous terrour and horrour of conscience whereof within a few dayes he died The Persecution of the Duke de Alva in the Netherlands WHen the light of the Gospel was much spread abroad in the Netherlands King Philip of Spaine sent the Duke de Alva with a great Army to root out the Professors of it who exercised unparalell'd cruelty against all sorts of persons both of the Nobility and Commons permitting his souldiers to ravish honest Matrons and Virgins many times causing their husbands and Parents to stand by and behold it This Duke on a time boasted at his own table that he had been diligent to root out heresie for that beside those which he had slain in war in the space of six years he had put into the hands of the common hangman above eighteen thousand persons His sonne also Don Frederick being sent by him to Zutphen was re-received by the Bourgers without any opposition yet was he no sooner entred but he fell to murther hang and drown a number of the inhabitants with infinite cruelties shewed upon wives and virgins yea not sparing the very infants From thence marching to Naerden in Holland the inhabitants made an agreement with him and he entred the town peaceably but never did Turks or Scythians or the most barbarous and inhumane Nations in the world commit more abominable cruelties than Don Frederick did in this town for when the Bourgers had given the best entertainment that they could to him and his souldiers he caused it to be proclaimed that they should all assemble themselves together in the Chappel of the Hospital where they should be made acquainted with such Laws according to which they should hereafter govern themselves but when these poor people were thus assembled he commanded his souldiers to murther them all without sparing any one the men were massacred the women were first ravished and then murthered most cruelly the children and infants had their throats cut and in some houses they tied the inhabitants to posts and then set fire on the houses and burnt them alive so that in the whole town neither man wife maid nor child old nor young were spared and then the town was wholly razed to the ground without pity or mercy After this Don Frederick besieged Harlem which held out against him for a long time
would come into contempt caused him to be apprehended and cast into a deep and dark hole where he remained bearing his affliction patiently and calling upon God night and day praising him for accounting him worthy to suffer for his names sake Whilst he lay there many good people came to visit him receiving such instructions and consolation from him that they could not be drawn to leave him till necessity enforced neither then could they depart without abundance of tears The Priests and Friars sought by all means to draw him to a recantation but to no purpose for he still kept himself close to the Word of God which so vexed them that at last they procured his condemnation to be hanged The Spanish souldiers which carried him to execution would needs have him burned binding and straining him exceedingly with cords and in the way abused him shamefully with mocks and scoffs thrusting him forwards and striking him the Captain also gave him a blow on the face with his Gantlet which much disfigured him yea they used him worse then a dog being the more enraged against him because of his patient and meek carriage At last they thrust him into a little Cabin piled with Fagots and so burnt him continually calling upon God till he resigned up his Spirit to him Anno 1568. There was a Goldsmith dwelling in Breda who had long been a Deacon of the Church in that place his name was Peter Coulogue in his house the Church often met for the service of God the Popish adversaries being much enraged hereby cast him into prison which the faithful much grieved at and endeavoured to visit and comfort him This the enemies taking notice of removed him into the Castle during his abode there though all others were excluded from him yet his Maid-servant brought him his food daily never ceasing to confirm and comfort him out of the Word of God as well as she was able for which at length they imprisoned her also This she was right glad of thinking her self happy to suffer for righteousness sake Not long after Peter was put to the torment which he endured patiently then did they fetch Betkin also to it whereupon she said My Masters wherefore will you put me to this torture seeing I have no way offended you if it be for my faiths sake you need not torment me fos as I was never ashamed to make a confession thereof no more will I now be at this present before you but will if you please freely shew you my mind therein Yet for all this they would have her to the Rack whereupon she again said If I must needs suffer this pain I pray you give me leave to call upon my God first This they consented to and whilst she was fervently pouring out her prayers unto God one of the Commissioners was surprised with such a fear and terrour that he fell into a swoon and could not be recovered again by which means the poor maid escaped Racking Shortly after these two innocent persons were condemned to be burned and as they were led to execution there was much lamentation amongst the people Peter and Betkin prayed earnestly unto God to strengthen them and perfect the good work that he had begun in them and to assist them till they had finished their course The courage and constancy of the maid did so work upon many of the people godly men and women that not considering the danger they brake through the multitude embracing the Prisoners and praising God for their constancy saying to them Fight manfully for the Crown is prepared for you At the place of execution Betkin with a chearful and amiable countenance spake thus to the people Dear brethren and sisters be alwayes obedient to the Word of God and fear not them that can kill the body but have no power over the soul as for me I am now going to meet my glorious Spouse the Lord Jesus Christ Then falling upon their knees they prayed to the Lord with great devotion And the executioner fastening them to the stake strangled Peter Betkin encouraging him till he yielded up the Ghost and till the fire had taken hold of her self and in the flames she was heard to magnifie the Lord till she yielded up her spirit into his hands About this time multitudes of persons were murthered in Flanders by the bloody Inquisition whose dead bodies were cast out to be gazed upon in every place and multitudes of believers both men and women were cast into prisons where they languished till many of them died In the City of Valence there were executed fifty seven persons most of them Burgesses only because they clave to the true faith of Jesus Christ. The Martyrdom of William of Nassaw Prince of Orange THe Estates of the United Provinces having declared the King of Spaine to be fallen from the Government of of those Countries they chose William of Nassaw Prince of Orange to be their Captain General whereupon he was proscribed by the King of Spain and a great summe of mony promised to him that should slay him Not long after a desperate villain called Joanville was suborned to do the feat for which end he was directed to charge his Pistol with two bullets and to shoot him behind in the head the day appointed for this execution was March 18. 1582. upon which day the Prince was to be at a great feast at the Duke of Anjous Court but the presse being great there Joanville chose rather to do it at the Prince of Oranges own house as he was at dinner the Villain being thus desperately resolved a Jacobin Friar came to confess him fortifying him in his resolution with many sweet words perswading him that he should go invisible for which end he gave him some characters in paper and little Frogs bones and other conjurations Being thus assured he drunk a cup or two of Malmsey and so accomxanied with his Ghostly father he went to the Princes Court at the stair-foot the Friar gave him his blessing encouraged him and so left him The Prince of Orange was set at dinner with the Earles of Laval Hohenlo and many other Noblemen Joanville came into the dining-room attired like a Frenchman so that he was taken for a servant to some of those French Noblemen He thrust forward twice or thrice to come behind the Prince to shoot him in the head as he was directed but was still repulsed by the Princes Gentlemen that stood about him Dinner being done the Prince was going to his retiring chamber whereupon this Villain gat before a window in the Hall close by the door of that room into which the Prince was to go As the Prince passed towards it he was shewing the Earle of Laval the cruelties that the Spaniards had exercised in the Low-Countries which were wrought in the hangings and having his face turned this murtherer discharged his Pistol at him
against him against whom he made many exceptions but they would not be admitted Nine moneths he remained in prison suffering great misery much bewailing his former course of life though yet it had been such as none could charge him with any crime Then the Judges proceeded to his condemnation and he had greater fetters put upon him he was also examined with torments which he endured two or three hours though but of a weakly body comforting himself thus This body must once die but the spirit shall live the Kingdome of God abideth for ever During his torments he swowned and when he came to himself again he said O Lord Lord why hast thou forsaken me Nay said the President wicked Lutheran Thou hast forsaken God Aymund replied Alas good Masters why do you thus miserably torment me O Lord I beseech thee forgive them for they know not what they do See said the President this Caitiffe how he prayeth for us Shortly after he was condemned and when the Friars came to confesse him he bade them depart from him for he would confesse his sins to the Lord. He went to the place of execution with much joy exhorting the people all the way at the place of execution they tumbled him out of the Cart and when he was upon the stage he said O Lord make haste to help me tarry not despise not the work of thy hands and seeing some Scholars he said to them My brethren I exhort you to study and learn the Gospel for the Word of God abideth for ever Labour to know the Will of God and fear not them that kill the body but have no power over your souls Afterwards he said My flesh doth wonderfully resist the spirit but presently I shall cast it away At the stake he often repeated Oh Lord my God into thy hands I commend my soul and so he was first strangled by the hangman and then burned Francis Bribard Secretary to the Cardinal of Bellay being convicted for adhering to the truth had first his tongue cut out and then was burnt Anno 1544. About the same time William Husson an Apothecary came from Bloys to Roan and in the Palace where the Counsel sate he scattered sundry books concerning Christian doctrine and against mens traditions and presently taking horse rode away The books being found the Counsel made diligent search for the Author and at last heard that probably this Husson had scattered them there whereupon Posts were sent out every way to apprehend him and by some of them he was taken riding towards Deep and brought back to Roan who being examined professed his faith boldly and that he had scattered those books and that he was going to Deep to do the like there For this he was condemned to be burnt alive and as he was carried to execution because he refused to worship an Image his tongue was cut out afterwards his hands and feet beeing bound behind him he was pulled up with a Pully and so let down into the fire in which he with a chearful countenance held up his head and fixed his eyes upon heaven till he yielded up his spirit unto God Anno 1545. James Cobard a Schoolmaster in the City of Saint Michael declared and proved that the Masse neither profited the quick nor dead c. for which he was burned Also at Melda fourteen godly persons were cast into prison where they were cruelly racked to make them confesse their fellows which they stoutly refused to do and at last were condemned to the fire seven of them had their tongues cut out and so all of them were burned together their wives being compelled to stand by to see their torments many others were scourged and banished Anno 1546. There was one Peter Chapot who having been a while at Geneva out of a zeal to do good to the Church of Christ carried divers Bibles into France and dispersed them amongst the faithful at last he was apprehended and carried to Paris there he readily rendred an account of his faith exhorting the Judges to do their office uprightly Three Doctors of Sorbone were appointed to dispute with him but he made them all to go away ashamed then was he condemned to be burnt At the stake one of the Doctors pressed him sorely to pray to our Lady which he refused crying only O Jesus Sonne of David have mercy on me The Doctor bade him say only Jesus Maria and he should not be burnt alive but he for a while refused yet at last through his importunity he said Jesus Maria but presently checking himself he said Oh God what have I done pardon me O Lord for against thee only have I sinned and so he was presently strangled and then burned but upon the complaint of the Doctor the Court made a Decree that all which were to be burned unlesse they recanted at the stake should have their tongues cut out which was diligently afterwards observed There was living at Meaux a lame Creeple to whom God was pleased to reveal his truth and after a time he was apprehended and examined at which time he confessed more than they desired to hear Then did they ask him whether he would stand to that which he had said To whom he answered and I ask you again Dare you be so bold as to deny that which is so plain and evident in the holy Scriptures being advised to take care of his life he said to the Judges for Gods sake take care of your own lives and souls and consider how much innocent blood you spill daily in fighting against Jesus Christ and his Gospel At last he was carried to Paris where he endured many sorts of torments and lastly was burned At Fera one Stephen Polliot was apprehended carried to Paris and there cast into a foul and dark dungeon where he lay long in bonds and fetters At last he was brought forth and condemned to have his tongue cut out and to be burned with his sachel of books hanging about his neck which was accordingly executed Anno 1547. There was one John English condemned by the Court of Paris for confessing the truths of God and so sent to Sens in Burgundy where he was burned Also Michael Michelote being apprehended for professing the Gospel was put to his choise either to recant and be beheaded or to persevere and be burned he answered that he trusted that he which had given him grace not to deny the truth would also give him patience to abide the fire and so he was burned Another being betrayed by false brethren was burned at Bar in Burgundy Five men and two women were condemned to the fire at Langres for adhering to the truth one of the women being the youngest was reserved to be burned at last and in the mean time she much encouraged them all saying This day we shall be married to the Lord Jesus
especially the Ministers Amongst the Prisoners was a Captain called La-mothe whom Monluc meeting with gave him divers stabs with a dagger and thrust him through with a rapier saying Villain thou shalt die in despite of God but he proved a lyar for the man being carried away though he had many mortal wounds yet he was wonderfully cured and lived after In Guillac the murthers committed upon the Protestants were many and horrible and amongst other this was one of their practices There was by the City the Abbey of St. Michael built upon a very high rock under which ran a swift and deep river called Tar. Many of the Protestants they forced to go up to the top of this rock whom they threw headlong down into the river by the way there was another rock upon which most of the bodies falling were dashed and broken all to pieces and if any escaped with life into the river they had their cut-throats waiting upon the river in boats to knock them on the head Amongst others there was one Peter Domo an Apothecaries servant who seeing them bent to murther him requested that he might have leave to cast himself down from the top of the Abbey provided that if God should preserve him in the fall they would suffer him to escape with life this they promised whereupon having made his Prayers to God he fetched his leap from the top of the Abby and flew so far that missing the rocks under him he fell safely into the river and endeavoured to swim out with life but these perfidious Villains contrary to their promise made knocked him on the head and slew him In Souraize there was one Captain Durre who with his souldiers going into the house of a godly widow called Castille Roques he caused her to be bound with cords and a rope to be put about her neck by which he haled her up and down almost strangling her then he asked her how oft she had played the whore with those of her Religion She answered That in their Christian meetings they had no such villanies committed Durre fretting and fuming at this answer took her by both the cheeks and oft dashed her head with such violence against the wall that he had almost beaten out her brains Then he required her to give him the seven hundred pieces of gold which she had hidden she told him that she was a poor woman and had onely one French penny This more enraged him whereupon he drew her again about by the neck and applyed burning hot egges to her arm-pits till they were all blistred bidding her in derision to cry to her Father which was in heaven She answered I will not cry aloud for thee and yet my God can hear me well enough and when his pleasure is he will deliver me out of thy hand This made him so to blaspheme that the poor woman was more afflicted to hear his blasphemies than with all her pains Then did he call her Huguenote whore telling her that these were but the beginnings of her sorrows except she fetched him out her gold which if she refused he would draw her cheeks and breasts with Lard and so roast her quick and afterwards throw her headlong from the highest steeple in the town Well said she If you throw my body never so low that shall not hinder my soul from ascending into heaven This her courage and constancy did still further enrage him Then did he open her mouth with his dagger and crammed lime down her throat after which he made her drink a glasse of Urine which himself had made before her withal throwing the glasse with the remainer into her face After this he carried her to his quarters where with strange cruelties he intended to have slain her but some of the neighbours pitying her sad condition redeemed her from him with ten Crowns and so conveyed her to her house where shortly after she finished her dayes Some other of these hell-hounds meeting with one Peter Roch constrained him to dig his own grave and then to try how it fitted him which whilst he was doing they buried him alive In Saint Martins in Castillon they took the wife of one Andrew Renaud stripped her stark naked and would have violated her chastity which she resisting they whipt her most cruelly wounded her with their swords crowned her with thorns and lastly shot her to death They took also one Ianetta Calvin whom they carried into the City of Brignole stripped her whipt her cruelly crowned her with thorns and first stoned and afterwards burned her In Mont de Marsan six of the principal men had their heads stricken off otheres were executed divers wayes One was buried quick and a young woman being pursued to be ravished threw her self out of a window and died In Tholouse the Papists fell upon the Protestants hurt many killed some outright divers they threw into a Well Then did some Counsellors proclaim that they should not spare to kill and spoil all them of the religion for that they were licensed by the King and Pope This soon ran through all the Villages and the Papists rang their bells In Tholouse were about thirty thousand Protestants so that there began one of the most horrible Massacres that was in those parts The prisons were presently filled and many were knocked on the head at the prison-doors because they could hold no more the river in a short space was covered with dead bodies many were thrown into the streets out at the windows if any sought to escape out of the water they were presently slain with swords or stones Some of the Protestants gat into the town-house where they stood upon their guard and at last it was agreed that leaving their Arms they should depart in safety and so after they had received the Sacrament commended themselves to God with prayers and tears they came forth but contrary to the faith and promise made to them the Popish party seised upon as many as they could whom they cast into prison of such as gat out of the City some escaped to Montaubon others in the way were spoiled and killed by the Souldiers and Pesants At Carcasson those of the Religion being gone out of the Town to hear a sermon when they returned the gates were shut and the Papists shot at them who afterwards issuing out against them slew some and hurt others One they beat down cutting off his nose and ears and pulling out his eyes some they took prisoners whom they hanged one they beheaded and put others to great ransomes One they took blacked his face hands and feet and gave it out that he had a Divel within him then hanged him and threw his body to the dogs Others they banished or condemned to the Gallies In Limoux the Papists used all manner of cruelty deflouring women and very girls in
marched to another coming just at the time when the Protestants were at Church hearing a Sermon They were guided to the place by two Friers the Protestants seeing them coming shut the Church doors barricadoing them up with benches these villaines laboured to break open the door but when they could not readily do it they clambred up into the windows through which they shot with their musquets at the people whereby they wounded and killed many The Minister beiâ—g a man rarely endued with learning and piety according to the shortnesse of time exhorted them with lively reasons to persevere in the truth notwithstanding all the danger but in the mean time these barbarous Papists had forced open the door where they fell to murthering of all without respect of quality sex or age Some Lords and Gentlemen were here slaine the Minister was shot to death divers Ladies and children gate into the Belfree to save themselves but these hell-hounds set fire to the place and miserably burnt them all These savage wretches having thus glutted themselves with innocent blood in this place they marched to Sondresse The Papists in that place hearing of their coming went to the Justice protesting that they would guard him from danger and that they would not suffer such villanies to be committed amongst them Then did they beat their Drums ring their Bells and arme themselves under pretence of securing the Protestants who trusting to their promises mixed themselves amongst them to stand for their own defence These Popelings concealing their mischievous intent killed now one then another as if it had been by accident so that though divers of them were slain yet they found not out the mystery of the practice yet some both men and Gentlewomen sought to escape but all passages being shut up they were met with and cruelly murthered Then did they more openly discover their malice killing the Protestants where ever they met them hereupon some eighteen of the Protestants together with some Ladies and young children gat together and the men being well armed they marched close together repulsing their enemies and at last came to a Church in the mountain of Sondresse unto which place a Minister and some others in all about seventy three men were gathered together and after their prayers made unto God they passed the Valley of Malaneo which was beset by the enemy on two sides but such as kept the passages were by Gods special providence so astonished that they fled away and the Protestants though they were pursued to the tops of the mountains yet did miraculously escape with safety Then did the Pesants joyne with these villaines to rob and plunder the houses of the Protestants and amongst them divers Noblemens houses richly furnished with great abundance They ran up and down also through fields woods and mountains searching every bush for the Protestants and as they found any of them they presently murthered them There was an honorable Lady that not long before came out of Italy to enjoy her liberty of conscience whom they exhorted to change her Religion which she refusing they advised her that yet at least she would do it out of a care of her young infant which she held in her armes which otherwise together with her self should presently be slain But she with an undaunted courage answered I have not departed out of Italy my native countrey nor forsaken all the estate that I had there to renounce now the faith which I had wrought in me by the Lord Jesus Christ yea I will rather suffer if it were possible a thousand deaths And how shall I have regard in this case to my infant since God my heavenly Father spared not his own Sonne my Lord Jesus Christ but delivered him up to death for his love to me and such sinners as I am and so giving her childe to one she said Behold my child the Lord God who hath care of the birds of the aire is much more able to save this poore creature although by you it should be left to these wild mountains Then unlacing her gown she opened her breast saying Here is the body which you have power to kill but my soul on which you have no power to lay your hands that I commend to my God and so she was presently slain and hewed in pieces The infant being a lovely and sweet Child they spared and delivered it to a Popish Nurse to be brought up These miscreants finding such sweetnesse by the plunder of the Protestants they spared none plundering their houses twice or thrice over Some noble Matrons had their rings pul'd off their fingers and if they refused presently to draw them off they would cut off either their hands or fingers from them Some women with their children were dragged to the tops of high Mountains and threatned to be thrown down headlong with their children if they would not promise to go to Masse and though one amongst them was found that through terrour promised them to do it yet did they throw her down with the rest without all pity One Dominico Berto of sixteen years old they set upon an Asse with his face to the tayle and the tayle in his hands for the bridle and thus with many jears they led him to the Market-place then they cut off his nose ears and cheeks then burned many holes in several parts of his body with hot irons continuing these torments till in that barbarous manner they had killed him Yet through the wonderful goodnesse of God some Ministers with their wives and children by great travel dangers and difficulties amongst the craggy and high mountains were delivered out of the hands of these bloody persecutors Theophilus Messino was shot with a Musket but being not slain they set open his mouth with a gag filled it with gunpowder and giving fire to it tore his head miserably his son was slain with many wounds Another being wounded and stripped naked was carried out and thrown into the woods yet afterwards he gat up and went home to his own house where he had mountains of gold profered him if he would turn Papist yet through Gods mercy he continued faithful to the death A young Gentleman too much addicted to the vanities of the world being earnestly sollicited to forsake the Protestant Religion stoutly refused whereupon they shot him with a Musket and having layn a while and then raising himself up he besought them to dispatch him that he might render his soul to his Creator Divers men and women were thrown down from Bridges into the river Adda and drowned for their constancy in the truth Some had their mouthes sâ—iâ— up to their ears others had the flesh cut from their faces others were slashed in other parts of their body till they dyed and others were often put to the strappado and then hewen in pieces A noble Virgin that was come to Sondres for
if you make good your promise which we presume you will we our selves will not only serve you but we will procure all the Professors in Lothain to do the same c. These promises being made in the presence of God and hands being stricken by both parties the Earle took Master Wischard and so departed Master Wischard was carried to Edenburgh But gold and women easily corrupt fleshly men for the Cardinal gave Bothwel gold and the Queen that was too familiar with him promised him her favour if he would deliver Master Wischard into Edenburgh Castle which he did and shortly after he was delivered to the blood-thirsty Cardinal who seeing that it was forbidden by their Cannon Law for a Priest to sit as a Judge upon life and death he sent to the Governour requesting him to appoint some Lay-Judge to passe sentence of death upon Master Wischard The Governour would easily have yielded to his request but that David Hamilton a godly man told him that he could expect no better an end than Saul if he persecuted the truth which formerly he had professed c. Hereupon the Governour sent the Cardinal word that he would have no hand in shedding the blood of that good man The Cardinal being angry returned this answer that he had sent to him of meer Civility and that he would proceed without him and so to the great grief of the godly the Cardinal carried Master Wiseheart to Saint Andrews and put him into the Tower there and without any long delay he caused all the Bishops and other great Clergy-men to be called together to Saint Andrews Feb. ult 1546. Master Wischard was sent for to appear before them to give an account of his seditious and Heretical doctrine as they called it The Cardinal caused all his retinue to come armed to the place of their sitting which was the Abby-church whither when Master Wischard was brought there was a poor man lying at the door that asked his almes to whom he flung his purse when he came before the Cardinal there was a Dean appointed to preach whose Sermon being ended Wischard was put up into the Pulpit to hear his charge and one Lawder a Priest stood over against him and read a scrowle full of bitter accusations and curses so that the ignorant people thought that the earth would have opened and swallowed up Wischard quick but he stood with great patience without moving or once changing his countenance The Priest having ended his curses spat at Master Wischards face saying VVhat answerest thou thou Runnagate Traytor Thief c. Then did Master VVischard fall upon his knees making his prayer unto God after which he said Many and horrible sayings unto me a Christian man many words abominable for to hear have ye spoken here this day which not onely to teach but even to think I ever thought it a great abomination c. Then did he give them an account of his doctrine Answering every Article as farre as they would give him leave to speak But they without having any regard to his sober and godly answers presently condemned him to be burnt After which sentence he falling upon his knees said O immortal God how long wilt thou suffer the rage and great cruelty of the ungodly to exercise their fury upon thy servants which do further thy Word in this world whereas they on the contrary seek to destroy the truth whereby thou hast revealed thy self to the world c. O Lord we know certainly that thy true servants must needs suffer for thy names sake persecutions afflictions and troubles in this present world yet we desire that thou wouldest preserve and defend thy Church which thou hast chosen before the foundations of the world and give thy people grace to hear thy Word and to be thy true servants in this present life Then were the common people put out the Bishops not desiring that they should hear the innocent man speak and so they sent him again to the Castle till the fire should be made ready In the Castle came two Friars to him requiring him to make his Confession to them to whom he said I will make no confession to you but fetch me that man who preached even now and I will speak with him Then was the Sub-Prior with whom he conferred a pretty while till the Sub-prior wept who going to the Cardinal told him that he came not to intercede for Master Wischards life but to make known his innocency to all men at which words the Cardinal was very angry saying We knew long ago what you were The Captain of the Castle with some friends coming to Master Wischard asked him if he would break his fast with them yea said he very willingly for I know you be honest men In the mean time he desired them to hear him a little and so he discoursed to them about the Lords Supper his sufferings and death for us exhorting them to love one another laying aside all rancor and malice as becomes the members of Jesus Christ who continually intercedes for us to his Father Afterwards he gave thanks and blessing the bread and wine he took the bread and brake it giving it to every one saying eate this remember that Christ died for us and feed on it spiritually so taking the Cup he bade them remember that Christs blood was shed for them c. Then he gave thanks and prayed for them and so retired into his chamber Presently came two Executioners to him from the Cardinal one put on him a black linnen coat the other brought him bags of powder which they tied about several parts of his body and so they brought him forth to the place of execution over against which place the Castle windows were hung with rich hangings and Velvet Cushions laid for the Cardinal and Prelates who from thence fed their eyes with the torments of this innocent man The Cardinal fearing lest Wiseheart should be rescued by his friends caused all the Ordnance in the Castle to be bent against the place of his execution and commanded his gunners to stand ready all the time of his burning Then were his hands bound behind his back so he was carried forth In the way some beggars met him asking his alms for Gods sake To whom he said My hands are bound wherewith I was wont to give you almes but the merciful Lord who of his bounty and abundant grace feeds all men vouchsafe to give you necessaries both for your bodies and souls Then two Friars met him perswading him to pray to our Lady to mediate for him to whom he meekly said Cease tempt me not I entreat you and so with a rope about his neck and a chaine about his middle he was led to the fire then falling upon his knees he thrice repeated O thou Saviour of the world have mercy upon me Father of heaven I commend my spirit into thy holy hands
Then turning to the people he said Christian brethren and sisters I beseech you be not offended at the Word of God for the torments which you see prepared for me but I exhort you that ye love the Word of God for your salvation and suffer patiently and with a comfortable heart for the Words sake which is your undoubted salvation and everlasting comfort I pray you also shew my brethren and sisters which have often heard me that they cease not to learne the Word of God which I taught them according to the measure of grace given to me for no persecution or trouble in this world whatsoever and shew them that the doctrine was no old wives fables but the truth of God for if I had taught mens doctrine I had had greater thanks from men but for the Word of Gods sake I now suffer not sorrowfully but with a glad heart and minde For this cause I was sent that I should suffer this fire for Christs sake behold my face you shall not see me change my countenance I feare not the fire and if persecution come to you for the Words sake I pray you fear not them that can kill the body and have no power to hurt the soul c. Then he prayed for them which accused him saying I beseech thee father of heaven forgive them that have of ignorance or of an evil mind forged lies of me I forgive them with all my heart I beseech Christ to forgive them that have condemned me this day ignorantly Then turning to the people again he said I beseech you brethren exhort your Prelates to learn the Word of God that they may be ashamed to do evil and learn to do good or else there shall shortly come upon them the wrath of God which they shall not eschew Then the Executioner upon his knees said Sir I pray you forgive me for I am not the cause of your death and he calling him to him kissed his cheeks saying Lo here is a token that I forgive thee My heart do thine office and so he was tied to the stake and the fire kindled The Captain of the Castle coming near him bade him be of good courage and to beg for him the pardon of his sin to whom Master Wischard said This fire torments my body but no whit abates my spirits then looking towards the Cardinal he said He who in such state from that high place feeds his eyes with my torments within few dayes shall be hanged out at the same window to be seen with as much ignominie as he now leans there with pride and so his breath being stopped he was consumed by the fire This Prophesie was fulfilled when after the Cardinal was slain the Provost raising the Town came to the Castle gates crying What have you done with my Lord Cardinal Where is my Lord Cardinal To whom they within answered Return to your houses for he hath received his reward and will trouble the world no more But they still cryed We will never depart till we see him Then did the Leslies hang him out at that window to shew that he was dead and so the people departed But God left not the death of this holy man long unrevenged for the people did generally cry out of the cruelty used against him especially John Lesley brother to the Earle of Rothes and Norman Lesley his Cousin fell foul upon the Cardinal for it but he thought himself strong enough for all Scotland saying Tush a fig for the fools and a button for the bragging of Hereticks Is not the Lord Governour mine witnesse his eldest sonne for a pledge at my table Have I not the Queen at my devotion Is not France my friend why should I fear any danger yet he had laid a designe to cut off such as he feared and hated which was discovered after his death by letters and memorials found about him He kept himself for his greater security in his Castle and on a Friday night there came to the Town of Saint Andrews Norman Lesley William Kircaldy John Leslley and some others and on the Saturday morning they met together not far from the Castle waiting till the gate was opened and the draw-bridge let down for the receiving in some lime and sand to repair some decays about the Castle which being done Kircaldy with six more went to the Porter falling into discourse with him till the Leslies came also with some other company the Porter seeing them would have drawn up the Bridge but he was prevented and whilst he endeavoured to keep them out at the gate his head was broken and the Keys taken from him The Cardinal was asleep in bed for all night he had for his bedfellow Mistris Mary Ogleby who was a little before gone from him out at the Postern gate and therefore the Cardinal was gone to his rest There were about one hundred workmen in the Castle which seeing what was done cried out but without hurt they were turned out at the wicket gate Then VVilliam Kircaldy went to secure the Postern lest the Cardinal should make an escape that way The rest going to the Gentlemens chambers who were above fifty without hurting them they turned them all out at the gate They which undertook this enterprise were but eighteen men The Cardinal being awaked with the noise asked out at the window what was the matter Answer was made that Norman Lesley had taken his Castle Then did he attempt to have escaped by the Posterne but finding that to be kept he returned to his chamber and with the help of his Chamberlain fell to barrica-doing up the door with chests and such things Then came up John Lesley and bids open the door The Cardinal asked who was there He answered John Lesley The Cardinal said I will have Norman for he is my friend Content your self said the other with those that are here and so they fell to breaking open the door in the mean time the Cardinal hid a box of gold under some coales in a secret corner Then he said to them Will ye save my life John Lesley answered It may be that we will Nay said the Cardinal sweare unto me by Gods wounds that you will and then I will open the door then said John that which was said is unsaid and so he called for fire to burn down the door whereupon the door was opened and the Cardinal sate him down in his chair crying I am a Priest I am a Priest ye will not slay me Then John Lesley and another struck him once or twice But Master James Melvin a man that had been very familiar with Wischard and of a modest and gentle nature perceiving them both to be in choler plucked them back saying This work and judgement of God although it be secret ought to be done with great gravity And so presenting him the point of his sword he said Repent thee of thy former wicked life but especially
the holy Mass forbidding those of the pretended Reformed Religion any ways to molest either by deed or word the Missionary Fathers or their Attendants much less to disswade any that would turn Catholicks under the same pain of death giving it in charge particularly to the Ministers of the said pretended Religion inviolably to observe the same upon pain of answering it in their proper names c. It 's easie to conjecture the miserable inconveniencies of a flight in the midst of winter especially to such a people amongst whom were many aged and decrepit many sick and diseased besides a multitude of women big with childe or newly brought to bed together with a number of tender Infants yet all forced to flye and none being in capacity to succor another Yet did these bloody beasts in the most violent and rigorous winter-season chase and drive out of their houses all on a sudden those poor people who scarce had clothes to cover their nakedness much less were they provided to resist the extremities of cold and hunger thinking hereby either to force them to change their Religion or to cause them to dye in the craggy Rocks and snowy Mountains yea they were so subtilly malicious as to chuse those very days when by reason of the multitude of violent waters in the Plain and of snow upon the Mountains they judged it impossible for those silly sheep ever to escape But these poor people considering that the Apostacy propounded was the way to eternal damnation chose rather to follow Christ in bearing his cross and to hazard their temporary lives rather than to lose their souls for ever yet that they might leave no lawful means unattempted they presently dispatched their Deputies to the Governor to represent to him the strangeness of this command to force them with their Families to abandon their antient habitations as also that it was impossible for so many souls as there were in number to subsist in the said place to which by the Edict they were confined they being scarce sufficient to supply in any sort those that inhabited them As likewise that this command was contrary to all their former Concessions upon which account they protested and appealed to his Royal Highness But the Governor knowing well the intention of the Council for the extirpating of Hereticks would neither admit of the one or of the other Hereupon the poor people seeing they could obtain nothing of him entreated him to grant them at least some time to have recourse to the Duke by humble supplications but this also was denied unless they would draw up their Petition by a model which he should prescribe which indeed was prejudicial both to their just Rights and Consciences These poor people I say seeing this to the end that they might remove all pretext for accusing them of Rebellion under that colour to ruine and destroy them hoping also that at last they might finde some means to lay their griefs at the feet of his Royal Highness and that his Clemency and Justice would in the end re-establish them in their ancient habitations they chose rather to suffer this violence and therefore recalling their Protestation thereby to testifie their profound respect to their Prince they quitted their houses and goods and retired with their Familes their Wives and Children great and small young and old whole and sick yea halt lame and blind draging after them such as were infirm by sickness or age through Rain Snow Ice Waters and a thousand difficulties Oh think with your selves what bitter tears what wringing of hands what smitting upon the breasts what mournings sighings and lamentations there were in the families of these miserable and distressed Creatures who were now reduced to the utmost of extremities before them were a multitude of violent and roaring waters on each hand most barbarous and snowy mountains behinde them men sevenfold worse than the Egyptians ready to butcher and destroy them yet recommending themselves Souls and Bodies to Gods protection they are resolved to undergo the worst of temporary miseries rather than by denying their Religion to damn their Souls This their Constancy and Resolution was no small comfort to other Churches and a matter of great astonishment to their Persecutors the rather considering the great advantages they might have purchased by quitting their Religion as Pardon for all crimes Liberty if in Prisons exemption from all manner of Taxes c. They were no sooner departed from their houses but a number of Thieves and Robbers entred them spoiling and pillaging whatever the people had left behinde them pulling down their houses cuting down all their trees and turning their habitation into a desolate wilderness of which violence the poor people complained to the Duke and received from him such an answer that they apprehended his intentions were not that they should wholly quit their houses till their cause might be heard and judged in confidence hereof they sometimes returned to their houses to guard them from these Robbers and to husband their ground that so they might have wherewithal to pay their Taxes yet for this they were branded with Rebellion though they had neither taken up arms nor acted any other hostility every one living peaceably without giving any cause of offence Gastaldo having thus driven these poor people from their antient inheritance without legal citing them hearing their plea or giving them the least time to provide for so sad a flight their last refuge was to have recourse to the Lord by fervent prayers and to their Prince by humble supplications which was done not only by those that were driven from their houses but by the other Churches of the Reforned Religion the cause being common to them all But alas they found both his and all other his Ministers ears stopped to their wosull crys neither could they obtain so much as admittance into the presence of his Royal Highness Amongst other cunning Artifices used by their malicious Adversaries to imbitter the spirits of his Highness and the Dutchess his Mother against these poor Protestants this was one John Ressan President of the Province of Pignorolio having for many years born a deadly spleen against the popish Priest of Fenile hired one to assassinate him and then by his Secretary he spread it abroad all over the Country that the Protestants were the Authors of the murther who yet five days before were driven out of Fenile which report flew far and near being entertained as an undoubted truth by those Papists who lived far off encreasing also with carriage though upon the place the author of this murther was well known so that by all their reports they were not able to fasten any blemish in the minds of the dead Priests friends and Kindred nor to hinder them from apprehending both the Master and his Secretary by which means the innocency of the Reformed party was so cleared to the world that the Marquess of Pionessa in his
him they left his carcasse to be eaten by the dogs Some of these Murderers having taken eleven men at Garcigliana heated a great Furnace red hot forced these poor creatures to throw one another into it and when it came to the last man they themselves threw him in also These sons of blood pursued and hunted out multitudes of these poor Protestants amongst the Rocks and Mountains by the traces of their bleeding legs and feet which were cut and mangled with the ice and flints which they met with in the way and having found them basely murdered them Michel Gonet of Lucernetta aged ninety years at least was burnt alive by the Mountains of Bobio whither he had fled to hide himself Bartholomew Frasche of Fenile was taken by the Souldiers and after they had slashed and mangled his legs they thrust a poysoned knife through his heels and in this woful plight they dragged and threw him into the common Prison at Turin where he lay in continual torment till he dyed Giovanni Baptista Oudri an Old man was cruelly murthered at La Sarcena after he had been barbarously abused by them Magdalena La Peire a woman of about thirty five years of age being pursued by these Villains and knowing what measure she should meet with if she fell into their hands chose rather to throw herself down a dreadfuly Precipice whereby she dyed Margeret Revella aged about eighty five years together with Marie Di Pravillerm about ninety years old and blind were both burnt alive Mary Davi was basely murdered by them Michel Bellino with Anna Di Pol Bochiardino and a servant of theirs were beheaded The daughter of Peter Mallonat a Councellor of Saint Giovanni together with her brother an infant of eight months old in her Arms were rolled down a steep hill and two days after they were found dead upon the Snow One Giovanni with his wife and child were hurled down a mighty Rock the mother holding the child in her Arms and three days after they were found dead only the child was alive and clasped so fast in the dead Mothers Arms that they had much ado to get it out Joseph Chiairet having received a wound in the flight was flayed alive and his grease taken out of his body The like was done to Paolo Carniero Mattheo Turin was massacred at Lucernetta and his body devoured by dogs Margeret Saretta was stoned to death and her dead body cast into the River Cypriano Bastia was cruelly starved to death and his body cast to the dogs Antonio Bertino had first his nose paps and privities cut off and then his head cleft in twain Two Children were first murdered and then burnt to ashes Joseph Pont was first wounded in his back and then had his body cut off in the middle Daniel De Maria being found in a place where he had hid himself and lay sick had first two of his children murdered before his eyes and then himself barbarously slain Judith a widow of eighty years old was dragged up and down upon the ground and at last had her head cut off Three Infants of Peter Fine were stifled in the Snow A maid that was an innocent was first stripped stark naked and then had a long stake driven through her belly whereof she dyed Luce the wife of Peter Besson being near the time of her lying down as she fled for her life was so affrighted with the shreeks of some that were massacred that she fell in travel upon the Mountains where she was and afterwards was found dead with the new born infant and two other sucking children lying by her Francis the son of Mr. Gros a Minister being taken had his body cut into small Gobbets whilst he was alive and that in the presence of his wife and then they took two of his small children and most inhumanely murdered them The Sieur Thomas Margher being forced to flye from his house being an Elder of La Torre was miserably starved to death with hunger and cold Judith Ravelin with her seven children were all barbarously murdered in their beds Anna a widow of about seventy five years old was cut in pieces by the souldiers The wife of Gaspar Fayol being taken was forced to labour hard for them by cutting down the corne and at last as she was so at work they came behind her and cut off her head Jacob Rosseno refusing to say Jesus Maria was first cruelly beaten with cudgels and clubs and having received several shots in his body they at last clave his head Two children both of them dumb were most unmercifully murthered Susanna the daughter of Pâ—olo Giacquin resisting a souldier that would have ravished her and by chance pushing him down a rock was hewed in pieces by others of them Giovanni Pullius a poor Pesant of La Torre being taken by the Souldiers after all manner of reproaches and scorns cast upon him by the Friers and others in words and actions was by the command of the Marquesse of Pionessa dragged by the hangman to a place near the Convent where the Marquesse commanded the hangman to place the ladder against a tree and to prepare for his Execution at which time the Monks and Priests ceased not to use all the arguments which the Devil and their own wicked wits could possibly furnish them with to shake the Faith and Constancie of this poor creature yet could they not prevaile yea by all his gestures and expressions he shewed the inward joy of his soul that he was counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ and though they oft pressed him to remember the sad estate that he should leave his children and family in yet he alwayes answered that it was his hearty Prayer to Almighty God that his children might follow their fathers steps and die like himself whereupon the Priests seeing all their labour lost assisted the Hangman to end this poor mans life and hasted to turn him off the ladder Sieur Paolo Clement an Elder of the Church of Rossana was shortly after brought by the Monks and Priests to this same place and shewed the dead body of the other thinking thereby to scare him from his Principles and profession but he answered them with undaunted courage that they might kill the body but could never be able to prejudice the soul of a true Believer He told them also that God would assuredly avenge the innocent blood that they had spilt and so having by some ejaculations prepared to resigne up his soul unto God he desired the Hangman to do his work three or four dayes after the Marquesse of Pianessa coming that way one of the souldiers discharged a Musquet at his dead body whereupon there gushed out a streame of fresh blood which the Marquesse observing said to some about him This blood cries for vengeance Afterwards they took both these dead bodies and hung them up naked by one foot neer to La Torre and when any prisoner of the Protestants passed that way they forced him
submitting to his good will and pleasure for the issue of their undertaking The Captaine of this valiant party was the aforesaid Gianavel who marching up with this little Band suddenly surprized and dexterously carried away their Court of Guard with their Centinel from off a little hill where they were placed At which bold attempt the enemy being not a little amazed withdrew from the place where they were resolving to march thorow a little meadow and so to get to Villaro or La Torre But being not nimble enough the others met with them at Piampra and there slew many of them without the losse of any one of their own and took from them all the Cattel and other things which they had plundered from the neighbouring places Pianessa seeing all his designes thus frustrated and that his specious promises were but as so many watchwords to bid these poor people to stand upon their guard he speedily sent to all those of Lucerna Bubbiana Barges Bagnol Famolas Cavors and the adjacent places who wete able to bear arms to come and joyn with a good part of his own Army to environ these poor people on every side But God who infatuates mens Counsels as he pleaseth though the time of their Rendezvouse was punctually assigned them yet they came two hours too late all except the Troop of Bagnol which was conducted by one Mario a notorious persecutor and an inveterate Enemy to the Reformed Churches This Mario with his ragged Regiment of Theives Outlaws and a great number of Irish Rebels assaulted this poor people on the upper and lower part of the Canton of Rumer who were not about Seventeen in number yet the Lord was pleased so to encourage them that they presently gat upon the top of the mountain and there after a long skirmish forced their enemies though full of fury and malice yet to give back and to flie as far as the Cliff called Pairo Capello in which fight and pursuit they killed above Sixty of them and wounded many more and many of them being laden with plunder as they fled amongst the Precipices of the Rocks fell down and were dashed in pieces Those of them that were lighter and nimbler gat safe to Pairo Capello but when they came there they found greater difficulties to contest with than before for being closly pursued and compassed in on every side they were forced to take the Ropes wherewith they had bund up their plunder and tying them to shrubs to slide down the Rocks by them and to fall into the River that ran below but by reason of the violence of the torrent and the great confusion that was amonst them one falling on the neck of another and such as could not swim catching hold of them that could the greatest part of them were there drowned Captain Mario also amongst the rest threw himself into the River and had not several of the Souldiers that could swim excellent well ventured their lives to fetch him out he had gone with the rest to receive present pay from the Devil This Captain Mario having thus escaped was carried to Lucerna in his shirt without either Hat or Shoos as a man at his wits end and shortly after he fell into a desperate disease whereof he died But before his death he oft cried out in a most despairing manner that he felt a grievous burning in his bowels as a just Judgement upon him for having burnt so many innocent persons and their habitations The Protestants after this gallant action being somewhat weary with their hard service as they were marching back to refresh themselves they spied another company of Murtherers coming from Villaro whereupon forgetting their weariness they placed themselves in Ambuscado when the Enemy drew near the place they perceived some of them but not being able by their colours to discern of what party they were they called to them for THE WORD the Protestants answered not but beckned to them to come nearer which they did in a careless posture supposing them to be friends and when they came near the others suddenly discharged upon them and slew many of them upon the place and the rest they pursued near to La Torre and Villaro After which signal Victory Captain Gianavel rallied his men upon an high ground not far off and in the very sight of his enemies he caused them to kneel down and with a loud voyce to give thanks unto the Lord for this very great mercy in their deliverance Three days after the Marquess of Pianessa being highly incensed by this success of the Protestants sent to the people of Roras expresly charging them to change their Religion within the space of Twenty four hours and that upon pain of death and of having their houses burnt to the ground To which they answered That they would much rather chuse death than to obey any such Order The Marquess vexed at their resolute answer presently dispatched away Eight thousand men besides the Militia Forces of the neighboring Commonalties who according to his order were divided into three Squadrons the one to set upon the poor people on the side of Villaro the other upon the Mountains of Bagnol and the third on that part which looks toward Lucerna which accordingly they did not only murthering man woman and childe but exercising all manner of cruelties upon them taking much pleasure like bloody villains in torturing those poor creatures and in tossing their little Infants from off their Pikes and Halberts and dashing their brains against the Rocks whose cryes would have melted an heart of Adamant but theirs were harder the number thus taken and slain was about One hundred twenty six the rest almost miraculously escaped their bloody hands Having thus shewn their valour upon naked men women and infants and being glutted with the prey that they found in the Country they turned their houses into ashes and such as survived they sent prisoners to Turin amongst whom was the Wife and Children of Captain Gianavel and so they marched back to Lucerna with great joy and acclamations Shortly after Pianessa wrote to Captain Gianavel promising him great preferment if he would change his Religion Otherwise threatning that his Wife and Children should be burnt He also promised a great sum of money to any that should bring him the said Gianavel either alive or dead To this Captain Gianavel presently answered That there was no torment so violent nor death so cruel that he did not much prefer before the abjuration of his Religion and that all these promises and threats did but the more fortifie him and strengthen his Faith And for his Wife and Children he told the Marquess that though he had gotten them into his power yet he could but kill their Bodies And as for their Souls he recommended them together with his own into the hands of God in case it so happened that he should fall into his power This Captain Gianavel having gotten together a small party of men
interpreted it and divers others can bear witness to the truth hereof and the Lord of the place laid it up among his rarities What now should Sion do but cry out under the cruel oppression of the Enemy Render unto them a recompence O Lord according to the works of their hands Lament 3.64 And indeed God began to revenge his peoples wrongs the fourth day after when they furiously assaulted Costena a Town four miles from Lesna where they were often repulsed stoutly by the Swedish Garrison and having suffered a great slaughter about five hundred of them being wanting they were forced to retire in great confusion The like also they met withall at Kalissia and other places being slain and put to flight by the Swedes Herein it hapned unto them much after the same manner as it did to Tilly formerly when he had ruined Magdeburg the God of vengeance manifesting himself the avenger of his people And now they begin to acknowledge and upbraid one another with their folly the Nobles in that they have spoiled their mart and treasury and the Clergy in that it is hapned otherwise than they intended For their purpose was utterly to ruine the Hereticks as they term them with their nest but now that they see the nest spoiled and the birds saved it is much more matter of grief and vexation than of joy to them For here God performed what he promised of old to Baruch I will give thee in the midst of thy Countryes ruines thy life for a prey Jer. 45.5 So God gave to thousands of his worshippers who were snatched out of the midst of those ruines their life for a prey having set bounds to the fury of the Devil which he could not pass as he did of old when he gave Job into his hands as to all that he had but so that he should spare his life Blessed be the name of the Lord. Truly we have cause to say with David Psalm 124. If it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us then they had swallowed us up quick when their wrath was kindled against us then the waters had overwhelmed us the stream had gone over our soul then the proud waters had gone over our soul Blessed be the Lord who hath not given us a prey to their teeth Our soul is escaped as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowlers the snare is broken and we are escaped our help is in the Name of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth Oh the wonderfull providence of our God! which then saves when he seems to have forsaken and then makes alive where he seems to have killed We had been undone if we had not been undone We had been undone in our lives those furies gathering together soon after in far greater troops if we had not been undone in our estates which were left to them for a prey by our flight which the fatherly providence of God fore-seeing greater evils procured by sending that fright among us Blessed be the Name of the Lord again and again We notwithstanding with other afflicted ones in what Nation soever whom that proudest Babylonian flood of waters seeks to swallow up will not cease to cry How long O Lord wilt thou be angry with thy people How long shall thy jealousie burn like fire O remember not against us former iniquities let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us c. Psalm 79. And with the souls of those that were slain for the word of God that lie under the Altar of Christs merits for whose faith we are killed How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth Rev. 6.9 10. The Delegates of these poor persecuted Protestant Churches coming over into England to move for a Contribution towards the relief of their distressed Brethren Published this ensuing Narrative The utmost Fury of Antichrist against the Protestants or Reformed Church of the Bohemian Confession in Poland set down in a brief but faithful Narrative and according to the truth of the matter THe Spouse of Jesus Christ she who in the Cradle was besprinkled with the blood of a Protomartyr hath alwayes brought forth into the world men like Abel or Stephen that so there might never be wanting to cry from the earth unto God and that the wounds of that Rose which lies among the Thorns of Persecution might not be concealed Every age and every year in each age and every moneth and day in each year hath produced new inundations of blood unto this day and yet the little flock of the Lord hath alwayes encreased under persecutions one while here another there shifting their seats and habitations While it pleased God by the means of Wicklef to kindle the light of the Gospel in Great Britain John Huss asserted the truth of Jesus Christ in the midst of thick darknesse of Popery in Bohemia many thousands being stirred up by God to receive it who despising all the cruelty of Tyrants received it with joy untill by Gods assistance they took rooting in the Kingdom and grew up into flourishing Churches In a short time after Antichrist breathing out his fury the Truth was banished out of Bohemia and the Confessors being driven out transplanted the Gospel into Poland where being favourably entertained by King Sigismond they in a short time encreased to so great a number that being little inferiour to the Papists they were able to boast of an equal authority and priviledges with them Hence it came to passe that the Kings at their Coronations were wont not only to promise but solemnly to swear protection to such as disagreed from the Roman Religion and therefore they proceeded not to open persecutions save only in those Cities where the Jesuits had seated themselves in power to wit Cracovia Posen Lublin Vilna c. where by their disciples and by stirring up the common people to fury the Churches of the Reformed Professors were a good while ago demolished and divers Ministers cruelly massacred Neverthelesse the malice of the Enemies being no whit allayed they were many ways afflicted first indirectly afterwards by pretences under colour of Law until those Churches being worn out by degrees and overthrown were not many years ago reduced to a very inconsiderable number especially when as in the Reign of the late King the Enemies being confident they might do any thing brought things to this passe at length that there were no more than twenty one Congregations remaining in the Greater Poland and those also ready to perish But among these twenty one remaining Churches the chief and as it were the Mother of them all was that of Lesna which was divided into three Congregations the Bohemian the Polonian and the German each of which had their own Pastors but the Communicants joyntly were about two thousand Therefore it was that this Church was in the first place exposed to the Enemies malice and of late designed