a liuely working faith and perseuerance therein Our Sauiour saith Iohn 17.3 This is life eternall that they might know thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent And he that perseuereth to the end shall be saued Amen A confession of sinnes common both with the Waldenses and Albingenses CHAP. II. O Dio de li Rey Segnor de li Segnor yo me confesso a â—u car yo soy aquel peccador que tay moâ— offendu c. This confession is taken out of the Booke of the Waldensec intituled New comfort O God of Kings and Lord of Lords I confesse my selfe vnto thee for I am that sinner that hath grieuously offended thee by mine ingratitude I cannot excuse my selfe because thou hast shewed mee what is good and what is euill I haue knowne what thy power is and haue vnderstood thy wisedome I haue taken notice of thy Iustice and seene thy goodnesse and therefore all the euill that I haue done proceedeth from my owne corruption O Lord forgiue me and giue mee repentance for I haue contemned thee by my pride and presumption I haue giuen no credit to thy wisedome nor obeyed thy Commandements but I haue transgressed them all for which I am sorry and much displeased with my selfe I haue not feared thy Iustice nor thy Iudgements but I haue committed many wickednesses euen from my cradle vnto this day neither haue I loued thy great bountie and goodnesse as I should and as thou hast commanded mee but I haue giuen too great a trust vnto the deuill by the fraile corruption of my nature I haue followed pride and hated humilitie and if thou pardon me not I am vndone so deepely is sinne rooted in my heart I am so carried away with the loue of riches and vaine-glory affecting the praise of men that I beare but little loue vnto those to whom by their good deeds I am most obliged If therefore thou forgiue mee not there remaineth nothing for my poore soule but euerlasting perdition Anger reigneth in my heart because I haue not endeuoured to alaye it enuy fretteth mee because I haue no charitie O Lord forgiue me for thy goodnesse sake I am rash lazie and sluggish to doe that which is good hardie and bold to doe euill and more then diligent O Lord vouchsafe mee thy grace that I may not bee of the number of the wicked I haue not shewed my selfe thankefull for that good thou hast done vnto mee and giuen vnto me out of thy loue as I ought and as thou hast commanded mee for I haue beene alwayes by the peruersenesse of my nature disobedient vnto thee in all things O Lord forgiue mee for I haue not serued thee but contrarily I haue greatly offended thee I haue beene too carefull to serue my body and mine owne will in many vaine thoughts and wicked desires wherein I haue taken pleasure I haue blinded my body and exercised my thoughts and imaginations against thee in many wickednesses and I haue sought after many things against thy will Haue pitie on mee and giue mee humilitie I haue cast vp mine eyes to behold the vaine delights and pleasures of this world and I haue turned them away from thy countenance I haue giuen eare to the sound of vanitie and to wicked speeches and it hath beene a grieuous thing vnto me to vnderstand thy Law and thy Discipline I haue committed many sinnes especially in my vnderstanding for the stench of wickednesse hath beene more pleasing then the diuine sweetnesse of thy celestiall honours for adoring the euill I haue therein taken greater contentment because I haue committed many sinnes and omitted much good that I should haue done and not acknowledging my faults I haue endeuoured to cast them vpon another I haue not been temperate in my eating and drinking I haue many a time and oft returned wrong for wrong and therein I haue taken greatest pleasure I haue a wounded body and soule I haue stretched out my hands to touch vanitie and I haue laboured to possesse the goods of another man and to mischiefe my neighbour My heart hath delighted in that I haue said and much more in many other vaine delights and pleasures O Lord pardon mee and giue mee chastitie I haue ill imployed the time that thou hast giuen mee and I haue followed during my yonger yeeres my vanities and pleasures I haue wandred from the right way and haue giuen an ill example by my lightnesse I know but little good in my selfe and I finde much euill I haue displeased thee by my wickednesse and condemned mine owne soule and hated my neighbour O Lord preserue mee that I bee not condemned I loue my neighbour for my temporall benefit I haue not carried my selfe faithfully when there hath beene any question of giuing and receiuing but I haue had respect vnto the persons according to mine affection I haue loued the one too much and too much hated the other I haue taken too little ioy and comfort in the good of the godly and too great delight in the sinne of the wicked And besides all the euill that I haue committed in times past vnto this present day I haue not had any repentance or distaste of my sinnes answerable to my manifold offences I haue many a time and oft returned to that wickednesse I haue committed and now confessed for which I am hartily sorrie O Lord God thou knowest that I haue confessed my selfe vnto thee and that there are yet in me many wickednesses which I haue not recounted vnto thee but thou knowest the wicked thoughts the wicked words the wicked works that I haue committed vnto this day O Lord forgiue me giue me time in this life to repent me of my sins and vouchsafe me the grace in time to come so to hate those sins I haue committed as that I neuer offend in that kind any more that I may so loue vertue and keepe it in my heart that I may loue thee aboue all things and feare thee in such sort that when the houre of death shall come I may doe that that shall be pleasing vnto thee And giue me suâ—â— affiance in thee at the day of Iudgement that I neither feare the deuill nor any other thing may affright mee but receiue me and set me at thy right hand without offence free from all sinne Good Lord let all this come to passe according to thy good pleasure for thy Son Christ Iesus sake Amen An Exposition of the Waldenses and Albingenses vpon the ten Commandements of the Law of GOD. CHAP. III. An Exposition of the first Commandement Lo premier Commandement de la Ley de Dio es aquest Non aures Dio straing deuant mi. Exod. 20. c. Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me ALI they that loue the Creature more then the Creator Taken out of the Booke of the Waldenses intituled The Booke of vertues pag. 197. obserue not this Commandement That which euery man
truth of Christ And therefore to eate the sacramentall Bread is to eate the Body of Christ in a figure Iesus Christ himselfe saying Neuerthelesse as oft as you doe this you shall doe it in remembrance of me For if this eating were not in figure Christ should be alwayes bound to such a thing for it is necessary that the spirituall eating should be continuall As Saint Augustine speaketh He that eateth Christ in truth is he that beleeueth in him For Christ saith that to eate him is to dwell in him In the celebration of this Sacrament Prayer is profitable and the preaching of the Word in the vulgar tongue such as may edifie and is agreeable to the Euangelicall Law to the end that peace and charity might encrease amongst the people but other things that are in vse in these dayes in the Church of Rome and those that are members thereof belong not at all to the Sacrament VVhat the Waldenses and Albingenses haue taught touching Mariage CHAP. VII MAriage is holy In the Booke intituled The Spirituall Almanacke fol. 50. being instituted of God in the beginning of the World And therefore it is an honourable thing when it is kept as it ought in all purity and when the Husband who is the head of Wife loues her and keepes her and carrieth himselfe honestly towards her being faithful and loyall towards her and that the woman for her part who is made to be a helpe vnto man be subiect to her Husband obeying him in whatsoeuer is good and honouring him as God hath commanded her taking care of his Houshold affaires keeping her selfe not onely from ill-doing but all appearance of euill continuing faithfull and loyall vnto him and both of them perseuering in that which is good according to the will of God taking paines together to get their liuing by honest and lawful meanes wronging no man and instructing those children which God hath giuen them in the feare and doctrine of the Lord and to liue as our Lord hath commanded them Prayer and fasting is profitable when there is question of the celebration of Matrimony and the reasons and instructions and aduertisements touching the same But the Imposition of hands and the Ligatures made with the Priests stoole and other things commonly obserued therein and by custome without the expresse word they are not of the substance nor necessarily required in mariage As touching the degrees prohibited and other things that are to be obserued in matter of Matrimony wee shall speake when we come to the discipline Taken out of the Booke intituled The Spirituall Almanacke VVhat the Waldenses and Albingenses haue taught touching the visitation of the Sicke CHAP. VIII El besongna que aquel que porta la parola de Dio lo nostre Seignor en tota diligenza IT is necessary that hee that is the Messenger of the Word of God should inuite and draw euery one to our Lord and Sauiour with all labour and diligence both by the good example of his life and the truth of his Doctrine and it is not sufficient that hee teach in the Congregation but also in their Houses and in all other places as Christ and his Apostles haue done before him comforting the afflicted and especially those that are sicke He must admonish them touching the great bounty and mercy of God shewing that there can proceed nothing but what is good from him that is the Fountaine of all goodnesse and that he that is Almighty is our mercifull Father more carefull of vs then euer Father or Mother hath beene of their Children telling them that though a Mother may forget her Childe and the Nurse him to whom shee hath giuen sucke and which shee hath boren in her wombe yet notwithstanding our heauenly Father will not forget vs doing all things for our benefit and sending all things for our greater good and if it were more expedient for vs to enioy our health wee should haue it And therefore wee are to submit our wils to his will and our liues to his conduct and direction and assuredly beleeue that he loueth vs and out of his loue he chastiseth vs. Neither must wee respect the griefe or pouerty we endure nor thinke that God hateth vs and casteth vs off but rather we must thinke that we are the more in his grace and fauour nothing regarding those that flourish in this World and haue here their consolation but looking vpon Christ Iesus more beloued of his Father then any other who is the true Sonne of God and yet hath beene more afflicted then we all and more tormented then any other For not onely that bitter passion that he suffered was very hard and grieuous vnto him but much more in regard that in the middest of his torments euery one cryed out against him like angry dogs belching out against him many villanous speeches doing against him the worst they could in such sort that hee was constrained to cry out in his torments My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And finding the houre of his passion to draw neere he grew heauy vnto the death and prayed vnto his Father that that Cup might passe from him insomuch that he did sweat water and bloud because of that great heauinesse and anguish of heart which he should endure in this cruell death And therefore the sicke man must consider with himselfe that he is not so ill handled nor so grieuously tormented as his Sauiour was when he suffered for vs for which he is to yeeld thankes vnto God that it hath pleased him to deliuer vs and to giue this good Sauiour vnto the death for vs begging mercy and fauour at his hands in the name of Iesus And it is necessary that we haue with all this perfect confidence and assurance that our Father will forgiue vs for his goodnesse sake For hee is full of mercy slow to anger and ready to forgiue And therefore the sicke party must recommend and commit himselfe wholy vnto the mercy of his Lord to doe with him as shall seeme good in his eyes and to dispose both of his body and soule according to his good will and pleasure Also it shall be necessary to admonish the sicke person to doe vnto his Neighbour as hee would haue his Neighbour doe vnto him not wronging any man and to take such order with all that are his that hee may leaue them in peace that there may not be any suites or contentions amongst them after his death He must also bee exhorted to hope for saluation in Iesus Christ and not in any other or by any other thing acknowledging himselfe a miserable sinner to the end hee may aske pardon of God finding himselfe to be in such a manner culpable that he deserueth of himselfe eternall death And if the sicke party shall be stricken with a feare of the iudgement of God and his anger against sinne and sinners he must put him in minde of those comfortable promises which our
loue our enemies To be willing to suffer labours slanders threats contempts iniuries all manner of torments for the truth To possesse our weapons in peace Not to be coupled in one yoke with Infidels Not to communicate with the wicked in their euill wayes and especially with those that smell of Idolatry referring all seruice thereunto and so of other things Encar en qual maniera li fidel debian regir li lor corps Non seruir a li desirier mortal c. Againe in what manner the faithfull ought to rule their bodies NOt to serue the mortall desires of the flesh To keepe their members that they be not armes of iniquitie To rule their outward sences To subiect the body to the soule To mortifie their members To flye idlenesse To obserue a sobriety and measure in their eating and drinking in their words and the cares of this life To doe the workes of mercie To liue a morall life by faith To fight against the desires To mortifie the workes of the flesh To giue themselues in due times to the exercise of Religion To conferre together touching the will of God To examine diligently the conscience To purge and amend and pacifie the spirit FINIS THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE THIRD PART OF THE HISTORY of the Waldenses and Albingenses Contayning a refutation of sundry Doctrines of the Church of Rome This Booke of Antichrist is in an olde manuscript wherein there are maâ—y Sermons of the Pastors datâ—d the yeer 1â—20 and therefore written before Waldo and about the time of Peter Bruis who taught in Languedos where hee was burnt at Saint Giles before Waldo departed from Lion And this Treatise was afterward preserued by the Waldenses of the Alpes from whom we had it with diuers others As the smoake goes before the fire the battell before the victory so the temptation of Antichrist before glory CHAPTER I. A Treatise of the Waldenses and Albingenses of Antichrist ANtichrist is the falshood or vntruth of eternall damnation couered with an outward appearance of the truth and the righteousnesse of Christ and his Spouse opposite to the way of truth righteousnesse faith hope and charity and to the morall life and ministeriall verity of the Church administred by false Apostles and obstinately defended by both powers Ecclesiasticall and secular Or Antichrist is a delusion which hides the truth of saluation from things substantiall or it is a fraudulent contradiction against Christ and his Spouse and euery faithfull member It is not any speciall person ordained in any degree or office or ministery but it is that falsehood it selfe which opposeth it selfe against the trueth which couereth and adorneth it selfe with beauty and pietie out of the Church of Christ as with names and offices and Scriptures and Sacraments and diuers other things That iniquity that is after this manner with all the Ministers thereof great and small with all those that follow them with a wicked heart and hood-winked eyes this congregation I say thus taken altogether is called Antichrist or Babylon or the fourth Beast or the Whore or the man of sinne or the sonne of perdition The Ministers are called false prophets lying teachers the Ministers of darkenesse the spirit of errour the Apocalipticall whore the mother of Fornication cloudes without water trees without leaues dead and twice rooted vp waues of a troublesome sea wandring starres Balaamites and Egyptians It is called Antichrist because being couered and adorned vnder the colour of Christ and of his Church and the faithfull members thereof it oppugneth the saluation purchased by Christ and truely administred in the Church of Christ whereof the faithfull are partakers by Faith Hope and Charity Thus it contradicteth the truth by the wisedome of the world by false religion by counterfeited holinesse by spirituall power secular tyrannie riches honours dignities and the delights and delicacies of the world Forasmuch therefore as it is manifest to euery one that Antichrist cannot come in any forme or fashion whatsoeuer but so as that all these things aboue mentioned must bee ioyned together to make a perfect hypocrisie and falsehood that is to say with the wise of the world the Religious Pharises Ministers Doctors with the secular power with the people of the world ioyned all together who then altogether make the man of sinne and errour fully compleate For notwithstanding Antichrist were long since conceiued in the Apostles times yet it was then in the infancie and it wanted members both inward and outward And therefore it was the more easily knowne and destroyed and kept vnder and being but rude and rusticall as yet was dumbe For it had not the wisedome nor the reason to excuse it selfe to define and pronounce sentence It had not as yet Ministers without truth it wanted humane Lawes and Statutes and outwardly it had no religious followers And therefore though it were fallen into errour and sinne yet it had nothing wherewith to couer its villany and the shame of errour and sinne for hauing neither riches nor doctations it could not winne Ministers for seruice nor multiply and preserue and defend its owne for it was destitute of secular power and helpe and could not inforce or constraine any from the trueth to falsehood And forasmuch as many things were wanting it could not pollute nor scandalize any with its trumperies and therâ—fore being as yet tender and feeble could obtaine no place in the Church But afterwards growing in its members that is to say in its blinde Ministers and hypocrites and the vassals of the World it is growen to a perfect man in the fulnesse of age that is to say when the spirituall and secular louers of the World blinde in faith were multiplied in the Chureh with all power These being wicked and willing to be entreated and honoured touching things spirituall they haue couered their maiesty malice and sinnes by making vse of the wise men of the World and the Pharises to this purpose as it is said before Now this is a great wickednesse to couer and to adorne that iniquity worthy excommunâ—cation and to establish it by such a meanes as cannot by man bee giuen to man but belongs onely vnto God and to Iesus Christ as he is Mediator Most deceitfully and by rapine to take these things from God and to transferre them to it selfe and it workes seemes to be a great robbery as when it attributeth to it selfe the power to regenerate to forgiue sinnes to distribute the graces of the holy Spirit to make Christ and other the like things And in all these to couer it selfe with the cloake of authority and of the Word deceiuing by this meanes the rude people who follow the World separating themselues from God and the true Faith and the reformation of the holy Spirit from true repentance and the powerfull operation of perseuerance in good forsaking charity patience humility and that which is worst of all departing from the true hope and putting their trust in the vaine
for his learning and pietie as also for his great bountie towards the poore not onely nourishing their bodies with his materiall bread but their soules with the spirituall exhorting them principally to seeke Iesus Christ the true bread of their soules Many Historiographers do write Lois Cam. in his hist of the orthod brethren of Bohemia p. 7. Guido de Perignan in his flower of Chronicles that he had a resolution to leade an vnblameable life approching as neare as he could to that of the Apostles that vpon a mournfull vnluckie accident that fell out vnexpected and it was this Being one euening in the company of some of his friends after supper passing the time with talke and refreshing themselues one of the company fell downe dead vpon the ground with which sudden accident all that were present being strangely affrighted The Catal. of witnesses of the truth p. 535. Simon de Noion in his booke of the names of the Doctors of the Church Valdo amongst the rest was touched to the quicke and by this dart of Gods iustice was wrought to an extraordinary amendment of life applying himselfe wholly to the reading of the Scriptures seeking in them his saluation and sometimes consulting the writings of the ancients he continually instructed those poore people that resorted vnto him for almes The Archbishop of Lions called Iohn de Belles Mayons being aduertised that Valdo made profession of teaching the people boldly blaming the vice luxury excesse and arrogancie of the Pope and his Clergie inhibited him from teaching especially for that being a lay person he exceeded the limits of his profession and condition of life and therefore that he should not continue therein vnder paine of excommunication proceeding against him as against and Hereticke Valdo replyed that he could not hold his peace in a matter of so high importance as the saluation of men and that he would rather obey God who had enioyned him to speake then man who had commanded him to hold his peace Vpon this answer the Archbishop endeauoured to haue him apprehended but that could not be because Valdo hauing many kinsfolke and friends was beloued of many and so continued closely in Lions by the fauour and protection of his friends for the space of three yeares Pope Alexander the third of that name hauing vnderstood that in Lyons there were diuers persons that called into question his soueraigne authoritie ouer the whole Church fearing that this beginning of rebellion might giue some blow to his supreme dignitie power cursed Valdo and his adherents and commanded the Archbishop to proceed against them by Ecclesiasticall censures euen to the vtter extirpation of them Claud. Rubis saith Claud. Rubis in his hist pa. 269. that Valdo and his followers were wholly chased out of Lions and Albert de Capitaneis saith that they could not be wholly driuen out Other things we could not learne of this first persecution but onely that they that escaped out of Lions Albert de Capit. in his booke of the originall of the Vaudois who of Valdo were called Waldenses followed him and afterwards did spread themselues into diuerse companies and places CHAP. II. That the dispersion of Valdo and his followers was the meanes that God vsed to spread the doctrine of Valdo almost throughout all Europe ALbert de Capitaneis saith that Valdo retired himselfe into Dauphiney at his departure from Lions and Claud. de Rubis affirmeth that he conuersed in the mountaines of the said Prouince with certaine rude persons yet capable to receiue the impressions of his beleefe And true it is that the Churches of the Waldenses which haue continued very long and whereof there are yet a greater number then in any other place of Europe are they of Dauphiney and the bordering race or linage of them that is to say those of Piemount and Prouence Vignier saith that he retyred into Picardie Vignier in the 3. part of his historicall Bibliotheque pa. 130. where in a short time he did so much good that there were diuerse persons that did adhere vnto his doctrine for which shortly after they suffered great persecutions Dubranius in his historie of Bohemia Booke 14. For as Dubranius saith sometime after King Philip Augustus enforced by the Ecclesiasticall persons tooke armes against the Waldenses of Picardie razed and ouerthrew three hundred houses of gentlemen that followed their part and destroyed certaine walled Townes pursuing them into Flanders whither they were fled and caused a number of them to be burnt This persecution enforced many to flie into Germany where shortly after they were grieuously persecuted namely See the Sea of Histories in the countrie of Alsatia and along the Rhine by the Bishops of Mayence and of Strasburge who caused to be burnt in the towne of Bnigne thirtie fiue Burgesses of Mayence in one fire and at Mayence eighteene who with great constancie suffered death And at Strasburge fourescore were burnt at the instance of the Bishop of the place These persecutions multiplied in such sort by the edification that they receiued who saw them dye praysing God and assuring themselues of his mercy that notwithstanding the continuall persecutions there were in the County of Passau and about Bohemia in the yeare one thousand three hundred and fifteene to the number of fourescore thousand persons that made profession of the same faith They had likewise goodly Churches in Bulgaria Math. Paris in his historie of the life of king Hen. 3. in the yeare 1223. Croatia Dalmatia and Hungarie as Math. Paris reports instructed and gouerned by one Barthelmew borne at Carcassonne The Albegeois on the other side professing the same faith haue filled many countries vntill in the end they were almost wholly extirpated as shall appeare in their particular historie CHAP. III. By what names the Waldenses haue bene called by their aduersaries and with what faults and offences they haue bene charged THe Monks Inquisitors and mortall enemies to the Waldenses not being content to deliuer them euery day to the secular power they haue besides layed vpon them many opprobrious imputations affirming them to be the authors of all the heresies in the world which they endeuoured to purge imputing all those monstrous abuses that they had forged onely to the Waldenses as if they onely had bene the receptacle of all errours First therefore they called them of Valdo a citizen of Lions Waldenses of the countrie of Albi Albigeois Vaudois Albigeois And because such as did adhere to the doctrine of Valdo departed from Lions spoiled of all humane meanes and the most part hauing left their goods behind them in derision they called them the beggers of Lions In Dauphiney they were called in mockerie Chaignards Chaignards And because some part of them passed the Alpes Tramontaines they were called Tramontaines And from one of the disciples of Valdo called Ioseph who preached in Dauphiney in the diocesse of Dye Iosephists
Chap. 1. verse 5. For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and or daine Elders in euery City as I haue appointed thee Thus you see how the Pastors of the Waldenses were chosen and maintained in their charge but to the end that their zeale may the better appeare we will insert in the Chapter following a letter which one of the said Pastors writ to one of their Churches by which it may easely appeare with how holy and sanctified affection they laboured to call the people to repentance and to instruct them in the faith CHAP. XI An Epistle of the Pastor Barthelmew Tertian written to the Waldensian Churches of Pragela Iesus be with you To all our faithfull and welbeloued brethren in Christ Iesus Health and saluation be with you all Amen THese are to aduertise and to aduise your brotherhood hereby acquitting my selfe of that dutie which I owe vnto you all in the behalfe of God principally touching the care of the saluation of your soules according to that light of the truth which the most high God hath bestowed on vs that it would please euery one of you to maintaine increase and nourish to the vtmost of your power without diminution those good beginnings and customes which haue bene left vnto vs by our ancestors whereof we are no way worthy For it would little profit vs to haue bene renewed by the fatherly instance and the light which hath bene giuen vs of God if we giue our selues to worldly diabolicall and carnall conuersations abandoning the principall which is God and the saluation of our soules for this short and temporall life For the Lord saith in his Gospell What doth it profit a man to gaine the whole world and to lose his owne soule For it should be better for vs neuer to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then hauing knowne it to do the contrary For we shall be inexcusable and our condemnation the greater for there are greater and more grieuous torments prouided for those that haue most knowledge Let me therefore intreate you by the loue of God that you decrease not but rather increase that charitie feare and obedience which is due vnto God and to your selues amongst your selues and keepe all those good customes which you haue heard and vnderstood of God by our meanes and that you would remoue from amongst you all defaults and wants troubling the peace the loue the concord and whatsoeuer taketh from you the seruice of God your owne saluation and the administration of the truth if you desire that God should be mercifull vnto you in your goods temporall and spirituall For you can do nothing without him and if you desire to be heires of his glorie do that which he commandeth If you will enter into life keepe my commandements Likewise be carefull that there be not nourished amongst you any sports gluttony whoredome dancings nor any leudnesse or riot nor questions nor deceits nor vsury nor discords neither support or entertaine any persons that are of a wicked conuersation or that giue any scandall or ill example amongst you but let charitie and fidelitie reigne amongst you all good example doing to one another as euery one desires should be done vnto himselfe For otherwise it is not possible that any man should be saued or can haue the grace either of God or man in this world or glorie in another And it is necessarie that the conductors principally should haue a hand herein and such as rule and gouerne For when the head is sicke all the members are likewise ill affected And therefore if you hope and desire to possesse eternall life to liue in good esteeme and credit and to prosper in this world in your goods temporall and spirituall purge your selues from all disorderly waies to the end that God may be alwayes with you who neuer forsaketh those that trust in him But know this for a certaine that God heareth not nor dwelleth with sinners nor in the soule that is giuen vnto wickednesse nor in the man that is subiect vnto sin And therfore let euery one cleanse the wayes of his heart and flie the danger if he would not perish therein I haue no other thing to write at this present but that you would put in practise these things And the God of peace be with you all and accompanie vs in our true deuout and humble prayers that he will be pleased to saue all those his faithfull that trust in Christ Iesus Wholly yours Barthelmew Tertian readie to do you seruice in all things possible according vnto the will of God This Epistle of the Pastor Tertian giues vs assurance of that holy affection which they had to leade the people of God but the Confession of the faith of the Waldenses found in the bookes of those Pastors aboue mentioned shall shew vs more clearely how pure their beliefe hath bene and how farre from those heresies and errors that haue bene imputed vnto them And that therefore they haue bene very vniustly persecuted CHAP. XII The Confession of the faith of the Waldenses Article 1. Taken out of the booke intituled the Spirituall Almanack and from the Memorials of George Morel Art 2. WE beleeue do firmely hold all that which is contained in the twelue Articles of the Simbole which is called the Apostles creed and we account all that for heresie which agreeth not with the said twelue Articles We beleeue that there is one God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost We acknowledge for holy Canonicall Scripture the books of the Bible that is to say Art 3. the fiue books of Moses Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numbers Deuteronomie The booke of Ioshua The Iudges Ruth 1. of Samuel 2. of Samuel 1. of Kings 2. of Kings 1. of the Chronicles 2. of the Chronicles 1. Esdras Nehemiah Ester Iob. The booke of Psalmes The Prouerbes of Salomon Ecclesiastes The song of Salomon The Prophesie of Isaiah The Pophesie of Ieremie The Lamentat of Ieremie Ezechiel Daniel Hosea Ioel. Amos. Obadiah Ionah Micah Nahum Habakuk Zephaniah Haggai Zachariah Malachi The Apocryphall bookes are these that follow which are not receiued of the Hebrewes but we reade them saith S. Hierome in his prologue to the Prouerbs for the instruction of the people not to confirme the authoritie of Ecclesiasticall doctrines that is to say The third booke of Esdras The fourth of Esdras Tobiah Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Baruch with the Epistle of Ieremiah Ester after the 10. chap. to the end The song of the 3. children The historie of Susanna The historie of the Dragon 1. Maccabees 2. Maccabees 3. Maccabees Here follow the bookes of the new Testament The Gospell according to S. Mathew Marke Luke Iohn The Acts of the Apostles The Epistle of S. Paul to the Romans The first to the Corinth The 2. to the Corinthians The Epistle to the Galat. The Epist to the Ephesians The Epistle to the
houses for feare to bee accused of Heresie and not to be estemed zealous for the faith of those holy fathers And the better to entertaine men with an apprehension of these things they sometimes made shewes and brauadoes of their prisoners leading them in triumph at their Processions some being enioyned to whip themselues others to goe couered after the manner of St. Benedicts that is to say with certaine red Cassockes with yellow crosses to signifie that they were such as had been conuinced of some errour and that at the first offence they should afterward commit they were already condemned for Heretickes Others appeared in their shirts bare-foote and bare-headed with a with about their neckes a torch in their hands that being thus prepared and furnished they might giue terror to the beholders to see such persons of all estates and sex brought to so miserable a condition being all forbid to enter into the Church but to stay in the porch or to cast an eye vpon the Hoste when it was shewed by the Priest vntill it was otherwise determined by the Fathers the Inquisitors And for the full accomplishment of the contentment of the said Fathers their accused were exiled for a penance into the holy Land or enrolled for some other expedition against the Turkes or other Infidels leuied by the command of the Pope to serue the Church for a certaine time at their owne charge and in the meane time the said holy Fathers tooke possession of the goods of the poore Pilgrims and that which was worst of all at their returne they must not enquire whether the said Monkes had in their absence any priuate familiarity with their wiues for feare lest they should be condemned for back-sliders impenitent and altogether vnworthy of any fauour Now these violences being executed from the yeer a thousand two hundred and six which was about the time that Dominique erected his Inquisition to the yeere one thousand two hundred twenty eight there was so great a hauock made of poore Christians that the Archbishops of Aix Arles and Narbonne being assembled together at Aingou in the said yeere 1228 at the instance of the said Monkes the Inquisitors to confer with them about diuers difficulties in the execution of their charge had compassion of the misery of a great number that were accused and kept in prison by the said Monkes the Inquisitors saying It is come to our knowledge See the Catal. of the Test of the truth pag. 534. that you haue apprehended so great a number of the Waldenses that it is not only not possible to defray the charge of their nourishment but to prouide lyme and stone to build prisons for them we therefore counsell you say they that you defer a little such imprisonments vntill the Pope may bee aduertised of the great numbers that haue been apprehended and that he doe aduise what pleaseth him to bee done if not there is no reason you should take offence for those that are impenitent and incorigible Vous tuissies or that you should doubt of their relaps or that they should escape away or hauing their liberty should infect others because you may condemne such persons without delay There needs no other proofe then this of the aforesaid Prelats to make it appeare that the number of those whom the Inquisition had deliuered vnto death was very great For touching the question moued by the said Inquisitors whether they that haue frequented the company of the Waldenses and haue receiued the Supper of the Lord with them are to be excused because they say they offended out of ignorance not knowing that they were Waldenses The the answer of the said Prelats was that they were not to be excused Because say they who is so great a stranger as not to know that the Waldenses haue been punished and condemned for these many yeers since and who knoweth not that for a long time they haue been pursued and persecuted at the charge and trauell of Catholikes this pursuit being sealed by so many persons condemned to death if it cannot be called into doubt And yet neuertheles the speech of the said Prelats being conferred with that which George Morell in the yeer a thousand fiue hundred and thirty hath written it would be none of the least wonders that God hath wrought that notwithstanding the bloody persecutions after Waldo his time in the yeere a thousand one hundred sixty there were according to the report of Morel George Morel in his memorials pa. 54. aboue eight hundred thousand persons that made profession of the faith of the said Waldenses As touching the subtleties of the said Inquisitors we should not haue had any knowledge thereof but from such as haue escaped from the Inquisition of Spaine but that it was the will of God that their cunning trickes should not bee so closely hid but that wee had examples thereof euen from themselues Behold then the crafty subtleties of the Inquisitors which serued them for a rule in the framing of their proces against the Waldenses It is not expedient to dispute of matter of faith before lay-people No man shall be held for a penitent man if he accuse not those that he knowes to be such as himselfe He that accuseth not those that are like vnto himself shall be cut off from the Church as a rotten member for feare lest the members that are sound should be corrupted by him After that any one hath been deliuered to the secular power great care must bee taken that hee bee not suffered to excuse himselfe or to manifest his inn ocencie before the people because if be he deliuered to death it is a scandall to the lay-people and if hee make an escape there is danger of his loyalty Good heed must bee taken not to promise live vnto him that is condemned to death before the people considering that an Heretike will neuer suffer himselfe to bee burnt if hee may escape by such promises And if he shall promise to repent before the people if he haue not his life granted vnto him there will arise a scandall amongst them and it will be thought that he is wrongfully put to death Note say they that the Inquisitor ought alwaies to presuppose the fact without any condition and is onely to enquire of the circumstances of the fact as thus how often hast thou confessed thy selfe vnto Heretickes In what chamber of the house haue they layen and the like things The Inquisitor may looke into any booke as if he found there written the life of him that is accused and of all that he enquires of It is necessary to threaten death to the accused if he confesse not and to tell him the fact is too manifest that it is fit he should thinke of his soule and renounce his Heresie for he must die and therefore it shall bee good for him to take patiently whatsoeuer shall light vpon him And if he shall answer since I must die I had rather
had inhabited in those Countries from the father to the sonne for some ages and that in all that time there was not any that could complaine of their conuersation and yet neuerthelesse if they could not continue in their houses in that beliefe wherein they had liued to this present if they might be permitted to betake themselues either by sea or by land to the protection of God with their onely persons and some few commodities and so retire themselues whether it should please the Lord to conduct them they would very willingly forsake all their goods rather then to fall into any idolatry promising both for themselues and all theirs neuer to returne to their houses againe They beseeched them euen for Gods cause not to driue them to such necessities as that they must be enforced to defend themselues for if they should be once out of all hope of mercy it would be dangerous for themselues who had driuen them to these extremities The souldiers were the more stirred vp against them and presently made a violent assault vpon them which bound these poore people to a iust defence and so being assisted by God they slew the greatest part of the Souldiers that pursued them and put the rest to flight The Monkes the Inquisitors writ to the Vice-roy of Naples that he should speedily sendsome companies of Souldiers to apprehend certaine Heretickes of Saint Xist and la Garde who were fled into the woods and that in so doing he should doe that which was pleasing to the Pope and meritorious to himselfe if he shall deliuer the Church from such contagion The Vice-roy came himselfe with his troupes Being arriued at Saint Xist he caused to be proclaimed by the sound of a trumpet that the place was condemned to be exposed to fire and sword But in the meane time before his arriuall the women had leasure to returne to Saint Xist whether they ran together to seeke for victuall to feede their husbands and children which were in the wood The Viceroy caused it to be proclaimed throughout the Realme of Naples that all banished people that would come to the warres against the Heretickes of Saint Xist should be pardoned all their offences formerly committed whereupon great numbers gathered themselues together and were conducted to the woods where the fugitiues of Saint Xist were and they gaue them the chase in so rigorous a manner that in the end after the slaughter of diuers of these poore people the rest of them being sore wounded retired themselues into the caues vpon the high rockes where the greatest part of them died with famine The Monkes Inquisitors made shew of much discontent and that they were much displeased with that which had happened and being retired to Cossence where the Sindic of Saint Xist appeared before them they wished him speedily to withdraw himselfe for feare lest the Viceroy should know of his being there and so apprehend him This brought those of la Garde a sleepe who being cited by a publike proclamation to appeare before the said Inquisitors at Cossence or before the Viceroy at Folcade they were easily perswaded to beleeue the promises and faire speeches of the said Inquisitors For being arriued at Folcade there were seuenty of them apprehended and being bound were brought to Montaud before the Inquisitor Panza who put them all to the racke Amongst others he tormented one Steuen Charlin with such violence that his bowels brake out of his belly and all to extort from him this confession and imposture that is that they sometimes assembled themselues by night to commit whoredomes and damnable incestes the candles being put out But notwithstanding his extreame torture they could neuer get from him the confession of so great a wickednesse There was another called Verminel who with the extreame paine he endured vpon the racke promised to goe to Masse The Inquisitor thinking that since the torment of the racke had enforced him to forsake his Religion that redoubling the violence thereof he might draw from this feeble and tired person the confession of the former imposture And so caused him to be tormented in such a manner that many times he left him eight houres together vpon the racke but yet could neuer get from his mouth so horrible a calumnie Another named Marcon being stript starke naked was beaten with rods of iron afterwards drawen through the streets and burnt with fire-brands One of his sonnes was killed with kniues the other was brought to a high tower where there was offered vnto him a Crucifix with promise that if he would kisse it his life should be saued He answered that hee would rather die then commit idolatry and though he were cast headlong from that tower as he was threatned yet he had rather his body should be broken to peeces here on earth then by denying Christ and his truth his soule should be cast into hell The Inquisitor being much enraged with this answere commanded him to be cast from the tower to the end saith he we may see whether his God will protect him Bernard Conte was condemned to be burnt aliue and as he was led to the fire he cast to the earth a certaine Crucifix which the Executioner had fastened to his hands The Inquisitor hereupon commanded him to be sent backe to prison to the end his paine might be aggrauated and so sent him to Cossence where he caused him to be couered with pitch and so burnt Besides this Inquisitor Panza cut the throats of fourescore as a butcher doth his muttons afterwards he caused them to be diuided into foure quarters and commanded that the high waies from Montald to Chasteau Vilar should be set with stakes for the space of thirty miles and caused a quarter to be fastened to euery stake and in a place called Moran he caused to be hanged and strangled foure of the principall men of la Garde that is to say Iames Ferner Anthony Palomb Peter Iacio and Iohn Morglia who died very constantly A certaine yong man named Samson defended himself a long time against those that would haue apprehended him but in the end being wounded he was taken and led to a high tower where he was willed to confesse himselfe to a Priest that was there present before he should be cast from the tower which he refused to doe saying that he had confessed himselfe to God So the Inquisitor commanded him to be cast ouer The next day the Viceroy passing below by the tower he found this poore man languishing hauing his bones broken and imploring the mercy of God to whom he gaue a kicke on the head with his foote saying Is this dogge yet aliue cast him out to the hogges Threescore women of Saint Xist were brought to the racke and vsed with such violence that the cordes pierced into their armes and legges in such sort that in their wounds there were ingendred a great quantity of wormes which fed vpon them being aliue they not knowing how to remedy
to Capito and Martin Bucer at Strasbourg and to Berthand Haller at Berne to conferre with them about matters touching their Religion and to haue their aduice and counsell about many points wherein they desired to be better satisfied The Letters which Oecolampadius and Bucer sent vnto them are set downe at length in the first Booke of this History the Sixt Chapter where I endeauoured to make it appeare vnto the world that many great personages amongst them that made profession of reformation haue giuen testimony of their piety and probity which is the reason why we insert them not againe in this discourse onely we will produce those of the Waldenses in their own language and afterwards in English Salut a Monseignor Oecolampadio CAr moti racontant asona a nostras oreillas que aquel que po totas cosas c. The Letter of the Waldenses of Prouence to Mr. Oecolampadius Health to Master Oecolampadius FOrasmuch as diuers haue giuen vs to vnderstand and the report is come vnto our eares that he that is able to doe all things hath replenished you with the blessings of his holy Spirit as it well appeares by the fruites we who liue farre distant from you haue thought good to haue recourse vnto you and with ioyfull hearts we hope and trust that the holy Ghost will illuminate vs by your meanes and will satisfie vs concerning many things whereof we are now in doubt and are hidden from vs because of our ignorance and negligence and as it is to be feared to our great hinderance and the people whom we teach with great insufficiency For that you may know at once how matters stand Wee such as we are weake instructers of this little flocke haue remained for aboue foure hundred yeeres in the middest of sharpe and cruell thornes and yet in the meane time not without the great fauour of Christ as all the faithfull can easily testifie for this people hath many times been deliuered by the fauour and mercy of God being gored and tormented by the said thornes And therefore we come vnto you to be counselled and confirmed in our weaknesse They writ another Letter to the same purpose to Martin Bucer the which for breuities sake we omit wherein they relate that they had addressed themselues for the selfe same cause to their brethren of Newcastle Morat and Berne which shewes how carefull the Waldenses were to seeke out all manner of meanes that their vnderstandings might be enlightned in the mysteries of piety for the saluation of their soules especially seeing that then they sought the meanes to aduance and order their Church in the open view of the world when the fires were kindled throughout all France against those of the same Religion that they were who in those times were called Lutherans The greater therefore that their zeale was the more they stirred vp their enemies against them and plunged themselues into the greater dangers But as all are not victorious by faith but there are alwaies some weake who take counsell of the flesh and perswade themselues without reason that they can crooch and bow themselues in those places where God is offended by idolatry and yet keepe the heart pure and neate vnto God Oecolampadius from thence takes occasion to write that which followeth to be deliuered to those dissemblers which walke not with an vpright foote before God The Letter of Oecolampadius written to the VValdenses of Prouence who thought they could serue God by prostituting their bodies before Popish Idols Written in the yeere 1530. Oecolampadius desires the grace of God the Father by his Sonne Iesus Christ and his holy Spirit to his well-beloued Brethren in Christ who are called VValdenses WEe vnderstand that the feare of persecution hath made you to dissemble in your faith and that you hide it Now we beleeue with the heart to righteousnesse and confesse with the mouth to saluation but they that feare to confesse Christ before the world shall not bee receiued by God the Father For our God is truth without any dissimulation and as he is a iealous God he cannot endure that they that are his should ioyne together vnder the yoake of Antichrist for there is no communiō of Christ with Belial And if you communicate with the infidels in going to their abominable Masses you cannot but perceiue their blasphemies against the death and passion of Christ For when they glory in themselues that by the meanes of such sacrifice they satisfie God for the sinnes of the liuing and the dead what can follow but that Iesus Christ hath not sufficiently satisfied by the sacrifice of his death and passion and consequently that Christ is not Iesus that is a Sauiour and that he died for you in vaine If then we haue communion at this impure table we declare our selues to be one body with the wicked how irkesome so euer it be vnto vs. And when we say Amen to their prayers doe we not deny Christ What death should we not rather chuse What paine and torment should we not rather suffer Nay into what hell ought we not rather to plunge our selues then to witnesse by our presence that we consent vnto the blasphemies of the wicked I know that your weaknesse is great but it is necessary that they that haue learned that they are bought by the blood of Christ should be more couragious and alwaies feare him that can cast both body and soule into hell And what shall it suffice vs to haue a care of this life onely shall that be more precious vnto vs then that of Christ And are we contented to haue tasted the delights of this world onely Crownes are prepared for vs and shall we turne backe againe And who will beleeue that our faith hath been true if it faile and faint in the heat of persecution Let vs therefore pray vnto God to increase our faith For certainly it shall be better for vs to die then to be ouercome by temptations And therefore brethren we exhort you to diue into the bottome of this businesse For if it to be lawfull to hide our faith vnder Antichrist it shall be likewise lawfull to hide it vnder the Empire of the Turke and with Dioclesian to adore Iupiter and Venus nay it had been lawfull for Tobit to adore the calfe in Bethel And what then shall our faith towards God be If we honour not God as we should and if our life be nothing but Hipocricy and dissimulation he will spew vs out of his mouth as being neither hot nor cold And how doe we glorifie our Lord in the middest of our tribulations if we deny him Brethren it is not lawfull for vs to looke backe when our hand is at the plough neither is it lawfull to giue eare to our wiues entising vs to euill that is to say to our flesh which notwithstanding it indure many things in this world yet in the hauen it suffereth shipwracke These godly admonitions preuailed much for the
in them worthy reprehension And that was that they yeelded to much to their infirmities since that hauing once knowne the truth they neuerthelesse frequented Papisticall Churches being present at those idolatries which they condemned basely prophaning and polluting themselues that wee are not onely certainly to beleeue with the heart but wee must likewise make confession with our mouth to saluation Moreouer they told them of another fault which they had taken notice of and that was that they were too carefull in heaping vp gold and siluer for though the end were good that is to helpe and comfort them in time of persecution yet forasmuch as euery day brought with it affliction enough and that such cares are not befitting those that are to looke only before them and to lay vp a treasure in heauen they condemned that which was superabundant in them and which in the end they would principally rely vpon Joachimâ— Cam. in Hist de Ecclesijs fratrum in Bohemia Morauia p. 105 The Waldenses of Austria did heartly thanke them intreating them to continue this holy affection towards them and for their part to doe their best endeauour to further their communion and to appoint a day and place of meeting and conference for they hauing a long time knowne those their defects which they had taken notice of as yet they had not power to prouide conuenient remedies for the same but their hope was that being altogether they should be able better to resolue with themselues as also touching many other points of greatest moment Now when it was euen vpon the point to send to the place where they had agreed to meete and to assemble themselues they began to doubt that the businesse might be discouered and it might be dangerous to all of them And besides that they considered with themselues that they had been supported notwithstanding their assemblies and beliefe were sufficiently knowne and therefore they should put themselues into extreame danger if they should ioyne themselues with other people These considerations made their former designes and purposes of their mutuall communications to vanish away as also in the yeere following that is in the yeere one thousand foure hundred siixty eight 1468. the persecution increased against the said Waldenses of Austria for there were burnt a great number at Vienna Among others the History makes mention of one Steuen an ancient man who being there burnt confirmed many with his constancy They that would escape this persecution retired themselues into the coast of Brandebourg where they stayed not long being also there exposed to fire and sword Amongst those there was one named Tertor that retired himselfe into Bohemia where hee ioined himselfe to the Churches of the Hussites Ioach. Cam. in hist de Ecclesijs Fratrum in Bohemia Morauia p. 117. and finding that a man might there remaine in peace both of body and soule he returned into his Country and perswaded many to goe to Bohemia and to inhabit there who were louingly entertained and after that time there haue been no assemblies of the Waldenses in particular but they haue ioyned themselues vnto the Churches of the Hussites CHAP. XI Of the Waldenses inhabiting in Germany and the persecutions that there they suffered whereof we haue the proofes NOtwithstanding that incontinently after that Peter Waldo with those that followed him came into Germany there was so great a persecution along vpon the Rhine by the incitement and instigation of the Archbishops of Mayence and Strasbourg that there were burnt in one day in one fire Dubranius in the history of Bohemia to the number of eighteene yet wee find that in the time of the Emperor Frederic the second about the yeere one thousand two hundred and thirteene Germany and especially Alsatia was full of the VValdenses The searchers were so diligent and exact Coistans vpon the Reuel that they were inforced to disperse themselues into other places to auoide the persecution This flight turned to the great benefit of the Church because hereby many learned Teachers were scattered here and there to make knowne vnto the world the purity of their Religion In the yeere one thousand two hundred thirty 1230. a certaine Inquisitor named Conrad de Marpurg Vignier in the 1. part of his Bibli Historiale was ordained by the Pope Superintendent of the Inquisition He exercised this charge with extreame cruelty against all sorts of persons without any respect euen of the Priests themselues whose bodies and goods he confiscated He tried men with a hot iron Trithem in Chron. Hirsaugiensi Godefridus Mon in Aâ—nalibus saying that they that could hold an iron red hot in their hands and not be burnt were good Christians but on the contrary if they felt the fire he deliuered them to the secular power In these times the Waldenses had in the Diocesse of Treues many Schooles wherein they caused their children to be instructed in their beliefe and notwithstanding all the Inquisitions persecutions executed vpon their flockes yet they aduentured to preach calling their assemblies by the sound of a bell Krautz in Metropol l. 8. § 18. in Saxon l. 8. ca. 16. maintaining in publica statione saith the Historiographer publikly that the Pope was an hereticke his Prelates Simonaicall and seducers of the people That the truth was not preached but amongst them and that had not they come amongst them to teach God before he would haue suffered their faith to perish would haue raised others euen the stones themselues to enlighten his Church by the preaching of the word Vntill these times say they our Preachers haue buried the truth and preached lyes we on the contrary preach the truth and bury falshood and lyes and lastly we offer not a feined remission inuented by the Pope but by God alone and according to our vocation Mathew Paris an English writer obserueth 1220. Math Pâ—ris in Henry 3. anno 1220. that abou the yeere 1220 there were a great number in a part of Germany that tooke armes where the Waldenses were cut in peeces being surprised in a place of great disaduantage hauing on the one side a marish ground and on the other the sea in such sort that it was impossible for them to escape 1330. Vignier in his third part of his Historicall Biblio in the yeere 1330. About the yeer 1330 they were strangely vexed in many parts of Germanie by a certaine Iacobin Monke Inquisitor named Echard but after many cruelties executed vpon them as hee pressed the Waldenses to discouer vnto him the reasons for which they were seperated from the Church of Rome being vanquished in his owne conscience and acknowledging those defects and corruptions which they alleaged to be in the Church of Rome to bee true and not being able to disproue the points of their beliefe by the word of God he gaue glory vnto God and confessing that the truth had ouercome him hee became a
nothing and that he must doe as he may The Earle of Beziers returned into the Citie and assembled the people together giuing them to vnderstand that after he had submitted himselfe to the Legat hee mediated for them not being able to obtaine any otherthing at his hands but pardon vpon condition that they that made profession of the beleefe of the Albingenses should come and abiure their Religion and promise to liue according to the Lawes of the Church of Rome The Romish Catholikes intreated them to yeeld to this so great a violence and not to be the cause of their death since the Legat was resolued not to pardon any if they liued not all vnder one and the same Law The Albingenses answered That they would not forsake their Religion for the base price of this fraile life That they knew well that God was able to defend them if it pleased him and that if he would bee glorified by the confession of their saith it should bee a great honour to them to die for righteousnesse sake That they had rather displease the Pope who could destroy their bodies onely than God who could cast both body and soule into Hell fire That they would neuer be ashamed or deny that Religion by which they haue beene taught to know Christ and his righteousnesse or with the danger of an eternall death professe a Religion which doth annihillate the merit of Christ and burieth his righteousnesse and that therefore they would couenant for themselues as they could and promise nothing contrary to the duty of true Christians This being vnderstood the Romish Catholikes sent their Bishop to the Legat humbly to intreat him that he would not include in this chastisement of the Albingenses those that were alwayes obedient to the Church of Rome of whom he that was their Bishop had certaine knowledge being likewise assured that the rest were not altogether past hope of repentance but that they might be wonne by gentle meanes best befitting the Church which tooke no pleasure in the effusion of bloud The Legat herewith grew into extreme choller and passion swearing and protesting with horrible threats that if all they that were in the Citie did not acknowledge their fault and submit themselues to the Church of Rome they should all taste of one cup and without respect of Catholike sex or age they should all be exposed to fire and sword And incontinently he commanded that the Citie should bee summoned to yeeld it selfe to his discretion which they refusing to doe hee caused all his engins of warre to play and commanded an assault and generall escalado to bee made Now it was impossible for those that were within to resist so great a violence in such sort The Treasure of Hist in the taking of Beziers Paul Aemil. pag. 517. that being thus assaulted by aboue a hundred thousand Pelerins in the end saith the Compiler of the Treasure of Histories they within vere vanquished and the enemie being entred slew a great multitude and afterwards set fire to the Citie and burnt it to dust The Citie being taken the Priests Monkes and Clerkes came forth of the great Church of Beziers called St. Nazari with the Banner the Crosses their holy-water bare headed attired with the ornaments of the Church and singing Te Deum laudamus as a signe of ioy that the Towne was taken and purged of the Albingenses The Souldiers who had receiued command from the Legat to kill all ranne in vpon them brake the order of their procession made the heads and armes of the Priests to flie about striuing who should doe best in such a manner that they were all cut in pieces To excuse this crueltie disallowed by some of those that were spectators they haue inserted into the Historie these reports that is to say That the Pelerins were incensed against the inhabitants of Beziers because they had cast ouer the walls of the Citie the booke of the Gospels crying vnto them See there the Law of your God whereupon the Souldiers grew to this resolution to kill all those they should find within the circuit of Beziers that so they might be sure not to spare those that had thus blasphemed But how could the Albingenses doe any such thing so impious against the Gospell of our blessed Sauiour considering that one of the principall causes for which they had forsaken the Church of Rome was because the Gospel of Christ Iesus was as it were buried amongst them the people forbid to reade it And besides one of the great crimes which they laid to the charge of the Earle Remond was because hee carried alwayes about him the New Testament To this they added a miracle and that was that Beziers was taken vpon the day of Marie Magdalen because say they heretikes speake ill of Magdalin in their law The Treasure of hist in the taking of Beziers In the hist of the Monke Pet. of the Valleis Seruey of the Albing ch 18. Thus speakes the compiler of the Treasure Now this imposture is so deuillish that I hardly durst commit it to paper and yet notwithstanding the Monke of the Valleis Seruay sets it downe at large without doubts or scruples though the very thought thereof would make the haire of any man that hath but the least sparke of pietie to stand on end Now the citie being burnt razed and ransacked the Pilgrims who thought they merited Paradise by this sacceige and effusion of bloud were speedily conducted to Carcassonne before the forty daies of fight which they had vowed to the Church of Rome were expired because then they were permitted euery man to depart to his owne home CHAP. V. The Siege of Carcassonne the taking of the towne or Borough of Carcassonne An assault and generall Escalado giuen to the citie A great number of the soldiers of the Crosse slaine The Intercession of the King of Aragon for the Earle of Beziers to no purpose A stratagem for the taking of the Earle of Beziers The flight of the people of Carcassonne by what meanes The taking of Carcassonne THe Earle of Beziers when he saw that he could obtaine nothing of the Legat in fauour of the city of Beziers hauing left this charge to the Bishop to make triall whether he by any meanes could obtaine pardon for those poore inhabitants and in the meane time because he knew very well that hauing taken Beziers he would not suffer the city of Carcassonne to continue in peace because being strong by nature the Legat knew there was no store-house for the warre nor better place of repose for the Soldiers than that was he was counselled to retire himselfe thither and speedily to cause it to be furnished with whatsoeuer was fit to maintaine a long siege He put himselfe therfore into Carcassonne being accompanied with his most faithfull attendants He was followed as it were foot by foot by the Legats armie vnto which there came new Croises or soldiers of the Crosse that
Remond retired himselfe into Toulouze where he was presently shut vp and all the country round about euen haruest and all spoiled and wasted Being brought to this extremitie Hist of Lang. fol. 33. the Abbot of Grandselue named Elias Garin came from Amelin the Popes Legat to offer peace to the Earle Remond and the Toulou zains He was receiued with great ioy offering peace and plenty to those that were almost famished and wearied with warre Neuerthelesse the wisest amongst them who better foresaw the euent of things knew well enough that so soone as they had gotten the Earle Remond into their hands they would make vse of him to persecute them that they would establish the inquisition and kindle their fires againe and so vtterly destroy them both bodies and soules but the reasons of these men were ouercome by the importunate cries of the common people almost famished who could not see the time wherein they were fettered with the halter that should strangle them Besides the enemie wanted not people in Toulouze that were willing to terrifie the Earle Remond saying that he was not now to deale with Americ of Montfort but with a king of France who had power sufficient to ouerthrow him that continuall feuers kill men and long warres would at the last burie them all The Earle Remond passed his word to the Abbot to be at a certaine day at Vasieges there to resolue vpon that which was to bee done to bring the peace to a perfection In the meane time a truse was agreed vpon with the Toulouzains for certaine daies The Earle Remond came at the day to the place appointed and so did the Abbot of Grandselue After much discourse and communication touching a peace the Abbot made him beleeue that it would be for his greater aduantage to bee in France than in that place and that forasmuch as the businesse concerned the King that it was necessary that the Queene-mother being Tutrix vnto him and Regent of France should be present and that more would be done in a few daies than in a whole yeare the businesse requiring so many iournies and goings and commings which peraduenture would bee long and vnprofitable and so pawned his faith that hereby he should receiue all contentment Being vanquished by these promises he consented to come into France whethersoeuer the Queene-mother should appoint Meaux was the place she made choise of and his time was appointed He came thither but he was no sooner arriued but he repented and acknowledged his great ouersight in that he had giuen credit to the words of a Priest especially knowing that his deceased father had alwaies sped so ill by trusting to those that hold this for a maxime that Faith is not to be kept with Heretikes or their fauourers That he being held for such a one had no reason to looke for better successe There was therefore now no more question of treaties or communications but of submission to whatsoeuer should be enioyned him He had now no longer freedome of speech but he was carefully guarded for feare least he should fly to the Albingenses The Historiographer of Languedoc The Hist of Lang. fol. 34. though in other matters much animated against the Albingenses yet hee could not write of this without commiseration so lamentable was the condition of this Lord. These are his words It was a lamentable thing saith hee to see so braue a man that was able for so long a time to make resistance against so many people to come in his shirt and his linnen breeches bare foot to the Altar in the presence of two Cardinalls of the Church of Rome the one the Legat in France the other the Legat in England But this is not all the ignominious punishment that was inflicted but he notes besides that of so many conditions of that peace euery one of them saith he had beene sufficient for the price of his ransome if the king had beene in the field making warre against him CHAP. VI. The Articles of the treatie of the Earle Remond of Toulouze with the Popes Legat Amelin and the Queene mother of Lewis the ninth King of France IT was an easie matter to finish this treatie These articles are to be foūd in the Biblioth of Peres Tom. 7. because the Articles were proposed to the Earle Remond with this condition that they should be signed by himselfe without reply Article 1. That after the Earle Remond shall haue asked pardon according to the order appointed that is to say bareheaded barefoot in his shirt with a torch in his hand for all that he had done against the Church he shall promise to defend the faith and driue away all Heretikes out of his lands and territories Article 2. That hee should pay to the Church as long as he liueth euery yeare three Markes of Siluer 3. That he should giue once and incontinently the summe of six thousand Marks of Siluer for the reparations of the Cities Castles and houses that had beene either by himselfe or his father destroyed and ruinated during the warres past 4. That he should giue for the reparation of Moustier and the maintenance and nourishment of the Monkes of Cisteaux two thousand Markes of Siluer 5. For the Monkes of Cleruaux fiue hundred Markes of Siluer 6. For those of Grand Selue and the reparation of their Moustier a thousand Markes of Siluer 7. For the Church of Belle Perche three hundred Markes of Siluer 8. For the reparation of the Castle Narbonnes six thousand markes of Siluer and that the Legat should keepe it for ten yeares in the name of the Church 9. For the maintenance of foure Masters in diuinitie two Doctors of the Canon Law two Masters of Art and two Masters Gramarians who should reade euery one in his quality euery day to such schollers as should come to Toulouze the summe of foure thousand markes of Siluer whereof euery Master in Diuinitie should haue twenty fiue Markes of Siluer by the yeare for the terme of ten yeares the Doctor of the Law should haue fifteene Markes by the yeare during the space of ten yeares The Master of Artes ten Markes 10. That he should take the Crosse at the hands of the Legat to goe beyond the seas to make warre against the Turkes and Sarazins and should goe to Rhodes where hee should stay for the space of fiue yeares from whence he should bring a certificat from the great Master of Rhodes 11. That from thenceforward hee should enterprise nothing against the Church 12. That he should make warre against the Earle of Foix and his allies neuer making peace with them but by the leaue of the Legat. 13. That he should ouerthrow and demollish all the walles towers and fortresses of Toulouze as the Legat shall ordaine and appoint 14. That he should vtterly subuert and pull downe from the bottome to the top thirty fiue cities or Castles of which these that follow should bee of the number that
honoureth and serueth more then GOD that vnto him is God And therefore saith Saint Chrysostome vpon Mathew The euill to which a man is a seruant is to him a God So that if any man shall say I cannot know whether I loue more or lesse GOD or the thing God forbids mee to loue let him know that what a man loues least in a case of necessity is that which he is most willing to loose and that which he loues is that which he keepeth and preserueth As it is the manner of Merchants to doe if when they are in danger of drowning they willingly cast their Merchandize into the Sea to saue their liues they loue their liues better then their Merchandize So thinke thou with thy selfe that if vpon any occasion thou hadst rather loose thy temporall things or receiue any losse or hinderance in them as in thy Money thy Houses thy Cattell thy Wife thy Children yea thine owne body then commit any sinne by which thou must loose God then doubtlesse thou louest God more then all things aboue mentioned But contrarily if thou haddest rather sinne then loose these temporall things then certainly thou doest adore and serue these things more then God and thou art an Idolater And this doth our Sauiour affirme in the Gospell saying If any man come vnto me The rest touching this Commandement is before in the 1. Booke of the History of the Waldendes Chap. 4. and hateth not his Father and his Mother his Wife and Children his Brothers and Sisters yea and his owne soule hee cannot be my Disciple All such offend against this Commandement c. An Exposition of the 2. Commandement Tu ne te fer as image taillee c. Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image c. THou shalt make thee no Image cut out of stone or wood or any other thing which may be cut into any figure or picture or in any other manner whatsoeuer that is in Heauen aboue as the Angels the Sunne the Moone the Starres nor in the Earth beneath as Men and other Creatures as the Aegyptians doe nor in the waters as the Fish For the Philistines serued Dagon which was an Idol which had a head like a Fish Nor vnder the Earth as the Diuels as they of Acheron who worshipped Beelzebub Thou shalt not worship them by doing them outward reuerence nor serue them with inward reuerence Neither shalt thou doe any worke that may tend to the honour and reuerence of them So hee manifestly forbiddeth to make any grauen Image of any thing to the end to serue and adore it And therefore it is wonderfull that there are some that frame vnto themselues Figures and Images and attribute vnto them by their ignorance and against the Commandement of God the honour and reuerence which belongeth to one onely God Obiect But there are some that say that Images are Lay-mens Bookes who not being able to reade in Bookes may see that vpon a wall which they cannot reade Answer To whom wee may answer that the Lord saith to his Disciples in the fift Chapter of Saint Matthew Ye are the salt of the Earth the light of the World For the life and conuersation of the Pastors ought to be the Booke of their Flockes And if a man should grant that they are Bookes yet they are false and ill written For if Lay-people shall take example by those Images and figures of the liues of Saints it is most certaine that it is impossible For the Virgin Mary was an example of humility pouerty and chastity and they adorne her Image rather with vestments of pride then humility So that the Lay-people doe not reade in their habits humility but pride and auarice if they conforme themselues to the said Bookes corrupted and ill written For the Priests and the people in these dayes are couetous proud and luxurious and therefore they cause their Images to be pictured like themselues And therefore saith Dauid Thou thinkest foolishly that I am like vnto thee Obiect But there are others that say We worship the visible Images in honour of the inuisible God Answer This is false For if wee will truly honour the Image of GOD by doing good vnto men we serue and honour the Image of GOD For the Image of GOD is in euery man but the resemblance or likenesse of God is not in all but onely in those where the thought is pure and the soule humble But if we will truly honour God wee giue place vnto the truth that is to say wee doe good vnto men that are made after the Image of God we doe honour vnto God when we giue meate to those that hunger drink to those that thirst cloath to those that are naked And therefore what honour doe wee giue vnto God when we serue him in a stock or a stone when we adore idle Figures without soules as if there were some diuinity in them and contemne man who is the true Image of God Saint Chrysostome vpon Mathew saith That the Image of God cannot be painted or pictured in gold but figured in man The Money of Caesar is gold but the money of God is man And therefore if the Iewes were commanded vnder the Law that they should destroy all the figures and Images and addict themselues to one onely God as it is written in the first Booke of the Kings But Samuel said to all the House of Israel If you turne vnto the Lord with all your heart and remoue from you all your strange Gods and keepe your heart vnto the Lord and serue him onely he will deliuer you from the hands of the Philistines Much lesse then ought Christians to depend vpon such signes and Images which the Iewes did not but they ought rather to lift vp their affections vnto Christ who sitteth at the right hand of God An Exposition of the 3. Commandement Tu ne prendr as point le nom du Seigneur ton Dieu en vain c. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine c. IN this Commandement we are forbidden to sweare falsly vainely and by custome as it is written Leuit. 19. The man that is accustomed to sweare shall bee filled with iniquity and the plague shall not depart from his house An oath confesseth God to know the truth and it is to confirme a thing doubtfull for an oath is an act of Gods seruice and therefore they that sweare by the Elements doe sinne This is the reason why Christ Iesus forbiddeth vs to sweare by any thing neither by the heauen nor by the earth or any thing else but that our speech bee Yea yea and No no and whatsoeuer is otherwise is sinne And Saint Iames in the fift Chapter of his Epistle saith Aboue all things my brethren sweare not neither by heauen neither by the earth neither by any other oath lest ye fall into condemnation An Exposition of the 4. Commandement Souuienne toy du iour
bread Corporall and Spirituall By Corporall bread wee are to vnderstand our meates and drinkes and clothing and all things necessary for the body without which we cannot liue naturally The Spirituall Bread is the Word of God the Body of Christ without which the Soule cannot liue And of this Bread Christ spake vnto his Disciples Whosoeuer shall eate of this bread shall liue eternally And therefore it is the dutie of euery man in all humilitie to aske this Bread at Gods hands who can guie it him saying O our Father doe vs the grace and fauour that wee may obtaine by our iust labour the bread that is necessary for our bodies and to vse it with sobriety and measure yeelding thee alwayes thankes and praises and that wee may charitably bestow some part of them vpon the poore Moreouer we beseech thee that thou wilt bee pleased so to deale with vs that wee may vse this bread with sobriety to thy glory and the good both of body and soule For the Prophet Ezekiel saith Chap. 16.49 That fulnesse of bread and abundance of idlenesse was the cause of the iniquities and abominations of Sodom which were so great in the sight of God that he sent downe fire and brimstone to consume them Whereupon a certaine learned Father saith that costly apparrell superfluitie in diet play idlenesse and sleepe fatten the body nourish luxurie weaken the spirit and leade the soule vnto death but a spare diet labour short sleepe poore garments purifie the soule tame the body mortifie the lusts of the flesh and comfort the Spirit The spirituall Bread is the Word of God Of this Bread the Prophet speaketh Thy bread quickeneth mee And Christ saith in the Gospell Verily I say vnto you that the houre commeth when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare him shall liue And this is found true by this experience That is that many being dead in their sinnes hearing the Preaching of the Word of God haue departed quickned raised by the said Word of God betaken themselues to true repentance which giueth life This bread of the Word illuminateth the soule according to that of Dauid Psal 119.130 The entrance of thy word giueth light it giueth vnderstanding to the simple that is to say to the humble to the end they may know what to beleeue and to doe what to feare to flye to loue to hope This bread delighteth the soule more then honey and the honey-combe And therefore saith the Spouse Canticles 2. II. Let me heare thy voyce for sweete is thy voyce and thy countenance is comely There is another Spirituall Bread and that is the Body and Blood of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ In the Sacrament they that receiue it worthily receiue not onely grace but Christ the Sonne of God spiritually in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome Pardonna a nos li nostre debit o pecca coma nos per donnen a li nostre debitor o offendadors Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. IT should not seeme or bee grieuous to any man to forgiue his neighbour those offences hee hath committed against him For if all the offences which haue beene or can bee committed against all the men in the world were put into a ballance they would not weigh so much being put altogether as the least offence committed against God but the pride of man will not suffer men to thinke heereof neither to pardon their neighbours nor to receiue their pardon from God But a good Christian suffereth and gently pardoneth beseeching God that hee may not make requitall according to the euill his debtors or such as haue offended him haue deserued and that he will giue them grace to know their fault and withall true repentance to the end they may not bee damned and the wrongs done vnto him he accounteth as dreames in such manner that hee thinkes not of repaying them according to their merits nor desires to reuenge himselfe but to doe them seruice and to conuerse with them as before yea and with greater loue then if they were brethren And therefore hee that out of the crueltie of his heart will by no meanes forgiue his enemy or debtour cannot hope for pardon at Gods hand but rather eternall damnation For the Spirit of God hath spoken it and it is true Hee shall haue Iudgement without mercy that is not mercifull to others The affection and the will that thou hast towards thy debtour is the same which God hath in his place and ranke and thou canst hope for no other Non nos amenar en tentation c. And leade vs not into temptation c. VVEe are not to pray vnto God not to suffer vs to bee tempted For the Apostle Saint Paul saith None shall be crowned but he that fighteth against the world the flesh and the deuill And Saint Iames saith that he is blessed that endureth temptation For when hee hath past his tryall hee shall receiue a crowne of life For no man can resist the power of the deuill without the grace of God Wee must therefore pray with all humilitie and deuotion and continuall requests vnto our heauenly Father that wee fall not into temptations but so as that combating with them wee may get the victory and the Crowne by and through his grace which hee hath prepared to giue vnto vs. We are not to beleeue that he doth sooner heare or more willingly the Diuell then the Christian and according to that which the Apostle Saint Paul saith God is faithfull who suffereth vs not to bee tempted aboue our power Mas desliora nos del mal c. But deliuer vs from euill c. THat is to say Deliuer vs from a wicked will to sinne from the temporall and eternall paines of the deuill that wee may bee deliuered from his infinite toyles and trumperies AMEN This last word noteth vnto vs the feruent desire of him that prayeth that that thing may bee granted vnto him that hee asketh And this word Amen is as much as if he should say So bee it and it may bee put after all our Petitions VVhat the Waldenses and Albingenses haue beleeued and taught touching the Sacraments CHAP. VI. Sacrament second lo dire de Sanct Augustin c. A Sacrament according to the saying of Saint Augustine in his Booke of the Citie of God is an inuisible grace represented by a visible thing Or a Sacrament is a signe of a holy thing There is great difference betwixt the bare Sacrament and the cause of the Sacrament euen as much as betweene signe and the thing signified For the cause of the Sacrament is the Diuine grace and the merit of Iesus Christ crucified who is the raysing of those that were fallen This cause of the Sacrament is Powerfully Essentially and by authority in God and in Iesus Christ Meritoriously For by the cruell Passion and effusion of his Bloud he
and that not so as that it should not bee sufficient but in such a maner as that there should not remaine therein any vncleannesse but that it should bee a glorious Church in such sort that there should bee therein neither spot nor wrinckle nor any such thing but that it should bee holy and vndefiled And this testimony of washing the Spouse of Christ in his Blood is not onely currant heere vpon earth but in heauen too by those that haue obtained the actuall washing of whom it is said in the Reuelation Chap. 7. These are they which came out of great tribulation and haue washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lambe Therefore are they before the Throne of God and serue him day and night Thus you see how many purgings may be gathered out of the Scriptures to prooue that they that trauell in this life are heere purged of their sinnes In the third place we thinke it a great deale the surer way that euery man doe so liue in this present world that hee may haue no need afterwards of any purgation For it is a great deale better to doe good in this present life then afterwards to hope for an vncertaine helpe And it is a surer course that what good a man hopes shall be done vnto him by others after his death he doe it himselfe whilst he liueth being a more happy thing to depart a free-man then to seeke his liberty after he is bound Moreouer besides that which hath beene hitherto spoken we say that there is no place in Scripture to be found nor amongst the Doctours grounded vpon the Scriptures that doth make good vnto vs that the faithfull are any way bound by any necessity to beleeue or publikely to confesse as an Article of their faith that there is any such place as Purgatory after this life wherein after the ascension of Christ into Heauen the soules especially of those that shall be saued not hauing satisfied in this life for their sinnes endure sensible paines when they are departed of their bodies and thereby are purged of which soules some depart out of Purgatory sooner some later then others and some a little before others at the day of Iudgement And first as touching the Scriptures no man can prooue it by them For it is manifest that if a man shall reade the whole Law he shall neuer finde therein any one place of Scripture that bindeth a Christian necessarily to beleeue as an Article of his faith that there is after this life any place called Purgatory as some doe affirme And there is no place in the whole Volume of the Booke of God which doth so much as name it neither was there euer any soule found that hath entred the same Purgatory and came out againe There is no man bound therefore to beleeue it or to hold it to be an Article of our faith For confirmation heereof Saint Augustine in his Booke intituled A thousand words writes thus We beleeue according to the Catholike faith and diuine authority that the Kingdome of heauen is the first place wherein Baptisme is receiued The second is that wherein such as are excommunicates and strangers to the Faith of Christ endure euerlasting torments As for a third place we are altogether ignorant of any neither doe wee finde it in the Scriptures The same Saint Augustine in the same place vpon these words They shall not inherite the kingdome of God writeth thus O my brethren let no man deceiue himselfe for there are onely two places and a third is not to be found For hee that deserueth not to reigne with Christ shall without all doubt perish with the deuill And to this purpose Saint Chrysostome writing vpon those words in the 12. by Saint Matthew The Kingdome of heauen is like vnto a man that is an housholder saith thus The man that is the father of the family is Christ vnto whom heauen and earth are as a house but his families are celestiall and terrestriall for whom he buildeth a house with three Chambers that is hell heauen and earth The Combatants are they that dwell vpon the earth the vanquished in hell and the Conquerours in heauen Let vs saith hee that are in the middle roome take heed wee descend not to those that are in hell but rather mount vpward to those that are in heauen By these authorities you may plainely see that there are onely two certaine places after the ascension of Christ into heauen into which the soules departed out of their bodies doe goe and that there is no third place neither can it be found in the Scriptures And therefore forasmuch as in the whole Law of God there is no expresse mention of any such place as Purgatory is and the Apostles haue giuen vs no instructions touching the same and the Primatiue Church gouerned by the Apostles according to the Gospell haue left vs no Ordinances or Commandements but that Pope Pelagius fiue hundred fiftie eight yeeres after Christ did ordayne as wee may reade that the dead should bee remembred in the Masse it followeth that since there is no expresse proofe thereof in the Law of God there is no necessity to beleeue the sayd Purgatory as an Article of our faith or that there is any such place after this life But heere is matter of doubt because men in these dayes are strangely affected to the helpe and ayde of the dead notwithstanding that in all the Scripture there be nothing expresly taught except in the Booke of Macchabees which is no part of the Old Testament nor Canonicall And that neither Christ nor the Prophets nor the Apostles nor the Saints neere their time haue euer taught to pray for the dead but haue rather carefully taught that the people that liue vnblameably shall bee Saints And therefore answering to the doubt aboue-mentioned wee say that the principall cause of this doting affection proceedeth from the deceit and trumperies and auarice of the Priests who haue not taught the people as the Prophets of Christ nor as his Apostles to liue well but to offer much and to place their hope of deliuerance and happinesse in Purgatory CHAP. III. Of the Inuocation of Saints WEe are now to speake of prayer vnto Saints which certaine great Masters with their followers preach vnto the people extolling and publishing it with great diligence as an Article of their Faith affirming that the Saints that are in their celestiall Countrey are to be prayed vnto by vs in the selfe same manner as the Priests were accustomed to doe and other of the people by their instruction enioyning them many other things as helpes to their Inuocation By which Inuocation authorization and magnification the people carnally erroneously beleeue it Imagining that as it is the manner and practice before earthly Kings when they are angry that such as are not in choller should intercede for them and pacifie their anger so the people thinke it is so with God