Matchlesse Crueltie DECLARED At large in the ensuing History of the WALDENSES Apparently manifesting unto the World the horrible Persecutions which they have suffered by the Papists for the space of four hundred and fifty years Wherein is related their Original and Beginning their Piety and Purity in RELIGION both for Doctrine and Discipline LIKEWISE Hereunto is added an exact Narrative of the late Bloody and Barbarous Massacres Murders and other unheard of Cruelties committed on many thousands of the Protestants dwelling in the Valleys of PIEDMONT c. by the Duke of Savoy's Forces joyned with the French Army and several bloody Irish Regiments Published by Command of his Highness the Lord Protector LONDON Printed for Edward Brewster at the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1655. THE HISTORIE OF THE WALDENSES COMMONLY CALLED IN ENGLAND LOLLARDS The first Booke CHAP. I. That God in all times hath raised vp labourers for the gathering together of his Saints At what time Valdo began to teach and with what fruite what he was and all they that from his name are called Waldenses GOD hath neuer left himselfe without witnesses but from time to time he raiseth vp instruments to publish his grace enriching them with necessarie gifts for the edification of his Church giuing them his holy Spirit for their guide and his truth for a rule to the end they may discerne the Church which began in Abel from that which began in Caine As also teaching them to define the Church by the faith and the faith by the Scriptures strengthening them in the middest of their greatest persecutions and making them to know that the crosse is profitable so long as the faithfull change by that meanes earth for heauen and the children of God are not lost when being massacred and cast into the fire by a course of iustice we may find in their bloud and ashes the seed of the Church That which hath bene obserued in all ages hath after a more particular manner appeared amongst those Christians that are called Waldenses who were raised in a time when Satan held men in ignorance hauing wrapt the greatest part of those that call themselues Christians in that great sinne of the world I meane Idolatrie Kings and Princes imploying their authoritie for the establishment thereof appointing all those to the slaughter that would exempt themselues from the wounds due vnto Idolaters This was about the yeare of our Lord a thousand one hundred and threescore at what time the punishment of death was inflicted vpon all those that did not beleeue that the words of consecration being pronounced by the Priest the body of our Lord Iesus Christ was in the Hoste vnder the accidents of the bread the roundnesse and whitenesse yea the very bodie as great and as large as it was vpon the crosse the bread vanishing and being transsubstantiated into the flesh of Christ At what time it was likewise enioyned to adore the Hoste to crouch vnto it to bow the knees before it yea it was called God and men did beate their breasts before it and locked it vp in a boxe to worship it as they still vse euen at this day This doctrine being altogether vnknowne to the Apostles who neuer spake word of any such mysterie as also in the Primitiue Church wherein there was neuer any Doctor that taught this expiatorie sacrifice for the liuing and for the dead occasioned many Christians to enter into a detestation thereof chusing rather to suffer a temporall death by resisting such Idolatrie then by consenting thereunto to suffer in hell Peter Valdo a citizen of Lions shewed himselfe most couragious in the opposition of this inuention Guido de Perignan in the flower of Chronicles taxing therewithall diuerse other corruptions which with time crept into the Church of Rome affirming that she had lost the faith of Iesus Christ that she was that whore of Babylon that barren fig-tree which our Sauiour had long before cursed That we were not to obey the Pope in as much as he was not the head of the Church That Monkerie was a stinking carrion and the marke of the Beast That Purgatorie Masses dedication of Temples worshipping of Saints commemoration of the dead were no other then the inuentions of the diuell and the snares of Auarice Valdo was so much the more attentiuely hearkned vnto See the Sea of Histories fol. 203. Claud. Rubis in his historie of the Citie of Lions p. 269. because he was in high esteeme 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 The Catal. of witnesses of the truth p. 535. Simon de Noion in his booke of the names of the Doctors of the Church with which sudden accident all that were present being strangely affrighted 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 an 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
suffice to shew that they were very far from this diabolicall affection to debase themselues by incests The sinne of luxury is very pleasing to the diuell Their booke of the remedie against the sinne of luxury Chap 21. displeasing vnto God and iniurious against our neighbours because therein a man obeyeth the basest part of his bodie rather then God who hath preserued it A foolish woman doth not onely take from a man his good but himselfe too He that is giuen to this vice keepes faith to no man and therefore Dauid caused his faithfull seruant to be slaine that he might enioy his wife Amon defiled his sister Tamar This vice cōsumes the heritage of many as it is said of the prodigall child that he wasted his goods liuing luxuriously Balaam made choise of this sinne to prouoke the children of Israel to sinne by occasion whereof there died twenty foure thousand persons This sinne was the cause of the blindnesse of Sampson it peruerted Salomon and many haue perished by the beautie of a woman Prayer and fasting and distance of place are the remedies against this sinne For a man may ouercome other vices by combating with them but in this a man is neuer victorious but by flying from it and not approching neare vnto it where of we haue an example in Ioseph It is therefore our duties to pray daily to the Lord that he will keepe vs farre from the sinne of luxury and giue vs vnderstanding and chastitie Against the second imposture See their book of Vertues in the Chapter of marriage that they maintaine that a man may put away his wife when it pleaseth him they say that marriage is a knot that cannot be vntyed but by death except it be for fornication as our Sauiour Christ saith And Saint Paul 1. Corinth 7. saith That the wife is not to depart from her husband nor the husband from his wife To the third calumnie See the booke of the Waldenses intituled of vertues in the Chapter of mariage touching the communitie of goods and wiues they say concerning marriage that it was ordained by God long since in the terrestriall Paradise and that it is a good remedie against whoredome And that Saint Paul speaking thereof saith Let euery man haue his wife and euery woman her husband As also that the husband ought to loue his wife as Christ loued his Church and that the married couple ought to liue together in holinesse with their children bringing them vp in the feare of God As touching goods euery man hath possessed his owne proper substance at all times and in all places In Dauphiney It appeareth by the proces that we haue in our hands by which it appeares that Lewes the 12. of that name condemned the vsurpers of the goods of the Waldenses to a restitution It appeares by the treatises of Meneobe and other instances made by the Waldenses of Prouence when the Archbishops of Ambrun Iohn and Rostain had spoiled them of their goods when the Lord of Argentiere and Montainar and Arreas of Bonne had dispossessed the Waldenses that dwelt in the valley of Fraissimere and of Argentiere of their goods and possessions the restitution of euery mans inheritance was prosecuted by the particular persons from whom they had taken them The Waldenses of Prouence do demand at this present of the Pope the goods and lands which haue bene annexed to their demaine and taken from them by confiscation euery particular person making faith for euery part and parcell of goods and lands which had descended vpon them from their ancestors the Waldenses time out of mind they neuer hauing had any such communitie amongst them that might any way derogate from that lawfull proprietie which euery one had to his owne lands The fourth calumnie was touching Baptisme which In the booke of the Waldenses intituled the Spiritual Almanacke fol. 45. it is said they denied to little infants but from this imputation they quit themselues as followeth The time and place of those that are to be baptized is not ordained but the charitie and edification of the Church and congregation must serue for a rule therein c. And therefore they to whom the children were nearest allied brought their infants to be baptized as their parents or any other whom God had made charitable in that kind True it is that being constrained for some certaine hundred yeares to suffer their children to be baptized by the Priests of the Church of Rome they deferred the doing thereof as long as they could possibly because they had in detestation those humane inuentions which were added to that holy Sacrament which they held to be but pollutions therof And forasmuch as their Pastors which they called Barbes were many times abroad imployed in the seruice of their Churches they could not haue the Sacrament of Baptisme administred to their infants by their owne Ministers for this cause they kept them long from Baptisme which the Priests perceiuing and taking notice of charged them thereupon with this imposture which not onely their aduersaries haue beleeued but diuerse others who haue well approued of their life and faith in all other points The fifth calumnie was that they adored their Pastors prostrating themselues before them To iustifie the Waldenses from this imposture there needs no more but that the Reader will be pleased to take the paines to reade that which they haue written touching the adoration of one onely God in the exposition that they made in the booke of their doctrine vpon the first Comman dement of the Law of God There you shall find that they haue giuen much honour euen to their Pastors as vnto those that keepe the word of Reconciliation entertaining them charitably accompting themselues obliged thereunto for conscience sake but that they euer had any intention to giue that worship to the creature that is onely due vnto the Creator can neuer be made good but by way of calumnie It appeareth by the processe formed by the said Albert against the Waldenses of the Alpes Howsoeuer Albert de Capitaneis their deadly enemie in the Diocesse of Turin would haue extorted from them that they adored their Pastors which he could neuer enforce them to confesse The sixt calumnie was that they maintained that it was not lawfull to sweare at all They say and affirme In their booke intituled the Spirituall Almanacke in the exposition of the third commandement that there are lawfull oathes tending to the honour of God and the edification of our neighbours alledging that place in the 6. Heb. 16. That men sweare by the greater and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife As also they alledge that it was enioyned the people of Israel to sweare by the name of the eternall God Deut. 6.13 and the examples of those oathes that past betweene Abimelec and Isaac Gen. 26.31 and the oath of Iacob Gen. 31.53 The seuenth calumnie was to make
he gathered them together and kept them carefully which he did the more commodiously for that as he saith he conuersed with them almost for the space of fortie yeares which was about some fourescore yeares past For it was about the end of his dayes that he deliuered to some particular persons his said Memorials which he had gathered touching the Waldenses and all those ancient bookes which he had collected in their vallies touching the substance of which he thus speaketh We haue saith he certaine ancient bookes of the Waldenses tontaining Catechismes and Sermons Ibid. p. 3. which are manuscripts written in the vulgar tongue wherein there is nothing that makes for the Pope or poperie And it is wonderfull saith he that they saw so clearely in those times of darknes more grosse then that of Egypt Le Sieur de Saint Ferriol Pastor in the Church of Orange being carried with an holy curiositie gathered together many of the said bookes In his first table p. 153. which he shewed to le Sieur de S. Aldegonde who made mention of them in his first table wherein he saith that there are other manuscripts written in a very ancient letter in the Library of M. Ioseph de la Scale Now all the bookes hereunder mentioned being deliuered vnto me to furnish me with proofes for this Historie I will reduce into this Catalogue First we haue in our hands a new Testament in parchment in the Waldenses language very well written though with a very ancient letter Also there is a booke intituled the Antechrist which thus begins Qual cosa sia l' Antechrist en datte de l'an mille cent vingt In the same volume there are contained diuers Sermons of the Pastors of the Waldenses With a Treatise against sinne and the remedies to resist sinne Also a booke entituled The booke of Vertues In that volume there is another Treatise with this inscription De l'enseignament de li filli that is to say of the Instructions of children A Treatise of Mariage A Treatise entituled Li parlar de li Philosophes Doctors that is sentences of Philosophers and Doctors All which bookes are written in the language of the Waldenses which is partly Prouenciall and partly Piemontaine All of them sufficient to instruct their people to liue well and to beleeue well the doctrine of all which bookes being conformable to that which is taught and beleeued at this present in all the reformed Churches From hence we conclude that that doctrine that hath bene maintained in our times against humane inuentions is not new but to those that haue buried it wilfully or whose ancestors haue detested it out of their ignorance of the goodnesse thereof there being found diuers writings and that in great number which make good that for these foure hundred and fiftie yeares the doctrine of the reformed Churches is the selfesame which for many ages hath bene buried by ignorance and ingratitude Which our aduersaries themselues haue in some sort auouched when they say and confesse that that doctrine which they call new is but the substance of the errors of the ancient Waldenses as may appeare by their owne writings from whence we haue gathered that which remaineth in the Chapter following CHAP. VIII That the aduersaries of the Waldenses haue acknowledged that the doctrine of the Waldenses is conformable to that of those that at this present make profession of reformation LIndanus makes Caluin an inheritor or heire of the doctrine of the Waldenses Lindan in his a naliticke tables The Cardinall Hosius saith Hosius in his fit booke of the herefles of our times that the leprosie of the Waldenses hath infected all Bohemia at what time following the doctrine of Waldo the greatest part of the kingdome of Bohemia was separated from the Church of Rome Gwaltier Monke the Iesuite Gwalt in his Chro. table sec 12. Chap. 15. pa. 494. in his Chronographicall table or to speake otherwise in his mole-hill of lyes makes the Waldenses and those they call the poore abused and the Ministers of Caluin to be of one and the same beleefe in twentie seuen Articles Claud. Rubis saith Claud. Rubis in his historie of the Citie of Lions lib. 3. pa. 269. Syluius and Duhrauius in their Histories of Bohemia Tho. Wal. in his 6. volume of things sacramē tall Tit. 12. Chap. 10. Le Sicur de la Popeliniere in his hihorie of France l. 1. that the heresies that haue bene in our times haue bene grounded vpon the heresies of the Waldenses and he cals them the reliques of Waldo Aeneas Syluius who was afterwards Pope Ptus the second of that name And Iohn Dubrauius Bishop of Olmusse in their histories of Bohemia make the doctrine taught by Caluin all one with that of the Waldenses Thomas Walden who writ against the doctrine of Wicklisse faith that the doctrine of Waldo crept out of the quarters of France into England Whereunto agrees le Sieur de la Popeliniere who addeth that the doctrine of the moderne Protestants differs very little from that of the Waldenses which saith he being receiued into the parts of Aibi the Albigeois communicated it vnto the English their neighbours who then held Guienne from whence it was dispersed into many parts of England and so at the last as it were from hand to hand it came to the vnderstanding of Wickliffe a famous professour of diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Oxford and Pastor of the parish of Luterworth in the Diocesse of Lincolne who for his eloquence and rare gifts wonne the hearts of many of the English euen of the greatest men amongst them insomuch that a certaine scholler carried vnto Prage a booke of Wickliffes called the Vniuersalities which being diligently read ouer by Iohn Hus he increased and explaned the doctrine long before sowed in Bohemia by the Waldenses and was in a manner hid from the time of Waldo in such sort that many of the people schollers Nobles and Ecclesiasticall persons themselues followed the same doctrine The Cardinall Bellarmine saith Bellar. Tom. 2. lib. 1. Chap. 26. col 86. Ecchius in his commonplaces Chap. 28. that Wickliffe could adde nothing to the heresie of the Waldenses Ecchius layes an imputation vpon Luther that he hath done nothing else but renew the heresies of the Waldenses Albig Wicklesse and Iohn Hus long since condemned Alphonsus de Castro saith Alphonsus lib. 6. against heresies pa. 99. that Wickliffe hath done nothing else but brought to light the errours of the Waldenses Arnold Sorbin priest of Monteig reprocheth the cities and townes of Saint Antonin Montauban Millan In the historie Frier Peter of the valleys Sernay fol. 172. Castres Puylorens Gaillac and others of the Albigei and Languedoc that they haue done nothing but reuiue the errours of the Albigeois Iohn de Cardonne in his Rimes in the forefront of the historie of the said Monke of the valley Sernay saith thus In the historie of the Monke
vna chascuna persona Dio o Seignor enaimi per Catholica Religion nos sen defendu dire esser tres Dios ni tres Seignors Lo Filli es sol del Paire non faict ni crea ma engenra lo Sanct Esperit es del Paire del Filli non fait ni crea ni engenra ma procedent Donc lo es vn Paire non tres Paires vn Filli non tres filli vn Sanct Esperit non tres Sanct Esperits En aquesta Trinita alcunna cosa non es premiera ni derniera alcuna cosa maior o menor ma totas tres personas entre lor son ensem Eternals eygals Enaimi que per totas cosas coma esdict de sobre la sia dhonorar la Trinita en Vnita l'Vnita en Trinita Donc aquel que vol esser fait salf senta enaima de la Trinita Ma a la salut eternal es necessari creyre fidelment l'encarnation del nostre Seignor Iesus Christ Donc la fe dreita es que nos crean confessan que lo nostre Seignor Iesus Christ filli de Dio es Dio home Et es Dio engendra auant li segle de la substantia del Paire es home na al segle de la substantia de la Maire essent perfect Dio perfect home d'anima rational d'humana carn aigal del Paire second la Diuinita menor second l'humanita Loqual iaciaço quel sia Dio home emperço lo es vn Christ non dui ma vn non per conuersion de la Diuinita en carn ma propiament de la Humanita en Dio vn totalment non per confusion de la Diuinita en carn ma propiament de la humanita en Dio vn totalment non per confusion de substantia ma per vnita de personas Car enaima larma rational la carn es vn home enaima Dio home es vn Christ loqual est passionna per la nostra salut descende en li enfern lo ters iorn resuscite de li mort monté en li cel see a la dextra de Dio lo Paire Omnipotent Daqui es a venir iugear li vio li mort A laduenament delqual tuit an a resuscitar cum li lor corps son a rendre raçon de li lor propi faict Et aquilli que auran faict ben anaren en vita eterna aquilli que aurant faict mal anaran al fuoc eternal The beliefe of the Waldenses is sufficiently knowne by that which is contained in the pure holy doctrines of their confessions aboue mentioned and yet neuerthelesse it is for the same that they haue bene persecuted for the space of foure hundred and fiftie yeares still should be if they liued neare those places where humane inuentions are preferred before the word of God For though Satan be confounded and his kingdome dissipated by the brightnesse of the Gospell yet he ceasseth not to hold those vnder the yoke of Idolatrie whose vnderstandings he hath blinded and to keepe them by violence vnder the tyrannie of his lawes hiding that ignorance and errour that men do naturally loue in those darknesses wherein they take pleasure But as it hath not pleased the eternall God that the faith of his seruants and Martyrs should be buried so it likewise pleaseth him that their constancie should be made manifest for our edification and example And this is the reason why hauing shewed in the first booke that the Waldenses beleeued to saluation what was necessary I haue thought good to publish in the second booke that which is come to my knowledge of their sufferings for righteousnesse The end of the first Booke PART OF THE CATALOGVE OF the Waldenses bookes being accidentally omitted in page 44. after the 30. line are here inserted as followeth A Commentarie or paraphrase vpon the Symbole of the Apostles A Treatise of the Sacraments A Commentarie or Paraphrase vpon the Commandements A Commentarie vpon the Lords prayer A Treatise of Fasting A Treatise of Tribulation A little Catechisme intituled Interogations menors A Treatise against dancing and tauernes A Treatise of foure things to come that is to say death vnto all eternall life to the good hell to the wicked and the last iudgement A Treatise entituled Del Purgatori soima that is to say Of the dreame or inuention of Purgatory A Treatise against the inuocation of Saints We haue also a booke very ancient whereof the title is Aeyço es la causa del nostre dispartimēt de la Gleisa Romana That is to say This is the cause of our separation from the Church of Rome In this volume there is an Epistle or Apologie of the Waldenses entituled La Epistola al Serenissimo Rey Lancelau a li Ducs Barons a li plus veil del regne lo petit tropel de li Christians appella per fals nom falsamente P. O.V. that is to say Poore or Waldenses There is also a booke wherein there are many Sermons of their Barbes and an Epistle called The Epistle to our friends containing many excellent doctrines to teach all sorts of people how to leade their liues in all ages In the same volume there is a booke entituled Sacerdotium wherein is shewed what is the charge of a good Pastor and what the punishment of a wicked There is also come to our hands a booke of poetry in the Waldensian tongue wherein are these Treasties following A prayer entituled New comfort A rithme of the foure sorts of seeds mentioned in the Gospell Another entituled Barque And one called The noble lesson In his first Table p. 153. of which book Le Sieur de Saint Aldegonde makes mention We haue also an excellent Treatise entituled Vergier de consolation containing many good instructions confirmed by the Scriptures and diuers authorities of the Ancients Also an old Treatise in parchment entituled Of the Church and another called The Treasurie and light of faith Also a booke entituled The spirituall Almanacke Also a booke in parchment Of the meanes to separate things precious from the base contemptible that is to say vertues from vices Also the booke of George Morel wherein are contained all the questions which George Morel and Peter Masçon moued to Oecolampadius and Bucer touching religion and the answers of the said parties THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE HISTORY OF THE WALDENSES Containing that which is come to our knowledge of the grieuous persecutions which they haue endured for their Faith for the space of more then foure hundred and fifty yeeres CHAP. I. By whom the Waldenses haue been persecuted for what by what meanes and in what times THE Waldenses haue had no greater enemies then the Popes Rainerius of the Waldenses because saith the Monk Rainerius that amongst all those that haue raised themselues against the Church of Rome the Waldenses haue been alwaies the most dangerous and pernicious insomuch that they haue resisted him for a long time as
and little returned home to their old habitations which they built and repaired at such times as they could by the benefit of the aforesaid Edicts and were afterwards the seed of many goodly Churches which at this day are gathered together flourishing in all piety and zeale as other Churches in the Kingdome of France CHAP. IX Of the Waldenses that did flie into Bohemia and those persecutions which they suffred that haue come to our knowledge DIuers haue written Albertus de Capitaneis lib. de origine Waldensium Thuanus in historia sui temporis pa. 457. Petrus Valdus eorum Antesignanus patria relictain Belgium venit atque in Picardiam quam hodie vocant multos sectatores nâ—etus cum inde in Germaniam transisset per Vandalicas ciuitates diu diuersatus est ac postremo in Bohemia consedit See what is said of these two Barbes before in the first booke Chap. 9. that Waldo at his departure from Lion came into Dauphine and from thence hauing erected and ordered some Churches and laid the foundations of them which haue been miraculously preserued vnto this present time he went into Languedoc and there he left excellent Pastors who ordered and instructed those Churches that afterwards cost the Pope and his Clergy so much to destroy and from thence he went into Picardy from whence being chased he tooke his iourney into Germany and from Germany he retired himselfe into Bohemia where according to the opinion of some he ended his dayes The Waldenses inhabiting in Dauphine Piedmont and Prouence haue had communion and incelligence with their Brethren retired into Bohemia for proofe whereof we haue the message of Daniel de Valence and Iohn de Molin Pastors in Bohemia who did much hurt to the Churches of that Country by reuealing vnto the aduersaries those flockes or companies which before were hidden and vnknowne because of the great and grieuous persecutions that then were We haue also a certaine Apology of the Waldenses of Bohemia in the Waldensian tongue Vineaux in his memor fol. 15 in the forme of a Letter which they wirt to King Ladislaus wherof the Inscription is Al Serenissimo Princi Rey Lancelao A li Duc Barons a li plus veil del Regne Lo petit tropel de li Christians appella per falce nom falsament Pauuers o Valdes Gratia siaen Die lo Paire en Iesus lo Filli de luy This Letter makes proofe of the Communion which the Waldenses of Dauphine haue had with those of Bohemia in that they haue had in their language this Letter which containes a iust Apology against those impostures and other faults which in former times haue been imputed to the one and to the other and haue been common with the Christians of the primitiue Church We haue also in the same volume a treatise the inscription whereof is this Aico es la causa del nostre despartiment de la Gleisa Romana That is to say This is the cause of our separation from the Church of Rome Causes which haue been common with all those that haue withdrawen themselues from that Church for feare of participating of her plagues The Author of the Catalogue of witnesses of the truth Flac. Ill. in catal test verit p. 116. makes mention of a certaine forme of Inquisition which was practised against the Waldenses of Bohemia vnder King Iohn which was about the yeere 1330. As also in another Inquisition this is noted that the Waldenses of Bohemia sent into Lombardy to the Waldensian Doctors those whom they would haue trained vp in the profession of Diuinity In the treatise of the beginning of the Churches of Bohemia Lib. de origine EcclesiaruÌ„ Bohemiae pa. 273. Sed cum oppressae tyrannide Pontisicia conuentus publicos nullos haberent neque scripta horum extarent vllâ— ignotae nostris prorsus fuere Esrom Rudiger in narratiâ—ncula de Ecclesijs fratrum in Bohemia Valdenses ad minimum CCXL annis originem nostram antecedunt at what time the doctrine of Iohn Hus was there receiued the Pastors Ancients and faithfull of Bohemia say that the Waldensian Churches of Bohemia had been oppressed by the tyranny of the Pope in such manner that they had no more assemblies and that there were no more of their writings to be found in Bohemia Esrom Rudiger in his treatise of the Churches of Bohemia saith that the Waldenses haue had their Churches at the least two hundred and forty yeeres before those of the Hussites and though he confesse that their beliefe was one and the same yet he affirmeth that there was not in their times any memory of their Churches but onely of those that were in France at Merindoll and the places neere adioyning And that when they sent to Bohemia to ioyne themselues vnto them in the confession of their faith they enquired of them whether they made any publike profession of the truth and when they had vnderstood that there were some amongst them that sometimes frequented Papisticall Churches and were present at those idolatries that were there committed they did bitterly reprehend them for it And therefore they that haue answered vnder the name of the Waldenses See the Confession of the Waldenses in the Catalogue rerum expetendarum Lib de orig confess Eccl. Pohem Scimus quod multi boni viri veritatis Euangelicae instaurata cultares sectate res pij seducti indicationibus falsis criminationib aduer sariorum pro Valdensib nos habeant Ibid. Hoc quidem constat multum in ipsis lucis fuisse de plerisque eos rectè sensisse docuisse propter veritatem grauigima perpesso in Gallia in primis Aeneas Siluius in his history of the Taborites and haue brought vnto light their confession which at this day is to be found in the Catalogue of things to be desired are not any of the Waldenses but one of those that by way of reproach were afterwards so called and they haue not been ashamed of that name assuring themselues of the purity of their doctrine And this notwithstanding they reuiue againe this common opinion when they affirme that they know well that there are many good men that follow and loue the truth of the Gospell who being deceiued by false markes and notes whereby they haue described vs say they haue held vs for Waldenses And euen there to they giue this testimony of the Waldenses that there is in them much light and knowledge and that they haue well vnderstood and purely taught many things yea and that they haue suffered much for the truth especially in France And so they desired to be distinguished from them to the end that if it were obserued that the Waldenses had done much for the establishment of the truth in their times that it might likewise be knowne that the Hussites haue not done little in their time Aeneas Syluius reporteth of one Iames de Misne and Peter de Dreze disciples of the Waldenses
modo examinandi Hereticos fol. 130. which he was bound to pay to the Conuents and others they cause him to ordaine that euery one of his subiects that make profession of the beleefe of the Albingenses shall furnish him with a Marke of siluer Which was to perswade him that he should not thinke this imposition to be strange because the Albingenses onely were to pay the said summes As also by this meanes they made proofe of all his subiects for as soone as they found any that refused to pay the said Marke it was a kinde of inquisition whereby to take notice of all those that afterwards were to be persecuted And that they that persisted in their Religion should bee punished and condemned to death their goods confiscated their last wills and testaments to be of no force so that their children nor any of the kindred should euer recouer their inheritances That their houses should bee vtterly razed and destroyed Item hee ordaineth that all they that shall denie the Inquisitors their houses granges and woods or shall defend the Heretikes deliuer them when they should apprehend them and refuse to giue aid and assistance to the Inquisitors or to defend them when they shall require it or shall not vse their best endeuours to keepe those that are taken by the said Inquisitors shall be corporally punished and their goods confiscate Item that they that are suspected of Heresie shall sweare to liue in the Catholike faith and abiure their Heresie and if they shall refuse to doe it they are to endure the same punishment that the Heretikes doe That if after the oath taken it doe appeare that they haue receiued fauored or counselled any Heretike they shall vndergoe the punishment that the Councell hath ordained Item we ordaine saith he that if it shall appeare that any that hath offended shall die an Heretike and that it shall bee lawfully proued before the Bishop that all his goods be confiscated and that the houses wherein they shall inhabit after the treatie of peace made at Paris or shall dwell in hereafter shall be vtterly razed Thus you see what they caused the Earle Remond to ordaine and to seale vnto and at the same time they began to destroy and ouerthrow by peecemeale those they could neuer make to staggar in grosse being vnited together Moreouer to giue the better authority to the Inquisition they called a councell at Toulouze in the yeare 1229. whereat the Archbishop of Narbonnes Bourdeaux Auch and diuers other Bishops and Prelates were present wherein amongst other Articles that were concluded vpon this one shewes by what Spirit these Prelates were led We forbid say they the permission of the bookes of the old and new Testament to all Lay-people The seuenth Article of the Councell of Toulouze except peraduenture they will haue the Psalter or some Breutarie for the Diuine office or the Prayer booke of the blessed Virgin Marie for deuotion Forbidding expresly that they haue not the said bookes turned into the vulgar tongue Pope Gregory the ninth did also make constitutions at the same time against the Albingenses and especially because he would stop the mouthes of the Pastors of the Albingenses who discredited their humane inuentions He ordained that all and euery one of the Lay-people of what quality or office soeuer should be interdicted from preaching King Lewis the ninth made also statutes conformable to those of the Earle Remond as also the Emperor Frederick which we produce not that we may not weary the reader and so much the rather because all of them proceeding from one source hee that hath seene the one hath seene al for they al tend to no other end but to make the Kings Princes Emperours and Potentates of the world to seale and set to their hands to whatsoeuer they found fitting to persecute those that resisted the ordinances of the Popes neither did they dare to refuse to doe it vpon paine that the selfe-same constitutions should be executed against them Now after the treatie made with the Earle Remond hee remained a prisoner vntill the payment of the summes specified therein and in the meane time Master Peter de Colmieu Vice-Legat tooke his iourney to Toulouze to bring the Citie vnder the obedience of the King and caused the Walls to be razed and the Towers to bee beaten downe to the end they might haue no more meanes to rebell against the King He brought likewise to the Queene-mother Ioan the only daughter of the Earle Remond being of the age of nine yeeres to the end she might bee brought vp with her vntill she were of yeeres sufficient to marry Alphonsus brother to King Lewis The remouall of this young Princesse did much afflict the subiects of the Earle Remond for seeing that this change of domination would bring with it an alteration of their peace as it came to passe CHAP. VIII The Earle Remond of Toulouze solliciteth the Earle of Foix to range himselfe vnder the obedience of the Pope What practises he vseth to make him forsake the part of the Albingenses and hee suffereth himselfe to be handled by the Popes Legat. THe Earle of Foix of Comminges and the Prince of Bearne were yet to be conquered or wonne by practises The Legat Colmieu thought the Earle Remond a fit instrument to worke the latter of the two and therefore he commandeth him to write to the Earle of Foix That he should follow his example or resolue miserably to perish Hee writ vnto him in louing termes That the vnion that had alwaies beene betwixt their houses did binde him to procure their good as his owne that if he did not yeeld himselfe into the bosome of the Church of Rome hee saw such a tempest like to fall vpon him that it must needs ouerwhelme him That hauing so great an enemie as a King of France hee could not possibly stand out Hee therefore entrcated him to receiue his counsell and withall the gift that hee bestowed on him for a farther proofe of his loue that is if hee would conforme himselfe to this submission to the Pope and the Church of Rome hee would hold him from this day forward quit of that homage which hee anciently did vnto him for the Earledome of Foix. Hee likewise entreated him to procure the like submission from the Earle of Comminge and the Prince of Bearne The Answer of the Earle of Foix was That hee could not forsake his part nor his beleefe in a time wherein hee should giue men occasion to thinke that hee had more feare than reason and that it was necessary for so fruitfull a change such as they expected of him that the truth should ouercome not the allurements of promises nor the violence of armes That he would see that world of Pilgrims come that was threatned and he did trust in God that hee should make them to know the iustice of his cause and deplore the temeritie of their vow The Earle Remond was not satisfied with this
speakes of a sorcerer he cals him Vadois And that which is more he takes vpon him to proue that they are so To which temeritie it shall be necessarie to answer in his due place where they shall be cleared from all those impostures which their enemies haue layed vpon them out of those bookes from which we haue gathered that which followeth First they impose vpon them This imposture is found in the booke of Albertus de Capitaneis of the originall of the Vado◠pa. 2. In the booke of Ramertus de forma hoereticandi hoereticos fol. 36. Item in the accusation of the Priests of Bohemia which they make to the king Ladislaus against the Vadois Rai ibid. fol. 37. that ancient calumnie wherewith the painims defamed the Christians of the Primatiue Church that is that they assembled themselues in the night time in corners and lurking holes and that the Pastour cōmanded the lights should be put out saying Qui potest capere capiat that is catch who catch can whereupon euery man endeuoreth to fasten vpon whom he can without any respect of bloud or parentage and that the lights being put out they committed abhominable incests many times the child with his mother the brother with his sister and the father with his owne daughter adding moreouer that they were to vnderstand that the children begotten by such copulations were most fit to be Pastours Secondly they haue charged them that they maintaine that a man may put away his wife when he will and the wife her husband to follow that sect The third calumnie that they charge them withall is Claud. Rubis in his historie of Lion pa. 269. that they haue communitie of all things amongst them euen of their wiues and all The fourth is S. Bernard in his Homily 66. vpon the Canticles Albert ibid. that they reiect the baptisme of little infants The fifth that they adore their Pastors prostrating themselues before them The sixth Albert ibid. that they maintaine that it is not lawfull to sweare for any cause whatsoeuer The seuenth Rain fol. 36. that they maintaine that the Pope doth sinne mortally when he makes warre against the Turke and that they likewise sinne mortally that do obey him when by them he makes warre against heretickes The eight calumnie is Rain ibid. fol. 22. article 32. that they vse no reuerence towards holy places and that he sins not more grieuously that burneth a Church then he that breakes into any other priuate house The ninth Albert ibid. that they maintaine that the Magistrate ought not to condemne any to death and that they that do it sinne mortally and that they maintaine this error to the end they may escape the hands of the Iudge and go vnpunished The tenth Idem ibid. that the lay-man being in the state of grace hath more authoritie then the Prince that liues in his sinne The eleuenth Rain in Summa fol. 12. that with the Manicheens they ordaine two Princes that is one good God the creator of good and one bad that is the diuell the creator of euill The twelfth Idem lib. de forma haeret fol. 21. that whatsoeuer is done with a good intention is good and that euery one shall be saued in that which he doth in that said good intention The thirteenth Albert. de origine Vaud fol. 4. that it is a meritorious worke to persecute the Priests of the Church of Rome the Prelates and their subiects And that a man may without sinne hurt them in their persons or goods and withhold their tenthes from them without scruple of conscience The last is taken out of the booke of Rubis Claud. Rubis in his historie of Lion booke 3. pa. 169. where he saith that Valdo and his Pastors retired themselues into Dauphiney in the vale Pute and the valley Angrongne where they found certaine people rather like sauage beasts then men suffering themselues to be mocked and abused and where they became saith he one like another and such as rid post vpon a besom Adding therewithall to bring within the compasse of his calumnies the Townes Cities States where the Gospell is receiued in our times And to say the truth saith he these are two things that commonly follow the one the other heresie and forcerie as it is verified in our times in those Cities and Prouinces which haue giuen entertainment vnto heresie CHAP. IIII. How the Waldenses are iustified and cleared from the calumnies contained in the former Chapter by those writings which they haue left THe Waldenses of Bohemia whether they were the remainder of that people that followed Valdo as some are of opinion that he ended his dayes in Bohemia after he had retired himselfe out of Germany and escaped the hands of the Bishops of Mayence and Strasburge or whether they were such persons as afterwards professed the same faith which the Waldenses did it is without all doubt that they were gricuously persecuted by king Ladislaus king of Hungary and Bohemia and we haue in our owne hands an Apologie of the said Waldenses which they sent vnto the king whom they called Lancelau to iustifie themselues against sundry complaints which were made against them by their aduersaries as also we haue a booke with this inscription Aico es la causa del nostre despartiment de la Gleisa Romana That is to say Behold the cause of our separation from the Church of Rome And forasmuch as the answer to the first calumnie that is that they assembled themselues in darke corners where the candles being put out their aduersaries do affirme they committed villanous incests we haue copied out the answer of the said Apologie in their owne tearmes and language for the more certaintie and better edification This Apologie the author Iean Paul Perrin set downe in two columnes the one French the other in the language of the Waldenses which for breuity sake we set downe onely in English referring those vnto the French booke that desire to see the originall AMong other things say they they publish In the letter to king Ladislaus pa. 2. like angrie barking curres that it is a law and common amongst vs to say Yeeld thy selfe to whomsoeuer shal request thee and that we take our pleasures in darke caues and corners with whomsoeuer shall present themselues vnto vs whether they be our mothers or daughters or wiues or sisters How true this is it may appeare in that God hauing kept and preserued vs for aboue these forty yeares past it hath bene neuer knowne that there hath bene any whoredome amongst vs that hath escaped vnpunished or any such villanie committed In such sort that our liues and carriages condemne those that accuse vs. And for as much as the Waldenses speake this of themselues and to their owne praise and therefore this their iustification may seeme but weake looke a little into that which they haue written elsewhere against whordome which may
them odious to the people as if they had preferred the peace with the Turke before that with the Church the kingdome of Christ affirming that they maintained that the Pope did mortally sinne when he sends an expedition of souldiers with the badge of the crosse vpon their Cassockes or Coatarmour against the Sarazens For their iustification herein we must obserue In the booke of the causes of their separation frō the Church of Rome p. 235 that they complaine not of the enterprise of warre against the Turkes but of those spoiles that the Popes make of the goods of the Church and other diuine graces vnder the pretence thereof abusing the ignorant people with their Buls and Benedictions who too willingly receiue their lies and inuentions buying them at a deare rate As also they thinke hardly of it that the Pope should send out his Croisades his crossed souldiers being strangers to pursue them as heretickes before they be heard or conuinced to be such But they are not the onely men that condemne this auarice which the reuenging spirits of the Popes haue shewed by their Croisades Paulus Langius a Germane Historiographer layes an imputation vpon Leo the tenth Paul Lan. in his Chronicle of France 1513. See the examination of the Councell of Trent lib. 1. c. 5. that he leuied great summes of money vnder a pretence of warre against the Turkes which he bestowed shortly after vpon thirtie Cardinals which he had newly created Guicciardine noteth in his Historie that the selfe same Pope imposed great exactions vpon the people the bene fit whereof fell into the lap of his sister Magdalen and that all that leuie of money was but to satisfie the auarice of a woman and that the Bishop of Aremboldo was thought by him a commissarie worthy such an action to put it in execution with all manner of extortion Alexander the fourth conuerted the vow of Hierusalem to the vow of Pouille that is to say A part of Naples whose inhabitants are held very dangerous the vow of reuenge For he gaue power to his Legats to absolue the King of England Henry the third by name dispensing with his vow of the crosse for Hierusalem vpon condition that he should go to Pouille to make warre against Manfred Frederic Emperour not long before It is the Historiographer Math. Paris Math. Paris in his Historie of England See the first booke of the examination of the Councell of Trent cap. 5. In the booke of the causes of their separation frō the Church of Rome p. 125 that setteth downe the complaint that then was made that is to say that the tenths imployed for the succour of the holy Land were taken away and conuerted to the reliefe of Pouille against the Christians The eight calumnie was that they vsed no reuerence towards holy and consecrated places holding that that man sinned not more grieuously that burneth a Church then he that breakes into any other house They say that neither the place nor the chaire make a man the more holy and they haue maintained that they deceiue themselues much that comfort themselues or presume the more because of the dignitie of the place for what place more high then Paradise what place more secure then heauen and yet neuerthelesse man was banished out of Paradise for sinning there and the Angels were throwne from heauen to the end they might be examples to those that came after and to teach them that it is not the place nor the greatnesse nor dignitie thereof that makes a man holy but the innocencie of his life Against the ninth calumnie that is to say that they defend that the Magistrate ought not to condemne any to death they say That it is writtē In the booke of the Waldenses entituled The light of the treasure of faith fol. 214. that we are not to suffer the malefactor to liue and that without correction and discipline doctrine serues to no purpose neither should iudgements be acknowledged nor sinnes punished And therefore iust anger is the mother of discipline and patience without reason the seed of vices and permitteth the wicked to digresse from truth and honestie True it is that they haue found fault that the Magistrates should deliuer them to death It appeareth by the complaint they made to the King Ladislaus King of Hungary and Bohemia without any other knowledge of the cause then the simple report of Priests and Monkes who were parties and iudges insomuch that hauing discouered the abuse which they brought into the Church they condemned them for heretickes and deliuered them to the secular power so they call their Magistrates Now this seemed vnto them a cruell simplicitie in the said Magistrates to giue faith to persons passionate and not indifferent such as the aforesaid Priests were and to put to death so many poore innocent people neuer hearing them or examining the cause The tenth calumnie was to make them odious to Kings and Princes that is to say that a lay man in the state of grace had greater authoritie then a Prince liuing in his sinnes Against this imposture they affirme In the booke of the causes of their separation frō the Church of Rome p. 41. that euery one must be subiect to those that are in authoritie obey them loue them be at peace with them honour them with double honour in subiection and obedience and readinesse paying vnto them that which is their due The eleuenth calumnie was grounded vpon that assertion of the Waldenses that the Pope had no authoritie ouer the Kings and Princes of the earth who depend immediatly vpon God alone For from thence they take occasion to call them Manichees as appointing two Princes Against this imputation they say In the booke of the treasure of faith art 2. We beleeue that the holy Trinitie hath created all things visible and inuisible and that he is Lord of things celestiall terrestiall and infernall as it is said in S. Iohn All things are made by him and without him nothing is made The beginning of this calumnie was taken out of the Extrauagantes of Pope Boniface 8. who subiecting the authoritie of Emperours vnto his saith of his owne Quicunque huic potestati resistit Dei ordinationi resistit nisi duo sicut Manichaeus fingat esse principia De Maiorit obedientia Can. Vnam sanctam l. 1. tom 8. The twelfth calumnie imports thus much that they held that whatsoeuer is done with a good intention is good and that euery one shall be saued in whatsoeuer is done with the said good intention To this imposture we need no other answer then that which the Monke Raynerius who was alwaies their back-friend saith elsewhere Rain lib. de forma haeretic art 38. that is that they maintaine that euery man is saued by his faith which he cals a Sect. It is very necessary that a lyer should haue a better memorie then to affirme things contradictorie And to shew that
and that punish with death all sorcerers so sarre are they from hauing communion or conuerse with them Thus you haue the iustification of the greatest calumnies that haue bene layed vpon the Waldenses by their owne writings which may satisfie any man that is not carried with passion It is necessarie that we now produce such witnesses for the better defence of their innocencie as are free from all suspition CHAP. V. Testimonies of pietie probitte and erudition giuen to the Waldenses by dinerse of their aduersaries themselues I Acobus de Riberia who in his time gaue aide to the persecution of the Waldenses Iacob Rib. in his collections of the Citie of Tholous saith that they held a long time the higher place in Gallia Norbonen in the Diocesse of Albi Rodes Cahors and Agen and that in those times they were of little esteeme that would be called Priests and Bishops Chassagnō citeth Riberia in his historie of the Albigcois pa. 27. because the said Priests for the most part were either vnworthy or ignorant and therefore it was an easie matter for the Waldenses saith he to get the vpper hand amongst the people for the excellencie of their doctrine Rainerius a Iacobin Monke and a cruell Inquisitor of the Waldenses Rain in his booke De sorma heret fol. 98. thinking to darken their reputation because they vsually read the Scriptures saith that when the Waldenses would giue knowledge of their doctrine they alledged many things touching chastitie humilitie and other vertues shewing that we are to flie all vice and wickednesse alledging the words of Christ and his Apostles insomuch that the women that vnderstood them were so rauished therewith that they seemed to them rather to speake like Angels then men He addeth that they taught what manner of men the disciples of Christ ought to be Ibid. fol. 98. out of the words of the Gospell and the Apostles affirming that they onely were the successours of the Apostles that imitated them in their liues Concluding hereupon saith he that the Pope the Bishops the Clergie that enioy the riches of this world and imitate not the sanctitie of the Apostles are not the gouernours of the Church it not being the will of Christ to dommit his Church to such kinde of people that should rather prostitute her by their ill examples and wicked actions then to present her a chast virgin in the same purity they haue receiued her frō him and therefore that we are nor to obey them He addeth moreouer that they liued very religiously in all things their manners well seasoned and their words wise and polished by their wils alwayes speaking of God and his Saints perswading to vertue and to hate sinne to the end saith he that they might be in greater esteeme with good men Claud. de Seissel Archbishop of Turin Claud. in his treatise against the Waldenses giues this testimonie of the Waldenses that as touching their life and manners they haue bene alwayes sound and vnreproueable without reproch or scandall amongst men giuing themselues to their power to the obseruation of the Commandements of God The Cardinall Baronius attributeth to the Waldenses of Tholouse the title of good men Baronius in his Ecclesiasticall Annals Tom. 12. an 1176. pa. 835. which tels vs that they were a peaceable people howsoeuer he elsewhere imputeth vnto them sundrie crimes and that very falsely As touching erudition Rainerius hath said Raine ibid. fol. 97. that they teach their children yea euen their daughters the Epistles and the Gospels Iacobus de Riberia saith that they were so well instructed in the Scriptures Iacob de Rib. in his collections of the Citie of Toulouze that he hath heard a plaine countriman repeate the booke of Iob word by word and diuerse others that could perfectly repeate the whole new Testament The Bishop of Cauaillon in the time of the great persecution against the Waldenses of Merindall in Prouence of which historie we shall speake in his due place appointing a certaine Monke a Diuine Vesembec in his Oration touching the Waldenses to enter into conference with them to conuince their error before saith he we come to violence but the Monke being much perplexed retired himselfe saying that he had not so much profited in his whole life in the Scriptures as he had done in those few dayes of his conference with the said Waldenses in examining the Articles of their Confession by the passages of Scripture cited by them This Bishop not being satisfied by this triall sent a companie of yong Doctors that came lately from Sorbonne to confound them by the subtiltie of their questions But one there was among the rest that said at his returne with a lowde voice that he had learned more touching the doctrine necessarie to saluation in attending to the answers of the little children of the Waldenses in their catechizings then in all the disputations of diuinitie which he had ouer heard in Paris Bernard de Girard Lord of Haillan saith Bern. de Gir. in his history of Fraunce lib. 10. that the Waldenses haue bene charged with more wicked opinions then they held because saith he they stirred the Popes and great men of the world to hate them for the libertie of their speech which they vsed in condemning the vices and dissolute behauiour of Princes and Ecclesiasticall persons King Lewis 12. Vosemb in his Oration of the Waldenses hauing bene informed by the enemies of the Waldenses dwelling in Prouence of many grieuous crimes which were imposed vpon them sent to make inquisition in those places the Lord Adam Fumee maister of Requests a Doctor of Sorbon called Parui who was his Confessour They visited all their Parishes and Temples and found neither images not so much as the least shew of any ornaments belonging to their Masses and ceremonies of the Church of Rome much lesse any such crimes as were imposed vpon them but rather that they kept their Sabbathes duely causing their children to be baptized according to the order of the Primatiue Church teaching them the Articles of the Christian faith and the Commandements of God The king hearing the report of the said Commissioners said and he bound it with an oath that they were better men then he or his people It appeareth by the memorials of the Archbishop of Ambrun named Rostain The same king vnderstanding that in Dauphiney namely in the valley of Fraissiniere in the Diocesse of Ambrun there were a certaine people that liued like beasts without religion hauing an euill opinion of the Romish religion he sent a Confessour of his with the Officiall of Orleans to bring him true information thereof This Confessour with his colleague came vnto the place where they examined the Waldenses dwelling in the said valley touching their beleefe and conuersation The Archbishop of Ambrun who made account that the goods of the said Waldenses were annexed to the demaine of his Archbishopricke as
our selues any superioritie but out of that brotherly loue and charitie we beare towards you The Father of our Lord Iesus Christ hath imparted vnto you an excellent knowledge of his truth more then to many other people and hath blessed you with a spirituall benediction So that if you persist in his grace he hath in store greater treasures for you which he will enrich you withall and make you perfect that you may grow to the full measure of the inheritance of Christ The subscription of the letter is Oecolampadius wisheth the grace of God the Father by his Sonne Iesus Christ and his holy Spirit to his welbeloued brethren in Christ which they call Waldenses Martin Buoer writ vnto them at the same time this letter following BLessed be the Lord God and our louing Father who hath preserued you to this present time in so great knowledge of his truth and who hath now inspired you in the search thereof hauing made you capable and fit to do it Behold now what the nature of true faith is which is that so soone as it knowes in part any sparke of the diuine light it preserueth carefully the things that are giuen vnto it of God Saint Paul is an example vnto vs who in all his Epistles shewes the great care that he hath had to procure the glorie of God And doubtlesse if we pray with a good heart that the name of God be sanctified and his kingdome may come we shall prosecute nothing with such diligence as the establishment of the truth where it is not and the adnancement thereof where it is alreadie planted The rest of this letter is hereafter in the booke of the persecutions of the Waldenses Vigneaux in his Memorials of the Waldenses fol. 4. One onely thing doth especially grieue vs that our imployments at this time are such about other affaires that we haue no leisure to answer you at large as we desire c. Le Sieur de Vigneaux who was a Pastor of the Waldenses in the vallies of Piemont hath written a Treatise of their life manners and religion to whom he giues this testimonie that they were a people of a holy and godly life and conuersation well gouerned great enemies to vice but especially their Barbes for so they called their Pastors And speaking of those of his owne time he saith We liue in peace in these vallies of Piemont and in loue amitie one with another we haue commerce together neuer marrying our sonnes to the daughters of those of the Church of Rome or our daughters to their sonnes yea our manners and customes please them so well that such as are masters and call themselues Catholickes desire to chuse their men seruants and maid-seruants rather from amongst vs then themselues And they come also from faire to seeke nurses for their children amongst vs finding in ours more fidelitie then in their owne And as touching the doctrine for which the Waldenses haue bene persecuted It appeareth by the Historie of the Estate of the Church p. 337. they do affirme saith he that we are to beleeue the Scriptures onely in that which concerneth our saluation not any way depending vpon men That the Scriptures containe in them whatsoeuer is necessary to saluation and that we are not to beleeue any thing but what God hath commanded vs. That we haue one onely Mediatour and therefore we are not to inuocate Saints That there is no Purgatory but all such as are iustified by Christ go to eternall life They approue of two Sacraments Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. They affirme that all Masses are damnable especially those that are said for the dead and therefore are to be abolished That all humane traditions are to be reiected as not being necessary to saluation That singing and often rehearsall of diuine Seruice fasts tyed to certaine dayes superfluous seasts difference of meates so many degrees and orders of Friers Monks and Nuns so many benedictions and consecrations of creatures vowes pilgrimages and the whole confusion and great number of ceremonies heretofore inuented are to be abolished They deny the supremacie of the Pope and especially that power that he vsurpeth ouer ciuill gouernment and they admit of no other degrees then Bishops Priests and Deacons That the Sea of Rome is the true Babylon and that the Pope is the fountaine of all the euils in these dayes That the marriage of Priests is good and necessary That they that heare the word of God and haue the true knowledge thereof are the true Church vnto which Christ Iesus hath deliuered the keyes to let in the flocke and to chase away the wolues Behold here saith Vinaux the doctrine of the Waldenses which the enemies of the truth haue impugned and for which in those times they persecuted them as their enemies themselues do witnesse Viret speakes of the Waldenses as followeth Viret of the true false religion lib. 4. chap. 13. p. 249. The Papists saith he haue imposed great crimes and that very wrongfully vpon those ancient faithfull people commonly called Waldenses or the poore people of Lions frō Waldo whose doctrine they followed by which they make it appeare that the Pope is Antichrist and that his doctrine is nothing else but humane traditions contrary to the doctrine of Christ Iesus For which cause they haue dealt against them as the ancient Painims did against the Christians accusing them that they killed their owne children in their assemblies The Author of the Historie of the reformed Churches in France writeth thus The Ecclesiasticall History of the reformed Churches of France tom 1. lib. 1. p. 35. The Waldenses saith he time out of mind haue opposed themselues against the abuses of the Church of Rome and haue in such sort bene persecuted not by the sword of the word of God but by all kind of violence and crueltie as also by a million of calumnies and false accusations that they haue bene enforced to disperse themselues into what parts of the world they could wandring through desart places like poore sauage beasts the Lord neuerthelesse preseruing the remnant of them in such sort that notwithstanding the fury of the whole world they were still preserued in three countries farre distant one from the other that is Calabria Bohemia and Piemont with the bordering parts thereabout from whence they haue bene dispersed into the quarters of Prouence about two hundred seuentie yeares since And as touching their religion they haue alwayes auoyded the Papall superstition For which cause they haue bene alwayes vexed by the Bishops and Inquisitors abusing the power of secular iustice in such sort that it is an euident miracle of God that they should be able to continue Iohn Chassagnon writes as followeth Iohn Chassagnon in his Historie of the Albigeois p. 25. It is written of the Waldenses saith he that they reiected all the traditions and ordinances of the Church of Rome as vnprofitable and superstitious and
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 â—aue 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 WE beleeue do firmely hold all that which is contained in the twelue Articles of the Simbole which is called the Apostles creed Article 1. Taken out of the booke intituled the Spirituall Almanackk and from the Memorials of George Morel 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 Art 2 and holy Ghost We acknowledge for holy Canonicall Scripture the books of the Bible that is to say the fiue books of Moses Art 3 Genesis The booke of Ioshua Exodus The Iudges Leuiticus Ruth Numbers 1. of Samuel Deuteronomie 2. of Samuel 1. of Kings The Lamentat of Ieremie 2. of Kings Ezechiel 1. of the Chronicles Daniel 2. of the Chronicles Hosea 1. Esdras Ioel. Nehemiah Amos. Ester Obadiah Iob. Ionah The booke of Psalmes Micah The Prouerbes of Salomon Nahum Habakuk Ecclesiastes Zephaniah The song of Salomon Haggai The Prophesie of Isaiah Zachariah The Pophesie of Ieremie 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 Ester after the 10. chap. to the end The fourth of Esdras Tobiah The song of the 3. children Iudith The historie of Susanna Wisedome The historie of the Dragon Ecclesiasticus 1. Maccabees Baruch with the Epistle of Ieremiah 2. Maccabees 3. Maccabees Here follow the bookes of the new Testament The Gospell according to S. Matthew The Gospell according to S. Marke The Gospell according to S. Luke The Gospell according to S. Iohn The Acts of the Apostles The first to Timothie The Epistle of S. Paul to the Romans The second to Timothie To Titus The first to the Corinth To Philemon The 2. to the Corinthians To the Hebrewes The Epistle to the Galat. The Epistle of S. Iames. The Epist to the Ephesians The 1. Epistle of S. Peter The Epistle to the Philippians The second of S. Peter The 1. Epistle of S. Iohn The Epistle to the Colos The second of S. Iohn The first to the Thessal The third of S. Iohn The second to the Thessalonians The Epistle of S. Iude. The Reuelation of S. Iohn The bookes aboue named teach thus much Art 4 that there is one God almightie wholly wise and wholly good who hath made all things by his goodnesse For he created Adam according to his owne image and similitude but by the malice of the diuell and the disobedience of Adam sinne entred into the world and we are made sinners in Adam and by Adam That Christ was promised to our forefathers Art 5 who receiued the Law to the end that knowing their sin by the Law and their vnrighteousnesse and insufficiencie they might desire the coming of Christ to the end he might satisfie for their sins and accomplish the Law by himselfe Art 6 That Christ was borne at the time appointed by God his Father that is to say at a time when all iniquitie abounded and not for our good workes sake onely for all were sinners but to the end he might offer his grace and mercie vnto vs. That Christ is our life and truth and peace Art 7 and iustice and Aduocate and Pastor and sacrifice and sacrificer who died for the saluation of all those that beleeue and is raised againe for our iustification We do also firmly hold Art 8 that there is no other mediator and aduocate with God the Father but onely Iesus Christ And as touching the Virgine Marie that she is holy humble and full of grace and so do we beleeue of all the other Saints that they attend in heauen the resurrection of their bodies at the day of iudgement We do also beleeue that after this life Art 9 there are onely two places the one for those that shall be saued the other for the damned which we call Paradise and Hell denying altogether Purgatory as being a dreame of Antechrist and inuented against the truth We haue also alwayes beleeued Art 10 that the inuentions of men are an vnspeakable abomination before God as the feasts and the vigils of Saints holy water the abstaining vpon certaine dayes from flesh and such like but principally the
Masses We do abhorre all humane inuentions Art 11 as coming from Antechrist all which bring troubles with them and are preiudiciall to the libertie of the spirit Art 12 We beleeue that the Sacraments are outward signes of holy things or visible formes of inuisible grace and are of opinion that it is good that the faithfull do sometimes vse those signes and visible formes if it may be done But neuerthelesse we beleeue and do hold that the aforesaid faithfull may be saued not receiuing the said signes when they want place or power to vse them Art 13 We do not acknowledge any other Sacrament but Baptisme and the Eucharist We do honour the secular power Art 14 with all subiection obedience promptitude and payment CHAP. XIII Another Confession of the faith of the Waldenses WE beleeue that there is one onely God Art 1 Taken out of the booke of Charles du Moulin de la Mon. des François p. 65. who is a Spirit the Creator of all things the Father of all who is aboue all and in vs all who is to be adored in spirit and truth vpon whom onely we waite and to whom we giue all glorie for our life our nourishment clothing health sicknesse prosperitie aduersitie we loue him as the author of all goodnesse we feare him as knowing our hearts Art 2 We beleeue that Iesus Christ is the Sonne and image of his father that in him dwels the fulnesse of the diuinitie by whom we know the Father who is our mediatour and aduocate and there is no other name vnder heauen giuen vnto men by which we can be saued in whose name onely we call vpon the Father and vse no other prayers but those that are contained in the holy Scriptures or agreeing vnto them in substance We beleeue that the holy Ghost is our Comforter Art 3 proceeding from the Father and the Sonne by whose inspiration we make our prayers being renewed by him who doth all good works in vs and by him we haue knowledge of all truth We beleeue that there is one holy Church Art 4 which is the congregation of all the elect and faithfull which haue bene from the beginning of the world and shall be vnto the end whereof our Lord Iesus Christ is the head the which Church is gouerned by his word and guided by the holy Ghost in which all good Christians ought to remaine for it prayeth without ceassing for all and the word thereof is agreeable vnto God without which no man can be saued Art 5 We hold that the Ministers of the Church ought to be irreprehensible both in life and doctrine otherwise they are to be deposed from their office and other to be substituted in their place And that no man ought to presume to vndertake this honourable calling but onely he which is called of God as Aaron nourishing the flocke of Christ not for dishonest gaine or as hauing any superioritie ouer the Clergie but as being an example to the slocke in word in conuersation in charitie in faith and in chastitie We confesse that Kings Art 6 Princes and Gouernours are ordained and established Ministers of God to whom we are to obey For they carrie the sword for the defence of innocents and the punishment of malefactors and for this cause are we bound to do them honour and to pay tribute From which power and authoritie no man can exempt himselfe as may appeare be the example of our Lord Iesus Christ who refused not to pay tribute not challenging any iutisdiction of temporall power We beleeue Art 7 that in the Sacrament of Baptisme the water is the visible and externall signe which representeth vnto vs that which by the power and vertue of God inuisible so working is within vs that is to say renouation of the spirit and mortification of our members in Iesus Christ by which we are also receiued into the holy congregation of the people of God protesting and declaring before it our faith and change of life Art 8 We hold the holy Sacrament of the table or Supper of our Lord Iesus Christ to be a holy remembrance and thanksgiuing for the benefits which we haue receiued by his death and passion which is to be receiued in faith and charitie examining our selues that so we may eate of that bread and drinke of that cup as it is written in the holy Scripture We confesse that mariage is good and honourable Art 9 holy and instituted of God which ought to be forbidden to none if there be no impediment by the word of God We confesse that they that feare God Art 10 seeke the things that please him doing good workes the which he hath prepared to the end we should walke in them which are charitie ioy peace patience benignitie goodnesse mildnesse sobrictie and other workes contained in the holy Scriptures On the contrary Art 11 we confesse that we are to take heed of false teachers whose end is to call the people from the true worship of God and to rest themselues vpon creatures putting their confidence in them as also to perswade the people to leaue those good duties that are contained in the holy Scriptures and to do those that are inuented by men Art 12 We hold the old and new Testament for the rule of our faith we agree to the generall Confession of faith with those articles contained in the Symbole of the Apostles which doth thus begin I beleeue in God the Father Almightie c. And for as much as the Pastors of the Waldenses taught their people the Athanasian Creed in the Waldensian language we haue taken it out of their bookes word by word as they pronounced it in old time CHAP. XIIII The Symbole of Athanasius in the Waldensian language QValquequal vol esser faict salf deuant totas câ—sas es de necessitatenir la fe Catholica laqual si alcun non tenré entierament sensa dubi periré eternalment Ma aquesta es la fe Catholica Qunos houran vn Dio en Trinita la Trinita en vnita non confondent personnas ni departent la substantia Car antra es la personna del Paire del Filli del Sanct Esperit La Paire non crea lo filli non crea lo Sanct Esperit non crea Lâ— Paire non mesuriuol lo Filli non mesuriuol lo Sanct Esperit non mesuriuol Lo Paire Eternal lo Filli Eternal lo Sanct Esperit Eternal Emperço non tres Eternals ma vn Eternal enaimi non tres mesuriuols non crea Semeillament lo Paire tot Poissant lo Filli tot poissant lo Sanct Esperit tot Poissant emperço non tres tot Poissants ma vn tot Poissant Enaimi lo Paire es Dio lo Filli Dio lo Sanct Esperit Dio emperço non tres Dios ma vn Dio. Enaimi lo Paire es Seignor lo Filli Seignor lo Sanct Esperit Seignor emperço non tres Seignors ma vn Seignor Ca enaimi nos sen costreit confessar per Christiana verita
Valentinois where at this present there are places wherin times out of mind the faith of the Waldēses hath been receiued from the father to the sonne as the place des Faulques and Beauregard in Valentia and La Baulme neere Crest out of which places there are come to our hands certaine proces against some particular persons of the same places for being accused by the Inquisitors as adhearing to the faith of the Waldenses aboue three hundred yeeres since But the more famous Churches of the saide Prouince are those of the Valley of Fraissiniere neere Ambrun of Argenterie of the Valley Loyse which for the VValdenses sakes was called Val lute as if there had been nothing in the said Valley but a Brothel-house and receptacle of all manner of dissolute liuing and villany This was vtterly rooted out On the other side of the Alpes there is a valley called the Valley of Pragela where they haue inhabited time out of minde A Valley that is in the iurisdiction of the Arch-bishop of Turin peopled euen at this present with those that are descended from the first Waldenses of whom mention hath been made heretofore They were the inhabitants of this Valley that peopled the Waldensian Valleies of Piedmont La Perouse Saint Martin Angrongne and others as also those of the Waldenses inhabited in Prouence and Calabria are come out of those places of Dauphine and Piedmont In said Valley of Pragela there are at this day six goodly Churches euery one hauing their Pastor and euerie Pastor hauing diuers villages which belong to euery one of these Churches all filled with those that haue descended from the ancient VValdenses They are Churches truely reformed time out of minde For although in the said Valley there are at this present old people and not a small number that draw neere yea and some that are aboue a hundred yeere old yet these good old men haue neuer heard of their fathers or grand-fathers that masse was euer sung in their times in that Country And though perhaps the Arch-bishops of Turin haue caused it to be song in the said Valley whereof the inhabitants haue had no knowledge yet there is not any amongst them that makes profession of any other faith or beleefe then that the confession whereof we haue heard in the former booke For all those bookes before mentioned haue bin receiued by the Inhabitants of the said valley which hath been in times past one of the safest retiring places that the Waldenses had in all Europe enuironed on all sides with mountaines almost vnaccressable within the caues whereof they retired themselues in times of persecution Le Sieur de Vignaux who was one of the first Pastors that preached to his people long before the exercise of the reformed Religion was free in France could not satisfie himselfe with the liberall speech integrity and piety of these people whom he found altogether disposed to receiue the dispensation of the word of God which their fore-fathers had cherished and in which they had instructed their posterity And it was worthy the obseruation that notwithstanding they were weakned on all sides and enuironed with the enemies of their Religion in danger to be apprehended when they went out of their dores yet was there neuer any worldly respect that had power to alter their holy resolution from the father to the sonne to serue God taking his word for the rule of their faith and his law for the rule of their obedience And in this designe it was that they haue been blessed of God aboue all Christian people throughout Europe insomuch that their infants were hardly weaned from their mothers breast but their parents tooke a singular delight to instruct them in the Christian faith and doctrine vntill they were able to confound many persons dwelling elswhere well strooken in yeeres and ouerwhelmed with ignorance To this passe their Pastors brought them who not being content to giue them exhortations vpon the Sabboth daies went also in the weeke-daies to instruct them in the villages and hamlets thereabouts not sparing themselues for the roughnes of the rockes the coldnesse of the ayre the inciuility of the country where they were faine to clime vp high mountains to visit their flocke and to carry vnto them the foode of their soules euen at those times when the people in the heat of summer were keeping their cattell vpon the high rockes and there they many times teach and instruct them in the open fields There you may see those that heare the word of God with attention and reuerence There is discipline exercised with fruit There the people pray with feruency of zeale at their retaine from their labors at night when they go toe their rest in the morning before they vndertake any worke First in their priuate houses then in the Temple they begge the assistance of the Lord in all their actions thoughts words and deeds and so betake themselues to their labours vnder the protection of the liuing God whom they loue and honour and adore There you may descry more zeale and more simplicity then in many other places that abound in the delights and pleasures of this world neither are they so rude and blockish but that they haue diuers amongst them that can reade and deliuer their mindes in good tearmes especially they that trauell sometimes into the lower Countries for their commodities they haue Schooles wherein their children are taught and nurtured neither doe they want any thing they thinke necessary to aduance the glory of God amongst them The first persecution that is come to our knowledge was that which was moued by a certain Monke Inquisitor of the Order of the Frier-Minors named Francis Borelli hauing a Commission in the yeere 1380 Anno 1380. to make inquiry and to informe touching the Sect of the Waldenses in the Dioces of Aix Arles Ambrun Vienna Geneua Aubonne Sauoy the Venetian County Dyois Forests This Bull was taken out of the Chamber Country of Grenoble the Principality of Orenge the Citty of Anignon and Selon as his Bull gaue him authority which he receiued from Clement the seuenth who then was Resident and ruled in Anignon By reason of the neerenes of his Court to the habitation of the Waldenses hee thought good to purge Dauphine of those that held him to bee Antichrist and for this cause he commanded the Bishops of Dauphine Prouence and other places to which his power did extend for there was then a schisme and all Europe was diuided partly for Vrbani the sixt and partly for this said Clement to watch in such sort ouer their flockes that there might not any liue amongst them that was of the Sect of the Waldenses This Monke cited to appeare before hin at Ambrun all the inhabitants of Erassiniere Argentiere and the valley Pute vpon paine of excommunication They appeared not nor any for them were therefore condemned for their contumacy and in the end shut out of the Church by
that God had been very mercifull and gratious vnto vs in that he hath preserued vs vndefiled in the middest of so many Idolatries and superstitions which haue infected all Christendome in the ages past This admonition or remonstrance giuen by Oecolamp and Bucer to George Morrel and Pet. Masson is in the Memor of the said Monel fol. 5. vnder the tyranny of Antichrist of Rome They haue encouraged vs by holy aduertisements and reasons giuen and exhorted vs not to bury those talents which God hath imparted vnto vs finding it an euill thing that we haue so long delayed the time to make publike profession of adhearing to the Gospell and causing it to be preached in the eares and to the knowledge of euery one leauing the euents vnto God of whatsoeuer it shall please him shall fall vpon vs by procuring his glory and the aduancement of the Kingdome of his Sonne And afterwards hauing read the letters of the said Oecolampadius and Bucer which were sent vnto them as to their Brethren the Waldenses of Prouence and Dauphine the Propositions or Articles following were ordered reade and approued signed and sworne to by all the assistants with one minde and consent to conserue obserue beleeue and retaine amongst them inuiolably without any contradiction as being conformable to the doctrine which hath been taught them from the father to the sonne for these many hundred yeeres and taken out of the word of God ARTICLE I. That Diuine Seruice cannot bee done but in spirit and in truth For God is a spirit and whosoeuer will pray vnto him must pray in spirit II. All that haue been or shall be saued haue been chosen of God before all worlds III. They that are saued cannot but be saued IV. Whosoeuer holdeth free-Will denieth wholly the Predestination and the grace of God V. No worke is called good but that which is commanded by God and no worke is euill but that which is forbidden by God VI. A Christian may sweare by the name of God not any way contradicting that which is written in the fift Chapter by Saint Matthew prouided that hee that sweareth take not the name of the Lord in vaine Now that man sweareth not in vaine whose oath redoundeth to the glory of God and the good of his neighbour Also a man may sweare in iudgement because he that beares the office of a Magistrate be he Christian or infidell hath the power of God VII Auricular Confession is not commanded of God and it is concluded according to the holy Scriptures that the true confession of a Christian consisteth in confessing himselfe to one onely God to whom belongs honour and glory There is another kinde of confession which is when as a man reconcileth himselfe vnto his neighbour whereof mention is made in the fift of Saint Matthew The third manner of Confession is when as man hath sinned publikly an all men take notice of it so he confesse and acknowledge the fault publikely VIII We must cease vpon the Lords day from all our labours as being zealous of the honor and glory of God for the better exercise of our charity towards our neighbours and our better attendance to the hearing of the word of God IX It is not lawfull for a Christian to reuenge himselfe vpon his enemy in any manner whatsoeuer X. A Christian may exercise the office of a Magistrate ouer Christians XI There is no certaine time determined for the fast of a Christian and it doth appeare in the word of God that the Lord hath commanded or appointed certaine daies XII Marriage is not forbidden any man of what quality or condition soeuer he be XIII Whosoeuer forbiddeth marriage teacheth a diabolicall doctrine XIIII He that hath not the gift of continency is bound to marry XV. The ministers of the word of God ought not to be changed from place to place except it be for the great benefit of the Church XVI It is not a thing repugnant to the Apostolicall communion that the ministers should possesse any thing in particular to prouide for the maintenance of their families XVII Touching the matter of the Sacraments it hath been concluded by the holy Scriptures that we haue but two Sacramental signes the which Christ Iesus hath left vnto vs the one is Baptisme the other the Eucharist which wee receiue to shew what our perseuerance in the faith is as wee haue promised when we were baptized being little infants As also in remembrance of that great benefit which Iesus Christ hath done vnto vs when hee died for our redemption washing vs with his most pretious bloud These Articles being resolued vpon by them astonished the Priests that were amongst them to gather vp the reuenewes of their Cures being out of all hope to see those people reclaimed and brought vnto the obedience of the Church of Rome by any force much lesse of their owne acord and perceiuing the dore to be shut against their gaine they retired themselues without speaking a word Vpon this their retrait the Masse vanished of it selfe in the Valleys of the said Waldenses And because they had onely the new Testament and some bookes of the old translated into the Waldenstan tongue they resolued speedily to send to the presse the whole Bible their bookes being onely manuscripts and those but a few They sent therfore to Newcastle in Suitzerland Suisse See the Ecclesiasticall History of the Churches of France pag. 37 1536. where they gaue fifteene hundred crownes of gold to a Printer who brought to light the first impression of the French Bible which was seen in France and incontinently in the yeere one thousand fiue hundred thirty six they sent to Geneua one Martin Gonin to prouide a large supply of such bookes which he should see to bee fit for the instruction of the people but they were frustrated of their intent because this good man was apprehended for a Spy passing ouer the hill de Gap by a certaine Gentleman named George Martin Lord de Champolion and so soone as hee was knowne to be a Waldensian he was sent to Grenoble and there kept in prison In the booke of Martyrs of our time lib. 3 fol. 111. and afterwards in the night-time cast into the Riuer Lyzere for feare lest hee should speake of his beliefe before the people for the Monke Inquisitor that deliuered him to the secular power told them that it was not good that the world should hare him because saith hee it is to bee feared that they that heare him may become worse then himselfe There happened warres in Piedmont betweene King Francis the first of that name and the Prince of Piedmont which fell out happily for these poore people for so long as those confusions continued they were at quiet vntill Pope Paul the third of that name sollicited the Parliament of Turin to take some violent course against them in doing iustice vpon them as vpon pernicious Heretickes whensoeuer they should bee deliuered into their
hands by the Inquisitors This Parliament caused a great number to be burnt at Turin in immitation of other Parliaments in France who burnt in those times those they called Lutherans They had recourse vnto the King presenting vnto him their petition that they might not be persecuted by the said Parliament for the profession of that Religion in the which they and their ancestors had liued for many hundred yeeres and that by the permission of their Princes But they made it worse with them then it was before for the King enioyned them to liue according to the laws of the Church of Rome vpon paine to bee chastised as Heretickes He likewise commanded the Court of Parliament at Turin to cause all his Subiects within their iurisdiction to professe his religion Adding withall that he did not burne the Lutherans throughout his whole Kingdome of France to make a reseruation of them among the Alpes The Parliament endeuoured speedily to put the commandement of the King in execution and for that cause enioyned them vpon paine of their liues to quit themselues presently of their Ministers and to receiue Priests to sing Masse liuing after the manner of other the Kings subiects They answered that they could not obey any such commands against the commandement of God whom in what belonges vnto his seruice they would rather obey then men But had not the King at that time had other imployments elsewhere without all doubt this Parliament would haue made them doe that by force which they would not be brought vnto by simple commands They therefore contented themselues to prosecute them by the Inquisition and to receiue from the Monkes those they condemned to the fire But afterwards in the yeere 1555 they increased the persecution For hauing condemned to the fire one Barthelmew Hector a Stationer who was executed at Turin because hee died with admirable constancy insomuch that hee edified the assistants and standers by in such manner that he drew teares from their eyes and words of compassion from their mouthes iustifying him with a mutuall applause which they gaue of his good speeches and prayers vnto God The Parliament tooke occasion herupon to do their best endeauor to ouerthrow this profession in the very source and to vse the authority of the King to enforce this people to liue vnder the lawes of the Church of Rome In the Booke of the martyrs of our time lib. 8. fol 122. or miserably to perish To this end and purpose the Parliament of Turin deputed a certaine President of Saint Iulian and a Collaterall named de Ecclesia to transport themselues vnto those places and there to put in practice whatsoeuer they thought good either to reduce or to exterminate the said people with promise to assist them with whatsoeuer shall be needfull to this purpose according to the aduise and counsell they should receiue from them This President with his Collaterall ttooke their iourney to Perouse and caused Proclamations publikly to be made in the name of the King that euery one of the Inhabitants was to goe to Masse vpon paine of his life Afterwards they came to Pignerol where they cited many to appeare before them Amongst others there appeared a poore simple labouring man whom the President commanded to cause his child to be re-baptized which had lately been baptized by the minister of Saint Iohn neere Angrongne This poore man requested so much respite as that he might pray vnto God before hee answered him Which being granted with some laughter he fell downe vpon his knees in the presence of all that were there and his prayer being ended he said to the President that hee would cause his childe to be re-baptised vpon condition that the said President would discharge him by a bill signed with his owne hand of the sinne which he should commit in causing it to be re-baptized and beare one day before God the punishment and condemnation which should befall him taking this iniquity vpon him and his Which the President vnderstanding hee commanded him out of his presence not pressing him any farther Now hauing framed diuers indictments against some particular persons of the said Valleys and made some collections of whatsoeuer the President could imagine might hurt the people hee assayed also to winne them by the preachings of the Monkes whom he brought with him into the Valley of Angrongne Being therefore come vnto the place where their Temple was he caused one of his Monkes to preach in the presence of the people who made vnto them a long exhortation to returne vnto the Church of Rome of which hee reported many things which the people beleeued not After that the Monke had said as much as he would and that he held his peace the greatest number of the people required that the Pastors that were there present or some one of them for all might be permitted louingly and mildly to answer to the discourse that had been made by the Preacher but the President by no meanes would giue way thereunto whereupon there followed a certaine rumour or muttering among the people which strooke the President and his Monkes with an astonishment in such sort that they could haue been content to haue been elsewhere but dissembling their feare the President retired himselfe without a word speaking to Turin whether being come hee related to the Parliament what hee had done and withall signified vnto them the difficulties that were to winne this people by extremities because if any attempt should bee made to take them by violence they were resolued to defend themselues and the places of their abode being fauourable vnto them it was to bee feared it would cost a great deale of labour and much blood would bee shed before they could either bee brought into the Church of Rome or out of the world That is was the worke of a King to roote them out and a King of Franc and therefore it was necessary to send the reports and to commit vnto his owne will and pleasure the issue of so troublesome an enterprise This aduice was followed the indictments and reports were sent to the King but as the affaires of the Court cannot be finished but with long time there passed a whole yeere before there was any other course spoken of or taken against them then that of the Inquisitors who alwaies deliuered some one or other to the secular power but the yeere being expired there came from the Court expresse commands of the King to make them to doe that by force which they would not be brought vnto by words or friendly vsage The Parliament re-sent the said President of Saint Iulien who so soone as hee was arriued at Angrongne he commanded them in the name of the King to goe to the Masse vpon paine of Confiscation of bodies and goods They demanded a Copy both of his commission and his speech promising to answere him in such a manner that he should haue reason to rest contented but nothing could
giue the President satisfaction who still pressed vpon them to change their religion but in vaine For they answered him that they were not bound to such commands against the commandement of God Hee commanded that twelue of the pricipalln amongst them with all the Ministers and Schoole-masters should presently yeeld their bodies to the prisons of Turin there to receiue such sentence as reason shall require and hee enioyned the Sindics of the said Valleys to dismisse and suffer to depart presently all strangers and from thence forward not to receiue any Preachers or Schoole-masters but such as shall be sent them by the Diocesan They answered that they could not nor would not obey any such commands as were against God and that they would not make their appearance at Turin because they could not doe it without danger of their liues and to be molested for their beleefe This Parliament of Turin was in such sort incensed against them that as many as they could cause to be apprehended in Piedmont and the frontiers of the Valleies so many they burnt at Turin among others M. Ieffrey Varnigle Minister at Angrongne was burnt in the yeere one thousand fiue hundred fifty seuen by whose death at Turin in the place of the Castle the people were much strengthned and edified there being present a great number that saw him to persist in the inuocaton of the name of God vnto his last gaspe During these grieuous persecutions the Protestant Princes of Germany did intercede for them beseeching King Henry the second to suffer them to liue in peace in the profession of that Religion wherein they had liued from the father to the sonne for some ages past The King promised to haue regard to this their request and indeed they continued quiet vntill the peace was made betweene the King of France and of Spaine and that the Duke of Sauoy was restored to his estates that is to say in the yeere one thousand fiue hundred fifty nine The yeere after the said restitution of the Country the Popes Nuntio reproued the Duke of Sauoy for that he followed not the steps of the Kings of France in his zeale who affecting the Catholike Romish religion had with all his power persecuted the Waldenses and Lutherans of the Valleys of Angrongne and other their bordering neighbours and that if he did not ioyne his forces in what possibly hee could to bring them into the bosome of the Church or to take them out of world that his Holinesse should haue great reason to suspect him to bee a fauourer of them The Prince of Piedmont promised to vse all the meanes he could for their reduction or vtter subuersion in pursuit whereof hee commanded them to goe to the Masse vpon paine of their liues and to see their Valleys laid open to fire and sword To which command they not yeelding obedience he set vpon them by open force and gaue the charge of this warre to a gentleman named le sieur de la Trinite And in the meane while at the selfesame time he caused them to be pursued by the Monkes the Inquisitors Iaconiel and de Corbis But forasmuch as the History of this warre This war is printed in a treatise by it selfe And it is likewise set downe in the 8. booke of the history the Martyrs of our times fol. 532. is brought to light elswhere we will not enter into any large discourse thereof onely we may here obserue that after la Trinite had been well beaten with his troopes seeing that the Lions pawe could stand him in no steed he couered himselfe with the Foxes skin telling them that what had passed had befallen them for want of parley and communication rather then for any ill will that his Highnesse bare vnto them and that if his souldiers had exceeded their bounds it was because of that resistance which they found and that hereafter hee would bee an instrument for their conseruation and as desirous to procure their peace as at the beginning he shewed himselfe earnest to procure their trouble And therefore he counselled them to send certaine of the principall amongst them to his Highnesse by whom he would send his commendatory letters both to the Prince and Madame Margarit Duchesse of Sauoy and only sister to Heury King of France and that he did assure himselfe that his Highnesse would blot out the remembrance of all that was past But yet he thought it necessary that aboue all things they should giue some testimony of obedience to their Prince who in other places was enforced by the Pope to establish the Masse in all his territories and therefore they should permit that the Masse might be song in Angrangne which was but a thing indifferent vnto them since he did not require their presence at it but onely that hee might write vnto his Highnesse that they were his good and obedient Subiects And moreouer to the end that his Highnesse might not still persist in his opinion that any strange minister did make his abode within his Prouinces that it was in their power to intreat them to retire themselues vnto Pragela for some few daies and that afterwards when his Highnesse should be pacified towards them they might call them home againe It cost him a great deale of labour to gaine thus much of them for if we intreat our Pastors to retire themselues say they it will be a counsell of the flesh and God will not blesse it for our enemies when they shall haue gotten this aduantage of vs and that we haue no man left to comfort vs to counsell vs to reproue to exhort vs they will endeauour no doubt to the vtmost of their power euer to shut the gates against the returne of our good Pastors by wose ministry we haue been so worthily instructed and fortified against a world of temptations And therefore to the end we may not be accused as Rebels for recalling them home againe it shall bee better for vs not to depriue our selues at all of the fruit of their ministry and from hence forward to be reputed for such in seruing of God as preserue those whom he hath sent to preach his word vnto vs. He is as powerfull to preserue vs as he hath been heretofore in times past and vngratefull wretches wee are to doubt of his assistance and not to thinke that we so iniserable a flocke the dogges being chased away shall not bee deuoured by the wolues Those and diuers the like were the speeches and motions of those that were most cleere sighted and more zealous then the rest but yet this could not hinder others from intreating their Pastors to retire themselues for some few daies to Pragela a Valley neer vnto theirs peopled with their brethren the Waldenses of Dauphine Here a man might perceiue the heauy iustice of God pon them and the beginning of misery euery one to melt into teares the rockes resounding and calamities with cryes and lamentations when euen women and
death as VValdenses that is to say eleuen yeeres after the dispersion of the VValdenses of the Citty of Lion For Waldo departed out of Lion in the yeere one thousand one hundred sixty three Math. Paris in his History of England the said yeere and Mathew Paris reports that the Monkes Inquisitors caused some of the Waldenses to be burnt in England in the yeere 1174. And Iohn Bale makes mention of a certaine man that was burnt at London in the yeere 1210 that was charged with no other matter then that hee professed the Religion of the Waldenses Iohn Basle in the Chronicles of London Thomas Walden in his sixt volume of things sacramentall tit 12. chap. 10 Thomas Walden an English man hath writ that in the time of Henry the second the Waldenses were grieuously persecuted and that they were called Publicans And as for those in whom they found not cause enough to condemne vnto death they marked them in forhead with a burning key to the end they might be knowne of euery man This beliefe of the Waldenses was better known in the time of the wars against the Albingenses insomuch that as le Sieur de la Popeliniere hath well obserued the proximity of the lands and possessions of the Earle Remod of Tholouze La Popiliniere in his History of France l. 1. with Guienne then possessed by the English and the aliance of the King of England brother in law of the said Remond made the way more easie to the English not onely to succour one another in their wars but also to take knowledge of the beliefe of the said Albingenses which was no other but that of the Waldenses to the end that they might support them though the violence were vniust and extreame against those whom the English were many times constrained to defend against those who vnder the pretence of Religion inuaded his lands Frier Rainard Lollard was then the most powerfull instrument which God vsed by exhortations and sound reasons to giue knowledge to the English of the doctrine for which the VValdenses were deliuered to death This doctrine was receiued by Wicklif as it is noted in the Booke of the Beginning and confession of the Churches of Bohemia who thereby obtained much helpe for the increase of his knowledge in the truth He was a renowned Theologian in the Vniuersity of Oxford and parson of the parish of Luterworth in the Diocesse of Lincolne an eloquent man and profound Scholler He won the hearts of many English euen of most honorable of the land as the Duke of Lancaster vncle to King Richard Henry Percy Lewes Gifford and the Chancellor the Earle of Salisbury By the fauour of of these great personages the doctrine of the VValdenses or of Wicklif tooke footing and had free passage in England vntill Gregory the eleuenth persecuted those that receiued it with allowance by meanes of his Monkes the Inquisitors the fiers being kindled in England for many yeeres to stay the course thereof but it was all in vaine for it hath been maintained there maugre Antichrist vntill his yoke was wholly shaken off True it is that the bones of Wicklif were dis-interred aboue thirty yeeres after his death and condemned to be burnt with such bookes as his aduersaries could recouer but he had before enlightned so great a number that it was beyond the power of his enemies altogether to depriue the Church of them For by how much the more they indeauoured to hinder the reading and knowledge of them by horrible threats and death it selfe the more were the affections of many sharpned to reade them with greater ardency It is likewise said that a certaine Scholler hauing carried into Bohemia one of the books of the said Wicklif intituled His Vniuersals and deliuering it to Iohn Hus he gathered that knowledge from it that made him admirable in Bohemia and edified all those who together with him did very willingly free themselues from the seruile yoke of the Church of Rome Lib. de Origine Confes Eccl. Bohemiae Wiclefus à Waldensibus adiutus Hussium nostrum excitauit pa. 264. From hence it was said to the Husites that Wicklif had awakened their Iohn Hus. This Wicklif writ aboue a hundred volumes against Antichrist or the Church of Rome the Catalogue whereof is in the booke of the Images of famous men that haue combated with Antichrist CHAP. XIII Of the Waldenses that did flie into Flanders and were there persecuted AFter the great persecution of the Waldenses in the time of Phillip the faire S. Aldeg in his 1. Table of the diff fol. 149. Iohn Dubrauius in the Hstory of Bohemia lib. 14. Historigraphers make mention of their repaire into Flanders whether he pursued them and caused a great number to bee burnt And because they were constrained to retire themselues into the woods to flie from those that pursued them they were called Turlupins that is See before l. 1. c. 1. dwellers with wolues as you haue heard before in that Chapter where we haue shewed what names were giuen vnto them Mathew Paris saith that a certaine Iacobin Monke Math. Paris in the life of Henry 3. named Robert Bougre had liued amongst the Waldenses making profession of their Religion but hauing afterwards forsaken them became a Monke and a very violent persecuter in such sort that he caused many to be burnt in Flanders Now his owne friends hauing taken knowledge that he much abused the power and authority of his office laying to their charge many things whereof they were innocent and executing his authority against many that were altogether ignorant of the beliefe of the VValdenses he was not only depriued of the office of an Inquisitor but cast into prison and being conuicted of diuers crimes was condemned to perpetuall prison CHAP. XIV Of the VValdenses that were persecuted in Poland ABout the yeere of our Lord 1330 there were many that made profession of the Religion of the Waldenses in the Kingdom of Poland The Bishops had recourse to the meanes established by the Pope that is to say Flac. Illy in his Catol of the wit pa. 539. the Inquisition whereby they deliuer many of them into the hands of the executioner The Author of the Catalogue of the witnesses of the truth hath written that he hath lying by him the forme of the Inquisition which the Inquisitors made vse off in this persecution Vignier saith Vignier in his Biblio pa. 130. In his History lib. 1. that at their departure out of Picardy many of them that were persecuted there retired themselues into Poland Le Sieur de Popeliniere hath set downe in his History that the Religion of the Waldenses hath spred it selfe almost into all parts of Europe euen amongst the Polonians and Lutherans and that after the yeer one thousand one hundred they haue alwayes sowed their doctrine little differing from that of the moderne Protestants and maugre all the powers and Potentates that haue
opposed themselues against them they haue defended it to this day CHAP. XV. That many Waldenses haue been persecuted at Paris IN the yeer 1210 foure and twenty VValdenses were apprehended at Paris The history of Languedoc 1. Forier fol. â— wherof some were imprisoned some burnt It happened also that during the one twentieth schisme and during the time of Pope Iohn the one and twentieth of that name the persecution was great throughout all France against the VValdenses but especially at Paris Againe in the yeere 1304 the Monkes Inquisitors appointed for the search of the VValdenses 1. Tab. pa. 15 2. apprehended at Paris a hundred and fourteene who were burnt aliue and endured the fire with admirable constancy We find also in the Sea of Histories that in the yeere 1378 The Sea of histories in the yeere 1378. the persecution continuing against the VValdenses there were burnt at Paris in the place de Greue a very great number CHAP. XVI Of the Waldenses inhabiting in Italy and the persecutions which we can proue they haue there suffered IN the yeere 1229 the Waldenses were spread abroad in great numbers throughout Italy Sigonius de regno Italico lib. 17. Valcamonica onely they had Schooles and from all parts of their abode they sent money into Lombardy for the maintenance of the said Schooles Vignier in the 3 part of his Bibl. hist Rain in summa fol. 18. Rainerius saith that about the yeere of our Lord one thousand two hundred fifty the Waldenses had Churches in Albania Lombardy Milan and in Romagina as also at Vincence Florence and Val Spoletine In the yeere of our Lord 1280 there were many Waldenses in Sicile Le Sieur de Hail in the life of Phil. 3. as le Sieur de Haillan obserueth in his History In the yeere 1492 Albert de Capitaneis Inquisitor and Arch-deacon of Cremona apprehended one of the Pastors of the Waldenses It appeares by the inditemet of the said Pasto the orginal whereof is in our hands named Peter de Iaeob passing ouer a mountaine in Dauphine called le Gol de Costeplane as he was going to Pragela in the Valley of Frassinieres Being asked from whence he came he answered that he came from the Churches of the Waldenses in Italy where he had been to performe his duty to his charge and that he had passed by Gennes where he told them Genoa that the Waldensian Pastors had a house of their owne which agreeth with that which Vignaux noteth in his Memorials Vignaux in his memorials fol. 15. That is that a certaine Pastor named Iohn of the Valley of Lucerna was suspended from the office of a Pastor for the space of seuen yeeres for some fault he had committed and that during the said time he remained at Gennes where saith he the Pastors had a house as also they had a faire one in Florence Besides all these restimonies of the abode of the Waldenses in Italy we haue those of Calabria Chap. 7. of whom thâ—re was question before The persecutions that they haue suffered in Italy were continuall vntill they were wholly rooted out The Emperour Frederic the second of that name did grieuously persecute them by Edicts In the coÌ„stitutioÌ„ which begins Jnconsutilem tunicam by the Inquisition by constitutions especially by that which condemneth Gazaros Patarenos Leonistas Speronistas Arnoldistas c. where hee bewailes the simplicity of those whom he calleth Patareniens as if he should say exposed to passions and suffrings in that they prodigally yeelded their liues to contempt affecting martirdome whereas if they would peaceably maintaine the faith of the Church of Rome they might saith he liue peaceably amongst other men who acknowledge her to be their mother and the head of all the Churches in the world It was his pleasure that they should be seuerely and speedily punished for feare lest they should farther spread themselues seeing also that they had begun to inhabit in Lombardie and within his Realme of Sicile where he commanded they should be persecuted with all rigour to the end they might be driuen out from thence and the whole world together Roger King of Sicile made also constitutions against them and caused them to be persecuted Pope Gregory the 9. did grieuoâ—sly persecute them Sigonius de regno Italico li. 17. A Legat of his banished them out of all Italy Citties and Countries and gaue command that their houses should be razed He appointed in the Citty of Milan two Pâ—eachers who by the authority of the Archbishop made a strict enquiry of the Waldenses and where they could apprehend any they caused them to be brought by the Pretor to the place where the Arch-bishop had appointed and that at the publike charge Pope Honorius caused them to be grieuoursly persecuted vnder the name of Fraticelli that is to say shifting companions for some doe hold that as many as were so called in Italy were no other but Waldenses In the time of Boniface 8 they were charged with the same calumnies as the Waldenses of Dauphine and the Christians of the primitiue Church The Monkes Inquisitors haue alwaies made in Italy an exact search that they might deliuer them to the secular power and not being content to condemne the liuing they framed indictments against the dead dis-interred their bodies burnt their bones and confiscated their goods Paulus Aemilius speakes thus of these shifting fellowes Paul Aemil in Charles the faire In the time of Charles le Bel saith he there were many great spirits and men very learned That age flourished in learning and some there were that were truely holy others who endeauouring vnseasonably and without measure to out-strip others became wicked others whose manners and institutions were doubtfull as for the best and holiest the wicked of those times bare them a grudge afflicting them not speaking a word or telling them wherefore And as for those whom they called Fraterculos Shifters the Preachers condemned them both by word and writing I vnderstand the words but not the sence cest escarlotte ces biens ceste domination and taught that they agreed not with the Religion of Christ They were said to be of the same beliefe with the Waldenses because such was their doctrine One amongst the rest named Herman being buried at Ferrara See the Sea of histories in the yeer 1300. was condemned twenty yeeres after his death to bee dis-interred and his bones to be burnt notwithstanding that whilest hee liued hee were accounted a holy man Also there was another named Andrew and his wife Guillaume that were dis-interred and their bones burnt CHAP. XVII That some of the Waldenses did flie into Dalmatia Croatia Sclauonia Constantinople Grecia Philadelphia Digonicia Liuonia Sarmatia Bulgaria and were there persecuted THe Monke Rainerius in his booke of the forme of proceeding against the Heretickes Rainâ—de forma baereticaÌ„di fol. 10. in that Catalogue that he made of the Churches
of the Waldenses or poore people of Lion notes that there were in his time that is to say in the yeere 1250 Churches in Constantinople Philadelphia Sclauonia Bulgaria and Digonicia Vignier saith that after the persecution of Picardie Vignier in his 3 part of his historiall Bib. pa. 130. Math. Paris in the life of Hen. 6 king of England were dispersed abroad in Liuonia and Sarmatia Math. Paris saith that long since they were gone as far as Croatia and Dalmatia and that they had there taken such footing that they had won vnto them diuers Bishops He saith moreouer that there was one Bar. thelmew who came from Carcassonne vnto whom they all yeelded obedience And that he stiled himselfe in his Letters Barthelmew the seruant of the seruants of the holy faith and that he created Bishops and ordained Churches Here may be some imposture in that he attributeth to his owne person that which is attributeth to the Pope that is that he called himselfe the seruant of the seruants and yet neuerthelesse had taken vpon him a kind of Soueraingty contrary to the order enioyned by the Sonne of God and followed and practised by his Apostles Albert. de Cap. lib. de origine Waldensium p. 1. As also in that Albertus de Capitaneis saith that the Waldenses had their great Master in the Citty of Aquillia in the Realme of Naples vpon whom they absolutely depended For there is not one word in all their writings that aimes at that end Only we alleage the saying of this Historiographer to proue the extent of those places where the Waldenses exiled themselues to auoid the persecution Antonin relateth Antonin part 3 Tit. 2. that the Waldenses called in Italy Fratecelli were in his time burnt in diuers parts of the world insomuch that many of them forsaking Italy retired themselues into Greece especially one amongst them of principall note named Lewis de Baniere and that two Monkes or grey Friers were burnt for adhearing vnto them that is to say Iohn Chastillon and Francis de Hercatura CHAP. XVIII Of the VValdenses inhabiting in Spaine and that they were there persecuted IN the time of the warres against the Earle Remond of Toulouze and the Earle de Foix and comming when the Waldenses were persecuted by the Popes Legates many of them went into Catalogne and the Realm of Aragon This is that which Math. Math. Paris in the raigne of Henry 3. Paris sets down saying that the time of Pope Gregory the 9 there were a great number of Waldenses in Spaine about the yeer 1214 in the time of Alexander the fourth who complained in one of his Bulles that they had bin suffered to take such footing that they should haue so much leasure as to multiply as they had done For in the time of Gregory the 9. they so far forth increased in number and credit that they ordained Bishops ouer their flockes to preach their doctrine which the other Bishops taking notice off there followed a gricuous persecution CHAP. XIX The Conclusion of the History of the Waldenses BY that which is contained in this first and second Booke it appeareth that the Christians called Waldenses haue opposed themselues against the abuses of the Church of Rome and for these foure hundred and fifty yeeres and vpward they haue been persecuted not by the sword of the word of God but by all kind of violence and cruelties besides many calumnies and false accusations Which inforced them to disperse themselues here and there where they could haue any abiding wandring through desert places and yet neuertheles the Lord hath in such sort preserued the remainder of them that notwithstanding the rage of Satan they haue continued inuincible against Antichrist to whom they haue offered a spirituall combat destroying him by the blast of the spirit of God Crying with a loud voice not onely throughout all Europe but in many other parts of the earth that it was time to depart out of Babylon lest wee participate of her plagues This is the people that haue enforced themselues to re-establish the true and pure seruice of God by the power of his word a contemptible people euen as the filth of the world by whom neuerthelesse the eternall God hath wrought wonderfull things restoring and re-establishing by them his Church First in France afterwards as it were from a new Sion causing the riuers of his holy Law and pure doctrine to distill and drop downe vpon the rest of the world gathering together his elect by the preaching of his holy Gospell And that which is most admirable in this so great a worke is that the doctrine which they haue beleeued and preached hath been likewise miraculously preserued amongst them in the middle of all their gricuous and continuall persecutions which they haue suffered for righteousnesse sake As it is also worthy admiration that their aduersaries haue kept a register of the euils which they haue caused them vniustly to suffer It hath been their glory that they haue shed that blood that crieth for vengeance exiled the Church for a limitted time in the wildernesse and made knowne by their Histories that the Dragon hath done but that which was granted vnto him that is to make warre against the Saints but being deliuered from their great tribulation and their robes whitned in the blood of the Lamb they haue been conducted to the liuing fountaines of water and God hath wiped all teares from their eies LAVS DEO Reuelation 21.7 He that ouercommeth shall inherit all things and I will be his God and be shall be my sonne FINIS THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE HISTORY OF THE ALBINGENSES CHAP. I. Who the Albingenses were what their beleefe who were comprehended vnder the name of Albingenses at what time and by whom they haue beene instructed in what esteeme their Pastors haue beene by whom and in what Councell condemned how they haue increased what Cities and great Lords haue taken their part For what doctrine the Papists haue hated them and persecuted them to the death THe Albingenses which we are to speake of in this History differ nothing at all from the Waldenses in their beleefe but they are onely so called of the Countrey of Albi where they dwelt and had their first beginning The Popes haue condemned them as Waldenses the Legates haue made warre against them as professing the beleefe of the Waldenses the Monkes Inquisitors haue formed their Proces and Indictments as against Waldenses The people haue persecuted them as being such and themselues haue thought themselues honored by that title vpon the assured knowledge that they had of the puritie of their doctrine Iaques de Riberia in Collectaneis vrbis Tolozae being the selfesame with the Waldenses In respect whereof many Historiographers call them Waldenses Wee therefore will distinguish them not by their beleefe but by the places of their abode and by the particular warres which they haue endured for the space of
had beene giuen them that nothing should be altered within the citie This good vse did the Earle Simon make of the presence and forces of Prince Lewis for otherwise he durst not haue enterprised the saccage and dismantling of this goodly and great citie without the endangering of his fortunes were his forces neuer so great At this very time arriued Bonauenture the Popes new Legat and of those that tooke on them the Crosse the Bishop of Beauuois the Earle of Saint Paul the Earle of Sauoy the Earle of Alençon the Vicount of Melun Mathew de Montmorenci and other great Lords that accompanied him The Legat seeing so many Pilgrims began to feare lest Prince Lewis should dispose of diuers places which the Albingenses held to the preiudice of the Popes authoritie vnder whose name all those conquests were made for the auoiding whereof he sent vnto all those places that held for the said Albingenses the absolution and safeguard of the Church in such sort that the Prince thinking to make an assault vpon any of them they produced their absolution and shewed that they were vnder the protection of the Church And this Legat grew so audacious as to tell Prince Lewis that since he was become a souldier of the Crosse he was subiect to his commands because he did represent the person of the Pope whose pardons he was come to obtaine by obeying the Church not by commanding as the sonne of a King reproching him besides that the King his father made no account to contribute to the extirpation of the Albingenses when the time and season serued and there was best opportunity but now after those victories miraculously obtained he came to gleane the eares of that glory which was due vnto those only that had prodigally spent their liues for the Church The Prince dissembled this audacious boldnesse Narbonne was dismantled by the agreement of the said Prince which neither the Legat nor the Earle Simon would not haue durst to enterprise without his presence The Bishop of Narbonne did what he could to hinder the dismantling of it affirming that it did much import that a place in the frontiers of Spaine should bee preserued with the walles and rampiers thereof but the Earle Simon and the Legat were very instant to the contrary they obtained their desires Here endeth the good fortune of the Earle Simon for in the end of this leuy of Pilgrims which Prince Lewis brought with him he had enough to doe to defend himselfe from blowes notwithstanding the Albingenses were also wearied with continuall warres and visited from time to time with new expeditions insomuch that they sunke vnder the burthen of them Now forasmuch as this warre changeth countenance in the person of the chiefe Leaders and that from hence forward we shall speake more of the sonne of the Earle Remond of Toulouze another Remond and of Roger the sonne of the Earle of Foix then of the old Earles We here make a second booke of the actions of the children succeeding their fathers miserably afflicted only for that they had for in effect there was not any of these great Lords that was deseruedly assaulted for Religion for many times they had their recourse to the Pope as to the fountaine of all their euills and in all respects to a poore remedy neuer bringing with them from Rome other thing than good words with very dangerous effects The end of the first booke THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE HISTORY OF the WALDENSES called ALBINGENSES containing the warres which they maintained after the yeare one thousand two hundred and thirteene vntill they were vtterly exterminated CHAP. I. The warre is renewed against the Earle of Foix the Aragonians make hostile incursions vpon the Lands of the Earle Simon he is discomfited by the Earle of Foix Simon is called into Dauphine The Legat Bonauenture perswades the Earle of Foix and of Toulouze to goe to Rome they further their cause nothing at all the sonne of the Earle Remond came from England thither but in vaine THE Prince Lewis sonne of Philip King of France his quarantine or fortie daies being expired retired himselfe not without much discontent to see in those warres against the Albingenses so much tyranny The Earle Simon endeuored to get a pardon for those last Pilgrims come from France against the Earle of Foix. Hologaray in his Hist of Foix pag. 157. Hee besieged the Castle of Foix but with his great losse for there died before it many gallant men Hauing laine before the Citie ten daies hee raised his siege finding to his great cost that the place was inexpugnable The Earle Simon his Brother kept his quarter at Varilles the Earle of Foix vnlodged him slew with his Lance the said Brother of the Earle Simon and put to flight his whole troope This was a counterpoise to Monfort his prosperitie which had made him ouer-insolent And as one vnhappy chance comes seldome alone euen then when he did grinde his teeth against the Earle of Foix swearing that hee would make him flie ouer the Pereney mountaines a messenger brought him tidings of the arriuall in the Earledome of Beziers and about Carcassonne of diners troopes of Arragonians and Catalans who put all they met to sword and fire saying That they would reuenge the death of their good King Alphonsus Hee was therefore aduertised that if hee did not speedily succour them the whole Country would be lost He departed therefore from Foix with great diligence Idem fol. 158. The Earle of Foix who better knew the streights and by-waies of his Country than he stopped his passage and lay in ambush for him in a place so fitting for his ouerthrow that he slew a great part of his troopes without any Alarum Hee saued himselfe with a few of his people Being come to Carcassonne it was well for him that he found not a man to speake a word vnto for the Arragonians had retired themselues Whereas had they attended his comming they might easily haue discomfited him considering the small number that were with him At this very time other Letters were brought vnto him whereby he was called into Dauphine where there was one Ademar of Poitiers and one Ponce of Monlaur who hindred the passage of the Pilgrims who came downe by the Riuer Rhosne and were conducted by the Archbishops of Lion and Vienne There were likewise the Cities of Monteil-Aimar and Crest Arnaud who tooke part with the Albingenses who were a great hindrance to the Pilgrims Simon came to treatie and composition with Ademar of Poitiers and Monlaur not hauing power to encounter so many enemies Againe he was giuen to vnderstand that the Arragonians were returned about Carcassonne and thither he came and was well beaten insomuch that he was constrained to shut vp himselfe within Carcassonne hauing not wherewithall to keepe the field before hee had new supply of Pilgrims to succour him Seeing at the last that he got nothing of the Earle of Foix by
renounce the deuill and all his pompe For dancing is the pompe of the deuill and hee that danceth maintaineth his pompe and singeth his Masse For the woman that singeth in the dance is the Prioresse of the deuill and those that answere are the Clerkes and the beholders are the Parishioners and the musicke are the Belles and the Fidlers the ministers of the Deuill For as when Hogges are strayed if the Hog-heard call one all assemble themselues together So the deuill causeth one woman to sing in the dance or to play on some Instrument and presently all the dancers gather together Againe in a dance a man breakes the ten Commandements of God As first Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me c. For in dancing a man serues that person whom hee most desires to serue and therefore saith Sant Ierom Euery mans God is that hee serues and loues best He sinnes against the second Commandement when hee makes an Idol of that hee loues Against the third in that oathes are frequent amongst dancers Against the fourth for by dancing the Sabboth day is profaned Against the fift for in the dance the parents are many times dishonoured when many bargaines are made without their counsell Against the sixt A man killes in dancing for euery one that standeth to please another he killes the soule as oft as hee perswadeth vnto lust Against the seuenth For the partie that danceth bee it male or female committeth adultery with the partie they lust after For hee that looketh on a woman and lusteth after her hath already committed adultery in his heart Against the eighth Commandement a man sinnes in dancing when hee withdraweth the heart of another from God Against the ninth when in dancing hee speakes falsely against the truth Against the tenth when women affect the ornaments of others and men couet the wiues daughters and seruants of their neighbours Againe a man may prooue how great an euill dancing is by the multitude of sinnes that accompany those that dance for they dance without measure or number And therefore saith Saint Augustine The miserable dancer knowes not that as many paces as he makes in dancing so many leapes hee makes to hell They sinne in their ornaments after a fiue-fold maner First by being proud thereof Secondly by inflaming the hearts of those that behold them Thirdly when they make those ashamed that haue not the like ornaments giuing them occasion to couet the like Fourthly by making women importunate in demanding the like ornaments of their husbands And fiftly when they cannot obtaine them of their husbands they seeke to get them elsewhere by sinne They sinne by singing and playing on Instruments for their songs bewitch the hearts of those that heare them with temporall delight forgetting God vttering nothing in their songs but lyes and vanities And the very motion of the body which is vsed in dancing giues testimony enough of euill Thus you see that dancing is the deuils procession and he that entreth into a dance enters into the deuâ—ls possession Of dancing the deuill is the guide the middle and the end and hee that entreth a good and a wise man into the dance commeth foorth a corrupt and a wicked man Sarah that holy woman was none of these CHAP. X. En qual modo lo poble se deo auer a aquilli que son defora Non amar lo mond After what manner a man must conuerse with those that are without NOt to loue the world To flye euill company If it bee possible to haue peace with all Not to contend in iudgement Not to reuenge To 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 many Sermons of the Pastors dated the yeer 1â—20 and therefore written before Waldo and about the time of Peter Bruis who taught in Languedoâ— where hee was burnt at Saint Giles before Woldo 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
Prayers Fastings Almes-deeds and Masses Touching which Purgatory to satiate their auarice many haue inuented diuers vncertaine things which they haue taught and preached saying that such soules are tormented in the said Purgatory some to the necke some to the middle and they say that sometimes they sit and eate at table and make bankets especially at the Feast of all Soules when the people are offering liberally vpon their Sepulchres And they say that sometimes they gather the crummes vnder the rich mens tables By this meanes and diuers other the like dreames auarice and Simony is increased and multiplyed their Cloysters aduanced their sumptuous Temples are built and inlarged their Altars multiplyed beyond measure and infinite numbers of Monkes and Canons haue inuented diuers other things touching the deliuerance and vnbinding the said soules bringing thereby the Word of God into contempt Thus the people are strangely mocked and deceiued touching their soules as also in their substance inasmuch as they are made to put their trust in things vncertaine whilest in the meane time the faithfull hide themselues for when they refuse to preach and teach the said Purgatory as an Article of their faith they are cruelly condemned to death and Martired It is therefore fitting we should speake of this Purgatory and plainely giue the world to vnderstand what we thinke thereof First therefore we say that the soules of those that are to be saued must in the end bee purged from all their pollution according to the Ordinance of God as it appeareth in the 21. of the Reuelation There shall in no wise enter into heauen any thing that defileth neither whatsoeuer worketh abomination or maketh a lye Now we know that the Scriptures haue set downe many and diuers meanes to purge those that are in this present life of all their sinnes But Saint Peter telleth vs in the 15. of the Acts 9. that faith purifieth the heart and that faith is sufficient to purge away the euill without any outward helpe as appeareth by the thiefe at the right hand of Christ who beleeuing and confessing his sinnes was made worthy of Paradise The other manner of purging the Spouse of Christ by repentance is touched in Esay Chap. 1.16 Wash yee and make you cleane put away the euill of your doings from before mine eyes cease to doe euill And presently after Though your sinnes be as skarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wooll In which words the Lord offereth himselfe to all that doe truely repent according to the manner aboue-mentioned and they that haue beene sinfull shall be made as white as snow There is likewise mention made of another kinde of purging of sinne in the third of Saint Matthew where it is said He hath his fanne in his hand and hee will thorowly purge his floore and gather his wheate into the garner The which words Chrysostome expounds of the floore of the Church and the fire of tribulation And not onely doth the Lord purge by tribulations but he likewise purifieth his Spouse heere in this life by himselfe as Saint Paul speaketh Ephes 5.25 Christ hath loued his Church and giuen himselfe for it That hee might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word that hee might present it to himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should bee holy and without blemish Where the Apostle sheweth that Christ hath so loued his Church that hee would not cleanse it by any other washing but his owne Blood 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 that is that the Saints doe appease the wrath of God when he is angry with sinners But wee are not to beleeue any such thing for if it were so there could be no true conformity betweene the will of the Saints and the will of God for it should seeme that the Saints are not angry with those against whom God is moued to anger Secondly by this magnification and inuocation of Saints the people fall into Idolatry putting their trust more in Saints then in God and seruing them with greater affection then the onely God which they shew by the effects by the ornaments of their Altars which are most precious by their excellent Musicke the multiplication of their Tapers and by other solemnities By which meanes the simple people are induced to thinke that the Saints are more mercifull then God because they free him from damnation by those prayers they make vnto God whom God had condemned Beside this to maintaine these things the simple people are taught that the Saints desire that men should offer oblations vnto them and take pleasure in their praises and that they mediate principally for those that offer incense vnto them and other honours all which things wee are to abhorre and carefully to flie Of this Inuocation therefore we are now to speake and to make knowne what our opinion is touching this prayer vnto Saints And first let vs see what Inuocation is Inuocation is a desire of the whole vnderstanding and soule sent vnto God by the voyce and by prayer Secondly we know and beleeue that the man Christ Iesus is Mediator betweene God and man and Aduocate to God the Father who hath payed for our sinnes that come vnto God by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them Heb. 7.25 No man comes to the Father but by him And whatsoeuer yee shall aske in my name that will I doe saith he Iohn 14.13 Who giueth to all abundantly and reproacheth no man Iam. 1. He is our Aduocate to God the Father and hee forgiueth our sinnes He offereth himselfe vnto vs by all meanes before we offer our selues vnto him He is at the doore and he knockes that we may open vnto him he shutteth out all Idolatry being at the right hand of his Father in Heauen and his will is that all the faithful haue him in their mindes and looke onely vnto him for all the care of the faithfull must tend vnto Christ by thought and affection and must imitate him that is aboue According to that which is said If you be risen againe with Christ seeke the things that are aboue where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God He is the doore by which whosoeuer shall enter shall be saued No man commeth to the Father but by me saith he We beleeue in the third place that the Saints are not proposed vnto vs to worship but to imitate Saint Paul faith Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ Saint Peter would not suffer himselfe to be worshipped by Cornelius nor the Angell by Saint Iohn the Euangelist And therefore saith Saint Augustine in his Booke of true Religion O ye Religious saith he giue not your selues to the seruice of the dead for if they haue liued holily they are not such as seeke for honours or desire to be serued by vs but by him by whom they are illuminated they reioyce that we