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 Treatises 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 Massçon 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 also because this Sect saith he is more generall for there is not almost any Country in which it hath not taken footing And thirdly because all other by their blasphemies against God strike a horror into mens hearts But this on the contrary hath a great appearance of piety for they carry themselues vprightly before men and beleeue rightly touching God in all things holding all the Articles that are contained in the Simbole hating and reuiling the Church of Rome and therein saith he they are easily beleeued of the people And in another place the said Rainerius saith Rainer cap. de studio peruertendi alios mode decendi fol. 98. that the first lesson that the Waldenses giue to those whom they winne to their Sect is this that they teach them what the Disciples of Christ ought to be and that by the words of the Gospell and the Apostles affirming that they onely are the Successors of the Apostles that immitate their life Inferring thereby saith hee that the Pope the Bishoppes and Clergy that possesse and inioy the riches of this world and seek after them follow not the examples of the Apostles and therefore are not the true guides of the Church it neuer being the purpose of Christ Iesus to commit his chaste and beloued spouse to those who rather prostitute her by their ill examples and wicked actions then preserue her in that purity wherein they receiued her at the beginning a virgin chaste and without spot In hatred therefore of diuers discourses which the Waldenses haue written against the luxury auarice pride and errors brought in by the Pope they haue alwaies persecuted them to the death The meanes they haue vsed vtterly to exterminate them haue been in the first place their thunderbolts curses cannons constitutions decrees and whatsoeuer else might make them odious to the Kings Princes and people of the earth giuing them ouer asmuch as lies in their power vnto Satan interdicting them all communion and society with those that obey their lawes iudging them vnworthy and vncapable of any charges honours profits or to inherit or to make willes or to beburied in common church-yards confiscating their goods dis-inheriting their heires and where they could by any meanes apprehend them they haue condemned them to be deliuered to the secular power their houses to be razed their lands and moueables confiscated or giuen to the first conquerour And of all these sentences we haue at this day the scedule giuen by the Popes These sentences are to bee seen in the manuel of the Inquisitors with the letters of Pope Alexander the thirteenth of diuers other Popes which succeeded him with the instruments which they haue imployed to such executions as also of the commands which they haue giuen vnto Kings Princes Magistrates Consuls and People to make an exact inquisition to shut the gates of the Citty to craue the assistance and best helpe of the people to ring the Tol-bell to arme themselues and if otherwise they cannot be apprehended to kill them and to vse all manner of violence which they shall see needfull in such a case Giuing to the accusers the third part or some other portion of that which shall bee confiscated all councellors and fauourers of them being condemned to the same punishment And forasmuch as no Prince or Magistrate or any other had any power to frame a proces against any in the fact of pretended heresie commandement was giuen to the Bishops euery one in his iurisdiction to make an inquiry into their flockes and take notice how euery particular person was affected to the ordinances of the Popes and the Church of Rome So when Waldo began to complaine and to cry out against the corruptions of the said Church of Rome Alexander the third then Pope enioyned the Archbishop of Lion to proceed against him and forasmuch as the said Prelate did not banish him according and as soon as he desired This Councel was held at Latran 1180. See the 27. Chap. he speedily assembled a Councell where he excommunicated Waldo and all those that followed his doctrine though it were vnder other names But this meanes was thought to be too easie for so pressing an action as this of the Waldenses was who ceased not for all those thunderbolts to preach that the Pope was Antichrist the Masse an abomination the Hoste an idoll and Purgatory a fable Points that being receiued were sufficient 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 maâ—y Sermons of the Pastors datâ—d the yeer 1â—20 and therefore written before Waldo and about the time of Peter Bruis who taught in Languedos where hee was burnt at Saint Giles before Waldo departed from Lion And this Treatise was afterward preserued by the Waldenses of the Alpes from whom we had it with diuers others As the smoake goes before the fire the battell before the victory so the temptation of Antichrist before glory CHAPTER I. A Treatise of the Waldenses and Albingenses of Antichrist ANtichrist is the falshood or vntruth of eternall damnation couered with an outward appearance of the truth and the righteousnesse of Christ and his Spouse opposite to the way of truth righteousnesse faith hope and charity and to the morall life and ministeriall verity of the Church administred by false Apostles and obstinately defended by both powers Ecclesiasticall and secular Or Antichrist is a delusion which hides the truth of saluation from things substantiall or it is a fraudulent contradiction against Christ and his Spouse and euery faithfull member It is not any speciall person ordained in any degree or office or ministery but it is that falsehood it selfe which opposeth it selfe against the trueth which couereth and adorneth it selfe with beauty and pietie out of the Church of Christ as with names and offices and Scriptures and Sacraments and diuers other things That iniquity that is after this manner with all the Ministers thereof great and small with all those that follow them with a wicked heart and hood-winked eyes this congregation I say thus taken altogether is called Antichrist or Babylon or the fourth Beast or the Whore or the man of sinne or the sonne of perdition The Ministers are called false prophets lying teachers the Ministers of darkenesse the spirit of errour the Apocalipticall whore the mother of Fornication cloudes without water trees without leaues dead and twice rooted vp waues of a troublesome sea wandring starres Balaamites and Egyptians It is called Antichrist because being couered and adorned vnder the colour of Christ and of his Church and the faithfull members thereof it oppugneth the saluation purchased by Christ and truely administred in the Church of Christ whereof the faithfull are partakers by Faith Hope and Charity Thus it contradicteth the truth by the wisedome of the world by false religion by counterfeited holinesse by spirituall power secular tyrannie riches honours dignities and the delights and delicacies of the world Forasmuch therefore as it is manifest to euery one that Antichrist cannot come in any forme or fashion whatsoeuer but so as that all these things aboue mentioned must bee ioyned together to make a perfect hypocrisie and falsehood that is to say with the wise of the world the Religious Pharises Ministers Doctors with the secular power with the people of the world ioyned all together who then altogether make the man of sinne and errour fully compleate For notwithstanding Antichrist were long since conceiued in the Apostles times yet it was then in the infancie and it wanted members both inward and outward And therefore it was the more easily knowne and destroyed and kept vnder and being but rude and rusticall as yet was dumbe For it had not the wisedome nor the reason to excuse it selfe to define and pronounce sentence It had not as yet Ministers without truth it wanted humane Lawes and Statutes and outwardly it had no religious followers And therefore though it were fallen into errour and sinne yet it had nothing wherewith to couer its villany and the shame of errour and sinne for hauing neither riches nor doctations it could not winne Ministers for seruice nor multiply and preserue and defend its owne for it was destitute of secular power and helpe and could not inforce or constraine any from the trueth to falsehood And forasmuch as many things were wanting it could not pollute nor scandalize any with its trumperies and therâ—fore being as yet tender and feeble could obtaine no place in the Church But afterwards growing in its members that is to say in its blinde Ministers and hypocrites and the vassals of the World it is growen to a perfect man in the fulnesse of age that is to say when the spirituall and secular louers of the World blinde in faith were multiplied in the Chureh with all power These being wicked and willing to be entreated and honoured touching things spirituall they haue couered their maiesty malice and sinnes by making vse of the wise men of the World and the Pharises to this purpose as it is said before Now this is a great wickednesse to couer and to adorne that iniquity worthy excommunâ—cation and to establish it by such a meanes as cannot by man bee giuen to man but belongs onely vnto God and to Iesus Christ as he is Mediator Most deceitfully and by rapine to take these things from God and to transferre them to it selfe and it workes seemes to be a great robbery as when it attributeth to it selfe the power to regenerate to forgiue sinnes to distribute the graces of the holy Spirit to make Christ and other the like things And in all these to couer it selfe with the cloake of authority and of the Word deceiuing by this meanes the rude people who follow the World separating themselues from God and the true Faith and the reformation of the holy Spirit from true repentance and the powerfull operation of perseuerance in good forsaking charity patience humility and that which is worst of all departing from the true hope and putting their trust in the vaine
for his learning and pietie as also for his great bountie towards the poore not onely nourishing their bodies with his materiall bread but their soules with the spirituall exhorting them principally to seeke Iesus Christ the true bread of their soules Many Historiographers do write Lois Cam. in his hist of the orthod brethren of Bohemia p. 7. Guido de Perignan in his flower of Chronicles that he had a resolution to leade an vnblameable life approching as neare as he could to that of the Apostles that vpon a mournfull vnluckie accident that fell out vnexpected and it was this Being one euening in the company of some of his friends after supper passing the time with talke and refreshing themselues one of the company fell downe dead vpon the ground with which sudden accident all that were present being strangely affrighted The Catal. of witnesses of the truth p. 535. Simon de Noion in his booke of the names of the Doctors of the Church Valdo amongst the rest was touched to the quicke and by this dart of Gods iustice was wrought to an extraordinary amendment of life applying himselfe wholly to the reading of the Scriptures seeking in them his saluation and sometimes consulting the writings of the ancients he continually instructed those poore people that resorted vnto him for almes The Archbishop of Lions called Iohn de Belles Mayons being aduertised that Valdo made profession of teaching the people boldly blaming the vice luxury excesse and arrogancie of the Pope and his Clergie inhibited him from teaching especially for that being a lay person he exceeded the limits of his profession and condition of life and therefore that he should not continue therein vnder paine of excommunication proceeding against him as against and Hereticke Valdo replyed that he could not hold his peace in a matter of so high importance as the saluation of men and that he would rather obey God who had enioyned him to speake then man who had commanded him to hold his peace Vpon this answer the Archbishop endeauoured to haue him apprehended but that could not be because Valdo hauing many kinsfolke and friends was beloued of many and so continued closely in Lions by the fauour and protection of his friends for the space of three yeares Pope Alexander the third of that name hauing vnderstood that in Lyons there were diuers persons that called into question his soueraigne authoritie ouer the whole Church fearing that this beginning of rebellion might giue some blow to his supreme dignitie power cursed Valdo and his adherents and commanded the Archbishop to proceed against them by Ecclesiasticall censures euen to the vtter extirpation of them Claud. Rubis saith Claud. Rubis in his hist pa. 269. that Valdo and his followers were wholly chased out of Lions and Albert de Capitaneis saith that they could not be wholly driuen out Other things we could not learne of this first persecution but onely that they that escaped out of Lions Albert de Capit. in his booke of the originall of the Vaudois who of Valdo were called Waldenses followed him and afterwards did spread themselues into diuerse companies and places CHAP. II. That the dispersion of Valdo and his followers was the meanes that God vsed to spread the doctrine of Valdo almost throughout all Europe ALbert de Capitaneis saith that Valdo retired himselfe into Dauphiney at his departure from Lions and Claud. de Rubis affirmeth that he conuersed in the mountaines of the said Prouince with certaine rude persons yet capable to receiue the impressions of his beleefe And true it is that the Churches of the Waldenses which haue continued very long and whereof there are yet a greater number then in any other place of Europe are they of Dauphiney and the bordering race or linage of them that is to say those of Piemount and Prouence Vignier saith that he retyred into Picardie Vignier in the 3. part of his historicall Bibliotheque pa. 130. where in a short time he did so much good that there were diuerse persons that did adhere vnto his doctrine for which shortly after they suffered great persecutions Dubranius in his historie of Bohemia Booke 14. For as Dubranius saith sometime after King Philip Augustus enforced by the Ecclesiasticall persons tooke armes against the Waldenses of Picardie razed and ouerthrew three hundred houses of gentlemen that followed their part and destroyed certaine walled Townes pursuing them into Flanders whither they were fled and caused a number of them to be burnt This persecution enforced many to flie into Germany where shortly after they were grieuously persecuted namely See the Sea of Histories in the countrie of Alsatia and along the Rhine by the Bishops of Mayence and of Strasburge who caused to be burnt in the towne of Bnigne thirtie fiue Burgesses of Mayence in one fire and at Mayence eighteene who with great constancie suffered death And at Strasburge fourescore were burnt at the instance of the Bishop of the place These persecutions multiplied in such sort by the edification that they receiued who saw them dye praysing God and assuring themselues of his mercy that notwithstanding the continuall persecutions there were in the County of Passau and about Bohemia in the yeare one thousand three hundred and fifteene to the number of fourescore thousand persons that made profession of the same faith They had likewise goodly Churches in Bulgaria Math. Paris in his historie of the life of king Hen. 3. in the yeare 1223. Croatia Dalmatia and Hungarie as Math. Paris reports instructed and gouerned by one Barthelmew borne at Carcassonne The Albegeois on the other side professing the same faith haue filled many countries vntill in the end they were almost wholly extirpated as shall appeare in their particular historie CHAP. III. By what names the Waldenses haue bene called by their aduersaries and with what faults and offences they haue bene charged THe Monks Inquisitors and mortall enemies to the Waldenses not being content to deliuer them euery day to the secular power they haue besides layed vpon them many opprobrious imputations affirming them to be the authors of all the heresies in the world which they endeuoured to purge imputing all those monstrous abuses that they had forged onely to the Waldenses as if they onely had bene the receptacle of all errours First therefore they called them of Valdo a citizen of Lions Waldenses of the countrie of Albi Albigeois Vaudois Albigeois And because such as did adhere to the doctrine of Valdo departed from Lions spoiled of all humane meanes and the most part hauing left their goods behind them in derision they called them the beggers of Lions In Dauphiney they were called in mockerie Chaignards Chaignards And because some part of them passed the Alpes Tramontaines they were called Tramontaines And from one of the disciples of Valdo called Ioseph who preached in Dauphiney in the diocesse of Dye Iosephists
the Church of Rome they deferred the doing thereof as long as they could possibly because they had in detestation those humane inuentions which were added to that holy Sacrament which they held to be but pollutions therof And forasmuch as their Pastors which they called Barbes were many times abroad imployed in the seruice of their Churches they could not haue the Sacrament of Baptisme administred to their infants by their owne Ministers for this cause they kept them long from Baptisme which the Priests perceiuing and taking notice of charged them thereupon with this imposture which not onely their aduersaries haue beleeued but diuerse others who haue well approued of their life and faith in all other points The fifth calumnie was that they adored their Pastors prostrating themselues before them To iustifie the Waldenses from this imposture there needs no more but that the Reader will be pleased to take the paines to reade that which they haue written touching the adoration of one onely God in the exposition that they made in the booke of their doctrine vpon the first Commandement of the Law of God There you shall find that they haue giuen much honour euen to their Pastors as vnto those that keepe the word of Reconciliation entertaining them charitably accompting themselues obliged thereunto for conscience sake but that they euer had any intention to giue that worship to the creature that is onely due vnto the Creator can neuer be made good but by way of calumnie It appeareth by the processe formed by the said Albert against the Waldenses of the Alpes Howsoeuer Albert de Capitaneis their deadly enemie in the Diocesse of Turin would haue extorted from them that they adored their Pastors which he could neuer enforce them to confesse The sixt calumnie was that they maintained that it was not lawfull to sweare at all In their booke intituled the Spirituall Almanacke in the exposition of the third commandement They say and affirme that there are lawfull oathes tending to the honour of God and the edification of our neighbours alledging that place in the 6. Heb. 16. That men sweare by the greater and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife As also they alledge that it was enioyned the people of Israel to sweare by the name of the eternall God Deut. 6.13 and the examples of those oathes that past betweene Abimelec and Isaac Gen. 26.31 and the oath of Iacob Gen. 31.53 The seuenth calumnie was to make them odious to the people as if they had preferred the peace with the Turke before that with the Church the kingdome of Christ affirming that they maintained that the Pope did mortally sinne when he sends an expedition of souldiers with the badge of the crosse vpon their Cassockes or Coatarmour against the Sarazens In the booke of the causes of their separation frō the Church of Rome p. 235 For their iustification herein we must obserue 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 Paul Lan. in his Chronicle of France 1513. See the examination of the Councell of Trent lib. 1. c. 5. Paulus Langius a Germane Historiographer layes an imputation vpon Leo the tenth that he leuied great summes of money vnder a pretence of warre against the Turkes which he bestowed shortly after vpon thirtie Cardinals which he had newly created Guicciardine noteth in his Historie that the selfe same Pope imposed great exactions vpon the people the benefit whereof fell into the lap of his sister Magdalen and that all that leuie of money was but to satisfie the auarice of a woman and that the Bishop of Aremboldo was thought by him a commissarie worthy such an action to put it in execution with all manner of extortion Alexander the fourth conuerted the vow of Hierusalem to the vow of Pouille that is to say A part of Naples whose inhabitants are held very dangerous the vow of reuenge For he gaue power to his Legats to absolue the King of England Henry the third by name dispensing with his vow of the crosse for Hierusalem vpon condition that he should go to Pouille to make warre against Manfred Frederic Emperour not long before It is the Historiographer Math. Paris Math. Paris in his Historie of England See the first booke of the examination of the Councell of Trent cap. 5. In the booke of the causes of their separation frō the Church of Rome p. 125 that setteth downe the complaint that then was made that is to say that the tenths imployed for the succour of the holy Land were taken away and conuerted to the reliefe of Pouille against the Christians The eight calumnie was that they vsed no reuerence towards holy and consecrated places holding that that man sinned not more grieuously that burneth a Church then he that breakes into any other house They say that neither the place nor the chaire make a man the more holy and they haue maintained that they deceiue themselues much that comfort themselues or presume the more because of the dignitie of the place for what place more high then Paradise what place more secure then heauen and yet neuerthelesse man was banished out of Paradise for sinning there and the Angels were throwne from heauen to the end they might be examples to those that came after and to teach them that it is not the place nor the greatnesse nor dignitie thereof that makes a man holy but the innocencie of his life Against the ninth calumnie that is to say that they defend that the Magistrate ought not to condemne any to death they say 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 It appeareth by the complaint they made to the King Ladislaus King of Hungary and Bohemia True it is that they haue found fault that the Magistrates should deliuer them to death without any other knowledge of the cause then the simple report of Priests and Monkes who were parties and iudges insomuch that
neither by proscriptions nor banishments not excommunications nor publications of their Bulles nor Indulgences and Pardons to all those that shall make warre against them nor by any manner of torments fire flames gibets or other cruell effusion or bloud could they euer hinder the current of their doctrine but it hath spread it selfe almost into all the corners of the earth This hath le Sieur de Saint Aldegonde writ of the Waldenses But forasmuch as doubt may be made whether we haue in these dayes any proofes in the world of their beleefe it is necessary that we produce hereabouts an inuentorie of bookes which they haue left vnto vs to the end that when there shall be any question of their doctrine euery one may vnderstand what the writings are out of which we haue gathered that which they taught CHAP. VII That Peter Waldo and the Waldenses haue left bookes which make proofe of their beliefe and what they are In the former Chap. THat Waldo left something in writing vnto vs it appeares by that which Math. Illyricus saith that he hath certaine parchments of his which shew him to be a learned man The Author of the Historie of the Estate of the Church giues this testimonie that followeth Historie of the Estate of the Church p. 307. Waldo at the same time saith he made a collection in the vulgar tongue of sundry passages of the ancient Fathers to the end he might defend his opinions not onely by the authoritie of the holy Scripture but also by the testimonie of the Doctors against his aduersaries About fortie yeares since le Sieur de Vignaux Pastor of the Churches of the Waldenses in Piemont writ as followeth in his memorials that he made Of the beginning Antiquitie Doctrine Religion Manners Discipline Persecutions Confessions and progresse of the people called Waldenses I that write saith he can witnesse that being sent vnto these people to preach the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ which I did about some fortie yeares together I had no need to take much paines to win them from the ceremonies of the Church of Rome nor to roote out of their minds the Pope the Masse Purgatory and such other things wherein they were a long time Doctors before my coming although the greatest part of them knew neither A nor B. It is to this seruant of God to whom we are much bound for the multitude of bookes written by the Waldenses For as oft as he lighted vpon any he gathered them together and kept them carefully which he did the more commodiously for that as he sâ—ith 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 Lindan in his analiticke tables LIndanus makes Caluin an inheritor or heire of the doctrine of the Waldenses Hosius in his fâ—â—t booke of thâ— heresies of our times The Cardinall Hosius saith 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 parated from the Church of Rome Gwaltier Monke the Iesuite Gwalt in his Chro. table see 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. 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 Walde Aeneas Syluius who was afterwards Pope Pius the second of that name Syluius and Dubrauius in their Histories
bought vs with his precious bloud bee all honour and glory for euer and euer So be it FINIS THE THIRD PART OF THE HISTORIE OF THE WALDENSES AND ALBINGENSES THE FIRST BOOKE Contayning the Doctrine and Discipline that hath beene common amongst them The Catechisme or manner of instructing their Children which the Waldenses and Albingenses haue vsed in manner of a Dialogue where the Pastor asketh the question and the Childe answereth set down iointly in their owne proper Language in the French Copy for the more Authority CHAPTER I. The learned Reader desirous to see the Originall may haue recourse to the French Booke where it is faithfully set forth in their owne old Language Lo. Barba Si tu fosses demanda qui sies tu Respond L'Enfant Creatura de dio rational mortal c. The Pastor Question WHat art thou Answer A creature of God reasonable and mortall Q. Why hath God created thee A. To the end I should know and serue him and that I might be saued by his grace Q. In what doth thy saluation consist A. In three essentiall vertues which doe necessarily belong to saluation Q. Which be they A. Faith Hope and Charity Q. How dost thou proue it A. The Apostle saith in the 1 Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 13.13 These three things remaine Faith Hope and Charity Q. What is Faith A. According to the Apostle Heb. 11.1 It is the substance of things hoped for the euidence of things not seene Q. How many kindes of Faith are there A. There are two sorts of Faith that is a liuely and a dead Faith Q. What is a liuely Faith A. That which worketh by Charity Q. What is a dead Faith A. According to Saint Iames That Faith which is without workes is dead Againe Faith is nothing without workes Or a dead faith is to beleeue there is a God and to beleeue those things concerning God and not to beleeue in God Q. What is thy Faith A. The true Catholike and Apostolike Faith Q. What is that A. It is that which in the Apostles Symbole is diuided into twelue Articles Q. What is that Symbole A. I beleeue in God the Father Almighty c. Q. By what meanes canst thou know that thou beleeuest in God A. By this Because I know that I haue giuen my selfe to the obseruation of the Commandements of God Q. How many Commandements of God are there A. Ten as it appeareth in Exodus and Deuteronomy Q. Which are they A. Hearken O Israel I am the Lord thy God Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in Heauen c. Q. Vpon what doe all these Commandements depend A. Vpon the two great Commandements that is to say Thou shalt loue God aboue all things and thy Neighbour as thy selfe Q. What is the foundation of these Commandements by which euery one ought to enter into life without which foundation no man can worthily fulfill the Commandements A. Our Lord Iesus Christ of whom the Apostle saith in the first to the Corinthians None can lay any other foundation but that which is laid euen Iesus Christ Q. By what meanes may a man attaine to this foundation A. By Faith So saith Saint Peter 1 Epist 2.6 Behold I lay in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect precious and he that beleeueth in him shall not be confounded And our Sauiour saith Hee that beleeueth in me shall haue eternall life Q. How doest thou know that thou beleeuest A. Because I know him to bee true God and true man who was borne suffered c. for my redemption and Iustification and that Houe him and desire to fulfill his Commandements Q. By what meanes may a man attaine to the Essentiall vertues that is to say Faith Hope and Charity A. By the gifts of the holy Ghost Q. Doest thou beleeue in the holy Ghost A. I doe beleeue For the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne and is a person of the Trinity and according to the Diuinity is equall with the Father and the Sonne Q. Doest thou beleeue God the Father God the Sonne God the holy Ghost to be three Persons Then there are three Gods A. No there are not three Q. But yet thou hast named three A. That was by reason of the difference of the Persons not of the Essence of the Diuinity For though there be three Persons yet there is but one Essence Q. After what manner doest thou adore and serue that God in whom thou beleeuest A. I adore him by an exterior and interior adoration Exterior by the bowing of the knees the lifting vp of the hands the inclination of the body with hymnes and spirituall songs fasting inuocation but inwardly by a holy affection a will ready to doe what hee pleaseth and I serue him by Faith Hope Charity in his Commandements Q. Doest thou adore and serue any other thing as God A. No. Q. Wherefore A. Because of his Commandement whereby hee hath straightly commanded saying Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue As also I will not giue my glory to another Againe I liue saith the Lord Euery knee shall bow vnto me And Christ Iesus saith There shall be true worshippers who shall worship the Father in spirit and truth and the Angell would not be adored by Saint Iohn nor Saint Peter by Cornelius Q. After what manner doest thou pray A. I pray according to that Prayer that was taught vs by the Sonne of God Our Father which art in Heauen c. Q. Which is the other substantiall vertue belonging of necessity to saluation A. It is Charity Q. What is Charity A. It is a gist of the holy Ghost whereby the soule is reformed in will illuminated by Faith whereby I beleeue all that I ought to beleeue and hope whatsoeuer I ought to hope Q. Doest thou beleeue in the holy Church A. No for that is a creature but I beleeue there is a Church Q. What is that thou beleeuest touching the holy Church A. I say that the Church is considered after a twofold manner the one in it substance the other in it Ministery Considered in it substance by the Church we vnderstand the holy Catholike Church which containeth all the Elect of God from the beginning of the World to the end in the grace of God by the merit of Christ assembled by the holy Ghost ordained from the beginning to eternall life the names and number of whom is known onely to God who hath elected them And lastly in this Church there remaineth no excommunicated person But the Church considered according to the veritie of the Ministery are the Ministers of Christ with the people subiect vnto them or committed to their charge vsing their Ministery by Faith Hope and Charity Q. By what markes doest thou know the Church of Christ A. By fit and conuenient Ministers and by the people
Sauiour hath made vnto all those that come vnto him and from the bottome of their heart call vpon him and how God the Father hath promised pardon whensoeuer wee shall aske it in the name of his Sonne and our Sauiour Christ Iesus These are the things wherein the true Preacher of the Word ought faithfully to employ himselfe to conduct the party visited to his Sauiour And when he is departed this life he must giue heart and courage to the suruiuers by godly exhortations to the end they may be comforted to praise God and to conforme themselues to his holy will and whereas in former times it hath beene the manner to cause the poore and desolate widow to spend much siluer hauing lost her Husband vpon singers and ringers and eaters and drinkers whilest shee sits weeping and fasting wronging hereby her fatherlesse Children to the end that losse be not added to losse it is our duty taking pitty on them to aide them with our councell and with our goods according to that ability that God hath bestowed on vs taking care that the Children be well instructed to the end that liuing like Christians according to the will of God they may labour to get their liuing as God hath ordained and commanded CHAP. IX The Conclusion of this Booke BY that which is contained in this Booke and what hath beene faithfully gathered out of the Bookes the Waldenses haue left vnto vs it appeareth that the Doctrine which they maintaine in these dayes that make profession of reformation hath beene maintained by them many ages before they that are enemies thereunto would take notice of it there being nothing in all that is deliuered that doth either repugne the Word of God or is not altogether conformeable to that which is taught in the reformed Churches For the Waldenses and Albingenses haue knowne the necessity of instructing their children by making vse of such familiar Catechismes as haue beene practised in the Primatiue Church They haue confessed their sinnes to one onely God with termes of true humility proofes of great zeale and a holy confidence in the mercy of God by his Sonne and our Sauiour Christ Iesus They haue acknowledged the Law of God for the onely rule of their obedience and confessing themselues to bee farre distant from that perfection which ought to bee in vs to appeare vnblameable before the face of God from their imperfection they haue taken occasion to haue recourse to the only righteousnesse of the Sonne of God our Redeemer the Law being as a Looking-glasse to make them know their staines and blemishes and to send them to Christ Iesus the true lauor or washing poole They haue called vpon God in their necessities by and through one onely Iesus Christ our Sauiour They haue receiued the Sacraments with faith and repentance and without alteration They haue entred the state of Matrimony as ordained by God holy and honourable and finally they haue not beene ignorant with that charity they were to comfort and to visite and to exhort their sicke and such as are in any aduersity And what hath there beene in all these that for these they should be condemned to death as Heretikes especially seeing that with the goodnesse and puritie of their Doctrine they haue liued religiously vnder a holy Discipline which the Booke following will make good vnto vs. Luke 21.23 Heauen and earth shall passe away but my words shall not passe away THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE THIRD PART OF THE HISTORY of the Waldenses and Albingenses contayning the Discipline vnder which they liued CHAPTER I. De la Disciplina La Disciplina conten en si tota doctrina Moral segond l'enseignament de Christ c. Of Discipline DIscipline containeth in it all Morall Doctrine according to the Institution of Christ and his Apostles shewing after what manner euery one ought to liue in his vocation by faith and to walke worthily in true holinesse and righteousnes There are many instructions in the Booke of God touching this Discipline shewing not only how euery man ought to liue in his owne particular estate of what age or condition soeuer he be but also what must bee that vnion consent and band of loue in the communication of the faithfull And therefore if any man desire the knowledge of these things let him reade what the Apostle hath said in his Epistles and he shall finde at large and especially in what manner euery one is bound to keepe himselfe in vnity and to walke in such sort that hee be not a scandall and an occasion of falling to his neighbour by wicked words or actions and in what manner he is bound not only to flye what is euill but also the occasions of euill and whensoeuer any man hath failed therein how he may be reformed and come to amendment of life By many such generall instructions the reclaimed people newly brought vnto the Faith must be taught to the end they may walke worthily in the house of the Lord that they make not his house a den of theeues by their wicked conuersation and toleration of euill CHAP. II. De li Pastor Tuit aquilli liquol deuon esser receopu Pastor dentre de nos c. Of Pastors ALL they that are to bee receiued as Pastors amongst vs whilest they are yet with their owne people they are to intreate ours that they would bee pleased to receiue them to the Ministery and to pray vnto God that they may bee made worthy of so great an office but yet know that these Petitioners make this request to shew their humility We set them their taske causing them to learne by heart all the Chapters of Saint Mathew and Saint Iohn and all the Epistles that are Canonicall a good part of the writings of Salomon Dauid and the Prophets Afterwards hauing gotten some good testimony of their sufficiency they are receiued with imposition of hands into the Office of Teachers He that is admitted in the last place shall not doe any thing without the leaue and allowance of him that was admitted before him As also hee that is first shall doe nothing without the leaue of his companion to the end that all things with vs might be done in order Diet and apparell is giuen vnto vs freely and by way of almes and that with good sufficiency by those good people whom we teach Amongst other powers and abilities which God hath giuen to his seruants hee hath giuen authority to chuse Leaders to rule the people and to ordaine Elders in their charges according to the diuersity of the worke in the vnity of Christ which is proued by the saying of the Apostle in the first Chapter of the Epistle to Titus For this cause haue I left thee in Creete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and ordaine Elders in euery City as I haue appointed thee Whensoeuer any of our said Pastors committeth any foule sinne hee is thrust out of our company and
they were called Iosephists In England they were called Lollards Lollards of the name of one Lollard who taught there Of two priests who taught the doctrine of Valdo in Languedoc called Henry and Esperon they were called Henriciens Henriciens Esperonistes and Esperonistes Of one of their pastors who preached in Albegeois named Arnold Hot they were called Arnoldists Arnoldistes Siccars In Prouence they were called Siccars a word of Pedlers french which signifieth Cutpurse In Italie they were called Fraticelli Fraticelli as much to say as Shifters because they liued in true loue and concord together And because they obserued no other day of rest but the Sabbath dayes Insabathas they called them Insabathas as much to say as they obserued no Sabbath And because they were alwayes exposed to continuall sufferings Patareniens or Paturins from the Latin word Pati which signifieth to suffer they called them Patareniens And forasmuch as like poore passengers they wandred from one place to another Passagenes they were called Passagenes In Germany they were called Gazares Gazares as much to say as execrable and egregiously wicked In Flanders they were called Turlupins Turlupins that is to say dwellers with wolues because by reason of their persecutions they were constrained many times to dwell in woods and desarts Toulousains Lombards Piccards Lionistes Bohemiens Sometimes they were called by the names of those countries and regions where they dwelt as of Albi Albigeois of Toulouze Toulousains of Lombardie Lombards of Piccardie Piccards of Lion Lionists of Bohemia Bohemiens Sometimes to make them more odious they made them coÌ„federates with ancient heretickes but yet vnder more then ridiculous pretexes For because they made profession of puritie in their liues and of faith they called them Cathares And because they denied the bread which the priest shewed in the Masse to be God Cathares they called them Arriens Arriens as denying the diuinitie of the eternall Sonne of God And because they maintained that the authoritie of Emperours and Kings depends not vpon the authoritie of the Pope they called them Manicheens Manicheens Gnostiques Cataphrigiens Adamites Apostoliques as appointing two Princes And for other causes which they fained they called them Gnostiques Cataphrigiens Adamites and Apostoliques Sometimes they spitefully abused them Matthew Paris cals them Ribalds Ribalds Buggerers Sorcerers The compiler of the Treasure of histories calles thrm Buggerers Rubis saith that when a man speakes of a sorcerer hâ—â—â—ls 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 Vadois pa. 2. In the booke of Rameruis 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 coÌ„manded 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 Cloud 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 that they reiect the baptisme of little infants The fifth Albert ibid. 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 â—aintaine 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. 269. 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 sorcerie 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
Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the God of Ekron and therefore saith the Lord in that place Thou shalt not come downe from that bed on which thou art gone vp but shalt surely die Saul died because he had disobeyed the commandement of God which he gaue vnto him he regarded it not neither did he hope in the Lord but tooke counsell of Sorcerers for which cause the Lord tooke away his life and transferred his kingdome vnto Dauid the sonne of Ishai Let euery man therefore know that all enchantment or coniuration or charme in writing made to giue remedie to any kind of persons or beasts is of no value but is rather a snare of our ancient aduersarie the diuell by which he entrappeth and deceiueth mankind Here you may see what the Waldenses haue written against Sorcerers out of the word of God It remaineth that we answer vnto that calumnie of Rubis that it is apparent in our times that heresie and sorcerie are inseparably ioyned together in those Cities and Prouinces that haue giuen place vnto heresie He taxeth without all doubt the Citie of Geneua and the States of the Cantons that haue receiued the Gospell without any other shew of proofe but that most commonly in those places Sorcerers are cōdemned to death following the commandement of God which suffereth no Sorcerer to liue He might farre better haue concluded if he had said that in those places where the reformation of Religion was established in our times no man doth either conuerse or hath acquaintance with Sorcerers but so soone as any such is found he is put to death And therefore no man can affirme that to be true except he will say that to burne Sorcerers is to support them and by the authoritie of the word to put them to death be a kind of heresie It is true indeed that in those places heresie and sorcerie are ioyned together where they that make profession to teach the people are for the most part Sorcerers whereof many men haue complained who haue written with a great deale of griefe that which they knew to be put in practise by their Priests and Monks yea by some of the Popes themselues Bodin affirmeth Bodin in his Demon l. 4. c. 6. p. 211. that there are infinite indictments in which it appeareth that the Priests many times are not onely Sorcerers or at least wise that Sorcerers haue intelligence with the Priests but that they are content to say Masses for Sorcerers fitting them with sacrifices consecrating their parchments putting rings vpon their grauen tombes or other the like things vpon their altar or vnder the linnen of the altar when they said Masse Iohn Vuier Phisitian to the Duke of Cleue Iohn Vuler in his booke of diuels l. 4. chap. 3. fol. 303. though he made profession of the Romish religion writes as followeth If the Pastors of the Churches did stop vp the windowes of false doctrines and other impieties they should certainly haue saith he a wholsome preseruatiue for those that are vnder their charge against the subtle practises and impostures of the diuell whereby they that are most vnaduised should not be so often intangled as commonly we see them to the great hurt and detriment of their soules which cometh to passe not onely by the negligence of the Priests whom it most concerneth whose charge it is to looke vnto it but also by their pursuite counsell peruerse doctrine and deceitfull working by which they allure and draw the simple people to haue recourse to vnlawfull remedies as often as they are any way afflicted with sudden long knowne and vnknowne maladies proceeding from naturall causes or from those which are aboue nature which turneth to the great scandall of the Church considering that they make profession to be Ecclesiasticall persons and for the most part they are Priests or Monkes whom men thinke to be such that it is a great wickednesse to haue the least ill thought or opinion of them since they should serue for an example to their flocke and considering they are Doctors and teachers But perhaps saith he these Magicians thinke that this art belongs vnto them by a speciall prerogatiue and that they haue right thereunto by an hereditarie succession because the Priests of Egypt of whom Pithagoras Empedocles Democritus Plato haue learned their Magicke were Negromancers Now I thinke not saith he that they that will take vpon them to defend these Priests and the practise of their enchantments are so audacious as to obiect vnto me diuers Popes of Rome skilfull in the Magicke art affirming that they haue put it in practise to their great profit comfort such as Siluester 2. was Platina in the life of Siluester 2. fol. 218. printed at Paris ann 1551. who as Platina and Nauclerus affirme obtained the Popedome by that meanes and such as Benedict 9. in the yeare one thousand three hundred and two who before was named Theophilact and after Maledictus because of his wickednesse Such also as was Iohn 20. and Iohn 21. as Cardinall Benno writeth Iohn Marie in his Historie of the Schismes of the Church saith that all the Popes here spoken of were Sorcerers Magicians and Negromancers who aided themselues with their familiar friends Laurentius Gratian and Hildebrand all culpable of these enchantments For all the Popes that were after Siluester 2. vnto Gregory 7. who was a great and a famous Magician and who as Benno writeth as oft as it seemed good vnto himselfe would shake his sleeues in such a manner that sparkles of fire should come forth of them whereby he blinded the eyes of the more simple and lesse subtle as if they had bene miracles and signes of sanctitie Such were all these Popes as it is set downe in their liues where you may also reade many execrable examples whereby they wonne women to their loue and were much giuen to offer abhominable sacrifices vnto diuels in forrests and mountaines The Magicians then of our times saith Vuier must not thinke to couer themselues vnder this mantell and pretence But we haue reason to deplore the miseries of these times wherein we can hardly finde any men more wicked and lesse punished then they that do alwayes admonish the simple people that the euils that happen vnto them are sent by the permission of God Moreouer he complaineth that these coniuring Priests dare to vse infinite blasphemies enriched with diuerse crosses figured with their cursed and sacrilegious hands As also of that vse they make of their holy water of their exorcised salt their consecrated tapers at Easter their candles and tapers at Candlemas against the diuell with which he mockes them as also the fumigations of holy bowes vpon Palmesunday and of herbes stuck vpon the doores vpon the day of Saint Iohn the Baptist and the sprinkling of holy water at the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Moreouer such Priests
saith he abuse the sacrament of the Eucharist to commit their villanies He likewise complaineth that Theologie and Physicke are polluted with coloured exorcismes by their mumbling of barberous words in an vnknowne tongue by abusing the word of God by bands neck-laces and charmes all which conspire and procure the vtter ruine and damnation of men Moreouer he saith that the Priests haue very apparently made vse of diuerse apparitions of Sathan affirming themselues to be the soules of this or that man and faining to be in the paines of Purgatory for their owne particular profit And when the diuell hath not sufficiently furnished them they haue counterfeited themselues to be spirits to draw the liuing to more frequent oblations donations and dotations to satiate their auarice Lauater saith as much Lauater in his booke of the apparition of diuels Chap. 14.7 and relates at large the history of the false spirit of Orleans and of the Iacobins at Berne which amongst others were the most famous impostures of Monkes The famous Parliaments of Aix Grenoble haue condemned vnto death diuerse Priests that were sorcerers as namely at Aix a certaine Hermit adored of the people for a Saint And Lewes Godfrey that famous Magician beneficed in the Church of Acoules at Marseilles who was burnt in Prouence the last of Aprill 1611. And at Grenoble Nobilibus a Monke and a certaine Priest in the Diocesse of Ambrun who baptized infants in the name of Baalzebub And therefore we may conclude that forasmuch as in these venerable Parliaments they haue condemned sorcerers to death which is not done elsewhere they are to haue the blame that do it not of which fault Rubis would seeme to taxe the States and Cities without exception More modestie becomes a man then was in this passionate Rubis for it is great reason that among Priests such should be excepted as God hath not so farre forth abandoned as to suffer them to adhere to the sorceries of Satan This pratler should haue thought that either soone or late this calumnie would be retorted to his owne shame He should haue contented himselfe with his reprochfull speeches against the Waldenses of whom he hath belched many false reports carried by the violence of his owne humour and not haue laid aspersions on the liuing yea he should blush to thinke that he hath giuen vs iust occasion to retort vpon himselfe and his wicked Priests that which he would lay vpon those that make profession of the Gospell and that punish with death all sorcerers so farre 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 probitie and erudition giuen to the Waldenses by diuerse of their aduersaries themselues IAcobus de Riberia who in his time gaue aide to the persecution of the Waldenses saith that they held a long time the higher place in Gallia Norbonen Iacob Rib. in his collections of the Citie of Tholous 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 Albigeois 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 forma 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 commit 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 not 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. in his treatise against the Waldenses Claud. de Seissel Archbishop of Turin giues this testimonie of the Waldenses that as touching their life and manners they haue bene alwayes found and vnreproueable without reproch or scandall amongst men giuing themselues to their power to the obseruation of the Commandements of God Baronius in his Ecclesiasticall Annals Tom. 12. an 1176. pa. 835. The Cardinall Baronius attributeth to the Waldenses of Tholouse the title of good men 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. sol 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
of Bohemia And Iohn Dubramus Bishop of Olmusse in their histories of Bohemia make the doctrine taught by Caluin all one with that of the Waldenses Thomas Walden Tho. Wal. in his 6. volume of things sacrameÌ„tall Tit. 12. Chap. 10. who writ against the doctrine of Wickliffe saith that the doctrine of Waldo crept out of the quarters of France into England Whereunto agrees le Sicur de la Popeliniere Le Sieur de la Popeliniere in his hihoriâ— of France l. 1 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 Albi 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 Pâ—liar Tom. 2. â—b 1. Chap. 26. col â—6 Eâ—â—hus 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 Wickliffe 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 tol 172. Castres Puylorens Gaillac and others of the Albigei and Languedoc that they haue done nothing but reuiue the errours of the Albigeois In the historic of the Monke of the valleys Sernay Iohn de Cardonne in his Rimes in the forefront of the historie of the said Monke of the valley Sernay saith thus What the sect of Geneua doth admit Th'hereticke Albigeois doth commit Anthony à Ardene of Tholouse in the same booke saith Ibid. Wherewith our Hugonites seasoned were The same intention the selfesame care We need not therefore dispute any longer of the antiquitie of this doctrine but onely of the puritie thereof since that not onely by the affirmation of those that were aduersaries to the Waldenses and the last reformation there are whole ages during the which the substance of that beleefe hath remained in diuers persons who crying out against the abuses which haue crept into the Church haue bene oppressed by persecutions And for as much as it is denied that we haue had a succession of such instruments who haue opposed themselues from time to time against those corruptions and errours which haue borne sway we will produce in the Chapter following a catalogue both of those which our aduersaries haue named and put to death and of those whom the Waldenses haue had for their Pastors for these foure hundred and fiftie yeares last past at leastwise of as many as haue come to our knowledge CHAP. IX The names of those Pastours of the Waldenses who haue instructed them for foure hundred yeares last past and haue come to our knowledge WAldo from whom the Waldenses tooke their name began to teach the people in the yeare of our Lord a thousand one hundred and sixtie Le Sieur de Sancte Aldegonde obserueth In his first table of Differ pa. 150. that at the same time that Waldo began to shew himselfe and to teach at Lions God raised others in Prouence and Languedoc among whom the principall were Arnold Esperon and Ioseph of whom they were named Arnoldists Iosephists Esperonists though because their doctrine was first receiued in Albi in the countrie of the Albigeois they were commonly called Albigeois in such manner that on the one side the Waldenses and on the other the Albigeois were as the two Oliues or the two lampes which Saint Iohn speaketh of whose light did spread it selfe through all the corners of the earth At the same time saith he followed Peter Bruis whereupon many called them Peter Brusiens To whom there succeeded in doctrine one Henry the one being a Priest the other a Monke and they taught in the Bishoprickes of Arles Ambrun Die and Gap from whence being chased away they were receiued at Tholouse There was a certaine man saith he called Barthelmew borne at Carcassonne Idem ibid. p. 111 that ordered and gouerned the Churches in Bulgaria Croatia Dalmatia Hungaria and appointed Ministers as Mathew Paris reports naming him their Pope or Bishop and alledging to that purpose the letter which the Bishop of Portuense Legate to the Pope in the parts thereabouts writ to the Archbishop of Roan and his suffragans demanding succours and assistance against them insomuch that they were at the last constrained to retire themselues into desarts following that prophesie in the 12 of the Reuelation which saith that the woman great with child that brought forth a man child which is the true Church of God should in such sort be persecuted by the Dragon which cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood so that she was constrained to flie into the wildernesse where she should be nourished for a time and times and halfe a time or for the space of forty two moneths or a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes Rainerius makes mention of two famous Bishops of the Waldenses viz of one Belazinanza of Verona one Iohn de Lugio who taught amongst them after the abouenamed about the yeare a thousand two hundred fifty Arnold Hot pastor amongst the Waldenses maintained the disputation at Mont Real whereof we shall make mention in his due place Lollard was also in great reputation amongst them both for a Commentary which he had written vpon the Reuelation as also for that he had giuen knowledge of their doctrine in England of whose name the Waldenses were called Lollards The Waldenses of the valleys of Angrongne of Dauphiney Prouence and Calabria haue had for their Pastors these whose memories they haue preserued for aboue three hundred yeares past that is to say in Piemont Paul Gignons de Bobi It appeares by the memories of Vignaux fol. 14. Peter the lesse Anthony of the valley of Suse Iohn Martin of the valley
Chap. 1. verse 5. For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and or daine Elders in euery City as I haue appointed thee Thus you see how the Pastors of the Waldenses were chosen and maintained in their charge but to the end that their zeale may the better appeare we will insert in the Chapter following a letter which one of the said Pastors writ to one of their Churches by which it may easely appeare with how holy and sanctified affection they laboured to call the people to repentance and to instruct them in the faith CHAP. XI An Epistle of the Pastor Barthelmew Tertian written to the Waldensian Churches of Pragela Iesus be with you To all our faithfull and welbeloued brethren in Christ Iesus Health and saluation be with you all Amen THese are to aduertise and to aduise your brotherhood hereby acquitting my selfe of that dutie which I owe vnto you all in the behalfe of God principally touching the care of the saluation of your soules according to that light of the truth which the most high God hath bestowed on vs that it would please euery one of you to maintaine increase and nourish to the vtmost of your power without diminution those good beginnings and customes which haue bene left vnto vs by our ancestors whereof we are no way worthy For it would little profit vs to haue bene renewed by the fatherly instance and the light which hath bene giuen vs of God if we giue our selues to worldly diabolicall and carnall conuersations abandoning the principall which is God and the saluation of our soules for this short and temporall life For the Lord saith in his Gospell What doth it profit a man to gaine the whole world and to lose his owne soule For it should be better for vs neuer to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then hauing knowne it to do the contrary For we shall be inexcusable and our condemnation the greater for there are greater and more grieuous torments prouided for those that haue most knowledge Let me therefore intreate you by the loue of God that you decrease not but rather increase that charitie feare and obedience which is due vnto God and to your selues amongst your selues and keepe all those good customes which you haue heard and vnderstood of God by our meanes and that you would remoue from amongst you all defaults and wants troubling the peace the loue the concord and whatsoeuer taketh from you the seruice of God your owne saluation and the administration of the truth if you desire that God should be mercifull vnto you in your goods temporall and spirituall For you can do nothing without him and if you desire to be heires of his glorie do that which he commandeth If you will enter into life keepe my commandements Likewise be carefull that there be not nourished amongst you any sports gluttony whoredome dancings nor any leudnesse or riot nor questions nor deceits nor vsury nor discords neither support or entertaine any persons that are of a wicked conuersation or that giue any scandall or ill example amongst you but let charitie and fidelitie reigne amongst you all good example doing to one another as euery one desires should be done vnto himselfe For otherwise it is not possible that any man should be saued or can haue the grace either of God or man in this world or glorie in another And it is necessarie that the conductors principally should haue a hand herein and such as rule and gouerne For when the head is sicke all the members are likewise ill affected And therefore if you hope and desire to possesse eternall life to liue in good esteeme and credit and to prosper in this world in your goods temporall and spirituall purge your selues from all disorderly waies to the end that God may be alwayes with you who neuer forsaketh those that trust in him But know this for a certaine that God heareth not nor dwelleth with sinners nor in the soule that is giuen vnto wickednesse nor in the man that is subiect vnto sin And therfore let euery one cleanse the wayes of his heart and flie the danger if he would not perish therein I haue no other thing to write at this present but that you would put in practise these things And the God of peace be with you all and accompanie vs in our true deuout and humble prayers that he will be pleased to saue all those his faithfull that trust in Christ Iesus Wholly yours Barthelmew Tertian readie to do you seruice in all things possible according vnto the will of God This Epistle of the Pastor Tertian giues vs assurance of that holy affection which they had to leade the people of God but the Confession of the faith of the Waldenses found in the bookes of those Pastors aboue mentioned shall shew vs more clearely how pure their beliefe hath bene and how farre from those heresies and errors that haue bene imputed vnto them And that therefore they haue bene very vniustly persecuted CHAP. XII The Confession of the faith of the Waldenses Article 1. Taken out of the booke intituled the Spirituall Almanack and from the Memorials of George Morel Art 2. WE beleeue do firmely hold all that which is contained in the twelue Articles of the Simbole which is called the Apostles creed and we account all that for heresie which agreeth not with the said twelue Articles We beleeue that there is one God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost We acknowledge for holy Canonicall Scripture the books of the Bible that is to say Art 3. the fiue books of Moses Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numbers Deuteronomie The booke of Ioshua The Iudges Ruth 1. of Samuel 2. of Samuel 1. of Kings 2. of Kings 1. of the Chronicles 2. of the Chronicles 1. Esdras Nehemiah Ester Iob. The booke of Psalmes The Prouerbes of Salomon Ecclesiastes The song of Salomon The Prophesie of Isaiah The Pophesie of Ieremie The Lamentat of Ieremie Ezechiel Daniel Hosea Ioel. Amos. Obadiah Ionah Micah Nahum Habakuk Zephaniah Haggai Zachariah Malachi The Apocryphall bookes are these that follow which are not receiued of the Hebrewes but we reade them saith S. Hierome in his prologue to the Prouerbs for the instruction of the people not to confirme the authoritie of Ecclesiasticall doctrines that is to say The third booke of Esdras The fourth of Esdras Tobiah Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Baruch with the Epistle of Ieremiah Ester after the 10. chap. to the end The song of the 3. children The historie of Susanna The historie of the Dragon 1. Maccabees 2. Maccabees 3. Maccabees Here follow the bookes of the new Testament The Gospell according to S. Mathew Marke Luke Iohn The Acts of the Apostles The Epistle of S. Paul to the Romans The first to the Corinth The 2. to the Corinthians The Epistle to the Galat. The Epist to the Ephesians The Epistle to the
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 Waldensian 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 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 1536. 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. III. 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 1555. 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
a 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 S. Aldeg in his 1. Table of the diff fol. 149. Iohn Dubrauius in the Hstory of Bohemia lib. 14. AFter the great persecution of the Waldenses in the time of Phillip the faire 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 dwellers with wolues See before l. 1. c. 1. as you haue heard before in that Chapter where we haue shewed what names were giuen vnto them Math. Paris in the life of Henry 3. Mathew Paris saith that a certaine Iacobin Monke 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 1330. The Bishops had recourse to the meanes established by the Pope that is to say the Inquisition whereby they deliuer many of them into the hands of the executioner Flac. Illy in his Catol of the wit pa. 539. 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 in his Biblio pa. 130. In his History lib. 1. Vignier saith 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 enen 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 1210. The history of Languedoc 1. Forier 10 l. 7. 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 1304. 1. Tab. pa. 152 apprehended at Paris a hundred and fourteene who were burnt aliue and endured the fire with admirable constancy 1378 The Sea of histories in the yeere 1378. We find also in the Sea of Histories that 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 1229 Sigonius de regno Itaâ—â—câ— 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 2250 as also at Vincence Florence and Val Spoletine In the yeere of our Lord 1280 1280 there were many Waldenses in Sicile Le Sieur de Hail in the â—ife of Phil. 3. as le Sieur de Haillan obserueth in his History In the yeere 1492 1492 Albert de Capitaneis Inquisitor and Arch-deacon of Cremona apprehended one of the Pastors of the Waldenses It appeares by the InditemeÌ„t of the said Pastoâ— the orginal whereof is in our hands named Peter de Iaeob passing ouer a mountaine in Dauphine called le Col 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 the 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 testimonies of the abode of the Waldenses in Italy we haue those of Calabria Chap. 7. of whom there 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 Jnconsuâ—ilem 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
truth of Christ And therefore to eate the sacramentall Bread is to eate the Body of Christ in a figure Iesus Christ himselfe saying Neuerthelesse as oft as you doe this you shall doe it in remembrance of me For if this eating were not in figure Christ should be alwayes bound to such a thing for it is necessary that the spirituall eating should be continuall As Saint Augustine speaketh He that eateth Christ in truth is he that beleeueth in him For Christ saith that to eate him is to dwell in him In the celebration of this Sacrament Prayer is profitable and the preaching of the Word in the vulgar tongue such as may edifie and is agreeable to the Euangelicall Law to the end that peace and charity might encrease amongst the people but other things that are in vse in these dayes in the Church of Rome and those that are members thereof belong not at all to the Sacrament VVhat the Waldenses and Albingenses haue taught touching Mariage CHAP. VII MAriage is holy In the Booke intituled The Spirituall Almanacke fol. 50. being instituted of God in the beginning of the World And therefore it is an honourable thing when it is kept as it ought in all purity and when the Husband who is the head of Wife loues her and keepes her and carrieth himselfe honestly towards her being faithful and loyall towards her and that the woman for her part who is made to be a helpe vnto man be subiect to her Husband obeying him in whatsoeuer is good and honouring him as God hath commanded her taking care of his Houshold affaires keeping her selfe not onely from ill-doing but all appearance of euill continuing faithfull and loyall vnto him and both of them perseuering in that which is good according to the will of God taking paines together to get their liuing by honest and lawful meanes wronging no man and instructing those children which God hath giuen them in the feare and doctrine of the Lord and to liue as our Lord hath commanded them Prayer and fasting is profitable when there is question of the celebration of Matrimony and the reasons and instructions and aduertisements touching the same But the Imposition of hands and the Ligatures made with the Priests stoole and other things commonly obserued therein and by custome without the expresse word they are not of the substance nor necessarily required in mariage As touching the degrees prohibited and other things that are to be obserued in matter of Matrimony wee shall speake when we come to the discipline Taken out of the Booke intituled The Spirituall Almanacke VVhat the Waldenses and Albingenses haue taught touching the visitation of the Sicke CHAP. VIII El besongna que aquel que porta la parola de Dio lo nostre Seignor en tota diligenza IT is necessary that hee that is the Messenger of the Word of God should inuite and draw euery one to our Lord and Sauiour with all labour and diligence both by the good example of his life and the truth of his Doctrine and it is not sufficient that hee teach in the Congregation but also in their Houses and in all other places as Christ and his Apostles haue done before him comforting the afflicted and especially those that are sicke He must admonish them touching the great bounty and mercy of God shewing that there can proceed nothing but what is good from him that is the Fountaine of all goodnesse and that he that is Almighty is our mercifull Father more carefull of vs then euer Father or Mother hath beene of their Children telling them that though a Mother may forget her Childe and the Nurse him to whom shee hath giuen sucke and which shee hath boren in her wombe yet notwithstanding our heauenly Father will not forget vs doing all things for our benefit and sending all things for our greater good and if it were more expedient for vs to enioy our health wee should haue it And therefore wee are to submit our wils to his will and our liues to his conduct and direction and assuredly beleeue that he loueth vs and out of his loue he chastiseth vs. Neither must wee respect the griefe or pouerty we endure nor thinke that God hateth vs and casteth vs off but rather we must thinke that we are the more in his grace and fauour nothing regarding those that flourish in this World and haue here their consolation but looking vpon Christ Iesus more beloued of his Father then any other who is the true Sonne of God and yet hath beene more afflicted then we all and more tormented then any other For not onely that bitter passion that he suffered was very hard and grieuous vnto him but much more in regard that in the middest of his torments euery one cryed out against him like angry dogs belching out against him many villanous speeches doing against him the worst they could in such sort that hee was constrained to cry out in his torments My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And finding the houre of his passion to draw neere he grew heauy vnto the death and prayed vnto his Father that that Cup might passe from him insomuch that he did sweat water and bloud because of that great heauinesse and anguish of heart which he should endure in this cruell death And therefore the sicke man must consider with himselfe that he is not so ill handled nor so grieuously tormented as his Sauiour was when he suffered for vs for which he is to yeeld thankes vnto God that it hath pleased him to deliuer vs and to giue this good Sauiour vnto the death for vs begging mercy and fauour at his hands in the name of Iesus And it is necessary that we haue with all this perfect confidence and assurance that our Father will forgiue vs for his goodnesse sake For hee is full of mercy slow to anger and ready to forgiue And therefore the sicke party must recommend and commit himselfe wholy vnto the mercy of his Lord to doe with him as shall seeme good in his eyes and to dispose both of his body and soule according to his good will and pleasure Also it shall be necessary to admonish the sicke person to doe vnto his Neighbour as hee would haue his Neighbour doe vnto him not wronging any man and to take such order with all that are his that hee may leaue them in peace that there may not be any suites or contentions amongst them after his death He must also bee exhorted to hope for saluation in Iesus Christ and not in any other or by any other thing acknowledging himselfe a miserable sinner to the end hee may aske pardon of God finding himselfe to be in such a manner culpable that he deserueth of himselfe eternall death And if the sicke party shall be stricken with a feare of the iudgement of God and his anger against sinne and sinners he must put him in minde of those comfortable promises which our
glorious mother of God who only hath destroied all heresies WEE William de Gourdon Captaine and President of Carcassonne and Beziers doe make knowne vnto all men that we command in the name of our most excellent Lord Philip by the grace of God king of France neere the Castle of Lombes in the Diocesse of Albi called Realmont for the exaltation of the Catholike faith and the extirpation of all wicked heresies and the benefit of our Lord the King and his subiects that the dens and lurking corners of all that either ioyne in beleefe with Heretikes or fauour them to bee quite rooted out by this Colonie all and at once and that by the command and authoritie of the King And as for the innumerable numbers of children of Heretikes and fugitiues because the peruersitie of Heretikes is so damnable that we are not onely to punish themselues but their posteritie Wee ordaine that the children of Heretikes which of their owne will and good motion shall not bee reduced forsaking their errors to the purity of the Catholike faith and the vnitie of the Church shall not be admitted to the citie of Realmont or the territorie thereof in any fort whatsoeuer to any place of honour or publike office Which shall likewise be obserued against the fugitiues for heresie who before their departure shall not of their owne accord willingly be reclaimed Also they that shall giue credit vnto Heretikes concealing them or fauouring them after they are made knowne and declared to be such by the Church shall be banished for euer from the citie of Realmont and all their goods confiscated and their children wholly excluded from all honours and publike dignities except some one amongst them doe make knowne such Heretikes and doe ioyne in the search and inquisition of them Thus you see the very last instrument which hath come to our hands for the proofe of the persecution against the Albingenses Though it be very certaine that they haue beene continually persecuted by the Inquisition though their enemies could neuer preuaile so farre against them but that they still lay hid like sparkles vnder the ashes desiring once againe to see that which their posteritie hath enioyed that is the liberty to call vpon God in puritie of conscience without any constraint to yeeld to any superstition or Idolatry and so secretly instructing their children in the seruice of God the fruit of their pietie tooke life againe when it pleased the Lord that the light of his Gospell should appeare amongst the palpable darknesse of Antichrist for then many of those places that had made profession to receiue the faith of the Albingenses haue receiued with greedinesse the doctrine of the Gospell and namely the city of Realmont where the precedent thunderbolts were darted and notwithstanding that great distance of time during the which they appeared not yet the eternall God hath not giuen ouer his worke and to make manifest that he can preserue his faithfull euen in the middest of the confusion of Babylon as Diamonds in a dunghill wheat amongst the straw gold in the middest of the fire And notwithstanding the enstruction haue not passed from the father to the sonne vntill the time of the restauration yet the goodnesse of God ceaseth not to be wonderfull in that many of those places where this first dew of Gods grace hath fallen haue beene abundantly enriched with his heauenly benedictions in these latter times An excellent prouocation doubly to obliege them to loue the truth which hath bin freely manifested vnto them and to bring forth fruits worthy thereof As it should be an extreme griefe to those places that haue neglected and reiected it that God hath abandoned them and left them to their owne sence euen in that darkenesse which they loued reuenging the contempt of his word by the ignorance thereof and suffering those to perish in their error that haue preferred it before the truth CHAP. XII The conclusion of this History of the Albingenses IT is an easie matter to gather by the contents of this History of the Albingenses that the people inhabiting in the Countrey of Albi Languedoc and diuers other places neere adioyning haue made profession of the selfe-same Religion that they haue that elsewhere were called Waldenses and the rather because their aduersaries themselues haue affirmed that they haue persecuted them as Waldenses As also that the greatest troubles that haue lighted vpon them haue beene procured by the Priests whose corruptions they haue descryed and discouered their abuses maintaining against the Church of Rome the Gospell of Christ Iesus in it puritie refusing to yeeld to those Idolatries that bare sway in those times but aboue all detesting the Masse and the inuention of Transubstantiation shaking the authoritie of the Popes dominion as being abusiue and tyrannicall hauing no resemblance of the well-befitting humilitie of the true Pastors of the Church or conformitie to the doctrine and vocation of the Apostles but rather an excesse and ryot befitting those that loue the world and perish with the world By which libertie which they tooke vnto themselues to reprehend those that beleeued the right of all redargution to belong onely to themselues they haue beene charged with diuers faults and condemned for rash inconsiderate people prophane secular persons who had thrust themselues into the office of teaching when with silence they should rather learne And the Popes not being able to winne them to the obedience of their commands nor to conuince them of error by the word of God they haue persecuted them by their Monkes Inquisitors who haue deliuered to the secular Magistrate as many as the said Monkes could apprehend and forasmuch as this way was somewhat too slow to cut them off and to see the end of them the Popes haue drawne their swords against them haue armed their Cardinals and Legats and driuen to these bloudy warres the Kings and Princes of the earth giuing Paradice for a recompence to whomsoeuer would beare armes against them and aduenture his life for the extirpation of them for fortie daies together Many great Lords haue beene desirous to know the cause of that vnreconcilable enmitie of the Pope against their subiects and hauing perceiued that passion carried those that were offended for the truth they haue maintained their cause being grounded vpon this reason That when they should bee conuinced of this errror by the word of God they would giue the glory vnto God From hence haue proceeded those cruell warres wherein a million of men haue lost their liues In the meane time euen then when it seemed that all truth was buried in the ground and that the Dragon had ouercome God raised in diuers of those places where this grace had beene knowne and receiued many goodly Churches wherein his name is purely inuocated maugre the Deuill and all his adherents To God therefore who hath begunne to destroy the sonne of perdition by the blast of his Spirit To the Sonne of God who hath