of the faith of the Waldenses Besides the Churches that they had in Valentinois where their faith was propagated from the father to the son their religion spread also beyond the Alps into the valley of Pragela within the jurisdiction of the Arch-Bishop of Turin from whence were peopled the Waldensian Valleys of Piedmont La Perouse S. Martain Angrogne c. This valley of Pargela was one of the safest retiring places that the Waldenses had being environed on all sides with mountains almost inaccessible into the caves whereof they retired themselves in the times of persecution and though they were weakned on all sides environed with enemies and in danger of being apprehended if they looked but forth of their doors yet was there never any wordly respect that had power to alter their holy resolution from the father to the sonne to serve God taking his Word for the rule of their faith his Law for the rule of their obedience yea no sooner were the infants weaned from their mothers breasts but their parents took a singular delight to instruct them in the Christian faith There Pastors also did not only preach to them on the Sabbath daies but went in the week daies to instruct them in the villages and hamlets not sparing themselves for the roughnesse of the rocks the coldnesse of the ayr and the cragginesse of the country where they were fain to climbe up high mountains to visit their flocks There was also holy Discipline exercised amongst them The people praied with fervency at night when they went to their rest and in the morning before the went about their labour They had Schools wherein their children were taught and nurtured Bâ—t whilest they thus busily sought the advancement of Gods glory and their own salvation the devil raised up a persecution against them Anno 1380. by a Monk Inquisitor called Francis Boralli who had a commission to enquire after the Waldenses in Aix Arles Ambrun Viene Geneva Aubone Savoy the Venetian County the Principality of Orenge the City of Avignion c. which commission he received from Pope Clement the seventh This Monk cited to appeare before him at Ambrun all the Inhabitants of Frassiniere Argentire and of the valley Pute upon pain of excommunication but they appeared not whereupon they were condemned of contumacy and excommunicated and for the space of thirteen years as he caught any of them he delivered them up to the secular power to be burnt at Grenoble the number of whom was an hundred and fifty men divers women with many of their sons and daughters besides about eighty persons of Argentire The Inquisitors also adjudged to themselves two parâ—s of all their goods and the third part to the temporal powers they forbad all their bordering neighbours also to assist receive visit or defend them or to converse with them in any sort upon pain of being attainted and punished as favourers of Hereticks c. The Waldenses of the valley of Pragela Anno 1400. were assaulted by their enemies on the side of Susa in Piedmont but most of their assaults proved in vain because these Waldenses retired into the high mountains hiding themselves in the caves and hollow places thereof from whence they much endamaged those that came to assail them Their enemies seing this came upon them in the depth of winter when those poor people never suspected it all the mountains being covered over with snow and thereupon they retired into the highest mountain of all the Alps together with their wives and children the mothers carrying some in their cradles and leading others by the hand yet the enemy followed them till night and slew many before they could recover the mountain and they which were so slain had the better bargain for night coming on these poor people being in the snow without any meanes to make a fire for their infants many of them were benummed and in the morning above eighty of them were frozen to death in their cradles and most of their mothers died also and divrese others were giving up the last gasp The enemies lay all night in these peoples houses which they ransacked and pillaged and so returned to Susa but by the way meeting with a poor Waldensian woman they hanged her upon a tree and so departed The VValdenses of the valley of Frassiniere were greatly persecuted by the Arch-Bishop of Ambrun Anno 1460. who made a Monk called John Vayleti his Commissioner against them which Monk proceeded with such diligence and violence that scarce any person could escape his hands but that he was either apprehended for an Heretick or a favourer of them whereby many Papists suffered amongst the rest which caused them to petition King Lewis the eleventh of France by his authority to stay the course of that persecution and thereupon the King wrote his Letter to the Governour of Dauphine signifying that whereas the Inquisitors had daily sent forth their processe against many poor people in those parts without reasonable cause putting some to the rack and condemning them for matters whereof they were never guilty and which they could not prove by any witnesse and of others they had exacted great sums of money and divers waies had unjustly vexed and molested them he therefore decreed that for the time to come all such processe should be void and of none effect nor any wrong done to them in body goods or good name except there were any that obstinately maintained and affirmed any thing against the holy Catholicke Faith But the Arch-Bishop was so far from ceasing the persecution upon this Edict that he grew more violent by reason of the last clause pretending that he did not any thing contrary to the Kings precept seeing they which were cited appeared not to justifie themselves c. He also suborned many Priests which were his own Officers to depose that all they which had petitioned the King were VValdenses He also hired one John Pelegrin to accuse them for assembling themselves in dark places to commit whoredom c. and then he sent to the Court to justifie himself from the complaint made to the King against him that he had persecuted the Waldenses rather out of covteousness to get their goods then out of zeal to the Catholick Faith but this single witness prevailed but litle seeing there were many other who deposed that they had never seen any such villany amongst the Waldenses nor any the least appearance of the same Yet did not the Archbishop cease to prosecute them to the uttermost of his power so that he caused most of them to flie away only one James Pateneri stood to it averring before the Court that he was unjustly vexed contrary to the Kings Letters demanding a copy of the proceedings that he might right himself by Law â—hereupon the Archbishop left him and fell upon those that wanted the like courage citing the Consuls of Frassiniere
to the charge of the Christians by the Persecutors were that they refused to worship Idols and the Emperors and that they professed the name of Christ Yet besides all the calamities and evils that happened in the world as wars famine pestilence c. were imputed only to the Christians But Cyprian and Tertullian confuting those slanders proved that the special cause of all those miseries which befell the Empire proceeded from the cruel shedding of the innocent blood of the Christians In this persecution Cyprian was at last condemned to have his head cut off who patiently and willingly submitted his neck to the stroak of the sword Also about this time Sixtus Bishop of Rome with his six Deacons were accused for being Christians whereupon being brought to the place of Execution they were all beheaded Laurence also another of his Deacons following Sixtus as he went to his Execution complained that he might not suffer with him but that he was secluded as the son from the father To whom the Bishop answered that within three days he should follow him bidding him in the mean time to go home and if he had any treasures to distribute them amongst the poor The Judge hearing mention of treasures supposing that Laurence had great store in his custody commanded him to bring the same to him Laurence craved three days respite promising then to declare where the treasure might be had In the mean time he caused a good number of poor Christians to be gathered together and when the day of his answer was come the persecutor strictly charged him to make good his promise then valiant Laurence stretching out his arms over the poor said These are the precious treasures of the Church these are the treasure indeed in whom Christ hath his mansion c. But oh what tongue is able to express the fury and madness of the Tyrants heart how he stamped stared ramped and fared like one out of his wits his eyes glowed like fire his mouth foamed like a boar like a hell-hound he grinded his teeth then he cryed kindle the fire make no spare of wood hath this Villain deluded the Emperor away with him whip him with scourges jerk him with rods buffet him with fists brain him with clubs Jesteth the Traitor with the Emperor pinch him with fiery tongs gird him with burning plates bring out the strongest chains and fire-forks and the grate of Iron set it on the fire bind the Rebell hand and foot and when the grate is red hot on with him rost him broil him toss him turn him upon pain of our high displeasure do every man his Office O ye tormentors Immediately his command was obeyed and after many cruel handlings this meek lamb was laid I will not say upon a bed of fiery iron but on a soft down-bed so mightily God wrought for his servant so miraculosly did he temper this Element of fire that it was not a bed of consuming pain but of nourishing rest unto Laurence Not Laurence but the Emperor seemed to be tormented the one broiling in the flesh the other burning in his heart when this triumphant Martyr had been pressed down with fire-forks for a great space in the mighty Spirit of God he spake to the Tyrant thus This side is now rosted enough turn up O Tyrant great Assay whether rosted or raw thou think'st the better meat By the constant confession of this worthy and valiant Deacon a Roman souldier was converted to the same faith and desired to be baptized whereupon he was called before the Judge scourged and afterwards beheaded About the same time Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria with his three Deacons were brought before Emilianus who told them of the clemency of the Emperor and therefore required them to sacrifice to his gods c. to whom Dionysius answered Divers men worship divers gods but we only that one God who is the Creator of all things making our prayers to him uncessantly for the health of the Emperor c. Then said the President Why can you not worship your own God and ours also Dionysius replied We worship only one God as we have said the President said I see you are ingratefull persons and regard not the Emperors clemency therefore I banish you to Cephro in Lybia and charge you that you convent no more your assemblies nor be found out of that place at your peril and though Dionysius was sick yet would he not grant him one days respite before his departrue In Cephro he had a great Congregation as well of those that followed him in his banishment as of others that resorted to him out of Egypt yea though at first he was persecuted there and stoned yet afterwards a great number of the Inhabitants forsook their Idols and were converted unto God by his Ministry and having accomplished his Ministry there the Lord removed him to another place For saith Dionysius Emilianus translated us from thence to a sharper place of Lybia commanding us to meet all together at the City Mareota intending to separate us into several villages or rather to take us by the way when we came thither I was commanded to Colluthion a place which I had never heard of yet was it some solace to me that the brethren told me it was near to the City Paretonium for as my being at Cephro gat me the acquaintance of many brethren of Egypt so I hoped that the vicinity of that place to the City might procure me the concourse of certain loving brethren from it as it came also to pass c. He writeth moreover that the number of those which suffered Martyrdom about that time was great men women young men maidens old wives souldiers and men of all sorts and ages of whom some with scourgings and fire and some with the sword obtained the victory and gat the Crown Neither saith he to this day doth the President cease cruelly murthering such as be brought before him tearing some with torments imprisoning others and commanding that no man should come to them yet God with the daily resort of the brethren doth comfort the afflicted In Palestine Priscus Malchus and Alexander three godly men seeing the valiant courage of the Christians so boldly to venture constantly to stand and patiently to suffer in this persecution as grieved with themselves began to accuse their own sluggishness and cowardise to see others so zealovs and valiant and themselves so cold and faint-hearted in labouring for the Crown of Martyrdom whereupon agreeing amongst themselves they came to Caesarea and stepping to the Judge they declared themselves to be Christians and so they were sentenced and given to the wild beasts A certain woman also in the same place formerly a Marcionist being brought before the President obtained the same Martyrdom In Carthage three hundred Christians being brought before the President were put to their choice either to offer sacrifice or
the King to go to Masse upon pain of forfeiting their lives and goods but they answered that they could not obey such commands against the command of God Then he commanded that twelve of the Principal of them together with all their Ministers and Schoolmasters should presently yeeld up their bodies to the prisons of Turin c. They answered that they could not obey that command or appear at Turin because they should thereby endanger their lives The Parliament was so incensed at this answer that as many as they could apprehend they burnt amongst whom was Jeffery Varnegle Minister of Angrogne Anno 1557. by whose death the people that were present were much edified seeing his constancy of invocating God to the last The Protestant Princes of Germany hearing of this great Persecution interceded in their behalf to King Henry the second of France Who promised to have regard to this request of theirs and indeed they enjoyed peace afterwards till the peace was concluded betwixt the Kings of France and Spain and that the Duke of Savoy was restored to his Estate which was Anno 1559. The year after the Popes Nuntio reproved the Duke for that with all his power he had not persecuted the Waldenses and that if he did not now endeavour to reduce them to the Romish Church or to root them out his Holinesse should have cause to suspect that he was a favourer of them Hereupon the Duke presently commanded them to go to Mass upon the pain of their lives But the not obeying him he set upon them by open force and yet at the same time he caused them to be pursued by the Monks Inquisitors also So that a great Persecution was raised against the poor Christians Some were taken and burnt who shewed invincible constancy in all their torments and death To recite all the outrages cruelties and villanies practised against them would be too tedious Many fled and their houses and goods were ransacked and spoiled One of their Ministers was apprehended and put to a shamefull and cruell death but he shewed such admirable patience therein as astonished his very adversaries Some also were taken and sent to be Gally-slaves Yet some through weakness yeelded to the adversaries and were more cruelly handled then those that remained constant in the truth Three of the most cruel persecutors of these faithfull servants of Jesus Christ were first Thomas Jacomel a Monk an Apostate that had renounced the known truth and persecuted mortally and maliciously the poor Christians against his own conscience he was a whoremonger and given over to all villanies and filthy living a Sodomite c. his delight was to spoil rob and torment the captives of these Waldenses The second was a collaterall called Corbis who in the examination of the prisoners was very rigorous and burnt many of them but in the end feeling a remorse in his conscience he protested that he would meddle with them no more The third was the Provest of Justice who lay in wait in the high waies to apprehend them when they went abroad in the morning or as they went to the Market The Monks also of Pignorol vexed the Churches near about them grievously some they took prisoners and kept them in their Abbies then they assembled a company of Ruffians sending them to spoil the Churches and to take prisoners men women and childen of whom some by torments they forced to abjure others they sent to the Galleys others they burnt The gentlemen of the valley of S. Martin vexed their tenants grievously spoiling some of their goods imprisoning others and vexing them by all means Two of those gentlemen getting some Ruffians to them in the night time set upon a village called Renclaret which the Inhabitants perceiving fled into the mountains covered with snow naked and without victuals in the morning these villains took a Minister of that Valley who was coming to visit these people of Renclaret and burnt him but three nights after they of Pragela pitying their friends of Renclaret sent four hundred men against the Ruffians who fought with them and without the losse of one man put them to flight and restored their friends to their houses A year after one of these gentlemen called Truchet with a company of Ruffians arrested the Minister of Renclaret as he was at his sermon but the people were so moved at his outragious dealing especially the women that they had almost strangled Truchet and so canvased the rest of his company that they had no minde to come any more Shortly after they took another Minister as he was going to preach in a parish a mile from his house but the people hearing of it speedily pursued them and recovered their Minister again but when the villains saw that they were like to lose their prey they so wounded him that they left him for dead The Monks of Pignerol sent some Ruffians by night to the Ministers house of S. Germain who were conducted by a Traitor that knew the house and formerly had frequented it this fellow knocking at the door and the Minister knowing his voice opened the door but perceiving himself to be betrayed he fled at a back-door yet was quickly taken and sorely wounded notwithstanding which they pricked him with halberds to hasten his pace as they carried him away they also slew and hurt many others The Minister after sore imprisonment endured a cruel death with much constancy at his death the Inquisitors caused two poor women that they kept in prison to carry faggots to burn him and to say to him their Pastor Take this thou wicked Heretick in recompence of that naughty Doctrine that thou hast taught us To whom he replied Aâ— good women I have taught you well but you have learned ill In brief they so persecuted these poor people that they forced them to forsake their houses and to fly into the mountains loosing all their estates so that many that had lived well and relieved others were now fain to crave relief and succour of others The Monks with their Troops of Ruffians continued thus to molest and persecute these poor people They asked of their Ministers Whether it were not lawfull for them to defend themselves against such violence The Ministers answered that it was only they advised them to avoid blood-shed as much as might be This question being resolved they of Luserne and Angrogne sent some to aid their friends of St. Germain against the Monks In June divers of these Waldenses went out into the country to reap their harvest and in sundry places were all taken prisoners not knowing of each others calamity but God so wrought that miraculously they all escaped out of prison to the great astonishment of their adversaries At the same time also others who had been long in prison and longed for nothing but death through Gods providence were delivered after a wonderful sort In July they of Angrogne being at their
called together in a Synod in the mountaines to ordain Ecclesiastical Laws whereby they should be governed they appointed also sundry daies of Fasting and Prayer for themselves and their dispersed friends taking counsell from Gods Word concerning those things which were required to the fuller Reformation both of life and doctrine That which most afflicted them was for want of Pastors not knowing where they should have new ones after those were dead who then lived with them but after debate they resolved that Christ had given this authority to his Church that such as were ordained themselves might ordain others Yet some scruple arose whether such as were but Presbyters might ordaine without a Bishop For which cause they met together and with fasting prayers and teares they sought unto God to reveal his will to them in this difficulty and afterwards making a scrutiny by lot the Lord answered them that it was lawfull for Presbyters to ordain Presbyters which occasioned great joy unto them Then did these Brethren deliberate among themselves whether they should joyn with the Waldenses in Moravia and Austria and so be one people with them and one Church The purity of their Doctrine and Christian Conversation did much please but again it much displeased them that they concealed the truth not openly professing it as they ought but to avoid persecution they frequented the Churches of the Papists and so communicated with Idolaters Therefore they concluded to admonish them of this evil and for this end they sent some able men to them to acquaint them with it The Waldenses answered that to be in unity with them was very gratefull and for the evils objected against them they were not ignorant of them nor would defend them but rather would labour to amend them Concluding that they desired to have a sixt day of meeting with the Brethren in which they would take some further order about this businesse But before the time came the Papists having some intelligence of it raged so violently against the Waldenses that they burnt one of the chiefest of them at Vienna and so persecuted the rest that they were fain to provide for their own safety by flight Anno 1468. There came out a new Decree against these Brethren requiring all the Nobles of Bohemia within their severall jurisdictions to apprehend as many as they could and to proceed against them Many therefore were apprehended and put into prison where they were kept for a long time But thrâ—â—gh the wonderfull working of God the more the enemies laboured to put out this spark the more it brake forth into a great flame for many of their Peers submitted to the Discipline of the Brethren building Churches for them in their Towns and Villages so that Anno 1500. they had in Bohemia and Moravia about two hundred Churches After the death of Pogiebracius Uladislaus a Polonian succeeded in the Kingdom to whom the Brethren wrote an Apology by reason of many foul accusations that were carried to him against them This so exasperated their enemies that they endeavoured by a most impudent invention to stir up the hatred of all men against them The way they used was this They suborned a wicked villain to say that he came from amongst them and that he had been an Elder but had therefore forsaken them because in their meetings they used to blaspheme God the Virgin Mary and the Saints to traduce the Sacraments to mingle themselves incestuously after the manner of the Adamites to commit murther and practise witchcraft c. This man they led through the Townes and Cities as a spectacle they brought him to their Church where he must abjure his errors and beseech the people to pray for him a most miserable sinner and to take heed by his example of the wicked Piccards They also published his confession in writing being confirmed with the seals and subscripâ—ons of some Deans and Priests causing them to be read in the Churches to the people But the devil was befooled herein for the Brethren by publick writings did confute these lies and the villain trembling so often to forswear himself in the sight of the people confessed at last that he was suborned to do what he did and that he knew not any of the Piccards Yet thus far it made for good that some to make experience of so great villanies began privately and disguised to frequent the Assemblies of the Brethren and finding it to be farre other wise then it was reported did associate themselves with them as with true Christians Anno 1488. Mathias King of Hungary banished the Brethren from Moravia which caused some hundreds of them taking a Minister along with them to go into Moldavia Whereupon the Brethren in Bohemia sent one of their Elders to them to exhort them unto patience under this persecution which was for the truth Shortly after the restless enemies of God and his Church raised another persecution against the Brethren in Bohemia for some Bishops consulting together suborned the Queen great with childe so that they conceived that the King would deny her nothing in that state to request of him that he would severely punish the Piccards The King displeased at her request only nodded his head but gave no answer at all Yet the Bishops in his presence began to draw up the Edict The King going into his chamber fell down on his knees and with tears besought God to forgive the guilt of those bloudy counsels and to grant no successe to them and God heard his prayers and shewed some examples of his severe judgements on the Authors of this conspiracy The Queen who proposed to her fancy what gratefull spectacles she should have in seeing the Piccards brought to Prague and there some burnt some beheaded and others drowned in the water presently fell in travell and when she was not able to bring forth the Physitians advised that the childe should be cut out of the mothers womb which was accordingly done whereby the childe lived but the mother died Two years after the Bishops by their importunity prevailed with the King that sharp remedies should be used against those growing evils as they were pleased to call them whereupon an Edict was sent forth that all the Piccards without distinction of sex age or quality should be slain This Mandate was brought to the Assembly of States at Prague by two Bishops but divers of the chiefest Nobles opposed it so that eighteen moneths were spent in debate before any thing was done but at last by the cunning artifice of the Chancellor and his bloudy associates it was confirmed by the greatest part of the Nobility in the presence of the King and a mutuall confederacy was entred into that it should be prosecuted with an armed power but God following some of the chiefe contrivers of it with sundry judgements it almost came to nothing Yet in these troubles
that nothing should be done either against law or equity till he had further knowledge of the cause In the mean time the Brethren being much encouraged by letters from Luther Bucer and Capito went on constantly and through Gods mercy a great nummber was added to the Church till that fatal year 1547. At which time Charles the fifth putting in execution the decrees of the Counsell of Trent raised warres against the Protestant Princes in Germany At which time his brother Ferdinand sollicited the Bohemians for aid but they refused it in regard of their ancient league with the house of Saxony But the German Protestants being overcome in warre Ferdinand entred Bohemia with an Army seizeth on Prague imprisoneth the principall Nobles Barons and Citizens some he scourged some he beheaded and upon others he laid grievous Fines and of others he sequestred all their Estates Also he disarmed the City of Prague took away their privileges banishing some whilst others went into voluntary exile Then did the Devil raise up some to lay all the blame upon the Brethren to which malicious suggestions the King giving heed first by open Proclamation commanded all their Churches to be shut up and then he took away their Peers and banished them all out of his Realms When this Thunderbolt came abroad the brethren agreed amongst themselves that they would be more faithfull to God and their consciences then they had been and so by common consent dividing themselves into three companies they went into Poland and all of them had experience of an admirable divine protection in their journey escaping some that might and would have robbed them but that they were restrained by God as also in most places where they came they found Christian commiseration and liberality of men towards them and courteous entertainment in Poland though most of them were Papists Yet not long after the Bishop of that part where they were got a Mandate from the King to drive them away Then were they forced to goe into the farthest parts of Prusia whereby D. Albert Brandenburg they had a place of habitation alloted to them and one Paul Speratus a Protestant Bishop having conferred with them about their faith was very courteous and charitable to them The next Edict that Ferdinand set forth against the brethren was for the apprehending of all their Ministers whereupon some of them retired into Moravia others that they might be near their flocks hid themselves in private places in the night-time they visited the faithfull which continued for some years but at last three of them fell into their enemies hands yet one of them through the admirable providence of God escaped out of a deep dungeon in the Castle of Prague and fled to his brethren in Borussia and he sometimes passing through Polonia and preaching the Gospel through Gods mercy many of the Nobility and others were converted by his Ministry so that in a few years he erected twenty Churches in Poland The enemies having imprisoned John Augusta they much rejoyced at it because he was a chief Minister amongst the Brethren and as Luther in Germany against the Pope so he both by his Ministry and writings had mightily confuted the Calixtines and thereupon they laid to his charge his refusall to raise Forces for the assistance of Ferdinand and intentions of bringing in John Frederick Elector of Saxony to be King in Bohemia and for the discovery of this pretended conspiracy he was cruelly racked three times but when they could draw nothing from him they yet kept him in prison seventeen years Anno 1549. Ferdinand published another decree for the extirpating both of the brethren and Lutherans and the Ministers that had received Ordination in Germany or that were married were banished out of the Kingdom to the number of about two hundred Also the Baron of Schanow a man of much experience and learning being apprehended under the pretence of some conspiracy against Ferdinand was imprisoned examined and then laid on the rack he with an heroical indignation cut out his tongue and cast it away and being asked why he did it he wrote on the wall I did it because I would not by any tortures be brought to say any thing falsly against my selfe or others He also in a writing taxed the Tyrannical proceedings against himselfe and other innocents citing the King and his Counsellors to appear and answer it before the Tribunall of God and so shortly after died About that time Ferdinand brought Jesuites into Prague and built a stately College for them who sought by all means to overthrow the Church of Christ and added fuell to the fire of persecution After the death of Ferdinand Maximilian succeeded Anno 1562. who being of a peaceable disposition could by no means be induced that any should suffer for their faith After him Rodulphus succeeded Anno 1676. who treading in his Father steps the Church of Christ enjoyed peace under him yea pure religion so flourished through the whole Kingdom that there was scarce one amongst an hundred that did not professe the Reformed Religion But alas with liberty of Religion by little and little men began to be licentious in their lives and carnal security so encreased that some began to presage that an horrible tempest should again overwhelm them After the death of Rodulphus succeeded Mathias who comming into Bohemia Anno 1617. he called an Assembly of the States but it being harvest time few appeared To them that did appear Mathias complained that since he had no issue he would adopt Ferdinand for his son commendeth his vertues and desires that he may be crowned The Orders assembled affirmed that a matter of that consequence could not be done in the absence of the united Provinces Caesar urged that what Bohemia should do would be confirmed by all the rest that he grew faint and it could not be deferred till another time In brief the Oorders protested that the Term of Receiving him King was new that he ought first to be chosen and then received and some perceiving that there was no place for a free voice departed others partly allured by promises and partly deterred by threats staid and were present at the Cronation of Ferdinand after which he presently went into Moravia Silesia and Lusatia requesting to be received for their King The Persecution of the Church in Bohemia which began Anno Christi 1617. FErdinand the second Emperour of Germany being thus obtruded upon the Bohemians for their King contrary to the ancient constitutions and customes of the Kingdom and not lawfully elected thereunto as he ought to have been retired presently into Germany And thereupon the enemies of the truth began to crow and openly to threaten the Protestants and it appeared sufficiently that Ferdinand sware to the Orders with his mouth but in his heart to the Pope and presently after his
the Sacraments of Baptism or the Lords Supper c. he answered that he had neither laide down nor slacked his Ministry which he received from Christ and not from Caesar Being profferred life if he would change his Religion he answered This body of mine is subject to corruption and now it begins to decay already Why Would you have me hinder it Being brought forth to execution the Crier with a loud voice proclaimed that he was guilty of sedition But he with a loud voice said I suffer for the truth of Christ. None of the Citizens were suffered to accompany him yea they were threatned to be shot if they did but look out at their windows And that his voice might not be heard the Drums and Trumpets sounded continually As he was passing on he chearfully said This day shall my soul be with Christ The Captain said With the devil in hell The Martyr replied But you with your impious crew will run headlong thither except ye repent Then was his right hand cut off wherewith he gave the Cup in the Sacrament Then was his head cut off his bowels taken forth and wrapped in his shirt his quarters set upon four stakes and his head upon the fifth Then did the Commissioners go into Moravia to a Noble Baron called Charles de Zerotina a man for wisdom and vertue famous through all Europe a constant professor of Religion and one who maintained twenty four Ministers of the Brethren within his jurisdiction They told him that they had an express command from Cardinall Ditrichsteine to expell all those Ministers out of the Country He answered That in matters of Religion he ought not to be subject to the Cardinall and therefore from him he appeals to Caesar. Then did they grant him fourteen daies to prosecute his appeale but the Baron being not in health could not go in that time to Caesar Then they came again to him an told him that it should be in his choice whether he would send them a way himself or suffer them to do it the Baron answered that he could not banish those whom he knew to be the servants of Jesus Christ nor could consent that they should do it Yet that night they sent abroad their citations to require all the inhabitants of that Village to appear before them the next morning at which time the Minister and people came then did they read to them Caesars Edict asking them if they would submit to it they answered that they wholly relied upon the will of God whom they served in the Gospell of his Son and therefore they were resolued to undergo what punishment they should inflict seeing they suffered only for the Name of Jesus Christ and not for any ill deeds Then they demanded of them whether the would forsake their heresie and returne to the Catholick Church which they unanimously denied The Commissioners would have given them time to consider of it but they all answered that in so religious a cause as this they needed no deliberations Hereupon in Caesars name they banished them commanding them to depart within eight daies These godly persons obeyed and by the Baron at his own charge they were conveyed into Hungary The like they did in other places so that the Ministers of the Gospel through all Bohemia and Moravia were thrust out and ignorant and illiterate persons set in their rooms The next design of the enemies was against the Nobles The crime was for taking up arms for Frederick their lawfull King against an Usurper For though hope of pardon was granted if laying down arms they would submit to Caesars mercy yet divers of them were apprehended And first they seized upon some that were of the rank of Defenders of the Kingdoms Liberties and then all those whom they knew to have done any thing for the common good of Religion and Liberty or feared that they might be able to do for the time to come and all such as feared to break their faith given to Frederick These were about the number of fifty men famous for learning skill in military affairs and prudence in government who were the light delight and safeguard of their Countrey All of these in one night and at one hour were apprehended in their houses when they suspected no danger and by the Captains were commanded to get up into Wagons and so some of them were carried to the Castle of Prague others to the Majors house The next day Proclamation were issued out requiring all those that had hid themselves or departed the Kingdom to appear within six weeks but they not appearing sentence was pronounced that all such as were guilty of Treason should forfeit Goods Honours and Lives and then their names were set upon the Gallows The next day sentence was pronounced against their Heirs that all their Goods should be confiscate to the King Then did they proceed to the triall of the Noble men whom they had taken Two Appostate Civilians were appointed to examine them with some of the Nobility who tired them out with a thousand impertinent questions labouring to extort that from them whereof they were never guilty Which one of them not able to endure renting his garments and opening his breasts said Tear into a thousand pieces this body and search into my heart and you shall finde nothing there but what is expressed in my Apology The love of Religion and Liberty made us unsheath our swords but seeing God would have Caesar prevail and hath delivered us into your hand his will be done Others of them also stoutly maintained that their cause was not the worse because of the successe After some time when none of these Noble men would yeild or acknowledge themselves in an errour or sue unto them for mercy they proceed to execution their judgements were committed to such as were sworn enemies to the Gospel After sentence was passed it was sent to Caesar to consider of it And he was so troubled that he slept not that night and the next morning calling his Confessor he said to him I adjure thee upon thy conscience to tell me whether I may with a safe conscience pardon these that are condemned or whether I should suffer execution to passe on them The Confessor answered O Caesar both are in thy power Then did he with his pen pardon some and left others to execution with a great addition of shame and ignominy Presently after they were brought out singly to hear their sentence wherein some were condemned to death others to perpetuall imprisonment others to banishment and some were reserved to Caesars further pleasure Then were each sort of prisoners carried to their severall prisons the Noble men into the inward prison of the Castle the Citizens to the Majors house and as they went some villains were suborned to insult over them saying Why doe they not now sing The Lord reigneth Then did the wives children and kinsfolk
and abolished the Masse and other superstitious practices from amonst them which much enraged their Popish neighbours about them so that they complained to the Duke that they had not only fallen from the Pope but went about to cast off their obedience to him and to shake off his authority This so provoked the indignation of the Duke that he threatned utterly to destroy the town with fire and sword Wolfgang being informed hereof wrote to the Duke in most humble wise defending his Ministry and the doctrine which he taught and the whole cause of the Gospel he also excused the People as innocent and guiltlesse confuted the slanders of their malicious adversaries and professed their ready and willing subjection to that authority which God had placed over them But this Epistle prevailed nothing by reason of the virulent accusations of their enemies Whereupon to save the town from ruine he went of his own accord to the Duke to render an account of his doctrine thereby deriving all the Odium and danger upon himself As soon as he came thither he was apprehended and cast into a straight and stinking prison where he was most cruelly handled by the churlish Jailor In this plight he remained a whole year and yet would not shrink from his constancy though besides his hard usage he had a wife and five or six small children to care for Then was he called to justifie his faith which he did wittily and learnedly confuting all that did oppose him and though they called him Heretick Judas Divel c. yet he regarded it not but went on confirming his doctrine by the Scriptures But when his adversaries could not make their part good against him they took his Bible and burned it and proceeded to condemn him to be burned which sentence when he heard pronounced against him he sang the 122. Psalm When he came to the place of his Martyrdom they asked him if he would have his pain shortned he answered No for saith he God that hath been with me hitherto I trust will not now leave me when I have most need of him When faggots were heaped about him he sang the 51. Psalm and so continued singing till the flame and smoak took away his voice and life Shortly after the Commendator that sate as chief Judg upon him died suddenly Also his fellow Judge hearing the sudden noise of some guns that went off at the coming of the King of Denmak into the town was so overcome with fear that he suddenly fell down and died One John Huglin a Minister was burned at Mersperg for Religion Anno Christi 1526. At Munchen in Bavaria one George Carpenter was apprehended and cast into prison for his Religion and at last was brought forth before the Judges where he stoultly defended the truth refusing to recant Then came a Schoolmaster to him saying My friend dost thou not feare death wouldst thou not fain return to thy wife and children To whom he answered Were I at liberty whether should I go but to my dear wife and children Then said the Schoolmaster Recant your errours and you shall be set at liberty George answered My wife and my children are so dear to me that they cannot be bought from me with all the riches and possessions of the Duke of Bavaria but for the love of my Lord God I willingly forsake them all When he went to execution being again perswaded to recant he said I will confesse Christ this day before the whole world for he is my Saviour and in him do I believe When he was bound to the Ladder some Christian brethren desired him that as soon as he was cast into the fire he would give them some sign of the truth of his faith to whom he said This shall be my signe that so long as my tongue can wag I will not cease to call upon the name of Jesus He never changed his countenance but chearfully went to the fire and crying continually Jesus Jesus he joyfully yielded up his spirit unto God Also one Leonard Keyser a Bavarian being a Student at Wittenburg was sent for to come home his father lying upon his death-bed but so soon as he was come he was apprehended at the command of the Bishop and though the Duke of Saxony and his own friends solicited very earnestly to the Bishop for his life yet he proceeded to condemn him and delivered him over to the secular Magistrate As he was led to the place of execution he said O Lord Jesus remain with me sustain and help me and give me strength When the fire was ready to be kindled he cryed out with a loud voyce O Jesus I am thine have mercy upon me and save me and so he quietly slept in the Lord. The Martyrdome of a godly Minister in Hungary A Cruel Bishop in Hungary took a godly Minister for preaching the truth and caused Hares Geese and Hens to be tied round about his naked body and then set dogs upon him that cruelly rent and tore whatsoever they could catch so that he died thereof but God left not this cruelty unrevenged for shortly after the Bishop fell mad and raving died miserably CHAP. XXXI The Persecutions of the Church in the Low-Countries IN Holland there was a grave widow called Wendelmuta to whom it pleased God to reveal his truth and she became a zealous Professour of it for which she was apprehended and cast into prison and afterwards brought forth at the Sessions where many Monks perswaded her to recant but could not prevail Many also of her kindred and other women were suffered to perswade with her amongst which was a noble Matron who coming to her said My Wendelmuta Why dost thou not keep those things which thou believest secret in thy heart that thou mayest prolong thy life To whom she answered Truly you know not what you say for with the heart man beleeves to righteousnesse but with the tongue confession is made to salvation Then was she condemned to be burnt to ashes and her goods to be confiscated which sentence she took patiently and quietly At the place of her execution a Monk brought her a Crosse and bade her to kisse and worship her God to whom she said I worship no woodden God but only that God which is in heaven and so with a merry and joyful countenance she went to the stake desiring the Executioner to knock it in fast that it might not fall Being bound to it she ardently commended her soul into the hands of God when she was to be strangled she modestly closed her eyes and bowed down her head as one that went to sleep after which she was burned to ashes Anno 1529. There were two godly and learned men apprehended in Colen and cast into prison where they were kept a year and an half and the sweating sicknesse raging exceedingly at that time in Germany the
the holy Mass forbidding those of the pretended Reformed Religion any ways to molest either by deed or word the Missionary Fathers or their Attendants much less to disswade any that would turn Catholicks under the same pain of death giving it in charge particularly to the Ministers of the said pretended Religion inviolably to observe the same upon pain of answering it in their proper names c. It 's easie to conjecture the miserable inconveniencies of a flight in the midst of winter especially to such a people amongst whom were many aged and decrepit many sick and diseased besides a multitude of women big with childe or newly brought to bed together with a number of tender Infants yet all forced to flye and none being in capacity to succor another Yet did these bloody beasts in the most violent and rigorous winter-season chase and drive out of their houses all on a sudden those poor people who scarce had clothes to cover their nakedness much less were they provided to resist the extremities of cold and hunger thinking hereby either to force them to change their Religion or to cause them to dye in the craggy Rocks and snowy Mountains yea they were so subtilly malicious as to chuse those very days when by reason of the multitude of violent waters in the Plain and of snow upon the Mountains they judged it impossible for those silly sheep ever to escape But these poor people considering that the Apostacy propounded was the way to eternal damnation chose rather to follow Christ in bearing his cross and to hazard their temporary lives rather than to lose their souls for ever yet that they might leave no lawful means unattempted they presently dispatched their Deputies to the Governor to represent to him the strangeness of this command to force them with their Families to abandon their antient habitations as also that it was impossible for so many souls as there were in number to subsist in the said place to which by the Edict they were confined they being scarce sufficient to supply in any sort those that inhabited them As likewise that this command was contrary to all their former Concessions upon which account they protested and appealed to his Royal Highness But the Governor knowing well the intention of the Council for the extirpating of Hereticks would neither admit of the one or of the other Hereupon the poor people seeing they could obtain nothing of him entreated him to grant them at least some time to have recourse to the Duke by humble supplications but this also was denied unless they would draw up their Petition by a model which he should prescribe which indeed was prejudicial both to their just Rights and Consciences These poor people I say seeing this to the end that they might remove all pretext for accusing them of Rebellion under that colour to ruine and destroy them hoping also that at last they might finde some means to lay their griefs at the feet of his Royal Highness and that his Clemency and Justice would in the end re-establish them in their ancient habitations they chose rather to suffer this violence and therefore recalling their Protestation thereby to testifie their profound respect to their Prince they quitted their houses and goods and retired with their Familes their Wives and Children great and small young and old whole and sick yea halt lame and blind draging after them such as were infirm by sickness or age through Rain Snow Ice Waters and a thousand difficulties Oh think with your selves what bitter tears what wringing of hands what smitting upon the breasts what mournings sighings and lamentations there were in the families of these miserable and distressed Creatures who were now reduced to the utmost of extremities before them were a multitude of violent and roaring waters on each hand most barbarous and snowy mountains behinde them men sevenfold worse than the Egyptians ready to butcher and destroy them yet recommending themselves Souls and Bodies to Gods protection they are resolved to undergo the worst of temporary miseries rather than by denying their Religion to damn their Souls This their Constancy and Resolution was no small comfort to other Churches and a matter of great astonishment to their Persecutors the rather considering the great advantages they might have purchased by quitting their Religion as Pardon for all crimes Liberty if in Prisons exemption from all manner of Taxes c. They were no sooner departed from their houses but a number of Thieves and Robbers entred them spoiling and pillaging whatever the people had left behinde them pulling down their houses cuting down all their trees and turning their habitation into a desolate wilderness of which violence the poor people complained to the Duke and received from him such an answer that they apprehended his intentions were not that they should wholly quit their houses till their cause might be heard and judged in confidence hereof they sometimes returned to their houses to guard them from these Robbers and to husband their ground that so they might have wherewithal to pay their Taxes yet for this they were branded with Rebellion though they had neither taken up arms nor acted any other hostility every one living peaceably without giving any cause of offence Gastaldo having thus driven these poor people from their antient inheritance without legal citing them hearing their plea or giving them the least time to provide for so sad a flight their last refuge was to have recourse to the Lord by fervent prayers and to their Prince by humble supplications which was done not only by those that were driven from their houses but by the other Churches of the Reforned Religion the cause being common to them all But alas they found both his and all other his Ministers ears stopped to their wosull crys neither could they obtain so much as admittance into the presence of his Royal Highness Amongst other cunning Artifices used by their malicious Adversaries to imbitter the spirits of his Highness and the Dutchess his Mother against these poor Protestants this was one John Ressan President of the Province of Pignorolio having for many years born a deadly spleen against the popish Priest of Fenile hired one to assassinate him and then by his Secretary he spread it abroad all over the Country that the Protestants were the Authors of the murther who yet five days before were driven out of Fenile which report flew far and near being entertained as an undoubted truth by those Papists who lived far off encreasing also with carriage though upon the place the author of this murther was well known so that by all their reports they were not able to fasten any blemish in the minds of the dead Priests friends and Kindred nor to hinder them from apprehending both the Master and his Secretary by which means the innocency of the Reformed party was so cleared to the world that the Marquess of Pionessa in his