Iesus Christ nor transferre vnto the creatures the honor that is due to the Creator nor say of the Bread that it is God and adore it as being God without the incurring of eternall damnation for Idolaters shall not inherit the Kingdome of Heauen For all these things affirmed by them they haue beene hated and persecuted to the death CHAP. II. Pope Innocent the third of that name made shew of a desire to winne the Albingenses to the Church of Rome by preaching and conference A famous disputation at Montreal To what end the Pope permitted disputation in matter of Religion POpe Innocent the third of that name seemed to be carried with a desire to reduce the Albingenses vnto the Church of Rome by preachings and reasons or to oppresse them and vtterly root them out by violence of armes and by crueltie of punishments But before he would come to extremities he thought it necessary for the better iustification of his proceedings to begin with words and afterwards to come to blowes Hee sent therefore amongst them certaine Preachers who endeuoured to draw them by gentle perswasions The Comp. of the Treasure of Histories in the yeere 1206. See here how the Compiler of the treasure of Histories speakes of those times When there came newes saith he to Pope Innocent the third that in his Prouince of Narbonne the traiterous Heresie was spread abroad not onely amongst the poore but Earles Barons and Knights he sent the Abbot of Cisteaux and two Monkes with him to preach against those disloyall buggerers When they had trauelled some little way preaching throughout the Countrey they came to Mompelier where they met with a worthy man that was Bishop of Cestre This honest man asked the Abbot of Cisteaux what hee did there He answered that the Pope had sent him thither against those Sodomites but that he could not conuert them This good man was nothing astonied at it but he still maintained the worke of the Lord valiantly and went on foot to giue good example to others and they stayed and went on foot with him Afterwards the Abbot returned to the Chapter or generall assembly but the Bishop and the two Monkes passing a long time through the Countrey and preaching they conuerted many of the meaner sort of people but of the great ones and richer sort there were few or none that returned to the true faith The Abbot came backe into the Countrey and brought with him another Abbot and diuers Monkes and came all on foot whereupon the Bishop of Cestre began to thinke with himselfe how to returne into his Countrey but dyed by the way The Monkes who preached throughout the Countrey found the Princes so obdurate in their malice that they resolued to stay no longer there but returned into their Countries except one good man who was called Frier Peter of Chasteauneuf who continued preaching with one of his companions When the Albingenses knew the intention of the Pope which was to pretend that he was not the cause why they whom he iudged to be wanderers did not returne to the bosome of the Church of Rome by gentle meanes and force of reason they began to thinke that it stood them vpon to maintaine their beleefe by such conference otherwise they should giue occasion to the aduersaries to thinke that there was in their Religion some weaknesse if there were not any Pastor that would take vpon him the defence thereof It was therefore concluded amongst the Albingenses to giue the Bishops to vnderstand that their Pastors or any one of them for the rest were ready to maintaine their beleefe by the word of God prouided that the conference were well ordered and moderated that is to say that there may be moderators that are men of authoritie both on the one side and the other that may haue wherewithall to hinder all tumult and sedition Prouided also that it be in a place vnto which there may be free accesse and the place secured for all persons that may assist or be present at the said conference Moreouer that there bee some matter or subiect chosen by common consent not to bee giuen ouer before it be determined and that he that cannot defend it by the word of God is to bee reputed and held to be vanquished This disputation was the most famous that hath bin betweene the Albingenses the Bishops and Priests The Bishops and Monkes did all allow of the said conditions The place was Montreal neere Carcasonne the time in the yeere one thousand two hundred and six The Arbitrators agreed vpon by the one part and the other B. de Villeneufue and B. Auxerre for the Bishops and for the Albingenses R. de Bot and Antony Riuiere Arnold Hott was the Pastor for the Albingenses Chassagnon maketh mention in his first booke of the History of the Albingenses pag. 72. accompanied with those that were accounted fit for such an action He was the first that arriued at the place and day assigned Afterwards came the Bishop Eusus and the Monke Dominique a Spaniard with two of the Popes Legats that is to say Peter Chastel and Racul de Iust Abbot of Candets P. Bertrand Prior d' Auteriue Also Iaques de Riberia in his collect of the Citie of Toulouze as also the Prior de Palats and diuers other Priests and Monkes This disputation was sent me from the Albingēses by Mr. Rafin Pastor of the Church of Realmont in old Manuscripts The Theses or generall questions proposed by Arnold were these That the Masse with the Transubstantiation was the inuention of men not the ordinance of Christ nor his Apostles That the Romish Church is not the Spouse of Christ but the Church of tumult and molestation made drunken with the bloud of Martyrs That the policie of the Church of Rome is neither good nor holy nor established by Iesus Christ Arnold sent these Propositions to the Bishop who demanded a respit of fifteene dayes to answer which was granted him At the day appointed the Bishop failed not to appeare with a long and large writing Arnold Hott desired to bee heard by word of mouth saying That he would answer to all that was contained in the said writing intreating his auditorie that it might not be troublesome vnto them if he were long in answering to so long a discourse It was granted that he should bee heard with attention and patience and without interruption He discoursed at diuers houres for foure dayes together and with such admiration of those that were present and readinesse for his part that all the Bishops Abbots Monkes and Priests had reason to desire they had beene elsewhere For he framed his answer according to the points set downe in the said writing with such order and plainnesse that hee gaue all that were present to vnderstand that the Bishop hauing written much had neuerthelesse concluded nothing that might truly turne to the aduantage of the Church of Rome against his Propositions
cleared from the calumnies contained in the former Chapter by those writings which they haue left THe Waldenses of Bohemia whether they were the remainder of that people that followed Valdo as some are of opinion that he ended his dayes in Bohemia after he had retired himselfe out of Germany and escaped the hands of the Bishops of Mayence and Strasburge or whether they were such persons as afterwards professed the same faith which the Waldenses did it is without all doubt that they were grieuously persecuted by king Ladislaus king of Hungary and Bohemia and we haue in our owne hands an Apologie of the said Waldenses which they sent vnto the king whom they called Lancelau to iustifie themselues against sundry complaints which were made against them by their aduersaries as also we haue a booke with this inscription Aiço es la causa del nostre despartiment de la Gleisa Romana That is to say Behold the cause of our separation from the Church of Rome And forasmuch as the answer to the first calumnie that is that they assembled themselues in darke corners where the candles being put out their aduersaries do affirme they committed villanons incests we haue copied out the answer of the said Apologie in their owne tearmes and language for the more certaintie and better edification This Apologie the author Iean Paul Perrin set downe in two columnes the one French the other in the language of the Waldenses which for breuity sake we set downe onely in English referring those vnto the French booke that desire to see the originall AMong other things say they they publish In the letter to king Ladislaus pa. 2. like angrie barking curres that it is a law and common amongst vs to say Yeeld thy selfe to whomsoeuer shal request thee and that we take our pleasures in darke caues and corners with whomsoeuer shall present themselues vnto vs whether they be our mothers or daughters or wiues or sisters How true this is it may appeare in that God hauing kept and preserued vs for aboue these forty yeares past it hath bene neuer knowne that there hath bene any whoredome amongst vs that hath escaped vnpunished or any such villanie committed In such sort that our liues and carriages condemne those that accuse vs. And for as much as the Waldenses speake this of themselues and to their owne praise and therefore this their iustification may seeme but weake looke a little into that which they haue written elsewhere against whordome which may suffice to shew that they were very far from this diabolicall affection to debase themselues by incests The sinne of luxury is very pleasing to the diuell Their booke of the remedie against the sinne of luxury Chap 21. displeasing vnto God and iniurious against our neighbours because therein a man obeyeth the basest part of his bodie rather then God who hath preserued it A foolish woman doth not onely take from a man his good but himselfe too He that is giuen to this vice keepes faith to no man and therefore Dauid caused his faithfull seruant to be slaine that he might enioy his wife Amon defiled his sister Tamar This vice cōsumes the heritage of many as it is said of the prodigall child that he wasted his goods liuing luxuriously Balaam made choise of this sinne to prouoke the children of Israel to sinne by occasion whereof there died twenty foure thousand persons This sinne was the cause of the blindnesse of Sampson it peruerted Salomon and many haue perished by the beautie of a woman Prayer and fasting and distance of place are the remedies against this sinne For a man may ouercome other vices by combating with them but in this a man is neuer victorious but by flying from it and not approching neare vnto it whereof we haue an example in Ioseph It is therefore our duties to pray daily to the Lord that he will keepe vs farre from the sinne of luxury and giue vs vnderstanding and chastitie See their book of Vertues in the Chapter of marriage Against the second imposture that they maintaine that a man may put away his wife when it pleaseth him they say that marriage is a knot that cannot be vntyed but by death except it be for fornication as our Sauiour Christ saith And Saint Paul 1. Corinth 7. saith That the wife is not to depart from her husband nor the husband from his wife See the booke of the Waldenses intituled of vertues in the Chapter of mariage To the third calumnie touching the communitie of goods and wiues they say concerning marriage that it was ordained by God long since in the terrestriall Paradise and that it is a good remedie against whoredome And that Saint Paul speaking thereof saith Let euery man haue his wife and euery woman her husband As also that the husband ought to loue his wife as Christ loued his Church and that the married couple ought to liue together in holinesse with their children bringing them vp in the feare of God As touching goods euery man hath possessed his owne proper substance at all times and in all places In Dauphiney It appeareth by the proces that we haue in our hands by which it appeares that Lewes the 12. of that name condemned the vsurpers of the goods of the Waldenses to a restitution It appeares by the treatises of Meneobe and other instances made by the Waldenses of Prouence when the Archbishops of Ambrun Iohn and Rostain had spoiled them of their goods when the Lord of Argentiere and Montainar and Arreas of Bonne had dispossessed the Waldenses that dwelt in the valley of Fraissimere and of Argentiere of their goods and possessions the restitution of euery mans inheritance was prosecuted by the particular persons from whom they had taken them The Waldenses of Prouence do demand at this present of the Pope the goods and lands which haue bene annexed to their demaine and taken from them by confiscation euery particular person making faith for euery part and parcell of goods and lands which had descended vpon them from their ancestors the Waldenses time out of mind they neuer hauing had any such communitie amongst them that might any way derogate from that lawfull proprietie which euery one had to his owne lands In the booke of the Waldenses intituled the Spiritual Almanacke fol. 45. The fourth calumnie was touching Baptisme which it is said they denied to little infants but from this imputation they quit themselues as followeth The time and place of those that are to be baptized is not ordained but the charitie and edification of the Church and congregation must serue for a rule therein c. And therefore they to whom the children were nearest allied brought their infants to be baptized as their parents or any other whom God had made charitable in that kind True it is that being constrained for some certaine hundred yeares to suffer their children to be baptized by the Priests of
the Church of Rome they deferred the doing thereof as long as they could possibly because they had in detestation those humane inuentions which were added to that holy Sacrament which they held to be but pollutions therof And forasmuch as their Pastors which they called Barbes were many times abroad imployed in the seruice of their Churches they could not haue the Sacrament of Baptisme administred to their infants by their owne Ministers for this cause they kept them long from Baptisme which the Priests perceiuing and taking notice of charged them thereupon with this imposture which not onely their aduersaries haue beleeued but diuerse others who haue well approued of their life and faith in all other points The fifth calumnie was that they adored their Pastors prostrating themselues before them To iustifie the Waldenses from this imposture there needs no more but that the Reader will be pleased to take the paines to reade that which they haue written touching the adoration of one onely God in the exposition that they made in the booke of their doctrine vpon the first 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
hauing discouered the abuse which they brought into the Church they condemned them for heretickes and deliuered them to the secular power so they call their Magistrates Now this seemed vnto them a cruell simplicitie in the said Magistrates to giue faith to persons passionate and not indifferent such as the aforesaid Priests were and to put to death so many poore innocent people neuer hearing them or examining the cause The tenth calumnie was to make them odious to Kings and Princes that is to say that a lay man in the state of grace had greater authoritie then a Prince liuing in his sinnes Against this imposture they affirme In the booke of the causes of their separation frō the Church of Rome p. 41. that euery one must be subiect to those that are in authoritie obey them loue them be at peace with them honour them with double honour in subiection and obedience and readinesse paying vnto them that which is their due The eleuenth calumnie was grounded vpon that assertion of the Waldenses that the Pope had no authoritie ouer the Kings and Princes of the earth who depend immediatly vpon God alone For from thence they take occasion to call them Manichees as appointing two Princes Against this imputation they say In the booke of the treasure of faith art 2. We beleeue that the holy Trinitie hath created all things visible and inuisible and that he is Lord of things celestiall terrestiall and infernall as it is said in S. Iohn All things are made by him and without him nothing is made The beginning of this calumnie was taken out of the Extrauagantes of Pope Boniface 8. who subiecting the authoritie of Emperours vnto his saith of his owne Quicunque huic potestati resistit Dei ordinationi resistit nisi duo sicut Manichaeus fingat esse principia De Maiorit obedientia Can. Vnam sanctam l. 1. tom 8. The twelfth calumnie imports thus much that they held that whatsoeuer is done with a good intention is good and that euery one shall be saued in whatsoeuer is done with the said good intention To this imposture we need no other answer then that which the Monke Raynerius who was alwaies their back-friend saith elsewhere Rain lib. de forma haeretic art 38. that is that they maintaine that euery man is saued by his faith which he cals a Sect. It is very necessary that a lyer should haue a better memorie then to affirme things contradictorie And to shew that they made no profession of any such beleefe that may suffice that they haue said against Antichrist That he hath brought these errors into the Church vnder a colour of good intention and a shew of faith The thirteenth calumnie was that they maintaine that a man may kill or detaine from the Priests their tithes without scruple of conscience It is certaine that if the Waldenses had power to employ their tithes to some other vse then to the nourishment of those whom they find to be dumbe dogs drowsie watchmen slow bellies seducing and being seduced they had done it It appeareth by the processe against the Waldenses of Dauphiné by Albert de Capitaneis other Monkes Inquisitors but there was neuer any as yet that hath occasioned the least troubles that may be in that regard It well appeareth that in whatsoeuer depended on their owne wils they haue neuer offered more or lesse vnto those people taking no thought for their Masses and Trentals after their death the which the Priests complaine of and from thence take occasion to accuse them for heretickes And as touching reuenge heare what they say The Lord knowing that we shall be deliuered saith In the booke of the Waldenses intituled of Tribulations p. 274. Beware of men but he doth not teach or counsell any of his chosen to kill any but rather to loue their enemies When his disciples said vnto him in the ninth of S. Luke Wilt thou that we command that fire come downe from heauen and consume them Christ answered and said Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of Againe the Lord saith vnto Peter Put vp thy sword into thy sheath c. For temporall aduersities are to be contemned and patiently to be endured for there happeneth nothing therein that is new We are here the Lords floore to be beaten as the corne when it is separated from the chaffe The last calumnie of the Waldenses which we haue gathered out of the writings of their aduersaries is that which Claud. Rubis layes vpon them as a foule aspersion Claud. Rubis in his historie of Lions p. 269. in his Historie of the Citie of Lions That being retired vnto the Alpes at their departure from Lions they became like the rest of the people of that countrey beesome riders And he is not content to tie himselfe to the Vaudois onely but he addeth These are things that ordinarily follow one another Heresie and Sorcerie as it is verified saith he in our times in those Cities and Prouinces that haue giuen entertainment vnto heresie We will first iustifie the Waldenses and then answer Rubis in the behalfe of those Cities and Prouinces which he hath inclosed within this calumnie All they offend against the first Commandemēt say the Vaudois in the exposition of the first Commandement that beleeue that the Planets can enforce the will of man These kind of men as much as in them lies accompt the Planets as gods for they attribute vnto the creature that which belongs vnto the Creator Against which the Prophet Ieremie 10. speaketh Learne not the way of the heathen and be not dismayed at the signes of heauen for the heathen are dismayed at them And S. Paul in the fourth to the Galathians Ye obserue moneths and dayes and times and yeares but I am afraid of you lest I haue bestowed vpon you labour in vaine All they offend against this commandement that beleeue Sorcerers and Soothsayers for these men beleeue the diuels are gods The reason is because they aske of diuels that which God alone can giue that is to manifest things hidden and to foreshew the truth of things to come which is forbidden of God Leuit. 19.31 Regard not them that haue familiar spirits neither seeke after wizards to be defiled with them And in the 20.6 The soule that turneth after such as haue familiar spirits and after wizards to go a whoring after them I will set my face against that soule and will cut him off from amongst his people And in the last verse of that Chapter A man or woman that hath a familiar spirit or that is a wizard shall surely be put to death they shall stone them with stones their bloud shall be vpon them As touching the punishment of this sinne and the vengeance that God taketh vpon such a one we reade in the 2. Kings 1.3 that the Angell of the Lord sent vnto Elijah to meete the messengers of Ahaziah and to say vnto them
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
the fire with pikes and holberds The rest of these men that were found hidden in the caues were brought into the Hall of the Castle where they were horribly massacred in the presence of the said Opede As for the women and children that were found in the Temple they were exposed to the chiefe Bauds and Ruffians of Anignon who slew about eight hundred persons without distinction of age or sexe About the end of this execution le Sieur de la Coste kinsman to Opede came thither who intreated him to send him some men of warre offering to bring all his souldiers into Aix and to make as many breaches in the wall as hee would which was granted by word of mouth but not wholly performed For three Ensignes of foot men were sent thither who pillaged whatsoeuer seemed good vnto them burnt a part of the Towne rauished women and their daughters and killed some Boores not finding any resistance In this meane time the rest of those of Merindol and other places were in great extremities in the mountaines and rockes persecuted by Opede and his army They intreated him that hee would permit them to retire themselues to Geneua with the rest of their wiues and children promising to leaue behind them all their goods Hee answered that hee would send them all to dwell in the Country of hell with all the diuels them their wiues and children in such a manner that there should be no memory left of them King Francis being aduertised of those cruelties that were executed in pursuit of the said arrest was much displeased therewith in such sort that at the very point of death being wounded with some remorse of conscience principally because it had all passed vnder his name and authority being sorry because hee could inflict no punishment vpon them before his death that had shed so much innocent blood hee gaue in charge to his sonne Henry to bee reuenged on them in prosecution whereof after the decease of his father hee sent out his Letters Patents in the yeere one thousand fiue hundred forty nine by which hee tooke vnto himselfe and into his owne hands the cause of the said Waldenses of Prouence but there was none but the Aduocate Guerin that was hanged because hee had falsty informed the King when hee kept backe the reuocation of the first retention of the cause of those of Merindoll whereupon presently followed the execution of the Arrest of the Court of Parliament of Aix And all the rest that were faulty escaped vpon this consideration that it was to no purpose to attempt any more against the Lutherans at that time Touching the rest that escaped this massacre some there were that retired themselues to Geneua others into Switzerland others into Germany and others continued neere thereabouts tilling their land by stealth and so by little and little returned home to their old habitations which they built and repaired at such times as they could by the benefit of the aforesaid Edicts and were afterwards the seed of many goodly Churches which at this day are gathered together flourishing in all piety and zeale as other Churches in the Kingdome of France CHAP. IX Of the Waldenses that did flie into Bohemia and those persecutions which they suffred that haue come to our knowledge DIuers haue written Albertus de Capitaneis lib. de origine Waldensium Thuanus in historia sui temporis pa. 457. Petrus Valdus eorum Antesignanus patria relicta in velgium venit atque in Picardiam quam hodie vocant multos sectatores nactus cum inde in Germaniam transisset per Vandalicas ciuitates diu diuersatus est ac postremo in Bohemia consedit See what is said of these two Barbes before in the first booke Chap. 9. that Waldo at his departure from Lion came into Dauphine and from thence hauing erected and ordered some Churches and laid the foundations of them which haue been miraculously preserued vnto this present time he went into Languedoc and there he left excellent Pastors who ordered and instructed those Churches that afterwards cost the Pope and his Clergy so much to destroy and from thence he went into Picardy from whence being chased he tooke his iourney into Germany and from Germany he retired himselfe into Bohemia where according to the opinion of some he ended his dayes The Waldenses inhabiting in Dauphine Piedmont and Prouence haue had communion and intelligence with their Brethren retired into Bohemia for proofe whereof we haue the message of Daniel de Valence and Iohn de Molin Pastors in Bohemia who did much hurt to the Churches of that Country by reuealing vnto the aduersaries those flockes or companies which before were hidden and vnknowne because of the great and grieuous persecutions that then were We haue also a certaine Apology of the Waldenses of Bohemia in the Waldensian tongue Vineaux in his memor fol. 15 in the forme of a Letter which they wirt to King Ladislaus wherof the Inscription is Al Serenissimo Princi Rey Lancelao A li Duc Barons a liplus veil del Regne Lo petit tropel de li Christians appella per falce nom falsament Pauuers o Valdes Gratia siaâ—en Dio lo Paire en Iesus lo Filli de luy This Letter makes proofe of the Communion which the Waldenses of Dauphine haue had with those of Bohemia in that they haue had in their language this Letter which containes a iust Apology against those impostures and other faults which in former times haue been imputed to the one and to the other and haue been common with the Christians of the primitiue Church We haue also in the same volume a treatise the inscription whereof is this Aico es la causa del nostre despartiment de la Gleisa Romana That is to say This is the cause of our separation from the Church of Rome Causes which haue been common with all those that haue withdrawen themselues from that Church for feare of participating of her plagues The Author of the Catalogue of witnesses of the truth Flat Ill. in catal test verit p. 116. makes mention of a certaine forme of Inquisition which was practised against the Waldenses of Bohemia vnder King Iohn which was about the yeere 1330. As also in another Inquisition this is noted that the Waldenses of Bohemia sent into Lombardy to the Waldensian Doctors those whom they would haue trained vp in the profession of Diuinity In the treatise of the beginning of the Churches of Bohemia Lib. de origine Ecclesiaris Bohemiae pa. 273. Sed cum oppressae tyrannide Pontificia conuentus publicos nullos haberent neque scripta horum extarent vilâ— ignotae nostris prorsus fuerc Esrom Rudiger in narratiancula de Ecclesijs fratrum in Bohemia Valdenses ad minimum CCXL annis originem nostram antecedunt at what time the doctrine of Iohn Hus was there receiued the Pastors Ancients and faithfull of Bohemia say that the Waldensian Churches of Bohemia had
been oppressed by the tyranny of the Pope in such manner that they had no more assemblies and that there were no more of their writings to be found in Bohemia Esrom Rudiger in his treatise of the Churches of Bohemia saith that the Waldenses haue had their Churches at the least two hundred and forty yeeres before those of the Hussites and though he confesse that their beliefe was one and the same yet he affirmeth that there was not in their times any memory of their Churches but onely of those that were in France at Merindoll and the places neere adioyning And that when they sent to Bohemia to ioyne themselues vnto them in the confession of their faith they enquired of them whether they made any publike profession of the truth and when they had vnderstood that there were some amongst them that sometimes frequented Papisticall Churches and were present at those idolatries that were there committed they did bitterly reprehend them for it And therefore they that haue answered vnder the name of the Waldenses See the Confession of the Waldenses in the Catalogue â—erum expetendarum Lib. de orig confess Eccl. Bohem. Scimus quod multi boni viri veritatis Euangelicae instaurata cultâ—res sectatâ— res pij seducti indicationibus falsis criminationib aduersariorum pro Valdensib nos habeant Ibid. Hoc quidem constat multum in ipsis lucis fuisse de plerisque eos rectè sensisse docuisse propter vcritatem grauissima perpesso in Galliâ— in primis Aeneas Siluius in his history of the Taborites and haue brought vnto light their confession which at this day is to be found in the Catalogue of things to be desired are not any of the Waldenses but one of those that by way of reproach were afterwards so called and they haue not been ashamed of that name assuring themselues of the purity of their doctrine And this notwithstanding they reuiue againe this common opinion when they affirme that they know well that there are many good men that follow and loue the truth of the Gospell who being deceiued by false markes and notes whereby they haue described vs say they haue held vs for Waldenses And euen there to they giue this testimony of the Waldenses that there is in them much light and knowledge and that they haue well vnderstood and purely taught many things yea and that they haue suffered much for the truth especially in France And so they desired to be distinguished from them to the end that if it were obserued that the Waldenses had done much for the establishment of the truth in their times that it might likewise be knowne that the Hussites haue not done little in their time Aeneas Syluius reporteth of one Iames de Misne and Peter de Dreze disciples of the Waldenses that they went into Bohemia in the time of Iohn Hus and that hauing conferred with him he made profession of their doctrine and they themselues deny it not for thy say that Wicklif was assisted to shake off the yoke of the Pope by example of the Waldenses and that Wicklif was the instrument which God had vsed for the instruction of Iohn Hus who taught in Bohemia and that therefore they haue thought themselues much bound to the Churches of the Waldenses because whatsoeuer good there hath been in the said Churches they say was transported vnto theirs and so haue they been in some sort the beginning of theirs CHAP. X. Of the Waldenses inhabiting in Austria and the persecutions which they suffered THe number of the Waldenses that inhabited in Austria was very great who were there grieuously persecuted as may appeare if we had no other proofe then the Chronicle Hirsauge where it is obserued that about the yeere one thousand foure hundred See the Chronicle of Hirsauge there were burnt a great number in the Citty of Creme which is in the said Dukedome of Austria But more then that that which troubled the heads of the persecuters a great deale more was the speech of one of them who being executed at Vienna the principall Citty in Austria said at his execution that there were in that Country of the same beliefe that he professed aboue fourescore thousand About the yeere of our Lord one thousand foure hundred sixty seuen 1467. the Hussites reforming their Churches and separating them from the Church of Rome they vnderstood that there were in Austria Churches of the ancient Waldenses vpon the frontiers of Bohemia in the which there were great and learned men appointed for Pastors that the doctrine of the Gospell flourished amongst them That they might know the truth thereof they deputed two of their Brethren amongst their Pastors and two Ancients with charge to enquire and know what those flockes or coÌ„gregations were for what cause they had forsaken the Church of Rome their principles and progression that they should make knowne vnto them the beginnings of their carriage or demeanor in Bohemia and giue a reason why they were seperated from the Romish Church These men being come thither Ioachimus Cam in hist de Ecclesiis Fratrum in Bohemia Morautâ— p. 104. and hauing carefully inquired into the state of those Churches of the Waldenses and hauing found them they told them that they did nothing but what was ordeined by our Lord Iesus Christ and taught by his Apostles holding themselues wholly to the institution of the Sonne of God in the matter of Sacraments It contented the Waldenses very much to vnderstand that there were in Bohemia a number of people that had giuen vnto God the glory and remoued from them the abuse and idolatries of the Church of Rome exhorting them in the name of God to continue in that which they had so wel begun for the knowledge and maintenance of the truth and for the estabishment of a good discipline and in witnesse of the great ioy they receiued and that holy Society and Communion that they desired to haue with them they blessed them in praying for them and laying their hands vpon them Afterwards the said Waldenses related vnto them how God had miraculously preserued them for these many hundred yeers notwithstanding the diuers great and continuall persecutions which they had endured And so they louingly and gently tooke their leaue of their said brethren and at their returne related whatsoeuer they had seen or done in that their voyage from whence they receiued vnspeakable contentment and from that time forward there continued a holy affection and desire to communicate together as oft as they could for their common edification In prosecution whereof the brethren of Bohemia visited by Letters the Waldenses of Austria giuing them to vnderstand that they had receiued great comfort by their last communication they had with them but yet as they desired not to be flattered in any defect or fault whatsoeuer so they could not dissemble without some defect of charity what they had found
nothing and that he must doe as he may The Earle of Beziers returned into the Citie and assembled the people together giuing them to vnderstand that after he had submitted himselfe to the Legat hee mediated for them not being able to obtaine any otherthing at his hands but pardon vpon condition that they that made profession of the beleefe of the Albingenses should come and abiure their Religion and promise to liue according to the Lawes of the Church of Rome The Romish Catholikes intreated them to yeeld to this so great a violence and not to be the cause of their death since the Legat was resolued not to pardon any if they liued not all vnder one and the same Law The Albingenses answered That they would not forsake their Religion for the base price of this fraile life That they knew well that God was able to defend them if it pleased him and that if he would bee glorified by the confession of their saith it should bee a great honour to them to die for righteousnesse sake That they had rather displease the Pope who could destroy their bodies onely than God who could cast both body and soule into Hell fire That they would neuer be ashamed or deny that Religion by which they haue beene taught to know Christ and his righteousnesse or with the danger of an eternall death professe a Religion which doth annihillate the merit of Christ and burieth his righteousnesse and that therefore they would couenant for themselues as they could and promise nothing contrary to the duty of true Christians This being vnderstood the Romish Catholikes sent their Bishop to the Legat humbly to intreat him that he would not include in this chastisement of the Albingenses those that were alwayes obedient to the Church of Rome of whom he that was their Bishop had certaine knowledge being likewise assured that the rest were not altogether past hope of repentance but that they might be wonne by gentle meanes best befitting the Church which tooke no pleasure in the effusion of bloud The Legat herewith grew into extreme choller and passion swearing and protesting with horrible threats that if all they that were in the Citie did not acknowledge their fault and submit themselues to the Church of Rome they should all taste of one cup and without respect of Catholike sex or age they should all be exposed to fire and sword And incontinently he commanded that the Citie should bee summoned to yeeld it selfe to his discretion which they refusing to doe hee caused all his engins of warre to play and commanded an assault and generall escalado to bee made Now it was impossible for those that were within to resist so great a violence in such sort The Treasure of Hist in the taking of Beziers Paul Aemil. pag. 517. that being thus assaulted by aboue a hundred thousand Pelerins in the end saith the Compiler of the Treasure of Histories they within vere vanquished and the enemie being entred slew a great multitude and afterwards set fire to the Citie and burnt it to dust The Citie being taken the Priests Monkes and Clerkes came forth of the great Church of Beziers called St. Nazari with the Banner the Crosses their holy-water bare headed attired with the ornaments of the Church and singing Te Deum laudamus as a signe of ioy that the Towne was taken and purged of the Albingenses The Souldiers who had receiued command from the Legat to kill all ranne in vpon them brake the order of their procession made the heads and armes of the Priests to flie about striuing who should doe best in such a manner that they were all cut in pieces To excuse this crueltie disallowed by some of those that were spectators they haue inserted into the Historie these reports that is to say That the Pelerins were incensed against the inhabitants of Beziers because they had cast ouer the walls of the Citie the booke of the Gospels crying vnto them See there the Law of your God whereupon the Souldiers grew to this resolution to kill all those they should find within the circuit of Beziers that so they might be sure not to spare those that had thus blasphemed But how could the Albingenses doe any such thing so impious against the Gospell of our blessed Sauiour considering that one of the principall causes for which they had forsaken the Church of Rome was because the Gospel of Christ Iesus was as it were buried amongst them the people forbid to reade it And besides one of the great crimes which they laid to the charge of the Earle Remond was because hee carried alwayes about him the New Testament To this they added a miracle and that was that Beziers was taken vpon the day of Marie Magdalen because say they heretikes speake ill of Magdalin in their law The Treasure of hist in the taking of Beziers In the hist of the Monke Pet. of the Valleis Seruey of the Albing ch 18. Thus speakes the compiler of the Treasure Now this imposture is so deuillish that I hardly durst commit it to paper and yet notwithstanding the Monke of the Valleis Seruay sets it downe at large without doubts or scruples though the very thought thereof would make the haire of any man that hath but the least sparke of pietie to stand on end Now the citie being burnt razed and ransacked the Pilgrims who thought they merited Paradise by this sacceige and effusion of bloud were speedily conducted to Carcassonne before the forty daies of fight which they had vowed to the Church of Rome were expired because then they were permitted euery man to depart to his owne home CHAP. V. The Siege of Carcassonne the taking of the towne or Borough of Carcassonne An assault and generall Escalado giuen to the citie A great number of the soldiers of the Crosse slaine The Intercession of the King of Aragon for the Earle of Beziers to no purpose A stratagem for the taking of the Earle of Beziers The flight of the people of Carcassonne by what meanes The taking of Carcassonne THe Earle of Beziers when he saw that he could obtaine nothing of the Legat in fauour of the city of Beziers hauing left this charge to the Bishop to make triall whether he by any meanes could obtaine pardon for those poore inhabitants and in the meane time because he knew very well that hauing taken Beziers he would not suffer the city of Carcassonne to continue in peace because being strong by nature the Legat knew there was no store-house for the warre nor better place of repose for the Soldiers than that was he was counselled to retire himselfe thither and speedily to cause it to be furnished with whatsoeuer was fit to maintaine a long siege He put himselfe therfore into Carcassonne being accompanied with his most faithfull attendants He was followed as it were foot by foot by the Legats armie vnto which there came new Croises or soldiers of the Crosse that
head seruing vs for an example a watch-tower a conduct So shall we engage our wills and our liues to shew our selues your most humble seruants in time of need and valorous Souldiers when occasion shall be offered And though I be now worne with yeares yet neuer had I greater courage or better resolution The Earle Remond on the other side intreated the King of Aragon not to abandon their cause offering vnto him both his goods and his life to fight vnder his authoritie The King of Aragon being ouercome with these intreaties and moued with compassion towards the afflicted in the end tooke armes and sent this ticket of defiance to the Earle Simon by two Trumpetters Indeuour without delay to execute the will of the Pope or to fight with your Lord and if you fall into my hands you shall pay for it It is your dutie and I will haue it so and I rather desire it than to put my selfe to the charge of a great Army for your ruine The Earle Simon made good vse of this Letter of defiance for hee sent it into diuers parts of Europe shewing by the Bishops and Monkes that preached the Croisade that the care was not now for the Earle of Toulouze Foix Comminge or the Prince of Bearne but for a puissant King who had made himselfe the Generall of the Albingenses and that if he were not assisted extraordinarily the cause of the Church was at an end and therefore he entreated all good Christians especially the King of France to giue his best assistance in these holy warres and extreme necessitie On the other side the King of Aragon writ to the King of France that the Earle Simon of Montfort had a spirit puffed vp with high conceits farre exceeding both the capacitie of his vnderstanding and his forces That al his intentions were no other than plaisterings vnder the pretence of Religion and in the meane time he intended nothing so much as to bee a King in deed and Simon by name He beseecheth the King by Letters and by his Agents that hee would not interpose himselfe in this warre neither on the one part nor the other Which he obtained of the King insomuch that it troubled him to see his Subiects continually drawne to the shambles of this warre of the Albingenses vnder a pretence of the Popes pardon and to see so many of his great Lords his Kinsmen so vexed by the Earle Simon When the Earle Simon vnderstood that the King of France was made a Neuter he was much afflicted therewith hauing now no other recourse but to the threats of the Legat to excommunicate him if he should proceed any farther The Legat sent him an Ambassage and Letters The King of Aragon returned this answer Goe speedily and tell your Master that I will come and see him and giue him an answer with ten thousand fighting men and will him to defend himselfe for I will teach him to play with his Peere The Monke of the Valleis Sernay Chap. 83. Euery one makes preparation The Earle Simon sent into France to the Archdeacon of Paris and Master Iaques de Vitri to preach the Croisade The King Phillip Anguste would not haue this Leuy to bee made in his Realme but yet neuerthelesse there went a great number from Auuergne Normandie and about Lion The Pilgrims arriued before the King of Aragon had prepared his Armie which gaue great aduantage to the Earle Simon for hee tooke in the meane time Graue came into the Earle dome of Foix tooke Tudelle of the Albingenses Chass chap. 17. pag. 177. and slew all that hee found in it without distinction of age or sex besieged St. Antonin and tooke it and caused thirtie of the principall of that place to bee hanged and strangled and that in cold bloud and after he had granted them their liues and permitted the Conuent of Monkes that was in that place to be sacked and ransacked He besieged Penes and receiued it by composition as he did likewise Marmande He ceased vpon the Castle of Biron neere the Sea The Earle Simon caused Martin Alquay to bee tyed to the taile of a horse and to be dragged through his Armie and afterwards hanged him because he had before deliuered vp the place to the Earle Remond Moreouer the Castle Sarrazin and Agen were yeelded to the Earle Moissac opened the gates to the Souldiers of the Crosse and all this did the Earle Simon before the King of Aragon or his Armie did appeare CHAP. XI The exploits of the Earle Simon before the King of Aragon had prepared his Armie The King of Aragon would come to no composition with the Earle Simon being weakned The Citie of Muret taken by the King of Aragon Battell giuen The King of Aragon is slaine and his Armie dissipated IN the yeere of our Lord one thousand two hundred and thirteene and the thirteenth of September the King of Aragon with the Earle Remond of Toulouze Remond Earle of Foix and the Earle of Comminge and Prince of Bearne appeared in the field with their Armie composed of seuen thousand horses and thirtie thousand foot They tooke Muret a little Citie vpon the borders of the Earledome of Foix seated vpon Garonne but they tooke not the Castle The Earle Simon was of opinion that that was the place where the Armie of his enemies should waste and spend it selfe because the Castle was good and strong and that if he made resistance for sometime it would of it selfe bee scattered and ouerthrowne Hee therefore put himselfe into that Castle with some small number of his most expert and valorous Souldiers and furnihed it with munition and gaue by his presence such assurance vnto the besieged that they thought themselues inuincible of such power is the good opinion that the Souldiers haue of their Captaine to confirme those that are most weake There were some that began to enter into consideration of the proceedings of the King of Aragon in that he would not accept of a composition so aduantagious for himselfe and the Lords of the Albingenses as the Earle Simon had offered him when hee saw the inequalitie of their forces For the Earle Simon had not aboue seuen hundred men on foot and fiue hundred horse It is not good to assault a man that hath no hope to escape but by armes for there is not a more violent Schoole-mistris than necessitie But the King of Aragon thought it no time to smoothe and to flatter after so many insolent brauados against his Lord of which the Monke hath noted some The Monke of the Valleis Sernay Chap. 126. as where hee saith that hee writ certaine letters vnto him without any salutation containing these tearmes that if hee continued in his obstinate defiance hee returned the defiance vpon himselfe and that from thence forward he held not himselfe bound to doe him any seruice and that hee doubted not by the helpe of God to defend himselfe against him and his confederates
against the Church An Article that troubled much this valiant Lord. For he withdrew himselfe for the same yeare into a house where he counted the moneths and the daies till the time was expired wherein he might either die valiantly in fight or vanquish his enemies And to this purpose he many times conferred with the sonne of the King of Aragon lately slaine how he might carrie himselfe to finde a meanes to be reuenged of his Fathers death The Legat Bonauenture in the meane time vseth the same subtletie with the Earle Remond of Toulouze He perswadeth him to goe to Rome to determine his affaires with the Pope more peaceably than with the Earle Simon The Monke of the Valley Sernay Chap. 133. especially because he was charged with the death of his owne Brother the Earle Baudoin taken in the Castle d'Olme in the Country of Cahors because he had there borne Armes against him an action that had made him odious both to God and men and which his enemies did exaggerate to the end they might stirre vp the Pilgrims to take vengeance on him saying That at the very point of death they had denied him a Confessor and that the said Bodoin prayed vnto God that he would raise vp some good Christians to reuenge the wrong done vnto him by his brother as by another Caine. The son of the Earle of Toulouze named also Remond vnderstanding that his Father was to take his iourney to Rome he went with letters from his Vncle the King of England to the Pope intreating him to doe iustice to his brother in Law The young Lord had beene brought vp vntill then in England where he could no longer spend time seeing his Father oppressed with warres and continuall trauels he therefore resolued to vse his best endeuours for his deliuerance either by composition or by armes The cause of the Earle Remond was debated before the Pope There was a Cardinall that maintained Idem Chap. 152. that great wrong had beene offered those Lords who had many times giuen of their best lands to the Church to witnesse their obedience The Abbot of St. Vberi also tooke their part with great courage and resolution The Earle Remond likewise defended his owne cause charging the Bishop of Toulouze with many outrages and that if hee had beene constrained to defend himselfe he must accuse those that had driuen him to that necessitie for had he not made resistance he had long agoe beene vtterly ouerthrowne That the Bishop of Toulouze had many times caught vnto him the fairest of his reuenewes and being neuer satisfied did still continue to vex him parting his goods with the Earle Simon of Montfort and that their onely auarice had beene the cause of the death of ten thousand men of Toulouze and of the pillage of that faire and great Citie a losse which could neuer be repaired The Charterie of Lion did also shew vnto the Pope that the Bishop of Toulouze had alwaies kindled the fire and warmed himselfe at the flame Arnaud de Villemur did also present himselfe before the Pope demanding Iustice for that the Legat and the Earle Simon had inuaded his lands he knew not wherefore since he had neuer bin but obedient to the Church of Rome relating at large the euils murders saccages robberies burnings which the said Legat and Earle vnder the cloake of the seruice of the Pope and the Church had done and therefore it was necessarie that that maske should be taken away which would otherwise turne to the dishonour of the Pope and the Church and some speedy course should be taken for the establishing of peace and procuring the good of the Church Remond of Roquefeuil of the Country of Querci Chass lib. 4. Ibid. related also many villanies committed by the said Earle of Montfort beginning with that which had beene done against the Earle of Beziers whom he caused miserably to die in prison inuaded his Lands and ruinated his Subiects and so proceeded to all that had passed against the other Lords who were constrained to defend themselues against his violences The Pope was much moued with these outrages and would willingly haue done some iustice but that it was told him that if hee should cause the Earle of Montfort to make restitution of that which was taken for the seruice of the Church that he should not from hence-forward finde any that would fight either for the Pope or the Church As also that if hee should determine the restitution yet the Earle Simon had reason not to giue ouer his hold vntill hee were fully satisfied for his trauels and expences The Pope returned these affaires to the Legat commanding him in generall termes to restore the Lands to all those that shewed themselues faithfull to the Church and as touching the sonne of the Earle Remond his pleasure was The Monke of the Valleis Sernay Chap. 152. that that Land that the Earle Remond had in Prouence that is to say The Earl dome of Venisse should be reserued either in part or all for the maintenance of his sonne prouided that he gaue good and assured testimonies of his loyaltie and good conuersation shewing himselfe worthy of diuine mercy They being returned demanded of the Legat the execution of their Bulls requiring the restitution of their Lands The Legat answered that he had certaine restraints for the determining whereof there needed some time that therefore they should in the meane time shew fruits worthy their amendment and that then they should receiue what the Pope had decreed otherwise not When the Earles saw how they were deluded they resolued to come to blowes CHAP. II. Remond the sonne of the Earle Remond tooke Beaucaire The Bishop of Tholouze betrayeth the Citizens of Thoulouze The Earle Simon vseth the Inhabitants of Tholouze very ill They defend themselues to his confusion A new expedition Remond taketh Thoulouze Simon of Montfort comes thither and after many combats he is in the end slaine with a stone cast by a woman His armie is put to flight THe first exploit of warre of Remond the the sonne of the Earle Remond was the taking of Beaucaire where hee made himselfe Master of the Citie afterwards hauing almost famished those in the Castle the Earle Simon being no way able to succour them made a composition for those that were within it that is that they should depart onely carrying with them their baggage and necessary furniture The Earle Simon lost at that place a hundred Gentlemen which he laid in ambush neere the Citie which they within perceiuing made a salley forth and cut them in peeces The young Earle Remond wonne great renowne at this siege and gaue the Earle Simon to vnderstand that his sonne Aimeri should haue in this young Lord a thorne in his foot that should make him smart as much as in his time he had giuen cause of trouble and vexation to his father The Earle Montfort went from hence to rauage and make spoile
at Thoulouze The Bishop was gone thither before and told the Consuls and Principall of the Citie that they were to make their appearance before the Earle Simon They went vnto him but to their great losse for they were no sooner come before the Earle but hee commanded them all to bee bound with cords whereof some taking notice that had meanes to escape to the Citie an alarme was giuen within the Citie so hot that before his arriuall all the people were in armes but being entred by the Castle Narbonne they recouered certaine Towers which were yet remaining and put themselues into certaine places and hauing already begun to pillage neere the Castle Narbonne the people fortified themselues and gaue the chase with such violence to those Boothaylers and Fire-houses who had already set fire on some houses that they draue them to the Castle of Narbonne The Earle Guy came vpon the very instant of this combat to the succour of his brother the Earle Simon but after he had fought a while hee was faine in the end to flye to his brother A great part of the people of the Earle Simon were enforced to retire themselues to St. Steuens and the Tower of Mascaro and the Bishops house where a great number were slaine The Bishop who knew that he had beene the cause of this misfortune hauing counselled the Citizens to make their appearance before the Earle Simon and the Earle Simon to cease vpon them still continuing his treasons went forth of the Castle Narbonnes ranne into the streets crying out vnto the people to pacifie themselues for the Earle determined to end these differences with mildnesse and gentlenesse and that they should not refuse the wayes of peace He alleadged so many matters vnto them that in the end they gaue care vnto him and were willing to hearken to a reconciliation seeing themselues dismantled and brought vnder the subiection of a Castle strong garrison and knowing too well that at the first succours of the Pilgrims their Citie would be exposed to pillage When they were to know the conditions of their peace the first Article was That the Earle Simon would yeeld to nothing before all the Inhabitants had carryed their armes to the Towne-house This point was hardly obtained but at the last they yeelded vnto it which being done the Earle Simon caused his people to make their approch and so being seazed on the Towne-house against a people disarmed and hauing conuayed their Armour to the Castle Narbonnes hee imprisoned the principall men of the Citie and caused them to bee sent out of Thoulouze whither hee thought good being so vnciuilly vsed and with such inhumane cruelties that a great number died by the way Thus was Toulouze dispeopled of it principall Inhabitants and the rest put to their ransome whereby the Earle Simon did greatly inrich himselfe And shortly after returning from the Countrie Bigorre where hee could not take the Castle of Lourde he discharged his choller vpon this poore Citie permitting it to be pillaged by his Pilgrims and then caused the rest of the Towers that were yet about the Citie to be beaten downe In this meane time the poore Earle of Toulouze was at Mountauban who vnderstanding of the bad vsage of his miserable subiects for certaine moneths could not but bewaile their lamentable estate with sighs and teares At this time that is to say in the yeere one thousand 1214. two hundred and fourteene See Paulus Aemil. in the life of Philip Ang. the Legat held a Councell at Montpelier for the renewing of the Armie of the Church and to confirme the authoritie of the Earle Simon The Monke of Sernay saith that he was there declared Prince of all the conquered Countries of the Albingenses The Monke of the Valleis Sernay chap. 146. and that by a common consent they sent Barnard Archbishop of Ambrun to the Pope to perition his Holinesse in the name of the Prelats who were present at that Councell that the Earle Simon of Montfort might by him be pronounced Lord and Monarch oâ— all the conquered Countries of the Albingenses which was done The Councell sent vnto him to come and receiue this dignitie of Prince and Monarch He entred into the Citie and being in the Church of our Lady des Tables where the Prelats of the said Councell were to pronounce their sentence in fauour of the said Montfort they heard a rumor in the Citie They sent to know what the matter was It was told them that the people had vnderstood that the Earle Simon of Montfort was within the Citie and that thereupon they betooke themselues to their armes purposing to kill him as being their capitall enemie He was aduised to steale away along by the walls of the Citie and to saue himselfe for feare left the whole Councell suffered with him He went therefore on foot without companie lest he should haue beene knowne at the Gate and so he escaped this great danger So that he saw himselfe in one houre honored almost as a God chosen and saluted Prince and Monarch and to flie disguised and to hide himselfe like a base scundrell for feare of the rascall people In regard of the resolution of this Councell the Pope euer writ vnto him The Monke of the Valleis Sernay chap. 148. as to a Monarch stiling him The actiue dexterious Souldier of Iesus Christ The inuincible defender of the Catholike faith And in the yeere one thousand two hundred and fifteene 1215. he sent him a Bull dated the fourth of the Nones of Aprill by which hee giues him authoritie to keepe all those lands hee had gotten vnder his power granting vnto him the reuenues profits and power to administer iustice considering saith the Pope that you neither can nor ought to make warre at your owne charge This the Popes bountie of another mans purse in a businesse where he had nothing to giue made him to goe to the King of France to bee inuested into the Dukedome of Narbonnes the Earledome of Toulouze together with all the lands which the Souldiers of the Crosse had conquered and taken from those they call Heretikes or the Protectors of them which he obtained of the King to hold in fee. The Monke saith The Monke of the Valleis Sernay Chap. 153. it was not possible for him to relate the honor which was donne vnto him vpon his way going to France there being neither Citie nor Towne through which he passed where the Clergie and people came not to see him crying out Blessed is hee that comes in the name of God For such and so great saith he was the deuout Religion of the people towards him that there was not any that thought not himselfe happy to touch the hem of his garments In the yeere one thousand 1216. two hundred and sixteene hee returned from France with an hundred Bishops The Monke of the Valleis Sernay Chap. 161. who had caused this expedition of the Crosse
would be many daies iourney from them gathering new forces he entreated the Earle of Foix to vse his best endeuours to bring him to some peaceable designe and to treatie with him which he performed with such successe that he promised neuer to beare Armes either against the Legat or the Church of Rome Here you see the last attempt which wee finde the Albingenses haue made and the last expedition of Pilgrims leuied against them All the pursuit against them afterward was made by the Monkes the Inquisitors who kindled their fires more than euer And so taking this poore people disarmed and singling them out by retaile it was impossible for them any longer to subsist And if at any time they hapned to set vpon the Inquisitors it was but to giue them a more sensible apprehension of their extreme violencies whereof we haue a notable example in the Chapter following CHAP. X. Many Monkes Inquisitors and Officers of the Inquisition slaine and for what cause Pope Innocent the fourth vseth the Earle Remond disgracefully The Earle Remond goes to Rome and why He takes his iourney to Rhodes dies at Milan IN the yeare one thousand two hundred fortie three 1243. the Earle Remond hauing satisfied his pecuniary penalties and being returned to his Subiects certaine of the Country complained of the vniust proceeding of the Monkes Inquisitors who without any difference intangled in such sort all sorts of people that there were not almost any that they condemned not either for Heretiques or Fauourers or Kinsfolke or allies of Heretiques not being content to proceede against those that made publike profession of the beleefe of the Albingenses in such sort that vnder the cloke of the Inquisition office they committed strange theeueries This accusation against the Inquisitors was before the Earle Remond in the presence of fiue Inquisitors and foure Officers of the Inquisition that is to say The History of Languedoc Chap. 4. sol 40. before William Arnaldi Monke Inquisitor and two other Iacobin Monkes Also one Remond de l'Escriuain Arch deacon of the Church of Toulouze and the Prior of Auignonnet de Cluze and Peter Arnaldi Notarie of the Inquisition and three other of Auignonnet in the Diocesse of Toulouze The Monkes Inquisitors would reply and make some vse of that which had beene informed to frame their inditements against those that had thus accused them to the impeachment of their honour terrifying them with threats which made those that had thus moued their patience to enter into consideration with themselues that since they must fall into the snare of the said Inquisitors and so be vtterly vndone it was better for them to deliuer themselues this once and that they should teach others to carry themselues more aduisedly So growing still more eager and violent in their discourse they came to blowes But the Monkes Inquisitors and their Officers were ouermatched for there were slaine as the Historiographer of Languedoc reports nine that is to say The fiue Monks aboue specified and the foure Officers True it is that this Writer doth aggrauate the Fact and hee would haue men beleeue that it was a premeditated treason wherein he shewes himselfe to be partiall and passionate The Earle Remond did very well make it appeare that he was no way consenting to this riot for hee made an exact search and inquirie after the Authors of this sedition but yet doe what he could he could not free himselfe from suspition The same Historiographer saith that the atrocitie of the fact constrained the Authors to take Armes and to beginne againe a kinde of warre but there is not any Writer that makes mention thereof and therefore to be confidered of before it be beleeued Pope Innocent the fourth came to Lion about that time He sends out his thunder-bolts against the murderers and hee looked not vpon the Earle Remond with a good countenance who was vnciuilly reiected in that request that he made vnto him touching a dispensation for the marriage of his Cousin Beatrix daughter of the Earle Berenger Earle of Prouence The same Historiographer saith that in the yeere 1247. 1247. the Earle Remond tooke his iourney to Rome that he might bee permitted to burie the bones of his father in holy ground The hist of Languedoc fol. 41. and that it was denied him because he died an excommunicate person He likewise saith 1249. that in the yeere one thousand two hundred fortie nine when the Earle Remond purposed to take his voyage to Rhodes hee died at Milan of a continuall feuer CHAP. XI Alphonsus brother to the king St. Lewis taketh possession of the goods of the last Earle Remond of Toulouze The persecution continueth against the Albingenses vnto the time that the Gospell was receiued in France and then the greatest part of those places where the Albingenses inhabited presently receiued the reformation THe change of their Lord altered the condition of the Albingenses for the Earle Remond being departed this life Alphonsus brother to the king St. Lewis tooke possession of all the lands goods and reuenues of the said Earle and consequently all the ill will that the Pope and other ecclesiasticall persons bare to the house of the Earle of Toulouze did cease And as touching the places which he was to yeeld vp contained in the treatie there needed no farther speech of that because Alphonsus being free from all suspition of falshood to the Pope or the Church he peaceably enioyed whatsoeuer belonged vnto him But one hand washeth another and therefore as by those warrs that the Church vndertooke against the Earle of Toulouze Alphonsus was become Master of the goods of the Earle Remond so was he bound to doe his best endeuours that the Pope might be honoured in his countries For this cause hee strengthned the Inquisition witnesse the Monke Rainerius who was Inquisitor in the yeare 1250. 1250. who hath left vs in writing the whole forme of their proceeding whereof we haue the transcript in the second booke of the history of the Waldenses In this hist of the Waldenses ch 2. lib. 2. Pope Alexander the fourth authorized the said Inquisition by letters which wee haue in our hands The continuance of this persecution by the said Inquisition is proued in the yeare 1264. by the constitutions of Pope Clement the fourth 1264. Also in the yeare 1276. vnder Iohn the two and twentieth 1276. they were persecuted with all manner of rigour witnesse the letters of the said Pope against them And by this record that followeth it appeareth that in the yeere 1281. vnder Martin the fourth 1281. there was a persecution moned in the quarters of Albi and that there were at that time a great number that made profession of the Religion of the Albingenses AN EXTRACT OF THE Priuiledges of the Citie of Realmont To the honour of God the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost creator of all things visible and inuisible and of the