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 It appeareth by the processe against the Waldenses of Dauphiné by Albert de Capitaneis other Monkes Inquisitors slow bellies seducing and being seduced they had done it 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 come 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 Vandois in the exposition of the first Commandemēt 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
Diocesse There likewise arriued the Earle of Turaine Bertrand de Cardaillac and the Lord of Bastlenau of Montratier who conducted the troopes of Querci and of all these troopes the chiefe Leader was the Earle of Dunoy There came also a great number of Prouenceaux Chassagnon in his hist of the Albing lib. 1. pag. 112. Lombardes and Germaines and that in so great a number that the army of the Legat Milon rose to the number of three hundred thousand fighting men when he came before Carcassonne The situation of Carcassonne is in this manner There is a city and a Bourrough or towne The city is seated vpon a little hill enuironed with a double wall the towne is in the plain distant from the citie about two miles At that time the city was accounted a place of great strength and in this city there dwelt a great number of Albingenses The Pilgrims thought to haue taken it at the first sight for they ran with great violence vpon the first Rampier and filled the ditch with fagots but they were beaten backe with such courage and resolution that the ground was couered with the dead bodies of Pilgrims round about the citie The young Earle of Beziers Lord of Carcassonne wonne great honour in this first daies encounter encouraging his subiects and telling them that they must â—â—member the vsage of those of Beziers that they were to deale with the same enemies who had changed the siege not the humour nor the will to extirminate them if they could That it was farre better for them to die fighting than to fall into the hands of so cruell and mercilesse enemies That for his owne part he made profession of the Romish Religion but yet he saw very well that this warre was not for Religion but a certaine robbery agreed vpon to inuade the goods and lands of the Earle Remond and all his That they had greater cause to defend themselues than he who could loose no more but his goods and his life without change of his religion but they might loose that and besides the exercise of their religion too That he would neuer abandon them in so honourable an action which was to defend themselues against the inuasions of their common enemies masked with an outward appearance of pietie and in effect true theeues The Albingenses being much animated by the speech of this young Lord swore vnto him that they would spend their goods and their liues for the preseruation of the citie of Carcassonne and whatsoeuer did concerne the said Lord. The next morrow the Legat commanded an assault and generall escalado to bee made vpon the Borough of Carcassonne The people that were within very valiantly defended themselues but the ladders were so charged with men and so neere the one to the other that they touched one another insomuch that they forced those within from the walls and so entred the towne carying themselues towards the inhabitants thereof after the same manner as they had done before to those of Beziers for they put them all to the sword and fire Whilest those things were in doing the king of Aragon arriued at the army of the Legat and went first to the tent of the Earle Remond who was constrained to giue his assistance at this siege against his owne Nephew From thence he went to the Legat and told him that having vnderstood that his kinsman the Earle of Beziers was besieged within Carcassonne hee was come vnto him to doe his best endeuour to make the said Earle to vnderstand what his duty was towards the Pope and the Church which hee presumed hee should the more easily doe because hee knew well that the said Earle had alwaies made profession of the Romish religion The Legat gaue him leaue to vndertake what hee had said The king of Aragon made his approach to the Rampiers The Earle of BaZiers came to parley with him The king of Aragon desired to know of him what had moued him to shut vp himselfe within the citie of Carcassonne against so great an Army of Pelerins The Earle answered that it greatly stood him vpon hauing so necessary and so iust cause to defend his life his goods and his subiects That hee knew well that vnder the pretence of religion the Pope had a purpose vtterly to ouerthrow the Earle Remond his vncle and himselfe That he found by that mediation which he had made for his subiects of Beziers the Romish Catholikes whereof he would not receiue into grace and fauour neither had spared the Priests themselues who were are cut in peeces euen adorned with their Priestly ornaments and vnder the banner of the Crosse That this example of cruell impietie added vnto that which had passed in the towne of Carcassonne where they were all exposed to fire and sword without distinction of age or sex had taught him not to looke for any mercy either at the hands of the Legat or his Pelerins And that therefore he chose rather to die with his subiects depending himselfe than to bee exposed to the mercy of so inexorable an enemy as the Legat was And that notwithstanding there were within the city of Carcassonne diuers of his subiects that were of a contrary religion to that of the Church of Rome yet they were such a kinde of people as had neuer wronged any that they were come to succor him at his greatest extremity and for this their good seruice he was resolued not to abandon them as they had promised for their part to expose their liues and goods for his defence to all hazard and danger whatsoeuer That his trust was in God who is the defender of the oppressed that he would bee pleased to assist them against that world of men ill-aduised who vnder the colour of meriting heauen haue forsaken their houses to burne and pill and sacke and ransacke and kill in the houses of other men without either reason iudgement or mercy The King of Aragon returned to the Legat who assembled together diuers of his great Lords and Prelates to heare and vnderstand what the King of Aragon would relate vnto him who told him that hee found the Earle of Beziers his kinsman much discontented with the former proceedings against his subiects of Beziers and the Towne of Carcassonne which gaue him reason to beleeue that forasmuch as they had not spared the Romish Catholikes nor the Priests that it was not a warre vndertaken for the cause of Religion but vnder the colour of Religion a kind of theeuery that his hope was that God would giue him the grace to make him know his innocencie and the iust occasion he had to defend himselfe that they should no longer hope they would yeeld themselues to their discretion because they saw their discretion was no other but to kill as many as should yeeld themselues thereunto And that therefore if it would please the Legat to grant vnto the Earle of Beziers and his subiects some tollerable composition that
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. 89. 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 Earledome 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 some time 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 furnished 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 The King of Aragon hauing these insolent speeches engrauen in his memorie thought him vnworthy of any grace or fauour in this his weaknesse especially imagining that this his submission might onely bee to auoid this dangerous
king of France neere the Castle of Lombes in the Diocesse of Albi called Realmont for the exaltation of the Catholike faith and the extirpation of all wicked heresies and the benefit of our Lord the King and his subiects that the dens and lurking corners of all that either ioyne in beleefe with Heretikes or fauour them to bee quite rooted out by this Colonie all and at once and that by the command and authoritie of the King And as for the innumerable numbers of children of Heretikes and fugitiues because the peruersitie of Heretikes is so damnable that we are not onely to punish themselues but their posteritie Wee ordaine that the children of Heretikes which of their owne will and good motion shall not bee reduced forsaking their errors to the purity of the Catholike faith and the vnitie of the Church shall not be admitted to the citie of Realmont or the territorie thereof in any sort whatsoeuer to any place of honour or publike office Which shall likewise be obserued against the fugitiues for heresie who before their departure shall not of their owne accord willingly be reclaimed Also they that shall giue credit vnto Heretikes concealing them or fauouring them after they are made knowne and declared to be such by the Church shall be banished for euer from the citie of Realmont and all their goods confiscated and their children wholly excluded from all honours and publike dignities except some one amongst them doe make knowne such Heretikes and doe ioyne in the search and inquisition of them Thus you see the very last instrument which hath come to our hands for the proofe of the persecution against the Albingenses Though it be very certaine that they haue beene continually persecuted by the Inquisition though their enemies could neuer preuaile so farre against them but that they still lay hid like sparkles vnder the ashes desiring once againe to see that which their posteritie hath enioyed that is the liberty to call vpon God in puritie of conscience without any constraint to yeeld to any superstition or Idolatry and so secretly instructing their children in the seruice of God the fruit of their pietie tooke life againe when it pleased the Lord that the light of his Gospell should appeare amongst the palpable darknesse of Antichrist for then many of those places that had made profession to receiue the faith of the Albingenses haue receiued with greedinesse the doctrine of the Gospell and namely the city of Realmont where the precedent thunderbolts were darted and notwithstanding that great distance of time during the which they appeared not yet the eternall God hath not giuen ouer his worke and to make manifest that he can preserue his faithfull euen in the middest of the confusion of Babylon as Diamonds in a dunghill wheat amongst the straw gold in the middest of the fire And notwithstanding the enstruction haue not passed from the father to the sonne vntill the time of the restauration yet the goodnesse of God ceaseth not to be wonderfull in that many of those places where this first dew of Gods grace hath fallen haue beene abundantly enriched with his heauenly benedictions in these latter times An excellent prouocation doubly to obliege them to loue the truth which hath bin freely manifested vnto them and to bring forth fruits worthy thereof As it should be an extreme griefe to those places that haue neglected and reiected it that God hath abandoned them and left them to their owne sence euen in that darkenesse which they loued reuenging the contempt of his word by the ignorance thereof and suffering those to perish in their error that haue preferred it before the truth CHAP. XII The conclusion of this History of the Albingenses IT is an easie matter to gather by the contents of this History of the Albingenses that the people inhabiting in the Countrey of Albi Languedoc and diuers other places neere adioyning haue made profession of the selfe-same Religion that they haue that elsewhere were called Waldenses and the rather because their aduersaries themselues haue affirmed that they haue persecuted them as Waldenses As also that the greatest troubles that haue lighted vpon them haue beene procured by the Priests whose corruptions they haue descryed and discouered their abuses maintaining against the Church of Rome the Gospell of Christ Iesus in it puritie refusing to yeeld to those Idolatries that bare sway in those times but aboue all detesting the Masse and the inuention of Transubstantiation shaking the authoritie of the Popes dominion as being abusiue and tyrannicall hauing no resemblance of the well-befitting humilitie of the true Pastors of the Church or conformitie to the doctrine and vocation of the Apostles but rather an excesse and ryot befitting those that loue the world and perish with the world By which libertie which they tooke vnto themselues to reprehend those that beleeued the right of all redargution to belong onely to themselues they haue beene charged with diuers faults and condemned for rash inconsiderate people prophane secular persons who had thrust themselues into the office of teaching when with silence they should rather learne And the Popes not being able to winne them to the obedience of their commands nor to conuince them of error by the word of God they haue persecuted them by their Monkes Inquisitors who haue deliuered to the secular Magistrate as many as the said Monkes could apprehend and forasmuch as this way was somewhat too slow to cut them off and to see the end of them the Popes haue drawne their swords against them haue armed their Cardinals and Legats and driuen to these bloudy warres the Kings and Princes of the earth giuing Paradice for a recompence to whomsoeuer would beare armes against them and aduenture his life for the extirpation of them for fortie daies together Many great Lords haue beene desirous to know the cause of that vnreconcilable enmitie of the Pope against their subiects and hauing perceiued that passion carried those that were offended for the truth they haue maintained their cause being grounded vpon this reason That when they should bee conuinced of this errror by the word of God they would giue the glory vnto God From hence haue proceeded those cruell warres wherein a million of men haue lost their liues In the meane time euen then when it seemed that all truth was buried in the ground and that the Dragon had ouercome God raised in diuers of those places where this grace had beene knowne and receiued many goodly Churches wherein his name is purely inuocated maugre the Deuill and all his adherents To God therefore who hath begunne to destroy the sonne of perdition by the blast of his Spirit To the Sonne of God who hath bought vs with his precious bloud bee all honour and glory for euer and euer So be it * ⎠* FINIS THE THIRD PART OF THE HISTORIE OF THE WALDENSES AND ALBINGENSES THE FIRST BOOKE Contayning the Doctrine and Discipline that hath beene
of Rome is the true Babylon and that the Pope is the fountaine of all the euils in these dayes That the marriage of Priests is good and necessary That they that heare the word of God and haue the true knowledge thereof are the true Church vnto which Christ Iesus hath deliuered the keyes to let in the flocke and to chase away the wolues Behold here saith Vinaux the doctrine of the Waldenses which the enemies of the truth haue impugned and for which in those times they persecuted them as their enemies themselues do witnesse Viret of the true false religion lib. 4. chap. 13. p. 249. Viret speakes of the Waldenses as followeth The Papists saith he haue imposed great crimes and that very wrongfully vpon those ancient faithfull people commonly called Waldenses or the poore people of Lions frō Waldo whose doctrine they followed by which they make it appeare that the Pope is Antichrist and that his doctrine is nothing else but humane traditions contrary to the doctrine of Christ Iesus For which cause they haue dealt against them as the ancient Painims did against the Christians accusing them that they killed their owne children in their assemblies The Ecclesiasticall History of the reformed Churches of France tom 1. lib. 1. p. 35. The Author of the Historie of the reformed Churches in France writeth thus The Waldenses saith he time out of mind haue opposed themselues against the abuses of the Church of Rome and haue in such sort bene persecuted not by the sword of the word of God but by all kind of violence and crueltie as also by a million of calumnies and false accusations that they haue bene enforced to disperse themselues into what parts of the world they could wandring through desart places like poore sauage beasts the Lord neuerthelesse preseruing the remnant of them in such sort that notwithstanding the fury of the whole world they were still preserued in three countries farre distant one from the other that is Calabria Bohemia and Piemont with the bordering parts thereabout from whence they haue bene dispersed into the quarters of Prouence about two hundred seuentie yeares since And as touching their religion they haue alwayes auoyded the Papall superstition For which cause they haue bene alwayes vexed by the Bishops and Inquisitors abusing the power of secular iustice in such sort that it is an euident miracle of God that they should be able to continue Iohn Chassagnon writes as followeth Iohn Chassagnon in his Historie of the Albigeois p. 25. It is written of the Waldenses saith he that they reiected all the traditions and ordinances of the Church of Rome as vnprofitable and superstitious and that they made no great account of their Clergie and Prelates And for this cause being excommunicated and chased out of the countrey they dispersed themselues into many and diuerse places as into Dauphiney Prouence Languedoc Piemont Calabria Bohemia England and other places Some haue written that one part of the Waldenses retired themselues into Lombardie where they multiplyed in such a manner that their doctrine was dispersed throughout all Italie and came as farre as Sicile Neuerthelesse in this great dispersion they alwayes kept themselues in vnion and fraternitie for the space of foure hundred yeares liuing in great sinceritie and the feare of God The Historie of the Estate of the Church p. 336. The Author of the Historie of the State of the Church writes of them thus After that Waldo saith he and his followers were driuen out of Lions one part of them retired to Lombardie where they multiplied in such a manner that their doctrine began to disperse it selfe into Italie and came into Sicile as the Patents of Fredericke the second giuen out against them whilest he reigned do witnesse Vesemb in his oration of the Waldenses p. 3. Vesembecius saith that when the Pope and his catch-poles saw that the Romane Hierarchie receiued great detriment by meanes of the Waldenses insomuch that there were certaine Princes that had taken their defence amongst whom was the King of Aragon and the Earles of Toulouze in those dayes puissant Princes in France they began to oppresse them vpon most vniust occasions bringing them into hatred with the people and especially of Kings to the end that by this meanes they might be vtterly exterminated Vignier in his Historicall Bibliothec p. 130. Vignier makes mention of the Waldenses in his Historical Bibliotheke and saith that they haue endured many long and grieuous persecutions and yet notwithstanding there was neuer any thing that could hinder them from retaining that doctrine which they had receiued from the Waldenses deliuering it as it were from hand to hand vnto their children Hologaray in his History of Foix p. 120. 121. Hologaray affirmes that the Waldenses and Albigenses were of a contrary opinion to the Bishop of Rome in all those maximes or principles that were publickly preached commanded by his authoritie that is that were inuented by him and contrary to the word of God And he witnesseth withall that there were amongst them wise men and very learned and sufficient to defend their beliefe against the Monkes Mathias Illyricus writes Math. Illyricus in his Catal. of the witnesses of the truth p. 134. that he finds by the writings of Waldo which lay by him in certaine ancient parchments that Waldo was a learned man and that he did not cause the bookes of the Bible to be translated into the vulgar tongue but that he tooke paines therein himselfe It is most certaine that the aduersaries of Waldo and the Waldenses make no great account of these aboue named testimonies because they hold them to be both of one and the same ranke and order both the witnesses and those to whom they beare witnesse that is all for hereticks but this Historie is not onely for the enemies of the truth but to the end the louers thereof may see that that which is here produced doth not intend onely our owne particular commendations but to shew that there haue bene before vs certaine great personages whose memorie they reuerence that haue spoken of the Waldenses as of the true Sacraments of God who haue maintained the truth with the losse of their liues and earnestly desired in their times to see the reformation we enioy in ours And as le Sieur de S. Aldegonde saith In the first table of his differences the third part p. 150. the occasion why they were condemned for heretickes was no other but because they maintained that the Masse was an impious corruption of the holy Supper of the Lord. That the Hoste was an idoll forged by men That the Church of Rome was wholly adulterated and corrupted and full of infidelitie and idolatrie That the traditions of the Church were but superstitions and humane inuentions That the Pope was not the head of the Church and for other points of this nature And as the said Aldegonde obserues it was
of their mothers mothers died after them and diuers others were giuing vp the last gaspe The enemies being retired in the night into the houses of these poore people they ransacked and pillaged whatsoeuer they could carry to Susa and for the full accomplishment of their cruelty they hanged vpon a tree a poore Waldensian woman whom they met vpon the mountaine de Meane named Margaret Athode The Inhabitants of the said Valley hold this persecution to be the most violent that their fathers haue related vnto them that in their times or the times of their grand-fathers they haue euer suffred and they talke of it at this present as if it were a thing lately done and fresh in memory so often from the father to the sonne hath mention been made of this vnexpected surprise the cause of so many miseries amongst them Now in the meane while the Waldenses of the valley Frassiniere that remained and had escaped this aforesaid persecution were againe violently handled by the Archbishop of Ambrun their neighbour in the yeere 1460 that is 1460. in the time of Pope Pius the second of that name and of Lewis the eleuenth King of France This Arch-bishop named Iohn made a Commissioner against the said Waldenses a certaine Monke of the order of the Frier-Minors called Iohn Vayleti who proceeded with such diligence and violence that there was hardly any person in the vallies of Frassiniere Argentiere and Loyse that could escape the hands of the said Inquisitor but that they were apprehended either as Heretickes or fauourers of them They therefore that knew nothing of the beleefe of the Waldenses had recourse vnto King Lewis the eleuenth humbly beseeching him to stay by his authority the course of such persecutions The King granted vnto them his letters the which wee haue in this place thought good to insert at large because by them it shall be easie to know what the will and desire of the said Monkes was who intangled in their proces many of the Romish religion vnder colour of the Inquisition against the Waldenses The Letters of King Lewis the eleuenth Lewis by the grace of God King of France Dauphin de Vienois Conte de Valentinois and Dioys to our well-beloued and faithfull Gouernour of our Country of Dauphine health and dilection TOuching that part of the Inhabitants of the valley Loyse Frassiniere Argentiere and others of our Country of Dauphine it hath been certified that notwithstanding they haue liued and are desirous to liue as becommeth good Christian Catholikes without holding or beleeuing or maintaining any superstitious points but according to the ordinance and discipline of our mother the holy Church yet neuerthelesse some religious Mandians who call themselues the Inquisitors of the faith and others thinking by vexations and troubles to extort from them their goods and otherwise to molest them in their persons haue been desirous and still are to lay false imputations vpon them that they hold and beleeue certaine Heresies and superstitions against the Catholike faith and vnder this collour haue and still doe vex and trouble them with strange inuolutions of proces both in our Court of Parliament in Dauphine and in diuers other Countries and iurisdictions And to come to the confiscation of the goods of those whom they charge with the same offence many of the Iudges yea and the said Inquisitors of the faith themselues being cōmonly religious Mandians Mandians vnder the shadow of the office of Inquisitors haue sent and euery day do send forth proces against those poore people without reasonable cause putting some of them to the racke and calling them in question without any precedent information and condemning them for matters whereof they were neuer culpable as hath bin afterwards found and of some to set them at liberty haue taken and exacted great summes of money and by diuers meanes haue vniustly vexed and troubled them to the great preiudice and hinderance not onely of the said Suppliants but of Vs and the Weale publicke of our Country of Dauphine Wee therefore being willing to prouide against this mischiefe and not to suffer Our poor people to be vexed and troubled by such wrongfull proceedings especially the Inhabitants of the said places affirming that they haue alwaies liued and will liue as becommeth good Christians and Catholikes not hauing euer beleeued nor held other beleefe then that of our mother the holy Church nor maintained nor will maintaine or beleeue any thing to the contrary and that it is against all reason that any man should be condemned of the crime of Heresie but onely they that with obdurate obstinacy wil stubbornly maintain and affirme things contrary to the sincerity of our faith Wee haue by great and mature deliberation and to meet with such frauds and abuses vniust vexations and exactions granted to the said Suppliants and doe grant and of our certain knowledge and speciall consent full power and authority royall Delphinale VVe haue willed and ordained and doe will and ordaine by these Presents that the said Suppliants and all others of our Country of Dauphine be freed from their courts and proces and whatsoeuer proces any of them shall haue sent forth for the causes aboue mentioned We haue of our certaine knowledge full power and authority royall and Delphinale abolished and doe abolish made and doe make of none effect by these Presents and we will that from all times past vnto this day there be nothing demanded of them or wrong offered either in body or goods or good name Except neuertheles there bee any that will obstinately and out of a hardned heart maintaine and affirme any thing against the holy Catholike faith Moreouer we haue willed and ordained and doe will and ordaine that the goods of the said Inhabitants Suppliants and all other of our Country of Dauphine that for the causes aboue mentioned haue been taken and exacted of any person in any manner whatsoeuer by execution or otherwise shall by the ordinance or command of our Court of Parliament of Dauphine or any other whatsoeuer as also all bils and obligations which they haue giuen for the causes aboue said whether it be for the paiment of fees for the said proces or otherwise shall againe bee restored vnto them vnto which restitution all such shall be constrained that haue in any thing either by sale or spoile of their goods moueables or vnmoueables by detention or imprisonment of their persons any way wronged them vntill they haue restored their goods and things aboue mentioned and obeyed otherwise to bee inforced by all due and resonable meanes requisite in such a case notwithstanding all appellations whatsoeuer which our will is in any manner be deferred And because that by reason of those confiscations which haue been heretofore pretended of the goods of those whom they haue charged and accused in this case diuers more for couetousnesse and a desire of the said confiscations or part of them then for iustice doe and haue
religion ordained and approued of God which onely can make vs agreeable vnto him and conduct vs to saluation Wee are resolued to follow it with the losse of our liues goods and honours and to continue therein the remainder of our liues And if any shall pretend that we are in an error we require him to make vs see our error and offer incontinently to abiure and do likewise promise to follow that which shall be proued vnto vs to be the better desiring nothing so much as with an assured and safe conscience to follow the true and lawfull seruice which we poore creatures owe vnto our Creator and by that meanes to attaine to the true and eternall felicity But if any shall goe about by force and constraint to cause vs to forsake and abandon the true way of our saluation and to enforce vs to follow the errours and superstitions and false doctrines inuented by men wee desire a great deale rather to abandon our houses our goods and liues too We therefore humbly beseech his Highnesse whom we acknowledge to bee our lawfull Prince and Lord not to suffer vs to molested without cause but rather permit vs to continue so long as wee liue and our children and posterity after vs in that obedience and seruice which vnto this day wee haue rendred vnto him as faithfull and loyall Subiects and so much the rather because we demand no other thing of him but that we yeelding faithfully vnto him that which we are bound vnto by the expresse commandement of God it may likewise bee lawfull for vs to render vnto God that homage and seruice which wee owe vnto him and he requires at our hands in his holy word Beseeching in the meane time in the middle of our exile and calamity the Reformed Churches to hold vs and acknowledge vs to bee true members therereof being willing to seale with our blood if God will haue it so the Confession of faith made and published by them which we acknowledge in all things and throughout conformable to the doctrine taught and written by the holy Apostles and therefore truely Apostolicall Wee promise to liue and die therein And if so doing we be afflicted and persecuted we yeeld hearty thanks vnto God who hath done vs that honour to suffer for his name leauing the issue of our affaires and the iustice of our cause in the hands of his diuine prouidence who will deliuer vs when and by what meanes it pleaseth him Humbly beseeching him that as he hath the hearts of Kings and Princes in his hands he will be pleased to mollifie the heart of his Highnesse to take pitty of those that haue neuer offended him or purpose to offend him to the end hee may hold and acknowledge those to be more faithfull loyall and obedient to his seruice then they are that prouoke him to such persecutions In the the meane time that hee would bee pleased to support vs in the middest of these temptations and strengthen vs with Patience and Constancy to perseuere in the profession of the truth vnto the end of our liues and our posterity after vs Amen This persecution hath cotinued vnto this present time at the instance of Pope Paul the fift and his Nuntio who still troubleth and vexeth this poore people by his Monkes the Inquisitors They haue made some to alter their opinions who had no power to quit themselues of their goods but haue accommodated themselues to the world but the greatest number persisted constant in calling on the name of God chusing rather to be banished here on earth from their natiue countries then to be depriued of eternall life hating their Possessions their Country their Houses being the places where they could not inhabit whithout the deniall of Christ and his truth CHAP. VI. Of the Waldenses inhabiting in the New Lands and the persecutions which they haue suffered THe New lands of which wee are here to speake are in the Alpes in the Frontiers of Piedmont Dauphine and Prouence of which the cheefe Citty is Barcelona or Barcelonette Within the said Lands there are certaine Villages which haue been peopled by the Waldenses time out of minde placed in the best part of the said Lands amongst others Iosiers These places haue continued a long time the Princes of Piedmont nothing regarding the abode of the said peoples within their Prouinces but the Priests made them odious to the world because they were vnprofitable vnto them by not liuing after the manner of other people who contributed vnto them for the liuing and for the dead in such sort that when his Highnesse persecuted in his state those that had quit themselues of the Lawes of the Romish Church these were not forgotten especially when the Gouernours of the said Valley opposed themselues against them These were therefore of the number of those that were summoned in the yeere 1576 to goe to the Masse or to forsake his Highnesse Country 1576. wherein they found not better meanes to helpe themselues then to ioyne themselues vnto others who being threatned with the same banishment had recourse to the Protestant Princes beseeching them to intercede for them to their Prince that he would be pleased not to trouble them in such manner for their beliefe which they had made profession off from the father to the sonne for many hundred yeeres during which time their Princes haue not had any Subiects that haue yeelded vnto them more faithfull obedience then they not giuing place vnto any other in their duties submissions and contributions which they haue alwaies most willingly payed to their Princes as they were still ready to continue yeelding obedience to their commands onely that that they might not be troubled in their consciences The Prince Palatine of the Rhine delegated to the Prince of Piedmont a Counseller of his State with certaine other honorable personages Being arriued at Turin they saluted his Highnesse in the name of the said Prince Palatine and deliuered their Letters of Credence He was heard by the Prince Emanuel Philibert very peaceably This Councellor gaue him to vnderstand that the onely charity of their Master towards Christians of the same Religion that he professed had moued him to mediate for them that his Highnesse would bee pleased to suffer them to liue peaceably in the exercise of their Religion not offering any violence to their consciences That he would account this benefit as done vnto himselfe and hee should oblige vnto him all the Protestant Princes of Germany who likewise made the selfesame request by their mouthes That he should haue God the more fauourable and his Subiects the more faithfull if he did not shew himselfe inexorable That the confusions that haue happened in all the States of Kings and Princes that haue indeauoured to raigne and reclaime the soules of their Subiects by armes and to reduce them by violence may make wise all other Princes which were not yet come to such extremities That forasmuch as they that
compassion hauing made an ouerture for them they were beaten backe into 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 Bands and Ruffians of Auignon 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 Albertus de Capitaneis lib. de origine Waldensium Thuanus in historia sui temporis pa. 457. Petrus Valdus eorum Antesignamus patria relicta in Belgium venit atque in Picardiam quam bodie vocant multos sectatores nâ—â—tus 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. DIuers haue written 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 Vineaux in his memor fol. 15 We haue also a certaine Apology of the Waldenses of Bohemia in the Waldensian tongue in the forme of a Letter which they wirt to King Ladislaus wherof the Inscription is Al Serenissimo Princi Rey Lancelao A li Duc Barons a li plus veil del Regne Lo petit tropel de liChristians appella per falce nom falsament Pauuers o Valaes Gratia sia en Dio lo Pairest en Iesus lo Filli de luy This Letter makes proofe of the Communion which the Waldenses of Dauphine haue had with those of Bohemia in that they haue had in their language this Letter which containes a iust Apology against those impostures and other faults which in former times haue been imputed to the one and to the other and haue been common with the Christians of the primitiue Church We haue also in the same volume a treatise the inscription whereof is this Aico es la causa del nostre despartiment de la Gleisa Romana That is to say This is the cause of our separation from the Church of Rome Causes which haue been common with all those that haue withdrawen themselues from that Church for feare of participating of her plagues The Author of the Catalogue of witnesses of the truth Flac. Ill. in catal test verit p. 116. makes mention of a certaine forme of Inquisition which was practised against the Waldenses of Bohemia vnder King Iohn which was about the yeere 1330. As also in another Inquisition this is noted that the Waldenses of Bohemia sent into Lombardy to the Waldensian Doctors those whom they would haue trained vp in the profession of Diuinity Lib. de origine EcclesiaruÌ„ Bohemiae pa. 273. Sed cum oppressae tyrannide Pontificia conuentus publicos nullos haberent neque scripta horum extarent vlla ignotae nostris prorsus fuere Esrom Rudiger in narratiâ—ncula de Ecclesijs fratrum in Bohemia Valdenses ad minimum CCXL annis originem nostram antecedunt In the treatise of the beginning of the Churches of Bohemia 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 See the Confession of the Waldenses in the Catalogue rerum expetendarum Lib. de orig confess Eccl. Bohem. Scimus quod multi boni viri veritatis Euangelica instaurata cultâ—res sectato respij seducti indicationibus falsis criminationib aduersariorum pro Valdensibê° nos habeant Ibid. Hoc quidem constat multum in ipsis lucis fuisse de plerisque eos rectè sensisse docuisse propter veritatem grauissima perpesso in Galliae in primis Aeneas Siluius in hls history of the Taborites And therefore they that haue answered vnder the name of the Waldenses 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 See the Chronicle of Hirsauge where it is obserued that about the yeere one thousand foure hundred 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 1467. About the yeere of our Lord one thousand foure hundred sixty seuen 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 Morauia 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
had submitted himselfe to the Legat hee mediated for them not being able to obtaine any other thing 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 faith 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 The Treasure of Hist in the taking of Beziers Paul Aemil. pag. 317. in such sort 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 me 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 is to say the Bishop of Agenois the Bishop of Limoges of Bazades of Cohors and the Archbishop of Burdeaux euery one with the Pilgrims of their owne
the aforesaid businesse which was to bring him backe againe to the beginning of all his misery The Earle Simon pressed the Legat to proceed in the fact of the Earle Remond either to absolue or to condemne him to the end he might know whether he should hold him for a friend or for an enemie of the Pope and of the Church to be at peace with him or to make war against him The Legat Milon commanded him to appeare in his owne person because he would know once for all Chass lib. 3. pag. 129. how he and his subiects liued with them that is to say with the Earle Simon and the Church The Earle Remond answered that neither he nor his Subiects had any thing to doe with them that he had made his agreement and reconciliation with the Pope which the Legat could not be ignorant of to whom he had shewed the Bulles and therefore hee intreated them to forbeare any farther to disquiet him The Earle Simon and the Legat writ vnto him againe that it was very necessary that he should make repaire vnto him to fulfill the contents of the Bulles He answered that he had rather take the paines to goe to king Philip of France and to the Emperor yea to Rome to the Pope himselfe to complaine of the wronges they did vnto him than to put himselfe any more into their hands When the Legat saw that he could not winne him by Letters he resolued to play the fox and to winne him by subtleties They sent vnto him Folquet Bishop of Toulouze and instructed him how hee should cary himselfe to deceiue him This was a capable instrument for the premeditated treason He went therefore to the Earle Remond insinuated himselfe into his fauour with fained protestations of his desire to serue him and his great griefe to see so little loue betwixt the Legat and himselfe wishing that it were in his power to stand him in any steed therein though with the losse of his owne bloud and offering vnto him all loue and assistance That he had far greater reason to procure the preseruation of his good than any other person whatsoeuer That he would aduise him as a friend to take from the Legat all pretence of suspition That when he had once shewed himselfe confident of him they would no longer doubt of his fidelitie and that euen now a faire occasion was offered to binde the Legat and the Earle Simon vnto him and that was that whereas he knew they were shortly to come to Toulouze if he would offer vnto them his Castle Narbonnes to lodge in it would be an excellent testimony of that confidence hee had in them and binde them to loue him The Earle Remond being thus gulled by this Bishop offered them his castle They accepted thereof and presently placed therein a great garrison The word was no sooner slipt the Earles mouth but he was sure he should repent it but it was now too late to recall it He cursed his owne imprudency and his friends and subiects his too great facility for he saw them incontinently to fortifie his Castle that it might serue them for a canesson and bridle for his owne subiects As also from the time of their entrance into that place he found that they grew bold to speake all the ill they could of the Earle Remond and that with open mouth saying that he had mocked the Pope giuing him to vnderstand that which was false and promising that which he would neuer performe insomuch that he was as great an heretike as he was before his abiuration That in the ruine and punishment of the Earle Remond the destruction of the Albingenses did consist but on the contrary though the ground were couered with the dead bodies of the Albingenses if the Earle Remond should remaine they would alwaies bud and spring vp againe and therefore it was resolued to exterminate and vtterly to destroy the house of Remond from the bottome to the top But when men purpose that which God hath otherwise disposed they come many times short So it was with the Earle Simon who was frustrated of this hope by the sudden vnexpected death of the Legat Milon which changed the face of the affaires of the said Earle Milon for he was faine to spend many yeares in the ruinating of that house of the Earle Remond and his adherents which hee had promised to doe in a few daies CHAP. VIII Theodosius succeedeth the Legat Milon proceedeth against the Earle Remond excommunicateth him and frames very violent articles against him The Earle Remond retireth himselfe from St. Giles and Arles with the king of Aragon lest they should be apprehended by the Legat Simon besiegeth Montferrand Baudoin reuolteth The king of Aragon allieth himselfe with the Earle Simon 1211. IN the yeere of our Lord 1211. Thodize gaue the Earle Remond to vnderstand that he should haue what was iust and right touching his affaires and with faire words perswaded him to come to St. Giles Being there he ript vp the businesse touching the murder of the Monke Frier Peter de Chasteauneuf from the beginning without consideration of any precedent iustification and excommunicated the said Earle Remond not as being guilty of the death of the said Monke but because he had not driuen the Albingenses out of his countrey as he was bound by promise The Earle Remond hauing felt the blast of the said excommunication retired himselfe to Toulouze not speaking a word before the Legat had meanes to publish the sentence The Bishop of Toulouze knowing hee was excommunicated sent one to certifie vnto him that hee was to depart out of the citie of Toulouze so long as the Masse was singing because he might not say Masse there being an excommunicated person within the citie The Earle Remond being much moued with the audacious boldnesse of the Bishop sent a Gentleman one of his followers to tell him that hee was to depart and that speedily out of his territories vpon paine of his life The Bishop departed and sent to the Prouost of the Cathedrall Church and to the Canons that they were to depart with them and that with the Crosse and the Banner and the Hoast and for the greater deuotion they should goe barefoot and in procession In this equipage they arriued at the Armie of the Legat where they were receiued as Martyrs persecuted for the Masse euen with teares of the Pilgrims and the generall applause of euery one The Legat thought now that he had sufficient cause to prosecute the Earle Remond as a relapse and impenitent man but yet he desired much to get hold of him because if he could once apprehend him hee would quickly make him to conclude that businesse as the Earle of Beziers did To this purpose hee flattered him by Letters full of testimonies of his great loue towards him by this meanes drew him once againe to Arles The Earle entreated the King of Aragon that he would be there to hinder
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 The Monke of the Valleis Sernay Chap. 152. his pleasure was that that Land that the Earle Remond had in Prouence that is to say The Earldome 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 petition 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 of 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 lest 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 deuour 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 The Monke of the Valleis Sernay Chap. 161. hee returned from France with an hundred Bishops who had caused this expedition of the Crosse to bee preached in their Bishoprikes being resolued with this great Armie to make himselfe Master Prince and Monarch of all those lands which the Pope had giuen him And to make it apparant that he had not treated
or made any agreement with Girard Adememar or Guitaud Lord of Monteil-Aimar nor with Aimar of Poitiers but vntill such time as hee had power to deuoure them he passed the Rhosne at Viuiers and besieged Monteil-Aimar Guitaud or Girard made great resistance but when the Inhabitants saw the great Armie of Pilgrims they entreated their Lord to come to composition for feare lest the Citie should be pillaged Which hee did though it were with the losse of his Castle From thence he went and besieged the Tower of Crest-Arnaud belonging to Aimar of Poitiers He that commanded within did yeeld it vp out of cowardlinesse for otherwise it had beene impossible the Pilgrims should haue taken it Afterwards the Earle Simon gaue a daughter of his to a sonne of the said Poitiers and there was peace concluded betwixt the said Poitiers and the Bishop of Valence against whom hee had a long time before made cruell warre A little before the Earle Simon had married one of his sonnes to the daughter of Dauphin of Viennois and another to the Countesse of Bigorre All which alliances did fortifie him much against his enemies All men trembled before him and with this great Armie of Pilgrims that followed him he tooke Pefquieres neere to Nysmes and Bezonce and put all to the sword hee found within not sparing the women Hee tooke his way to Toulouze to pillage and to raze it and to seeke the Earle of Toulouze euen to the center of the Earth if he were there to be found at which time hee receiued letters from his wife aduertising him that hee should speedily come to deliuer her from the hands of the Earle of Toulouze who had besieged her in the Castle Narbonnes that hee was very strong and had all the people at his deuotion who had receiued him with great applause crying out with a loude voice Long liue the Earle of Toulouze That he was accompanied with his Nephew the Earle of Comminge Gaspar de la Barre Bertrand de Iorda Engarrand of Gordo Lord of Caraman Armand de Montagu and Estephe de la Valette all braue and valiant men and well accompanied This was about the end of the yeere one thousand two hundred seuenteene 1217. that the Earle Remond entred into Toulouze the Drumme beaten the Ensignes displayed and the Trumpets sounding The people pressing to cast themselues downe at his feet to embrace his legges and to kisse the hem of his garment and killing as many as they found in the Citie that tooke part with the Earle of Montfort Whereas had the Earle Simon come directly to Montauban at his returne from France the Earle Remond could not haue told what to haue done but he stayed at Monteil-Aimar and Crest Arnaud and Besince and Pasquieres and made delaies about the mariages so long that the Earle had time to gather his troopes together and to prepare himselfe for a strong assault In such sort that when hee was aduertised that hee was at Toulouze the greater part of his Pilgrims were returned into France But yet it was necessary hee should goe to Toulouze with those forces that he had for his wife was in danger to be lost And hee that had beene the death of so many women and children was doubtfull what would become of his falling into the hands of his enemies The Earle Remond created an officer which they called Vignier or Prouost to whom all were bound to obey vpon paine of death This was the first Vignier that was established at Toulouze His charge was to prouide for the defence of the Citie to keepe the Moates or Ditches cleane to repaire the breaches to appoint to euery one his quarter and his Captaine especially in times of combat There came from all parts troopes of succours to the Earle Remond of those that desired consideration for the violencies of the Earle Simon The Earle Guy was one of the first in the combat for his brother the Earle Simon but he was beaten and put to flight The Archbishop of Aix and of Armagnac with their Pilgrims retired themselues without fight The Earle Simon being come made shew to besiege Toulouze but the frequent issues of those that were within gaue him to vnderstand that it was not for his good He assembled therefore the Prelats and Lords to take aduise of what was to bee done The Legat perceiuing the Earle Simon somewhat astonished said vnto him Feare nothing for in a short time wee shall recouer the Citie and put to death and destroy all the Inhabitants and if any of the Souldiers of the Crosse shall die in this pursuit they shall passe to Paradice as Martyrs and hereof they shall assure themselues To whom one of the great Captaines answered Monsieur Cardinall you talke with great assurance but if the Earle beleeue you it will be little for his profit For you and all the other Prelats and men of the Church haue beene the cause of all this euill and ruine and will bee yet more if he beleeue you It was no time for Monsieur the Cardinall to bee offended with this audacious reply but he must needs sup vp this censure The resolution was that there should be no more any assault giuen but that the Citie should bee besieged on the side of Gascongne For which cause the Earle of Montfort caused one part of his Armie to passe the Riuer Garonne towards St. Soubra now they within the Citie made so blunt a salley and to such purpose that they put their enemies to flight During this combat came the Earle of Foix with his fresh troopes as well of his subiects as Nauarreans and Catalans who violently set vpon the Earle Montfort pursuing him euen to the brinke of Garonne where with affrightment and precipitation they cast themselues in heapes into their Boats and many were drowned in the Riuer The Earle Simon also fell in all armed with his horse and hardly escaped The Earle Remond caused a generall assembly to bee made at St. Saornin wherein hee exhorted the people to giue thankes vnto God for this happy beginning of victorie which they had obtained against their enemies which was a testimonie of Gods loue and that they should hope for better hee exhorted euery one to giue their helping hands to build and to prepare and to cause their warlike engins to play against the Castle Narbonnes because this place being last by the enemie their totall ruine must needes follow and being once recouered by them they should be in safetie In a very short time were their woodden engins to cast stones their Slings their Mangonnels to dart their Arrowes their Fowlers Crossebowes and other Instruments which were in vse in those times prepared and all of them mounted against the Castle Narbonnes which made those to tremble that were within The Earle Montfort being at Montolieu tooke counsell how to carry himselfe in this tedious siege and against enemies so animated The Bishop of Thoulouze said vnto him to comfort him that
cast out like a Dogge It is neither true nor hath it any resemblance of truth that they should deny him this last office of charitie which they haue not refused to bestow vpon their greatest enemies for it was neuer heard of that the Albingenses haue denied scpulture vnto any As touching the Earle of Foix Remond he was a Prince of whom the Historie giues this testimony that he was a Patron of Iustice clemency prudence valour magnanimitie patience and continency a good Warriour a good Husband a good Father a good House-keeper a good Iusticer worthy to haue his name honoured and his vertues remembred throughout all generations When this good Prince saw that he was to change the earth for heauen he defied death an assured constant carriage and tooke comfort in forsaking the world and the vanities thereof and calling his sonne Roger vnto him hee exhorted him to serue God to liue vertuously to gouerne his people like a Father vnder the obedience of his Lawes and so gaue vp the ghost His Wife the Lady Philippe of Moncade followed him shortly after not without suspition of poyson by some domesticall enemy of the Albingenses whose religion she professed with all deuotion A Princesse of a great and admirable prouidence faith constancy and loyaltie She vttered before her death many excellent sentences full of edification as well in the Castilian tongue as the French in contempt of death which she receiued with a maruellous grace fortifying her speeches with most Christian consolations to the great comfort and edification of all that were present and in this estate she changed her life All these deaths made a great alteration in the wars of the Albingenses both on the one side and the other CHAP. V. Almaric of Montfort restored to King Lewis the eight the conquered Countries of the Albingenses the siege of Auignon the King appointeth a Gouernor in Languedoc The warre continues against the Albingenses Toulouze is besieged a treatie of peace with the Earle Remond and the Toulouzains ALmaric of Montfort had not the fortune of his Father in the warres of the Albingenses For he had neither King Philip Auguste who permitted the leuie of the Pilgrims nor Pope Innocent the third to appoint them Moreouer there was neither Citie nor Village in France where there were not widowes and fatherlesse children by reason of the passed warres of the Albingenses And besides all this the Prelats were many times put into great feares by those cruell combats that were ordinarily made and many of them left behinde them their Miters and some Abbots their Crosses The speech of the expeditions of the Crosse was not so common This was the cause why Almaric did not long enioy his conquered Countries wherewith being much afflicted hee went into France Inuentory of Serres in the life of Lewis the eight and deliuered vp vnto Lewis the eight of that name King of France all the right that he had to the said Countries which the Pope the Councels of Vaur Montpelier and Lotran had granted vnto him and in recompence thereof King Lewis created him Constable of France 1224. in the yeare 1224. To put himselfe into possession King Lewis the eight came into Languedoc and comming to the gates of Auignon he was denied entrance because professing the Religion of the Albingenses they had beene excommunicated and giuen by the Pope to the first Conquerour for then Auignon was no chiefe Citie of the Earldome of Venessin as at this present but belonged to the King of Naples and Sicily The King being much moued with this deniall resolued to besiege it which continued for the space of eight moneths in the end whereof they yeelded themselues about Whitsontide 1225. in the yeare 1225. During this siege almost all the cities of Languedoc acknowledged the king of France by the mediation of Mr. Amelin Archbishop of Narbonne The King established for Gouernour in Languedoc Imbert de Beauieu and tooke his way to France but hee died by the way at Montpensier in September in the yeare 1226. The young Remond Earle of Toulouze was bound by promise to the king to goe to receiue his absolution of Pope Honorius and afterwards he should giue him peaceable possession of all his lands but the death of the king in the meane time happening he saw the Realme of France in the hands of king Lewis a childe and in his minority and the regency in the power and gouernment of his mother Hee thought that hauing to deale with an infant king and a woman regent he might recouer by force that which he had quit himselfe of by agreement He therefore resolued to take armes being encouraged thereunto by the succours of the Albingenses his subiects who were in great hope to maintaine their part in strength and vigor during the Non-age of the King of France but they were deceiued in their proiect For though Lewis the ninth were in his minoritie yet he was so happie as to haue a wise and a prudent mother if euer there were any For King Lewis the eighth before his death had appointed her the Tutrix or Gardianesse of his sonne and Regent of the Realme knowing very well her great capacity and sufficiency Besides Imbert de Beauieu maintained the authority of the king in Languedoc tooke armes and made opposition against the Earle Remond and the Albingenses The History of Languedoc fol. 31. The Queene sent him diuers troopes by the helpe whereof he recouered the Castle de Bonteque neare to Toulouze which was a great hinderance to Imbert and his portizans All the Albingenses that were found within the Castle were put to death and a certaine Deacon with others that would not abiure their Religion by the commandement of the said Imbert Amel the Popes Legat and the aduise of Guyon Bishop of Carcassonne they were burnt aliue 1227. in the yeare 1227. suffring death with admirable constancy The more the persecution increased the more the number of the Albingenses multiplied which Imber of Beauieu perceiuing he went to the Court to let them vnderstand that without succours he could no longer defend the countrey and the places newly annexed to the Crowne and patrimony of France against the Albingenses and the Earle Remond In the meane time whilest he was absent the Earle Remond tooke the Castle Sarrazin one of the strongest places that Imbert had in his keeping and holding the field did much hurt to his enemies 1228. Imbert came from France at the spring of the yeare one thousand two hundred twenty eight accompanied with a great Armie of the Crosse in which there was the Archbishop of Bourges the Archbishop of Aouch and of Burdeaux euery one with the Pilgrims of their iurisdiction The Earle Remond retired himselfe into ToulouZe where he was presently shut vp and all the country round about euen haruest and all spoiled and wasted Being brought to this extremitie Hist of Lang. fol. 33. the Abbot of
of Christ without which the Soule cannot liue And of this Bread Christ spake vnto his Disciples Whosoeuer shall eate of this bread shall liue eternally And therefore it is the dutie of euery man in all humilitie to aske this Bread at Gods hands who can giue it him saying O our Father doe vs the grace and fauour that wee may obtaine by our iust labour the bread that is necessary for our bodies and to vse it with sobriety and measure yeelding thee alwayes thankes and praises and that wee may charitably bestow some part of them vpon the poore Moreouer we beseech thee that thou wilt bee pleased so to deale with vs that wee may vse this bread with sobriety to thy glory and the good both of body and soule For the Prophet Ezekiel saith Chap. 16.49 That fulnesse of bread and abundance of idlenesse was the cause of the iniquities and abominations of Sodom which were so great in the sight of God that he sent downe fire and brimstone to consume them Whereupon a certaine learned Father saith that costly apparrell superfluitie in diet play idlenesse and sleepe fatten the body nourish luxurie weaken the spirit and leade the soule vnto death but a spare diet labour short sleepe poore garments purifie the soule tame the body mortifie the lusts of the flesh and comfort the Spirit The spirituall Bread is the Word of God Of this Bread the Prophet speaketh Thy bread quickeneth mee And Christ saith in the Gospell Verily I say vnto you that the houre commeth when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare him shall liue And this is found true by this experience That is that many being dead in their sinnes hearing the Preaching of the Word of God haue departed quickned raised by the said Word of God betaken themselues to true repentance which giueth life This bread of the Word illuminateth the soule according to that of Dauid Psal 119.130 The entrance of thy word giueth light it giueth vnderstanding to the simple that is to say to the humble to the end they may know what to beleeue and to doe what to feare to flye to loue to hope This bread delighteth the soule more then honey and the honey-combe And therefore faith the Spouse Canticles 2.11 Let me heare thy voyce for sweete is thy voyce and thy countenance is comely There is another Spirituall Bread and that is the Body and Blood of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ In the Sacrament they that receiue it worthily receiue not onely grace but Christ the Sonne of God spiritually in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome Pardonna a nos li nostre debit o pecca coma nos per donnen a li nostre debitor o offendadors Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. IT should not seeme or bee grieuous to any man to forgiue his neighbour those offences hee hath committed against him For if all the offences which haue beene or can bee committed against all the men in the world were put into a ballance they would not weigh so much being put altogether as the least offence committed against God but the pride of man will not suffer men to thinke heereof neither to pardon their neighbours nor to receiue their pardon from God But a good Christian suffereth and gently pardoneth beseeching God that hee may not make requitall according to the euill his debtors or such as haue offended him haue deserued and that he will giue them grace to know their fault and withall true repentance to the end they may not bee damned and the wrongs done vnto him he accounteth as dreames in such manner that hee thinkes not of repaying them according to their merits nor desires to reuenge himselfe but to doe them seruice and to conuerse with them as before yea and with greater loue then if they were brethren And therefore hee that out of the crueltie of his heart will by no meanes forgiue his enemy or debtour cannot hope for pardon at Gods hand but rather eternall damnation For the Spirit of God hath spoken it and it is true Hee shall haue Iudgement without mercy that is not mercifull to others The affection and the will that thou hast towards thy debtour is the same which God hath in his place and ranke and thou canst hope for no other Non nos amenar en tentation c. And leade vs not into temptation c. VVEe are not to pray vnto God not to suffer vs to bee tempted For the Apostle Saint Paul saith None shall be crowned but he that fighteth against the world the flesh and the deuill And Saint Iames saith that he is blessed that endureth temptation For when hee hath past his tryall hee shall receiue a crowne of life For no man can resist the power of the deuill without the grace of God Wee must therefore pray with all humilitie and deuotion and continuall requests vnto our heauenly Father that wee fall not into temptations but so as that combating with them wee may get the victory and the Crowne by and through his grace which hee hath prepared to giue vnto vs. We are not to beleeue that he doth sooner heare or more willingly the Diuell then the Christian and according to that which the Apostle Saint Paul saith God is faithfull who suffereth vs not to bee tempted aboue our power Mas desliora nos del mal c. But deliuer vs from euill c. THat is to say Deliuer vs from a wicked will to sinne from the temporall and eternall paines of the deuill that wee may bee deliuered from his infinite toyles and trumperies AMEN This last word noteth vnto vs the feruent desire of him that prayeth that that thing may bee granted vnto him that hee asketh And this word Amen is as much as if he should say So bee it and it may bee put after all our Petitions What the Waldenses and Albingenses haue beleeued and taught touching the Sacraments CHAP. VI. Sacrament second lo dire de Sanct Augustin c. A Sacrament according to the saying of Saint Augustine in his Booke of the Citie of God is an inuisible grace represented by a visible thing Or a Sacrament is a signe of a holy thing There is great difference betwixt the bare Sacrament and the cause of the Sacrament euen as much as betweene signe and the thing signified For the cause of the Sacrament is the Diuine grace and the merit of Iesus Christ crucified who is the raysing of those that were fallen This cause of the Sacrament is Powerfully Essentially and by authority in God and in Iesus Christ Meritoriously For by the cruell Passion and effusion of his Bloud he hath obtained grace and righteousnesse vnto all the faithfull But the thing it selfe of the Sacrament is in the soule of the faithfull by participation as Saint Paul speaketh Wee haue beene made partakers of Christ It is in the Word
and that if hee could not obtaine what he desired by Letters he would enforce them to do him reason by Armes He writ therefore to the said Councell beseeching them to end these deadly warres enterprised vnder a pretence of Religion offering for the Earles their obedience to the Pope and the Church of Rome but yet that they should neuer promise any peace before restitution was made vnto the said Earles of all their lands and goods The Councell de la Vaur returned this answer The Monke of the Valley Sernay fol. 113. We haue vnderstood the requests that heretofore you haue made in the behalfe of the Earle of Toulouze his son his Counsel the Earle of Foix and of Comminge the Lord of Bearne wherein you name your selfe the humble deuoted son of the church for which wee giue thankes to our Lord God and to your Highnesse Assure your selfe that in respect of that loue you beare to the Church wee giue our best attention vnto them with our eares and receiue them with gladnesse from our hearts but touching the answer we are to make to your Greatnesse and the request made by the Earle of Tolouze his Counsell and his sonne we certifie you that the cause and denotation thereof belongs to our Soueraigne Father hauing reserued it to his Holinesse You may call to minde if you please the infinite offers grants and graces which our holy Father the Pope hath offered vnto him after innumerable cruelties and horrible outrages You may likewise remember the kinde entertainment which hee found in the Archbishoprick of Nerbonne by the Abbot of Cisteaux Legat at Montpelier two years since as also the offers which were made vnto him which he would not accept of Which grace and fauour he so much scorned that he made it appeare confidently and with all oft that he was not only enemy to God but to his Church for which cause he hath deserued to be banished for euer from God his Grace and his Church Touching the requests of the Earle of Foix Comminge and Lord of Bearne they haue infringed the oathes giuen by them and in stead of accommodating themselues to that kinde and courteous admonishment they are filled with that abominable heresie for which to their great shame and ignomie they were excommunicated And this is all the answer wee can giue to the demand of your Greatnesse Giuen at La Vaur 15. Kalend. Febr. 1212. 1212. The King of Aragon being much moued with this answer sent againe to the Counsell demanding truce for the said Earles vntill they had receiued an answer from the Pope but it was denied The Earle of Foix was well contented that the Councell had yeelded nothing to the requests of the King of Aragon because he must haue beene engaged by promise for him that he should acknowledge his tenure of the Pope and the Church of Rome And which was more seeing that the King persisted in this opinion that such promises were to bee made to re-obtaine their goods to the end they might neuer engage themselues for that they could not performe knowing that the King of Aragon the Earle of Toulouze and Comminge were assembled at Toulouze to prouide for their affaires he came thither and thus he spake vnto them Holagaray in his hist of Foix Sir and you my Masters Friends Forasmuch as ambition can teach men both valour and temperancy and auarice can plant in the heart of a Shop-boy brought vp in the shade and in idlenesse an assurance to depart from his houshold harth and to commit himselfe to the billowes of the Sea and the mercy of angry Neptune in a small and fraile vessell it shall be great weaknesse and litherly negligence in vs who by the renowned Acts of our Trophees are knowne euen to the Confines of Arabia if we shall now come by a seruile and treacherous acknowledgement to ouerthrow the Tables and Registers of our valours so highly eleuated No no mine arme shall neuer consent thereunto we are not now in bondage I and my sonne chuse rather to make triall of the inconstant hazzard of warre than to bring vpon vs and ours so great and so notable an infamy And therefore for the honour of God quit vs of that shame that men take no notice of our lamentable estate mourning sighing after our losses like Distaffe-bearers If we must needs bow let it be when we haue first done the parts of good and braue Captaines It is an aduenturous and high enterprise you will say but it was resolued vpon by your selues Que ie voy maintenant les ressors qui lui donnent le branle de sa cheute Fare ye well Sir We yeeld not our consent in any thing Come what come may The King of Aragon was much moued with this discourse of the Earle of Foix wherein hee layeth an imputation vpon him that hee was the cause of their ruine because he had animated them against the Legat and the Earle Simon and that now hee left them as a prey by procuring a peace worse than a bloudy warre You haue Sir saith hee opened a doore to our enemies to tyrannize ouer vs if they had accepted of it and to a glorie more great than they could hope to attaine by Armes for we had beene all their Subiects without any other charge than your owne instant request As for my selfe saith he I had rather haue giuen my selfe the stab than to haue drunke of that cup. And after many examples produced by him of those that haue changed a miserable life for a present death killing themselues before they would serue for Trophees to their enemies he continued his discourse as followeth For mine owne part I had rather follow these great Spirits than hauing so often giuen testimony of my valour for another preferre life before honour by being lazie and negligent in a businesse that concernes my selfe And though Fortune deny me all meanes to make opposition against that wrong that another shall offer mee yet my courage will neuer giue way that I should make my selfe the speech of the people or a triumph for men more vnworthy than my selfe This their deniall of what you demanded doth comfort me and it vpholds our honor for we must either haue broken our faith or played the Cowards like needy beggers and liued a life more cruell more intollerable than any torment of Phalaris like miserable men yeelding our neckes to the yoake of the enemie and confessing our selues beaten sell our owne libertie and our childrens after vs and that for euer Good God what a blow were this Sir For asmuch therefore as the tempest is growen so great and wee are driuen to so extreme a necessitie imbrace vs in your armes be our 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