them odious to the people as if they had preferred the peace with the Turke before that with the Church the kingdome of Christ affirming that they maintained that the Pope did mortally sinne when he sends an expedition of souldiers with the badge of the crosse vpon their Cassockes or Coatarmour against the Sarazens For their iustification herein we must obserue In the booke of the causes of their separation frō the Church of Rome p. 235 that they complaine not of the enterprise of warre against the Turkes but of those spoiles that the Popes make of the goods of the Church and other diuine graces vnder the pretence thereof abusing the ignorant people with their Buls and Benedictions who too willingly receiue their lies and inuentions buying them at a deare rate As also they thinke hardly of it that the Pope should send out his Croisades his crossed souldiers being strangers to pursue them as heretickes before they be heard or conuinced to be such But they are not the onely men that condemne this auarice which the reuenging spirits of the Popes haue shewed by their Croisades Paulus Langius a Germane Historiographer layes an imputation vpon Leo the tenth Paul Lan. in his Chronicle of France 1513. See the examination of the Councell of Trent lib. 1. c. 5. that he leuied great summes of money vnder a pretence of warre against the Turkes which he bestowed shortly after vpon thirtie Cardinals which he had newly created Guicciardine noteth in his Historie that the selfe same Pope imposed great exactions vpon the people the bene fit whereof fell into the lap of his sister Magdalen and that all that leuie of money was but to satisfie the auarice of a woman and that the Bishop of Aremboldo was thought by him a commissarie worthy such an action to put it in execution with all manner of extortion Alexander the fourth conuerted the vow of Hierusalem to the vow of Pouille that is to say A part of Naples whose inhabitants are held very dangerous the vow of reuenge For he gaue power to his Legats to absolue the King of England Henry the third by name dispensing with his vow of the crosse for Hierusalem vpon condition that he should go to Pouille to make warre against Manfred Frederic Emperour not long before It is the Historiographer Math. Paris Math. Paris in his Historie of England See the first booke of the examination of the Councell of Trent cap. 5. In the booke of the causes of their separation frō the Church of Rome p. 125 that setteth downe the complaint that then was made that is to say that the tenths imployed for the succour of the holy Land were taken away and conuerted to the reliefe of Pouille against the Christians The eight calumnie was that they vsed no reuerence towards holy and consecrated places holding that that man sinned not more grieuously that burneth a Church then he that breakes into any other house They say that neither the place nor the chaire make a man the more holy and they haue maintained that they deceiue themselues much that comfort themselues or presume the more because of the dignitie of the place for what place more high then Paradise what place more secure then heauen and yet neuerthelesse man was banished out of Paradise for sinning there and the Angels were throwne from heauen to the end they might be examples to those that came after and to teach them that it is not the place nor the greatnesse nor dignitie thereof that makes a man holy but the innocencie of his life Against the ninth calumnie that is to say that they defend that the Magistrate ought not to condemne any to death they say That it is writtē In the booke of the Waldenses entituled The light of the treasure of faith fol. 214. that we are not to suffer the malefactor to liue and that without correction and discipline doctrine serues to no purpose neither should iudgements be acknowledged nor sinnes punished And therefore iust anger is the mother of discipline and patience without reason the seed of vices and permitteth the wicked to digresse from truth and honestie True it is that they haue found fault that the Magistrates should deliuer them to death It appeareth by the complaint they made to the King Ladislaus King of Hungary and Bohemia without any other knowledge of the cause then the simple report of Priests and Monkes who were parties and iudges insomuch that hauing discouered the abuse which they brought into the Church they condemned them for heretickes and deliuered them to the secular power so they call their Magistrates Now this seemed vnto them a cruell simplicitie in the said Magistrates to giue faith to persons passionate and not indifferent such as the aforesaid Priests were and to put to death so many poore innocent people neuer hearing them or examining the cause The tenth calumnie was to make them odious to Kings and Princes that is to say that a lay man in the state of grace had greater authoritie then a Prince liuing in his sinnes Against this imposture they affirme In the booke of the causes of their separation frō the Church of Rome p. 41. that euery one must be subiect to those that are in authoritie obey them loue them be at peace with them honour them with double honour in subiection and obedience and readinesse paying vnto them that which is their due The eleuenth calumnie was grounded vpon that assertion of the Waldenses that the Pope had no authoritie ouer the Kings and Princes of the earth who depend immediatly vpon God alone For from thence they take occasion to call them Manichees as appointing two Princes Against this imputation they say In the booke of the treasure of faith art 2. We beleeue that the holy Trinitie hath created all things visible and inuisible and that he is Lord of things celestiall terrestiall and infernall as it is said in S. Iohn All things are made by him and without him nothing is made The beginning of this calumnie was taken out of the Extrauagantes of Pope Boniface 8. who subiecting the authoritie of Emperours vnto his saith of his owne Quicunque huic potestati resistit Dei ordinationi resistit nisi duo sicut Manichaeus fingat esse principia De Maiorit obedientia Can. Vnam sanctam l. 1. tom 8. The twelfth calumnie imports thus much that they held that whatsoeuer is done with a good intention is good and that euery one shall be saued in whatsoeuer is done with the said good intention To this imposture we need no other answer then that which the Monke Raynerius who was alwaies their back-friend saith elsewhere Rain lib. de forma haeretic art 38. that is that they maintaine that euery man is saued by his faith which he cals a Sect. It is very necessary that a lyer should haue a better memorie then to affirme things contradictorie And to shew that
the walls and so entred the towne calying 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 hauing 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 Beziers 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 all 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 defending 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 gentlenesse and mercy would sooner ioyne the Albingenses to the Church of Rome than extreme crueltie and that aboue all they should remember that the Earle of Beziers was young and a Romish Catholike who might doe good seruice for the reducing of those that did any way relie or put their trust in him The Legat answered the King of Aragon that if hee would retire himselfe a little they would consult together of that which should be fittest to be done The King being recalled the Legat gaue him to vnderstand that for his sake and in consideration of his intercession he would receiue the Earle of Beziers vnto mercie and with him some dozen might likewise come forth with their bag and baggage if hee thought good but for the people that were within the Citie of Carcassonne they should not depart but at his discretion The Monke of the Valley Sernay Chap. 20. Du Hailan in his History of France touching the siege of Carcassenne whereof they should hope well and haue a good opinion because hee was the Popes Legat and that they should all come forth naked men women maids children without shirts or smocks or other couering to hide their nakednesse Also that the Earle of Beziers should be deliuered to sure guard and all his goods to remaine to the future Lord of that Countrey which should be chosen for the preseruation thereof The King of Aragon though he saw this composition to be vnworthy the proposing to the Earle of Beziers yet neuerthelesse thought good to discharge his office herein to whom the Earle of Beziers answered That he would neuer come forth vpon conditions so seasoned and so vniust and that hee was resolued to defend himselfe with his subiects by such meanes as it should please God to giue vnto him The King of Aragon retired himselfe not without shew of the great discontent he receiued by this vniust proceeding The Legat hereupon commanded all his engins of warre to play and that they should take the Citie by force But it was a spectacle little pleasing vnto him for hee was an eye-witnesse of the losse of a great number of his Pelerins For they of the Citie threw downe such a quantitie of great stones with fire and pitch and brimstone and boyling water and gauled the assaylants with such infinite numbers of arrowes that the earth was couered and the ditches filled with the dead bodies of the Pelerins which caused a wonderfull noysome stench both in the Campe and in the Citie This rude vnwelcome ouerthrow caused many of his Souldiers of the Crosse to forrage and seeke for booty abroad as hauing accomplished their tearme of fortie daies during the which they had gained Paradice and refusing to conquer any more after so faire a purchase for feare they should change their former felicitie for blowes The Legat being much troubled to see his
And which was more seeing that the King persisted in this opinion that such promises were to bee made to reobtaine 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 Sir Holagaray in his hist of Foix 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 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 Euery one makes preparation The Monke of the Valleis Sernay Chap. 89. The Earle Simon sent into France to the Archdeacon of Paris and Master
had beene giuen them that nothing should be altered within the citie This good vse did the Earle Simon make of the presence and forces of Prince Lewis for otherwise he durst not haue enterprised the saccage and dismantling of this goodly and great citie without the endangering of his fortunes were his forces neuer so great At this very time arriued Bonauenture the Popes new Legat and of those that tooke on them the Crosse the Bishop of Beauuois the Earle of Saint Paul the Earle of Sauoy the Earle of Alençon the Vicount of Melun Mathew de Montmorenci and other great Lords that accompanied him The Legat seeing so many Pilgrims began to feare lest Prince Lewis should dispose of diuers places which the Albingenses held to the preiudice of the Popes authoritie vnder whose name all those conquests were made for the auoiding whereof he sent vnto all those places that held for the said Albingenses the absolution and safeguard of the Church in such sort that the Prince thinking to make an assault vpon any of them they produced their absolution and shewed that they were vnder the protection of the Church And this Legat grew so audacious as to tell Prince Lewis that since he was become a souldier of the Crosse he was subiect to his commands because he did represent the person of the Pope whose pardons he was come to obtaine by obeying the Church not by commanding as the sonne of a King reproching him besides that the King his father made no account to contribute to the extirpation of the Albingenses when the time and season serued and there was best opportunity but now after those victories miraculously obtained he came to gleane the eares of that glory which was due vnto those only that had prodigally spent their liues for the Church The Prince dissembled this audacious boldnesse Narbonne was dismantled by the agreement of the said Prince which neither the Legat nor the Earle Simon would not haue durst to enterprise without his presence The Bishop of Narbonne did what he could to hinder the dismantling of it affirming that it did much import that a place in the frontiers of Spaine should bee preserued with the walles and rampiers thereof but the Earle Simon and the Legat were very instant to the contrary they obtained their desires Here endeth the good fortune of the Earle Simon for in the end of this leuy of Pilgrims which Prince Lewis brought with him he had enough to doe to defend himselfe from blowes notwithstanding the Albingenses were also wearied with continuall warres and visited from time to time with new expeditions insomuch that they sunke vnder the burthen of them Now forasmuch as this warre changeth countenance in the person of the chiefe Leaders and that from hence forward we shall speake more of the sonne of the Earle Remond of Toulouze another Remond and of Roger the sonne of the Earle of Foix then of the old Earles We here make a second booke of the actions of the children succeeding their fathers miserably afflicted only for that they had for in effect there was not any of these great Lords that was deseruedly assaulted for Religion for many times they had their recourse to the Pope as to the fountaine of all their euills and in all respects to a poore remedy neuer bringing with them from Rome other thing than good words with very dangerous effects The end of the first booke THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE HISTORY OF the WALDENSES called ALBINGENSES containing the warres which they maintained after the yeare one thousand two hundred and thirteene vntill they were vtterly exterminated CHAP. I. The warre is renewed against the Earle of Foix the Aragonians make hostile incursions vpon the Lands of the Earle Simon he is discomfited by the Earle of Foix Simon is called into Dauphine The Legat Bonauenture perswades the Earle of Foix and of Toulouze to goe to Rome they further their cause nothing at all the sonne of the Earle Remond came from England thither but in vaine THE Prince Lewis sonne of Philip King of France his quarantine or fortie daies being expired retired himselfe not without much discontent to see in those warres against the Albingenses so much tyranny The Earle Simon endeuored to get a pardon for those last Pilgrims come from France against the Earle of Foix. Hologaray in his Hist of Foix pag. 157. Hee besieged the Castle of Foix but with his great losse for there died before it many gallant men Hauing laine before the Citie ten daies hee raised his siege finding to his great cost that the place was inexpugnable The Earle Simon his Brother kept his quarter at Varilles the Earle of Foix vnlodged him slew with his Lance the said Brother of the Earle Simon and put to flight his whole troope This was a counterpoise to Monfort his prosperitie which had made him ouer-insolent And as one vnhappy chance comes seldome alone euen then when he did grinde his teeth against the Earle of Foix swearing that hee would make him flie ouer the Pereney mountaines a messenger brought him tidings of the arriuall in the Earledome of Beziers and about Carcassonne of diners troopes of Arragonians and Catalans who put all they met to sword and fire saying That they would reuenge the death of their good King Alphonsus Hee was therefore aduertised that if hee did not speedily succour them the whole Country would be lost He departed therefore from Foix with great diligence Idem fol. 158. The Earle of Foix who better knew the streights and by-waies of his Country than he stopped his passage and lay in ambush for him in a place so fitting for his ouerthrow that he slew a great part of his troopes without any Alarum Hee saued himselfe with a few of his people Being come to Carcassonne it was well for him that he found not a man to speake a word vnto for the Arragonians had retired themselues Whereas had they attended his comming they might easily haue discomfited him considering the small number that were with him At this very time other Letters were brought vnto him whereby he was called into Dauphine where there was one Ademar of Poitiers and one Ponce of Monlaur who hindred the passage of the Pilgrims who came downe by the Riuer Rhosne and were conducted by the Archbishops of Lion and Vienne There were likewise the Cities of Monteil-Aimar and Crest Arnaud who tooke part with the Albingenses who were a great hindrance to the Pilgrims Simon came to treatie and composition with Ademar of Poitiers and Monlaur not hauing power to encounter so many enemies Againe he was giuen to vnderstand that the Arragonians were returned about Carcassonne and thither he came and was well beaten insomuch that he was constrained to shut vp himselfe within Carcassonne hauing not wherewithall to keepe the field before hee had new supply of Pilgrims to succour him Seeing at the last that he got nothing of the Earle of Foix by
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 Prouoft 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 Garâ—nne towards St. Soubra now they within the Citie made so blunt a salley and to such purpose that they put their enemies to slight 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 hee was to take a good heart vnto him for Monsieur the Cardinall had sent letters and messengers throughout the world to giue him succours and that shortly he should haue so many people that hee should not want power to doe what he would The abouenamed Robert de Pequigni answered him that hee spake his pleasure and that if the Earle of Montfort had not beleeued him nor any such hee had not beene in those troubles that now hee was but hee had beene at peace within Toulouze and that hee was the cause of that danger they now were in and of the death of so many people as were continually slaine by the wicked counsell that hee had giuen After many combats the winter grew on and stayed the course of the besiegers who withdrawing themselues to couert where they could about Toulouze expected with good denotation and much impatiencie new succours of Pilgrims The Earle Remond on the other side inclosed the Citie with a Rampier and fortified himselfe against the Castle Narbonnes and prepared to receiue the Pilgrims whensoeuer they should present themselues vnto them In this meane time hee sent his sonne to seeke for succours In the end about the Spring time in the yeere one thousand two hundred and eighteene there came to the Earle Simon an hundred thousand Souldiers of the Crosse and to the Earle Remond great succours from Gascongne conducted by Narcis de Montesquiou As also the young Remond of Toulouze and Arnaud de Villemur brought vnto him goodly troopes This great multitude of Pilgrims being come the Legat and the Earle Simon thought good they should earne their pardon knowing that at the end of fortie daies this great cloude of Pilgrims would vanish They therefore commanded them instantly to giue a generall scalado which was deferred to the next morning by which time they had other worke to doe for the very first night of their arrinall putting their confidence in their great multitude they kept no good guard Which the Earle of Toulouze perceiuing made a salley out vpon them and that with so good successe that the next morning all the field was couered with dead bodies The Toulouzains being wearie with killing returned to giue thankes vnto God for his assistance The Earle Simon entred the Castle Narbonnez to descrie whether from thence there were any way to inuade the Citie but finding none it much troubled him whereupon two of his Lords of the Crosse gaue him aduice to come to some honourable agreement The Cardinall Bertrand told them there needed no speech of that and that the Church could saue them in despite of them if they spake any thing to the aduantage of the Albingenses One amongst them answered And where finde you Monsieur Cardinall that without cause and reason you should take from the Earle Remond and his sonne that which belongs vnto them If I had vnderstood as much as I now know saith he I had neuer made
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 is 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 inconsiderare 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 common amongst them The Catechisme or manner of instructing their Children which the Waldenses and Albingenses haue vsed in manner of a Dialogue where the Pastor asketh the question and the Childe answereth set down iointly in their owne proper Language in the French Copy for the more Authority CHAPTER I. Lo. Barba Si tu fosses demanda qui sies tu Respond L'Enfant Creatura de diorational mortal c. The learned Reader desirous to see the originall may haue recourse to the French Booke where it is faithfully set forth in their owne old Language The Pastor Question WHat art thou Answer A creature of God reasonable and mortall Q. Why hath God created thee A. To the end I should know and serue him and that I might be saued by his grace Q. In what doth thy saluation consist A. In three essentiail vertues which doe necessarily belong to saluation Q. Which be they A. Faith Hope and Charity Q. How dost thou proue it A. The Apostle saith in the 1 Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 13.13 These three things remaine Faith Hope and Charity Q. What is Faith A. According to the Apostle Heb. 11.1 It is the substance of things hoped for the euidence of things not seene Q. How many kindes of Faith are there A. There are two sorts of Faith that is a liuely and a dead Faith Q. What is a liuely Faith A. That which worketh by Charity Q. What is a dead Faith A. According to Saint Iames That Faith which is without workes is dead Againe Faith is nothing without workes Or a dead faith is to beleeue there is a God and to beleeue those things concerning God and not to beleeue in God Q. What is thy Faith A. The true Catholike and Apostolike Faith Q. What is that A. It is that which in the Apostles Symbole is diuided into twelue Articles Q. What is that Symbole A. I beleeue in God the Father Almighty c. Q. By what meanes canst thou know that thou beleeuest in God A. By this Because I know that I haue giuen my selfe to the obseruation of the Commandements of God Q. How many Commandements of God are there A. Ten as it appeareth in Exodus and Deuteronomy Q. Which are they A. Hearken O Israel I am the Lord thy God Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in Heauen c. Q. Vpon what doe all these Commandements depend A. Vpon the two great Commandements that is to say Thou shalt loue God aboue all things and thy Neighbour as thy selfe Q. What is the foundation of these Commandements by which euery one ought to enter into life without which foundation no man can worthily fulfill the Commandements A. Our Lord Iesus Christ of whom the Apostle saith in the first to the Corinthians None can lay any other foundation but that which is laid euen Iesus Christ Q. By what meanes may a man attaine to this foundation A. By Faith So saith Saint Peter 1 Epist 2.6 Behold I lay in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect precious
they made no profession of any such beleefe that may suffice that they haue said against Antichrist That he hath brought these errors into the Church vnder a colour of good intention and a shew of faith The thirteenth calumnie was that they maintaine that a man may kill or detaine from the Priests their tithes without scruple of conscience It is certaine that if the Waldenses had power to employ their tithes to some other vse then to the nourishment of those whom they find to be dumbe dogs drowsie watchmen slow bellies seducing and being seduced they had done it It appeareth by the processe against the Waldenses of Dauphiné by Albert de Capitaneis other Monkes Inquisitors but there was neuer any as yet that hath occasioned the least troubles that may be in that regard It well appeareth that in whatsoeuer depended on their owne wils they haue neuer offered more or lesse vnto those people taking no thought for their Masses and Trentals after their death the which the Priests complaine of and from thence take occasion to accuse them for heretickes And as touching reuenge heare what they say The Lord knowing that we shall be deliuered saith In the booke of the Waldenses intituled of Tribulations p. 274 Beware of men but he doth not teach or counsell any of his chosen to kill any but rather to loue their enemies When his disciples said vnto him in the ninth of S. Luke Wilt thou that we command that fire come downe from heauen and consume them Christ answered and said Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of Againe the Lord saith vnto Peter Put vp thy sword into thy sheath c. For temporall aduersities are to be contemned and patiently to be endured for there happeneth nothing therein that is new We are here the Lords floore to be beaten as the corne when it is separated from the chaffe The last calumnie of the Waldenses which we haue gathered out of the writings of their aduersaries is that which Claud. Rubis layes vpon them as a foule aspersion Claud. Rubis in his historie of Lions p. 269. in his Historie of the Citie of Lions That being retired vnto the Alpes at their departure from Lions they became like the rest of the people of that countrey beesome riders And he is not content to tie himselfe to the Vaudois onely but he addeth These are things that ordinarily follow one another Heresie and Sorcerie as it is verified saith he in our times in those Cities and Prouinces that haue giuen entertainment vnto heresie We will first iustifie the Waldenses and then answer Rubis in the behalfe of those Cities and Prouinces which he hath inclosed within this calumnie All they offend against the first Commandemēt say the Vaudois in the exposition of the first Commandement that beleeue that the Planets can enforce the will of man These kind of men as much as in them lies accompt the Planets as gods for they attribute vnto the creature that which belongs vnto the Creator Against which the Prophet Ieremie 10. speaketh Learne not the way of the heathen and be not dismayed at the signes of heauen for the heathen are dismayed at them And S. Paul in the fourth to the Galathians Ye obserue moneths and dayes and times and yeares but I am afraid of you lest I haue bestowed vpon you labour in vaine All they offend against this commandement that beleeue Sorcerers and Soothsayers for these men beleeue the diuels are gods The reason is because they aske of diuels that which God alone can giue that is to manifest things hidden and to foreshew the truth of things to come which is forbidden of God Leuit. 19.31 Regard not them that haue familiar spirits neither seeke after wizards to be defiled with them And in the 20.6 The soule that turneth after such as haue familiar spirits and after wizards to go a whoring after them I will set my face against that soule and will cut him off from amongst his people And in the last verse of that Chapter A man or woman that hath a familiar spirit or that is a wizard shall surely be put to death they shall stone them with stones their bloud shall be vpon them As touching the punishment of this sinne and the vengeance that God taketh vpon such a one we reade in the 2. Kings 1.3 that the Angell of the Lord sent vnto Elijah to meete the messengers of Ahaziah and to say vnto them Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the God of Ekron and therefore saith the Lord in that place Thou shalt not come downe from that bed on which thou art gone vp but shalt surely die Saul died because he had disobeyed the commandement of God which he gaue vnto him he regarded it not neither did he hope in the Lord but tooke counsell of Sorcerers for which cause the Lord tooke away his life and transferred his kingdome vnto Dauid the sonne of Ishai Let euery man therefore know that all enchantment or coniuration or charme in writing made to giue remedie to any kind of persons or beasts is of no value but is rather a snare of our ancient aduersarie the diuell by which he entrappeth and deceiueth mankind Here you may see what the Waldenses haue written against Sorcerers out of the word of God It remaineth that we answer vnto that calumnie of Rubis that it is apparent in our times that heresie and sorcerie are inseparably ioyned together in those Cities and Prouinces that haue giuen place vnto heresie He taxeth without all doubt the Citie of Geneua and the States of the Cantons that haue receiued the Gospell without any other shew of proofe but that most commonly in those places Sorcerers are cōdemned to death following the commandement of God which suffereth no Sorcerer to liue He might farre better haue concluded if he had said that in those places where the reformation of Religion was established in our times no man doth either conuerse or hath acquaintance with Sorcerers but so soone as any such is found he is put to death And therefore no man can affirme that to be true except he will say that to burne Sorcerers is to support them and by the authoritie of the word to put them to death be a kind of heresie It is true indeed that in those places heresie and sorcerie are ioyned together where they that make profession to teach the people are for the most part Sorcerers whereof many men haue complained who haue written with a great deale of griefe that which they knew to be put in practise by their Priests and Monks yea by some of the Popes themselues Bodin affirmeth Bodin in his Demon l. 4. c. 6. p. 211. that there are infinite indictments in which it appeareth that the Priests many times are not onely Sorcerers or at least wise that Sorcerets haue intelligence with the Priests but
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 Author of the Historie of the State of the Church writes of them thus The Historie of the Estate of the Church p. 336. 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 Vesembecius saith Vesemb in his oration of the Waldenses p. 3. that when the Pope and his catchpoles 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 Toulonze 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 makes mention of the Waldenses in his Historical Bibliotheke Vignier in his Historicall Bibliothec p. 130. 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 affirmes Hologaray in his History of Foix p. 120. 121. 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 a great worke of God that how diligent soeuer the Popes with their Clergie haue bene vsing likewise the assistance of secular Princes and magistrates to roote them out yet they could neuer do it neither by proscriptions nor banishments nor excommunications nor publications of their Bulles nor Indulgences and Pardons to all those that shall make warre against them nor by any manner of torments fire flames gibets or other cruell effusion of bloud could they euer hinder the current of their doctrine but it hath spread it selfe almost into all the corners of the earth This hath le Sieur de Saint Aldegonde writ of the Waldenses But forasmuch as doubt may be made whether we haue in these dayes any proofes in the world of their beleefe it is necessary that we produce hereabouts an inuentorie of bookes which they haue left vnto vs to the end that when there shall be any question of their doctrine euery one may vnderstand what the writings are out of which we haue gathered that which they taught CHAP. VII That Peter Waldo and the Waldenses haue left bookes which make proofe of their beliefe and what they are THat Waldo left something in writing vnto vs In the former Chap. it appeares by that which Math. Illyricus saith that he hath certaine parchments of his which shew him to be a learned man Historie of the Estate of the Church p. 307. The Author of the Historie of the Estate of the Church giues this testimonie that followeth Waldo at the same time saith he made a collection in the vulgar tongue of sundry passages of the ancient Fathers to the end he might defend his opinions not onely by the authoritie of the holy Scripture but also by the testimonie of the Doctors against his aduersaties About fortie yeares since le Sieur de Vignaux Pastor of the Churches of the Waldenses in Piemont writ as followeth in his memorials that he made Of the beginning Antiquitie Doctrine Religion Manners Discipline Persecutions Confessions and progresse of the people called Waldenses I that write saith he can witnesse that being sent vnto these people to preach the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ which I did about some fortie yeares together I had no need to take much paines to win them from the ceremonies of the Church of Rome nor to roote out of their minds the Pope the Masse Purgatory and such other things wherein they were a long time Doctors before my coming although the greatest part of them knew neither A nor B. It is to this seruant of God to whom we are much bound for the multitude of bookes written by the Waldenses For as oft as he lighted vpon any
death he was condemned to be burnt and so being brought out of prison his sentence was read in the same place and cast into the fire And this was the last of the Waldenses that is come to our knowledge that hath been persecuted to the death for his beliefe CHAP. V. Of the Waldenses inhabiting in the Valleys of Meane and Maites and the Marquisate of Saluces and the last persecutions that they suffered AT what time the Waldenses of Dauphine dispersed themselues in Piedmont there were some that made their abode in the Marquisate of Saluces in the Valleys Maties and Meane and the parts thereabouts These were not forborne during the grieuous persecutions which their brethren of the Valleys of Angrongne Saint Martin and others suffered All their refuge was to flie into the said Valleys namely when the said Gouernours of the said Marquisate persecuted them by the commandement of the Kings of France who condemned to death within their Realmes all such as made profession of the same beliefe that they did Now the deceased King of Happy memory Henry the Great and fourth of that name hauing giuen to his Subiects an edict of pacification the Waldenses that liued in the Marquisate inioyed the same priuiledges that the other Subiects did of the same Realme but when afterwards by the treaty with the Duke of Sauoy la Bresse was changed for the Marquisate of Saluces the poore Waldenses were depriued of the free exercises of their Religion within the iurisdiction of the said Marquisate for at the instance of the Nuntio of Pope Clement the eight the free liberty of their Religion was not onely interdicted but by a new edict all they were banished that within the said Marquisate made profession of any other Religion then that of the Church of Rome and for the better furtherance of their speedy departure there were sent to the said Valleys and Marquisate a great number of Monkes Inquisitors who went from house to house examining the consciences of euery one by which meanes there were aboue fiue hundred families banished who retired themselues into the Realme of France but especially into Dauphine And to the end that in those places into which they were come it might not be cast in their teeth that they were banished out of their Countries for some wickednesse that they had committed but that it was onely the zeale they bare to their religion that had made them wanderers in the world they made this Declaration following in the yeere 1603. The Declaration of the VValdenses of the Valleys Maties and Meane and the Marquisate of Saluces made in the yeere 1603. FOrasmuch as time out of minde and from the father vnto the sonne our Predecessors haue been instructed and nourished in the doctrine and Religion whereof from our infancy we haue made open profession and haue instructed our families as we haue learnt of our fore-fathers As also that during the time that the King of France held the Marquisate of Saluces it was lawfull for vs to make profession not being disquieted or molested as our brethren of the Valleys of Lucerna la Perouse and others who by an expresse treaty and agreement made with our Soueraign Prince Lord haue inioyed vnto this present the free exercise of the reformed religion but his Highnesse being perswaded by euill councell and ill affected people rather then his owne will hath resolued to molest vs and to that end hath published an edict To the end therefore that it may be made known to all men that it is not for any crime committed either against the person of our Prince or for any rebellion against his edicts or the committing of any murthers or thest that wee are thus tormented and spoiled of our goods and houses Wee declare that being certainly assured and perswaded that the doctrine and Religion taught and followed in the reformed Churches as well of France Switserland Germany Geneua England Scotland Denmarke Suâ—dia Polonia as other Realmes Countries and Signories whereof we haue vnto this present time made open profession vnder the obedience of our Princes and Soueraigne Lords is the onely true doctrine and Christian 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 withour 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
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 mere then that that which troubled the heads of the persecuters a great deale more was the speech of one of them who being executed at Vienna the principall Citty in Austria said at his execution that there were in that Country of the same beliefe that he professed aboue fourescore thousand About the yeere of our Lord one thousand foure hundred sixty seuen 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 cōgregations 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 Boheraia Morauta 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 establishment of a good discipline and in witnesse of the great ioy they receiued and that holy Society and Communion that they desired to haue with them they blessed them in praying for them and laying their hands vpon them Afterwards the said Waldenses related vnto them how God had miraculously preserued them for these many hundred yeers notwithstanding the diuers great and continuall persecutions which they had endured And so they louingly and gently tooke their leaue of their said brethren and at their returne related whatsoeuer they had seen or done in that their voyage from whence they receiued vnspeakable contentment and from that time forward there continued a holy affection and desire to communicate together as oft as they could for their common edification In prosecution whereof the brethren of Bohemia visited by Letters the Waldenses of Austria giuing them to vnderstand that they had receiued great comfort by their last communication they had with them but yet as they desired not to be flattered in any defect or fault whatsoeuer so they could not dissemble without some defect of charity what they had found in them worthy reprehension And that was that they yeelded to much to their infirmities since that hauing once knowne the truth they neuerthelesse frequented Papisticall Churches being present at those idolatries which they condemned basely prophaning and polluting themselues that wee are not onely certainly to beleeue with the heart but wee must likewise make confession with our mouth to saluation Moreouer they told them of another fault which they had taken notice of and that was that they were too carefull in heaping vp gold and filuer for though the end were good that is to helpe and comfort them in time of persecution yet forasmuch as euery day brought with it affliction enough and that such cares are not befitting those that are to looke only before them and to lay vp a treasure in heauen they condemned that which was superabundant in them and which in the end they would principally rely vpon The Waldenses of Austria did heartly thanke them Joachim ' Cam. in Hist de Ecclesijs fratrum in Bobemia Morauia p. 105 intreating them to continue this holy affection towards them and for their part to doe their best endeauour to further their communion and to appoint a day and place of meeting and conference for they hauing a long time knowne those their defects which they had taken notice of as yet they had not power to prouide conuenient remedies for the same but their hope was that being altogether they should be able better to resolue with themselues as also touching many other points of greatest moment Now when it was euen vpon the point to send to the place where they had agreed to meete and to assemble themselues they began to doubt that the businesse might be discouered and it might be dangerous to all of them And besides that they considered with themselues that they had been supported notwithstanding their assemblies and beliefe were sufficiently knowne and therefore they should put themselues into extreame danger if they should ioyne themselues with other people These considerations made their former designes and purposes of their mutuall communications to vanish away as also in the yeere following that is in the yeere one thousand foure hundred siixty eight the persecution increased against the said Waldenses of Austria for there were burnt a great number at Vienna Among others the History makes mention of one Steuen an ancient man who being there burnt confirmed many with his constancy They that would escape this persecution retired themselues into the coast of Brandebourg where they stayed not long being also there exposed to fire and sword Amongst those there was one named Tertor Ioach Cam. in hist de Ecclesijs fratrum in Bohemia Morauia p. 117. that retired himselfe into Bohemia where hee ioined himselfe to the Churches of the Hussites and finding that a man might
euer to be defended by him who hauing abiured their Religion had now power and charge to persecute them CHAP. IIII. The perplexitie the Earle Remond was in after his reconciliation The siege of Beziers The intercession of the Earle of Beziers for his Citie The intercession of the Bishop auaileth nothing The taking of Beziers what and with what crueltie THe Earle Remond was much perplexed about that charge that was giuen him for the conducting of the Armie of the Souldiers of the Crosse before Beziers For to carry himselfe as an enemie against the Albingenses was to doe against his conscience and to fight against those whose part hee had taken vntill then as a principall motiue and Captaine This was to binde himselfe to the perpetuall seruitude of the Pope and his Legats On the other side if hee should goe about to flye and to forsake the Armie this were to furnish them with new matter of persecution for in such a case they might iustly pursue him as a perfidious relapsed and periured person and that if hee should bee apprehended hee should bee in danger of loosing his life goods and friends altogether And yet doing that which the charge the Legat laid vpon him bound him vnto he must be an instrument of the losse of Beziers and the totall destruction of the subiects of his Nephew the Earle of Beziers and his Nephew himselfe In this extremitie and anguish of spirit hee chose rather to stay in the Armie for certaine daies and afterward tooke his leaue of the Legat and went to Rome to humble himselfe before the Pope which could not bee denied him In the meane time they made an approch to the Citie of Beziers the Rammes Slings Frames Shedbords and other engines of warre were prouided to giue a generall escalado setting to the walls of the Citie so great a number of Ladders that it was impossible to resist the furious assault which the Pelerins made with all the force and power that they had The Earle of Beziers went forth of the Citie and cast himselfe downe at the feet of the Legat Milon crauing mercie for his Citie of Beziers and humbly beseeching him not to inflict the same punishment vpon the innocent and the nocent which without all doubt must needes come to passe if Beziers should be taken by force which was easie to be done by so great and so puissant an Armie such as was then ready to scale the walles in euery part of the said Citie that there would be great effusion of bloud on both sides which might be auoided That there were within Beziers a great number of good Romish Catholikes that would be subiect to the same ruine contrary to the intention of the Pope whose desire was onely to chastise the Albingenses That if it pleased him not to spare his subiects for the loue of themselues that he would yet haue regard vnto him to his age and profession since the losse would light vpon himselfe being in his minoritie and a most obedient seruant to the Pope as hauing beene brought vp in the Romish Church and in which he would both liue and die And if hee tooke it ill that such persons as were enemies to the Pope had beene tolerated within his territories it ought not to be imputed vnto him because hee had no other subiects but those which his deceased father had left vnto him and that in his minoritie and afterwards in that little time wherein he had beene master of his owne goods hee could not as yet by reason of his incapacitie know this euill nor minister the remedy though it were his purpose so to doe but yet his hope was in time to come to giue all contentment that might be both to the Pope and Church of Rome as an obedient sonne both of the one and of the other The answer of the Legat was Chass in his History of the Albingen pag. 107. That all his excuses preuailed nothing and that he must doe as he may The Earle of Beziers returned into the Citie and assembled the people together giuing them to vnderstand that after he had submitted himselfe to the Legat hee mediated for them not being able to obtaine any 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. â—17 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 his most faithfull attendants He was followed as it were foot by foot by the Legats armie vnto which there came new Croises or soldiers of the Crosse that 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 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 plaine 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 remember 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
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 IN the yeere of our Lord 1211. Thedize 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 if need should be any foule play that might bee offered Being come to the place the Legat commanded the King of Aragon and the said Earle Remond that they should not depart the city without his leaue vpon paine of indignation and to be prosecuted as rebells to the Church Some friend of the Earles vsed the meanes to giue him a sight of the Articles of the Sentence which the Legat had a purpose to publish against the said Earle Remond which were these that follow That the Earle of Toulouze shall incontinently dismisse and casheere all his men of Armes not retaining any one of them That he shal be obedient and subiect to the Church of which he shall repaire the damages and satisfie all costs and charges That throughout all his lands no man shall eat more than two sorts of flesh That he shall expell out of his countries and territories all the heretikes and their allies That he shall deliuer into the hands of the Legat and the Earle of Montford all those that shall bee named vnto him to doe with them as they please and that within one yeare That no man within his lands noble or ignoble shall weare any apparell of great price but blacke and course clokes That all the strong places and castles of defence belonging vnto him shall be ouerthrowne and laid euen with the ground That no Gentleman of his shall remaine or dwell in any City or Castle but shall make his abode in the fields and countrey houses as a villager That he shall not leuy in his lands any tolles but those that haue beene of old time imposed That euery master of an house shall pay yearely to the Legat foure Toulouzian pence That when the Earle of Montford or any of his people shall passe through his countries they shall pay nothing for any thing they take or spend That hauing performed all things as aboue he shall trauell beyond the Seas to make warre against the Turkes neuer returning againe into these parts but by the commandement of the Legat. That after all these things the Legat and the Earle of Montfort should restore vnto him all his Lands and Signories when it should please them These Articles being communicated to the King of Aragon he found them so vniust that he would stay no longer in that place but counselled the Earle of Toulouze presently to mount on horse-backe for feare lest they should ceaze vpon his person euen to the full execution of those Articles who it should seeme went about to enrich themselues by his spoyles And forasmuch as the said King of Aragon had perswaded the said Earle that hee should put no more confidence in the Legat and Earle Simon hee cast in his teeth his too great facillitie saying vnto him in Gascongne tongue Pla bous an pagat that is to say They haue well payed you The Legat and the Earle Simon being much
discontented that this prey had escaped their hands and knowing that he would no more suffer himselfe to bee abused and ouer-reached by words they endeuored to get that by force which either by faire words or foule they could not Whereupon they went presently and besieged the Castle of Montferrand into which the Earle Remond had put the Earle Baudoni his brother with the Vicount of Montelar Remond of Pierregourde and Pons Roux of Toulouze and diuers other valiant men to defend that place which he knew to be of great importance After some breach and assaults the Earle Simon being out of all hope to winne this place by force of Armes desired to speake with the Earle Baudoni which hauing obtained he told him that his brother made it appeare vnto the world that he had desire to vndoe him in that hee had shut him vp in so paltrie a place which he very well saw hee could not long defend for that at the arriuall of that world of Pilgrims which were now marching towards him hee would quickly know how great an ouersight it was to locke vp himselfe within so weake a hold That if he did attend any violent assault of these Pilgrims there would be no more place for mercie That if he would yeeld himselfe and the place hee would leaue it to his guard for the Church and besides he would make him for the time to come a partner of his conquests with such aduantage that hee should shortly bee a greater man and in greater authoritie than his brother who had procured vnto himselfe by his rebellion his vtter ouerthrow That hee could neuer haue power sufficient to resist the force of so many Kings Princes and Potentates who sent their people to this warre rewarded by their owne zeale without any charge of the Church That euery man would commend and admire this his retreat besides that happinesse he should gaine vnto himselfe by consecrating himselfe to the seruice of God and his Church and acquitting himselfe of that people amongst whom there was not any that was not iudged by the Church worthy to be condemned to the fire The Earle Baudoni suffered himselfe to bee carryed by the promises and faire speeches of the Earle Simon and so deliuered vp the place and put himselfe into Bruniquel a place very strong which belonged to the Earle Remond and promised neuer to beare Armes but in defence of the Church These two places drew with them to the Earle Simons part the places of Rabasteins Gaillac Montague La Guarda Pech Selsas La Guipia St. Antonin with other places neere adioyning The Earle Remond being much astonished to see himselfe betrayed and abandoned by his owne brother bewayled his misfortunes at Toulouze where from day to day hee attended to bee inuested when vpon the surcharge of these euils hee vnderstood that the Legat and the Earle Simon had wonne vnto them the King of Aragon his one and only prop vpon earth vnder God The meane to worke it was this The Legat writ vnto him that he should winne great commendation and doe greater seruice to the Pope and to the Church if he would once againe become a mediator for the peace of the Church And to that end they entreated him to come to Narbonne where they hoped to lay a good foundation Hee tooke his iourney thither where the first thing they proposed was to make some agreement betwixt the Earle of Foix and the Church and the Earle Simon A premeditated designe againe to spoyle the Earle Remond of his succours Afterwards they gaue him to vnderstand that the Earle Simon desired to liue with him as with his best kinsman and friend that he had in the world and for this cause he was very willing to ioyne in alliance with him if he would be pleased to accept of a daughter of the Earle Simons to marry with his eldest sonne And such conditions they proposed vnto him that he was content that his sonne should marry the daughter of the said Earle Simon in regard of which alliance the King of Aragon gaue to the Earle Simon the inuestiture of the Earledome of Beziers which before hee would neuer agree vnto nor to that of Carcassonne which he likewise at the same time obtained But that which did most hurt the Earles of Toulouze and of Foix was that they caused the King of Aragon to sweare that he would no more fauour the Albingenses but carry himselfe as a Neuter in this warre betwixt the Church and them The Earle Simon hauing gotten that which he desired that is to alienate the King of Aragon from the Earles of Toulouze and of Foix hee tooke his time to bend his forces both against the one and the other CHAP. IX The Earle Simon besiegeth Toulouze makes a spoile and is beaten he raiseth the siege Aimeri is taken prisoner The Earle of Toulouze is succored and by whom The Earle Simon makes warre with the Earle of Foix who goes in person to speake with the Legat but obtaines nothing The King of Aragon animateth the Earle of Foix and his sonne Roger and intercedeth for them in vaine THe first attempt that the Earle Simon made after his alliance with the King of Aragon was the siege of Toulouze being strengthned with a great multitude of Pilgrims which the Bishop of Toulouze went to leuy in France whilest the Legat Thedize and the Earle Simon did delay the Earle Remond vnder the shadow of a treaty of peace with him Being arriued at Montandran vpon the borders of Garonne neere to Toulouze Chas lib. 3. ch 14 pa. 162. the Earle Remond made a sallie out of Toulouze with fiue hundred horse and footmen a great number and came as farre as the bridge in hope to gaine it or to breake it downe There was at that bridge a great fight and many there died both on the one side and the other In the end the Earle Remond sounded a retreat whereupon the enemie tooke heart passed the bridge and pursued the Earle Remond euen to the gates of Toulouze The Earle Remond made so sudden and so furious a reincounter vpon them that he beat backe his enemy vnto the bridge which was not large inough to receiue them so that they were almost all slaine before they were at the foot thereof Aimeri the sonne of the said Simon of Montfort was taken prisoner The Earle Simon seeing this losse and his sonne taken prisoner animated his Pilgrims to the combat They endeuoring to be reuenged of this ouerthrow ranne into the ditches set vp their ladders but they were valiantly repulsed The ditches were filled with the dead bodies of the Pilgrims and the Earle Simon was beaten from his horse In the middest of this conflict arriued the Earle of Champagne with a great number of Pilgrims and he came in good time to bee well beaten The Earle Simon commanded them all to goe to the spoile whereupon the Pilgrims ranne into the Vineyards Orchards and Gardens cut
armes he had recourse to his ordinary wiles and subtilties hoping to worke his ruine vnder a pretence of amitie He caused therefore the Legat Bonauenture to write vnto him that he had compassion on him for that he was so obstinate in so great a warre to his great charge and the losse of the bloud of his Subiects which if he would he might end in a short time by taking his iourny to Rome declaring his innocency to the Pope that he would giue him his best assistance as far forth as possibly he could to procure the restitution of all his Lands But yet it was very necessarie that the Church should haue some gages of his fidelitie that is that he should deliuer into his hands the Castle of Foix the one onely meanes to take away all shadow and shew of false play and that incontinently after his returne turne it should be restored vnto him with the rest of his houses He suffered himselfe to be cheated and gulled by these promises deliuered vnto him the Castle of Foix and tooke his iourney to Rome but if he went a foole thither a foole he returned For the Legat had written to Rome to the Conclaue and to the Pope that the Earle of Foix was one of the most dangerous Heretiques that was amongst the Albingenses a man of great courage and valiant and most to be feared that if he were subdued the Earle of Toulouze would be much weakned that he had gotten from him the meanes to doe any hurt by obtaining by faire words those places which the Church would neuer haue gotten by armes namely the Castle of Foix and that they were to take heed that they made no restitution of his lands which if they did it would bee impossible that the Church should euer bring the Albingenses to their vtter ruine The Pope was willing enough to ioyne in his ouerthrow but because hee came vnto him with submissions he feared least it might bee a meanes to hinder others from euer putting any confidence in the Pope He was prodigall of his Crosses his Bulls and his Words but in effect he commanded his Legat that he should not restore vnto him those places vntill hee had giuen good proofes of his obedience and iustification Presently vpon his returne hee addressed himselfe to the Legat to enioy the effect of his faire promises The Legat gaue him to vnderstand that his hands were bound by the Pope because there were some clauses in his Bulls that did binde him to a new proceeding and to know in good earnest what his innocency was but yet he should assure himselfe of his affection and that he should not attribute to him if he receiued not his full content and that he would doe his best endeuour to make loue and friendship betwixt the Earle Simon and himselfe The Earle of Foix by little and little with-drew himselfe fearing to be arrested walking about the fields and houses of his Subiects as for his owne they were all in the hands of the Earle Simon There he cursed his owne facilitie to suffer himselfe to be gulled by a Priest bites his singers for anger to see himselfe so blockishly abused after so many trickes and stratagems plaid against him The Earle of Toulouze and the King of Aragon resolue to make a leuy of their Subiects and presently to build a Fort at Montgranier a place very strong by nature In a few daies they made it a place of defence by the means labours of their poore subiects who bewailing their own miseries their Lords trauelled day night very willingly to bring the work to an end This place being built he put therin a garison left there his son Roger. The Earle Simon besieged it in the end took it by famine The cōposition was that Roger should not beare armes for one whole yeare against the Church An Article that troubled much this valiant Lord. For he withdrew himselfe for the same yeare into a house where he counted the moneths and the daies till the time was expired wherein he might either die valiantly in fight or vanquish his enemies And to this purpose he many times conferred with the sonne of the King of Aragon lately slaine how he might carrie himselfe to finde a meanes to be reuenged of his Fathers death The Legat Bonauenture in the meane time vseth the same subtletie with the Earle Remond of Toulouze He perswadeth him to goe to Rome to determine his affaires with the Pope more peaceably than with the Earle Simon The Monke of the Valley Sernay Chap. 133. especially because he was charged with the death of his owne Brother the Earle Baudoin taken in the Castle d'Olme in the Country of Cahors because he had there borne Armes against him an action that had made him odious both to God and men and which his enemies did exaggerate to the end they might stirre vp the Pilgrims to take vengeance on him saying That at the very point of death they had denied him a Confessor and that the said Bodoin prayed vnto God that he would raise vp some good Christians to reuenge the wrong done vnto him by his brother as by another Caine. The son of the Earle of Toulouze named also Remond vnderstanding that his Father was to take his iourney to Rome he went with letters from his Vncle the King of England to the Pope intreating him to doe iustice to his brother in Law The young Lord had beene brought vp vntill then in England where he could no longer spend time seeing his Father oppressed with warres and continuall trauels he therefore resolued to vse his best endeuours for his deliuerance either by composition or by armes The cause of the Earle Remond was debated before the Pope There was a Cardinall that maintained Idem Chap. 152. that great wrong had beene offered those Lords who had many times giuen of their best lands to the Church to witnesse their obedience The Abbot of St. Vberi also tooke their part with great courage and resolution The Earle Remond likewise defended his owne cause charging the Bishop of Toulouze with many outrages and that if hee had beene constrained to defend himselfe he must accuse those that had driuen him to that necessitie for had he not made resistance he had long agoe beene vtterly ouerthrowne That the Bishop of Toulouze had many times caught vnto him the fairest of his reuenewes and being neuer satisfied did still continue to vex him parting his goods with the Earle Simon of Montfort and that their onely auarice had beene the cause of the death of ten thousand men of Toulouze and of the pillage of that faire and great Citie a losse which could neuer be repaired The Charterie of Lion did also shew vnto the Pope that the Bishop of Toulouze had alwaies kindled the fire and warmed himselfe at the flame Arnaud de Villemur did also present himselfe before the Pope demanding Iustice for that the
Legat and the Earle Simon had inuaded his lands he knew not wherefore since he had neuer bin but obedient to the Church of Rome relating at large the euils murders saccages robberies burnings which the said Legat and Earle vnder the cloake of the seruice of the Pope and the Church had done and therefore it was necessarie that that maske should be taken away which would otherwise turne to the dishonour of the Pope and the Church and some speedy course should be taken for the establishing of peace and procuring the good of the Church Remond of Roquefeuil of the Country of Querci Chassâ—ib 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 Valle is 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 difserences 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 eare 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
vtterly destroyed The Pope delegated one named Contat who went thither Now albeit Almeric were very valiant yet he had not gotten that authoritie which his Father had who had made himselfe at the charges of the Albingenses a great Captaine loued of the Souldier of an admirable valour patient in affliction inuincible in his trauels diligent in his enterprises fore-seeing and prouiding for the necessities of an Armie affable but of an vnreconcileable enmitie against his enemies because he hated them onely to haue their goods and that he could not haue but after their death which he procured and hastned as much as he could and that vnder the mantell of a plausible pretence of religion His sonne was a true inheritor of the hatred of his father but slow and sluggish louing his ease and no way fit for an action of great importance Besides he was depriued of the Monke Dominique of whom his Father had made very profitable vse for lodging him in the conquered Cities he gaue him in charge to finish that destruction by his inquisition which he could not doe by warres He died in the yeare 1220. the sixt of August so rich that notwithstanding he were the author of an order mendicant that is to say of Iacobin Monkes or Iacobins yet he made it knowne before his death that a scrip well ordered was better than a rent ill assigned for hee left many houses and much goods shewing thereby that he vsed his scrip but for a shew and outward appearance of pouertie but in effect he thought it good to haue wherewithall to liue else-where witnesse the Protection which the Earle Simon gaue him a little before his death whereof this is the tenure Simon by the Grace and prouidence of God Duke of Narbonnes Earle of Toulouze Vicount of Licestre Beziers and Carcassonne wisheth health and dilection After the Historie of the Monke of the valley Sernay We will and command you to haue a speciall care to keepe and defend the houses and goods of our most deare brother Dominick as our owne Giuen at the siege of Toulouze Decemb. 13. The death of this Monke was a great comfort to the Albingenses who had persecuted them with such violence but yet they were more weakned by the death of the Earle Remond of Toulouze the Earle Remond of Foix and the Ladie Philippe of Moncade Wife to Remond Earle of Foix. The Earle Remond of Toulouze died of a sicknesse much lamented of his Subiects if euer man were He was iust gentle valiant and couragious but yet too easie to giue eare vnto those that gaue him counsell for his ruine Hee was carried at the first by a true loue and charitie onely towards those his Subiects that made profession of the Religion of the Albingenses but afterwards hauing beene basely and dishonorably handled by the Legats of the Pope he knew both the crueltie of the Priests and the falshood of their doctrine by those conferences that had beene in his presence with the Pastors of the Albingenses His Epitaph was written in two Gascon verses Non y a home sur terre per grand Segnor que fous Qu'em iettes de ma terre si Gleisa non fous He that writes the Historie of Languedoc saith That he died a sudden death and that hee was carried into the house of the Friers of the Hospital S. Iohn and that he was not buried because he died an excommunicate person There was shewed not long since at Toulouze a head which some did beleeue was the head of the Earle Remond which was said to be alwaies without a sepulture but there is no likelihood that he that died amongst his owne and being Ruler ouer them should not haue so much credit after his death as to bee put into a Sepulcher Holaga pag. 164 that he that by his valour had restored all his Subiects to their houses and their Citie to it former greatnesse he whose death they lamented as a Father should be 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 sepulture 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 notwithout 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 Citiâ—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 Inuentary 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
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 sighteth 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 VVhat 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 of the Gospell by annunciation or manifestation In the Sacraments Sacramentally For the Lord Iesus hath lent or giuen these helpes of the outward Sacraments to the end the Ministers instructing in the faith should so accommodate themselues to humane weakenesse as that they might the better edifie the people by the Word of the Gospell There are two Sacraments The one of water the other of nourishment that is to say of Bread and Wine The first is called Baptisme that is to say in our language the washing with water either of the riuer or the fountaine and it must be administred In the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost to the end that first by the meanes of the grace of God the Father beholding his Sonne and by the participation of Iesus Christ who hath bought vs and by the renewing of the holy Ghost which imprinteth a liuely faith in our hearts the sinnes of those that are Baptized are pardoned and they receiued into grace and afterwards hauing perseuered therein are saued in Iesus Christ The Baptisme wherewith wee are Baptized is the same wherewith it pleased our Sauiour himselfe to bee Baptized to accomplish all righteousnesse as it was his will to be Circumcised and wherewith hee commanded his Apostles to be Baptized The things that are not necessary in Baptisme are the Exorcismes the breathings the signes of the Crosse vpon the Infant either the brest or the forehead the falt put into the mouth the spittle into the eares and nostâ—ills the vnction of the brest the Monkes Cowle the anoynting of the Chresme vpon the head and diuers the like things consecrated by the Bishop as also the putting of the Taper in his hands clothing it with a white vestment the blessing of the water the dipping of it thrice in the water All these things vsed in the administration of the Sacrament are not necessary they neither being of the substance nor requisite in the Sacrament of Baptisme from which things many take occasion of errour and superstition rather then edification to saluation Now this Baptisme is visible and materiall which maketh the partie neither good nor euill as it appeareth in the Scripture by Simon Magus and Saint Paul And whereas Baptisme is administred in a full congregation of the faithfull it is to the end that he that is receiued into the Church should be reputed and held of all for a Christian brother and that all the Congregation might pray for him that hee may be a Christian in heart as he is outwardly esteemed to bee a Christian And for this cause it is that we present our children in Baptisme which they ought to doe to whom the children are neerest as their parents and they to whom God hath giuen this Charitie Of the Supper of our Lord Iesus Christ AS Baptisme which is taken visibly is as an Enrolement into the number of faithfull Christians which carrieth in it selfe protestation and promise to follow Christ Iesus and to keepe his holy Ordinances and to liue according to his holy Gospell So the holy Supper and Communion of our blessed Sauiour the
are their companions And therefore they must be honoured by imitation and not adored by Religion All these things duly considered wee say that there is not any man borne of other body then Christ which may be adored or can be the true Aduocate and Mediator betwixt God and Men or Intercessor for sinners with God the Father but he alone neither is it necessary that they should be inuocated by the prayers and intercessions of the liuing It is hee that by speciall priuiledge obtaines whatsoeuer he demands for mankinde whom hee hath reconciled by his death Hee is the one and onely Mediator betwixt God and man the Aduocate and Intercessor to God the Father for sinners and in such sort sufficient that the Father denyeth not any man what he demandeth in his name but for the loue of him he heareth those that pray vnto him or demand any thing at his hands by him For being neere vnto God liuing by himselfe he prayeth alwayes for vs. For it was necessary that we should haue such a soueraigne Sacrificer as was holy innocent without blemish separated from sinners and exalted aboue the Heauens the first Sonne begotten of his Father which onely Sonne being aboue all men hath power and authority to sanctifie the other to pray and to mediate for them Saint Augustine writeth concerning Christ in his 64 Psalm saying Thou art the Sacrificer thou art the Sacrifice thou art he that offereth and thou art the offering Iesus is not entred into places made with hands which were figured correspondent to the true but hee is entred into Heauen it selfe euen now to appeare for vs before the face of God Of him it is that Saint Iohn saith 1 Iohn 1.1 We haue an Aduocate with the Father euen Iesus Christ the righteous And Saint Paul saith Rom. 8.33 That Iesus Christ who dyed for vs is also risen againe and sitteth at the right hand of Goâ— making intercession for vs. And therefore hee is but a foole that will desire any other Intercessor For Christ is alwayes liuing and prayeth to God the Father for vs and is alwayes ready to succour those he loueth And therefore if we keepe our selues to that he hath said we neede not desire any other Saint to be our Mediator because he is more gentle and more ready to helpe then any other can be Adde hereunto that the minde of him that prayeth wandereth and is confounded with the multitude of Saints to whom he prayes when the affection is remoued from Christ and therefore is much weakened being diuided amongst many Howsoeuer many there are that thinke that when the prayer is directed to one onely a man hath that only one for a Mediator wheras more giue more spirituall helpe But the Church would increase a great deale more if it knew not this multitude of intercessions now inuented And therefore it is a great folly to forsake the Fountaine of liuing waters and to goe to troubled waters and such as are afarre of This then doth plainly appeare that a man cannot obtaine any thing of God but by the Mediator Christ Iesus In the second place it shall be more expedient to worship Christ among those that are simply men for hee is a good and benigne Mediator euen in the highest degree both in the one and the other extremity Thirdly if we keepe our selues vnto his Word we neede not addresse our selues to other Saints for intermedlers since that he is more ready to helpe vs then other Saints being ordained of God for this purpose that is to the end that the intercession might be made by him that is more mercifull then all others for hee knowes for whom there is reason he should pray for hee hath shed his bloud for them which hee will neuer forget hauing grauen them in the palmes of his hands Fourthly in the primitiue Church their prayers for spirituall aide were made onely to Christ as a Mediator Fiftly then did the Church profit and encrease a great deale more then now it doth in these times wherein men haue found many intercessions which are as so many clouds without water darkening Christ the Sonne of Righteousnesse who is the true In tercessor For many expecting spirituall comforts are forsaken in their vaine hopes For though so it be that God is iust and we vniust and insufficient of our selues yet it is he that pardoneth our sinnes both passed and present For hee gaue himselfe for our redemption that is to say he hath been the Sacrifice by which our pardon hath been obtained God hath sent his Sonne to the end he might pardon our sinnes hee is the remedy against sinne to the end we should not fall into despaire We must haue recourse to Christ our Aduocate who continually defendeth our cause beseeching his Father for vs whom wee haue not onely for an Aduocate but for a Iudge too For the Father hath giuen all iudgement to the Sonne and consequently all penitent sinners haue great reason to hope that hee that is our Iudge is our Aduocate This faith is grounded vpon Christ as vpon a strong Rocke vpon which all the Saints of God haue rested themselues vntill the man of sinne had power to bring in new intercessions of Saints which faith all the Saints haue professed liuing here and vnto this day doe confesse that they are not saued by oblations or the intercession of any other God but by him they haue obtained Heauen of whom it is said in the Reuelation Chap. 5.9 Thou art worthy to take the Booke and to open the seales thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redcemed vs to God by thy bloud out of euery kindred and tongue and people and Nation and hast made vs vnto our God Kings and Priests You see how their humility and thankfulnesse doth still resound vpon the Earth when they acknowledge that they are entred into that place wherein they are by his bloud and confesse that they haue receiued all their good by him and whatsoeuer they enioy so long as they remaine in this life that they receiue no good thing but by their good Mediator and Intercessor Christ Iesus CHAP. IIII. Of Baptisme and the other Sacraments of the Romish Church THe things that are not necessary in the administration of Baptisme are the Exorcismes breathings the signe of the Crosse vpon the forehead and breast of the infant the salt put into his mouth spittle into his eares and nostrills the anoynting of the breast the Monkes Cowle the vnction of the Crysome vpon the crowne of his head and all other things consecrated by the Bishop as the putting the Waxe candle into his hands the cloathing him with a white garment the blessing of the water and so foorth All those things vsed in the administration of this Sacrament are not necessary they neither being of the substance nor required in the Sacrament of Baptisme from which things many take occasion of errour and superstition rather then edification to saluation
deep resentment hereof and will endeavour the consolation and reestablishment of many thousands of persons escaped from this Butchery who have chosen rather to quit their Houses and Goods than to make shipwrack of their Faith This also is an occasion which God by his providence hath set before your Highness to shew the incomparable zeale which you have for his service and Glory and to give to the Protestants an evident prof of the affection your Highness bears them and to confirm them in the confidence they have conceived of your Highnes Protection This all the Israel of God expects from your Highness upon this occasion looking upon your Highness as a Zerubbabel whom God hath sent for the repairing of his Hierusalem I beseech the Lord who by the marveilous dispensations of his Providence hath rais'd your Highnes to this great dignity that he would grant you to be the Protector of the people of God in all Nations as he hath in this and that he would long preserve your Highness to the end you may imploy the power he hath given your Highness for the accomplishment of his great Works for the defence of his whole Church the preservation of them which remain and the reestablishment of the desolate and afflicted for the propagation of his Gospell the advancement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and the Glory of his great name Which is the Prayer My Lord of Your Highness's most humble faithfull and obedient servant J. B. Stouppe TO THE CHRISTIAN READER AMongst all the Churches of Christ that do profess the pure holy Religion which he hath taught in his Word that of the Waldenses is the most considerable as well for her Antiquity as for the sharp and continuall persecutions it hath suffred Her Antiquity is such that no man can truly find out her beginning so that even her Adversaries say that the Heresie of the Waldenses thus they call their Doctrine began in the Apostles dayes and allwaies hath been in the Valley of Angrogna But of all the Certificates which many Papists have given of the antiquity of the Waldenses and of their Doctrine that of Reynerius a Roman Inquisitor whose VVritings have been procured to us by Gretserus the Jesuite is most remarkable for thus he speakes of them Amongst all the Sects that are in the World there is none that hath been or is still more perncious than that of the VValdenses or Leonistes for three Reasons First because it hath lasted longer than all others some saying it began in Sylvester his time others deriving them from the Apostles Secondly because it is so Universall that there is no Countrie where it is not Thirdly because the Professors of it live more uprightly before men and hold all the Articles of the Apostles Creed blaspheaming onely against the Church of Rome and hating it But however this Reynerius living about the end of the Eleventh age of the Church and the beginning of the twelfth and so there being above 400. years since he did call the Waldenses an old Sect he shew's cleerely they had then been a time in the Church Besides it is certain as we find in many credible Historians that 1160. a great number of faithfull souls call'd then the poor of Lions or Waldenses because they had been taught by Peter Waldus a man of great Erudition and singular pietie being persecuted at Lions by the Roman Clergie by reason of the Reformation which he procur'd unto the Church they retir'd into those Vallies where finding the Natives to be of their own opinions they compos'd together those reform'd Churches of the Waldenses which have ever since subsisted Which proves that the reformed Religion profest in those Vallies did not begin within an age or two of this as some ignorant adversaries say but that it hath been either from the very Apostles or from the * Bishop Usher de Successione c. Pag. 151. and 210. first ages and that the Waldenses found there the seed of the true Religion having nothing to do on either side but to encourage each other to do better and better and to set up the banner of truth in the view of the world Since that time those poor Churches have always been the mark for worldlings to shoot at and spend against them all the arrows of their malice Sathan hath done all he could against them and Antichrist hath spar'd nothing to destroy them fires have been kindled and flames blown up to reduce them into ashes they have had experiments of the barbarous crueltie of men And as there is no war so bloudie as that which is undertaken in hatred of Religion so to suffer proscriptions and exiles confiscations of goods and imprisoning torturing and killing of bodies have been the ordinary excercises of the faithfull in those Countries Yet notwithstanding the great Massacres acted therein from age to age God by his Providence hath allwaies preserved a considerable number of them which made up many fine and flourishing Churches although they were alwaies under the Cross I will not enlarge my discourse to make a description of the perjecutions they have suffered since a large Volume would not suffice for that I will only say something of those evills they have been exposed to these two lest years There was great probability they should of late in the time of their Princes Coronation enâ—oy some quietness and tranquillity since they had obtained the confirmation of their Possessions and old Priviledges but they were soon frustrate of their hope For the Court of Rome and the Popes servants and Agents did work so cunningly that they were deprived of the benefit of those Priviledges Commerce was forbidden them many men driven out of their Habitations and finally after the publication of a Croisade they were 1653. assaulted by a great Army which had wholly extirpated them if God had not assisted them by an extraordinary Rain which did oppose the endeavours of their Adversaries and made them vain And because this bloody Design did not succeed them well they endeavoured afterwards to ruin wholly those faithfull persons by extraordinary Impositions and Burthens much above their own strength and which were not set upon the Papists in those parts Thus they did engage them unto great expences to obtain again the Confirmation of their Priviledges and being obtained their Enemies exacted from them prodigious summes of mony to have it sealed Yea the matter was brought to that height of injustice to make them bear the charges of those who were come to fight and ruin them Besides all that there being a French Army in those parts it was sent to take its winte quarters in the midst of those Churches which thus were wholly deprived of what remained for their subsistence But all that was but a beginning of greater sorrow for if they had then cause to grone and sigh they have had since occasions to shed whole streames of teanes since they have try'd how far the crueltie of
even in this that the poor Protestants through the influence of their Adversaries and accusers upon the Magistrate were without hearing or the least Summons sentenced to banishment upon pain of death without giving them any respite or admitting them to make any Protestation or Appeal unlesse their Petitions were drawn in such form as might please the Commissioner who is the great Protector of this persecution and according to the mind of their Adversaries in such termes as they should prescribe whereby they must necessarily betray themselves and their Cause and then after execution of the foresaid penalty they have been pleased to give some of the poor Exiles a hearing and permitted them to plead their Cause and that onely by a Popish Advocate or Proctor who had been so charmed and terrified by the Clergy that before he entered upon the Cause he was faign to crave pardon upon his knees for undertaking to plead it And as for the pleading it was not managed before competent and lawfull Judges but the Protestants chiefest adversaries sat in judgment the Arch-Bishop of Turâ—n the Dukes Confessor the Abbot de la Monta the Prior of Rorene and some others devoted to the Court of Rome yea and in the Arch Bishops own house Moreover whereas according to certain Grants made by the Prince leave was given to the Protestants to dwell in their wonted habitations where they had a Toleration and it remaines on their part to be proved that those were the accustomed places of their habitation the matter was so handled by the Romish Clergie that they endeavoured as much as in them lay to hinder the Papists from giving any testimony on the behalfe of their Neighbours of the Reformed Religion concerning this their habitation which at length our brethren made a hard shift to wrest out of them to the exceeding regret and indignation of the Clergy and so proved at last by those authentick testimonials under the hands of their Popish Neighbours that all those places out of which they were driven have been places inhabited by Protestants time out of mind But to the end that it may more fully and clearly appear upon what account of right or wrong the Popish adversaries do incite their Soveraign the Duke of Savoy who is yet but young to the driving of the poor Protestants out of their antient patrimonies and places of abode in the midst of a sharp and terrible winter and this upon pain of death unlesse within three daies after publication of that decree of perpetuall banishment they immediately quit their native Country or else abjure the true and devote themselves and their families to the Romish Religion It is to be observed omitting the mention of their more antient rights and priviledges and the long possession which they have held beyond the memory of man that in the * They are to be seen in the History of the Martyrs set forth in French to the year 1561. Edicts set forth by the Dukes of Savoy and the agreements made for the Protestants enjoying a liberty of Religion the limits appointed for the publick preaching of the Reformed Religion do not extend so far as the dwellings of those men that professe it nor are the limits of their dwelling to be contracted into so narrow a compasse as the places limited for preaching But that the reformed professors have a right of habitation in those places out of which they are now expelled is evident not only by an antient prescription of many ages seeing their Fathers Grandfathers Great-Grandfathers and other their Ancestors have inhabited there before them but also by those very Grants and Concessions confirmed by Duke Charles Emanuel wherein it was acknowledged by publick Edict that this habitation was derived to them from their fathers For when he through the instigation of the Court of Rome had by a surreptitious dâ—cree commanded them to depart thence towards the latter end of the year one thousand six hundred and two afterward being well informed of their right he by an authentick Charter gave them leave to dwell there again for the confirmation of which Charter they paid six thousand Ducatoons into the Duke's Exchequer upon the 17th day of August Anno 1620. and it was confirmed again by the Prince now raigning upon the 29th of Decemberr Anno 1655. And yet now contrary to faith given upon the 25th of January last in the depth of winter not sparing even women with child near delivery nor those that had Infants hanging on their breasts they were all without distinction both men women and children driven out to wander through frost and snow in a most bitter season without the least warning or delay And no sooner had these old inhabitants quitted their antient inheritances for the saving of their lives but those savage Theeves that gaped after the prey presently fell to plundering and spoiling their houses driving away their Cattle felling and cutting down trees or else rooting them up In a word they destroy all and by this means attempt to drive these poor wretches to the utmost point of desperation and if any man endeavour to withstand or oppose them they immediately crie out he is a Traitour So I commend these miserable exiles to the mercy of God and the compassion of their brethren of the reformed Churches Andreas Galstaldus Doctor in Law Conservator and ordinary Auditor sitting in the Honourable Chamber of accounts of his Royall Highnesse and Generall Conservator of the holy Faith appointed to put in execution all orders which are published against the pretended Reformed Religion in the Valleys of Lucerne Perouse and St. Martin and particularly appointed by his said Highnesse for this speciall businesse ACcording to the power given us by his Highnesse by his Letters dispatched to us in due form signed Violetta and sealed bearing date of the thirteenth of this Month and in performance of the instructions given us as also at the instance made to us by Master Barth lomew Gastaldus intervening in the behalfe of the Royall Exchequer we ordain and command the first Sergeant or Bailiffe sworn to make command and injunction to all the heads of Families and to each particular of the pretended Reformed Religion of whatsoever estate condition and degree no inhabitant excepted possessing any goods in the territories of Lucerne Lucernette Saint John la Tour Bobiane Fenill Campiglion Bricheras and St. Seeond within three daies next after the publication hereof to relinquish and abandon with their Families the said places and to transport themselves into those places and limits which by the good pleasure of his Royall Highnesse are prescribed unto them viz. Bobiane the valley of Angrogne Rorata and Country of Bonetti under pain of life and confiscation of their houses possessous and goods which are extant without the said limits in case they cannot within twentie daies make proofe before us that they are Catholiques or that they have sold their estates unto some Catholiques His Royall Highnesse