able to follow them to the prisons where they would have secured them Twenty two persons who had for a long time layn hid in Woods and most of which were women and children were found by these murtherers on the Mountain of Pelue and thrown off into dreadful Abysses being miserably shattered and torn by the edges of sharp-pointed Flints on which the entrails of these poor wretches were seen to hang a long time after In the vale of Lucerna Susannah the wife of Daniel Violin Katherina the wife of James Negrin Anne Malanote and her daughter were stabb'd in the throats with Bayonets Some Soldiers having used all their endeavors to flea Daniel Pellene alive and seeing they could not get the skin over his shoulders they layd him on the ground and placed a great stone on his belly and made him thus expire Daniel Brumerol lost his life with a cord with which they fastned and straitned with a dreadful violence his head to his belly and privitys Anne and Magdalen Vittories and several others were burnt the wise of Daniel Monin was slayn with a Sword with which her head was cleaved asunder Anne Bastianne was thrown down from high Rocks into a dreadful bottom David Moudon had also his head cleaved asunder with the blow of a Sword. Margaret Salvajot having bin stript naked had several blows of a dagger struck into her body but she suffered not only a cruel death in her own person seeing that before she dyed these wretches had so bruised the head of her daughter but 7 months old against rocky places that the brains came out in the mother's sight They cut in pieces Mary Salvajot and poignarded Mary Durand for resisting the attempts made on her chastity They cut the throat of Mrs Bertrand the Minister's mother who was 80 years of age and lay bedrid A young maiden of Boby was fastned naked on her back on a Mule and thus exposed and led openly through all the Town of Lucerna Amongst a great number of Vaudoises which were hang'd in Boby there was one named Anthony Malanot on whom the Soldiers discharged their Guns several times after he was dead making their mark those parts of his body which modesty puts on scrupling the mention The Soldiers having found a woman named Jaimonate in a cavern of a Rock on the Collier's Mount they led her to the Marquess de Bavil Colonel to the Regiment of Savoy who askt her how long she had layn in that place and how she sustained her self she answered she had there hid her self 8 days and liv'd on the milk which a Goat she had taken along with her had yielded her They would have afterwards obliged her to tell them where the Vaudoises were who hid themselvs in Rocks and protesting she knew nothing in that particular the Soldiers after having given her a kind of torture in fastning and then straitning her fingers with matches to make her confess tyed her neck and heels and in this posture threw her down from an high Rock but being stopt in the way They with stones so bruised her that her bowels came out and at length beat her quite off in the presence of the Marquess de Bavil A youth of the Vallys named David Magnot whom this Marquess had a fancy to and had kept to wait on him having since gotten away was an eye-witness of this horrid action Daniel Moudon one of the Elders of the Church of Roras having bin the spectator of the death of John and James Moudon his two children whose heads the Soldiers cut off after he had seen the body of the wife of John ript up from the Navil and her daughter's brains beat out who was not above 6 weeks old and the two children of James cut in pieces one of which was 4 years old and the other 14 months was constrained by these Monsters to carry cross his shoulders the heads of his two sons and to march barefoot 2 hours journy near Lucerna where he was hang'd in the midst of these two heads which were fastned to a Gibbet There would be no end in reciting particular instances of these kinds of crueltys Neither shall we insist on the pitious death of so many Ancient and infirm people of all ages and both Sexes who perished thro' cold and hunger as well in Woods as holes in the Rocks We here pass over an infinite number of prisoners who were hang'd without any formality of justice on the arms of Trees and in Towns and Villages amongst which was Paul Megle an infirm young man who was carry'd out of his bed to execution What we have related may suffice I think to shew how far extended the fury of the Vaudoises Enemys We shall only then add here the death of Mr. Leidet which is equally worthy of pitty and admiration He was Minister of Prabz in the vale of St. Martin who had escaped at the Surrender of the Vallys and hid himself for some time in the holes of Rocks He was taken by a Detachment of Soldiers and carry'd away to Lucerna into the Pallace of the Marquess of Angrogne where was then the Duke of Savoy He was put into prison in a Tower of this Pallace and one of his feet lockt into a kind of Stocks where he long remained in this condition with bread and water not being able to lye down It was sayd he was taken with his arms in his hands but this appearing to be a false accusation as it was afterwards justifyed by those who took him he was left several months in Prison without having any judgment past on him and several Judges excused themselvs from medling with him Yet in the mean time no day past in which he was not exposed to the persecutions of the Monks and Popish Priests with whom he earnestly disputed touching his Religion and always confounded them They brought him one day two Bibles in which he shewed them so clearly the truth of his belief that they left him and shamefully withdrew after a dispute which held four hours They often put him in mind of his approaching death to affright him and told him several times there was no ways of escaping it but by turning Roman Catholic But he receiv'd the news of his death with great tranquillity He answer'd them that tho he well knew they could not justly put him to death seeing he was not taken with his arms in his hands and that moreover the Duke of Savoy had promis'd pardon to all his Subjects Yet was he ready to suffer what they might lay upon him esteeming himself very happy if he might suffer death for the name of Christ He strengthned by his example and exhortations the prisoners which were with him some of which had leave to come to him In fine the Monks and Fryers being enraged at his zeal and constancy found at length Judges compliant enough to condemn him to dye The day whereon he was executed the Recorder Salvay pronounced sentence on
him in the presence of several Monks which he heard read with admirable resignation not shewing the least trouble or alteration in his countenance The Monks left him not all that day altho he desired them several times to let him be in private that he might the better pray to God but they would not give over troubling him but forced him into disputes with them as believing he was not now in a condition to defend himself against them but he disengag'd himself with such smartness and presence of mind that they were all astonisht at it Yet this hinder'd them not from returning the next morning to have the satisfaction of tormenting him to the end of his life He sayd when he was going out of the Prison that this was a day of double deliverance for him seeing his body would soon be freed not only from it's corporal prison but his soul translated into immortal joy and felicity He went to the place of execution with inexpressible chearfulness and resolution both despising life which the Monks offered him and death which was now before his eyes He made a long and affectionate Prayer at the foot of the Scaffold with which those who stood by were sensibly touched He uttered these words on the Ladder My God into thy hands I commend my Spirit and dyed so edifying a death that the Fryers themselvs who would not leave him were forced to acknowledge he dyed like a Righteous person There only then remain'd in the Vallys some Inhabitants who preferring death before servitude would not hearken to the proposals of peace Some of these were in the Vally of St. Martin and although the one knew not the design of the others because the Army lying encampt between these two vallys they could have no Communication Yet they were all of the same mind and took both a resolution worthy of immortal praise They remain'd a long time hid and disperst in the Mountains to prevent falling into the Enemys hands who went every day out in small partys to surprise them One cannot sufficiently admire the constancy with which they endured all the wearynesses and miserys to which they lay exposed being often glad to feed on grass and the dogs and other beasts which came to prey on the Vaudoises dead bodys which lay unburied in the fields But the French and Banditi of Mondovi being retired they were not so strictly pursued by the Duke of Savoy's Army which remain'd alone in the Vallys Then it was that those who were in the vally of Lucerna began to come out of their hiding places to seek for food to sustain their languishing Spirits There were not in this vally above 42 men besides some women and children when they were all together met yet they made several attempts in the plain always loading themselvs with provision and other necessarys and worsted in several rencounters divers of the Enemys detachments and kil'd and put to flight a great number of the Savoyards who were come to inhabit in the Vallys and in fine performed for several months such gallant actions that they put the Enemys under contribution and forced them to furnish them with provisions for some time to hinder them from making their inroads into the plain We shall not now make a particular relation of these geuerous attempts lest we engage in a long discourse but content our selvs with saying that the Court of Turin having in vain attempted by force to exterminate them from the Vallys sent them pass-ports in good form under hand and hostages for greater surety of their retreat tho' those who carry'd these proposals to the Vaudoises wou'd by no means allow they acted by the Court of Turin's order They affirm'd on the Contrary that what they did was of their own motion and at the desire of some other Persons who undertook to obtain these pass-ports and deliver them hostages But it 's certain an affair of this nature cou'd not be carry'd on without a more than bare connivance from the Court of Turin For besides that no particular Person dared to have undertaken of his own head such a business the pass-ports which were dispatched did afterwards fully shew that all was done by the Court's order However the Vaudoises at first refused to hearken to this proposal whether they thought they ought not to put any confidence in the promises made them or whether resolving to perish themselvs but they wou'd deliver their Brethren out of Captivity Death being more sweet to 'em than life whilst they groan'd in their chains A while after this proposal was renewed and several considerations were offered to oblige them to an acceptance They were told that the Duke of Savoy had declared that as long as they were in arms the Prisoners shou'd not be released and they were positively promis'd that assoon as ever they were departed their Brethren shou'd be set at liberty So that the Vaudoises considering on the one hand that Winter came on and that they must expect no succors and on the other that their resistance might furnish their Enemys with a pretence for the detaining of the Captives they thereupon determind to depart their Country It was then agreed and resolv'd they shou'd leave the Vallys and depart with their Wives and Children arms and baggage in two troops or companys having their charges defrayed and they conducted as far as Switzerland at two several times by one of his Royal Highness's Captains with sufficient pass-ports That for the greater security of the first troop which shou'd set out hostages shou'd be left in the Vallys in the hands of the second who shou'd keep them till such time as they had heard that the first company was arriv'd and then this Captain shou'd deliver into their hands an Officer of his Relations for an hostage till such time the second troop or company shou'd be arrived This treaty was faithfully executed for those two companys happily got out of the Country into a place of surety with their arms and baggage under the conduct of this Captain We must not forget one remarkable circumstance which is that the Vaudoises wou'd never consent to leave the Country till such time as their kindred who were in Prison were released and sent to them whence it must be concluded that this treaty was mannag'd by the Court of Turin seeing these Captives cou'd not be released but by it's order The Vaudoises who were in the Vale of St. Martin did almost the same things as those had done in the Vally of Lucerna For altho' they were reduced at last but to 25 Men and some Women and Children yet they defended themselvs with such vigor and resolution that they also procured themselvs passes to retire to Switzerland with their Wives and Children arms and baggage We have already sayd that those in one Vally knew not what past in the other because the army cut off all communication Cou'd they have joyned or heard of each other no doubt
they had made a more advantagious composition and perhaps delivered their Brethren out of their captivity For if the Court of Turin were willing to keep an Army in the Vallys to hinder the attempts of the Vaudoises or design'd to People this Country with Savoyards who wou'd be far from inhabiting there as long as there were these People in Arms there is likelyhood that to get rid of them they wou'd have consented to the deliverance of the Prisoners Whilst these Vaudoises retired into Switzerland by means of their own Valor which procured 'em both hostages and letters of safe conduct the Evangelic Cantons did all they cou'd for the deliverance of the Captives They had wrote several times fruitlesly to the Court of Turin on this occasion But their zeal and charity being never weary'd they therefore convocated an assembly at Arau in the Month of September 1686 in which 't was resolv'd to demand again the releasment of the Prisoners they sent for this effect two Deputys to the Count de Govon the Duke of Savoy's resident at Lucerna in Switzerland and having shew'd him the reasons which engag'd the Evangelic Cantons to interess themselvs in behalf of the Vaudoises they entered into a treaty with him in the beginning of October with the consent of their superiors Which treaty obliges the Duke of Savoy to permit all the Prisoners to come into Switzerland and to Cloath them and defray the charge of their Journy till they came on the frontiers where the Evangelic Cantons wou'd take care of them and conduct them into the heart of their Country To the end they might not be in a condition to return to Piemont When this treaty was made it was without doubt unknown at Lucerna that the Vaudoises we now spoke off were already retired for there is an article which says that the Duke shou'd give them pass-ports in good form to enable them to depart safely and freely which wou'd not have been inserted in this treaty had what had past on their account been known However the Cantons immediatly ratifi'd this treaty which the Duke did not till some time after in a letter he wrote on this occasion in which he directs the course which the Prisoners were to take over Mountains then inaccessible and thro' the Country of Valay which depends neither on the Duke of Savoy nor the Switzers and thro' which there cou'd be no entrance without negotiating with the Bishop of Sion to whom it belongs It 's apparent 't was design'd to raise obstacles against the performance of this treaty otherwise they wou'd not have markt out the way into other Countrys than those of Savoy where the Roads lye more commodious to go into Switzerland The Evangelic Cantons complain'd of this to the Count de Govon about which having writ to the Court of Turin the Duke at length gave order they shou'd pass thro' Savoy to the Canton of Berne and caus'd the Prison doors to be set open but this was not before the midst of Winter and in so rigorous a season that according to all appearances those who had escaped the hardships in the Prisons must perish in their way It will be very difficult to represent all the miserys and calamitys which the Captives have endured during nine Months imprisonment Yet there are exact memorials of what hath past in each particular Prison which is matter enough for a particular history But we shall content our selvs with giving some general representations of the miserys they have suffered They were carry'd then into Prison at divers times and as fast as they surrendred themselvs or were taken They were dispers'd to the number of twelve Thousand Men Women and Children into 14 Prisons or Castles of the states of Piemont and were more or less severely used according to the humor of those who were the keepers of the Prisons but it 's certain they were every where exposed to great hardships and sufferings Their allowance in every Prison was but bread and water neither had they enough of that in some Prisons they had very black bread allow'd 'em which had no substance and such as was kneaded with filthy water that run down the kennels and in which was found all manner of nastyness In other places they had stinking water giv'n them and such as cou'd not be drank but by those who were ready to perish with thirst They were obliged in some places to go and fetch water out of horse-ponds and wherein were dogs thrown at the same time they took it In certain places they were not suffered to draw water out of wells that being judg'd too good for them In other places they were permitted to have water only at certain hours out of which they were not to have any which has occasion'd several sick Persons to expire thro' need of a glass all of water to refresh them They were forced all of 'em to lye on bricks with which the floors are paved in Piemont without straw or if they had any giv'n them in some places it was either such as was so short that it was mere dust or else such as was musty They were so straitned and pen'd up in some Prisons that they cou'd not stir without great difficulty and when they dyed which every day hapned the apartments were fil'd up with others that they might have no more ease The stifling heat of the summer and the filthy corruption with which the Chambers were infected by reason of the sick had engendred such a great quantity of lice that the Prisoners cou'd have no rest either night or day They were also troubl'd with great worms which gnaw'd their skins There were several sick people who may be sayd to have been the worms food in their life time For these poor people not being able to rise up they were so gnaw'd with them that their skin being already rotted fell off from their flesh in small pieces and in this miserable and languishing condition did they lye till their deaths had put an end to all their sufferings They did not only endure all the inconveniencys of an excessive heat but moreover those of a severe cold seeing that in the midst of Winter they had never any fire giv'n them nor any cloaths to warm them altho' they were in high rooms the greatest part of which lay exposed without windows to the weather They never had any light allowed 'em in the Winter or Summer to relieve the sadness of their conditions in the dark nights and to help the sick amongst them several of which have perished for want of succor A great many Women have also dyed in Child-birth for want of help in the night and their loss has been follow'd with that of their Children who have receiv'd death at the instant wherein they shou'd have obtain'd life Sick people have bin severed from the sound and layd in open places exposed to the injurys of the Air the winds and storms But this cruelty
has bin in some sort a kindness seeing it has brought them to the end of their miserys in the end of their lives In other prisons there have bin several children sick of the small Pox lay'd in wet yards and under the spouts to have the water fall on them They were not contented in not assisting the sick themselvs they also hindered charitable people from bringing them broth and other necessarys When the prisoners have dared to complain of the little charity shew'd them they have bin laden with injurys threats and blows They were told that instead of shewing them compassion they should be used like dogs till they were all dead There was scarcely any prisoner who was not burthened with some distemper There have bin so many sick that no less than 75 have bin counted to lye ill at one time in a Room There have bin taken out of the prisons a great many young children notwithstanding the tears and supplications of both them and their Parents In fine the prisoners have underwent such hardships that it 's scarce credible there should be so much cruelty amongst those who bear the Christian name were it not well known to what point the Enemys of the Vaudoises have extended their fury But we cannot doubt of the excess of their rage when 't is notorious that above eight thousand of these poor creatures have expired under the weight of this cruel slavery Yet as if it was not enough that their bodys were thus afflicted they have bin moreover persecuted in their souls For the Monks and Fryars have used all possible means to make them change their Religion But God had endued them with the grace of persevering to the end and there were few who fell under the burthen of the temptation Those who turn'd were not used so severely as the rest but were notwithstanding detain'd in captivity The prisoners were in this piteous condition when the Duke of Savoy caus'd to be publisht in the prisons the order which permitted them to go forth and retire into Switzerland This publication was not made every where in the same manner nor at the same time but successively and according as the prisoners were set at liberty Yet it was read in most of the prisons by an Officer of Justice who causing the prisoners to come before him declared to them that all those who would depart out of the States of Piemont to go into Switzerland might do it and even those who had promis'd to change their Religion because the promises which had bin made in prison were to be considered as forced and consequently void He added they were at liberty either to go or stay if they became Catholicks Yet the prisoners had not all the liberty of choice which they pretended was granted them For the Monks and Officers of the Prisons who were present at this publication endeavor'd to avert the effect of it Sometimes they were told that the rigour of the season and the cruelty of the Soldiers which conducted them would destroy a great part of them in the way Other times they were flattered with the hopes of returning into their own houses if they would abjure their Religion But these considerations not being able to prevail on them they were many times grieveously beaten as it happen'd in the Prisons of Ast where the Governor gave them a thousand blows with a Cane in the presence of the Auditor Leonardy They were shut up in Dungeons and in the most noysom and filthy parts of the Castles of Queirasque and others In fine there were so many obstacles layd before them that some fall under the temptation and yielded to a change of Religion But instead of resetling them in their houses they were lead as it were into captivity into the Province of Verceil the least grateful and most barren place in all the Duke's Dominions We must not omit some Circumstances which are considerable enough the one that several young children as well those who were brought up in prison as others who were disperst over Piemont having known that liberty was granted the prisoners prest earnestly to go with their Fathers and Mothers but this could not be obtained the other that the permission of departure was not publisht in the Prisons of Lucerna but only fixt up at the place to the end the prisoners might not have the advantage of it and in fine the prisoners who were in the Dungeons of Ast and their familys which were in the Cittadel of Turin had not the benefit of this Declaration Soon after this publication the Vaudoises were made to set forth in several Troops or Companys which were conducted to Geneva by the Duke's Officers and Soldiers It was promis'd by this treaty made with the Count de Govon that the Captives should be cloathed and yet there were nothing given them but some ragged old coats and breeches but it was not only in this point that the Treaty was not executed it was violated in several others of greater importance For besides the crueltys which were exercis'd on several Companys they were bereaved of a great many of their children in their journy There hapned two things amongst others from which one may judge of the rest The one regards the prisoners which were at Mondovi who about Christmas were told there was an order the Contents of which was that if they did not immediatly depart this liberty would be revoked the next morning These miserable poor creatures were all in a sick and languishing condition Yet did they choose to be gon immediatly without any convoy and to expose themselvs to eminent danger rather than to groan any longer under this cruel Captivity They set out then in a night the most cold and incommodious imaginable and travelled 4 or 5 Leagues without resting on Snow or Ice but with that misfortune that there were above 150 who fell by the way and dyed their brethren not being able to give them any assistance The other respects the prisoners which were at Forsan There were a company of these poor Captives who having layn at Novalaise at the foot of Mount Senis perceiv'd the next morning at their setting out that a great storm was rising on this Mountain Some of this company shew'd the storm to the Officer who conducted them and entreated him to stay till it was past and not to expose them to apparent danger and to have pitty on so many persons most of which were without any strength or spirit they also told him that if he would be so charitable to them they should ask him for no bread choosing rather to abide without any nourishment than to throw themselvs into this danger But this Officer had the cruelty to make them travel immediatly and to Sacrifice a part of them to his barbarity For there were fourscore and six who perished on the Mountain by the storm These were Ancient infirm people women and small children who had not strength to resist the severity