cast out like a Dogge It is neither true nor hath it any resemblance of truth that they should deny him this last office of charitie which they haue not refused to bestow vpon their greatest enemies for it was neuer heard of that the Albingenses haue denied scpulture vnto any As touching the Earle of Foix Remond he was a Prince of whom the Historie giues this testimony that he was a Patron of Iustice clemency prudence valour magnanimitie patience and continency a good Warriour a good Husband a good Father a good House-keeper a good Iusticer worthy to haue his name honoured and his vertues remembred throughout all generations When this good Prince saw that he was to change the earth for heauen he defied death an assured constant carriage and tooke comfort in forsaking the world and the vanities thereof and calling his sonne Roger vnto him hee exhorted him to serue God to liue vertuously to gouerne his people like a Father vnder the obedience of his Lawes and so gaue vp the ghost His Wife the Lady Philippe of Moncade followed him shortly after not without suspition of poyson by some domesticall enemy of the Albingenses whose religion she professed with all deuotion A Princesse of a great and admirable prouidence faith constancy and loyaltie She vttered before her death many excellent sentences full of edification as well in the Castilian tongue as the French in contempt of death which she receiued with a maruellous grace fortifying her speeches with most Christian consolations to the great comfort and edification of all that were present and in this estate she changed her life All these deaths made a great alteration in the wars of the Albingenses both on the one side and the other CHAP. V. Almaric of Montfort restored to King Lewis the eight the conquered Countries of the Albingenses the siege of Auignon the King appointeth a Gouernor in Languedoc The warre continues against the Albingenses Toulouze is besieged a treatie of peace with the Earle Remond and the Toulouzains ALmaric of Montfort had not the fortune of his Father in the warres of the Albingenses For he had neither King Philip Auguste who permitted the leuie of the Pilgrims nor Pope Innocent the third to appoint them Moreouer there was neither Citie nor Village in France where there were not widowes and fatherlesse children by reason of the passed warres of the Albingenses And besides all this the Prelats were many times put into great feares by those cruell combats that were ordinarily made and many of them left behinde them their Miters and some Abbots their Crosses The speech of the expeditions of the Crosse was not so common This was the cause why Almaric did not long enioy his conquered Countries wherewith being much afflicted hee went into France Inuentory of Serres in the life of Lewis the eight and deliuered vp vnto Lewis the eight of that name King of France all the right that he had to the said Countries which the Pope the Councels of Vaur Montpelier and Lotran had granted vnto him and in recompence thereof King Lewis created him Constable of France 1224. in the yeare 1224. To put himselfe into possession King Lewis the eight came into Languedoc and comming to the gates of Auignon he was denied entrance because professing the Religion of the Albingenses they had beene excommunicated and giuen by the Pope to the first Conquerour for then Auignon was no chiefe Citie of the Earldome of Venessin as at this present but belonged to the King of Naples and Sicily The King being much moued with this deniall resolued to besiege it which continued for the space of eight moneths in the end whereof they yeelded themselues about Whitsontide 1225. in the yeare 1225. During this siege almost all the cities of Languedoc acknowledged the king of France by the mediation of Mr. Amelin Archbishop of Narbonne The King established for Gouernour in Languedoc Imbert de Beauieu and tooke his way to France but hee died by the way at Montpensier in September in the yeare 1226. The young Remond Earle of Toulouze was bound by promise to the king to goe to receiue his absolution of Pope Honorius and afterwards he should giue him peaceable possession of all his lands but the death of the king in the meane time happening he saw the Realme of France in the hands of king Lewis a childe and in his minority and the regency in the power and gouernment of his mother Hee thought that hauing to deale with an infant king and a woman regent he might recouer by force that which he had quit himselfe of by agreement He therefore resolued to take armes being encouraged thereunto by the succours of the Albingenses his subiects who were in great hope to maintaine their part in strength and vigor during the Non-age of the King of France but they were deceiued in their proiect For though Lewis the ninth were in his minoritie yet he was so happie as to haue a wise and a prudent mother if euer there were any For King Lewis the eighth before his death had appointed her the Tutrix or Gardianesse of his sonne and Regent of the Realme knowing very well her great capacity and sufficiency Besides Imbert de Beauieu maintained the authority of the king in Languedoc tooke armes and made opposition against the Earle Remond and the Albingenses The History of Languedoc fol. 31. The Queene sent him diuers troopes by the helpe whereof he recouered the Castle de Bonteque neare to Toulouze which was a great hinderance to Imbert and his portizans All the Albingenses that were found within the Castle were put to death and a certaine Deacon with others that would not abiure their Religion by the commandement of the said Imbert Amel the Popes Legat and the aduise of Guyon Bishop of Carcassonne they were burnt aliue 1227. in the yeare 1227. suffring death with admirable constancy The more the persecution increased the more the number of the Albingenses multiplied which Imber of Beauieu perceiuing he went to the Court to let them vnderstand that without succours he could no longer defend the countrey and the places newly annexed to the Crowne and patrimony of France against the Albingenses and the Earle Remond In the meane time whilest he was absent the Earle Remond tooke the Castle Sarrazin one of the strongest places that Imbert had in his keeping and holding the field did much hurt to his enemies 1228. Imbert came from France at the spring of the yeare one thousand two hundred twenty eight accompanied with a great Armie of the Crosse in which there was the Archbishop of Bourges the Archbishop of Aouch and of Burdeaux euery one with the Pilgrims of their iurisdiction The Earle Remond retired himselfe into ToulouZe where he was presently shut vp and all the country round about euen haruest and all spoiled and wasted Being brought to this extremitie Hist of Lang. fol. 33. the Abbot of
either die valiantly in fight or vanquish his enemies And to this purpose he many times conferred with the sonne of the King of Aragon lately slaine how he might carrie himselfe to finde a meanes to be reuenged of his Fathers death The Legat Bonauenture in the meane time vseth the same subtletie with the Earle Remond of Toulouze He perswadeth him to goe to Rome to determine his affaires with the Pope more peaceably than with the Earle Simon The Monke of the Valley Sernay Chap. 133. especially because he was charged with the death of his owne Brother the Earle Baudoin taken in the Castle d'Olme in the Country of Cahors because he had there borne Armes against him an action that had made him odious both to God and men and which his enemies did exaggerate to the end they might stirre vp the Pilgrims to take vengeance on him saying That at the very point of death they had denied him a Confessor and that the said Bodoin prayed vnto God that he would raise vp some good Christians to reuenge the wrong done vnto him by his brother as by another Caine. The son of the Earle of Toulouze named also Remond vnderstanding that his Father was to take his iourney to Rome he went with letters from his Vncle the King of England to the Pope intreating him to doe iustice to his brother in Law The young Lord had beene brought vp vntill then in England where he could no longer spend time seeing his Father oppressed with warres and continuall trauels he therefore resolued to vse his best endeuours for his deliuerance either by composition or by armes The cause of the Earle Remond was debated before the Pope There was a Cardinall that maintained Idem Chap. 152. that great wrong had beene offered those Lords who had many times giuen of their best lands to the Church to witnesse their obedience The Abbot of St. Vberi also tooke their part with great courage and resolution The Earle Remond likewise defended his owne cause charging the Bishop of Toulouze with many outrages and that if hee had beene constrained to defend himselfe he must accuse those that had driuen him to that necessitie for had he not made resistance he had long agoe beene vtterly ouerthrowne That the Bishop of Toulouze had many times caught vnto him the fairest of his reuenewes and being neuer satisfied did still continue to vex him parting his goods with the Earle Simon of Montfort and that their onely auarice had beene the cause of the death of ten thousand men of Toulouze and of the pillage of that faire and great Citie a losse which could neuer be repaired The Charterie of Lion did also shew vnto the Pope that the Bishop of Toulouze had alwaies kindled the fire and warmed himselfe at the flame Arnaud de Villemur did also present himselfe before the Pope demanding Iustice for that the Legat and the Earle Simon had inuaded his lands he knew not wherefore since he had neuer bin but obedient to the Church of Rome relating at large the euils murders saccages robberies burnings which the said Legat and Earle vnder the cloake of the seruice of the Pope and the Church had done and therefore it was necessarie that that maske should be taken away which would otherwise turne to the dishonour of the Pope and the Church and some speedy course should be taken for the establishing of peace and procuring the good of the Church Remond of Roquefeuil of the Country of Querci Chass lib. 4. Ibid. related also many villanies committed by the said Earle of Montfort beginning with that which had beene done against the Earle of Beziers whom he caused miserably to die in prison inuaded his Lands and ruinated his Subiects and so proceeded to all that had passed against the other Lords who were constrained to defend themselues against his violences The Pope was much moued with these outrages and would willingly haue done some iustice but that it was told him that if hee should cause the Earle of Montfort to make restitution of that which was taken for the seruice of the Church that he should not from hence-forward finde any that would fight either for the Pope or the Church As also that if hee should determine the restitution yet the Earle Simon had reason not to giue ouer his hold vntill hee were fully satisfied for his trauels and expences The Pope returned these affaires to the Legat commanding him in generall termes to restore the Lands to all those that shewed themselues faithfull to the Church and as touching the sonne of the Earle Remond The Monke of the Valleis Sernay Chap. 152. his pleasure was that that Land that the Earle Remond had in Prouence that is to say The Earldome of Venisse should be reserued either in part or all for the maintenance of his sonne prouided that he gaue good and assured testimonies of his loyaltie and good conuersation shewing himselfe worthy of diuine mercy They being returned demanded of the Legat the execution of their Bulls requiring the restitution of their Lands The Legat answered that he had certaine restraints for the determining whereof there needed some time that therefore they should in the meane time shew fruits worthy their amendment and that then they should receiue what the Pope had decreed otherwise not When the Earles saw how they were deluded they resolued to come to blowes CHAP. II. Remond the sonne of the Earle Remond tooke Beaucaire The Bishop of Tholouze betrayeth the Citizens of Thoulouze The Earle Simon vseth the Inhabitants of Tholouze very ill They defend themselues to his confusion A new expedition Remond taketh Thoulouze Simon of Montfort comes thither and after many combats he is in the end slaine with a stone cast by a woman His armie is put to flight THe first exploit of warre of Remond the the sonne of the Earle Remond was the taking of Beaucaire where hee made himselfe Master of the Citie afterwards hauing almost famished those in the Castle the Earle Simon being no way able to succour them made a composition for those that were within it that is that they should depart onely carrying with them their baggage and necessary furniture The Earle Simon lost at that place a hundred Gentlemen which he laid in ambush neere the Citie which they within perceiuing made a salley forth and cut them in peeces The young Earle Remond wonne great renowne at this siege and gaue the Earle Simon to vnderstand that his sonne Aimeri should haue in this young Lord a thorne in his foot that should make him smart as much as in his time he had giuen cause of trouble and vexation to his father The Earle Montfort went from hence to rauage and make spoile at Thoulouze The Bishop was gone thither before and told the Consuls and Principall of the Citie that they were to make their appearance before the Earle Simon They went vnto him but to their great losse for they
things sacramētall Tit. 12. Chap. 10. Le Sieur de la Popeliniere in his hihorie of France l. 1. Claud. Rubis saith that the heresies that haue bene in our times haue bene grounded vpon the heresies of the Waldenses and he cals them the reliques of Waldo Aeneas Syluius who was afterwards Pope Pius the second of that name And Iohn Dubrauius Bishop of Olmusse in their histories of Bohemia make the doctrine taught by Caluin all one with that of the Waldenses Thomas Walden who writ against the doctrine of Wickliffe saith that the doctrine of Waldo crept out of the quarters of France into England Whereunto agrees le Sieur de la Popeliniere who addeth that the doctrine of the moderne Protestants differs very little from that of the Waldenses which saith he being receiued into the parts of Albi the Albigeois communicated it vnto the English their neighbours who then held Guienne from whence it was dispersed into many parts of England and so at the last as it were from hand to hand it came to the vnderstanding of Wickliffe a famous professour of diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Oxford and Pastor of the parish of Luterworth in the Diocesse of Lincolne who for his eloquence and rare gifts wonne the hearts of many of the English euen of the greatest men amongst them insomuch that a certaine scholler carried vnto Prage a booke of Wickliffes called the Vniuersalities which being diligently read ouer by Iohn Hus he increased and explaned the doctrine long before sowed in Bohemia by the Waldenses and was in a manner hid from the time of Waldo in such sort that many of the people schollers Nobles and Ecclesiasticall persons themselues followed the same doctrine The Cardinall Bellarmine saith Bellar. Tom. 2. lib. 1. Chap. 26. col 86. Ecchius in his common places Chap. 28. that Wickliffe could adde nothing to the heresie of the Waldenses Ecchius layes an imputation vpon Luther that he hath done nothing else but renew the heresies of the Waldenses Albig Wickliffe and Iohn Hus long since condemned Alphonsus de Castro saith Alphonsus lib. 6. against heresies pa. 99. that Wickliffe hath done nothing else but brought to light the errours of the Waldenses Arnold Sorbin priest of Monteig reprocheth the cities and townes of Saint Antonin Montauban Millan In the historie Frier Peter of the valleys Sernay fol. 172. Castres Puylorens Gaillac and others of the Albigei and Languedoc that they haue done nothing but reuiue the errours of the Albigeois Iohn de Cardonne in his Rimes in the forefront of the historie of the said Monke of the valley Sernay saith thus In the historie of the Monke of the valleys Sernay What the sect of Geneua doth admit Th'hereticke Albigeois doth commit Anthony d'Ardene of Tholouse in the same booke saith Ibid. Wherewith our Hugonites seasoned were The same intention the selfesame care We need not therefore dispute any longer of the antiquitie of this doctrine but onely of the puritie thereof since that not onely by the affirmation of those that were aduersaries to the Waldenses and the last reformation there are whole ages during the which the substance of that beleefe hath remained in diuers persons who crying out against the abuses which haue crept into the Church haue bene oppressed by persecutions And for as much as it is denied that we haue had a succession of such instruments who haue opposed themselues from time to time against those corruptions and errours which haue borne sway we will produce in the Chapter following a catalogue both of those which our aduersaries haue named and put to death and of those whom the Waldenses haue had for their Pastors for these foure hundred and fiftie yeares last past at leastwise of as many as haue come to our knowledge CHAP. IX The names of those Pastours of the Waldenses who haue instructed them for foure hundred yeares last past and haue come to our knowledge WAldo from whom the Waldenses tooke their name began to teach the people in the yeare of our Lord a thousand one hundred and sixtie In his first table of Differ pa. 150. Le Sieur de Sancte Aldegonde obserueth that at the same time that Waldo began to shew himselfe and to teach at Lions God raised others in Prouence and Languedoc among whom the principall were Arnold Esperon and Ioseph of whom they were named Arnoldists Iosephists Esperonists though because their doctrine was first receiued in Albi in the countrie of the Albigeois they were commonly called Albigeois in such manner that on the one side the Waldenses and on the other the Albigeois were as the two Oliues or the two lampes which Saint Iohn speaketh of whose light did spread it selfe through all the corners of the earth At the same time saith he followed Peter Bruis whereupon many called them Peter Brusiens To whom there succeeded in doctrine one Henry the one being a Priest the other a Monke and they taught in the Bishoprickes of Arles Ambrun Die and Gap from whence being chased away they were receiued at Tholouse There was a certaine man saith he called Barthelmew borne at Carcassonne Idem ibid. p. 151 that ordered and gouerned the Churches in Bulgaria Croatia Dalmatia Hungaria and appointed Ministers as Mathew Paris reports naming him their Pope or Bishop and alledging to that purpose the letter which the Bishop of Portuense Legate to the Pope in the parts thereabouts writ to the Archbishop of Roan and his suffragans demanding succours and assistance against them insomuch that they were at the last constrained to retire themselues into desarts following that prophesie in the 12 of the Reuelation which saith that the woman great with child that brought forth a man child which is the true Church of God should in such sort be persecuted by the Dragon which cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood so that she was constrained to flie into the wildernesse where she should be nourished for a time and times and halfe a time or for the space of forty two moneths or a thousand two hundred and threescore dayes Rainerius makes mention of two famous Bishops of the Waldenses viz of one Belazinanza of Verona one Iohn de Lugio who taught amongst them after the abouenamed about the yeare a thousand two hundred fifty Arnold Hot pastor amongst the Waldenses maintained the disputation at Mont Real whereof we shall make mention in his due place Lollard was also in great reputation amongst them both for a Commentary which he had written vpon the Reuelation as also for that he had giuen knowledge of their doctrine in England of whose name the Waldenses were called Lollards The Waldenses of the valleys of Angrongne of Dauphiney Prouence and Calabria haue had for their Pastors these whose memories they haue preserued for aboue three hundred yeares past that is to say
Purgatory a fable Points that being receiued were sufficient to ouerthrow all the authority of the Pope to drie vp all the riuers of gaine and grease of the Clergy And therefore Innocent the third who succeeded Pope Celestine the third of that name about the yeer 1198 tooke another course then that of the ordinary Bishoppes to frame the proces against the Waldenses and others whom he called Heretickes He authorized certaine Monkes who had the full power of the Inquisition in their hands and framed the Proces deliuered to the secular power by a full and absolute authority and a far shorter way but much more cruell deliuering the people by thousands into the hands of the Magistrates the Magistrates to the executioners whereby in a few yeers all Christendome was much moued by those pittifull lamentable spectacles to see all those burnt or hanged that did trust only in one Lord Iesus Christ for their saluation and renounced the vaine hopes inuented by men for their profit which was all the fruit of that aforesaid Inquisition which we shall speake of in the Chapter following CHAP. II. Of the Inquisition by whom it was first put in practise by what subtilties and cruelties the VValdenses haue been vexed by it IN the beginning of the prosecution of the Popes vtterly to exterminate the Waldenses they were content with the meanes aboue mentioned in the precedent Chapter but either because the busines went but slowly forward or because notwithstanding those meanes the number increased in such manner of those that beleeued that these meanes were fouÌ„d to be weake it was resolued by Pope Innocent the third to assay whether by the way of preaching hee could obtain that which by violence he could neuer doe He sent therefore certaine Bishops and Monkes who preached in those places of the Waldenses that were suspected to professe their religion but as he saith The Treas of Hist in the yeere 1206. that writ the Treasure of Histories the said Preachers conuerted not any but a few poore people but for the most part saith he they still persisted in the profession of their faith In Gallia Narbonensi there were imployed two Monks that is to say Pierre de Chateauneuf Lib. Inquisit cap. de non occidendo fol. 100. Sic fuit oecisus Sanctus Petrus de Ordine fratrum Praedicatorum and Dominique born at Calahorre in Spaine to whom they ioyned a certain Abbot of Cisteaux and in a throng as it were together there came many other Priests and Monkes amongst the rest a certain Bishop of Cestre The Monke Pierre de Chateauneuf was slain in this busines and for that canonized for a Saint Dominique continued in his persecution of the Waldenses both in deed and word This Monke seeing himselfe to bee in authority Mâ—ynes qui mandient instituted an Order of begging Monkes who after his name were callad Dominicans and the said Monke was canonized and his Order confirmed by Pope Honorius being warned saith hee to doe it by a dreame For it seemed to him that the Church of Rome was falling and that Dominique vpheld it with his shoulders in recompence whereof the said Pope commanded that the said Order should haue the first place among the Mendicants Mandians The Martirologe in the life of Dominique It is said of this Monke that his mother when shee went with childe with him shee did dreame that shee had in her wombe a dogge that cast out flames of fire out of his throat His followers interpret this to his aduantage as if hereby we were giuen to vnderstand that hee should be that dogge that should vomit out that fire which should consume the Heretikes But on the contrary they whom hee euery day deliuered vnto death might well say that hee was the dogge that had set on fire all Christendome and that the flames that came out of his throat doe note vnto vs those fiery and infernall sentences which he pronounced against the Christians Howsoeuer hee caried himselfe so well in these affaires that before hee died he built many goodly houses in Languedoc Prouence Dolphine Spaine and elswhere by which hee had obtained great reuenewes either from the liberality of those that affected his Order or the Confiscations of the Waldenses by which the Count Simon of Montfort gaue him great priuiledges and almes as cutting large thongs of another mans leather He laboured in the Inquisition as the chiefe with such contentment to the Popes that from that time forward the Monkes of his Order haue been alwaies imployed in the Inquisition The power giuen to these Monkes Inquisitors was without limits For they could assemble the people whensoeuer it pleased them by the sound of a bell proceed against the Bishops themselues and send out proces if there were need to imprison and to open the prisons without controle All manner of accusations was auailable enough A Sorcerer a Harlot were sufficient witnesses without reproch in the fact of pretended heresie It was no matter who did accuse or whether by word of mouth or by tickets cast in before the Inquisitor for without any personall appearance or confronting one another the the proces were framed without party without witnesse and without other law then the pleasure of the Inquisitor To be rich was a crime neere vnto heresie and he that had any thing to lose was in the way to bee vndone either as an Hereticke or at the least as a fauourer of heretikes One bare suspition stopped the mouthes of fathers and mothers and kinsfolke that they durst not intercede for punishments to come and he that did intreat for the conuey of a cup of cold water or a little straw to lye vpon in some stinking dungeon was condemned for a fauourer of Heretickes and brought to the same or worse extremities There was no Aduocate that durst vndertake the defence of his nearest kinsman or friend or Notary that durst receiue any act in his fauour And that which was more after that a man was once intangled within the snares of the Inquisition he could neuer liue in any assurance for hee was alwaies to beginne againe For if any man were set at liberty it was only for a time till they might better consider of it Death it selfe made not an end of the punishment for they haue left vnto vs certaine coppies of their sentences against the bones of the dead to dis-interre and to burne them yea thirty yeeres after the decease of the party accused They that were heires had nothing certaine for vpon any accusation of their fathers or kindred they durst not vndertake the defence of their owne right or possesse their owne inheritance without the crime or suspition of Heresie and that they rather inherited their bad faith and opinions then their goods The people yea the most mighty and richest amongst them were constrained in a manner to adore these Monkes the Inquisitors and to bestow vpon them great Presents for
the building of their Couents and dotations of their houses for feare to bee accused of Heresie and not to be estemed zealous for the faith of those holy fathers And the better to entertaine men with an apprehension of these things they sometimes made shewes and brauadoes of their prisoners leading them in triumph at their Processions some being enioyned to whip themselues others to goe couered after the manner of St. Benedicts that is to say with certaine red Cassockes with yellow crosses to signifie that they were such as had been conuinced of some errour and that at the first offence they should afterward commit they were already condemned for Heretickes Others appeared in their shirts bare-foote and bare-headed with a with about their neckes a torch in their hands that being thus prepared and furnished they might giue terror to the beholders to see such persons of all estates and sex brought to so miserable a condition being all forbid to enter into the Church but to stay in the porch or to cast an eye vpon the Hoste when it was shewed by the Priest vntill it was otherwise determined by the Fathers the Inquisitors And for the full accomplishment of the contentment of the said Fathers their accused were exiled for a penance into the holy Land or enrolled for some other expedition against the Turkes or other Infidels leuied by the command of the Pope to serue the Church for a certaine time at their owne charge and in the meane time the said holy Fathers tooke possession of the goods of the poore Pilgrims and that which was worst of all at their returne they must not enquire whether the said Monkes had in their absence any priuate familiarity with their wiues for feare lest they should be condemned for back-sliders impenitent and altogether vnworthy of any fauour Now these violences being executed from the yeer a thousand two hundred and six which was about the time that Dominique erected his Inquisition to the yeere one thousand two hundred twenty eight there was so great a hauock made of poore Christians that the Archbishops of Aix Arles and Narbonne being assembled together at Aingou in the said yeere 1228 at the instance of the said Monkes the Inquisitors to confer with them about diuers difficulties in the execution of their charge had compassion of the misery of a great number that were accused and kept in prison by the said Monkes the Inquisitors saying It is come to our knowledge See the Catal. of the Test of the truth pag. 534. that you haue apprehended so great a number of the Waldenses that it is not only not possible to defray the charge of their nourishment but to prouide lyme and stone to build prisons for them we therefore counsell you say they that you defer a little such imprisonments vntill the Pope may bee aduertised of the great numbers that haue been apprehended and that he doe aduise what pleaseth him to bee done if not there is no reason you should take offence for those that are impenitent and incorigible Vous tuissies or that you should doubt of their relaps or that they should escape away or hauing their liberty should infect others because you may condemne such persons without delay There needs no other proofe then this of the aforesaid Prelats to make it appeare that the number of those whom the Inquisition had deliuered vnto death was very great For touching the question moued by the said Inquisitors whether they that haue frequented the company of the Waldenses and haue receiued the Supper of the Lord with them are to be excused because they say they offended out of ignorance not knowing that they were Waldenses The the answer of the said Prelats was that they were not to be excused Because say they who is so great a stranger as not to know that the Waldenses haue been punished and condemned for these many yeers since and who knoweth not that for a long time they haue been pursued and persecuted at the charge and trauell of Catholikes this pursuit being sealed by so many persons condemned to death if it cannot be called into doubt And yet neuertheles the speech of the said Prelats being conferred with that which George Morell in the yeer a thousand fiue hundred and thirty hath written it would be none of the least wonders that God hath wrought that notwithstanding the bloody persecutions after Waldo his time in the yeere a thousand one hundred sixty George Morel in his memorials pa. 54. there were according to the report of Morel aboue eight hundred thousand persons that made profession of the faith of the said Waldenses As touching the subtleties of the said Inquisitors we should not haue had any knowledge thereof but from such as haue escaped from the Inquisition of Spaine but that it was the will of God that their cunning trickes should not bee so closely hid but that wee had examples thereof euen from themselues Behold then the crafty subtleties of the Inquisitors which serued them for a rule in the framing of their proces against the Waldenses It is not expedient to dispute of matter of faith before lay-people No man shall be held for a penitent man if he accuse not those that he knowes to be such as himselfe He that accuseth not those that are like vnto himself shall be cut off from the Church as a rotten member for feare lest the members that are found should be corrupted by him After that any one hath been deliuered to the secular power great care must bee taken that hee bee not suffered to excuse himselfe or to manifest his innocencie before the people because if be he deliuered to death it is a scandall to the lay-people and if hee make an escape there is danger of his loyalty Good heed must bee taken not to promise life vnto him that is condemned to death before the people considering that an Heretike will neuer suffer himselfe to bee burnt if hee may escape by such promises And if he shall promise to repent before the people if he haue not his life granted vnto him there will arise a scandall amongst them and it will be thought that he is wrongfully put to death Note say they that the Inquisitor ought alwaies to presuppose the fact without any condition and is onely to enquire of the circumstances of the fact as thus how often hast thou confessed thy selfe vnto Heretickes In what chamber of the house haue they layen and the like things The Inquisitor may looke into any booke as if he found there written the life of him that is accused and of all that he enquires of It is necessary to threaten death to the accused if he confesse not and to tell him the fact is too manifest that it is fit he should thinke of his soule and renounce his Heresie for he must die and therefore it shall bee good for him to take patiently whatsoeuer shall light vpon him And if he
would restore any thing of that which he detained And therefore they summoned before the King and his counsell the said Arch-bishop Master Pons Counsellor of the Parliament at Grenoble Peter de Rames Esquier Lord of Poit Faix de Rames the Master of Montainard and of Argentiere Arrouars de Bonne and diuers other ordinary Atturnies Priests and Burgeses of Ambrun and Briancon They sent to the Court and hauing there more friends and credit then the Inhabitants of Frassiniere Their excuse was receiued wherein they declared that it was not in their power to restore the said goods before the Pope had absolued them And the Arch-bishop protested that hee for his part was ready to restore all that his Predecessors had vnited to his Church prouided that they had the aforesaid absolution This occasioned such as were lesse affected and constant to assay this way and to send to Pope Alexander the sixt of that name then Bishop of Rome But they were compelled rather not to goe to Rome but to fetch a writ of absolution from the Cardinall Legat in France George of the title of Saint Xist which would suffice and might be obtained with lesse charge For the obtaining whereof they had the Commissary the Kings Confessor They sent therefore one Steuen Roux who who brought two Bulles one by which he gaue absolution for Simony theft murder vsury Adultery dedention of Benefices destruction of goods Ecclesiasticall violence against Clerks by beating them vnlawfull oathes periuries Fraudes yea Apostacy and Heresie and whosoeuer had committed any crime were it neuer so hainous this Cardinall absolued them from all by his Apostolicall authority And forasmuch as his Arch-bishop might pretend that the said Bull did not absolue the said people of Frassinieres hauing been condemned by the said Apostolicall authority by Commissioners and Inquisitors deputed by the Pope and therefore his mouth was stopped he brought another Bull in which there was especially this clause Hauing power from the Pope to decide or determine any matter that any other that hath been deputed by that holy Sea or substituted can doe yea where there hath been an appeale absoluing all that haue in any manner been condemned This poore man thought he had gotten much and proceeded far in this busines but the Arch-bishop Rostain flouted his Bulles saying that they were obtained with too great a price and importunity and that he must haue an absolution from the Pope himselfe And so resolued with himselfe to restore nothing and all the rest followed his example And notwithstanding they had had absolution from the Pope yet they would haue restored nothing for he knew well inough that in those daies all things were sold at Rome witnesse those Latine verses which were written against the said Alexander the sixth Vendit Alexander cruces altaria Christum Emerat ille prius vendere iure potest Pope Alexander sold altars Christ and his crosse He bought them had he not sold had liued by the losse Againe Templa Sacerdotes Altaria Sacra Coronae Ignis Thura Preces Coelum est venale Deusque Temples Priests Altars Crowns they sell for pelfe Fire Frankincense Prayers heauen and God himselfe which is to be vnderstood of their breaden god in the Masse The Arch-bishop therfore was the cause why others kept still those goods in their possession without any restitution and though some particular persons were afterwards called into question as namely Le Sieur de Montainar de Rames and others yet they could neuer haue any remedy 1560. In the yeere one thousand fiue hundred sixty the Waldenses of Frassiniere and Pragela had their Churches furnished with Pastors who held them in the exercise of their religion at that time wherein they persecuted vnto death all those that made profession of reformation The President Truchon made an Oration to the States of Prouence assembled the same yeere the sixt of Nouember of purpose to exterminate the said Waldenses of Frassinieres and Pragela saying that it was necessary to purge the old and ancient Leuen likely to make soure the whole Country of Dauphine if some course were not taken to preuent it By these States it was re-resolued by open force to extirpate them and by armes and to this purpose Commissions were giuen forth to leuy troopes of men and to passe into the said Valleies but so soone as the drumme was strooken vp and the men in armes throughout Prouence the vnexpected death of King Francis the second of that name altered the designe and afterwards the said Waldensian Churches in Dauphine continued as still they doe by the singular fauour of God CHAP. IIII. Of the Waldensian Churches in Piedmont and those persecutions they endured that are come to our knowledge THE Waldenses haue had famous Churches in the Valleis of Piedmont Angrongne la Perouse the Valley Saint Martin Lucerna and other bordering places for time out of minde It is held for certaine amongst them that they are a part of the Waldenses of Dauphine Pragela Frassinieres and other places their neere neighbours and that in time being multiplied in so great abundance that the Country could not feed them they were constrained to disperse themselues at length and at large where they might best settle themselues So deare like brothers haue they been one to another and notwithstanding they haue been alwaies oppressed with troubles yet with a most hearty loue and charity they haue euer succoured one another not sparing their liues and goods for their mutuall conseruation The first troubles that the Waldenses of Piedmont endured came from the report of certaine Priests sent thither by the Arch-bishop of Turin who informed that the people that were committed to their charge liued not according to the manners and beliefe of the Church of Rome neither offering for the dead nor caring for Masses or absolutions nor to get any of theirs out of the paines of Purgatory by any of their vsuall meanes The Arch-bishops of Turin haue persecuted them as much as lay in their power making them odious to their Princes who vnderstanding of the good report that their neighbours gaue of their milde honest conuersation Vignaux in his memorials fol. 7. and that they were a simple people fearing God of a good carriage without deceit or malice louing integrity and plaine dealing alwaies ready to serue their Princes and that very willingly they yeelded vnto them all dutifull obedience and that with alacrity Being in such grace and fauour with the people their neighbours that they endeauoured to bring into Piedmont to their seruice their yong people and to prouide their nurses amongst them to bring vp their yong infants the said Princes continued a long time in a purpose not to molest them but the Priests and Monkes that were frequent amongst them gaining nothing by this their beliefe charged them with an infinite number of Calumnies and whensoeuer they went into Piedmont vpon occasion of businesse they alwaies caught one or
other and deliuered him to the Inquisitors and the Inquisitors to the executioner In such manner that there was hardly any Towne or Citty in Piedmont in which one or other of them was not put to death For Iordan Tertian was burnt at Suse Hypolite Roussier was burnt at Turin Villermin Ambroise was hanged at Meane as also Anthony Hiun Hugh Chiampe de Fenestrelles being taken at Suse was conueied to Turin where his bowels were torne out of his belly and put into a bason and hee afterwards cruelly martyred among which the seruants of God there were some who haue maintained that truth which they haue knowne for aboue two hundred and fifty yeeres and others aboue a hundred and fifty But amongst all the rest the constancy of one Catelin Girard is worthy the remembrance who being vpon the blocke whereon hee should bee burnt at Reuel in the Marquisate of Saluces he requested his executioners to giue him a coupple of stones into his hands which they refused to doe fearing he had a purpose to fling them at some one or other but hee protesting the contrary at the last they deliuered them vnto him Vignaux in his memorials fol. 7. who hauing them in his hands said vnto them when I shall haue eaten these stones then shall ye see an end of that religion for which you put me to death and so cast the stones vpon the ground The fires were kindled vntill the yeere one thousand foure hundred eighty eight 1488. at what time they resolued to assault them by open force because besides that they perceiued that the constancy of those whom they did publikely put to death drew a great number of others to the knowledge of God they likewise found that by this meanes they should neuer come to their purposed designe And therefore they leuied men to ioyne with Albert de Capitaneis one put in Commission by Pope Sixtus the fourth and Innocent the eight There were eighteene thousand souldiers mustered besides a great number of the Inhabitants of Piedmont who ran to the pillage from all parts They marched all at once to Angrongne Lucerne la Perouse Saint Martin Prauiglerm and Biolet which is in the Marquisate of Saluces as also they raised troopes in Vaucluson in Dauphine ouerrunning the Valley of Pragela to the end that being bound to their owne defence they might not be able to fauour their neighbours the Waldensian Churches in Predmont All this was guided by the singular prouidence of God in that they diuided their troopes by bands rather out of their pride then for their better expedition For notwithstanding they were all imployed in their owne defence and could not succor one another yet the enemy by this diuision did so diminish their forces that they were euery where beaten but especially in the Valley of Angrongne where they made their most violent assault For as this leuy of men could not be raised without some aduertisement that it was against themselues so accordingly they prepared themselues to receiue them keeping themselues to the straight passages where few men were able to make any assault being armed with certaine long targets of wood that did wholly couer them and wherein the arrowes of their enemies strooke without any hurt to themselues The formost being thus armed and couered the rest did good seruice and with good aduantage with their bowes and crossebowes vnder the couert of the said targets and as the enemy thought to draw neere to the passages the women and children being spectators vpon their knees cried out in their owne language O Dio aiutaci c. O God helpe vs. Whereat the enemies making themselues merry amongst other one Captaine Saquet counterfeiting the said women was slaine and cast headlong from the mountaine into a deepe bottome which to this day is called the Gulfe of Saquet At the same time a certaine Captaine named le Noir de Montdeni cried out to the women that prayed vnto God i miei i miei faranno la passada as much to say as the souldiers cried out to them to put them to death was killed with the shot of an arrow in the throat which the souldiers perceiuing and that the rockes the stones and the arrowes couered them they betooke themselues all to their heeles and the greatest part of them cast themselues downe from the rockes This people obserued another effect of the prouidence of God and that is that the enemies approaching to the strongest place by nature which is the Valley of Angrongne called le Pre de la Tour where they might haue fortified themselues and made themselues masters of the said Valley God sent so thicke a cloud so darke a fogge that the enemies could hardly see one another insomuch that they had no leasure or meanes to know the goodnes of the place or to stay there whereupon the VValdenses gathering courage followed the chase in such manner that being all dispersed and not seeing which way they went the greatest part fell headlong downe the mountaines and put themselues vnto flight quitting themselues of their armes and their booties which they had gotten at their entrance in the Valley where they had powred out their wine their corne and loaded their seruants with their most precious moueables It pleased God to touch the heart of their Prince with some compassion of this poore people It was Philip the seuenth of that name Duke of Sauoy and Prince of Piedmont who said that he would not haue that people that had been alwaies true and most faithfull and obedient vnto him to be rigorously handled by way of Armes being contented that a dosen of the principall amongst them should come to Pignerol where hee was to aske pardon for all the rest for that they had taken armes in their defence which he gaue them to vnderstand by a certaine Bishop whom he sent to Praisut they deputed the said dosen to do whatsoeuer his Highnesse required of them Hee receiued them louingly and forgaue them all that was past during the warre paying a certaine summe of money for the charges thereof And forasmuch as he had been informed that their young infants were borne with blacke throats and that they had foure rowes of teeth and hairy hee commanded that some of them should be brought to him to Pignerol which was presently executed and seeing them all faire and perfect creatures hee was much displeased with himselfe for that he was so easily perswaded to beleeue that which was reported vnto him touching this people declaring withall that his pleasure was that from thence forward they should liue with the self-same liberties and prerogatiues as in former times and as all his other subiects of Piedmont did Notwithstanding all this the Moneks the Inquisitors sent out proces euery day for as many of them as they could apprehend especially they kept themselues in ambush in a certaine Conuent neer vnto Pignerol from whence they deliuered them to the secular power This persecution
in their wounds there were ingendred a great quantity of wormes which fed vpon them being aliue they not knowing how to remedy it vntill some one or other hauing compassion on them gaue them secretly lyme which caused them to fall from them They died almost all miserably in prison Nine of the chiefe and hansomest amongst them were lost and it was neuer knowne what became of them after they were deliuered to the Fathers of the Inquisition This Inquisitor retired himselfe to Saint Agathe where hee deliuered a great number to the secular power and if any man offered to intercede for them he caused him to be put to the racke as a fauourer of Heretickes in such sort that in the end there was not any that durst to open his mouth in their behalfe Pope Pius the fourth of that name sent for their destruction the Marquis of Butiane with promise that if he would doe that good office to the holy Sea as to cleere Calabria of those Waldenses that had there taken footing he would giue vnto his sonne a Cardinals hat The Marquis tooke no great paines to execute his Commission for the Monkes the Inquisitors and the Viceroy of Naples had almost put all to death that they could apprehend hauing sent to the Galleys of Spaine the strongest of them and condemned to perpetuall banishment the fugitiues sold and killed woman and children As touching their Ministers Steuen Negrin was sent to prison at Cossence were he died with famine Lewis Paschal was carried to Rome where he was condemned to be burnt aliue Pope Pius the fourth would needs feede his eye with this last punishment of him that had maintained him to be Antichrist being present at his death with many of his Cardinals But the Pope could haue wished himselfe elswere or that Paschal had been mute or the people deafe For he spake many things against the Pope out of the word of God which gaue him a great deale of discontent Thus did this good man die calling vpon God with an ardent zeale that he much moued the standers by and made the Pope and his Cardinals to gnash their teeth for anger Thus haue you seen the end of the Waldenses of Calabria who were wholly exterminated For if any of the fugitiues be returned it is vpon condition that they liue according the lawes of the Church of Rome CHAP. VIII Of the Waldenses inhabiting in Prouence and the persecutions which they haue suffered THe Waldenses inhabiting in Prouence in the parts of Cabrieres Merindol la Coste and other places neere adioyning haue been held for the originall of-spring of the Waldenses inhabiting in Dauphine and Piedmont as it may very well appeare by the families of the same name as also there are amongst them that can proue their progeny or of-spring And vpon this occasion it was that they of Calabria soiourned in in Prouence that is to disburden their Valleys of the great multitudes of people that were there And though in the beginning of their arriuall in Prouence the Country where they made their abode was a desart yet they made it in few yeeres fertile and fit by the blessing of God to yeeld Corne Wine oyle of Oliues Chestnuts and other fruits and that in great aboundance The first persecutions which they suffered are not come to our knowledge notwithstanding we finde euen at this day the Commissions that haue been giuen by the Popes and Anti-popes residing in Auignon very neere to the place of their abiding against the Waldenses inhabiting in Prouence as that of the Arch-deacon of Cremona See before in the 3. Chap. 1380. Albert de Capitaneis and of the Monke frier Minor Francis Borelli hauing Commission against them in the yeer 1380 to make inquiry of the Waldenses in the Diocesse of Aix in Prouence Arles and Selon As also when they were retired into the said Prouince in the yeere 1228 1228. when the Arch-bishop of Aix Arles and of Narbonne were assembled at Auignon to giue aduice to the Inquisitors touching the Waldenses See Chap. 2. who then said as you haue heard before that the Inquisitors had apprehended so great a number that there was not onely a want of victuall to feed them but of lyme and stone to build their prisons It is most certaine that then the Waldenses of Prouence dwelling as it were in the very gates of the Popes Palace and about their Earledome of Auignon were not forgotten But forasmuch as we haue no Copies of instruments that may make good the said persecutions we will insert into this discourse nothing but what we shall be able sufficiently to proue The first persecution is that whereof we haue the History in the time of King Lewis the twelfth about the yeere 1506 That is 1560. that this good King being informed that there were in Prouence a certaine kind of people that liued not according to the lawes of the Church of Rome but were an accursed people committing all manner of wickednesse and villanies euen such as the very memory of them strooke a horrour into mens hearts and the Christians in the primitiue Church had been vpbraided with he gaue Commission to his Court of Parliament in Prouence to take knowledge thereof and to chastise them according to their merit Whereunto the said Court hauing diligently attended so soone as the King vnderstood that diuers innocent persons were put to death he limited the authority of the said Court and would not suffer them to continue their executions Vesembecius in Oratione de Waldensibus vntill he were truely informed what kind of people they were that to him had been reported to be so wicked To this purpose he sent Master Adam Fumee his Master of requests who told him at his returne that what had been giuen him to vnderstand touching the Waldenses of Prouence was very vntrue for they were not any way tainted either with sorcery or whoredome but that they liued like honest men doing hurt to no man they caused their children to be baptized taught them the Articles of their beliefe and the Commandements of God they carefully kept the Lords day and the word of God was purely expounded vnto them Vesembecius in Orotione de Waldensibus His auditis Rex iureiurando addito me inquit caetero populo meo Catholico meliores illi viri sunt A certaine Iacobin Monke named Parui confessor to the King witnessed as much who by the King was ioyned in Commission with the said Master of Requests Which the King hauing vnderstood he said and bound it with an oath that they were honester men then himselfe or the rest of his Catholike people This persecution being staied by King Lewis the twelfth they continued in peace vnto the raigne of King Francis the first of that name and at what time there was some speech in France of a reformation of Religion they sent two of their Pastors that is to say George Morel of Frassinieres
in Dauphine and Peter Masson of Burgundy to Oecolampadius Minister at Basse to Capito and Martin Bucer at Strasbourg and to Benthand Haller at Berne to conferre with them about matters touching their Religion and to haue their aduice and counsell about many points wherein they desired to be better satisfied The Letters which Oecolampadius and Bucer sent vnto them are set downe at length in the first Booke of this History the Sixt Chapter where I endeauoured to make it appeare vnto the world that many great personages amongst them that made profession of reformation haue giuen testimony of their piety and probity which is the reason why we insert them not againe in this discourse onely we will produce those of the Waldenses in their own language and afterwards in English Saluta Monseignor Oecolampadio CAr moti racontant a sona a nostras oreillas que aquel que po totas cosas c. The Letter of the Waldenses of Prouence to Mr. Oecolampadius Health to Master Oecolampadius FOrasmuch as diuers haue giuen vs to vnderstand and the report is come vnto our eares that he that is able to doe all things hath replenished you with the blessings of his holy Spirit as it well appeares by the fruites we who liue farre distant from you haue thought good to haue recourse vnto you and with ioyfull hearts we hope and trust that the holy Ghost will illuminate vs by your meanes and will satisfie vs concerning many things whereof we are now in doubt and are hidden from vs because of our ignorance and negligence and as it is to be feared to our great hinderance and the people whom we teach with great insufficiency For that you may know at once how matters stand Wee such as we are weake instructers of this little flocke haue remained for aboue foure hundred yeeres in the middest of sharpe and cruell thornes and yet in the meane time not without the great fauour of Christ as all the faithfull can easily testifie for this people hath many times been deliuered by the fauour and mercy of God being gored and tormented by the said thornes And therefore we come vnto you to be counselled and confirmed in our weaknesse They writ another Letter to the same purpose to Martin Bucer the which for breuities sake we omit wherein they relate that they had addressed themselues for the selfe same cause to their brethren of New-castle Morat and Berne which shewes how carefull the Waldenses were to seeke out all manner of meanes that their vnderstandings might be enlightned in the mysteries of piety for the saluation of their soules especially seeing that then they sought the meanes to aduance and order their Church in the open view of the world when the fires were kindled throughout all France against those of the same Religion that they were who in those times were called Lutherans The greater therefore that their zeale was the more they stirred vp their enemies against them and plunged themselues into the greater dangers But as all are not victorious by faith but there are alwaies some weake who take counsell of the flesh and perswade themselues without reason that they can crooch and bow themselues in those places where God is offended by idolatry and yet keepe the heart pure and neate vnto God Oecolampadius from thence takes occasion to write that which followeth to be deliuered to those dissemblers which walke not with an vpright foote before God The Letter of Oecolampadius written to the VValdenses of Prouence who thought they could serue God by prostituting their bodies before Popish Idols Written in the yeere 1530. Oecolampadius desires the grace of God the Father by his Sonne Iesus Christ and his holy Spirit to his well-beloued Brethren in Christ who are called VValdenses WEe vnderstand that the feare of persecution hath made you to dissemble in your faith and that you hide it Now we beleeue with the heart to righteousnesse and confesse with the mouth to saluation but they that feare to confesse Christ before the world shall not bee receiued by God the Father For our God is truth without any dissimulation and as he is a iealous God he cannot endure that they that are his should ioyne together vnder the yoake of Antichrist for there is no communiō of Christ with Belial And if you communicate with the infidels in going to their abominable Masses you cannot but perceiue their blasphemies against the death and passion of Christ For when they glory in themselues that by the meanes of such sacrifice they satisfie God for the sinnes of the liuing and the dead what can follow but that Iesus Christ hath not sufficiently satisfied by the sacrifice of his death and passion and consequently that Christ is not Iesus that is a Sauiour and that he died for you in vaine If then we haue communion at this impure table we declare our selues to be one body with the wicked how irkesome so euer it be vnto vs. And when we say Amen to their prayers doe we not deny Christ What death should we not rather chuse What paine and torment should we not rather suffer Nay into what hell ought we not rather to plunge our selues then to witnesse by our presence that we consent vnto the blasphemies of the wicked I know that your weaknesse is great but it is necessary that they that haue learned that they are bought by the blood of Christ should be more couragious and alwaies feare him that can cast both body and soule into hell And what shall it suffice vs to haue a care of this life onely shall that be more precious vnto vs then that of Christ And are we contented to haue tasted the delights of this world onely Crownes are prepared for vs and shall we turne backe againe And who will beleeue that our faith hath been true if it faile and faint in the heat of persecution Let vs therefore pray vnto God to increase our faith For certainly it shall be better for vs to die then to be ouercome by temptations And therefore brethren we exhort you to diue into the bottome of this businesse For if it to be lawfull to hide our faith vnder Antichrist it shall be likewise lawfull to hide it vnder the Empire of the Turke and with Dioclesian to adore Iupiter and Venus nay it had been lawfull for Tobit to adore the calfe in Bethel And what then shall our faith towards God be If we honour not God as we should and if our life be nothing but Hipocricy and dissimulation he will spew vs out of his mouth as being neither hot nor cold And how doe we glorifie our Lord in the middest of our tribulations if we deny him Brethren it is not lawfull for vs to looke backe when our hand is at the plough neither is it lawfull to giue eare to our wiues entising vs to euill that is to say to our flesh which notwithstanding it indure many things in this world yet in
compassion hauing made an ouerture for them they were beaten backe into the fire with pikes and holberds The rest of these men that were found hidden in the caues were brought into the Hall of the Castle where they were horribly massacred in the presence of the said Opede As for the women and children that were found in the Temple they were exposed to the chiefe Bands and Ruffians of Auignon who slew about eight hundred persons without distinction of age or sexe About the end of this execution le Sieur de la Coste kinsman to Opede came thither who intreated him to send him some men of warre offering to bring all his souldiers into Aix and to make as many breaches in the wall as hee would which was granted by word of mouth but not wholly performed For three Ensignes of foot-men were sent thither who pillaged whatsoeuer seemed good vnto them burnt a part of the Towne rauished women and their daughters and killed some Boores not finding any resistance In this meane time the rest of those of Merindol and other places were in great extremities in the mountaines and rockes persecuted by Opede and his army They intreated him that hee would permit them to retire themselues to Geneua with the rest of their wiues and children promising to leaue behind them all their goods Hee answered that hee would send them all to dwell in the Country of hell with all the diuels them their wiues and children in such a manner that there should be no memory left of them King Francis being aduertised of those cruelties that were executed in pursuit of the said arrest was much displeased therewith in such sort that at the very point of death being wounded with some remorse of conscience principally because it had all passed vnder his name and authority being sorry because hee could inflict no punishment vpon them before his death that had shed so much innocent blood hee gaue in charge to his sonne Henry to bee reuenged on them in prosecution whereof after the decease of his father hee sent out his Letters Patents in the yeere one thousand fiue hundred forty nine by which hee tooke vnto himselfe and into his owne hands the cause of the said Waldenses of Prouence but there was none but the Aduocate Guerin that was hanged because hee had falsty informed the King when hee kept backe the reuocation of the first retention of the cause of those of Merindoll whereupon presently followed the execution of the Arrest of the Court of Parliament of Aix And all the rest that were faulty escaped vpon this consideration that it was to no purpose to attempt any more against the Lutherans at that time Touching the rest that escaped this massacre some there were that retired themselues to Geneua others into Switzerland others into Germany and others continued neere thereabouts tilling their land by stealth and so by little and little returned home to their old habitations which they built and repaired at such times as they could by the benefit of the aforesaid Edicts and were afterwards the seed of many goodly Churches which at this day are gathered together flourishing in all piety and zeale as other Churches in the Kingdome of France CHAP. IX Of the Waldenses that did flie into Bohemia and those persecutions which they suffred that haue come to our knowledge Albertus de Capitaneis lib. de origine Waldensium Thuanus in historia sui temporis pa. 457. Petrus Valdus eorum Antesignamus patria relicta in Belgium venit atque in Picardiam quam bodie vocant multos sectatores nâ—â—tus cum inde in Germaniam transisset per Vandalicas ciuitates diu diuersatus est ac postremo in Bohemia consedit See what is said of these two Barbes before in the first booke Chap. 9. DIuers haue written that Waldo at his departure from Lion came into Dauphine and from thence hauing erected and ordered some Churches and laid the foundations of them which haue been miraculously preserued vnto this present time he went into Languedoc and there he left excellent Pastors who ordered and instructed those Churches that afterwards cost the Pope and his Clergy so much to destroy and from thence he went into Picardy from whence being chased he tooke his iourney into Germany and from Germany he retired himselfe into Bohemia where according to the opinion of some he ended his dayes The Waldenses inhabiting in Dauphine Piedmont and Prouence haue had communion and intelligence with their Brethren retired into Bohemia for proofe whereof we haue the message of Daniel de Valence and Iohn de Molin Pastors in Bohemia who did much hurt to the Churches of that Country by reuealing vnto the aduersaries those flockes or companies which before were hidden and vnknowne because of the great and grieuous persecutions that then were Vineaux in his memor fol. 15 We haue also a certaine Apology of the Waldenses of Bohemia in the Waldensian tongue in the forme of a Letter which they wirt to King Ladislaus wherof the Inscription is Al Serenissimo Princi Rey Lancelao A li Duc Barons a li plus veil del Regne Lo petit tropel de liChristians appella per falce nom falsament Pauuers o Valaes Gratia sia en Dio lo Pairest en Iesus lo Filli de luy This Letter makes proofe of the Communion which the Waldenses of Dauphine haue had with those of Bohemia in that they haue had in their language this Letter which containes a iust Apology against those impostures and other faults which in former times haue been imputed to the one and to the other and haue been common with the Christians of the primitiue Church We haue also in the same volume a treatise the inscription whereof is this Aico es la causa del nostre despartiment de la Gleisa Romana That is to say This is the cause of our separation from the Church of Rome Causes which haue been common with all those that haue withdrawen themselues from that Church for feare of participating of her plagues The Author of the Catalogue of witnesses of the truth Flac. Ill. in catal test verit p. 116. makes mention of a certaine forme of Inquisition which was practised against the Waldenses of Bohemia vnder King Iohn which was about the yeere 1330. As also in another Inquisition this is noted that the Waldenses of Bohemia sent into Lombardy to the Waldensian Doctors those whom they would haue trained vp in the profession of Diuinity Lib. de origine EcclesiaruÌ„ Bohemiae pa. 273. Sed cum oppressae tyrannide Pontificia conuentus publicos nullos haberent neque scripta horum extarent vlla ignotae nostris prorsus fuere Esrom Rudiger in narratiâ—ncula de Ecclesijs fratrum in Bohemia Valdenses ad minimum CCXL annis originem nostram antecedunt In the treatise of the beginning of the Churches of Bohemia at what time the doctrine of Iohn Hus was there receiued the Pastors Ancients and
that the truth had ouercome him hee became a member of that Church which hee had a long time before persecuted to the death The other Inquisitors being aduertised of this alteration were much displeased and they sent presently so many after him that in the end hee was apprehended and brought to Heidelberg where he was burnt maintaining that it was iniustice and wrong to condemne so many good men to death for the righteousnesse of Christ against the inuentions of Antichrist 1391. Krautzin Metrop l. 8. p. 18. in Sax. l. 8. cap. 16. In the yeere 1391 the Monkes Inquisitors tooke in Soxony and Pomerania foure hundred forty three VValdenses who all confessed that they had been instructed in that beliefe for a long time by their ancestors and that their teachers came from Bohemia 1457. In the yeere one thousand foure fifty seuen the Monkes Inquisitors of the Diocesse of Eisten in Germany discouered many VValdenses which they put to death They had amongst them twelue Pastors that instructed them We must not ouerpasse the thirty fiue Burgesses of Mayence that were burned in the Towne of Bingue because they were knowne to be of the beliefe of the VValdenses nor the fourescore which the Bishop of Strasbourg caused to be burnt in one fire nor that which Trithemius recounts that they confessed in in those times that the number of VValdenses was so great that they could goe from Cologne to Milan and lodge themselues with hostes of their owne profession and that they had signes vpon their houses and gates whereby the might know them But the most excellent instrument amongst them that God imployed in his seruice was one Raynard Lollard who at the first was a Franciscan Monke and an enemy of the VValdenses but yet a man carried with a sanctified desire to finde the way of saluation wherein he had so profited that his aduersaries themselues were constrained to commend him Iohn le Maire in the 3. part of the diff of Schismes in the 24. scisme For Iohn le Maire puts him in the ranke of those holy men that haue foretold by diuine reuellation many things that haue come to passe in his time This worthy man taught the doctrine of the VValdenses was apprehended in Germany by the Monkes Inquisitors and being deliuered to the secular power was burnt at Cologne This man hath writ a Commentary vpon the Apocalipse where hee hath set downe many things that are spoken of the Romane Antichrist This was he of whom the faithfull in England were called Lollards where he taught witnesse that Towre in London which at this present is called by his name Lollards Tower where the faithfull that professed his Religion were imprisoned CHAP. XII Of the VValdenses that haue been persecuted in England ENgland hath been one of the first places that hath been honoured for receiuing the Gospell for not long after that VValdo departed from Lion there were many condemned to death as VValdenses that is to say eleuen yeeres after the dispersion of the VValdenses of the Citty of Lion For Waldo departed out of Lion 1163. Math. Paris in his History of England the said yeere 1174. in the yeere one thousand one hundred sixty three and Mathew Paris reports that the Monkes Inquisitors caused some of the Waldenses to be burnt in England in the yeere 1174. And Iohn Bale makes mention of a certaine man that was burnt at London in the yeere 1210 that was charged with no other matter 1210. Iohn Basle in the Chronicles of London Thomas Walden in his sixt volume of things sacramentall tit 12. chap. 10. then that hee professed the Religion of the Waldenses Thomas Walden an English man hath writ that in the time of Henry the second the Waldenses were grieuously persecuted and that they were called Publicans And as for those in whom they found not cause enough to condemne vnto death they marked them in forhead with a burning key to the end they might be knowne of euery man This beliefe of the Waldenses was better known in the time of the wars against the Albingenses insomuch that as le Sieur de la Popeliniere hath well obserued the proximity of the lands and possessions of the Earle Remod of TholouZe La Popiliniere in his History of France l. 1. with Guienne then possessed by the English and the aliance of the King of England brother in law of the said Remond made the way more easie to the English not onely to succour one another in their wars but also to take knowledge of the beliefe of the said Albingenses which was no other but that of the Waldenses to the end that they might support them though the violence were vniust and extreame against those whom the English were many times constrained to defend against those who vnder the pretence of Religion inuaded his lands Frier Rainard Lollard was then the most powerfull instrument which God vsed by exhortations and sound reasons to giue knowledged to the English of the doctrine for which the VValdenses were deliuered to death This doctrine was receiued by Wicklif as it is noted in the Booke of the Beginning and confession of the Churches of Bohemia who thereby obtained much helpe for the increase of his knowledge in the truth He was a renowned Theologian in the Vniuersity of Oxford and parson of the parish of Luterworth in the Diocesse of Lincolne an eloquent man and profound Scholler He won the hearts of many English euen of most honorable of the land as the Duke of Lancaster vncle to King Richard Henry Percy Lewes Gifford and the Chancellor the Earle of Salisbury By the fauour of of these great personages the doctrine of the VValdenses or of Wicklif tooke footing and had free passage in England vntill Gregory the eleuenth persecuted those that receiued it with allowance by meanes of his Monkes the Inquisitors the fiers being kindled in England for many yeeres to stay the course thereof but it was all in vaine for it hath been maintained there maugre Antichrist vntill his yoke was wholly shaken off True it is that the bones of Wicklif were dis-interred aboue thirty yeeres after his death and condemned to be burnt with such bookes as his aduersaries could recouer but he had before enlightned so great a number that it was beyond the power of his enemies altogether to depriue the Church of them For by how much the more they indeauoured to hinder the reading and knowledge of them by horrible threats and death it selfe the more were the affections of many sharpned to reade them with greater ardency It is likewise said that a certaine Scholler hauing carried into Bohemia one of the books of the said Wicklif intituled His Vniuersals and deliuering it to Iohn Hus he gathered that knowledge from it that made him admirable in Bohemia and edified all those who together with him did very willingly free themselues from the seruile yoke of the Church of Rome Lib. de
the aforesaid businesse which was to bring him backe againe to the beginning of all his misery The Earle Simon pressed the Legat to proceed in the fact of the Earle Remond either to absolue or to condemne him to the end he might know whether he should hold him for a friend or for an enemie of the Pope and of the Church to be at peace with him or to make war against him The Legat Milon commanded him to appeare in his owne person because he would know once for all Chass lib. 3. pag. 129. how he and his subiects liued with them that is to say with the Earle Simon and the Church The Earle Remond answered that neither he nor his Subiects had any thing to doe with them that he had made his agreement and reconciliation with the Pope which the Legat could not be ignorant of to whom he had shewed the Bulles and therefore hee intreated them to forbeare any farther to disquiet him The Earle Simon and the Legat writ vnto him againe that it was very necessary that he should make repaire vnto him to fulfill the contents of the Bulles He answered that he had rather take the paines to goe to king Philip of France and to the Emperor yea to Rome to the Pope himselfe to complaine of the wronges they did vnto him than to put himselfe any more into their hands When the Legat saw that he could not winne him by Letters he resolued to play the fox and to winne him by subtleties They sent vnto him Folquet Bishop of Toulouze and instructed him how hee should cary himselfe to deceiue him This was a capable instrument for the premeditated treason He went therefore to the Earle Remond insinuated himselfe into his fauour with fained protestations of his desire to serue him and his great griefe to see so little loue betwixt the Legat and himselfe wishing that it were in his power to stand him in any steed therein though with the losse of his owne bloud and offering vnto him all loue and assistance That he had far greater reason to procure the preseruation of his good than any other person whatsoeuer That he would aduise him as a friend to take from the Legat all pretence of suspition That when he had once shewed himselfe confident of him they would no longer doubt of his fidelitie and that euen now a faire occasion was offered to binde the Legat and the Earle Simon vnto him and that was that whereas he knew they were shortly to come to Toulouze if he would offer vnto them his Castle Narbonnes to lodge in it would be an excellent testimony of that confidence hee had in them and binde them to loue him The Earle Remond being thus gulled by this Bishop offered them his castle They accepted thereof and presently placed therein a great garrison The word was no sooner slipt the Earles mouth but he was sure he should repent it but it was now too late to recall it He cursed his owne imprudency and his friends and subiects his too great facility for he saw them incontinently to fortifie his Castle that it might serue them for a canesson and bridle for his owne subiects As also from the time of their entrance into that place he found that they grew bold to speake all the ill they could of the Earle Remond and that with open mouth saying that he had mocked the Pope giuing him to vnderstand that which was false and promising that which he would neuer performe insomuch that he was as great an heretike as he was before his abiuration That in the ruine and punishment of the Earle Remond the destruction of the Albingenses did consist but on the contrary though the ground were couered with the dead bodies of the Albingenses if the Earle Remond should remaine they would alwaies bud and spring vp againe and therefore it was resolued to exterminate and vtterly to destroy the house of Remond from the bottome to the top But when men purpose that which God hath otherwise disposed they come many times short So it was with the Earle Simon who was frustrated of this hope by the sudden vnexpected death of the Legat Milon which changed the face of the affaires of the said Earle Milon for he was faine to spend many yeares in the ruinating of that house of the Earle Remond and his adherents which hee had promised to doe in a few daies CHAP. VIII Theodosius succeedeth the Legat Milon proceedeth against the Earle Remond excommunicateth him and frames very violent articles against him The Earle Remond retireth himselfe from St. Giles and Arles with the king of Aragon lest they should be apprehended by the Legat Simon besiegeth Montferrand Baudoin reuolteth The king of Aragon allieth himselfe with the Earle Simon 1211. IN the yeere of our Lord 1211. Thodize gaue the Earle Remond to vnderstand that he should haue what was iust and right touching his affaires and with faire words perswaded him to come to St. Giles Being there he ript vp the businesse touching the murder of the Monke Frier Peter de Chasteauneuf from the beginning without consideration of any precedent iustification and excommunicated the said Earle Remond not as being guilty of the death of the said Monke but because he had not driuen the Albingenses out of his countrey as he was bound by promise The Earle Remond hauing felt the blast of the said excommunication retired himselfe to Toulouze not speaking a word before the Legat had meanes to publish the sentence The Bishop of Toulouze knowing hee was excommunicated sent one to certifie vnto him that hee was to depart out of the citie of Toulouze so long as the Masse was singing because he might not say Masse there being an excommunicated person within the citie The Earle Remond being much moued with the audacious boldnesse of the Bishop sent a Gentleman one of his followers to tell him that hee was to depart and that speedily out of his territories vpon paine of his life The Bishop departed and sent to the Prouost of the Cathedrall Church and to the Canons that they were to depart with them and that with the Crosse and the Banner and the Hoast and for the greater deuotion they should goe barefoot and in procession In this equipage they arriued at the Armie of the Legat where they were receiued as Martyrs persecuted for the Masse euen with teares of the Pilgrims and the generall applause of euery one The Legat thought now that he had sufficient cause to prosecute the Earle Remond as a relapse and impenitent man but yet he desired much to get hold of him because if he could once apprehend him hee would quickly make him to conclude that businesse as the Earle of Beziers did To this purpose hee flattered him by Letters full of testimonies of his great loue towards him by this meanes drew him once againe to Arles The Earle entreated the King of Aragon that he would be there to hinder
Monke of the Valleis Sernay Chap. 165. who is hee that can write or heare saith hee that which followeth that can recite it without griefe that can lend his eares without sighs and gronings who I say will not dissolue and consume away to nothing seeing the life of the poore to be taken away he who being laid in the dust all things are trampled vnder foot and by the death of whom all is dead Was he not the comfort of the sorrowfull the strength of the weake a refreshing to the afflicted a refuge to the miserable He had some reason to speake thus for he being dead all his Armie was dissolued and scattered abroad The Legat Bonauenture had onely leasure to tell Aimeri of Montfort that hee was named by him and the Bishops that were present Successor of the conquests and charges of his father the Earle Simon and instantly they betooke them to their heeles flying with all the Bishops of the Crosse to Carcassonne not staying in any place so great was their astonishment fearing to bee pursued The Pilgrims disbanded themselues saying they were no longer bound to any fight their fortie daies being almost expired In the time of this confusion the Earle Remond sallied out of Toulouze and gaue so furious a charge vpon the Enemie that he made them to forsake their trenches and slew a great number of Pilgrims who were without conduct and without courage insomuch that they killed and cut in pieces all that were in the Campe of Montelieu and did a great deale of hurt and hinderance to those that were incamped at St. Sobra There remained the Castle Narbonnes which as yet held for the Legat. Aimeri of Montfort as speedily as he could gather as many of his troopes together as he was able in this so great a rupture and confusion and making haste to the Castle got out the Garrison by a false doore and so fled after the Legat carrying the body of his father with great speed to Carcassonne And it was well for him that the Earle Remond pursued him not for the feare thereof was sufficient to kill the Pilgrims that accompanied him But the Earle Remond retired himselfe with his troopes to prouide for the preseruation of the Citie and the Castle Narbonne vnto which the enemie had set fire when they left it Moreouer he caused the Bell to bee tolled Chass lib. 4. c. 11. pag. 222. to gather the people together to giue thankes vnto God in their Temple for the happy and miraculous victorie which they had obtained for that this audacious Cyclops was ouerthrowne that had exposed them many times to pillage razed their walls beaten downe their rampiers destroyed their Towers violated their wiues and daughters killed their Citizens cut downe their trees spoyled their land and brought their whole Countrey to extreme desolation CHAP. III. The Earle Remond recouereth all that the Earle Simon had taken from him in Agenois The Earle of Foix takes Mirepoix from Roger de Leni The Earle of Comminge his lands which one named loris detained from him An aduantagious encounter for the Albingenses in Lauragues Expeditions of small effect after the death of the Earle Simon The Prince Lewis tooke Marmande and returned into France hauing summoned Toulouze to yeeld it selfe THe Earle Remond followed the victory making himselfe Master of the Castle of Narbonnes and fortifying it against the Pilgrims which hee knew very well would come the yeere following in the meane time hee sent his sonne into Agenois who brought vnto the obedience of his father Condon Holagaray in his history of Foix. 162. Marmande Aguillon and other places adioyning On the other side the Earle of Foix besieged Mirepoix summoned Roger de Leni to restore it vnto him telling him that hee was not now to hope any longer in the Earle Simon for he was dead that it must content him that he had now long enough and vniustly kept that which was his That if he changed his patience into furie he would lose both his life and Mirepoix altogether It troubled much the Marshall of the Faith for that was the vaine title which the Legats had giuen him to yeeld vp this place but in the end he deliuered it into the hands of the Earle of Foix. The Earle of Comminge had also his right of one Ioris to whom the Legats had giuen all that the Souldiers of the Crosse had taken in his Countries for he tooke them all from him yea life and all 1219. At the spring of the yeere following 1219. Almaric or Aimeri of Montfort came into Agenois with some troopes of Souldiers of the Crosse to recouer that which his father had there possessed and for this cause hee besieged Marmande The young Earle Remond of Toulouze went to succour the besieged when the Earle of Foix writ vnto him that hee had gotten a great bootie in Lauragues both of people and beasts but he feared hee should not bring it to Toulouze and not be fought withall by the way by the Garrison of Carcassone and therefore hee entreated him to succour him Young Remond tooke his iourney towards him and came in so good an houre to the Earle Foix that being vpon the point of losing his booty being followed by the Vicount of Lautrec and the Captaines Faucant and Valas. Being come to the combat Chass lib 4. chap. 13. the said Foucant and Valas encouraged with a loud voice their Pilgrims saying that they fought for Heauen and for the Church The young Earle Remond hearing it cryed vnto his as loud as he Courage my friends for we fight for our Religion and against theeues and robbers vnder the name of the Church They haue robbed enough let vs make them vomit it vp againe and pay the arrerages of their thefts which they haue heretofore freely committed And hereupon they gaue the Charge The Vicount of Lautrec fled Foucant was taken prisoner and all their troopes cut in peeces Seguret a Captaine and professed robber was taken and hanged in the field vpon a tree Thus victorious and laden with bootie they came to Toulouze with their prisoners and cattell The siege of Marmande continued but vnprofitably and without any aduantage For Almaric hauing caused a generall assault to be made the inhabitants defended themselues with such valour and resolution that the ditches were full of the dead bodies of the Pilgrims This was at that time when the great expedition of Prince Lewis arriued who brought with him thirtie Earles An expedition for the leuying whereof the Legat Bertrand writ in these termes to King Philip Faile you not to be in the quarters of Toulouze for the whole moneth of May in the yeere 1219. with all your forces and powers to reuenge the death of the Earle Montfort and I will procure that the Pope shall publish and preach the Croisade or expedition of Christians throughout the world for your better aid and succours Thus you see how the Legat commands
the King of France His sonne arriued at Marmande and summoned those within to yeeld They compound with him and he promiseth them their liues Almaric complaines thereof saying That they were not worthy of life that tooke away his Fathers He assembleth the Prelats declareth vnto them the discontent which he receiued by this composition in that life was granted vnto those who were the murderers of his Father The Prelats were all of opinion that notwithstanding the word giuen they should all die Prince Lewis his will was that the composition should hold Almaric neuerthelesse caused his troopes to slip into the Citie with charge to kill all men women and children They doe it whereat the Prince being offended departed from the Legat and Almaric and passing along summoned those of Toulouze to yeeld They defend themselues against him Hee receiueth newes of the death of his father which caused him to retire Thus you see all the effects of this great expedition which should haue buried all the Albingenses aliue and vanished without any assault giuen CHAP. IIII. The warre of the Albingenses changeth countenance because of the death of Pope Innocent the third of the change of the Legat the death of the Earle Remond of Toulouze of the disease of Remond Earle of Foix and the Lady Philippe de Moncade mother to the Earle of Foix and of the Monke Dominick THe Legat Bertrand Bonauenture being weary of the long labours of this warre and perceiuing that therein the danger was greater than either the pleasure or the profit tooke occasion vnder a pretence of his decrepit age to retire him selfe to Rome euen at that time when Pope Innocent the third being departed Pope Honorius his successour who had not managed this warre by his authoritie from the beginning thereof knew neither the importance thereof nor what direction to giue and therefore had need to be enformed by his Legat touching the meanes of the continuance thereof and the commoditie that might arise vnto his Seat Bonauenture entreated him to depute another Legat and told him that the necessitie of this warre was such that it concerned not onely the losse of all those Lands of the Albingenses which were conquered because they might be easily recouered by them if no opposition were made but also the ruine of the Church of Rome because the Doctrine of the Waldenses and Albingenses did directly shake the authoritie of the Popes and ouerthrow the Statutes of the Church That this warre had beene very chargeable and cost them deere for within the space of fifteene yeares and lesse there had died aboue three hundred thousand souldiers of the Crosse that at diuers times had come to end their liues in Languedoc as if there were not enough else-where to burie them or as if there were a necessitie in those times to be borne in France and to dye encountring the Albingenses That all this would be lost if they continued not to spend and weaken them vntill they were 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 1220. 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 fout 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
to cease from all earthly and worldly labours The second not to sinne The third not to be idle in regard of good workes The fourth to doe those things that are for the good and benefit of the soule Of the first it is said In sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all that thou hast to doe but the seuenth is the Sabboth of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no manner of worke and in Exodus it is said Keepe my Sabbath for it is holy he that polluteth it shall die the death and in the Booke of Numbers we reade that one of the children of Israel being seene to gather stickes vpon the Sabbath day hee was brought vnto Moses who not knowing what course to take therein the Lord said vnto Moses This man shall die the death all the people shall stone him with stones and he shall die God would that his Sabbath should be kept with such reuerence that the children of Israel durst not to gather Manna therein when it was giuen them from heauen The second thing which we are to obserue is to preserue our selues from sinne as it is said in Exodus Remember to sanctifie the day of rest that is to obserue it by keeping thy selfe carefully from sinne And therefore saith Saint Augustine It is better to labour and to dig the earth vpon the Lords day then to bee drunke or to commit any other sinnes for sinne is a seruile worke by which a man serues the deuill Againe he saith that it is better to labour with profit then to range and roame abroad idly For the day of the Lord was not ordained to the end that a man should cease from worldly good workes and giue himselfe vnto sinne but to the end he should addict himselfe to spirituall labours which are better then the worldly and that hee repent himselfe of those sinnes he hath committed the whole Sabbath throughout for idlenesse is the Schoole-master of all euill Seneca saith It is a sepulchre of a liuing man The fourth thing is to doe that which may be good and profitable to the soule as to think on God deuoutly to pray vnto him dilligently to heare his Word and Commandements to giue thankes vnto God for all his benefits to instruct the ignorant to correct the erroneous and to preserue our selues from all sinne to the end that saying of Esay might bee accomplished Repent you of your sinnes and learne to doe good for rest is not good if it bee not accompanied with good workes An Exposition of the 5. Commandement These Commandements tell vs how we are to carry our selues towards our neighbours Non sentend tant solament de la reuerentia de fora c. Honour thy father and thy mother c. WEe are not to vnderstand these words as if the question were onely touching outward reuerence but also concerning matter of complement and things necessary for them and therefore wee are to doe that which is enioyned in this Commandement for that honour which is due vnto fathers and mothers for we receiue from them three excellent gifts that is to say our Being our Nourishment and our Instruction which we are neuer able fully to recompence The Wiseman saith Honour thy father and forget not the sorrowes of thy mother Remember that by them thou hast had thy being render then a recompence answerable to the price they haue giuen thee and therefore hauing regard to that naturall being which we haue receiued from our father and mother we are to serue them in all humility and reuerence after a threefold mannet First with all the power of our bodies wee are to support their bodies and to yeeld them the seruice of our hands As the wise man speaketh He that feares God will honour his Father and his Mother and will serue them as his Lords that haue begotten him Againe wee must serue our Fathers and Mothers with all our power neuer debating or questioning with them with hard and bitter speeches but wee must answer them humbly and hearken louingly to their reprehensions Prouerbs 1.8 My sonne heare the instruction of thy Father and forsake not the Law of thy Mother He that shall curse his Father and Mother his Lampe shall be put out in the middest of darkenesse We must likewise honor them by administring vnto them things necessary for this life For Fathers and Mothers haue nourished their Children with their owne flesh their proper substance and Children nourish their Parents with that which is without their flesh being impossible they should restore vnto them those benefits they haue receiued of them And touching the instruction wee haue receiued of our Parents wee must obey them in whatsoeuer shall tend to our saluation and to a good end Ephes 6. Children obey your Parents in the Lord for this is right Of which obedience Christ hath giuen vs an example as it is in the second Chapter of Saint Luke And he went downe with them and was obedient to his Father and Mother And therefore honour first thy Father that hath created thee then thy Father that hath begotten thee and thy Mother that hath borne thee in her wombe and hath brought thee forth to the end thy dayes may be prolonged vpon the Earth and that perseuering in that which is good thou mayest passe out of this world to an euerlasting inheritance An Exposition vpon the 6. Commandement En aquest Commandament es dessen du specialment l'homicidi c. Thou shalt not kill MVrder is especially forbidden in this Commandement but more generally to hurt our Neighbour in any manner whatsoeuer as with words detractions iniuries or deeds as to strike our Neighbour Of the first sort it is said Mathew 5.22 Whosoeuer is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of iudgement And Saint Iames saith Chapter 1.20 The wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God And Saint Paul Ephes 3. Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your anger He that is angry with his brother without cause is worthy of iudgement but not hee that is angry vpon iust occasion For if a man should not be angry sometimes the doctrine were not profitable neither would the iudgement bee discerned nor sinne punished And therefore iust anger is the Mother of discipline and they that in such a case are not angry sinne for that patience that is without reason is the seed of vices it nourisheth negligence it suffereth not onely the bad to swerue but the good too For when the euill is corrected it vanisheth So that it is plaine that anger is sometimes good when it is for the loue of righteousnesse or when a man is angry with his owne sinnes or the sinnes of another man Thus was Christ angry with the Pharises The other sort of anger is wicked which proceedeth from a desire of reuenge which is forbidden Vengeance belongs vnto me saith the Lord and I will reuenge An Exposition vpon the 7. Commandement Loqual