Army being reported to Demetrius he sent another Army under Bacchides vvho coming into Judaea and hearing that Judas vvas encamped at Bethzeth he marched against him vvith tvventy thousand footmen and tvvo thousand horsemen Judas had not in all above tvvo thousand men vvho seeing the multitude of Bacchides Army vvere afraid so that some forsaking the Camp fled avvay insomuch as there then remained vvith Judas but eight hundred men His enemies also pressed so upon him that he had no time to re-assemble his Forces yet he resolved to fight vvith those eight hundred men vvhom he exhorted to be of good courage and to fight valiantly but they answered That they were not able to make head against so great an Army and therefore they adviced him to retire and stand on his guard till he had gathered more Forces Judas replied God forbid that the Sun should see me turn my back upon the enemies though I die and spend my last blood in this battle yet will I never soil my former worthy actions by an ignominious flight And so having encouraged his souldiers he commanded them without apprehension of danger to bend themselves altogether against the enemy Bacchides drew out his Army arranged them in battle placing his horse-men in the wings his Archers and light-armed men in the front and then the Macedonian Phalanx and so causing his Trumpets to sound and his Souldiers to shout he charged his enemies Judas did the like and encountred Bacchides so that there was a most cruel conflict which continued till Sun-set Judas perceiving that Bacchides and the flower of his Army fought in the right wing he chose out the most resolute of his Souldiers and drew them towards that quarter and set upon them brake their squadron and thrusting into the midst of them he forced them to flie and pursued them as far as to the mount Aza but the left wing followed Judas and so enclosed him on the back part He seeing himself thus enclosed resolved with his followers to fight it out to the last He slew a great number of his enemies till at last he was so wearied that â—he fell to the ground and was there slain His souldiers seeing him dead betook themselves to flight Simon and Jonathan his brothers by intreaty recovered his body carried it to Modim where they interred it all the people weeping divers days for him and Jonathan his brother succeeded him in the Government CHAP. V. The Martyrdom of the Maccabees WHilst Antiochus Epiphanes was living he thrust out Onias the High-Priest from his Office and put into his room Jason his brother whereupon Jason promised to pay him yearly three thousand six hundred and sixty Talents of silver This wicked Jason presently forced all the people to forsake their Religion and to build Baths He hindered the defence and building of the Temple Hereat God was very wroth and stirred up Antiochus to go to Jerusalem where he was gallantly entertained by the Jews Then did he presently make an Edict That whosoever of the Jews refused to offer Sacrifice to the gods he should presently be broken to pieces on the wheel But those that were godly did little esteem that Edict Antiochus perceiving that the rigour of his Edict prevailed little and that many chose rather to die then to forsake their Religion he sitting in an eminent place and calling all the Jews together caused swines-flesh to be sacrificed on the Altar and to be offered to every Hebrew to eat Amongst the multitude thus assembled there was one Eleazer a Priest a man that feared God and one who was very aged of a reverend countenance and famous for his vertue To him Antiochus said Be advised by me holy old man to avoid those torments which are prepared for the obstinate preserve thy reverend age and contemn not the benefit of life take the sacrifice and eat of the swines-flesh for no wise man will credit the Jews opinion to refuse that meat which nature hath ordained for mans use as well as any other Why should this beast be more abominable then others c. Or suppose your Laws are to be observed yet will they excuse thee seeing thou sinnest not voluntarily but by compulsion To whom Eleazer answered We O Antiochus follow not vanity but the verity of Religion and fear of torments cannot make us embrace another but suppose that the Religion left us by our fore-fathers had no firm ground yet should not torments make me forsake it Do not esteem it a small matter to eat forbidden meat and to taste of that which is sacrificed to Idols for it is a profane thing to touch things that are prophane and we are taught by our Law to suffer with patience whatsoever for Gods cause is inflicted upon us c. And therefore I refuse this profane meat well knowing what I ought to eat as warranted by Gods Law which I have learned to obey c. and herein will I persist though with tyrannous hand thou pluck out mine eyes or with a sharp knife rip up my entrails Think not that because I am old my body is feeble If I must be sacrificed for Gods sake thou shalt find me as lusty and constant as a young man and most joyfull in torments Prepare an extraordinary fire or what else thou pleasest thou shalt find me more constant in the midst of all torments then I am now before they come c. The chaste and pure company of Fathers shall receive me into their number where I shall not fear O impious King thy threats c. Whilst Eleazer spake thus boldly the souldiers haled him to be tortured and stripping him naked they hanged him up and whipped him and whilst on either side he was thus beaten one cryed Obey the Kings pleasure and command But this worthy man was not overcome by torment but suffered as though he had been in a sleep and fixing his venerable eyes upon Heaven he knew in whom he believed and to whom he sacrificed his life and beholding the flesh on each side of his body rent and torn with stripes and the bloud issuing out abundantly he admired his own patience and thanked God the author of it At last finding his own frailty scarce able to endure such torments he fell upon his face which with stripes was all rent and torne still glorifying God as he did before Then a souldier to gratifie the King like a mad man did spurn and tread upon him to encrease his sufferings but Eleazer strong in body and minde like a Champion of the true God did never shrink at those pains but by patience overcame the cruelty of his tormentors so that his torturers admired that he should be able to bear them Then the Kinges Officers said How long wilt thou forbear to obey the King eat Swines flesh and free thy self from all that thou endurest Eleazer though hitherto he had been silent in all
dens The Kings Captains having intelligence hereof with the Garison that was in the Citadel at Jerusalem they pursued them into the desert and having overtaken them they first endeavoured by perswasions to draw them to Idolatry but the Jews absolutely refusing to yield to their wicked wils resolved rather to die then to submit to them and to commit such impiety whereupon these bloody persecutors assailed them on the Sabbath day and burned them in their caves who neither resisted their enemies nor closed up the mouths of their Caves supposing it to be a violation of the Sabbath if they should fight or work upon that day some thousands of men women and children were there stifled yet divers escaped who joined themselves with Matthias and chose him for their Captain Then did he inform them that they ought to fight on the Sabbath day if they were assailed by their enemies and prevailed with them not to be guilty of their own death by their neglect to defend themselves and so having assembled a sufficient number he destroyed the Altars and slew those that had forsaken their Religion commanding others to circumcise their Children and driving those from every place whom Antiochus had set to see his Laws executed But when he had thus governed one year he fell sick and perceiving his end to approach he called his sons and exhorted them to follow his steps in maintaining the Law of God and fighting for their Countrey telling them that then they should have God for their Assister who will not forsake those that love and fear him but taking pleasure in their vertues will once more grant them favour to recover their former peace and liberty and saith he God will establish you in the possession of your ancient Laws and though our bodies be mortal and subject unto death yet the memory of our virtuous actions is enfranchised by immortality make therefore no difficulty to hazard your lives in so good a cause But above all things I exhort you unto concord and in whatsoever any one of you shall be found more naturally apt and fitted then another let him prosecute the same without any contradiction from the rest I charge you to obey your brother Simon who is a Politick and valiant man in whatsoever he shall counsel you but make Judas your Captain who is both valiant and strong for he shall revenge the injuries and out-rages which have been done to our Nation and shall put our enemies to flight second him therefore with men of valour and such as fear God and by this means you shall be sure to prevail CHAP. IV. The Life of Judas Maccabeus AFter Matthias his death Judas took upon him the government of the wars and by the help of his brethren and other Jews he drave the enemies out of the countrey purgâ—ng the land of all the uncleaness that had been brought into it But when Apollonius who was Antiochus his Generall in Samaria heard of it he gathered his Army together and invaded Judea against whom Maccabeus went forth and after a terrible battel overthrew him slew Apollonius and many of his souldiers took his Camp and therein a very rich booty and Judas gat Apollonius his sword for his part in the spoil Then Seron Governor of Caelosyria gathered all his forces together and hired many Apostate Jews to joyn with him and so marched against Judas as far as Bethoron Judas also advanced towards him but when he perceived that his souldiers were unwilling to fight by reason of the inequality of their numbers and for that they had eaten no meat but had fasted for a long time he encouraged them saying that the means to obtain the victory consisted not in the greatness of their number but in their devotion towards God whereof they had evident examples in their forefathers who with a small number had often defeated many thousands of their enemies c. Hereby he so prevailed with his souldiers that dreadless of the number of their enemies they all together ran upon Seron and after a cruel fight routed his Army and slew him together with eight hundred of the Syrians The rest escaped by flight Antiochus hearing of these things was highly displeased and therefore he assembled all his forces and hired many mercenaries but having mustered his Army he found that his treasure failed him to pay so great a multitude whereupon he resolved first to go into Persia to gather up his tributes and in the meane time he made Lysias his Vicegerent a man of greate esteem with him and one that governed all the countries from Euphrates to the borders of Egypt with him he also left some Elephants and part of his Army commanding him expresly that when he had conquered Judaea he should make the inhabitants thereof his slaves and sell them to those that would give most for them and that he should destroy Jerusalem and utterly abolish that race Lysias having received this commandment sent Ptolemy Nicanor and Gorgias men of great authority about the King with an Army of forty thousand Foot and seven thousand Horsemen to invade Jury who marching as far as the City Emmaus encamped in the field and increased their Army with many Syrians and Apostate Jews There came also divers Merchants a long with them to buy the prisoners that should be taken bringing gieues along with them to manacle the prisoners withall Judas having viewed the Camp and number of his enemies encouraged his souldiers exhorting them to repose their confidence and hope of victory in God he also appointed a Fâ—st that they might humble themselves and call upon God by supplications and prayers for success in such an extreame danger Then he told them that God would have compassion upon them and give them strength to stand against their enemies and to put them to shame The next day he marshalled his Army by thousands and by hundreds and sent away all that were newly married or that had lately bought pessâ—ssions according to the Law And tâ—en he said unto the rest My countrymen and companions we never yet had any occasion more necessary wherein we ought to express our courages and contemn dangers then at this present for now if you fight valiantly you may recover your liberties which ought the more to be prised because thereby you may win opportunity to serâ—e God and so live an happy life but if ye prove cowards in the fight you shall be branded with perpetuall infamy and hazard the utter extirpation of our Nation Think therefore that if you fight not you must die and on the contrary assure your selves that in fighting for your Religion Laws and Liberty you shall obtain immortall glory be ready therefore that to morrow morning you may bid your enemies battel Immediately news was brought him that Gorgias with five thousand foot and a thousand horsemen was sent forth under the conduct of some fugitives by night to fall
upon him whereupon he resolved the same night to break into the enemies Army whilest they were thus divided Having therefore refreshed himself and Army leaving many fires in his Camp thereby to deceive the enemy he marched all night to seek them out Gorgias finding that the Jews had forsaken their Camp conceited that for fear they were fled into the mountains and therefore he resolved to search them out diligently But in the morning â—udas accompanied only with three thousand men and those but ill armed because of their poverty shewed himself to the enemies that were at Emmaus and having viewed their warlike discipline and mighty number and how well they were incamped he encouraged his followers to fight vâ—liantly telling them that God would deliver their enemies into their hands and thereupon causing his Trumpets to sound he rushed in upon his enemies with such fury and resolution as altogether affrighted and discouraged them and having slaine such as resisted he pursued the rest as farre as the plains of Idumaea c. In this fight â—bout three thousand of the enemies were slain yet would he not suffer his souldiers to take the spoil telling them that as yet they were to fight with Gorgias and his Army but so soon as they had through Gods mercy with the likâ— valâ—ur beaten them they might then securely enrich themselves by the prey of all their enemies Gorgias with his Army being upon an hill and discovering the flight of their friends and the Jews readinesse to give them battell were so affrighted that they also fled whereupon Judas with his men returned to gather the pillage and having found great store of gold silver scarlet and purple he returned to his dwelling with joy praising God for their happy success Lysias hearing of this overthrow was much enraged and presently assembled another army of neer sixthy thousand chosen foot and five thousand horsemen wherewith he went to invade Judaea and encamped in Bethsura Judas hearing of it came forth against him with ten thousand men and seeing the number of his enemies so farre to exceed his he earnestly cried unto God that it would please him to fight with and for him and then charged the vanguard of the enemy with so great force that he discomfited and slew about five thousand of them Lysias perceiving hereby the resolution of the Jews who would rather die then lose their liberty he returned with the rest of his Army unto Antioch where he continued and entertained many mercenaries to make a greater Army for the conquest of the Jews In the meane time Judas assembled the people and told them that having obtained so many victories through the mercy of God they ought now to go up to Jerusalem and purifie the Temple that was desolate and to offer unto God the sacrifices that were ordained by the Law Then going up with a great multitude of people he found the Temple desolate the gates burned and grass growing within the same grieving therefore at so sad a spectacle he began to weep and all the people that were with him and having chosen out some of his best souldiers he commanded them to force the garisons which were in the fortresses whilest himself purged the Temple Then he caused to be made a Table a Candlestick and Altar for incense all of gold he put up a rail also and set gates to the Temple and having thrown down the Altar of burnt-offerings that was profaned by Antiochus he built a new one of stones neither hewed nor hammered Then on the twenty fifth of Chasleu September were lights set in the Candlestick perfumes laid upon the Altar loaves set upon the Table and sacrifices offered upon the new Altar which was the same day three years wherein before the sacred service was changed into profane and hatefull impiety Then did Judas with his country-men celebrate a feast unto the Lord for eight daies praising God with Hymns and Psalms He enclosed the City also with a wall and built high Towers thereon in which he planted Garisons against the incursions of the enemies He fortified also the City of Betsura that it might serve as a Fort against the enemy But the nations round about them being greatly displeased with this prosperity of the Jews oppressed divers whom they surprised by ambushes and treachery whereupon Judas warred against them to hinder their incursions he slew many of the Idumaeans and brought away a great prey out of their country and shut up the sonnes of Baan their Prince who lay in waite for the Jews and after a siege he overcame them setting fire on their Towers and killing all the men that where therein After this he made warre upon the Ammonites who had a mighty Army under the conduct of Timotheus with these he fought and overcame them and took their City of Jazor and burned it leading their wives and children into captivity and so returned into Judaea But the neighbouring nations hearing of his departure assembled themselves together against the Jews in Galaad who retiring into the sort of Dathema sent to Judas requesting him to come and relieve them and whilest he was reading their Letters other messengers came out of Galile informing him that they were assaulted by the inhabitants of Ptolomais Tyre and Sidon and others there abouts Hereupon Judas commanded his brother Simon to take three thousand chosen men and with them to relieve those Jews that were assailed in Galile and himself with his brother Jonathan accompanied with eight thousand fighting men marched into Galaad leaving the rest of his forces under two other Captains whom he commanded to have a watchfull eye over Judaea yet not to joyn battell with any enemy till his returne Simeon in Galile fought against his enemies discomfited them pursued them to the gates of Ptolemais and slew about three thousand and having gathered their spoils he released many Jews that were prisoners restored their goods to them and so returned home But Judas having passed Jordan and marched three daies journey he met the Naâ—athians who told him that his brethren were besieged in their Castles and Cities and some of them were already brought into great exrteamity and penury Hereupon he first assailed the Inhabitants of Bosra tooke their City set it on fire and killed all the men that were able to beaâ— arms then marching all night he came early in the morning to the Castle where the Jews were besieged by Tymothies Army The enemies were just then raising their ladders to scale the walls and applying their engins for battery Then did he incourage his men to fight valiantly for their brethren that were in danger and causing his Trumpets to sound he distributed his forces into three battalions wherewith he assaulted the enemies but they hearing that it was Macâ—abaeus were struck with so great a fear that immediately they fled Judas with his men pursuing them slew about eight thousand
to his bowels then basted with salt and vinegar then scraped and bemangled with sharp cutting shels that his whole body seemed to be but one wound yet afterwards through Gods goodness it was restored again whole And lastly was he burned In Alexandria Peter the Bishop and his Deacons constantly suffered Martyrdom as also many other Bishops in Egypt together with many famous and excellent men suffered about the same time A whole legion of Christian souldiers that lay at Thebes in Egypt under their Christian Col Mauritius because they refused to sacrifice to Idols were first tithed over by the Emperours command once and again and afterwards by the exhortation of Mauritius they died all together constant Martyrs The persecution raged not only in Asia and Africa but also in Italy France Spain c. in all which countries an innumerable company of Christians were martyred by sundry kindes of death In Trevers were so many Christians slain that their bloud ran like small brooks and discoloured great rivers yet this sufficed not the Tyrant but he sent abroad his horsemen to command all those which had apprehended any Christians immediately to put them to death At Collen also and in Rhetia many were martyred yea this persecution extended into our Britan where all the Christians were put to death Besides the kindes of death the punishments were so great and horrible as no tongue is able to express as whippings scourgings rackings horrible scrapings sword fire shipboats whereinto many were put and sunk into the sea Also hanging upon crosses binding some to the bodies of trees with their heads hanging downward hanging others by the middle upon gallowses till they died of hunger throwing others alive to Lions Bears Leopards wilde Buls c. Pricking others with bodkins and talons of beasts till they were almost dead In Thebaide they hanged up women naked by one of their feet the rest of their body hanging downwards with many other sorts of punishments most cruell to be thought of Some were bound to the boughs of trees and had their members torn asunder others were mangled with axes some choaked with smoak over a slow fire some had their hands ears and feet cut off others were scorched and broiled upon coals yet not to death but had the torment renued every day In Pontus the Martyrs had other horible torments inflicted on them Some had their fingers-ends under the nails thrust in with bodkins Some were sprinkled all over with boiling lead having their necessary members cut from them others suffred most filthy and intolerable torments in their bowels and privy members what the outrage of this persecution was in Alexandria Phileas a Bishop thus writeth Because saith he every man might torment the holy Martyrs as he listed some beat them with cudgels some with rods some with whips some with thonges some with cords some having there hands bound behind them were lifted upon timber-logs and with certaine instruments had their members and joints stretched out where their bodies hanging were subjected to the will of the tormentors who were commanded to afflict them with all manner of torments on their sides bellies thighs legges they scratched them with the claws of wilde beasts some were hanged but by on hand one the engine that they might feel the more grievous pulling out of the rest of their members Some were bound to pillars having no stay under their feet that wâ—th the weight of their bodies being drawn out they might feel the greater torment and these torments endured all day long the Judge commanding that they should not be let down till either by the extremity of torment or by the cold they were near death and then they were let down and haled upon the ground They devised also another greater torment for when the Christians were lamentably beaten they had a new kinde of rack wherein they lying upright were stretched by both the feet above the fourth hole with sharp shels strawed under them Others were cast down upon the pavement where they had so many torments inflicted upon them that their sufferings cannot be imagined what they were In the midst of which torments some died their enemies being confounded with their singular patience Some half dead were thrust into prisons where with their wounds and pain they ended their lives Others being cured of their wounds were again put to their choice whether they would sacrifice to the Idols and have their liberty or have the sentence of death pass upon them who did willingly chuse death for Christs sake rather then to sin against him In Nicomedia a Christian pulling down and tearing the Emperors Edict was stript and beaten till the bones appeared and then washed in salt and vinegar under which torments he died Yet notwithstanding the horribleness of these tortures the Christian Martyrs were so farre from being dismaied that they were confirmed and strengthned thereby merrily and joyfully undergoing whatsoever was inflicted upon them Eusebius saith that himself saw the cruel Persecution in Thebade where the swords of the Persecutors were blunted with the great slaughter of the Christians and they sat down with weariness to rest them whilest others took their places Yet still the Christians shewed their willingness and with courage joy and smiling received their sentâ—nce of death from the Judge and to the last gasp sang Psalms and Hymns of praise to God In Alexandria the holy Martyrs led with the love of better rewards did not only bear the menaces of the cruel souldiers wherewith they threatned them but also whatsoever torments they could devise for their destruction Yea saith Sulpitius then the Christians with more greedy desire pressed and sought for Maryrdom then now they do for Bishopricks Yet some through infirmity in this Persecution fell back for which they were excommunicated by the Church Damasus and others witness that there were slain in thirty daies seventeen thousand persons besides a great number that were condemned to the Metall-mines and quarries with the like cruelty In Alexandria were slain with axes three hundred At Collen three hundred Mauritius with his Christian legion six thousand six hundred sixty six whose story deserving perpetually to be remembred is this Maximian sent for his Mauritius with his legion of Thebane souldiers under a pretence of imploying them against his enemies When they came to Rome Marcellus the Blessed bishop laboured to confirm them in the truth to whom they promised perseverance in the faith unto the death Then they followed they Imperial army into France and when they were cowe thither Maximian offered sacrifice to the devils and called all his souldiers to the same strictly charging them to fight against his enemies and against the Christians which were enemies to his gods These Christian Thebans resolved rather to die then to sacrifice or to bear arms against the Christians wherewith the Tyrant being enraged commanded every tenth man of the legion to be put
the effecting of it but as soon as the men were in Arms it pleased God by the death of King Francis to put an end to that design whereby the Waldensian Churches in Dauphine enjoyed peace and were well furnished with godly Pastors who held them in the exercise of religion though they were in continuall danger of being persecuted to the death for the same The Waldenses in Dauphine many years before being multiplyed so that the countrey could not feed them dispersed themselves abroad into divers parts whereof some went into Piedmont who lived in great love with those of Daâ—phine and though they were alwaies oppressed with troubles yet with hearty love and charity they ever-succoured one another not sparing their lives and goods for their mutuall conservation The first Persecution in Piedmont were occasioned by the Preists who complained to the Arch-Bishop of Turin that these people lived not according to the manner and belief of the Church of Rome that they offered not for the dead cared not for Masses Absolutions or to get any of theirs out of the pains of Purgatory c. Hereupon the Arch-Bishop persecuted them complaining of them to their Princes to make them odious But the Prince enquiring of their neighbours heard that they were of a good conversation fearing God without deceit or malice loving plain dealing alwaies ready to serve their Prince with alacrity c. He therefore purposed not to molest them But the Priests and Monks gaining nothing by their belief charged them with an infinite number of calumnies and ever and anon catching one or other of them they delivered them to the Inquisitors and the Inquisitors to the executioners so that there was scarce a Town or City in Piedmont wherein some of them had not been put to death At Turin one of them had his bowels torn out of his belly and put into a bason before his face and then was he cruelly martyred At Revel in the Marquisat of Saluces one Catelin Girard being on the block whereon he should be burnt requested his Executioner to give him two stones which he refused to do fearing least he would throw them at some body but he protesting the contrary at last they gave him two stones which he held in his hands and said When I shall have eaten these stones then shall you see an end of our Religion for â—hich you now put me to death and so he threw them on the ground and died cheerfully Thus they burnt many of them in the fire till Anno 1488. and then they resolved to assault them by open force because they saw that otherwise they should never be able to extirpate them besides their constant sufferings converted many to the faith Hereupon they levied an Army of eighteen thousand men besides many inhabitants of Piedmont who ran to the pillage from all parts These marched all at once to Angrogne Lâ—cerne La Perouse c. They raised also forces in Dauphine where with they over-ran the Valley of Pragela so that they being put to defend themselves could not assist their friends in Piedmont But the enemy by this division of his forces being weakned was every where beaten especially in the Valley of Angrogne where the VValdensians having been informed of the levies of their enemies against them prepared themselves to receive and resist them keeping the strait passages where few men might defend themselves against many They defended themselves with long Targets of wood whereby they covered themselves from the hurt of their enemies arrows Whilst they were thus bickering with their enemies the women and children upon their knees cried out O God help us The enemies made themselves merry with this fight and amongst them one Capt. Saquet who as he was imitating the woman was slain and tumbled down into a very deep valley Another Captain crying out to the women in derision was killed with the shot of an arrow in the throat Hereupon the souldiers betook themselves all to their heels and the greatest part slew themselves by tumbling down from the rocks Another providence of God was this that the enemies approaching to the stongest entrance by nature might their have fortified themselves and so made themselves masters of that Valley But God sent so thick a cloud and dark a fog that they could scarce see one another whereby they wanted opportunity to discover their advantage and therefore departed which the VValdenses seeing couragiously pursued them and by that means the enemy being dispersed and not seeing which waies they went the greatest part fell headlong down the mountains quitting their arms and booty which they had gotten at their first entrance into the Valley by which means the Waldenses recovered it again Then it pleased God to move the Princes heart which was Philip the seventh Duke of Savoy and Lord of Piedmont with pity towards these poor people saying That he would not have that people which had been alwaies true faithfull and obedient to him to be unjustly destroyed by Arms being content that twelve of the Principall should come to him to Pignerol to crave pardon for all the rest for taking arms in their own defence without his authority These he entertained lovingly forgiving all that was past during the warre And having been informed that all their children were born with black throats with foure rows of teeth and all hairy he caused some of them to be brought to him and seeing them fair and perfect creatures he was much displeased with himself for beleeving so easily the reports which were brought to him against them giving command that none should hereafter molest them but that they should enjoy all the priviledges which they rest of his subjects in Piedmont did Notwithstanding which the Monks Inquisitors daily sent out processe against them lay in wait for them and as they could aprehend any of them delievered them over to the secular power This Persecution lasted to Anno. 1532. at which time the Waldenses ordered that there exercises of religion should be performed no more in covert as formerly they had been but in publick that every one might know them and that their Pastors should preach the Gospell openly not fearing any persecution that might happen unto them The prince being advertised hereof was highly offended with them and thereupon caused one of his Commanders to hast with his Troops into the said Vallies which was performed with such diligence that he was entred with five hundred horse and Foot before they were aware ransacking plundering and wasting all before them Then did the Waldenses leave their ploughs putting themselves into passes and with their slings charged their enemies with such multitudes of stones that they were constraned to flie and to abandon their prey many remaining dead upon the ground This news was presently carried to the Prince and withall he was told that these people were not to
gat behinde them over a mountaine so that the poor people seeing themselves environed saved themselves by running through the midst of their enemies and others of them gat into the rocks The enemies being entred Rosa destroyed all with fire and sword The people fled by secret waies toward Luserne wandring all night upon the mountains full of snow laden with their stuff carrying their infants in their arms and leading others by the hand with great pain and travell They of Luserne seeing them ran to them praising God for their deliverance and they all were very chearfull notwithstanding their extremities Shortly after the Lord of Trinity went to Luserne by three waies they which kept the passages resisted their enemies valiantly but when they saw themselves assaulted on every side they fled into the mountains Then did the souldiers sack and burn the houses staying all they could finde When they which were fled to the mountains saw their houses on fire they praised God and gave him thanks that thus accounted them worthy to suffer for his Name Then did the souldiers pursue them to the mountains but after they had called upon God a few of them beat back their enemies whereupon the Army retired They in the meddow of Tour perceiving a company of souldiers burning the rest of the houses in Angrogne they sent six harque-bushiers against them who from the higher ground discharging all their guns together the souldiers ran all away when none pursued them Shortly after as the Watch was hearing a Sermon they spied a company of souldeirs marching up the hill whereupon they ran to encounter them and easily discomfited them But whilest they pursued the chase some cried to them that another company was entred into the meddow whereupon they left the chase or else not one of their enemies had escaped Presently other companies came other waies which the Ministers and people seeing were much discouraged and therefore they fell to prayer and ardently called upon God with sighs and teares untill night And whereas seven spies were sent before the souldiers there went out five of the Waldenses against them and took some and chased the rest Then went out eight more against the whole company and pursued them with an undaunted courage from rock to rock and from hill to hill and then went out twelve more who joining with the other made a great slaughter of their enemies Another company from Luserne having a Minister with them as they used alwaies to have after they had made their prayers to God set upon another company of souldiers whose hearts were so taken from them that they presently fled One of the Waldenses a very young man carried a greate staff in his hand with which he laid so lustily at his enemies that he brake his staff and slew many of them he also brake four of their own swords in pursuing of them Also a boy of eighteen years old slew the Lord of Monteil Master of the Camp which much dismaid the enemies Another threw down Charles Truchet and then leaped upon him and slew him with his own sword upon which all the rest fled and were pursued till night hindred The Minister seeing the great effusion of bloud and the enemies flying cried to the people that it was enough and so exhorted them to praise God They that heard him obeyed and fell to prayer In this battell they gat much armour which was a great advantage to them afterwards Thanks were returned unto God in every place every one saying Who sees not evidently that God fighteth for us Presently after the Lord of Trinity returned to burn the Villages but especially to pursue the poor people in the mountains And one company with many horsemen ascended the mountain of Comb by an unsuspected way where were no Warders but they which were next seeing them called upon God for aid and though they were but thirty in number yet they valiantly beat them back twice many of the enemies were slain and not one of the Waldenses Trinity seeing his men thus beaten back sent out most of his Army to assist them which were about one thousand five hundred men And there came about a hundred to help the Warders The combat was very cruel at last the poor men were fain to retreat with the losse of two of their men at this the enemies exceedingly rejoyced blowing their trumpets and triumphing but the people crying all together to the Lord returned again with greater violence assaulting them with their slings So that the enemies being weary rested themselves and the while the Waldenses betook themselves to prayer which more affrighted their enemies then any thing else Then did the souldiers charge again furiously but by the hands of a few they were driven back yea little children fervently calling upon God threw stones at their enemies as also did the women Such as were unfit for war kneeled on the ground with their faces towards heaven crying Lord help us Then came one running that brought word that the Angrognians were coming to help them which the enemies hearing presently retreated Another party of the Army of an hundred and fourty went another way but by seven men they were strongly resisted and driven back A third party was met by the Angrognians and driven back The Lord of Trinity intending to be revenged upon them in the meddow of Tour assembled all the Gentlemen of the country and an Army of about seven thousand and when the poor people saw them coming glittering in their harnesse and so many in number they were at first astonished but pouring out their prayers unto God to succour them and to have regard to the glory of his Name c. They marched to encounter with their enemies and seasonably by the way they met with some aid that was coming to them from Luserne so that uniting themselves they soon discomfited their enemies The Captain of the enemies had in the morning promised to do great matters that day but in the evening he was carried back weak and wounded and not like to live Whereupon a Papist said to him Monsieur there religion is beter then ours Another part of the Army set upon an house in a passe wherein were but five men yet they lustily defended it drave out their enemies that had entred and kept the place till some of their friends came to relieve them Another half of the Army assaulted another Bulwork on the side of the mountaine And they within suffered them to come very near but then with slings and guns they slew many of them others rouled down great stones which killed divers so that when they had attempted all waies to take it they were forced to retire the Lord of Trinity weeping to see his men slain so fast and at last having lost very many of his men he was forced to retreate many of the Army crying out God fighteth for them and we do them wrong
upon part of the Alps called La Pellas des Jamies May 22. went out in the evening to a place about three leagues off not far from Bubiana where he first sought God by prayer and afterwards being informed of the number and strength of the enemy finding them too many to be attachqued by such a handful of men he turned towards Lucernetta where he was furiously assaulted by the Garison of Lucerna but he couragiously encountred them without the loss of any one man only himself was shot into the leg by a Souldier that had hid himself behinde a tree with a purpose to have slain him but the Captain perceiving whence the shot came lame as he was he made to the place where he quickly dispatched him for his pains Whilst these things were acting the Irish Rebels in the Marquesses Army thinking to make themselves Masters of Babbiana under a pretence of protecting them against the Barbets the Peasants of the place perceiving their drift took occasion to quarrel with them and after drove them out killing a great number of them May the 26. 1655. Captain Gianavel wrote to Captain Jahier and the rest that were retired into Val Lucerna to meet at a Rendezvouz at Angrognia which accordingly they did and the day after they marched together to a place in the Plain called Garcigliana thinking to have entred the Town but they met with a great party of Horse and Foot yet they disputed it with them a long time but being overpowred they were forced to retreat though they got six yoke of Oxen and many other small Cattel and some prisoners and that with the loss of one only man in the retreat May 28. They marched to St. Secondo where having first kneeled down and prayed for a blessing upon their undertaking encouraging one another they attaqued the place with incredible valor and the better to secure themselves against their enemies who had lodged and fortified themselves in houses they got Planks Barrels and such other things as they met with to keep off the bullets which were poured out upon them out of those houses and so quickly made themselves Masters of the doors of those houses to which immediately they set fire and so forced their entrance putting all the Souldiers they found to the sword and no marvel for they had been extreamly provoked to this rigour by the others cruel usage of their Wives and Children Besides every room of those Houses was filled with the plundered goods of the Protestants yet did they not meddle either with Women or Children Then did they set fire on the Town and plundred the Churches which they found full of their own goods and cattel and carried away seven of their Mass-Bells At this time they slew about four hundred and fifty of their enemies and amongst others a whole company of Irish Rebels who chose rather to be burnt than to crave Quarter Of the Protestants there were only seven slaine and six or seven more slightly wounded whereof they soon recovered Munday June the fourth the Captaines Jahier Laurentio Gianavel Genolat Benet and other officers of the Protestants went to Angrognia and having called a Councel of warre they concluded the next day to alarum the enemy at Briqueras and Saint Giovanni and accordingly the Captaines Laurentio and Jahier went by the way of Reccapiatta that by the help of the thick woods wherein they shrouded themselves they might the better approach Briqueras and having gotten upon a little hill near the Town Captaine Laurentio made there a stand to hinder any relief that might be sent them from Saint Secondo and Captaine Jahier marching down set fire on several Houses and Barnes At the sight of this fire they of Briqueras gave notice to those of Cavors Fenile Bubiana Campiglione and other neighbouring places whereupon the enemy quickly advanced towards them and were as soone beaten back again in the mean time there came a party of about twenty Horse and stood at Saint Secondo lest the Reformed party should Salley out that way really believing that they had a designe upon Briqueras But Captaine Jahier marched with his company by the way of Saint Giovanni and Captaine Laurentio went an higher way yet both met at the place appointed where Captaine Gianavel was engaged with the Enemies from Lucerna and La Torre against whom he had defended himself very stoutly Then did Captaine Jahier charge them on the Flanck and Captaine Laurentio on the Front seasonably interposing his company in that place where the enemy had thought to have surrounded Captaine Gianavel so that the Popish party was soone routed leanving one hundred men behinde them besides many that were wounded the Reformed party having but one slaine upon the place June the second three hundred of the Enemies went from La Torre to fetch a Convoy into the Fort of Mirebuc situate between the Frontires of Dauphine and Piemont But Captaine Gianavel being at Malbec though he had but nine souldiers with him fell upon them and fought a great while with them to the great astonishment of his Enemies but at last was forced to retreat without the losse of a man only four were slightly wounded Afterwards Captaine Gianavel with a small party marched to La Palle des Guienets from whence he sent to some that were retired into Villora requiring that all those of the Reformed Religion should within twenty four hours come out of the said place where Masse was celebrated and that upon the paine of being dealt with as enemies and that such as through weaknesse had abjured and would persist in their abjuration should depart thence upon the same penalty Hereupon all the Papists fled presently out of Villaro and the Protestants came in to Captaine Gianavel and such of them as were able to bear Armes followed him chearfully the rest contributed according to their abilities towards the maintenance of him and his Troops Those which through frailty had abjured their Religion went over the Mountain into the Valley of Queires yet not long after they returned like so many wandring Sheep to the true Shepherd of their souls and testifying their repentance were again received into the bosome of the Church After those of Lucerna were retreated the Captaines Jahier and Gianavel with some other Officers called a Councel of Warre wherein they resolved to sally out and if it were possible to surprise those of La Torre most of which were Irish. But the enemie having timely notice was so prepared that they killed some who had passed the Bridge at Angrognia which so encouraged them that they thought to have enclosed all the small body of Protestants and to have cut them all off but after many assaults to no purpose they were forced to retreat to La Torre with the losse of very many of their Souldiers besides many others that were dangerously wounded The next day the Captains Jahier and Gianavel went before La Torre against whom many of the Souldiers came out but