he was sure he should repent it but it was now too late to recall it He cursed his owne imprudency and his friends and subiects his too great facility for he saw them incontinently to fortifie his Castle that it might serue them for a canesson and bridle for his owne subiects As also from the time of their entrance into that place he found that they grew bold to speake all the ill they could of the Earle Remond and that with open mouth saying that he had mocked the Pope giuing him to vnderstand that which was false and promising that which he would neuer performe insomuch that he was as great an heretike as he was before his abiuration That in the ruine and punishment of the Earle Remond the destruction of the Albingenses did consist but on the contrary though the ground were couered with the dead bodies of the Albingenses if the Earle Remond should remaine they would alwaies bud and spring vp againe and therefore it was resolued to exterminate and vtterly to destroy the house of Remond from the bottome to the top But when men purpose that which God hath otherwise disposed they come many times short So it was with the Earle Simon who was frustrated of this hope by the sudden vnexpected death of the Legat Milon which changed the face of the affaires of the said Earle Milon for he was faine to spend many yeares in the ruinating of that house of the Earle Remond and his adherents which hee had promised to doe in a few daies CHAP. VIII Theodosius succeedeth the Legat Milon proceedeth against the Earle Remond excommunicateth him and frames very violent articles against him The Earle Remond retireth himselfe from St. Giles and Arles with the king of Aragon lest they should be apprehended by the Legat Simon besiegeth Montferrand Baudoin reuolteth The king of Aragon allieth himselfe with the Earle Simon IN the yeere of our Lord 1211. Thedize gaue the Earle Remond to vnderstand that he should haue what was iust and right touching his affaires and with faire words perswaded him to come to St. Giles Being there he ript vp the businesse touching the murder of the Monke Frier Peter de Chasteauneuf from the beginning without consideration of any precedent iustification and excommunicated the said Earle Remond not as being guilty of the death of the said Monke but because he had not driuen the Albingenses out of his countrey as he was bound by promise The Earle Remond hauing felt the blast of the said excommunication retired himselfe to Toulouze not speaking a word before the Legat had meanes to publish the sentence The Bishop of Toulouze knowing hee was excommunicated sent one to certifie vnto him that hee was to depart out of the citie of Toulouze so long as the Masse was singing because he might not say Masse there being an excommunicated person within the citie The Earle Remond being much moued with the audacious boldnesse of the Bishop sent a Gentleman one of his followers to tell him that hee was to depart and that speedily out of his territories vpon paine of his life The Bishop departed and sent to the Prouost of the Cathedrall Church and to the Canons that they were to depart with them and that with the Crosse and the Banner and the Hoast and for the greater deuotion they should goe barefoot and in procession In this equipage they arriued at the Armie of the Legat where they were receiued as Martyrs persecuted for the Masse euen with teares of the Pilgrims and the generall applause of euery one The Legat thought now that he had sufficient cause to prosecute the Earle Remond as a relapse and impenitent man but yet he desired much to get hold of him because if he could once apprehend him hee would quickly make him to conclude that businesse as the Earle of Beziers did To this purpose hee flattered him by Letters full of testimonies of his great loue towards him by this meanes drew him once againe to Arles The Earle entreated the King of Aragon that he would be there to hinder if need should be any foule play that might bee offered Being come to the place the Legat commanded the King of Aragon and the said Earle Remond that they should not depart the city without his leaue vpon paine of indignation and to be prosecuted as rebells to the Church Some friend of the Earles vsed the meanes to giue him a sight of the Articles of the Sentence which the Legat had a purpose to publish against the said Earle Remond which were these that follow That the Earle of Toulouze shall incontinently dismisse and casheere all his men of Armes not retaining any one of them That he shal be obedient and subiect to the Church of which he shall repaire the damages and satisfie all costs and charges That throughout all his lands no man shall eat more than two sorts of flesh That he shall expell out of his countries and territories all the heretikes and their allies That he shall deliuer into the hands of the Legat and the Earle of Montford all those that shall bee named vnto him to doe with them as they please and that within one yeare That no man within his lands noble or ignoble shall weare any apparell of great price but blacke and course clokes That all the strong places and castles of defence belonging vnto him shall be ouerthrowne and laid euen with the ground That no Gentleman of his shall remaine or dwell in any City or Castle but shall make his abode in the fields and countrey houses as a villager That he shall not leuy in his lands any tolles but those that haue beene of old time imposed That euery master of an house shall pay yearely to the Legat foure Toulouzian pence That when the Earle of Montford or any of his people shall passe through his countries they shall pay nothing for any thing they take or spend That hauing performed all things as aboue he shall trauell beyond the Seas to make warre against the Turkes neuer returning againe into these parts but by the commandement of the Legat. That after all these things the Legat and the Earle of Montfort should restore vnto him all his Lands and Signories when it should please them These Articles being communicated to the King of Aragon he found them so vniust that he would stay no longer in that place but counselled the Earle of Toulouze presently to mount on horse-backe for feare lest they should ceaze vpon his person euen to the full execution of those Articles who it should seeme went about to enrich themselues by his spoyles And forasmuch as the said King of Aragon had perswaded the said Earle that hee should put no more confidence in the Legat and Earle Simon hee cast in his teeth his too great facillitie saying vnto him in Gascongne tongue Pla bous an pagat that is to say They haue well payed you The Legat and the Earle Simon being much
this voyage The whole Countrie was enemie to the Earle Simon which was the cause of the famine in his Armie but on the contrary there was within Toulouze all plenty and aboundance Tpon St. Iohn the Baptists Eue betimes in the morning the troopes of the Earle Remond went forth of Toulouze crying out Auignon Beaucaire Muret and Toulouze killing as many as they encountred A Souldier ranne to the Earle Simon and told him that the enemie was come forth to whom he answered that he would first see his Redeemer and then see his enemie Diuers others came vnto him crying out Wee are vndone if no man will come out and command the Armie which did flie before the Toulouzains He againe answered that he would not stirre a foot from the Masse though he were there to die before hee had seene his Maker insomuch that had not the Priest that sung the Masse clipt and curtolled it a little for feare lest his eares should haue beene clipt he had beene taken or slaine before the Altar Heare what Noguiers saith Noguiers in his Hestory of Toulouze lib. 3. chap. 10. At this so violent a shocke the Earle Simon being mounted his horse his horse was wounded in the middle of his head with an Arrow which the horse feeling got presently the bit betweene his teeth in such sort that Montfort could neuer stay him but hee carryed him here and there in dispite of himselfe which a Souldier of the Citie seeing assuring himselfe of him shot him with his Crosse-bow through the thigh with which wound Montfort lost great store of bloud and finding himselfe much payned therewith entreated the Earle Guy his brother to leade him forth of the presse to stench his bloud In the time whilest hee was talking with his brother a stone out of a sling or engine whereout stones or arrowes were darted which a woman thinking nothing let flie hit Montfort yet talking with his brother and parted his head from his shoulders so that his body fell dead to the ground It was saith he a wonderfull thing and thereby may his successors consider that they maintained an vniust quarrell not to punish those that were wandred from the faith for that had beene a thing very commendable and commodious but to oppresse his owne vassals heaping on them miseries vpon miseries to rauish women and their daughters to the end they might vtterly ruine and confound them all especially doing the duty of vassals and to retaine the goods of another who though hee were an Heretike as Montfort supposed yet neuerthelesse in the twinckling of an eye he might be better aduised and amend his life But as I thinke saith hee a couetous desire to raigne blinded him which wee may easily indge by the bad vsage oppressions and extortions which he executed against the innocent people of Toulouze who honored him cherished and wished him prosperitie as to their Lord. This skirmish and discomfiture was in Iune the day after the feast of St. Iohn the Baptist in the yeere 1218. Thus you see how Noguiers the Historiographer of thosee times hath spoken of this man as of one that was caried with passion and vnsatiable couetousnesse But that which was worthy the obseruation is that he was not ouerthrowne but at that very inftant when by three diuers Councels he had beene proclaimed the Monarch of his conquests the Captaine of the Armies of the Church the sonne the seruant the fauorite thereof the defender of the faith Adored of the people feared of the great the terror of Kings Thus you see Iudges 9. that as that ambitions Paracide Abimelech was slaine with a peece of a Mill-stone which a woman cast from a Tower which brake his skull so this destroyer of the people ruiner of Cities deuourer of the states of other men was slaine with a stone from a sling flung by a woman Chassilib 4 c. 11. as some Historiographers haue obserued On the the other side the Monke cryes out in this manner The 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 Chassilib 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
was before Amongst others the Gouernour of the new-New-lands in the end of Nouember following proclaimed with the sound of a trumpet that whosoeuer would not within the space of a Moneth goe to Masse were to auoide the Lands and Territories of his Highnesse within that time vpon paine of confiscation of body and goods These poore people of the New lands they could conuey themselues to no place without danger of their liues For in Prouence they burnt those whom the Parliament of Aix called Lutherans In the Territories of Honorat Earle of Tendes they were deliuered into the hands of the Executioners Gonsague Duke of Neuers commanding for the King of France in the Marquisate of Saluces put them to death In Dauphine as many as the Archbishop of Ambrun could apprehend so many he caused either to rot in the dungeons or to perish in the Tower Brun with cold and famine and out of Piedmont they were banished There remained no other succour but in the dead time of winter to make their passage by night ouer a high mountaine almost inaccessible couered with ice and snow into the Valley of Frassiniere if possibly they could They therefore betooke themselues vnto the mountaine about the feast of the Natiuity of our Lord in the coldest time of all the yeere But before they could come to the height thereof the greatest part of the women and children were benummed with cold and the night ouertaking them being in the top of the hill they were inforced to lie vpon the ice where a great part of them in the morning were found dead They that escaped the danger retired themselues into the Valley of Frassiniere Now after that the houses of these poore people had remained for a time void of Inhabitants there was no man that would seise or take possion of their Lands much lesse till and husband them and therefore their Gouernours permitted the said Waldenses to continue there and to tolerate them making profession of their beliefe onely they were to depart out of the confines of the State of the Prince for the exercise of their Religion They haue re-peopled the said Valley Thus you haue heard as much as is come to our knowledge touching their sufferings howsoeuer they haue been persecuted from time to time from the father to the sonne as the rest of the Waldenses in Dauphine and Piedmont but their indictments are not come to our hands CHAP. VII Of the Waldenses dwelling in Calabria and the persecutions which they haue suffered ABout the yeere of our Lord 1370 the Waldenses of the Valleys of Pragela and Dauphine grew to so great a number in so small a Country that they were enforced to send away a certaine number of their yonger people to seeke some other Country to inhabite in In their trauaile they found in Calabria certaine waste and vntilled land and ill peopled but yet very fertile as they might well iudge by those parts neere adioyning They therefore finding the Country fit to bring forth corne wine oyle of Oliues and chestnuts and that there were hilles fit for the breeding and nourishing of cattle and to furnish them with fuell and timber fit for building they came vnto the Lords of those places to treate with them touching their abode in those Countries The said Lords receiued them louingly agreed to their lawes and orders to the gteat aduantage of these new Inhabitants came to an agreement with them touching their Rentes Tenthes Toles penalties in case there fall out any differences or offences amongst them and so hauing assigned vnto them certaine quarters or parts of the Country they returned for the most part of them to aduertise their parents of the good aduenture that had happened vnto them in a rich country likely to abound in all temporall benedictions They brought backe with them from their parents and friends whatsoeuer it pleased them to bestow vpon them to begin their house-keeping many of them married and brought their wiues into Calabria where they built certaine small Townes and Citties to which their owne houses were as walles as namely Saint Xist la Garde la Vicaricio les Rousses Argentine Saint Vincens and Montolieu The Lords of the said Countries thought themselues happy in that they had met with so good Subiects as had peopled their Lands and made them to abound with all manner of fruits but principally because they found them to be honest men and of a good conscience yeelding vnto them all those duties and honours that they could expect from the best Subiects in the world Onely their Parsons and Priests complained that they liued not touching matter of religion as other people did they made none of their children Priests nor Nunnes they loued no chaunting tapers lampes belles no nor Masses for their dead They had built certaine Temples not adorning them with images they went not on pilgrimage they caused their children to be instructed by certaine strange and vnknown School-masters to whō they yeeld a great deale more honour then to them paying nothing vnto them but their tithes according to the agreement with their Lords They doubted that the said people made profession of some particular beliefe which hindred them from mingling themselues ioyning in alliance with the naturall home-borne people of the Land and that they had no good opinion of the Church of Rome The Lords of those places began to feare that if the Pope should take notice that so neere his Seate there were a kinde of people that contemned the lawes of Romish Church they might chance to lose them detained their Priests from complaining of these people who in euery thing else shewed themselues to be honest men such as had enriched the whole Country yea and the Priests themselues for the onely tithes which they receiued of that great abundance of fruites which arise from those lands out of which in former times they receiued no profit at all were such as might very well giue them reason to beare with other matters That they were come to inhabit in those places from far Countries where perhaps the people were not so much giuen to the ceremonies of the Church of Rome but yet since in the principall they were faithfull and honest charitable towards the poore and such as feared God they were very willing they might not be molested by any more particular enquiry into their consciences These reasons wrought much with those that bare them ill will For the Lords of those places stopped the mouthes of their murmuring neighbours who could by no meanes draw them into any alliance with them and who saw their goods their cattell and all that they possessed blest after a more particular manner then other mens that they were a temperate people wise not lewd or dissolute not giuen to dancing or haunters of Tauernes and out of whose mouthes there did neuer proceed any blasphemy and to be briefe liuing in a Country where the Inhabitants were giuen to all manner of
armes he had recourse to his ordinary wiles and subtilties hoping to worke his ruine vnder a pretence of amitie He caused therefore the Legat Bonauenture to write vnto him that he had compassion on him for that he was so obstinate in so great a warre to his great charge and the losse of the bloud of his Subiects which if he would he might end in a short time by taking his iourny to Rome declaring his innocency to the Pope that he would giue him his best assistance as far forth as possibly he could to procure the restitution of all his Lands But yet it was very necessarie that the Church should haue some gages of his fidelitie that is that he should deliuer into his hands the Castle of Foix the one onely meanes to take away all shadow and shew of false play and that incontinently after his returne turne it should be restored vnto him with the rest of his houses He suffered himselfe to be cheated and gulled by these promises deliuered vnto him the Castle of Foix and tooke his iourney to Rome but if he went a foole thither a foole he returned For the Legat had written to Rome to the Conclaue and to the Pope that the Earle of Foix was one of the most dangerous Heretiques that was amongst the Albingenses a man of great courage and valiant and most to be feared that if he were subdued the Earle of Toulouze would be much weakned that he had gotten from him the meanes to doe any hurt by obtaining by faire words those places which the Church would neuer haue gotten by armes namely the Castle of Foix and that they were to take heed that they made no restitution of his lands which if they did it would bee impossible that the Church should euer bring the Albingenses to their vtter ruine The Pope was willing enough to ioyne in his ouerthrow but because hee came vnto him with submissions he feared least it might bee a meanes to hinder others from euer putting any confidence in the Pope He was prodigall of his Crosses his Bulls and his Words but in effect he commanded his Legat that he should not restore vnto him those places vntill hee had giuen good proofes of his obedience and iustification Presently vpon his returne hee addressed himselfe to the Legat to enioy the effect of his faire promises The Legat gaue him to vnderstand that his hands were bound by the Pope because there were some clauses in his Bulls that did binde him to a new proceeding and to know in good earnest what his innocency was but yet he should assure himselfe of his affection and that he should not attribute to him if he receiued not his full content and that he would doe his best endeuour to make loue and friendship betwixt the Earle Simon and himselfe The Earle of Foix by little and little with-drew himselfe fearing to be arrested walking about the fields and houses of his Subiects as for his owne they were all in the hands of the Earle Simon There he cursed his owne facilitie to suffer himselfe to be gulled by a Priest bites his singers for anger to see himselfe so blockishly abused after so many trickes and stratagems plaid against him The Earle of Toulouze and the King of Aragon resolue to make a leuy of their Subiects and presently to build a Fort at Montgranier a place very strong by nature In a few daies they made it a place of defence by the means labours of their poore subiects who bewailing their own miseries their Lords trauelled day night very willingly to bring the work to an end This place being built he put therin a garison left there his son Roger. The Earle Simon besieged it in the end took it by famine The cōposition was that Roger should not beare armes for one whole yeare against the Church An Article that troubled much this valiant Lord. For he withdrew himselfe for the same yeare into a house where he counted the moneths and the daies till the time was expired wherein he might either die valiantly in fight or vanquish his enemies And to this purpose he many times conferred with the sonne of the King of Aragon lately slaine how he might carrie himselfe to finde a meanes to be reuenged of his Fathers death The Legat Bonauenture in the meane time vseth the same subtletie with the Earle Remond of Toulouze He perswadeth him to goe to Rome to determine his affaires with the Pope more peaceably than with the Earle Simon The Monke of the Valley Sernay Chap. 133. especially because he was charged with the death of his owne Brother the Earle Baudoin taken in the Castle d'Olme in the Country of Cahors because he had there borne Armes against him an action that had made him odious both to God and men and which his enemies did exaggerate to the end they might stirre vp the Pilgrims to take vengeance on him saying That at the very point of death they had denied him a Confessor and that the said Bodoin prayed vnto God that he would raise vp some good Christians to reuenge the wrong done vnto him by his brother as by another Caine. The son of the Earle of Toulouze named also Remond vnderstanding that his Father was to take his iourney to Rome he went with letters from his Vncle the King of England to the Pope intreating him to doe iustice to his brother in Law The young Lord had beene brought vp vntill then in England where he could no longer spend time seeing his Father oppressed with warres and continuall trauels he therefore resolued to vse his best endeuours for his deliuerance either by composition or by armes The cause of the Earle Remond was debated before the Pope There was a Cardinall that maintained Idem Chap. 152. that great wrong had beene offered those Lords who had many times giuen of their best lands to the Church to witnesse their obedience The Abbot of St. Vberi also tooke their part with great courage and resolution The Earle Remond likewise defended his owne cause charging the Bishop of Toulouze with many outrages and that if hee had beene constrained to defend himselfe he must accuse those that had driuen him to that necessitie for had he not made resistance he had long agoe beene vtterly ouerthrowne That the Bishop of Toulouze had many times caught vnto him the fairest of his reuenewes and being neuer satisfied did still continue to vex him parting his goods with the Earle Simon of Montfort and that their onely auarice had beene the cause of the death of ten thousand men of Toulouze and of the pillage of that faire and great Citie a losse which could neuer be repaired The Charterie of Lion did also shew vnto the Pope that the Bishop of Toulouze had alwaies kindled the fire and warmed himselfe at the flame Arnaud de Villemur did also present himselfe before the Pope demanding Iustice for that the
his workes and to the poore creature reasonable and vnreasonable sensible and insensible Reasonable as to men hee-Saints and shee-Saints that are departed out of this world Vnreasonable and to Images carrion or reliques His workes are the Sacraments especially the Sacrament of the Eucharist which headoreth as God and as Iesus Christ seruing things blessed and consecrated and forbidding the worship of the onely God The second worke of Antichrist is that he robbeth Christ of his merit with all the sufficiency of grace righteousnesse regeneration remission of sinnes sanctification confirmation in grace and spirituall nourishment and imputeth and attributeth it to his authority and to the forme of words and to his workes and to Saints and to their intercession and to the fire of Purgatory drawing the people from Christ and his conduct vnto the things aboue-named to the end men should not seeke the things of Christ nor by Christ but trust only to be saued by the works of their hands and not by a liuely faith in God and his Sonne Christ Iesus and his holy Spirit but by the will and workes of Antichrist for so he teacheth that all saluation consisteth in his workes The third worke of Antichrist consisteth in this that he attributeth the renewing by the holy Ghostto an outward dead faith and baptizeth children into that faith and that by it wee haue the Baptisme and the regeneration and therein hee giueth Orders and Sacraments and in it he groundeth all Christianity which is repugnant to the Spirit of God The fourth worke of Antichrist is that hee hath ordained and placed all Religion and Sanctity of the people in the Masse and hath patched together many ceremonies whereof some are Iudaicall some Heathenish some Antichristian To the hearing whereof leading the congregation and the people hee depriues them of their spirituall and Sacramentall food and separateth them from the true Religion and the Commandements of God and withdrawes them from the workes of mercy by his Offertory and by his Masse he setteth the people in a vaine hope The fift worke of Antichrist is that hee doeth all his workes to the end hee may bee seene of men that he may solace himselfe in his vnsatiable auarice that he may make gaine of all things and doe nothing without Simony The sixt worke of Antichrist is that hee giueth way to all open and apparant sinnes without any Ecclesiasticall sentence neither doth hee excommunicate the impenitent The seuenth worke of Antichrist is that hee neither ruleth nor defendeth his vnity by the Word and power of the Spirit of God but by the secular power and hee addeth vnto his ayde things spirituall The eight worke of Antichrist is that hee hateth and persecuteth and putteth to death the members of Christ These are in a manner the principall workes which he doth against the truth for all of them can by no meanes bee written or numbred Let it suffice for this present that wee haue noted the more generall and shall likewise set downe by what workes this iniquity is couered First and principally by an outward confession of Faith whereof the Apostle sayth They confesse they know God with their mouthes but they deny him in their hearts Secondly hee couereth his iniquity by length of time and in that he is maintained by certaine Sages and religious Monkes and Virgins and Nunnes and Widowes and other women of austere life As also by the people without number of whom it is said in the Reuelation And power was giuen vnto him ouer euery Tribe and Language and Nation and all the Inhabitants of the Earth fell downe and worshipped him Thirdly hee couereth his iniquity with the spirituall authority of the Apostles against which the Apostle saith We can doe nothing against the truth and power there is none giuen vs to destruction Fourthly he couereth his iniquity with many miracles of whom the Apostle saith 2 Thes 2.9 Whose comming is after the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders and with all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse Fifely by outward holinesse prayers fastings watchings and almesdeeds against which the Apostle saith Hauing the appearance of godlinesse but denying the power thereof Sixtly he coueroth his iniquity with certaine words of Christ and the writings of ancient Fathers and with Councels which they doe so farre forth obserue as that they may no way hinder their wicked liues and pleasures Seuenthly by the administration of the Sacraments viz. of Penance by which they disgorge and vomit vp all their errours Eightly by corrections and verball preachings against vice for they say and doe not Ninthly they couer their iniquity by the vertuous life of some that liue dissemblingly others truly For the Elect of God who will and doe that which is good are detained as in Babylon and are as gold wherewith Antichrist couereth his vanity not permitting them to serue the onely God or to put their trust in Christ alone or to embrace the true Religion These things and diuers others are as the mantell or cloake of Antichrist wherewith he couereth his lyes and malice to the end he may not be reiected as a Pagan and vnder which he proceedeth dishonestly and like a whore We are now to shew both out of the Old and New Testament that a Christian is bound by the Commandement of God to separate himselfe from Antichrist For the Lord saith in the 52. of Esay 11. Depart ye depart ye goe ye out from thence touch no vncleane thing goe ye out of the middest of her be ye cleane that beare the vessels of the Lord For ye shall not goe out with hast nor goe by flight c. And the Prophet Ieremy Chap. 50.8 Remoue out of the middest of Babylon and goe forth out of the Land of the Caldeans and be as the hee-goates before the flockes For loe I will raise and cause to come vp against Babylon an assembly of great Nations from the North Countrey and they shall set themselues in army against her from thence shee shall be taken And Numbers 16.21 Separate your selues from among this Congregation that I may consume them in a moment And againe in the 26 verse Depart from the Tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs least ye be consumed in all their sinnes And again Leuit. 20.24 I am the Lord your God and haue separated you from other people Yee shall therefore put difference betweene cleane beasts and vncleane and you shall not make your soules abominable by beast or by fowle nor by any manner of liuing thing that creepeth on the ground which I haue separated from you as vncleane Againe in the 34. of Exodus Take heed to thy selfe lest thou make a Couenant with the inhabitants of the land for feare lest when they goe a whoring after their Gods and doe sacrifice vnto their gods and one call thee and thou eate of his sacrifice And thou take of their daughters vnto thy sonnes and their
infauts conducted their Pastors to the high mountaines to passe ouer to the other part of them And from other parts when they saw the principall amongst them to take their iourney to Turin to the middest of their enemics many presaged the euill that would ouertake them and it seemed vnto them that God had forsaken them at that time when they had forsaken him in the person of his seruants It came to passe euen as it had been foretold by those that could not allow of those counsels of the flesh For being arriued at Turin they were presently lockt vp in strong prisons their indictments framed as against Heretickes the passages garded to hinder any that might giue aduertisement of the vsage and intertainment they receiued that were deputed to this seruice And in the meane time la Trinite told them that he knew that his Highnesse had agreed to all that they demanded and that he had written vnto him that he detained them for no other cause but to assure him of their promises for time to come to which purpose he likewise raised a Fort which he built neere to Angrongne Which made them to thinke hardly of their affaires in that they could heare no newes of their poore prisoners and much lesse would la Trinite suffer them to send any thither In the end hauing a long time consulted with themselues what they should doe seeing a Fort built which might curb and bridle them for euer if they should suffer it to be brought to perfection and on the other side fearing if they should enterprise any thing against those that laboured therein that it should cost them their liues that they sent to Turin they were in great and extreme perplexities not knowing what course to take for they found that they had been mocked by that Prater de la Trinite and therefore it stood them vpon to commit the euent to the prouidence of God and to reconcile themselues to him by prayer and fasting which when they had done they called home their Pastors implored the assistance of their neighbours of Pragela who came vnto them with their armes entred into the Temples wherein la Trinite had caused them to build Altars and to place images and ouerthrew the Altars and laid them leuell with the ground rased vp the foundations themselues brake downe the images besieged the Fort and tooke it killed as many as made resistance beate the succours that were sent to the said Fort put them to slight and slew a great number of them The Prince Emanuel Philibert being much offended herewith would haue reuenged himselfe vpon those that hee kept in prison but Madame Margarite interceeding for them pacified the Prince shewing that is was necessary for them to consult with themselues touching that vsage and intertainment his Highnesse had giuen to those that were deputed and that seeing themselues in the way to a totall destruction they had taken this oblique meanes to relieue and to helpe themselues His Highnesse therefore by the aduise and instigation of the Popes Nuntio had enforced the said deputies to goe to the Masse and there to aske pardon of God the Pope and their holy mother the Church of Rome with promise to liue according to the Lawes thereof and afterwards sent them to prison attending the perfection of his Fort. But seeing himselfe frustrated of his expectation he followed the course proposed by Madame Margarit vnder which they haue liued vnto this present which agreement we doe not here insert because it is elswhere set downe in their History True it is that afterwards they suffered at sundry times sundry persecutions which they bare patiently and with much zeale Among the rest that in the yeere 1570 was very extreame For their Prince being entred into an offensiue league against the Protestants with many other Princes of Europe he began to trouble and to vexe his said Subiects of the Valleys of the Waldenses First by forbidding them to haue any commerce with the VValdenses of Dauphine vpon paine of their liues and secondly to assemble themselues in any Synod or Consultation but in the presence of the Gouernour of Castrocaro for the fulfilling whereof he failed not to be present at the first Synode which they called at Bobi The Pastors and Ancients that were there signified to the said Gouernour that his assistance in their Synods was no way displeasing vnto them because the matters that were to be handled were such as if the whole world were a witnes vnto them the more should their piety towards their God appeare and fidelity to wards their Prince being to deliberate of nothing but what might tend to the glory of God and their obedience to their superiours And that forasmuch as his Highnesse tooke occasion to distrust them it must needs be the false information of some of their enemies and therefore assuring themselues in their owne consciences that they had neuer deserued it they could not but take this nouelty for a manifest breach of the treatie and agreement he had made with them and and a persecution shaking the free exercise of their religion They intreated therefore the Gouernour of Castrocaro to retire himselfe and not to molest them by any such innouation and swarming from the former treaties at leastwise vntill that they hauing iustified themselues before his Highnesse it might be otherwise ordered and prouided by him The Gouernour stands still resolued to stay there The Pastors and Ancients declare against the said the nouelty The Gouernour also for his part protesteth not to enterprise any thing herein but by the expresse commandement of his Highnesse and that they should be better content that he had that charge then any other because he was willing to doe them any good might lye in his hower made a good interpretation of all their actions and would not faile to make a true report vnto his Highnesse of the fidelity he perceiued to be in their cariage He was therefore admitted into their Synode at the end whereof he vsed this subtilty that is he attempted to sow enuy and iealousie amongst the Pastors giuing good words in generall that hee had found their order faire and good and that he neuer had belieued that they had proceeded with such zeale order and charity but yet there was no reason hee should wonder that his Highnesse had been iealous and distrustfull of strange Ministers because he knew very well that they were more violent in their opinions then the home-bred of the Country at least-wise the greatest part for he made exception of Mr. Steuen Noell whom he knew saith he to be a peaceable man and more affectionated to the contentment of his Highnesse and therefore that since his Highnesse had resolued not to permit any stranger to inhabite within his Lands hee could not belieue that Ministers were more exempted then other men and therefore to the end he might not be constrained to vse his power and authority to enforce them to withdraw
themselues out of those Countries that they should doe well if of their owne accordes they departed somewhether else which would be far better and more honourable for them then that they should stay till the Prince should enforce their departure out of his Countries by banishmnet They answered that they could not belieue that his Highnesse had any such meaning as the Gouernour would seeme to perswade them But that they might bee the better informed of the truth thereof they would depute some amongst them to go to his Highnesse The Gouernour being much moued that they would giue no credit to his words nor doe any thing by his perswasions suffered the souldiers of Castrocaro to compasse the temple at what time the Preacher was in the Pulpit and to doe diuers insolencies shooting off their gunnes and astonishing those who were disarmed and thought themselues surprised Master Steuen Noel was intreated to write to Madame Margarite which he did but the Letters by which Madame assured them that the Gouernour had commandement from his Highnesse to keepe himselfe within the limits of the treaty passed betwixt his Highnesse and the people remained still in the hands of the said Gouernour and in the meane time whilest these things were afoote the Massacre executed in France in the yeere 1572 happened which in such a manner puffed vp the pride and increased the courage of the said Gouernour that there was no meanes to stay his violences For the bone-fires of ioy being made throughout all Piedmont because of this effusion of bloud this Gouernour perswaded himselfe that he should shortly see the like persecution in the said Valleys and therefore the people hearing the Cannons that were shot off and the great contentment that his Highnesse tooke they perswaded themselues that they should not long continue in peace and therefore they thought their surest course was to conuey those goods that were most precious vnto them vnto the toppe of the Alpes into the hollow caues whereof they had been accustomed to retire themselues in troublesome times His Highnesse being aduertised that his people were resolued and ready to defend themselues thought it not wisdome to hazard the liues of his other subiects to bring them into obedience and so contented himselfe that hee had made them to feare giuing command in the meane time that whensoeuer vpon any occasion they came into Piedmont they should bee apprehended and executed as Heretickes whereof the people being aduertised they sought such commodities as were fit to maintaine life in Dauphine in the Valleys of their brethren of Pragela and Valcluson Afterwards his Highnesse and Madame Margarite being departed this life Charles Emanuel their sonne and Prince of Piedmont hath maintained them in peace vnder the treaty made with their said Highnesse his father and mother Notwithstanding the which the Inquisitors haue been alwaies watchfull to apprehend one or other especially to hinder them from speaking of their beliefe when they came downe into Piedmont For in such a case prouided that it appeare that they haue held any discourse they haue alwaies condemned them for teaching strange doctrines and swaruing from the agreement whereby it is enioyned that they broach no new opinions The last that hath been persecuted for this cause was a certaine merchant of Lucerna whose History we will here insert because by his constancy he did much edifie the people that it may appeare vnto the world that the Popes cease not to shew how odious vnto them the doctrine of the Gospell is and that if it were in their power to rule the hearts of the Kings and Princes of Europe at their pleasure the fires at this present should still be burning in all those places where they haue any power or authority It was in the yeere 1601 that Barthelmew Copin a Waldensian of the Valley of Lucerna was at Ast in Piedmont with his merchandize at a Faire that should be the next morrow and being at table in the euening at supper with diuers other Merchants there was one that began a discourse of the diuersities of Religions and spake many things tending to the dishonor of the Waldenses of the Valleys of Angrongne and their bordering neighbours Copin hearing him to speake of his brethren lesse modesty then became those that professed themselues to bee Merchants and of their Religion to the dishonour of God hee thought it would be a fault in himselfe if he should make no reply to those blaspemies that he heard He therefore answered the party that held this discourse in fauour of his Religion And what saith he that had been reprehended by Copin are you a Waldensian He answered Yea. And doe you not belieue that God is in the Hoste No saith Copin Fie vpon you replies the other what a false Religion is yours My Religion saith Copin is as true as it is true that God is God and as I am sure I shall die The next morrow Copin was called before the Bishop of Ast who told him that he had been aduertised of certaine scandalous discourses and opinions which but the day before hee held in the euening at his lodging and that hee must acknowledge the offence if he would obtaine pardon otherwise he would take order for his punishment Copin answered that he had been prouoked thereunto and howsoeuer he had said nothing that he would not maintaine with the danger of his owne life that hee had some goods in the world and a wife and children but he had lost the affection he bare vnto those things neither were they deare vnto him to the preiudice of his conscience And as touching his behauiour saith he if it would please the Bishop to enquire of the Merchants of Ast who all knew him whether he were an honest man they would all witnesse for him that he had neuer wronged any man in that whole time he had traded and conuersed with them and that being a Merchant he was to be dismissed for that cause for which he was then in that place that is for trafficke and therefore not to bee molested That if Iewes and Turkes were permitted to come to Faires and to trafficke throughout all Piedmont much more should he be permitted who was a Christian especially since that in that discourse of Religion he did but answere to a question moued vnto him and that it was lawfull for any man to answere and to giue a reason of his faith to whom and in what place soeuer euen by vertue of that treaty and agreement betweene the Waldenses of the Valleys and his Highnesse which forbids them to broach new opinions but takes not from them the liberty to answere to whomsoeuer shall aske any questions of them The Bishop harkened not at all to these allegations but gaue commandement that he should bee sent to prison The morrow after the Bishops Secretary came to visit Copin and making great profession of loue towards him he said vnto him that hee would haue him know
prouoke him to such persecutions In the the meane time that hee would bee pleased to support vs in the middest of these temptations and streng then vs with Patience and Constancy to perseuere in the profession of the truth vnto the end of our liues and our posterity after vs Amen This persecution hath cotinued vnto this present time at the instance of Pope Paul the fift and his Nuntio who still troubleth and vexeth this poore people by his Monkes the Inquisitors They haue made some to alter their opinions who had no power to quit themselues of their goods but haue accommodated themselues to the world but the greatest number persisted constant in calling on the name of God chusing rather to be banished here on earth from their natiue countries then to be depriued of eternall life hating their Possessions their Country their Houses being the places where they could not inhabit whithout the deniall of Christ and his truth CHAP. VI. Of the Waldenses inhabiting in the New Lands and the persecutions which they haue suffered THe New lands of which wee are here to speake are in the Alpes in the Frontiers of Piedmont Dauphine and Prouence of which the cheefe Citty is Barcelona or Barcelonette Within the said Lands there are certaine Villages which haue been peopled by the Waldenses time out of minde placed in the best part of the said Lands amongst others Iosiers These places haue continued a long time the Princes of Piedmont nothing regarding the abode of the said peoples within their Prouinces but the Priests made them odious to the world because they were vnprofitable vnto them by not liuing after the manner of other people who contributed vnto them for the liuing and for the dead in such sort that when his Highnesse persecuted in his state those that had quit themselues of the Lawes of the Romish Church these were not forgotten especially when the Gouernours of the said Valley opposed themselues against them These were therefore of the number of those that were summoned in the yeere 1576 to goe to the Masse or to forsake his Highnesse Country wherein they found not better meanes to helpe themselues then to ioyne themselues vnto others who being threatned with the same banishment had recourse to the Protestant Princes beseeching them to intercede for them to their Prince that he would be pleased not to trouble them in such manner for their beliefe which they had made profession off from the father to the sonne for many hundred yeeres during which time their Princes haue not had any Subiects that haue yeelded vnto them more faithfull obedience then they not giuing place vnto any other in their duties submissions and contributions which they haue alwaies most willingly payed to their Princes as they were still ready to continue yeelding obedience to their commands onely that that they might not be troubled in their consciences The Prince Palatine of the Rhine delegated to the Prince of Piedmont a Counseller of his State with certaine other honorable personages Being arriued at Turin they saluted his Highnesse in the name of the said Prince Palatine and deliuered their Letters of Credence He was heard by the Prince Emanuel Philibert very peaceably This Councellor gaue him to vnderstand that the onely charity of their Master towards Christians of the same Religion that he professed had moued him to mediate for them that his Highnesse would bee pleased to suffer them to liue peaceably in the exercise of their Religion not offering any violence to their consciences That he would account this benefit as done vnto himselfe and hee should oblige vnto him all the Protestant Princes of Germany who likewise made the selfesame request by their mouthes That he should haue God the more fauourable and his Subiects the more faithfull if he did not shew himselfe inexorable That the confusions that haue happened in all the States of Kings and Princes that haue indeauoured to raigne and reclaime the soules of their Subiects by armes and to reduce them by violence may make wise all other Princes which were not yet come to such extremities That forasmuch as they that haue not vsed rigorous courses haue won the hearts of their people to be more faithfull vnto them this meanes being in his power they humbly beseeched him to imitate herein the most debonaire and gentle Princes It appeared by his Highnesse answere that he took but little pleasure in this intercession but much more by the effects that followed For hee answered that notwithstanding that for his part he made no enquiry how the Prince Palatine of the Rhine and other Princes of Germany gouerned their Subiects and being a Soueraigne Prince he was not to yeeld an account vnto any of his courses and resolutions yet neuerthelesse he thanked the said Prince and all the rest that were thus charitable towards him his Estate and his Subiects as to wish their content and peace but that the miseries and calamities that haue happened amongst them by the diuersity of Religions had made him to desire to haue in his State but onely one and that must be that which he there found and in which he had been alwaies brought vp for feare lest vnder the mantle of Religion and liberty of conscience he must dispute with his subiects as a companion of those things which by iust title were in his power to determine as a Master as it had happened to other Princes in Europe that in this case had no power to rule their Subiects as Soueragines And that in might appeare vnto them that he loued peace he had maintained his Subiects the Waldenses dwelling in his State in the Valleys of the Alpes vnder an edict which he caused to be obserued vnuiolably That if without the said Valleys he had in his State any itching busie spirits affecting nouelties those he caused to be punished as Rebelles That he thought that as the said Princes had compassion of his Subiects that they might enioy the exercise of their Religion so he assured himselfe that they would not take it in ill part so iust and iudicious they were if he prouided for his surety and preseruation of his State by punishing the seditions that he would inquire in consideration of this their intercession more narrowly into the estate of his Subiects making profession of their Religion and would giue them some refreshing And because they had spoken particularly of a certaine Minister named Giles whom he detained locked vp in a dungeon he caused him to be brought forth and placed in a chamber and after inquiry made of what he was accused that is that he had writ to those of Geneua to the preiudice of his seruice he set him at liberty He disclaimed a certaine captaine of a Castle of the Valley Meane for some thing he had done against the Waldenses of the said Valley but for the rest the Counsellor was hardly gone halfe his way home-ward but the persecution grew greater then it