imprisoned and whipt Some godly persons being met together with a Minister in a private Chappel two Colonels with some troops came upon them encompassed the Church rusht in with their drawn swords took the Minister from the Communion-table stript off his cloaths and sent him away to prison then they cast the bread upon the earth poured out the wine and trampled upon it Then they fell upon the people stripping men and women naked it being fâ—â—st and snow so that many of them died some were wounded others so affrighted that they fell into diseases Modestly forbids to tell how they used the women even in the Church Then came out an Edict that whosever refused to turn Papist whether men or women young or old bond or free their names should be returned to the Council of State who would give instructions what should be done with their persons and estates Marriage Buriall and Baptism were forbidden to the Protestants and if any did it privately they were imprisoned and not dismissed without Apostasie or a great fine Then was all trading inhibited or means of getting their living and at last buying of food so that the poor people being oppressed with hunger and want were either forced to fly or to Apostatize The countrymen they fetched out of their houses yea out of their beds by troopes of souldiers driving them like beasts before them in the sharpest cold and filled the common prisons towers cellers stables yea and hogsties with them where they were killed with hunger cold and thirst A godly Chirurgion with others was cast into a place full of snakes Another company was thrust into a stable and all the windows stopt up that the were almost stifled for want of breath In some places they shut them up in privies that they might be poisoned with the stink In some places they mad holes and knockt them full of iron spikes wherein those that were shut could neither sit nor stand but bending and crooked It was not possible that any man could endure this posture above two or three hours their sinews in the mean time trembling and their members quivering and their hearts ready to faint with anguish so that some were forced to promise to turn Catholiks others that refused were brought back to torture Then the devised a prison upon the water very narow and not above a cubit and an half in length wherein the prisoner could by no meanes lay himself at length and if he turned himself unawares he must fall into the water Another design was first to assault men of greatest authority to make them an example to the rest In the town of Minion the Commissioner demanded of the people a positive answer whether they would turn Catholicks And one of them in the name of the rest saying that conscience neither would nor could be forced he was presently laid upon the ground and beaten and still denying to turn Catholick when he could hardly speak he was torn in pieces The rest affrighted at this terrible spectacle promised obedience if time were given them In another place the Senator refusing to turn Apostates the cheifest of them was made to ride the wooden horse in the market-place for six hours space though he was very ancient so that he was lame and half dead when he was taken off When any desired to die raâ—her then to forsake their Religion it was answered that the Emperour did not thirst after their bloud but rather after the welfare of their souls To others they said Oh you affect the glory of Martyrdom but you are base knaves and are unworthy to have any thing to glory in There were many who would have died in the maintenance of their Christian faith but there were none that would inflict death upon them for these cruel Tyrants brought up in the devils school would not kill the body but the soul and therefore they sought by lingring and continual punishments to bring them first to stagger and then to deny the truth When any man desired to be convinced by Scripture they answered with scoffs and jears accusing the Scripture of imperfection of obscurity of ambiguity saying that it was the Fountain of Heresie the Sanctuary of Hereticks and that Laymen had nothing to do with it They called the Bible Wiblia which in the Bohemian language signifies vomit They took away all Orthodox books from the people that thereby they might be the more easily led into error In some places they shut up the people in the Church and forced them to receive in one kinde and if they would not fall down to the Host they used to beat their legs with clubs till they fell down Some they imprisoned and racked severall times to force them to auricular confession Of others they set open their mouths with gags and thrust the Host down their throates In other places they forced the people not only to abjure the Cup but to throw it down and to spit upon it and tread it under â—oot If any to avoid this Tyranny fled into the woods and secret places hunger drave them out again whereby they became a prey to their adversaries if they went to neighbouring places some or other would betray them Edicts also were published forbidding all to entertain such as fled upon pain of forfeiting a hundred pieces of silver for every nights entertainment Yet these miserable people could not go out of the Kingdom not being acquainted with any other language besides they were told that ere long the like tragedy should be acted every where Four men of Kossenberg continuing constant after long imprisonment they were first exposed to cold for five weeks together in the depth of winter Then for nine daies they were pined with hunger they having only a small portion of bread that kept life and soul together and drinking their own urine and when they were threatned harder usage if they turned not they answered We willingly imbrace all afflictions of famin hanging burning or any thing rather then we would sin against God Thereupon only twice a week there was given them a mouthfull of bread and a draught of water Then were they parted asunder one thrust into the sink of the prison another into a furnace and none permited to visit them and when nothing would prevail they set a fine upon them and banished them Others were kept in prisons and bonds till they died One was kept in a filthy prison till his feet rotted off and yet he passed away the time with singing of Psalms as if he injoyed all manner of deligths Another man being tired out with imprisonement promised to turn Catholick and was released but presently as himself wrote afterwards God chastened him for this his fault holding his conscience captive for an whole year together so that he could have no hope in Gods mercy Yet he recalled to minde former sinners who upon their
be objected against her This petition the Emperour granted Her husband perceiving that he was frustrated of his expectation went and accused Ptolemaeus who was her instructer in the faith of Christ that he was a Christian. Ptolemaeus loving the truth and not thinking it good to hide his profession confessed it Therefore being brought before Vrbicius the Judge he was by him condemned to die Whereupon one Lucius a Christian standing by said to the Judge What reason I pray you or equity is this that this man who is neither Adulterer Fornicator Murtherer nor Felon nor guilty of any other crime should he condemned for his name and profession of Christianity These manner of Judgements O Urbicius are neither honourable for the Emperor nor for the estate of the Senate of Rome Then said Vrbicius Methinks thou also art a Christian which Lucius confessing the Judge without any further delay commanded him also to be had away to the place of Execution to whom he answered I thank you with all my heart that hereby you release me from most wicked governors and send me to my good and loving Father who is God of gods and King of Kings Also a third man coming to the Judge and using the like liberty of speech had the like sentence of death and was crowned with the same crown of Martyrdom Also one Concordus a Minister of the City of Spoleto because he refused to sacrifice to Jupiter and did spit in the face of the Idol after divers cruel torments sustained was beheaded with the sword Many others also suffered Martyrdom at the same time because they sharply reprehended Idolatry and refused at the Emperors command to offer sacrifice to Idols for which they were beheaded Many Christians also suffered in France the History of whom was written and set forth by their own Churches and directed to the brethren of Asia and Phrygia wherein they write that Satans Instruments were so maliciously active against them that they could not be safe any where neither in the Markets Shops nor their own Houses Yea they were forbidden to come into any publick places But God in Mercy took out of the Tyrants hands such as were weak amongst the Christians and sets up others as Pillars who are able to abide all sufferings and valiantly to withstand the enemy notwithstanding all the opprobrious punishments they could devise yea by their admirable patience they shewed that all the sufferings of this present time were not to be compared with the glory which they expected to be revealed in them First they suffered whatsoever the frantick multitude could inflict upon them by railings scourgings drawings and halings flinging of stones imprisonment c. Then were they led to the Market-place vvhere the Captain and other City-Officers commanded them to prison after they had made confessions of their faith publickly till the return of the chief Governor Who being come back he used all extremity that possibly he could against them At which time a noble young man called Vetius Epagathus being replenished with fervent zeal and love both to God and the brethren could not suffer the wicked Judgement which vvas given against the brethren Whereupon he desired the Governor to hear vvhat he had to say in their behalf in whom vvas no impiety found But the people cryed out against him and the Justice denied his lawfull request withal asking him vvhether he himself vvere not a Christian unto which vvith a loud and bold voice he answered I am a Christian And thus was he received into the fellowship of the Martyrs By this worthy example the rest of the brethren were more animated to suffer Martyrdom Yet some there were as yet weak and not so well prepared for sufferings of vvhom there vvere ten that fainted vvhich filled the rest vvith great heaviness Their example also caused such as vvere not yet apprehended to be less forward in adventuring themselves yet every day were some apprehended which were worthy to fill up the number of them which vvere fallen Against the Christians vvere their heathen servants examined and being threatned vvith extream torments they vvere enforced to confess against their Masters that at their meetings they kept the feasts of Thiestes and incest of Oedipus and many other such like crimes not fit to be named which things being bruted abroad every one began to exercise their cruelty against the people of God yea their familiar friends disdained and vvaxed mad against them Then vvas all manner of cruelty used against them especially against Sanctus Deacon of the Church of Viena and Maturus but a little before baptized but yet a worthy souldier of Christ. Also against Attalus and Blandina concerning whom vve vvere all afraid especially her Mistress lest through vveakness she should not stand to her profession but through Gods Grace she vvas so admirably replenished vvith strength and boldness that they vvhich had the tormenting of her by course from morning till night for very vveariness gave over and fell dovvn confessing that they could do no more against her marvelling that she yet lived having her body so torn and rent as it vvas professing that any one of those torments alone had been sufficient to bereave her of life But this blessed Virgin became stronger and stronger in her sufferings and as often as she spake these vvords I am a Christian and have not committed any evil she was vvonderfully comforted Sanctus also who in his torments had endured more pains then the nature of man vvas able to stand under when the wicked thought to have heard him utter some blasphemous vvords through the intollerableness of his pains abode notwithstanding so constant in mind that they could neither extort out of him vvhat Countryman he vvas where brought up what his name was vvhether a bond-man or a free but to every question he answered I am a Christian When therefore they had used all other kinds of torments they clapped plates of brass red hot to the tenderest parts of his body wherewith though he was grievouslly scorched yet shrunk he not for the matter yea though his body was all drawn together with the scorching fire so that he retained not the proper shape of a man yet did he draw comfort from Christ so as to rejoyce in these tribulations After a while they brought him again to new torments hoping thereby to enforce him to a recantation at which time his body was so sore and swoln that he could not suffer a man to touch him but contrary to their expectation his body in these latter torments was so suppled and restored that he recovered the former shape and use of his members so that these second torments through the Grace of Christ proved a soveraign medicine to him Satan also now thinking that he was sure of Biblides who was one of those that had denied Christ and hoping to prevail with her a
requested the Albingenses to yield to this but the Albingenses answered that they would not forsake their religion for the base price of their frail life that God was able if he pleased to defend them but if he would be glorified by the confession of their faith it should be a great honour to them to die for his sake that they had rather displease the Pope who could but kill their bodies then God who could cast both body and soul into hell c. Then did the Popish party send their Bishop to the Legate beseeching him not to include them in the chastisement of the Albingenses and that the best way to win the others was by gentle means not by rigour the Legate grew into great choler at this swearing that if all the City diâ— not acknowledg their fault they should all taste of one cup without distinction of religion sex or age and accordingly he summoned the City presently to yield to his discretion which they refusing he caused that his Engines should play and that a generall assault should be given It was impossible for them within the City to resist so great violence being assaulted by above an hundred thousand Pilgrims so that the enemies entred and slew a great multitude and set the City on fire and burnt it to ashes When the City was first taken the Priests and Monks came forth of the great Church with Banners and Crosses singing Te Deum laudamus but the Souldiers who were commanded by the Legate to kill all ran upon them made their heads and arms to fly about the streets so that they were all cut in pieces In this City of Beziers they slew sixty thousand persons the Popes Legate saying to the Captains and souldiers Caedite eos omnes novit enim Dominus qui sunt ejus Kill them all Catholicks and Hereticks for the Lord knoweth who are his Then were these Pilgrims presently conducted to Carcasson before the fourty daies of service which they had vowed to the Church of Rome were expired The Earl of Beziers when he saw that he could obtain no favour of the Legate before the City was taken left his charge to the Bishop and went to Carcasson endeavouring to prepare and furnish it for a long siege but the Legates Army followed him presently unto which there came a new supply of crossed souldiers out of sundry Countries so that his Army now consisted of three hundred thousand fighting men Near to the City of Carcasson was a Town of the same name the City was seated on an hill and fenced with a double wall yet the Pilgrims thought to take it at the first sight and therefore ran with great violence upon the first Rampier filling the ditch with fagots but they were beaten back with such courage that the ground was covered with their dead bodies The young Earl of Beziers won much honor in this first encounter encouraging his men and telling them that it was better to die fighting then to fal into the hands of such cruel and merciless enemies c. The Albingenses much encouraged hereby swore to him that they would spend their lives for the preservation of the City The next morning the Legate commanded a general assault to be made upon the Town of Carcasson which was two miles from the City The people valiantly defended themselves but being oppressed with multitudes the souldiers entred the Town putting all to the sword and fire as they had done at Beziers Then came the King of Arragon to the Camp and told the Legate that he understood that his kinsman the Earl of Beziers was in the City and that with his leave he would go to him not doubting but that he should prevail with him to do his duty to the Pope and Church The Legate gave him leave and the King approaching to the Rampier called for the Earl who came to him then said the King that he desired to know of him what moved him to shut up himself in that City against so great an Army of Pilgrims the Earl answered that it was to defend his life goods and Subjects that he knew well that the Pope under the pretence of religion resolved to destroy his Uncle Remund and himselfe that he saw the cruelty which they had used at Beziers even against the Priests themselves adding also what they had done to the Town of Carcasson and that they must look for no mercy from the Legate or his Army and that therefore he rather chose to die defending himself with his subjects then to fall into the hands of so inexorable an enemy as the Legate was that though he had in his City some that were of another religion yet they were such as had wronged none and were come to his succour in his greatest extremity and for their good service he was resolved not to abandon them and that his trust was in God the defender of the oppressed that he would assist them against that world of ill advised men who forsook their own houses to burn sack and ransack and kill in their houses other men without reason judgement or mercy The King returning to the Legate told him that his cozen was much discontented with his former dealings against his Subjects of Beziers Carcasson that he believed seeing they spared not the Romish Priests their war was not for Religion but a kinde of theevery that he would not yield himselfe to the descretion of such mercilesse men c. The Legate after some debate told the King that for his sake he would receive the Earl of Beziers to mercy and that with him twelve more might come out with bag and baggage but for the rest he would have them wholly at his discretion and that they should all come forth stark naked men women maids and children without shirts smocks or other covering and that then they might hope well of his mercy he being the Popes Legate c. The King much distasted this propositions yet reported it to the Earl of Beziers who returned answer that he would not come forth upon such unreasonable and unjust propositions but would defend himself and his Subjects as God should enable him Then did the Legate cause all his Engines to play commanding that they should take the City by storm but he was little pleased when he saw the losse of a great number of his Pilgrims for they in the City threw down stones fire pitch brimstone and boiling water wherewith they so galled the assailants that the earthâ—â—s covered and the ditches filled with their deads bodies which 〈◊〉 a wondrous noysom stink both in the City an Camp This overthrow caused divers of the crossed souldiers having accomplished their fourty daies service and thereby gained Paradise to refuse to conquer more after so faire a purchase and therefore they returned home The Legate being much troubled to see his Army so decreased thought of this Stratagem he sent for
suspected to be of their Religion should be excluded from office bearing that all houses should be pulled downe wherein any of them should be found that all their goods and inheritances should be confiiscated That the like should be done to all that should aid or abett them or that should hinder or not assist the Inquisitors in the execution of their office That whosoever should be suspected of their Heresie should have an oath given him to keep the peace and the Catholike Faith That the houses of such as should be detected of Heresie after their death should be pulled downe That whosoever should refuse to weare the Cross should have his goods seized on c. The same year the Inquisitors were informed that in the territories of Brixia there had lately lived one Guido de Lacha who was much honoured for his austerity and integrity of life but that he dyed out of the communion of the Church of Rome having been infected with Heresie whereupon they ordered his bones to be digged up and burned The Earl of Foix and Comminges and the Prince of Bearne yet remained to be conquered and the Popes Legate thought that the Earl of Tholouse was the fittest person to deale with them whereupon he caused him to write to them to perswade them to embrace the Catholike Faith c. But the Earl of Foix returned answer That he could not forsake his faith in such a time wherein men might think that he did it rather out of feare then from any good grounds and that it was fitter for them to convince him of the truth of their way then to allure him by promises or force him thereto by Armes And that if they brought that world of Pilgrims against him which they threatned he trusted in God that he should make them know the Justice of his cause and repent of the rashnesse of their vow But the Earls subjects fearing that their Lord being aged and without wife and children should leave them to the mercy of the first Conqueror intreated him to come to a composition with the Legat whereupon he began to treat and at last yielded up diverse Castles into the hands of the King of France upon promise that he would rule with justice and equity Anno Christi 1234. the opinions of the Albingenses were much spread abroad in the parts of Spaiâ—â— and other adjacent countries and they had Bishops among them who boldly preached against the Romish errors and especially against Transubstantiation whereupon a Croisado was preached against them and a very great Army of Pilgrims being assembled together were by Pope Gregory sent against them who slew them all with their Bishops seized of their City and plundered them whereby saith Mathew Paris they returned rich and joyfully into their own countries Also about the same time another Army of these Pilgrims went against others of them on the borders of Germany who retiring into a Fenny place for there security were their all slaine But the same yeare the Lord raised up Trancavel the natural son of the Earl of Beziers deceased who was encouraged and assisted by a number of valiant Captaines as Oliver de Fumes Bertrand Hugon de Serrelong Bertrand de villenense Jordaine de Satiat who told him that they would assist him to revenge the outrages done to his father who was deprived of his land betrayed imprisoned and poisoned whereupon he resolved to recover by the sword what was so unjustly taken from him and before the enemies had notice of his designe he took in diverse strong Castles so that the Popes Legate and Bishop of Tholouse were much astonished to see these men stand up for the Albingenses whom they supposed to have been utterly suppressed Then did the Popes agents cause the cross to be preached and the Bishop of Narbonne animated the people of his Diocess to go against them and to make an end of the poor remainder of the Albingenses An army being raised the Popes Legate led it to Tholouse and when the Citizens appeared upon their ramparts he told them that he was come thither for their preservation They thanked him but withall told him that if he did not instantly retire himselfe they would give him the chase And presently came Trancavell who so bravely and valiantly set upon the Legates Troops that he quickly overthrew them and chased them to the very gates of Carcasson and the Legate had much adoe to save himselfe but that which most angered the Legate was that Trancavell found intertainement in some part of Carcasson so that the Pilgrims durst hardly peep out of the City gates and when he heard of any more Pilgrims comming to the Legate he used to meet them to lay Ambushes for them so that usually overthrowing them their designes were marred This man kept the field till the year 1242. and still prevailed against all the crossed souldiers that came against him whereupon Ameline the Popes Legate wrote to the Pope that if he caused not the cross to be preached in many parts of Europe the Church was like to sustain much damage by this enemy For saith he he is more cruell and subtile then any before him But a little before the Bishop of Tholouse was informed of a certain Matron who having her children brethren and friends about her was dying an Heretick whereupon he ran to her and found it even so by the confession of the woman her selfe who desired to die in the faith of the Albingenses and doubted not to be saved then did the Bishop condemne her and delivered her to the secular power who presently carried her forth in the bed wherein she lay sick and burned her Anno Christi 1235. Earl Remund getting from Paris returned into his owne country and forbad the Citizens of Tholouse to company with the Friers predicant and shortly after expelled them the City And the Monastery of Narbonne belonging to the same order of Friers was pulled down by the Albingenses And in June following Pope Gregory the ninth made new Inquisitors against the Albingenses in Arragon and France Anno Christi 1236. King Lewis of France wrote to the Pope that Earl Remund had violated the Covenants which he had made with the Church and had cast the Bishops Clergy and Friers out of Tholouse and brought Hereticks into their roomes whereupon he desired that he might be reduced into order c. And indeed by the power of the Pope and King he was forced to recall the Popish Clergy and to banish the Albingenses and to take upon him the signe of the Cross for the aid of the Holy land by way of Penance for his former deeds The same year many imbracing the faith of the Albingenses be-beyond the Alps Inquisitors were sent against them especially one Frier Robert who caused many of both sexes to be apprehended and when they continued constant in the true faith and would not renounce the same in
repentance obtained mercy of God Thereupon he cried unto God a whole year together night and day watering his bed with his tears because he thought himself damned but at last God saith he sent his Angel to me and I saw this glory brighter then the sun and I had gods Spirit bestowed upon me c. After which he was apprehended beheaded and quartered The pictures of John Husse and Jerom of Prague they defaced all the Bibles that they could meet with they burned the graves of the Ministers they opened took out their bones and burnt them The Statutes of King Frederick they beat in pieces and trampled them under their feet One man they fined at five hundred Dollars for giving his son the name of Frederick Before these calamities befell the Bohemians God gave them warning by sundry Prodigies In severall places divers Suns were seen together At Prague the Sun seemed to dart out bals of fire Also a flying Dragon flaming horribly was seen throughout all Bohemia and Silesia Also a spring flowed with bloud for an whole moneth together In another place a Fish-pond was wholly turned into bloud for the space of three daies A great flock of Crows and Daws fought together for a whole daies space whereby multitudes of them were slain At Prague it rained brimstone and the Image of the crucifix being set up was struck down with a thunderbolt The gates of some Cities opened of their own accord Many Bibles being thrown into a great fire were untouched only the margin a little scorched Many Apostates tormented by the sting of conscience cried out They were damned Some to avoid these terrors hanged themselves others drowned themselves Some died in fearfull despaire others died suddenly One as he was about to abjure was stricken dumb and being carried home was possessed with a great trembling all over and gnawing his own tongue he died miserably Dr Knapper a great persecutor was slain by the appointment of his wife an adultresse for which she was afterwards hanged Another vomited out his ungodly soul with bloud Another ran mad and cast him self down from the top of his house and so roaring fearfully he breathed his last Another shot himself to death with his own Pistoll Another ran mad fell into such a disease that none could come near him for stink and at last was choaked with vomiting up abundance of bloud Another being taken with a sudden disease waxed as black as a cole uttered his speech like the barking of a dog and within three daies died with terrible pains Another by the breaking of a great gun was torn all to pieces Another had a terrible disease in his throat his tongue rotted many holes were eaten in his throat whereout his food and medicines came so that he died myserably Collected out of a Book called Historia Persecutionum Ecclesiae Bohem. written by some Bohemian exiles HAving thus given you a brief Narrative of the Persecutions of the Church in Bohemia from the first planting of the Gospel amongst them to our present times Before I proceed any further let us a little look back to see how God fought for them against their Popish adversaries and thereby after a wonderfull manner plagued their persecutors Much may be read hereof in my second Part in the Life of Zisca but after his death there was a great fear and sorrow seized on his Army and the souldiers being divided amongst themselves one part of them chose for their Captain Procopius Magnus who still retained the name of Thaborites The other part thinking none worthy to succeed Zisca named themselves the Orphanes by reason of the losse of their Captain yet whensoever their Popish adversaries came against them they both joyned together to defend themselves and the liberty of the Gospel in Bohemia About this time Pope Martin perceiving the Gospel and the Professors of it to increase daily in Bohemia he sent the Cardinall of Winchester an English man into Germany to stirre up the Emperour and German Princes to make war against the Bohemians Hereupon three Armies were levied one under the Duke of Saxony the second under the Marquesse of Brandenburg the third under Otho Archbishop of Trevers These three Armies entred Bohemia three waies and at last joyning all into one besieged the City of Misna which but the night before was won from the Papists by one Prichicho a learned and zealous Protestant and therefore the Popish Armies resolved to take that place before they marched any further But so soon as news came that the Protestants had raised an Army and were hasting to the relief of Misna they speedily fled before they ever saw an enemy leaving all their Engines of warre and a great booty behinde them The Cardinall meeting them in their flight used all the arguments that possibly he could to the Nobles and Captains to turn them back again magnifying their number and prowesse and vilifying their enemies but when nothing would prevail himselfe was fain to accompany them in the flight Presently the Bohemians pursuing fell upon their rereward which made their flight much more fearfull and disordered then it was before neither did they leave flying till the Bohemians left pursuing of them The Emperour hearing of this shamefull flight went to Noremberg and by the assistance of the Cardinall a new Army was raised under the Command of Frederick Marquesse of Brandenburg which entred Bohemia one way and another great Army under Albert Arch-Duke of Austria which entred another way In these two Armies were all the chiefest Nobles and Bishops in Germany being above fourty thousand horsemen besides foot The Bohemians as soon as they heard of their enemies approach gathered their Host with all speed to encounter them But God marvellously fought for them for before the Bohemians came near them the Popish Army was struck with such a marvellous sudden fear that they began most shamefully to run away the Cardinall wondering at it went up and down to the Captains exhorting and encouraging of them telling them that they were to fight for their Lives Honour Religion and the salvation of souls c. but notwithstanding all that he could say and do the Ensignes were suddenly snatched up and every man ran headlong away so that the Cardinall was forced to do the like The Protestants encouraged hereby speedily pursued them and obtained a very great booty This so astonished both the Pope and Emperour that afterwards they sought rather by subtilty to entrap them then by force to compell them to forsake their religion as we have seen in the foregoing story CHAP. XXVI The Persecution of the Church in Spaine which began Anno Christi 1540. ANno 1540. there was one Francis Romane sent by the Spanish Merchants of Antwerp to Breme to take up some money that was due to them where being at a Sermon through the marvelous working of Gods Spirit he was so effectually wrought upon that after
many great Provinces to shake off his Antichristan yoak and therefore he condemned them for Hereticks in the Councel of Lateran Yet did they so multiply that Anno 1200. they possessed many and great Cities yea they had many great Lords that took part with them as Earl Remund of Tholouse Remund Earl of Foix the Vicount of Bezieres c. Pope Innocent the third pretended a great desire to reclaime them by preaching and conference and thereupon there was a famous Disputation at Montreall wherein the Popish Doctors were shamefully baffled by Arnold But the Popes pollicy was thus to rock them asleep whilest he raised Armies against them to destroy them The pretended occasion whereof was this There was one Frier Peter that was slain in the dominions of the Earl of Tholouse whereupon the Pope sent preachers abroad through all Europe to assemble men together to take vengeance on the Hereticks for the innocent bloud of Friar Peter slain amongst them promising Paradise to all that would come to this warre and bear arms for fourty daies This he called the holy warre and gave the same Pardons and Indulgences to those that came to this war as to those which went into the Holy land against the Saracens Then did he thunder against Earl Remund charging all Arch-bishops and Bishops through their Diocesse to pronounce him accursed and excommunicated and that with the sound of a Bell and extinction of Candles every Sabbath and festivall day for murthering of a good servant of God He also absolved all his subjects from their oaths of allegiance to him commanding every good Catholike to pursue his person and to take and possesse his land c. He also wrote to all Christian Princes to stirre them up to get this pardon rather by fighting against these Albingenses then by going against the Turks Earl Remund hearing of all these preparations against him sent to the Pope humbly beseeching him not to condemn him before he was heard assuring him that he was no way guilty of the death of Frier Peter but that he was slain by a Gentleman who immediatly fled out of his Country otherwise he would have severely punished him for it But all was in vain for presently came Armies of crossed souldiers to pour down their vengeance on him and his lands Amongst these were many noble men and Ecclesiasticall persons Arch-bishops Bishops Abbots c. to all which the Pope promised Paradise but gave them not a peny The Earl of Tholouse perceived that he must either prepare for defence or submit the latter he thought the safer and therefore he went presently to the Popes Legate at Valance to whom he began to say that he thought it strange that so many armed men should be brought against him who used no other arms for his defence but his own innocency And that concerning the death of the Frier they should first have enquired the truth of the fact before they thus moved heaven and earth against him yea if he had been guilty yet there was an ordinary course of justice to be used against him and not to wreak their anger on his innocent Subjects and therefore Sir said he since I come voluntarily to you armed only with the testimony of a good conscience what further use is there of these armed Pilgrims pray you therefore counteâ—mand these souldiers before they go to make any further spoil in my territories for my own person may serve for a sufficient pledge c. The Legate answered that he had done well in coming to him yet could he not send back the souldiers except he would put seven of his best castles into his hands which should serve for a hostage Now did the Earl when it was too late see his own folly in putting himself into the Legates hands and thereby making himself a prisoner but there was no remedy now he must take Laws from him that had him in his power and therefore be told him that both his person and possessions were at his disposall beseeching him that his Subjects might receive no more damage by the Souldiers The Legate presently sent to put Garisons in those seven Castles commanding all the Consuls of every City presently to appear before him and when they were come he told them that Earl Remund had delivered up his Castles to the Pope and therefore they were to take notice of it that so they might acknowledge themselves lawfull Subjects to his Holinesse in case the Earl should falsifie his Oath to the Pope The Consuls were much astonished thus to see their Lord devested of all his possessions but that which most afflicted them was to see him led to S. Giles to be reconciled to the Church where the Legate commanded the Earl to strip himself stark naked all but his linnen drawers then did he put a cord about his neck whereby he led him nine times about the grave of Frier Peter scourging him with rods all the while The Earl demanded satisfaction for so sharp a penance seeing he was not guilty of the fact the Legate answered that he must submit if he would be reconciled to the Pope yea he must be thus scourged before the Earls Barons Marquesses Prelates and all the people he made him also to swear to be obedient all his life to the Pope and Church of Rome and to make irreconcileable warre against the Albingenses c Then did the Legate make him General of the crossed Souldiers for the seige of Beziers The Earl knew not what to do For to conduct an Army to fight against the Albingenses was to sin against his conscience and if he should fly away it would furnisâ— them with new matter of persecution against him and his subjects In this extremity he stayed in the Army a few daies and then went towards Rome to reconcile himself to the Pope Then did the Army come before the City of Beziers and provided all manner of Engines for battery reared up ladders for a general Escalado this the Earl of Beziers beholding and judging it impossible to defend the City he went out and cast himself down at the Legates feet beseeching him not to punish the innocent with the nocent which must needs be if the Town were taken by storm he told him that there were in the City great numbers of good Catholicks which would be subject to the same ruine with the Albingenses he desired him also to commiserate him now in his minority that was a most obedient servant to the Pope and had been brought up in the Romish Church in which he would live and die The Legate told him that all his excuses prevailed nothing and that he must do as he may The Earl returned into the City assembled the people and told them that he could obtain no mercy from the Legat except all the Albingenses would come and abjure their religion and promise to live according to the Laws of the Church of Rome The Popish party