who joyn'd themselvs to the envoy of France who was to be arbitrator in this affair for his Master all which joyntly sollicited this matter and obtain'd for the Churches and inhabitants of the Vallys the confirmation of their priviledges definitively and irrevocably by a solemn patent which the Duke of Savoy granted the 9th of August 1655 entered according to form in the senate and chamber of Turin It may seem that after a patent of this nature which carrys the title and character of a perpetual and inviolable law giv'n in the presence and at the intercession of the Embassadors of France and Switzerland and of which the King of France had declared himself guarante it wou'd seem I say that the Vaudoises shou'd enjoy the fruits of a peace purchased by the Bloud of above 6000 of their Brethren but all this cou'd not preserve them from the violence of their Enemys The Council for propagation violated this patent in the most essential points and persecuted the Vaudoises by divers unjust and wrongful means And they offering only complaints against these persecutions their Enemys took their patience for want of courage and thinking they couâ—d oppress them without any resistance they brought in again amongst 'em the dismal effects of Fire and Sword and renew'd in 1663 the miserys and violencys of 1655. The Vaudoises knowing by experience that the defence was their only means of safety were therefore forced to stand on their guard which succeeded so well that they had procured their peace and settled their affairs towards the end of the year 1663. Then it was that the Evangelic Cantons sent again Embassadors to the Court of Turin to be mediators of the peace which Embassadors being joyn'd as the preceding were to the French resident at Turin they procured again for the Vaudoises a solemn perpetual and irrevocable patent in the Month of Feb. 1664. confirmative of the preceding and entered according to form as before But this patent was not executed with greater sincerity than the former altho' the Duke had past his word to the Cantons of Switzerland in a letter of the 28th of Feb. 1664. to make it be punctually observ'd It 's hardly possible to describe the turnings and windings the shifts and tricks which the Council for propagation made use of to render this patent of none effect to the Vaudoises It 's sufficient to say they cou'd never have defended themselvs against such malicious inventions had not God in whose hands are the hearts of Kings and Princes overruled that of Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy This Prince having nearly examin'd the conduct of the Vaudoises found it was without reason they were made so odious and calling to mind the zeal they had shew'd in his service in several occasions especially in 1638 and 1640 when they exposed themselvs so vigorously in his defence against his Enemys whilst most of his Estates had revolted against him he resolv'd to use them for the future as subjects which deserv'd his love as well as his protection The warr which he had with the Genoises in 1672. greatly confirm'd him in his good opinion of the Vaudoises For they serv'd him in it with such zeal and courage that this Prince thought it not enough to give 'em publick commendations for their valor and fidelity in a letter he wrote to them on this occasion but protected them as long as he liv'd Madam Royal his Widow treated them after his example not only with great gentleness and favors but engag'd her self by a letter to the Switz Cantons dated 28th Jan. 1679. to maintain and protect the Vaudoises in the full exercise of their Religion and their other priviledges We have lightly touch'd on all these things that we might not pass the bounds prescribed For besides that they serve to shew that the rights and priviledges of the Vaudoises were grounded on unmovable foundations and that their Enemys have ever violated the most solemn and authentic engagements and only exercised crueltys injustices and perfidiousnesses against them They likewise serve to justify the conduct which the Vaudoises have observed to the end which is properly the subject of this relation The Vaudoises had flattered themselvs that under the government of the Duke of Savoy now reigning they might enjoy some hopes of tranquility They had done him very considerable services in 1684. in the warr against the Banditi of Mondovi And this Prince had giv'n them authentic assurances of his satisfaction good will towards them in a letter he wrote to them on this occasion and the beginnings of his reign seem'd to promise them for the future that in rendring to Cesar that which is Cesar's they shou'd have the liberty of rendring to God what belong'd to him They fed themselvs with these hopes when the Governor of the Vallys of Piemont publish'd towards the end of the year 1685 an order forbidding all strangers to inhabit in these Vallys and to remain therein more than 3 days without his leave and also the inhabitants to entertain or lodg them under grievous penaltys The Vaudoises had by this time bin inform'd of the violences offered in France to force the Protestants to change their Religion They farther understood that the King of France had cancel'd the edict of Nants and they well perceiv'd this prohibition of sheltring their brethren might prove of dangerous consequence to them But they did not forsee the miserys which have hapned to them because men do naturally love to flatter themselvs and their Enemys used all endeavors to remove out of their minds all the thoughts which fear might inspire them with to the end they might be taken unprovided They were in this condition when his Royal Highness orders were proclaimed in the Vallys being the 31st of Jan. 1686. which strictly forbad the exercise of their Religion on pain of death and confiscation of their estates enjoyning all their Churches to be demolish'd and the banishment of all the Ministers that the Infants shou'd be Baptiz'd and brought up in the Popish Religion on penalty of their Fathers being sent to the Gallys with many other particulars to the same purpose as the King of France's declaration which annul'd the edict of Nants It 's impossible to describe the Vaudoises fears and griefs at the news of so surprising an order so much more terrible than the former as being to produce such tragical effects For the preceding tended only to bound them in more narrow limits and to deprive them of the right of inhabiting the plain which they had done time out of mind but the order of the 31 of Jan. wholly took from them all liberty of conscience and exercise of their Religion They saw themselvs immediatly precipitated into a dreadful abyss of miserys without any remedy and forced to behold either the light of the Gospel extinguish't in the Vallys which had there shined for so many ages or the renewing those cruel Massacres which has sacrific'd so many of
their Brethren yet being perswaded this order was the effect of some misrepresentation of them by their Enemys to his Highness they betook themselvs to their usual course of supplications and humble remonstrances and presented four requests to the Duke of Savoy to obtain the revocation of this order But gaining only some time in the execution of it they saw their misfortune was without remedy And they were more confirm'd in the assurances of their miserys when they understood the King of France who on politic reasons had always protected them and even declared himself the gardante of the patents aforementioned had not only oblig'd the Duke to issue forth this order but that his most Christian Majesty had caused his Troops to advance to Piemont to see it executed Then it was that the Vaudoises began to think of defending themselvs from the Invasions of these Forreigners and not to dye like Beasts or fools In the mean time the Evangelic Cantons being inform'd of this order and the measures taken for it's execution believ'd themselvs no waies oblig'd to forsake a people persecuted for mere Religion and that they ought to appear on this occasion as heretofore It was resolv'd then in an assembly held at Baden in the month of Feb. 1686. to send again Embassadors to the Duke of Savoy to intercede in the behalf of the Vaudoises who arriv'd at Turin in the beginning of March and offered their request tending to the revocation of the order set forth in the 31 of Jan. They shew'd That the Evangelick Cantons were interessed in this affair not only as being of the same belief as the Vaudoises but for that the Patents of 1655 and 1633. which this order annul'd were the fruits of their mediation and they accompany'd these their demands with several solid Arguments The Court of Turin pretended not to answer their reasons thinking it enough to tell the Embassadors that the engagements of the Duke of Savoy with the King of France were directly opposite to the success of their negotiation Which oblig'd the Embassadors to remonstrate in a memorial for this purpose That his Royal Highness's Predecessors having given their Royal word to several States and particularly to the Evangelick Cantons for the executing the Patents granted to the Vaudoises he could not renounce such formal engagements because these Patents were not mere Tollerations but perpetual Concessions and inviolable laws and for as much also that they having been granted at the request of several Princes they be according to the law of Nations lasting Monuments of publick faith in that the words of Princes should be Sacred and inviolable They also shew'd that several politick respects should induce the Duke of Savoy to maintain the Vaudoises in their priviledges That it consisted not with his justice and bounty to suffer his Countries to be fil'd with blood and slaughter by destroying a people who implored his grace and Clemency and who had done nothing deserving these severities But neither the reasonings of the Embassadors nor their pressing sollicitations nor the letters of intercession which several Protestant Princes wrote again in favour of these poor people produced any effect They serving only to confirm the Embassadors in their belief of the engagements wherein the Duke of Savoy had entered with the King of France to destroy the Protestant Religion All this while the Vaudoises were ignorant of what past in Turin They knew nothing of the Embassadors being at Court nor their Transactions because care was taken to stop two Messengers in their passage who were to carry the news into the Vallys It 's true indeed they knew sometime after by a common report that these Embassadors were at Turin to demand the revocation of the order of the 31 of January but they could hear nothing certain touching the effect of their Negotiation They durst not go themselvs to Turin since the time allowed them was expired and for that the Court had refused a safe conduct which the Embassadors had desired for the deputies of the Vallys appearance to sollicit their own affairs as was practis'd in former occasions However the Vaudoises had fortified themselvs with some Retrenchments in their Country and stood on their guard to hinder the entrance of the Troops most of which were already encamped at the foot of the Vallys The Duke of Savoy return'd answer to the Embassadors proposals by the Marquess of St. Thomas one of his Ministers of State who has the management of Forreign affairs and who swore to them that the Duke could not revoke this order he not being the master of this affair He also protested to them as from the part of his Highness that provided the order was executed the Duke would not refuse to enter into some expedients He also shew'd them that on their account the Vaudoises should have leave to depart the Country and dispose of their estates The Embassadors thinking the Vaudoises having neither Officers nor Troops could not sustain a war against two such powerful enemies as the King of France and the Duke of Savoy who were united for their destruction They imagin'd then that to avert the Tempest with which these poor people were threatned they ought to sollicit their departure and disposal of Estates But forasmuch as before they could enter on this Negotiation they must consult those of the Vallys the Embassadors therefore got leave of the Court of Turin that they might take a Journey thither for which purpose they had a Letter from the Duke to the Governor of the Vallys The Embassadors arriv'd there the 22 of March and the next Morning caused an Assembly of the people's Deputys to be summon'd to whom they declared what they had done In fine they shewed them that in the condition they were in depriv'd of all hope of succour they had no other part to take but that of leaving their Country provided it could be obtain'd with the disposal of their Estates and if they would accept of this proposal they would offer it as from them The Vaudoises deputys greatly surpriz'd that they must expect no succour in an occasion wherein they hoped all the Protestant States would concern themselvs answer'd the Embassadors they were sensible they could not do better than to follow their advice but before they could resolve on an affair of this importance they must consult a general assembly In the mean time the Embassadors return'd to Turin where they inform'd the Marquess of St. Thomas of the success of their Journey who assured them this Negotiation was very agreeable to the Court. They afterwards desired a pass-Port to bring thither some of the inhabitants of the Vallys with the determinations of this Assembly But this was refused them under two pretences the first that the Duke of Savoy would have no Vaudoise to be seen following his Court and the other was that he would not have it thought that what he did was out of any other respect than the gratifying the Embassadors
Imprimatur GILB IRONSIDE Vice-Cancel Oxon. Novemb. 30. 1688. AN ACCOUNT OF THE LATE PERSECUTION Of the PROTESTANTS in the VALLYS OF Piemont By the Duke of Savoy and the French King In the Year 1686. Never before Publisht OXFORD Printed at the Theatre for John Crosley 1688. TO THE READER IT is to be hoped the Gentlemen of the Church of Rome here at home will give over expecting we should fall in love with either their Religion or good natures if they allow us the liberty of reflecting on their ways of making Converts abroad and That they will at length be ashamed of their attempts against a Church on which they could never yet fasten the least colour of these deceits and crueltys It 's very hard and even contrary to the ingenuity of Human Nature and more to the principles of Christianity to be unconcern'd at the sufferings of those who are not only men as well as our selvs but members too of the same mystical body Our Church enjoyns us to pray for all those who in this transitory life are in trouble sorrow need sickness or any other adversity But how shall we do this if we must take no notice have no compassionate regards to those who suffer on the sole account of a Religion which they dare not relinquish out of terror of conscience and unfeign'd love of the truth Till those of the Church of Rome do sincerely abominate these principles and practises they must not take it ill if they be often put in mind That these usages of those who differ from them in opinion do unavoidably put a man on choosing to lye at the mercy of Turks and Heathens who tho equally zealous yet happily differ from them in this That a man may live under them tho he be no Mahometan An account of the Persecution of those in the Vallys of Piemont IT 'S not our present design to give a large and particular relation of whatever has hapned on this occasion seeing what we shall briefly declare will shew That there was never a more cruel and unjust persecution than this lately exercis'd on the inhabitants of the Vallys of Piemont on the sole account of their Religion The Churches of the Vallys of Piemont or of the Vaudoises as they were commonly call'd were the ancientest of all those who drew their original from the Apostles whose doctrine they have ever taught and follow'd They had no need of Reformation having never partaken of the errors and Idolatrys wherewith the Romanists have infected the Christian Church The simplicity of their manners agreed so well with that of their doctrins as has forced their Enemys to confess that this has especially contributed to their preservation They did not content themselvs with a bare not entring into an Idolatrous and superstitious communion but took all proper occasions to declare their abhorrence of it with as great courage and freedom of mind as any of the ancient Reformers who have all on full enquiry approv'd of their doctrins as very agreeable to the Apostolic simplicity It 's no marvel then if these Churches have been ever the object of the Popish rage and fury if Popes have publish'd crusado's and engag'd several Princes against them if several famous Inquisitors have employ'd at all times whatever their devilish malice cou'd invent to exterminate these poor people and if the Council de propaganda fide extirpandis hoereticis have omitted nothing for the obtaining their design But here we cannot enough admire the especial providence of God in his particular protection of these Churches seeing maugre all these violent persecutions the perfidiousness and treacherys wherewith their Enemys have ever recompens'd their fidelity not withstanding 27 or 28 invasions which their Religion has drawn on them and the Massacres which have so many times bathed the Vallys with the Bloud of the Vaudoises yet has God still preserv'd them by the continual turns of his providence All Historians even those of the contrary party are agreed that these Churches were in an immemorial possession of the exercise of their Religion before they were under the government of the Dukes or Earls of Savoy for it was only in the year 1233 that Thomas Earl of Savoy became Master of the Town of Pignerol and the Vallys of Piemont under pretence the race of the Princes of Piemont was extinct It is also certain the Vaudoises submitted themselvs to the Earls of Savoy whence his present Royal Highness is descended on condition of being maintain'd in all their priviledges And in effect it 's on this foundation that these Earls being become Princes of Piemont have maintain'd and confirm'd the Vaudois Churches in the exercise of their Religion and their other rights and priviledges They have granted them for this end from time to time several authentic concessions especially in 1561 1602 and 1603 which having been verifi'd and entered in the senate and chamber of Turin in the year 1620 by means of a considerable summ of money which the Vaudoises had paid for this purpose as appears from the authentic act these concessions therefore past into the form of an irrevocable deed and perpetual and inviolable law whose execution was enjoyn'd by several solemn decrees of the Dukes of Savoy from the years 1638 1649 1654 and 1655. The Council de propaganda fide which is oblig'd by it's foundation title and oath to procure the ruin of those she terms Heretics observing with extream regret the calm which the Vaudoises enjoy'd by means of these patents took all possible measures to trouble it To this end the Council which then consisted of the principal Ministers of the Court of Savoy taking advantage from the minority of Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy caus'd to be publish'd in the Month of January 1655 an order which oblig'd all the Inhabitants of the Vallys to quit the plain in 3 days and to retire into the Mountains on pain of death cou'd they not make it appear they were become Catholics The Vaudoises obey'd this order as unjust and cruel as it was but their obedience which took away all pretences from their Enemys cou'd not preserve them from that horrid Massacre in 1655 of which posterity will freely speak as an action the most in human and perfidious mention'd in any writing This Massacre was likely in all appearance to have cut off all the Vaudoises but there were many of them who escaping-out of the hands of these Butchers resolv'd to defend their lives They executed then this resolution with such Vigor and Courage that they put their executioners to flight in several rencounters till the Protestant Princes and States became mediators in their behalf These generous protectors having heard of this dreadful Massacre were not contented to open the Bowels of their charity and benificence but interposed earnestly for them with the Duke of Savoy by their intercessions The Evangelic Cantons amongst others sent for this reason four Embassadors to the Court of Turin
of Turin hath promis'd to deliver the Ministers but wou'd not fix the time As yet they are disperst with their familys which consist of forty seven Persons into three Prisons or Castles where they be strictly kept and exposed to several incomodiousnesses and miserys without any appearance of their libertys And thus you have an abridgement of what has past that is most considerable on the occasion of the dissipation of the Churches and Inhabitants of the Vallys of Piemont There needs no more to shew there was never any persecution more unjust and violent As to these poor People themselvs they hope that all the Reformed states will look with an eye of pitty on their sufferings and have some feeling of their griefs They are the remains of those Mother Churches that can claim the greatest and purest antiquity who from the bottom of their Alps had enlightned a great part of the Universe But they are such sad remnants and those reduced into so small a number and such a deplorable condition that we cannot behold either their diminution or their misery without being pierced with extream sorrow They implore then the protection of Kings and Princes and Protestant states and in fine of all true Christians They entreat them by the remembrance of what Christ has done and suffered for them to give ear to the sorrowful crys of the oppressed and to continue their charitable exhibitions to a remnant whom God has delivered from both a corporal and spiritual bondage By which means they shall be enabled to pray without ceasing for their Benefactors that God wou'd reward their charity with uninterrupted peace health and plenty in this life and with immortal glory in the world to come His Royal Highness of Savoy's letter to the Inhabitants of the Vallys To our most dear and faithful subjects of the Vallys of Lucerna Peirouse St. Martin and parts of Prarustin of St. Bartholomew and Rocheplate The Duke of Savoy Prince of Piemont King of Cyprus c. Most Dear and faithful Subjects HAving taken very kindly the zeal and readiness wherewith you have provided us Men who have served us to our entire satisfaction in the occasions which we have had with the Genoises we are therefore willing to give you this present testimony of it assuring you we shall not lose the remembrance of it that you may find in all necessitys the benefits of our Royal Protection as you shall more particularly understand from the Count and Intendant Boccaria whom we have commanded to declare more fully to you our thoughts in this matter and who is to take an account of the Officers and Soldiers who were kil'd or remain Prisoners to make to us a report of them that we may not be ignorant of their condition In the mean time these presents will serve you for an assured testimony of our satisfaction and Prayers to God to defend you from all evil From Turin the 5th of November 1678. sign'd C. Emanuel To the Commonaltys of the Vallys of Lucerna St. Martin Peirouse Prarustin St. Bartholomew and Rocheplate The copy of a letter written to the Count Boccaria by his Royal Highness My Lord and most Dear c. THE Men whom the Commonaltys of the Vallys of Lucerna c. have so well serv'd us that being willing to testify to them our satisfaction we therefore have directed to you the letter subjoyn'd to this that you may deliver it to them and may more fully express to 'em the good will we bear them Requiring you likewise to assure them that when ever their needs require we shall have a particular regard to their affection and at the same time do you take a note of the Officers and Soldiers who were kil'd or taken Prisoners to make a report to us thereof that we may take order accordingly Thus remitting to your care whatever more is necessary to signify our satisfaction and pleasure in their zeal and readyness we beseech God to preserve you At Turin the 5th of November 1672. sign'd C. Emanuel To the Count Am. Boccaria Councellor of State and superintendant General of the Vallys The order of Don Gabriel of Savoy in favor of the Inhabitants of the Vallys Don Gabriel of Savoy Marquess of Rive General of his R. Highness's Army both of Horse and Foot. The Officers here below mentioned of the Vallys of Lucerna having given such proofs of their zeal for his Royal Highness's service in all occasions which have offered especially in the commotions of this Province That we think our selvs oblig'd to give them this testimony to the end that in other exigencys wherein his Royal Highness's service shall be concerned they may be encoraged to continue these proofs of their zeal And therefore by vertue of the authority which we have from his Royal Highness we permit the below-mention'd to wear and carry Arms provided they make no ill use of them And we command all those depending on our orders of General that they neither give nor permit to be given them any trouble for so doing this being his Royal Highness's will and pleasure Given at Mondovi the 29th of Sept. 1681. FINIS