common amongst them The Catechisme or manner of instructing their Children which the Waldenses and Albingenses haue vsed in manner of a Dialogue where the Pastor asketh the question and the Childe answereth set down iointly in their owne proper Language in the French Copy for the more Authority CHAPTER I. The learned Reader desirous to see the Originall may haue recourse to the French Booke where it is faithfully set forth in their owne old Language Lo. Barba Si tu fosses demanda qui sies tu Respond L'Enfant Creatura de dio rational mortal c. The Pastor Question WHat art thou Answer A creature of God reasonable and mortall Q. Why hath God created thee A. To the end I should know and serue him and that I might be saued by his grace Q. In what doth thy saluation consist A. In three essentiall vertues which doe necessarily belong to saluation Q. Which be they A. Faith Hope and Charity Q. How dost thou proue it A. The Apostle saith in the 1 Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 13.13 These three things remaine Faith Hope and Charity Q. What is Faith A. According to the Apostle Heb. 11.1 It is the substance of things hoped for the euidence of things not seene Q. How many kindes of Faith are there A. There are two sorts of Faith that is a liuely and a dead Faith Q. What is a liuely Faith A. That which worketh by Charity Q. What is a dead Faith A. According to Saint Iames That Faith which is without workes is dead Againe Faith is nothing without workes Or a dead faith is to beleeue there is a God and to beleeue those things concerning God and not to beleeue in God Q. What is thy Faith A. The true Catholike and Apostolike Faith Q. What is that A. It is that which in the Apostles Symbole is diuided into twelue Articles Q. What is that Symbole A. I beleeue in God the Father Almighty c. Q. By what meanes canst thou know that thou beleeuest in God A. By this Because I know that I haue giuen my selfe to the obseruation of the Commandements of God Q. How many Commandements of God are there A. Ten as it appeareth in Exodus and Deuteronomy Q. Which are they A. Hearken O Israel I am the Lord thy God Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in Heauen c. Q. Vpon what doe all these Commandements depend A. Vpon the two great Commandements that is to say Thou shalt loue God aboue all things and thy Neighbour as thy selfe Q. What is the foundation of these Commandements by which euery one ought to enter into life without which foundation no man can worthily fulfill the Commandements A. Our Lord Iesus Christ of whom the Apostle saith in the first to the Corinthians None can lay any other foundation but that which is laid euen Iesus Christ Q. By what meanes may a man attaine to this foundation A. By Faith So saith Saint Peter 1 Epist 2.6 Behold I lay in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect precious and he that beleeueth in him shall not be confounded And our Sauiour saith Hee that beleeueth in me shall haue eternall life Q. How doest thou know that thou beleeuest A. Because I know him to bee true God and true man who was borne suffered c. for my redemption and Iustification and that I loue him and desire to fulfill his Commandements Q. By what meanes may a man attaine to the Essentiall vertues that is to say Faith Hope and Charity A. By the gifts of the holy Ghost Q. Doest thou beleeue in the holy Ghost A. I doe beleeue For the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne and is a person of the Trinity and according to the Diuinity is equall with the Father and the Sonne Q. Doest thou beleeue God the Father God the Sonne God the holy Ghost to be three Persons Then there are three Gods A. No there are not three Q. But yet thou hast named three A. That was by reason of the difference of the Persons not of the Essence of the Diuinity For though there be three Persons yet there is but one Essence Q. After what manner doest thou adore and serue that God in whom thou beleeuest A. I adore him by an exterior and interior adoration Exterior by the bowing of the knees the lifting vp of the hands the inclination of the body with hymnes and spirituall songs fasting inuocation but inwardly by a holy affection a will ready to doe what hee pleaseth and I serue him by Faith Hope Charity in his Commandements Q. Doest thou adore and serue any other thing as God A. No. Q. Wherefore A. Because of his Commandement whereby hee hath straightly commanded saying Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue As also I will not giue my glory to another Againe I liue saith the Lord Euery knee shall bow vnto me And Christ Iesus saith There shall be true worshippers who shall worship the Father in spirit and truth and the Angell would not be adored by Saint Iohn nor Saint Peter by Cornelius Q. After what manner doest thou pray A. I pray according to that Prayer that was taught vs by the Sonne of God Our Father which art in Heauen c. Q. Which is the other substantiall vertue belonging of necessity to saluation A. It is Charity Q. What is Charity A. It is a gift of the holy Ghost whereby the soule is reformed in will illuminated by Faith whereby I beleeue all that I ought to beleeue and hope whatsoeuer I ought to hope Q. Doest thou beleeue in the holy Church A. No for that is a creature but I beleeue there is a Church Q. What is that thou beleeuest touching the holy Church A. I say that the Church is considered after a twofold manner the one in it substance the other in it Ministery Considered in it substance by the Church we vnderstand the holy Catholike Church which containeth all the Elect of God from the beginning of the World to the end in the grace of God by the merit of Christ assembled by the holy Ghost ordained from the beginning to eternall life the names and number of whom is known onely to God who hath elected them And lastly in this Church there remaineth no excommunicated person But the Church considered according to the veritie of the Ministery are the Ministers of Christ with the people subiect vnto them or committed to their charge vsing their Ministery by Faith Hope and Charity Q. By what markes doest thou know the Church of Christ A. By fit and conuenient Ministers and by the people who participate in the trueth of that Ministerie Q. How doest thou know the Ministers A. By the true apprehension of faith by sound doctrine by the life of good example the preaching of the Gospell and the due administration
MARTINVS LVTHERVS Roma orbem domuit Romam sibi Papa subegit Viribus illa suis fraudibus is te suis. Quanto is to maior Lutherus maior et illa Jstum illámque uno qui domuit calamo Cum priuill LVTHERS FORE-RVNNERS OR A CLOVD OF WITNESSES DEposing for the Protestant faith Gathered together in the Historie of the Waldenses Who for diuers hundred yeares before Luther successiuely opposed Popery professed the truth of the Gospell and sealed it with their bloud Being most grieuously persecuted and many thousands of them martyred by the tyrannie of that Man of sinne and his superstitious Adherents and cruell instruments Diuided into three parts The first concernes their originall beginning the puritie of their Religion the persecutions which they haue suffered throughout all Europe for the space of aboue foure hundred and fiftie yeares The second containes the historie of the Waldenses called Albingenses The third concerneth the doctrine and discipline which hath bene common amongst them and the confutation of the doctrine of their aduersaries All which hath bene faithfully collected out of the Authors named in the page following the Preface By I P. P. L. Translated out of French by SAMSON LENNARD LONDON Printed for Nathanael Newbery and are to be sold at the signe of the Starre vnder Saint Peters Church in Cornhill and in Popes-head Alley 1624. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE WILLIAM EARLE OF PEMBROOKE BARON HERBERT of Cardiff Lord Parre and Rosse of Candale Lord Fitz Hugh Marmion and Saint Quintin Lord Chamberlaine of his Maiesties House Lord Guardien of the Stannery and Gouernour of the Towne and Castle of Portesmouth Knight of the most noble order of the Garter and one of his Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsell RIght Honorable The more then honourable and princely Prophet Dauid entring into a due consideration with himselfe how to shew himselfe thankfull vnto God for his great and vnspeakable mercies and fauours bestowed on him he cryeth out Quid retribuam Domino what shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefits bestowed on me and finding nothing could be returned that could carrie the least proportion to his bounties he presently answereth I will receiue and not render I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord. A strange kinde of retribution it is to repay by taking more and yet thus stands the case at this time betwixt your Honor and my selfe I haue many a time and oft meditated with my selfe how to do your Honor seruice and to shew my selfe thankfull in some measure for that honorable fauour and readinesse I haue euer found in you to do me good but finding nothing in my selfe that might any way paralell your goodnesse I was enforced to say with Dauid I will take and not giue I will requite by asking more My humble petition therefore to your Honor is that you would be pleased to honor these my weake labours with your honorable protection The reasons that embolden me to request this fauour at your hands are principally three First the loue you once bare to my honorable friend and deare cozen Henry Lord Dacres of the South the want of whom I feele the lesse because I finde no want of loue in your selfe towards me for his sake The second is that loue and dutie I did euer owe to your more then honorable Vncle Sir Philip Sidney whom I followed in the warres of the Netherland when he receiued his fatall wound The last and principall is your loue to God and true religion which hath made God to loue you and the world to honour you The truth of which religion and visibilitie of this our Church of England is made manifest in this history for the last foure hundred and fifty yeares which confutes that common and triuiall obiection of the common Aduersarie that our religion began with Luther The Lord of his infinite mercie make you euer constant in the profession and defence of the same truth and religion which you haue bene borne and bred in that as your loue towards God doth daily increase Gods loue towards you may increase too to your euerlasting honour in this life and eternall happinesse in the life to come Your Honors in all dutie to be commanded Samson Lennard TO THE MOST HIGH AND PVISSANT LORD FRANCIS DE BONNE Duke Peere and Mareschal now Constable of France Lieutenant Generall for his Maiestie in Dauphiney Lord of Lesdiguieres c. MY very good Lord this Historie doth rightly belong vnto you and you may challenge it as your due for many reasons First because the most populous Churches of the Waldenses are within the circuite and enclosure of your gouernment they haue had no time to breath in with libertie but onely then when about some fortie yeares since you defended them from the outrages of their enemies both within and without the Realme God chearing them vp by his goodnesse they haue had a sure protection by your loue and fauour and a strong bulwarke vnder your name Besides the proofes of the sufferings of their forefathers in passed ages are the holy booties and spoyles that were made in the taking of Ambrun when you reduced that City to the obediēce of the King The Archbishops of that place haue carefully kept for aboue these last 4. hundred yeares the processe and proceedings against the said Waldēsian Churches which hath brought vpon those that persecuted thē an euerlasting shame and dishonour and contrarily haue eternized the pietie and iudgement of that follower of yours that kept the bagge of the said processe from the fire of the Archbishop of the said place whose accesse to the Tower where they were saued the enemie endeuoured to withstand It was the Lord of Vulcon Counseller to the King in the Court of Parliament at Grenoble that recoured them and brought them to our hands contenting himselfe in all that conquest with that onely bagge which inditeth the diuell himselfe with all his adherents being reserued for the good and edification of the Church of God All which being well considered this benefit comes from you my Lord and the fruite of your armes Hauing therefore resolued with my selfe to bring this historie to light vnder your name I haue but brought it to it first originall by restoring it to it first benefactor and dedicating this edifice to him that hath furnished it with the most substantiall matter And herein I haue wrought the more certaintie vnto it in that I haue dedicated it to him that hath seene and knowne more of the state of the said Waldenses then I can write And herein especially doth the worke of God shew it selfe when men of one and the same name and one and the same Prouince haue bene so different in their designes For it is aboue three hundred yeares since that the noble Arroas de Bonne persecuted in Dauphiney the fathers and grandfathers of those whom our noble and great Francis de Bonne hath restored
Thus doth the eternall God know when it pleaseth him how out of one and the same stemme to make the light of his mercies to shine from whence heretofore sprang nothing but darknesse Long and many happie yeares may your Honour continue in the same purpose and intent to preserue and to loue that Church for which Christ Iesus died and to dedicate the rest of your dayes to his glory and the edification of those flockes for whom he hath shed his most precious bloud Herein consists all your glory And that your felicitie may spring from hence I begge at Gods hands from the bottome of my heart euen with the same affection which binds me euer to continue Your Honours most humble seruant Iohn Paul Perrin of Lion From Nyons in Dauphiney Ian. 1. THE PREFACE THe Church of God in the world is of higher esteeme then the world it selfe It is the fruition of our Lord Iesus Christ He was crucified for it and without it nothing can be accounted good But as our Redeemer inuiteth vs to enter and to continue therein for our saluation so Satan endeuoureth to make men wander from the right way to their damnation He blindeth them to the end they may take that for the Church that hath but the name thereof holding them in error seducing them by a worldly glorious pompe and so makes them disdaine the true Church principally because it is subiect to persecution in the world wherein they that honour not the Maister cannot cherish the seruants in such sort that not acknowledging any other Church then that which hath triumphed for many ages together in the bloud of those Martyrs whom it hath killed they demand with great importunitie what and in what parts of the world the Chatholicke Church hath bene if that which so long and so peaceably hath obtained the title thereof be not the same Where was it hid say they during the fiue ages last past They are instant vpon vs that at the least we shew them some one in the whole course of so many yeares that hath beleeued that which in our times hath bene so much extolled vnder the name of Reformation This historie of the Christians called Waldenses Albingenses will satisfie those that can reade it without passion For therein appeares that for these last foure hundred and fiftie yeares there haue bene especially in Europe a great number in diuers kingdomes and countries which haue made profession of a religion altogether conformable to the word of God and the doctrine which hath bene receiued in the reformed Churches hauing mourned vnder the darkenesse of Antechrist wherein they shined like precious stones in a dunghill and roses among the thornes They seemed to the world but as abiect men but God beheld them as his children and gaue them eyes to see and eares to heare and an heart to vnderstand the truth And as he made way to his iudgements by leauing those to the spirit of amazednesse that had forsaken his word so he hath made way to his mercies in withdrawing this remainder of his people from the Temples polluted with idolatries causing the sacred inward ministerie of his Spirit to worke in them prouiding them temples and preseruing them from the infection of the externall ministerie defiled with infinite humane inuentions The writings of the said Waldenses and Albingenses which haue bene miraculously preserued vnto this present time make good in this historie the puritie of their religion and iustifie them against the imputations of their aduersaries They make it appeare vnto the world that they haue had for the foundation of their faith the Simbole of the Apostles allowing also of that of Athanasius for the rule of their obedience the eternall law of God for the substance of their prayers the Lords prayer And finally that they haue preserued the Sacraments instituted by our Lord Iesus Christ in the selfe same puritie wherein he first ordained them And also that they haue alwayes liued vnder a good and holy discipline carrying themselues in regard of their manners and conuersation according to the same word which is the rule of their faith And yet neuerthelesse we shall make it appeare that for all these things without which no man can be a true Christian they haue bene cruelly condemned to death banished sacked burnt cursed and persecuted with violence of armes Without reason then is it demanded where the Church was in these ages last past since it appeares that the almost infinite numbers which the Popes for righteousnesse sake haue put to death were the Church how contrarie soeuer to the Church of Rome and the Popes in whatsoeuer they were contrary to the Church of God Now forasmuch as the first point of the truth which these faithfull Martyrs haue maintained concerneth God who is without beginning and without end without whose command there is nothing true or auailable it must necessarily follow that the inuentions of men must giue place when God speaketh especially the truth being as ancient as the lye And we must also acknowledge that they that haue beleeued in former ages in one onely God by Iesus Christ haue bene the true members of the Church making the Catholike Church in what part of the world soeuer they haue bene placed Now it appeares by the doctrine and confession of the faithfull whereof much is spoken in this historie that they haue alwayes put their hope in the liuing God expecting saluation and life by no other meanes but by the Sonne of God If then for these things they haue bene slaughtered what wrong is done vnto those that are guiltie of the same sinnes by those bloudie desires which they haue to banish those out of the world whose mouthes by reason they cannot stop if seeming to seeke the Church in ages past they be sent vnto those faithfull whom such as themselues haue put to death Haue they not rather reason to be thankfull vnto God with vs for that the violent assaults of Satan haue bene alwayes in vaine because the Church hath euer continued in the person of Gods seruants victorious by faith and triumphant by martyrdome which we haue not measured in this historie according to the crueltie of their punishment but the iustice and goodnesse of the cause It will adde much to the glory of God to follow this bloud by the trace gathering together the certaine proofes of the faith and constancie of millions of witnesses who haue sealed the truth with the losse of their owne liues They whose hearts God shall moue to enlarge this historie by the true narration of what hath passed touching this subiect in those places where it hath pleased the Lord to make them grow increase as there is no Kingdome State Principalitie nor almost Citie towne or village in Europe where this innocent bloud hath not bene shed shall adde much to the edification of his Church when many shall contribute to the notice thereof that which God hath done in passed
of Rome is the true Babylon and that the Pope is the fountaine of all the euils in these dayes That the marriage of Priests is good and necessary That they that heare the word of God and haue the true knowledge thereof are the true Church vnto which Christ Iesus hath deliuered the keyes to let in the flocke and to chase away the wolues Behold here saith Vinaux the doctrine of the Waldenses which the enemies of the truth haue impugned and for which in those times they persecuted them as their enemies themselues do witnesse Viret of the true false religion lib. 4. chap. 13. p. 249. Viret speakes of the Waldenses as followeth The Papists saith he haue imposed great crimes and that very wrongfully vpon those ancient faithfull people commonly called Waldenses or the poore people of Lions frō Waldo whose doctrine they followed by which they make it appeare that the Pope is Antichrist and that his doctrine is nothing else but humane traditions contrary to the doctrine of Christ Iesus For which cause they haue dealt against them as the ancient Painims did against the Christians accusing them that they killed their owne children in their assemblies The Ecclesiasticall History of the reformed Churches of France tom 1. lib. 1. p. 35. The Author of the Historie of the reformed Churches in France writeth thus The Waldenses saith he time out of mind haue opposed themselues against the abuses of the Church of Rome and haue in such sort bene persecuted not by the sword of the word of God but by all kind of violence and crueltie as also by a million of calumnies and false accusations that they haue bene enforced to disperse themselues into what parts of the world they could wandring through desart places like poore sauage beasts the Lord neuerthelesse preseruing the remnant of them in such sort that notwithstanding the fury of the whole world they were still preserued in three countries farre distant one from the other that is Calabria Bohemia and Piemont with the bordering parts thereabout from whence they haue bene dispersed into the quarters of Prouence about two hundred seuentie yeares since And as touching their religion they haue alwayes auoyded the Papall superstition For which cause they haue bene alwayes vexed by the Bishops and Inquisitors abusing the power of secular iustice in such sort that it is an euident miracle of God that they should be able to continue Iohn Chassagnon writes as followeth Iohn Chassagnon in his Historie of the Albigeois p. 25. It is written of the Waldenses saith he that they reiected all the traditions and ordinances of the Church of Rome as vnprofitable and superstitious and that they made no great account of their Clergie and Prelates And for this cause being excommunicated and chased out of the countrey they dispersed themselues into many and diuerse places as into Dauphiney Prouence Languedoc Piemont Calabria Bohemia England and other places Some haue written that one part of the Waldenses retired themselues into Lombardie where they multiplyed in such a manner that their doctrine was dispersed throughout all Italie and came as farre as Sicile Neuerthelesse in this great dispersion they alwayes kept themselues in vnion and fraternitie for the space of foure hundred yeares liuing in great sinceritie and the feare of God The Historie of the Estate of the Church p. 336. The Author of the Historie of the State of the Church writes of them thus After that Waldo saith he and his followers were driuen out of Lions one part of them retired to Lombardie where they multiplied in such a manner that their doctrine began to disperse it selfe into Italie and came into Sicile as the Patents of Fredericke the second giuen out against them whilest he reigned do witnesse Vesemb in his oration of the Waldenses p. 3. Vesembecius saith that when the Pope and his catch-poles saw that the Romane Hierarchie receiued great detriment by meanes of the Waldenses insomuch that there were certaine Princes that had taken their defence amongst whom was the King of Aragon and the Earles of Toulouze in those dayes puissant Princes in France they began to oppresse them vpon most vniust occasions bringing them into hatred with the people and especially of Kings to the end that by this meanes they might be vtterly exterminated Vignier in his Historicall Bibliothec p. 130. Vignier makes mention of the Waldenses in his Historical Bibliotheke and saith that they haue endured many long and grieuous persecutions and yet notwithstanding there was neuer any thing that could hinder them from retaining that doctrine which they had receiued from the Waldenses deliuering it as it were from hand to hand vnto their children Hologaray in his History of Foix p. 120. 121. Hologaray affirmes that the Waldenses and Albigenses were of a contrary opinion to the Bishop of Rome in all those maximes or principles that were publickly preached commanded by his authoritie that is that were inuented by him and contrary to the word of God And he witnesseth withall that there were amongst them wise men and very learned and sufficient to defend their beliefe against the Monkes Mathias Illyricus writes Math. Illyricus in his Catal. of the witnesses of the truth p. 134. that he finds by the writings of Waldo which lay by him in certaine ancient parchments that Waldo was a learned man and that he did not cause the bookes of the Bible to be translated into the vulgar tongue but that he tooke paines therein himselfe It is most certaine that the aduersaries of Waldo and the Waldenses make no great account of these aboue named testimonies because they hold them to be both of one and the same ranke and order both the witnesses and those to whom they beare witnesse that is all for hereticks but this Historie is not onely for the enemies of the truth but to the end the louers thereof may see that that which is here produced doth not intend onely our owne particular commendations but to shew that there haue bene before vs certaine great personages whose memorie they reuerence that haue spoken of the Waldenses as of the true Sacraments of God who haue maintained the truth with the losse of their liues and earnestly desired in their times to see the reformation we enioy in ours And as le Sieur de S. Aldegonde saith In the first table of his differences the third part p. 150. the occasion why they were condemned for heretickes was no other but because they maintained that the Masse was an impious corruption of the holy Supper of the Lord. That the Hoste was an idoll forged by men That the Church of Rome was wholly adulterated and corrupted and full of infidelitie and idolatrie That the traditions of the Church were but superstitions and humane inuentions That the Pope was not the head of the Church and for other points of this nature And as the said Aldegonde obserues it was
cast out like a Dogge It is neither true nor hath it any resemblance of truth that they should deny him this last office of charitie which they haue not refused to bestow vpon their greatest enemies for it was neuer heard of that the Albingenses haue denied scpulture vnto any As touching the Earle of Foix Remond he was a Prince of whom the Historie giues this testimony that he was a Patron of Iustice clemency prudence valour magnanimitie patience and continency a good Warriour a good Husband a good Father a good House-keeper a good Iusticer worthy to haue his name honoured and his vertues remembred throughout all generations When this good Prince saw that he was to change the earth for heauen he defied death an assured constant carriage and tooke comfort in forsaking the world and the vanities thereof and calling his sonne Roger vnto him hee exhorted him to serue God to liue vertuously to gouerne his people like a Father vnder the obedience of his Lawes and so gaue vp the ghost His Wife the Lady Philippe of Moncade followed him shortly after not without suspition of poyson by some domesticall enemy of the Albingenses whose religion she professed with all deuotion A Princesse of a great and admirable prouidence faith constancy and loyaltie She vttered before her death many excellent sentences full of edification as well in the Castilian tongue as the French in contempt of death which she receiued with a maruellous grace fortifying her speeches with most Christian consolations to the great comfort and edification of all that were present and in this estate she changed her life All these deaths made a great alteration in the wars of the Albingenses both on the one side and the other CHAP. V. Almaric of Montfort restored to King Lewis the eight the conquered Countries of the Albingenses the siege of Auignon the King appointeth a Gouernor in Languedoc The warre continues against the Albingenses Toulouze is besieged a treatie of peace with the Earle Remond and the Toulouzains ALmaric of Montfort had not the fortune of his Father in the warres of the Albingenses For he had neither King Philip Auguste who permitted the leuie of the Pilgrims nor Pope Innocent the third to appoint them Moreouer there was neither Citie nor Village in France where there were not widowes and fatherlesse children by reason of the passed warres of the Albingenses And besides all this the Prelats were many times put into great feares by those cruell combats that were ordinarily made and many of them left behinde them their Miters and some Abbots their Crosses The speech of the expeditions of the Crosse was not so common This was the cause why Almaric did not long enioy his conquered Countries wherewith being much afflicted hee went into France Inuentory of Serres in the life of Lewis the eight and deliuered vp vnto Lewis the eight of that name King of France all the right that he had to the said Countries which the Pope the Councels of Vaur Montpelier and Lotran had granted vnto him and in recompence thereof King Lewis created him Constable of France 1224. in the yeare 1224. To put himselfe into possession King Lewis the eight came into Languedoc and comming to the gates of Auignon he was denied entrance because professing the Religion of the Albingenses they had beene excommunicated and giuen by the Pope to the first Conquerour for then Auignon was no chiefe Citie of the Earldome of Venessin as at this present but belonged to the King of Naples and Sicily The King being much moued with this deniall resolued to besiege it which continued for the space of eight moneths in the end whereof they yeelded themselues about Whitsontide 1225. in the yeare 1225. During this siege almost all the cities of Languedoc acknowledged the king of France by the mediation of Mr. Amelin Archbishop of Narbonne The King established for Gouernour in Languedoc Imbert de Beauieu and tooke his way to France but hee died by the way at Montpensier in September in the yeare 1226. The young Remond Earle of Toulouze was bound by promise to the king to goe to receiue his absolution of Pope Honorius and afterwards he should giue him peaceable possession of all his lands but the death of the king in the meane time happening he saw the Realme of France in the hands of king Lewis a childe and in his minority and the regency in the power and gouernment of his mother Hee thought that hauing to deale with an infant king and a woman regent he might recouer by force that which he had quit himselfe of by agreement He therefore resolued to take armes being encouraged thereunto by the succours of the Albingenses his subiects who were in great hope to maintaine their part in strength and vigor during the Non-age of the King of France but they were deceiued in their proiect For though Lewis the ninth were in his minoritie yet he was so happie as to haue a wise and a prudent mother if euer there were any For King Lewis the eighth before his death had appointed her the Tutrix or Gardianesse of his sonne and Regent of the Realme knowing very well her great capacity and sufficiency Besides Imbert de Beauieu maintained the authority of the king in Languedoc tooke armes and made opposition against the Earle Remond and the Albingenses The History of Languedoc fol. 31. The Queene sent him diuers troopes by the helpe whereof he recouered the Castle de Bonteque neare to Toulouze which was a great hinderance to Imbert and his portizans All the Albingenses that were found within the Castle were put to death and a certaine Deacon with others that would not abiure their Religion by the commandement of the said Imbert Amel the Popes Legat and the aduise of Guyon Bishop of Carcassonne they were burnt aliue 1227. in the yeare 1227. suffring death with admirable constancy The more the persecution increased the more the number of the Albingenses multiplied which Imber of Beauieu perceiuing he went to the Court to let them vnderstand that without succours he could no longer defend the countrey and the places newly annexed to the Crowne and patrimony of France against the Albingenses and the Earle Remond In the meane time whilest he was absent the Earle Remond tooke the Castle Sarrazin one of the strongest places that Imbert had in his keeping and holding the field did much hurt to his enemies 1228. Imbert came from France at the spring of the yeare one thousand two hundred twenty eight accompanied with a great Armie of the Crosse in which there was the Archbishop of Bourges the Archbishop of Aouch and of Burdeaux euery one with the Pilgrims of their iurisdiction The Earle Remond retired himselfe into ToulouZe where he was presently shut vp and all the country round about euen haruest and all spoiled and wasted Being brought to this extremitie Hist of Lang. fol. 33. the Abbot of
wandring wickedly from the way of truth thinke they serue God and doe well and so they are moued to hatred and malice against those that loue the truth commit diuers murders of soules as the Apostle speakes truly This is that compleat man of sinne which exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God and that oppugneth all truth who sits in the Temple of God that is in the Church shewing himselfe as if hee were God who is come with all falshood and lying for those that perish And forasmuch as he is truly come wee neede no longer expect him for hee is already olde by the permission of God yea he is already in the wayne and his power and authority much diminished for the Lord hath long since slaine this man of sinne with the breath of his mouth by sundry good and godly persons giuing them a power contrary to his and those that loue him and hath brought vnto naught his place and his possessions and diuided this City of Babylon in which all manner of wickednesse is in his full strength and vigour What the workes of Antichrist are THe first worke of Antichrst is to take away the truth and to change it into falsehood and errour and heresie The second to couer falsehood with the truth and to confirme an vntruth by seeming faith and by vertue and to mingle falsehood with things spirituall amongst those people that are subiect vnto him whether it bee by meanes of his Ministers or the Ministerie Now this two-fold manner of proceeding containeth a perfect and most accomplished malice which could not bee in any tyrant or powerfull Potentate from the beginning of the world vntill the time of Antichrist Neither hath Christ had any enemy before this which could so change the way of truth into falsehood or that had power to peruert those that make profession either of the one or the other that is to say of truth or falsehood In such sort that our holy Mother the Church with her true children is trodden vnder-foot especially for the true seruice of God and the Ministery thereof insomuch that shee and her members breake out into those mournefull complaints of the Prophet Ieremy How doeth the Citie fit solitary that was full of people How is shee become a widdow that is destitute of the trueth of her Spouse Shee that was great among the nations because of that power shee had ouer sinne and errour and the Princesse among the Prouinces by that part shee had in the world and the things in the world Mourne and behold with a carefull eye and thou shalt finde all these things accomplished euen in these times For the holy Church is reputed a Synagogue and the Synagogue of the wicked is acknowledged to bee the mother of those that beleeue in God and obey his Lawes Falsehood is Preached for truth wrong for right Iniustice is held for Iustice errour for faith sinne for vertue vanity for verity Obiect But what other workes proceed from these first Answer These that follow The first worke is that hee turneth that seruice and worship which is onely proper and due vnto God to himselfe and 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 he adoreth 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 Ghost to 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
we haue determined with our selues to make knowne to the world what are the causes of our departure and what our congregation is to the end that if the Lord shall giue the knowledge of the selfe-same truth they that haue receiued it should loue it together with our selues And that if peraduenture they be not sufficiently illuminated they may receiue comfort and assistance by this meanes and be watered by the dew of heauen And if this grace bee giuen more abundantly and in a higher measure to any other wee desire in all humility to bee better instructed by him intreating our faults and defects may bee amended These things then that follow are the causes of our separation Be it knowne to all in generall and euery particular person that the cause of our separation is for the essentiall verity of Faith and the ministeriall The Essentiall verity of Faith is the inward knowledge of one true God and the vnity of Essence in three persons which knowledge flesh and bloud hath not giuen As also for the decent and conuenient seruice due to one onely God for the loue thereof aboue all things for sanctification and the honour thereof aboue all things and aboue all names for a liuely hope by Christ in God for regeneration and inward renouation by faith hope and charity for the merit of Iesus Christ with all sufficiency of grace and righteousnesse for the participation or communion with all the Elect for remission of sinnes for holy conuersation and for the faithfull accomplishment of all the Commandements in the faith of Christ for true repentance for perseuerance vnto the end and for life euerlasting The Ministeriall verities are these The outward Congregation of Ministers with the people subiect in place time and truth by the ministry of the truth aboue mentioned directing establishing and preseruing the Church the said Ministers by faith and an integrity of life shewing themselues obedient and giuing themselues couragiously to the practise and vsuall cariage of our Sauiour ouer the flocke The things which the Ministers are bound to doe for the seruice of the people are these The Euangelicall Word the Sacraments annexed to the Word which certifie what the intention and vnderstanding hath beene confirme the hope in Christ and in the faithfull the ministeriall communion of all things by the Essentiall verity And if there be any other ministeriall things they may all bee referred to the aboue-named But of these singular verities some are essentially necessary to the saluation of man others conditionally They are contained in the twelue Articles of our Faith and in diuers writings of the Apostles For Antichrist hath long since raigned in the Church by diuine permission The errours and impurities of Antichrist are these that is to say diuers and innumerable Idolatries against the Commandements of God and of Christ by a seruice giuen to the creature and not to the Creator visible and inuisible corporall and spirituall vnderstanding or sensible naturall or made and framed by some art and vnder the name of Christ or hee-saints or shee-saints or reliques which creature is serued by faith by hope by gestures by prayers by pilgrimages by almes-deeds by offerings and sacrifices of great charge The which creature they serue adore honor after a diuers manner with songs orations solemnities and celebrations of Masses vespers complines to the selfe-same creatures with prayer bookes for certaine houres vigils feasts purchasing of grace which is essentially in one onely God and in Iesus Christ meritoriously and is obtained by faith onely and by the holy Ghost For there is no other cause of Idolatry then the false opinion of grace of truth of authority inuocation intercession which this Antichrist hath taken from God and attributed it to his ceremonies authorities the workes of his hands and to Saints and to Purgatory And this iniquity of Antichrist is directly against the first Article of our Faith and the first Commandement of the Law In like sort the disorderly loue of the World which is in Antichrist is that from whence doe spring all the sinnes and wickednesse that is in the Church in those that are the Leaders and Rulers and Officers thereof who sinne without controlement against the truth of faith and the knowledge of God the Father witnesse Saint Iohn who saith He that sinneth knoweth not God for if any man loue the world the charity of the Father is not in him The second iniquity of Antichrist consists in the hope which he giueth of pardon grace righteousnesse truth and eternall life as not being in Christ or in God by Christ but in men liuing and dead in authorities ecclesiasticall ceremonies in benedictions sacrifices prayers and other things aboue mentioned not by true faith which brings forth repentance by charity and a departure from euill and cleauing to that which is good Now Antichrist teacheth vs not to place our hope and confidence in such things that is to say regeneration spirituall confirmation or communion the remission of sinnes sanctification eternall life but to hope in his Sacraments and his wicked Simony by which the people are abused in such sort that they make sale of all things and inuent many ordinances old and new to bring siluer into their chests promising that if any man doe this or that hee shall obtaine grace and life And this double iniquity is called in Scriptures adultery and fornication And therefore such Ministers as leade the brutish people into these errours are called the Apocalipticall Whore And this iniquity is against the second Article and the second and third Commandement The third iniquity of Antichrist consisteth in this that he hath inuented besides those aboue-named other false religions and orders and Monasteries giuing hope to obtaine grace by building oratories for Saints as also by deuout and frequent hearing of the Masse by the receiuing the Sacrament by Confession though seldome with a contrite heart by satisfaction by fastings and emptying the purse by professing himselfe a member of the Church of Rome by making vowes and giuing themselues to orders of Capouches and Cowles which against all truth they affirme that men are bound vnto And this iniquity of Antichrist is directly against the eight Article of our Beliefe I beleeue in the holy Ghost The fourth iniquity of Antichrist consisteth in this that notwithstanding hee bee the fourth Beast described by Daniel and the Apocalipticall whore hee neuerthelesse adorneth himselfe with authority power dignity offices Scriptures and compareth himselfe and maketh himselfe equall to the true and holy Mother the Church in which there is saluation Ministerially and not elsewhere in which there is the truth of life and Doctrine and of the Sacraments For if he should not thus couer himselfe and his wicked Ministers being knowne for manifest sinners hee would soone be forsaken and abandoned of euery one For Emperours and Kings and Princes thinking him to be like to the true and holy mother the Church they haue loued
dissemble without some defect of charity what they had found in them worthy reprehension And that was that they yeelded to much to their infirmities since that hauing once knowne the truth they neuerthelesse frequented Papisticall Churches being present at those idolatries which they condemned basely prophaning and polluting themselues that wee are not onely certainly to beleeue with the heart but wee must likewise make confession with our mouth to saluation Moreouer they told them of another fault which they had taken notice of and that was that they were too carefull in heaping vp gold and siluer for though the end were good that is to helpe and comfort them in time of persecution yet forasmuch as euery day brought with it affliction enough and that such cares are not befitting those that are to looke only before them and to lay vp a treasure in heauen they condemned that which was superabundant in them and which in the end they would principally rely vpon Joachimê° Cam. in Hist de Ecclesijs fratrum in Bohemia Morauia p. 105 The Waldenses of Austria did heartly thanke them intreating them to continue this holy affection towards them and for their part to doe their best endeauour to further their communion and to appoint a day and place of meeting and conference for they hauing a long time knowne those their defects which they had taken notice of as yet they had not power to prouide conuenient remedies for the same but their hope was that being altogether they should be able better to resolue with themselues as also touching many other points of greatest moment Now when it was euen vpon the point to send to the place where they had agreed to meete and to assemble themselues they began to doubt that the businesse might be discouered and it might be dangerous to all of them And besides that they considered with themselues that they had been supported notwithstanding their assemblies and beliefe were sufficiently knowne and therefore they should put themselues into extreame danger if they should ioyne themselues with other people These considerations made their former designes and purposes of their mutuall communications to vanish away as also in the yeere following that is 1468. in the yeere one thousand foure hundred siixty eight the persecution increased against the said Waldenses of Austria for there were burnt a great number at Vienna Among others the History makes mention of one Steuen an ancient man who being there burnt confirmed many with his constancy They that would escape this persecution retired themselues into the coast of Brandebourg where they stayed not long being also there exposed to fire and sword Amongst those there was one named Tertor Ioach. Cam. in hist de Ecclesijs fratrum in Bohemia Morauia p. 117. that retired himselfe into Bohemia where hee ioined himselfe to the Churches of the Hussites and finding that a man might there remaine in peace both of body and soule he returned into his Country and perswaded many to goe to Bohemia and to inhabit there who were louingly entertained and after that time there haue been no assemblies of the Waldenses in particular but they haue ioyned themselues vnto the Churches of the Hussites CHAP. XI Of the Waldenses inhabiting in Germany and the persecutions that there they suffered whereof we haue the proofes NOtwithstanding that incontinently after that Peter Walde with those that followed him came into Germany there was so great a persecution along vpon the Rhine by the incitement and instigation of the Archbishops of Mayence and Strasbourg that there were burnt in one day in one fire Dubranius in the history of Bohemia to the number of eighteene yet wee find that in the time of the Emperor Frederic the second about the yeere one thousand two hundred and thirteene Germany and especially Alsatia was full of the VValdenses The searchers were so diligent and exact Coistans vpon the Reuel that they were inforced to disperse themselues into other places to auoide the persecution This flight turned to the great benefit of the Church because hereby many learned Teachers were scattered here and there to make knowne vnto the world the purity of their Religion 1230. In the yeere one thousand two hundred thirty a certaine Inquisitor named Conrad de Marpurg Vignier in the 1. part of his Bibli Historiale was ordained by the Pope Superintendent of the Inquisition He exercised this charge with extreame cruelty against all sorts of persons without any respect euen of the Priests themselues Trithem in Chron. Hirsaugiensi Godefridus Mon. in Annalibus whose bodies and goods he confiscated He tried men with a hot iron saying that they that could hold an iron red hot in their hands and not be burnt were good Christians but on the contrary if they felt the fire he deliuered them to the secular power In these times the Waldenses had in the Diocesse of Treues many Schooles wherein they caused their children to be instructed in their beliefe and notwithstanding all the Inquisitions persecutions executed vpon their flockes yet they aduentured to preach Krautz in Metropol l. 8. § 18 in Saxon l. 8. ca. 16. calling their assemblies by the sound of a bell maintaining in publica statione saith the Historiographer publikly that the Pope was an hereticke his Prelates Simonaicall and seducers of the people That the truth was not preached but amongst them and that had not they come amongst them to teach God before he would haue suffered their faith to perish would haue raised others euen the stones themselues to enlighten his Church by the preaching of the word Vntill these times say they our Preachers haue buried the truth and preached lyes we on the contrary preach the truth and bury falshood and lyes and lastly we offer not a feined remission inuented by the Pope but by God alone and according to our vocation Mathew Paris an English writer obserueth 1220. Math. Paris in Henry 3. anno 1220. that about the yeere 1220 there were a great number in a part of Germany that tooke armes where the Waldenses were cut in peeces being surprised in a place of great disadvantage hauing on the one side a marish ground and on the other the sea in such sort that it was impossible for them to escape 1330. Vignier in his third part of his Historicall Biblio in the yeere 1330. About the yeer 1330 they were strangely vexed in many parts of Germanie by a certaine Iacobin Monke Inquisitor named Echard but after many cruelties executed vpon them as hee pressed the Waldenses to discouer vnto him the reasons for which they were seperated from the Church of Rome being vanquished in his owne conscience and acknowledging those defects and corruptions which they alleaged to be in the Church of Rome to bee true and not being able to disproue the points of their beliefe by the word of God he gaue glory vnto God and confessing
that the truth had ouercome him hee became a member of that Church which hee had a long time before persecuted to the death The other Inquisitors being aduertised of this alteration were much displeased and they sent presently so many after him that in the end hee was apprehended and brought to Heidelberg where he was burnt maintaining that it was iniustice and wrong to condemne so many good men to death for the righteousnesse of Christ against the inuentions of Antichrist 1391. Krautzin Metrop l. 8. p. 18. in Sax. l. 8. cap. 16. In the yeere 1391 the Monkes Inquisitors tooke in Soxony and Pomerania foure hundred forty three VValdenses who all confessed that they had been instructed in that beliefe for a long time by their ancestors and that their teachers came from Bohemia 1457. In the yeere one thousand foure fifty seuen the Monkes Inquisitors of the Diocesse of Eisten in Germany discouered many VValdenses which they put to death They had amongst them twelue Pastors that instructed them We must not ouerpasse the thirty fiue Burgesses of Mayence that were burned in the Towne of Bingue because they were knowne to be of the beliefe of the VValdenses nor the fourescore which the Bishop of Strasbourg caused to be burnt in one fire nor that which Trithemius recounts that they confessed in in those times that the number of VValdenses was so great that they could goe from Cologne to Milan and lodge themselues with hostes of their owne profession and that they had signes vpon their houses and gates whereby the might know them But the most excellent instrument amongst them that God imployed in his seruice was one Raynard Lollard who at the first was a Franciscan Monke and an enemy of the VValdenses but yet a man carried with a sanctified desire to finde the way of saluation wherein he had so profited that his aduersaries themselues were constrained to commend him Iohn le Maire in the 3. part of the diff of Schismes in the 24. scisme For Iohn le Maire puts him in the ranke of those holy men that haue foretold by diuine reuellation many things that haue come to passe in his time This worthy man taught the doctrine of the VValdenses was apprehended in Germany by the Monkes Inquisitors and being deliuered to the secular power was burnt at Cologne This man hath writ a Commentary vpon the Apocalipse where hee hath set downe many things that are spoken of the Romane Antichrist This was he of whom the faithfull in England were called Lollards where he taught witnesse that Towre in London which at this present is called by his name Lollards Tower where the faithfull that professed his Religion were imprisoned CHAP. XII Of the VValdenses that haue been persecuted in England ENgland hath been one of the first places that hath been honoured for receiuing the Gospell for not long after that VValdo departed from Lion there were many condemned to death as VValdenses that is to say eleuen yeeres after the dispersion of the VValdenses of the Citty of Lion For Waldo departed out of Lion 1163. Math. Paris in his History of England the said yeere 1174. in the yeere one thousand one hundred sixty three and Mathew Paris reports that the Monkes Inquisitors caused some of the Waldenses to be burnt in England in the yeere 1174. And Iohn Bale makes mention of a certaine man that was burnt at London in the yeere 1210 that was charged with no other matter 1210. Iohn Basle in the Chronicles of London Thomas Walden in his sixt volume of things sacramentall tit 12. chap. 10. then that hee professed the Religion of the Waldenses Thomas Walden an English man hath writ that in the time of Henry the second the Waldenses were grieuously persecuted and that they were called Publicans And as for those in whom they found not cause enough to condemne vnto death they marked them in forhead with a burning key to the end they might be knowne of euery man This beliefe of the Waldenses was better known in the time of the wars against the Albingenses insomuch that as le Sieur de la Popeliniere hath well obserued the proximity of the lands and possessions of the Earle Remod of TholouZe La Popiliniere in his History of France l. 1. with Guienne then possessed by the English and the aliance of the King of England brother in law of the said Remond made the way more easie to the English not onely to succour one another in their wars but also to take knowledge of the beliefe of the said Albingenses which was no other but that of the Waldenses to the end that they might support them though the violence were vniust and extreame against those whom the English were many times constrained to defend against those who vnder the pretence of Religion inuaded his lands Frier Rainard Lollard was then the most powerfull instrument which God vsed by exhortations and sound reasons to giue knowledged to the English of the doctrine for which the VValdenses were deliuered to death This doctrine was receiued by Wicklif as it is noted in the Booke of the Beginning and confession of the Churches of Bohemia who thereby obtained much helpe for the increase of his knowledge in the truth He was a renowned Theologian in the Vniuersity of Oxford and parson of the parish of Luterworth in the Diocesse of Lincolne an eloquent man and profound Scholler He won the hearts of many English euen of most honorable of the land as the Duke of Lancaster vncle to King Richard Henry Percy Lewes Gifford and the Chancellor the Earle of Salisbury By the fauour of of these great personages the doctrine of the VValdenses or of Wicklif tooke footing and had free passage in England vntill Gregory the eleuenth persecuted those that receiued it with allowance by meanes of his Monkes the Inquisitors the fiers being kindled in England for many yeeres to stay the course thereof but it was all in vaine for it hath been maintained there maugre Antichrist vntill his yoke was wholly shaken off True it is that the bones of Wicklif were dis-interred aboue thirty yeeres after his death and condemned to be burnt with such bookes as his aduersaries could recouer but he had before enlightned so great a number that it was beyond the power of his enemies altogether to depriue the Church of them For by how much the more they indeauoured to hinder the reading and knowledge of them by horrible threats and death it selfe the more were the affections of many sharpned to reade them with greater ardency It is likewise said that a certaine Scholler hauing carried into Bohemia one of the books of the said Wicklif intituled His Vniuersals and deliuering it to Iohn Hus he gathered that knowledge from it that made him admirable in Bohemia and edified all those who together with him did very willingly free themselues from the seruile yoke of the Church of Rome Lib. de