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diff --git a/38601.txt b/38601.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c29006b --- /dev/null +++ b/38601.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3909 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of L'Histoire Des Vaudois, by J. Bresse et al. + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: L'Histoire Des Vaudois + From Authentic Details of the Valdenses + +Author: J. Bresse et al. + +Release Date: January 17, 2012 [EBook #38601] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK L'HISTOIRE DES VAUDOIS *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + + +AUTHENTIC DETAILS OF THE VALDENSES + +MILNER'S CHURCH HISTORY OF THE VALDENSES, IN PIEMONT AND OTHER COUNTRIES + +WITH ABRIDGED TRANSLATIONS OF "L'HISTOIRE DES VAUDOIS" PAR BRESSE, + +Illustrated by Etchings + +"Vous etes de nos peres que nous ne connaissons pas." + +Reply of a Vaudois peasant to an Englishman. + +1827. + + + "The Waldenses are the middle link which connects the + primitive Christians and fathers with the reformed, and by + their means the proof is completely established; that + salvation by the grace of Christ, felt in the heart and + expressed in the life by the power of the Holy Ghost, has + ever existed, from the time of the Apostles to this day, and + that it is a doctrine marked by the cross, and distinct from + all that religion of mere form or convenience, or of human + invention, which calls itself Christian, but which wants the + spirit of Christ." + + +CHARLES, LORD BISHOP OF LLANDAFF, THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED BY PERMISSION, +WITH AN EARNEST HOPE, THAT THE CAUSE OF PURE CHRISTIANITY, AND THE +DISTRESS OF HER PROFESSORS IN A DISTANT COUNTRY, MAY OBTAIN SOME +ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE FROM ONE MORE HUMBLE EFFORT TOWARDS THEIR SUPPORT. + + + + +HISTORICAL DETAILS OF THE PAST SUFFERINGS OF THE VALDENSES, + +AND OF THE STATE OF THESE PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANS IN PIEDMONT AND OTHER +COUNTRIES + +After the late interesting publications of Allix, Jones, Gilly, +Acland, and other writers, it may appear at the present time somewhat +presumptuous, as well as unnecessary, to lay before the public any +further details connected with the history of these excellent and +primitive Christians; but as some of the Vaudois manuscripts and works +are very scarce, and but little known in England, more particularly +those of Peyran, Henri Arnaud, and Bresse, it may be desirable (even +under the certainty of many repetitions) to give some short extracts +from these curious documents, if only with the view and under the hope +of keeping alive in the breasts of the people of this favoured isle that +charitable zeal, which has again manifested itself, and is of such vital +importance to the political and religious welfare of our noble though +impoverished protestant brethren. + +As the Valdenses most evidently are a part of the dispersed flock of the +original Church of Christ, it becomes a matter of the highest interest +to trace out their history from the earliest periods, and to observe +how sedulously under the severest persecutions they have not only upheld +their faith in its own purity and truth, but how gloriously they have +continued to resist the growing corruptions of the Romish faith. + +Scattered over the face of the earth, we find almost every where these +primitive Christians under the various denominations given to them-of +Cathari, or "the Pure," Paulicians, Petrobusians, Puritans, Leonists, +Lollards, Henricians, Josephists, Patarines, Fraticelli, Insabati, +Piphles, Toulousians, Albigenses, Lombardists, Bulgarians, Bohemian +brethren, Barbets, Walloons, &c. + +We not only find many colonies of these people in the eastern and +western parts of Europe, but even in Africa and America, whither they +emigrated to escape from oppression and massacre. + +After the most cruel and wanton persecutions, we observe this oppressed +people reduced in number by barbarous massacres, and at length driven +out of their own purchased territories, because they would not submit +to innovations and changes in their established religion; but in a few +years we again find a remnant of them under their pastor, Henri Arnaud, +led back into their native country almost in a miraculous manner to +expel their savage oppressors, thousands of whom fled before this +reduced but noble band of self-taught warriors. + +Many refugees took up their abode in the Rhetian Alps, and a great +number, after various edicts, were allowed to settle in the Duchy of +Wirtemberg, where some of them were visited by the writer of these +pages, for the express purpose of inquiring into their wants and +privileges. + +Before the days of Wickliffe, and other reformers, we can trace the +Vaudois by their sufferings; they were branded and burnt as heretics, +because they would not conform to the doctrines of men, and the edicts +of the Roman pontiffs: their steady adherence to the principles of their +own faith, and obedience to the will of their Creator, rendered them +instrumental to the reformation, which afterwards took place, and by +which, in this country, the pure religion of our ancestors was restored. +It is even probable that this separated flock of true worshippers are to +be the means, under heavenly guidance, of not only preserving, but also +diffusing, the light of the gospel and its healing beams over the most +remote parts of the earth. + +A.D. + +251 It would appear that the title of Cathari, or "_the Pure_," was +first given to the followers of Novation, a Romish pastor, who set the +example of resisting the early corruptions of the Papal dominion, and +that Puritan churches existed in Italy upwards of 200 years. + +590 Nine Bishops rejected the communion of the Pope, as heretical, and +this schism, we are told by another author, began even in the year 553. + +604 On the death of Pope Gregory, Boniface III. styled himself +"universal Bishop," and the worship of images became general; but long +before this period, in the fourth century, Socrates the historian speaks +of the Novations having churches at Constantinople, Nice, Nicomedia, and +Coticaeus in Phrygia, &c. as well as a church at Carthage, the doctrines +and discipline of which, we find that Dionysius, Bishop of' Alexandria, +and Fabius, Bishop of Antioch, approved of. + +660 Some persons have supposed that the Valdenses have derived their +name from Petro Valdo, but Reinerius Sacco, an inquisitor who lived 80 +years after Valdo of Lyons, admits that they flourished 500 years before +the time of this celebrated reformer, i. e. about the year 660. Some +of these Valdenses, like the Novations, we find called Puritans, or +Gathari; when Paulinus, Bishop of Aquilaeia, and other Italian Bishops, +condemned the decrees of the second Council of Nice, which had confirmed +image worship. + +817 Claude, Bishop of Turin, (and of the Vallies of Piedmont inhabited +by the Valdenses,) was zealous against this idolatrous practice, and +bears witness that the gospel was preserved amongst these mountaineers +in its native purity and glorious light. Genebrand and Rorenco (Roman +Catholic writers) have owned that the Patarines* and inhabitants of +Piedmont preserved the opinions of Claude during the ninth and tenth +centuries. + + * Patarines, so called from Pataria, a place near Milan, + where those Vaudois who took part with the Bishop of Milan + against the Roman Pontiff, Nicholas II., held communion + together. See the Sermon of Archbishop Wake, preached for + the relief of the Vaudois, A.D. 1669, at St. James's + Westminster. + +1026 Thus before 1026, and 500 years previous to our own reformation, +says Dr. Allix, we discover a body of men called Patarines, Valdenses, +or Cathari, whose belief was contrary to the doctrines of the See of +Rome. In 1040, the Patarines were very numerous at Milan, (Voltaire +speaks of them in his General History, 1100 chap. 69.) In 1100, the +Valdenses became well known by the "Noble Leycon," and another work, +entitled "Qual Cosa Sia l'Antichrist." + +1140 A little before this year, Everrinus (of Stamfield, diocese of +Cologne) addressed a letter to the famous St. Bernard, in which is the +following passage:--"There have lately been some heretics amongst us, +but they were seized by the people in their zeal and burnt to death, +these people in Germany are called Cathari; in Flanders, Piphles; and in +France, Tisserands." Towards the middle of the twelfth century, a small +body of these Valdenses, called Puritans and Paulicians, came from +Germany, and 1159 were persecuted in England. Some being burnt +at Oxford, Gerard their teacher answered for them, that they were +Christians, but Henry the Second ordered them in 1166 to be branded +with an hot iron, and whipped through the streets. Thirteen Valdensian +families had certainly emigrated to England about this period. + +1178 Gretzer the Jesuit (who published the book of Reinerius) admits +that the Toulousians and Albigenses condemned in 1178 were no other 1181 +than the Valdenses. In the decree of Pope Lucius III. against them, they +are called Catharists, Josephists, and Heretics. Another decree was made +against them in 1194, by Ildefonsus, King of Arragon: and Bale, in his +old Chronicle of London, mentions "one 1210 burnt to death tainted with +the faith of the Valdenses." + +1215 Council of Lateran against Heretics. + +1230 to 1350 Supressio in France + +1240 Some further territory in Piedmont was about this time purchased +and paid for by the Valdenses, to the amount of 6000 ducatoons. + +1259 The Patarine Church of Albi (in France) whence these Vaudois were +called Albigenses, consisted of 500 members, that of Concorezzo more +than 1500, and of Bagnolo 200. The Bishop of Vercelli complained much of +these people, whom he denominated Cathari and Patarines. The English, +at the time they had possession of Guienne (in 1210), began to help the +Valdenses, who stood forth to defend their faith, headed by Walter and +Raymond Lollard. + +1322 According to Clark's Martyrology (page 111), we find Walter was +burnt at Cologne in 1322: which was two years before the birth of +Wickliffe. A cotemporary historian says, that "in a few years half the +people of England became Lollards." And Newton, in his Dissertation on +the Prophecies, (1 vol. 4to. page 631,) says, "part of the Wal-denses +took refuge in Britain." Even Theo. Beza says, "as for the Valdenses, +I may be permitted to call them the seed of the primitive and pure +Christian church." + +1400 In 1400 began the first severe persecution against the Vaudois, on +account of their faith, which may be found related by Bresse, together +with their subsequent misfortunes, down to the era of the treaty of +Pignerolo in 1655, the most interesting details of which history are +translated and abridged in another part of this work. + +1685 The Duke of Savoy, at the instigation of Louis XIVth, revoked his +promises, and the following year condemned 14,000 Vaudois to the prisons +of Turin, the rest either fled or became Catholics. By the intercessions +of the Protestant countries, these miserable prisoners were released, +but their numbers by hardships and cruelty were reduced to 3000, who +took refuge in Switzerland and 1687 elsewhere, in 1687; from whence a +part of them effected that intrepid return into their own Vallies, so +well described by their Colonel and Pastor, Henri Arnaud, in "La Rentree +Glorieuse" of 1689. + +1698 Eight years after they were again exiled to the number of 3000, in +consequence of an article in the treaty between France and Savoyin +1698: these were the same who with the veteran Arnaud amongst them, took +refuge in Germany, and were solemnly received as subjects to the Duke of +Wirtemberg, with the promise of the free exercise of their religion for +ever. + +1797 The pension from England, which had been granted by Cromwell, and +confirmed by Queen Anne, was this year discontinued. + +1799 A body of Vaudois from Wirtemberg emigrated to America, and joined +those 1600, who, in Arnaud's time, had settled near Philadelphia. + +1800 Piedmont fell under the yoke of France. + +1814 The King of Sardinia restored to his throne, refused to grant any +privileges to the Vaudois beyond those they enjoyed before the French +revolution. + +1825 Present state of the Vaudois, as described in the Letters now +published, &c. + + + + +ABRIDGED TRANSLATION OF THE HISTORY OF THE VAUDOIS + +By J. Bresse + +Minister of the Walloon Church + + + + +PREFACE. + +"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not +charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And though +I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries, and all +knowledge; and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, +and have not charity, I am nothing: And though I bestow all my goods +to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not +charity it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long and is kind; +charity envieth not, vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not +behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, +thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; +beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth +all things. Charity never faileth, but whether there be prophecies they +shall fail, whether there be tongues, they shall cease, whether there +be knowledge it shall vanish away. And now abideth faith, hope, and +charity, these three, but the greatest of these is charity." + +But the greatest of these is charity! What words are these which I have +just quoted? Christians, of all countries, of all sects, and of all +communions! do you recognize in them the religion of your hearts? You +do, or you are but hypocrites, and no true friends to the gospel. + +O ye senseless fanatics! who have dared for ages, to divide, inflame, +and overturn the world; to arm son against father, and brother against +sister, for the sake of opinions, not necessary to their happiness, or +at best of little importance. Ye persecutors, who beneath the veil of a +religion, whose essence is charity, have believed that homage was to be +rendered to your Creator, by immolating human victims on his altars, and +committing the most horrible atrocities. Ye, who make religion consist +in vain ceremonies, and the gospel a rampart for the defence of your +base interests, come forward before the tribunal of charity, and if it +be yet possible, let this admirable sentence penetrate your hearts. "Now +abideth faith, hope, and charity; these three, but the greatest of +these is charity!" Try every action of your life by this sentence of the +apostle. And as the pilot has ever before his eyes the compass to direct +his course through the ocean, let this sublime picture of charity be the +invariable rule of your actions and opinions, and the very soul of your +whole conduct. Far from me be those useless distinctions of sects and +parties, by which some would excuse the sin of intolerance, and the fury +of fanaticism: for me, there exist neither Protestants, nor Catholics, +nor Lutherans, nor Calvinists, nor Moravians, nor Anabaptists; I own to +no other title, than that of Christian; no other religion than that of +Christianity. Every man who practices its duties is my brother, whatever +may be his particular opinions. It would be easy to demonstrate that +this reasoning is derived immediately, from the fundamental maxims of +the gospel; and the evils which a contrary belief have occasioned, prove +that it is of the greatest importance. No true Christian can deny this, +since it is confirmed by every line of his code. But who is a true +Christian? He who lives in charity; / he who practises it as did St. +Paul. This is the true touchstone of our religion. He who shrinks from +this test bears it not, is not a Christian. "He is nothing," to use the +words of the Apostle. + +It is upon these principles that I beg all that I have advanced in the +history of the Vaudois may be judged. If I have expressed myself warmly +against their enemies, it is only when they have violated the first +duties of Christianity; then I neither wish or ought to spare them, for +truth, in the judgment of an honest man, is one and immutable. He ought +to purchase it, to use the words of the gospel, to publish and defend +it, at the price of all he has in the world. I have nothing to do with +Catholicism, but with the excesses which Catholics have committed. If +I have anathematized the ministers of the Inquisition, it is because so +execrable an establishment does not exist under heaven. The sun may well +have withdrawn his light in horror, when he first illuminated the dark +and bloody walls of this abominable tribunal! And they dare to assert +that it is established for the propagation of the Christian faith. What +a horrible blasphemy is this! We may ask of the most ardent partizans +of the Propaganda,* whether Jesus had recourse to an Inquisition? if the +Apostles used such a means of extending their doctrine, or proving the +faith of their brethren? Did the first preachers use tortures to force +men to adopt their creed? Did not Jesus, himself say to those who +remained with him, when others fled--"And ye! will ye also go away?"** +Is this the expression of a persecutor? or can the infernal rules of the +Inquisition be founded upon the feelings which dictated this question? + + * The College of Propaganda fide, in Rome, is synonymous + with the Italian Inquisition. + + ** John, chap. vi. ver. 67. + +Nay! is there in the whole of the sacred Scriptures, one single line or +word which can excuse persecution for the sake of religion? If there is, +let it be produced, and I will on the instant make full reparation +to this host of executioners and fanatics. But if the precepts of +Christianity tend to recommend to us the love of God and of our +brethren, it follows that the Inquisitors and their adherents, have +been Christians in name only, and that their conduct has tended to the +discredit of true religion and greatly injured the cause of Christ; for +light and darkness are not more different than a true Christian, and +a bigoted fanatic. I have more than once remarked, in the course of my +history, that we should rather accuse the Inquisition, than the House of +Savoy of the atrocities committed on the Vaudois. If the latter deserves +censure, it is for want of courage to oppose the perfidious and criminal +instigations of this bloody tribunal. The frightful tyranny of Rome, at +that time, may be considered as an excuse; and our history will show to +what excesses the anti-christian policy of that proud court was led. +And as the picture of such cruelty is disgusting, it will be pleasing to +turn from it to the mildness which reigns in the present government.... + +It is for the Vaudois youth that I have undertaken this work, though +I trust that those of more mature age may find it both interesting and +instructive: it will recall to their minds anecdotes of their ancestors, +which their fathers have often repeated to them; and their deepest +feelings must be excited at the recollection of their forefathers, who +have fallen beneath the axe of fanaticism for the sake of the gospel. +The families of Mondons, Arnauds, Legers, Janavels, and many others +still existing will read with emotion the exploits of their virtuous +ancestors; their children will pronounce with reverence these names +which have been an honour to our country; they will learn to repeat the +most remarkable passages of our history. Enjoying from their earliest +years the light of the gospel, their zeal will be inflamed by the +sublime sentiments such examples inspire; and their first ambitious +desires will be to imitate them. How well Shall I be rewarded for my +labour, if such be the effect of this work; the most ardent wish of my +heart will have been accomplished, and I shall not have lived in vain. + +Here let me repeat what I have said in my prospectus. The history of +the Vaudois occupies, perhaps, the most interesting point of time in +Christian history. Confined amidst the mountains of Piedmont, adjoining +Dauphine, they have there preserved the Christian doctrine and worship +in evangelical purity and simplicity, whilst the most profound darkness +covered the rest of Europe. It is from the Apostles or their immediate +successors, that they have received the gospel, and from that time +their faith has never changed; it is now the same as it was before the +reformation. The existence of these few thousand Vaudois is therefore +most interesting to all Christian nations. Many authors have written +before me, but their works are scarce, and their style often nearly +unintelligible, from their antiquity; nor do any of their works contain +a complete history. Those to whom I have alluded in my prospectus, are +Perrin, Gilles, Leger, Arnaud, and Boyer. + +Perrin wrote the "Histoire des Vaudois et Albigeois," printed at Geneva, +1618, 2 vols. 12mo. The work only carries down the annals of the +Vaudois to 1601, and it is now extremely rare; it contains many valuable +documents, which would be sought for in vain elsewhere, as the author +was allowed to examine the manuscripts of the Synod of the Vallies. He +was a minister of the church at Lyons. + +P. Gilles, pastor of the Vaudois church at La Tour, is the author of +"Histoire Ecclesiastique des eglises reformees recueillies en quelques +vallees du Piemont autrefois appellees eglises Vaudoises," chez de +Tournes, 1648, 1 vol. 4to.; this comprises the period from 1160 to 1643; +containing interesting annals of the persecutions in the author's time; +but the style is still less agreeable than that of Perrin. + +Jean Leger's history is entitled "Histoire generate des eglises +evangeliques de Piemont ou Vaudoises," printed at Leyden, 1669, 1 vol. +folio, goes as far as A.D. 1664; it is full of learning and piety, +giving many facts to be found no where else; and the interest is +increased from the circumstance of his having himself taken an important +part in the events he describes. Still he enters into those tiresome +details, for which the taste of that age is so much to be blamed. + +The work of Henri Arnaud is the "Histoire de la rentree glorieuse de nos +ancetres dans leur patrie," in 1 vol. 8vo. without date. The event he +relates occurred three years after the expulsion of the Vaudois, that +is in 1690. This is a most precious and interesting little work, for the +author himself was at the head of his countrymen, and the vivacity and +force of his narrative render it very attractive to the lovers of truth, +though it must be confessed that his style, as he says himself, in his +dedication to Queen Anne, is wanting in that polish which is so much +admired in these times. This work was originally composed in two parts, +of which the latter must have contained an account of the war between +Piedmont and France, in which the Vaudois were actively engaged; this +last part was unhappily never printed, and the manuscript remains +undiscovered; any information respecting it would be very important +to the completion of the third part of my work. Henri Arnaud died in +Wirtemberg, where this manuscript probably would be found. + +The last of the Vaudois histories is by Boyer, under the title of Abrege +de l'Histoire des Vaudois, 1 vol. 12mo., La Haye, 1691; it goes down +to 1690, and though written with judgment, is defective in many points, +both in the historical parts, and with regard to the doctrine and +manners of the Vaudois. + + * The author here states his obligations to Mons. Certon of + Rotterdam, pastor of the reformed church, and to some + others, from whom he had received manuscripts. He then gives + some other particulars, not interesting to the general + reader, and proceeds as above.--T. + +I pass over other histories of the Vaudois, in English and Dutch, as +well as other references to them in more general works, as for instance, +Gekendorf in his history of the reformation, Ruchat Basnage, &c. &c. as +they are probably derived from the above sources, and are only more or +less carefully compiled.... + +Though I must not repeat here the evidences of the antiquity of the +Vaudois, I cannot refrain from remarking that it is from the vallies of +the Vaudois that the first sparks of that reformation have arisen, which +has drawn back a great part of Europe to the purity of the gospel. It is +extremely probable, that Calvin himself was of Vaudois origin, for there +are still several families of this name in the vallies, from whence we +believe his to have emigrated to Picardy. It is certain, that in the +preface which this great reformer prefixed to the first French bible +ever published; he acknowledges himself bound by the ties of kindred to +the translator, one of our most celebrated "barbes," or pastors, named +Olivetan, which makes it probable that Calvin had obtained from the +Vaudois the doctrine which he afterwards preached at Geneva, and +elsewhere. It is equally certain, that long before the reformation there +were many persons who followed the doctrine of the Vaudois in Germany, +Hungary, Bohemia, &c.; indeed the Vatitiois of this last country, +as well as those of Alsace, sent their youth into our vallies to be +educated as pastors. It is known also that the celebrated Lollard who +laboured with such zeal to diffuse the Vaudois doctrines in England, was +not only a native of our vallies, but preached in them for a length of +time with great success.* We may also assert that it is by means of the +Vaudois that the reformation was introduced in the United Provinces. + + * The Lollard tower in London takes its name from one of the + disciples of Lollard, who in the age of intolerance was + confined there. + +The Vaudois of Provence, Languedoc, and Dauphine also, originally sprang +from our val-lies, and when their numbers had increased greatly at +Lyons, they were persecuted by the Archbishop of that city, Jean de +Belle Maison, about 1180, and retired into Picardy, under Peter Valdo, +where they received the name of Picards. Here Philip Augustus, king of +France, resolving to extirpate them, caused 300 gentlemen's houses to be +razed to the ground, because the owners had embraced the tenets of the +Vaudois. Forced again to leave their newly found country, these Picards, +or Vaudois of Lyons, (also called poor of Lyons,) retired principally +into the United Provinces of Holland, and there spread the knowledge of +the truth. It was in the Low Countries that the Vaudois first took the +name of Walloons, and that the first confession de foi (articles +of belief) was drawn up by the celebrated martyr Guido Brez. This +confession was first printed in 1561, addressed to Philip II. of Spain, +in 1562; it was confirmed by the synod of Anvers, 1585, and finally +adopted by that of Dordt. The above is sufficient to prove that +the Vaudois church is the parent of all those which have arisen in +Protestant Europe, and particularly of the churches of the United +Provinces, as well Dutch as Walloon. Why do the Roman Catholics and the +Protestants mutually hate each other? Why do they look upon each other +with harshness and severity? It is, because instead of going to the +source of their religion, the gospel itself, they content themselves +with examining those streams, of which the waters have been rendered +impure, by the admixture of human opinions: it is because they appeal to +the confessions of faith of the heads of their sect or party, instead of +seeking what really constitutes the essence of the Christian faith, and +what ought to be the rule of our faith and practice, by means of the +specific declarations of Jesus Christ and his apostles. It is because +they generally adopt self-interest for their guide, instead of shielding +themselves under that universal spirit of charity, without which there +can be no real Christianity, and because they entirely forget that +religion does not consist in words, but in virtue. + +The nature of my employments, and the interest of the great cause which +I serve, have often called forth my reflections on the evils it has been +my task to describe; and however earnestly I have searched for remedies, +as well as for the discovery of their origin, my meditations have +continually brought me back to the same point. Let it be remembered +that it is a Vaudois who speaks, a Vaudois, who, like his countrymen, +absolutely recognizes no other religion than that of Christianity, and +who believes that the unhappy distinctions of Catholics, Lutherans, +Reformed, Calvinists, &c. &c., have done a thousand times more harm +to the cause of the gospel, than all the manouvres of the wicked and +unbelieving. + +The thing is evident as to natural religion, for in examining history, +we find that in no case has any one ever attempted to prescribe rules +of belief to others, but that each receives what nature hath taught him, +and nothing more. + +Nor is there more obscurity in the point, as to revealed religion; +not that religion of which opposing sects have given such different +descriptions, but that which is to be found in the beautiful lessons +of Jesus and his apostles. It is from these alone, we must judge of +Christianity. And every one who is willing to undertake this important +examination, without prejudices, will allow that nothing is more simple, +more easy, than Christianity; and that the great truths which form its +basis, are clear enough to be within the reach of the most confined +understandings. + +We must therefore conclude that many of the opinions which have so +long sown discord, and still continue to produce dissensions among +Christians, are by no means founded on points essential to Christianity; +nay, the traces of several of them are scarcely to be found in the +sacred writings. + +What then are the fundamental articles of our faith, of which the belief +is necessary to the character of a true Christian? Read the discourses +of Jesus and the apostles to their converts, and you will have a full +answer to the question. (See the quotations at the end of the Preface.) +These articles of belief are but few in number, and if every Christian +had religiously observed them, we should not see so many sects +attacking one another, or the disciples of the mildest of masters, hate, +persecute, and massacre each other, in the most barbarous manner. Such +are the dreadful consequences a trifling error may produce in such a +case. Such is the essence of the Christian faith, and the opinions +which have been added to it, are not only useless, but dangerous. Every +Christian must render an account of his belief to God alone, and it is +his duty to found that belief solely of the express declarations of +the gospel, without attending to the subtleties with which men have +endeavoured to obscure them. The most crafty theologian cannot find one +single line in the holy scriptures, which could give to any person or +council upon earth, a right to impose a formula of belief on others. +This pretended right which the court of Rome, and after it, so many +reformed churches have wished to exercise, is no other than a manifest +usurpation, and not only of the rights of man, but of God himself, who +is our only judge, since to him alone we must all give an account of our +faith. The gospel is the sole immutable rule of faith, and the Supreme +Being has left to each person its explication, according to his talents +and advantages; since it was not his object, as some have supposed, +merely to propose to us such and such truths for our belief, but to +render us more mild, humane, modest, and virtuous; and consequently more +happy. It is for this reason that St. Paul does not hesitate to place +charity, which he calls the union of all virtues, above faith, which +is but a single act of the mind, without any merit whatever, unless it +influences our sentiments and our conduct. "And now abideth" (says the +apostle) "faith, hope, and charity, these three, but the greatest of +these is charity." + +Such have ever been, and still are the principles of the Christians of +our vailles; the gospel is their sole and immutable judge; they have +paid no attention to the sects which have arisen around them; nor has +any one of them attempted to impose upon is brother his own belief, as +the rule of his faith. The words heresy and orthodoxy are almost unknown +to them; nor do they know what a dogma is, for they find not this word +in the holy scriptures, and their first rule is to adhere closely to +them both in words and deeds. + +It is true that the Vaudois have departed more or less from their former +simplicity, since the reformation; they have been forced to use the +books of the reformed, and to send their youth to be educated in foreign +colleges. They use, for example, the catechism of Osterwald, because +there is no means of printing others, in the country; but I hope once +more to bring to light the catechism which our ancestors used in the +twelfth century, the original of which is in the library of Cambridge. +By substituting it for that of Osterwald, we should return to the usages +of our ancestors. To complete the desired change, it would only be +necessary to establish a small college or seminary in the vallies, for +the education of those who are intended for the church. I have now +only to intreat that it may not be taken amiss if I have laid so little +stress on the Reformation. As a Vaudois I cannot consider it of that +importance, which it is of in the eyes of the reformed, but I consider +it as a revolution of the greatest interest, both from its civil and +religious effects, and that whatever were the intentions of some of the +reformers, they merit the title of benefactors of the human race. We owe +to them in great part, the progress of science, reason, and philosophy, +as well as the first foundations of civil and political liberty, so +nearly allied to religious independence. Without them the whole of +Europe might still have groaned beneath the Papal yoke. But though they +merit our gratitude, let not that gratitude degenerate into idolatry, +or allow of their opinions being placed on an equality with the gospel. +Luther, Calvin, Wickliffe, Zwingle, OEcolampadius, &c. were but men +capable of being deceived like ourselves. Let us listen to their +lessons, but remember that our sole legislator is Jesus, and that we are +wanting in respect and gratitude to him, if we take any other title than +that of Christians. Whoever thou mayest be, reader, into whose hands +this book may fall, let me recommend to you the interests of the most +consoling of all doctrines, of that doctrine by which we are told that +true religion is this,--"to visit the fatherless and widows in their +affliction, and to keep ourselves unspotted from the world." Allow me to +exhort you to search for the knowledge of this divine religion, only +in the sacred writings, which ought alone to be the rule and invariable +compass of our course. Thus you will bring back all the Christian sects +to the standard of the gospel, and inflame all hearts with that charity +and philanthropy which form the essence of Christianity. Thus you will +render this simple but useful maxim more dear to all mortals;--To do +unto others as we would they should do unto us. + +By this means you will destroy all factions, because each member of +a state will be happy, that all those who are not enemies of the +government, should thus enjoy the same privileges. By this means you +will contribute to restore to Christianity all its splendour and its +power; you will be the benefactors of your family, of your country, of +the world. The wicked man, the bigot, and the false devotee, will hate, +nay, even persecute you; but you have only to retire beneath the shadow +of your own conscience, to render all their machinations abortive. The +calm satisfaction which this will afford you, will amply make amends +for the momentary pangs which calumny and injustice may excite in your +breasts, and if ever mankind shall recognise true merit, it is to you +alone they will erect statues. + +Utrecht, 4th October, 1794. + + + + +NOTES TO PREFACE. + +The principal passages where the fundamental truths of Christianity are +expressed with the greatest clearness, are the following. + +Gospel of St. John, chap. iii. ver. 36.; iv. 25, 26, 29, 39, 42; vi. 69; +x. 24, 26; xx. 30, 31; xi. 27. Gospel of St. Luke, chap. xxiv. Acts of +the Apostles, chap. ii. 22; iii. 18; iv. 10,12; v. 29, 32; viii. 5, 12, +37; ix. 20, 22; x. 42,43; xi. 14; xv. 7, 19; xvii. 1, 9; xviii. 4, 6, +27,28; xxvi. 22. + +There can be no other fundamentally essential articles of the Christian +faith, or any of which the belief is necessary to the being a good +Christian, except those of which Jesus and his apostles required the +belief from the persons they received into the bosom of Christianity. +All that has been added since, is nothing more than alloy, as impure in +itself, as pernicious in its effects. + +This Preface has been translated literally, with the omission of one +or two passages, of little interest to those ignorant of the author's +family and connections. + + + + +HISTORY OF THE VAUDOIS. + + + + +PART THE FIRST. + + + + +CHAPTER I. DESCRIPTION OF THE VAUDOIS VALLEYS + +The valleys which the Vaudois have raised into celebrity, lie to the +west of Piemont, between the province of Pignerol and Briancon, and +adjoining on the other side to the ancient Marquisate of Susa, and that +of the Saluces, The capital, La Tour, being about thirty-six miles from +Turin, and fourteen from Pignerol. The extent of the valleys is about +twelve Italian miles, making a square of about twenty-four French +leagues. The valleys are three in number, Luzern, Perouse, and St. +Martin. The former (in which the chief town is now Catholic,) is the +most beautiful and extensive, and contains the five parishes of Rora, +St. Jean, La Tour, Villar, and Bobbi, through the three last of which +runs the rapid Pelice, which has its source near the Pra Alp, and throws +itself into the Po. + +The Valley of Perouse is about twelve miles long, chiefly mountainous. +It is traversed by the river Cluson, and the villages* on the Italian +side of that river, (Pinache, Rivoire, Great and Little Doublon, and +Villard,) as well as its chief town Perouse, are entirely inhabited by +Roman Catholics. The Vaudois at this time possess only Pramol, Pomaret, +and St. Germain. + + * All those villages were once Vaudois. + +Between the valleys Luzerne and Perouse, is the parish Prarustin, +comprehending Roche Platte, and St. Barthelemi, which belong to neither +of them. + +The Valley of St. Martin is scarcely wider than the bed of the torrent +Germanasque, which runs through it, and extends from the Valley of +Perouse to that of Queiras in Dauphine; it contains the parishes of +Pral, Ma-neille, and Ville Seche, of which the former is so elevated, +as to be covered with snow during nine months in the year. The other +parishes contain each several small villages, and Perrier, which is the +capital of the whole valley, is now inhabited by Catholics alone. This +valley, which was the scene of the heroic defence of Arnaud's band, +is environed by lofty mountains, and rugged rocks, forming the most +formidable natural defences; indeed the only passage into it for +wheels,* is by a bridge, not far from Perouse, and this pass is so +narrow that a few men might defend it against a large force. + +The authors of poems and romances, in giving their enchanting +descriptions of pastoral life, have excited a deep feeling of regret in +sensitive minds, that the originals of their pictures are no where to be +found. But I can console these friends of virtue, by shewing them where +they may find what they have sought in vain in other parts of the world. +And this happy asylum of innocence is no other than the valley of St. +Martin. I have known there shepherdesses in every sense of the word, as +amiable and interesting as the heroines of these romances. And if the +delightful author of Estelle and Galatee had lived among them as I have +done, he might have added many a lively tint to his portraits, the more +charming as it would have been copied from nature and truth. But let +it not be thought that my shepherdesses resemble the smart wives and +daughters of our citizens then, indeed, they would have little interest +in my eyes. Imagine virtue without pretensions or vanity, grace without +frivolity, and amiability devoid of coquetry, and these set off by that +true modesty which their simple habits inspire, and you have a true +picture of my Vaudois heroines. + + * The translator saw no wheeled carriage in this valley, and + doubts if one of any description could now be used there. + + ** He writes at Utrecht. + +Had I been born a poet, they should have formed the subject of my lays. +The churches in the Valley of St Martin, as well as those of the other +valleys, were formerly much more numerous. In the whole we have now but +thirteen parish churches, though in the ancient records, examined by +Leger, mention is made of ten other parishes to which pastors were +attached; these are now annexed to the thirteen. In the valley of Cluson +or Pragela, which adjoins those of St. Martin, and Perouse, were no +less than six flourishing Vaudois churches, as late as 1727, when in +consequence of the exchange of territory between France and the House +of Savoy, all those who remained faithful to their religion, were forced +into exile.* The Vaudois were also very numerous in the valleys of +Queiras, Mathias, and Meane, until entirely extirpated there by Duke +Charles Emmanuel in 1603. As they were in the Marquisate of Sa-luces, in +1633, where they had many churches. + + * Many hundreds went to Holland. + +Five villages, and the town of Luzerne, formerly attached to the parish +church of St. Jean, have also been taken from them, in the valley of +Luzerne; indeed, it is known that the Vaudois had churches in 1560, in +Turin, Pignerol, and Quiers. + +Notwithstanding that the Vaudois have been established in some of the +places I have stated above, from time immemorial, and have had great +possessions in others: they are now entirely confined within the three +valleys mentioned in the beginning of this chapter, and there exists an +edict rendering them incapable of purchasing beyond these limits. It is +to be hoped that their fidelity and attachment to their sovereign, will +be rewarded by a restoration to the rights which his other subjects +enjoy, and that the goodness of the reigning prince, will lead him to +consider it a duty, to reinstate them as soon as circumstances permit, +in the full possession of those privileges which the claims of nature +and society so loudly demand. + +The population of the three valleys may amount to 16,000 or 17,000 +souls,* which would give about 3000 for the number capable of bearing +arms; it does not appear, however, that in the various persecutions +our ancestors had ever more than 1500 men in the field, the rest being +necessary for the defence of their own territory. By these feeble means +has the God of armies effected the wonderful events which I am about +to relate; and so extraordinary are they, that they might well appear +incredible, did not the most authentic proofs exist of them. + + * Vide population in 1820, about 22,000. + + + + +CHAPTER II. NAME OF THE VAUDOIS + +As to the name of the Vaudois, it might be sufficient to answer from the +authority of that judicious critic, Theodore* Beze,** and Coug-nard,*** +advocate of the parliament of Normandy. That the Vaudois have received +their name from the valleys they inhabit. The names of Waldense or +Valdense in Italian, and Valdensis in Latin, are thus derived from the +same root, vale, valle, and vallis, a valley, as Vaudois is derived from +vaux, the word for valley, in their ancient patois.**** + + * Beza, the editor of the famous bible of Geneva, and friend + of Milton. + + ** Portraites des hommes illustres, p. 985. + + *** Traite touchant la Papesse Jeanne, p. 8. + + **** The Vaudois language seems as ancient at least as the + Provencal, and very similar: it would be interesting to + trace their origins and distinctions. Vide French work on + the Provencal poets and troubadours, and Sismondis languages + du midi de l'Europe. + +In the same way the inhabitants of the plain of the Po are called +Piemontese or Piedmontese, Pedemontani, and those of the mountains, +generally Montagnards. This word Vaudois, which they first acquired from +their geographical situation, they have preserved as a token of their +religion in all countries, as the Vaudois of Provence, and of Bohemia, +and the Walloons of the Low Countries. Since the Reformation the names +of Lutheran, Calvinist, and Reformed, have served to distinguish all +those who rejected the papal doctrines, and the inhabitants of our +valleys, the only people who have never been affected by these opinions, +have alone retained their original name of Vaudois. I must, however, +observe, that it is against their own wish that they have ever received +it; the name of Christian was too precious in their eyes to have been +willingly, on their part, exchanged for any other. As we find in the +letter which they addressed to OEladislaus, king of Bohemia, they style +themselves "the little flock of Christians, falsely called Vaudois." It +has been pretended and even by those who have written our history, such +as Perrin, and Gilles, that the name is derived from Peter Valdo, which +can by no means be the case, as it is allowed on all hands, that this +famous reformer of Lyons was not known before 1175, while we have +ancient MSS. in the Vaudois language, dated 1120, and 1100, in the +former of which are stated the differences between their church and that +of Rome, and in the latter the word Vaudois is used as synonymous with +virtuous Christian. + +In the MS. dated 1100, and entitled La Noble Leicon, (of which there +exist two original copies, in ancient Gothic letters, one at Cambridge, +and the other at Geneva,) is this passage. + + Que sel se troba alcun bon que vollia amar + Dio et temar Jesu Krist + Que non vollia maudire, ni jura, ni mentir, + Ni avoutrar, ni ancire, ni peure de l'autry + Ni venjarse de li sio ennemie * + Illi dison quel es Vaudes e degne de morir. + + * Ennemio murir, another reading. + +Whoever is a good man, and wishes to love God, and fear Jesus Christ, +who will neither speak ill of his neighbour, nor swear, nor lie; who +will neither commit adultery, nor kill, nor steal, nor avenge himself +of his enemy; of him they say, he is a Vaudois, and worthy to die (of +death.) + +The opinion of Theodore Beze is given in these words. Some have believed +that the Vaudois had for founder, (of this sect,) a merchant of Lyons, +called Jean, surnamed Valdo, in which they are mistaken, since this John +was so surnamed from being one of the first among the Vaudois. + +But not to give more importance to these things than they are worthy of, +let it be remarked, that it is not in the name that they bear that the +Vaudois take a pride. We as well as our ancestors, esteem ourselves +happy and render thanks to God in that he has pre-served in our valleys +the evangelical doctrine in all its purity, without any mixture of human +opinions. We rejoice that the Supreme Being has deigned to choose our +country, to preserve there the torch of truth, and that it has been +the beacon to which other nations have come to seek the light that has +enlightened them.* We are proud of never having been reformed; but that +it is at our school that the reformers have been instructed, as they +themselves avow. We rejoice finally in this that our valleys are the +mother church of all Reformed and Protestant Churches. These are our +titles; these are our testimonies. + +Every one knows that Luther and Calvin commenced their labours in 1517 +and 1536, while we have a confession of faith dated 1120.** + + * The Vaudois' state seal bears a candle, with rays, + surrounded by clouds; motto, Lux in Tenebris.--T. + + ** The noble Leicon, quoted above; vide extract at the end + of Bresse. + +It is almost needless to add the testimony of our enemies; Pope Pius II. +known by the name of Aneas Sylvius before his election, and author of a +history of Bohemia, printed by Anthony Bons, in which he says, they (the +Bohemian heretics) have embraced the impious doctrine of the Vaudois, of +that pestilential faction long ago condemned, whose doctrines are, +that the Bishop of Rome is not superior to others; that there is no +purgatory; that prayers for the dead are useless; that worship should +not be rendered to the images of God, and the saints, &c. &c. To this +testimony I must add that of Claude de Seyssel, bishop of Marseilles, +and afterwards of Turin, celebrated in the reigns of Louis XI., Charles +VIII., Louis XII., and Francis I., in whose reign it was thought no +one could be so likely to bring back the Vaudois to the Roman Catholic +faith, and he was in consequence made Bishop of Turin. The following, +taken from a book written by him, expressly against them, shows all that +he could find to complain of in their doctrine. They (says he of the +Vaudois) will receive only that which is written in the Old and New +Testaments; nay, they say that the Roman pontiffs, and other bishops, +have degraded the sacred text, by their doctrine and false comments; +they deny the power of absolution, celebrate no saints' days, and +pretend that they alone possess the true evangelic and apostolic +doctrine; they despise the indulgences of the church, detest images, +teach the words of the evangelists and apostles in the vulgar tongue, +and affirm that there is no power which can forbid the right of +contracting marriages, and say that mass was not celebrated in the time +of the apostles, &c. + + + + +CHAPTER III. ANTIQUITY OF THE VAUDOIS FAITH + +We find in St. Paul's epistle to the Romans, written from Corinth, +chapter xv. verse 24, that it was the intention of the apostle to +go into Spain, and to pass through Italy on his way. Now if St. Paul +afterwards performed this journey, he must necessarily have passed +through the valleys, as they lay on his road to Spain at that time, and +he would have preached the gospel in them, as he did wherever he went. +From this, it is fair to conjecture that the Vaudois have received +their doctrine from St. Paul himself; and if this is thought too bold an +assertion, we have reason to suppose that his doctrine may have reached +them during his lifetime, as it seems to have been propagated by his +followers throughout Italy, before he left Rome; for in concluding his +epistle from Rome, to the Hebrews, he says, "Salute all them that have +the rule over you, and all saints, they of Italy salute you." He does +not say they of Rome, as the number of Christians rapidly augmented +in the capital, and they were nearly all dispersed by the persecutions +under Nero and Domitian, it is extremely probable that some parties of +this host of fugitives should have taken refuge among our mountains, in +the time of the immediate successors of the apostles. + +But to descend to a period of greater certainty, it is allowed by +all that the whole of Italy embraced Christianity in the time of +Constantine,* and therefore the Vaudois doctrines may be considered +the same as those of the Universal Church, by which we do not find +any superstitious rites or customs to have been adopted till the sixth +century; nor are the dangerous and revolting dogmas of the court of +Rome, and its flagitious practices to be traced before the end of the +eighth. All that belongs to the doctrine and practice of the modern +Roman communion was until then unknown, as is clearly proved by the +testimony of Juellus Daitle, Dumoulin, &c., and indirectly by the +partizans of Rome, Baronius, Enuphius, Platina, &c. + +These innovations, and particularly the adoration of images,** were +loudly condemned by the churches of England, France, Germany, and the +east. + + * St. Augustine relates, that Constantine sent a band of + troops, after his victory over Maxentius, to destroy the + statue of Jupiter Peninus, in the temple of Mont S. Bernard, + (now the site of the modern convent,) and gave them his + golden thunderbolt as a reward.--T. + + ** Established by Pope Adrian I.; vide Storia dei Pontefeci. + +Which condemnation was confirmed by the council convoked by +Charlemagne,* at Frankfurt-on-the-Main, in 794. The Bishops of Italy +also proclaimed their discontent in a letter which they addressed, by +means of Photius, to the patriarchs of the Greek churches. Baronius, who +gives this letter, subjoins the following answer of the Patriarchs.** +"We have received a synodal epistle from Italy, in which the +inhabitants lay to the charge of their bishop an infinity of crimes and +perverseness; among other things, the tyranny he wishes to exercise over +them, and they call us, with tears, to the defence of the church." Here +again let it be remarked, that as long as the superior church retained +its purity, the Vaudois did not secede from it. It was the court of Rome +that began with innovations, not they. Of this so many proofs press upon +me, that I scarcely know which to choose. At the end of the eighth, +or beginning of the ninth century, flourished Claude, bishop of +Turin, whose diocese embraced not only our valleys, but Dauphine and +Provence.*** + + * Vide Histoire de Charlemagne, by + + ** It should here be remarked, that the Vaudois recognize + for orthodox the decisions of the four first great councils + of the Church, Nice, Constantinople, Ephesus, and Chalce- + done, the last of which was held in 451; and that they + recommended the reading of the fathers of the first five + centuries. + + *** Piemont making then part of France, it did not pass + under the sway of the house of Savoy till the twelfth + century. + +He opposed himself so strenuously to the innovations of the court +of Rome, that his doctrine has been since called calvinistic by his +enemies.* Illyricus makes the following mention of him in his Catalogue +Test. Veritatis, lib. 9. "Claude, Bishop of Turin, lived in the time +of Charlemagne and Louis the Pious, of whom he was the intimate friend, +even before he became Bishop; he strenuously opposed, (both by preaching +and writing,) the adoration of images, of relicts, and the cross, +invocations to the saints, pilgrimages, the precedence of the Pope, &c. +He treated the Pope himself with great severity, loudly condemning the +profit which he made by the poor superstitious people, whom he drew to +Rome on pilgrimages." + +In the fragments that remain of this courageous Bishop, which are cited +by Leger, Part I. p. 137, he combats with great vigour, the abuses above +mentioned, and proves that it was not his wish to establish any new +sect, but to preserve the doctrines of the apostles in their original +purity.** We cannot, therefore, doubt his having used his utmost +exertions in his own diocese, of which our valleys formed a part. + + * Genebrand Chronic, Liv. 3. + + ** The title of the Bishop's work, of which fragments are + cited by Leger, is Apologeticum rescriptum Claudii Episcopi + adversus Theodemirum Abbatem. And after a careful + examination of these fragments, and some of the Vaudois MSS. + I am inclined to think that the latter are no more than a + development of the former; for there is the same connection + of ideas, and the arguments are placed in the same order; so + that the writings of Claude seem to have been the text on + which the Vaudois amplified, which is natural, as the Bishop + addressed men of education and learning, and had not + occasion to use so many arguments and explanations as the + Vaudois writers had, who wrote for the illiterate and the + multitude.--Note by Peyran. + +Indeed we have the fullest evidence that the Vaudois preserved the +purity of their faith during the ninth and tenth centuries. To prove +this fact, it will be sufficient to give a single quotation from the +missionary Marco Aurelio Rorenco, Grand Prior of St. Roch, at Turin, +whose work is entitled Narratione delle Intro-duzione delle heresie +nelle valli de Piemonte, Turin, 1632.* Speaking of the doctrine of +Claude, which this author is pleased to call heresy, he says--"This +doctrine continued in the valleys all the ninth and tenth centuries;" +and again, "that during the tenth century no change took place, but the +old heresies were continued." In order to feel the full force of the +above citation, we must call to mind that Rorenco** had been for ten +years a missionary, directly sent out to the Vaudois, with orders to +search into the origin of their doctrine; and that writing with the +approbation of the clergy of Turin, he was little likely to favour the +Vaudois. + + * He also wrote Memorie Historiche, Turin, 1645. + + ** Rorenco says in another place, that it is impossible to + say with certainty at what period this sect took root in the + valleys.--p. 60 of Nar. del Introd. + +In the eleventh century, Lambertus, a Catholic and friend of Gregory +VII. writes thus: "The court of Rome has so completely stifled all +charity and Christian simplicity, that almost all good and just men +believe that the reign of Antichrist, of which St. John speaks, is +already commenced." John the Fifth, who reigned before this period, has +been called by cotemporary writers, the most wicked of men. In these +unhappy times the Vaudois did not venture to preach any where but in the +woods and highest mountains, except in their most remote villages, such +as Macel and Pral, &c. In the eleventh century, Berenger, so celebrated +for his knowledge and virtues, was condemned by two councils, convoked +by Pope Leo IX., and was forced to retract what he had written against +transubstantiation, &c. by Pope Nicholas. He lost no time, however, +in protesting against this forced recantation, and persevered in his +doctrine till his death, in 1091. Now the belief of Berenger, (says an +ancient author,) the same as that of the Vaudois, was so well preserved +in the valleys, that to call a man a Berengerian was the same as calling +him a Vaudois. Peter de Bruys,* a priest of Toulon, whose doctrine +was precisely similar, succeeded Berenger, and preached in Languedoc, +Provence, and Dauphine, particularly at Gap and Embrun, a few hours +distance only from the Vaudois valleys; his disciples were called +Petrobrusians, and he was martyred at S. Gilles, 1124. + + * His disciples after his death, published a book, + declarative of his reasons for opposing the Roman Catholic + Church; a copy of which, in ancient Gothic characters, is + extant in the library of Cambridge. + +Henry de Bruys, and Arnaud de Bresse now took up the cause, and extended +the Vaudois doctrines in Lombardy. Of the disciples of the former, St. +Bernard, who wrote in 1120, bears this testimony, "that they +prided themselves in being the true successors of the apostles, and +conservators of their doctrine." + +Arnaud de Bresse fell a victim to the cruelty of the Roman clergy in +1155, being first crucified and then burnt. He was succeeded by his +zealous disciple Esperon. Rorenco in the work above cited, says, that +we must by the names of Vaudois, Esperonites, Henricians, Petrobrusians, +Arnaudites, and Apostolicals, understand one and the same sect, which is +a sufficient proof of the identity of the doctrine of the Vaudois, and +that of these zealous preachers. The celebrated Peter Valdo, a rich +inhabitant of Lyons, openly professed the Vaudois doctrine in 1175. +He abandoned all his possessions, gave himself up entirely to the +promulgation of the gospel, had the bible translated into the vulgar +tongue, and instructed the people publicly in the streets, commencing +with the thesis, that we must obey God rather than man. He refused +submission to the Pope and his bishops; exposed the scandalous lives of +the monks; and refuted the doctrine of the mass, purgatory, adoration +of images, and prayers for the dead. At the instance of Pope Alexander +III., Valdo was driven from Lyons, with most of his disciples. A great +part of them retired either to Lombardy, or (as an ancient writer +observes,) into Cisalpine Gaul, and among the Alps, where they found +a perfectly secure retreat, (tutissimum refugium.) That is among the +valleys of Pragela, Meane, Saluces, &c., and we must pay great attention +to this expression, since it appears natural that these valleys should +be their surest place of refuge, being already peopled with Vaudois, +who professed the same doctrines. Other disciples of Valdo withdrew to +Picardy, Germany, Bohemia, and the Low Countries. I must here remark, +that even those who in contradiction to the above chain of evidence, +assert that the Vaudois derive their name and doctrine from Peter Valdo, +must allow them to have been established in the valleys at least fifty +years before the ancient counts of Savoy obtained the sovereignty of +their country; for it appears in the history of the house of Savoy, that +the first who began to make conquests in our country, was Thomas, son of +Humbert, who had previously accompanied Louis, son of Philip Augustus, +king of France, in his expedition against the Vaudois and the Albigenses +of Provence. Hence we have every possible right to the possession of our +country, in which we were established before our sovereigns. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. ANTIQUITY AND PURITY OF THE VAUDOIS DOCTRINE, PROVED BY +THEIR OWN WRITINGS + +As the Vaudois have been accused of being Manicheans, Arians, and +Cathares,* we shall be but doing our ancestors justice to appeal to +their own writings. In the preface to the French Bible, which they +printed at Neuchatel, in 1535, the Vaudois render thanks to God that +having received the treasure of the gospel from the apostles or their +immediate successors, they had always preserved to themselves the +enjoyment of this blessing. In proof of which it appears by the noble +Leicon, dated 1100, that they had rejected and continued to reject all +traditions, nor had ever received other doctrines than those contained +in the Holy Scriptures. + + * From Cathari, white, pure. + +The treatise on Antichrist, dated 1120, proves the same point; as does +that against the invocation of saints, which must have been written in +the sixth century, since it calls this error a doctrine then in the +bud, and we know that it took its rise at that period. So in all the +confessions of faith given at divers times, the Vaudois profess to have +received their tenets from father to son, from the time of the apostles. +Rorenco himself has preserved one of their petitions to the Duke of +Savoy, dated 1599, in which they say, that it is not within a few +hundred years only that they have had knowledge of the truth, and that +no one could be ignorant of their having taught the same tenets for 500 +or 600 years, that is, when they openly declared against the abuses of +Rome, under their Bishop, Claude. The Vaudois of the valleys Mathias and +Meane* made the same declaration, (nearly in the same words,) when they +were forced in 1603 to quit their country, for refusing to obey the +order of Charles Emanuel, to abandon their faith. Finally in all their +memorials, petitions, and letters, they have never failed to repeat the +same thing, praying to be left in the enjoyment of that religion, which +they had professed time immemorial even before the Dukes of Savoy +were princes of Piemont. The authenticity of these petitions, &c. is +unquestionable, since they have been printed, together with the answers +to them, by order of the court of Turin, and are more than 100 in +number. + + ** The Vaudois of these valleys formed one body with those + of Luzerne, Perouse, and St. Martin. + + +Section II. Evidence of Protestant Writers + +To the internal evidence of the writings of the Vaudois themselves, +we must now add that which is to be found in the works of Protestant +authors, and first in those of the celebrated Theodore Beze, who thus +speaks of them* "These are the people who have always preserved the true +religion, without allowing any temptation to pervert them. The Vaudois," +says he, in another place, "are so called from their residence among the +valleys and fastnesses of the Alps, and may well be considered as +the remains of the purest primitive Christian church. Nor has it +been possible to draw them within the pale of the Roman communion, +notwithstanding the horrible persecutions exercised against them. At +this time they have churches flourishing, as well in doctrine as in +examples of a truly innocent life. I speak particularly of those of +the Alpine valleys, of whom some are subjects of the king of France, and +others of the Duke of Savoy." + + * The expressions are sempre, al solito, da equi tempo, + immemoriale, conforme all* antico soli to, conforme a loro + antiche franchizie. The collection is printed at Turin, + 1678. + + ** Portraits des hommes illustres. + +Ileidanus* asserts, "that from the most remote antiquity they have +opposed the Roman Pontiff, and have always held the purest doctrine." + + * Historia Caroli Quinti Imp. lib. xvi. p. 534. + +Esron Rudiger affirms that the Vaudois existed at least 240 years +before John Huss, which agrees nearly with Bishop Claude. L'Histoire +ecclesiastique des Eglises'reformees de France, printed in 1558, +confirms the above assertions. Amyraut, Drelincourt, Basnage, Ruchat, +Jurieu, Werenfels, and many other writers of the reformed church, give +the same opinion. + + +Section III. Testimony of Roman Catholic Authors. + +Among the principal evidences in favour of the Vaudois, I must here +refer to the large collection of edicts respecting them, published +by the court of Turin. It is deemed unnecessary to recapitulate their +dates. The Monk Belvedere, chief of a mission, sent to convert the +Vaudois in 1630, in his answer to the College of Propaganda fide,* +excuses himself for not having converted a single person, because "the +valleys of Angrogna have always, and at every period, been inhabited by +heretics."--Again, Reynerus Sacco, expressly appointed by the court of +Rome, Inquisitor against the Vaudois, goes still farther than Belvedere; +and in a book he published against them, calls them Leonists, from +one of their ministers named Leon, who lived in the third century; he +affirms that no sect was so pernicious to the church as the Leonists; +and this for three reasons: 1st. Because it was the most ancient of all; +some deriving its origin from the time of Pope Sylvester (the fourth +century), and others from the Apostles themselves. 2ndly, Because it was +the most extensive, there being scarcely any country into which it had +not penetrated; and, 3dly, That instead of inspiring horror as other +sects did, by their frightful blasphemies against the Divinity, it had +a great appearance of piety; since its members "lived justly before +men, believed rightly on God, and received the Apostles' Creed; but they +blasphemed against the Roman church and clergy."** + + * Relatione al consiglio de Prop. Fid. Turin, 1636. + + ** Bibliotheque des Peres, de Gretserus Traite contra les + Vaud. + +The most obstinate opponents of the antiquity of the Vaudois must give +way before the authority of Claude de Seyssel, Archbishop of Turin, who +has this passage in his book against us, printed by privilege of Francis +the First of France: "The sect of Vaudois," says he, "took its origin +from one Leon, a truly religious man, who, in the time of Constantine +the Great, detesting the extreme avarice of Pope Sylvester, and the +lavish expenditure of Constantine, preferred living in poverty, with +simplicity of faith, to the reproach of accepting a rich benefice with +Sylvester. To this Leon all attached themselves who thought rightly +of their Creed." The same author, after having made useless researches +after the commencement of the Vaudois sect, concludes with these +remarkable words: "That there must be some important and efficacious +reason why this Vaudois sect had endured during so many ages. Again; all +kind of different attempts to extirpate them have been made at different +times, but they always remained victorious, and absolutely invincible, +contrary to the expectation of all." + +The reader will observe that this expression, "during so many ages," was +written by Seyssel in 1500. + +I have already quoted Rorenco, one of the most zealous of the +missionaries sent against the Vaudois; his family still remains in the +valleys. One of his descendants bearing the title of Count of La Tour, +in his Memorie Historiche, addressed to the Duke Victor Amadeus, allows +that the Vaudois doctrine was not new, in the time of Claude, many +persons having opposed the Roman See before him; he also asserts that +their doctrine remained the same in the 11th and 12th centuries. +Rorenco will not, however, allow that the doctrine was derived from the +Apostles, but avows (which nearly amounts to the same thing) that there +is no ascertaining when it was first received in the valleys. + +In fine, Samuel Casini, a Franciscan monk, says positively, in his work +entitled Victoria Triomphale, printed at Coni, 1510, that "the errors of +the Vaudois consisted in not admitting the Roman to be the sacred mother +church, or obeying her traditions; although he could not, for his own +part, deny that they acknowledged the Christian church, and had always +been and still continued to be members of it." + +Now it seems to me hardly possible, after these proofs, that anyone +should venture to deny the truly Apostolic succession of the Vaudois +church; but as some people have supposed that the Vaudois, after +receiving the opinions of the court of Rome, have subsequently been +reformed, like all those who are called Protestants; let them say when +and where the Vaudois reformation took place; and let them also account +for the silence of all historians on such an event! But as long as the +testimony above quoted, of Catholics, Protestants, Vaudois; nay, of +the very edicts of their princes, and their own petitions and replies, +exists, I shall consider it as proved that the Vaudois church, having +received the Gospel in the earliest days of Christianity, is the parent +of all the reformed churches, and has _never herself been reformed_. + +These truths having been established by such incontestable proofs, it +remains only to give a sketch of the manners of the Vaudois, and the +discipline of their churches, before we come to the historical part of +my labours. + + + + +CHAPTER V. MANNERS OF THE VAUDOIS + +In religion, theory is nothing without practice, and of all species of +knowledge none requires less speculation than that of the Gospel. Its +Divine Author has declared, that the religion which he came to announce +to us consists not in words, but in virtues, which important declaration +at once defines the spirit of Christianity, in placing charity even +above faith. However this great truth may be forgotten by many of the +Christians of these days, or rendered nugatory by the pretensions of +their teachers, it is not the less incontestable at the tribunal of +reason and revelation, and let us hope, for the good of humanity, that +it will soon prevail over the vain phantoms which have been substituted +for it throughout the greatest part of Europe. Yes, indeed! I delight in +believing that the march of knowledge is a guarantee of this, and that +we are approaching that happy time when a man will not be required +to prove he is a Christian, merely by repeating, like a parrot, the +articles of belief, which have been drawn up by the chiefs of the sect +to which he belongs, when it will not suffice alone coldly to admit some +Evangelical truths, but when those who call themselves Christians will +acknowledge--"That pure religion is this, to visit the fatherless and +widows in their affliction, and to keep themselves unspotted from +the world."* It cannot be too often repeated, that this is real +Christianity. + +And such have ever been the sentiments of the Vaudois, never have they +been known to waste, _in pernicious disputes or useless discussions_ +that time which might have been employed in good works; and thus, by a +natural consequence, they have formed a Christian society of virtuous +conduct and irreproachable morals. + + * Epistle of St. James, chap. i. ver. 22. + +We have above quoted that remarkable passage of the Inquisitor Reynerus +Sacco, in which he has borne witness in favour of our ancestors. We will +add the testimony of Claude de Seyssel, who affirms that, "for their +lives and moral behaviour, the Vaudois are without reproach before men, +and do their utmost endeavours to keep the commandments of God." The +respectable French historian, De Thou, says that "the Vaudois keep the +commandments of the decalogue, and allow among them of no wickedness, +detesting perjuries and imprecations, quarrels, seditions, and all +debaucheries, usury, &c. &c." + +The Cardinal Baronius bears witness to their chastity, and Thuanus +(also a Catholic historian) adds to this, "that they are such scrupulous +observers of honour and chastity, that their neighbours, though of +a contrary faith, intrusted them with the care of their wives and +daughters, to preserve them from the insolence of the soldiery." + +This occurred in 1560, when the troops of Count de la Trinite were +quartered at La Tour, and the Vaudois had retired to the mountains. It +was then also that a young girl, to escape the pursuit of a soldier, +preferring her honour to life itself, precipitated herself from the +summit of a rock. An English monk, quoted by Boxhornius, also gives an +example of the purity of Vaudois manners, in the answer of a young woman +to the solicitations of her lover; "God forbid, O young man, that +I should love thee so much as to become eternally miserable for the +gratification of thy wishes." + +This admirable purity is still respected in the valleys, and, +notwithstanding the corruption of the age, we must look through a long +series of years to find one or two females who have not observed it. +Those who have fallen are become the objects of universal contempt. +The very children point at them, and a whole life of virtue is scarcely +sufficient to obtain for them the oblivion of their fault. Compare this +with the manners of other Christian nations. + +Let us now turn to Vigneaux, who was well qualified to judge of Vaudois +morals, having been forty years a pastor among them, and having made a +large collection of their ancient writings, which he translated: from +his work "On the Lives, morals, and religion of the Vaudois," I extract +the following, "They are a people of fidelity in their promises, of +irreproachable lives, and are great enemies to vice;" and of his own +time he adds, "We in these valleys of Piemont live in peace and concord +with the others, but we do not connect ourselves in marriage with the +Catholics. For the rest, our manners and morals are so approved by them, +that they prefer taking servants from among us to themselves;* and +some come from a great distance to choose nurses for their children, +considering them more faithful than their own." + + * Still the case in the valleys in 1825. + +The order of the French government, in 1592, to M. de Birague, governor +of Saluces, to massacre the Vaudois, drew forth the following testimony +from one of the council of that town: "That his majesty must assuredly +have been misinformed as to these poor people, who were good men, and +did him honourable and faithful service, living peaceably with their +neighbours; with whom indeed there was no fault to find, except their +religion." To all these testimonies there is one other to be added, +of still more weight, namely, that of all the edicts which have been +_successively_ published by the court of Turin against the Vaudois; in +no one is the smallest reproach to be found on the score of probity, +good faith, or morals. This silence becomes an invaluable avowal from +those who eagerly sought some pretext to give a colour to the horrible +persecutions they authorized. + +Is it not astonishing, after this, to find the Vaudois calumniated by +Albert de Capitaxis, Rubis, &c. as the first Christians were by the +Pagans? Paradin* and Girard, however; may be cited in reply. They assert +that the Vaudois were not guilty of any of the horrible crimes of which +they were accused; but only of having freely inveighed against the +corruption and vices of the priests and friars, and thus excited their +mortal hatred.... + + * Annales de Bourgogne, par Guillaume Paradin, Lyons, 1566. + +But we may well despise this slander, and consider what has been the +cause of their real purity of manners. The ecclesiastical discipline, +which has always been in great vigour, may be assigned as the cause, as +it has induced the continual study of, and meditation upon the sacred +writings. And here I must be pardoned another extract from an ancient +author. "All the people," says he, "of either sex, and of whatever age, +cease not to learn and teach; the labourer at his daily task either +teaches his comrade or learns of him, and the evening is spent in the +same instructions, even without books. He that has learnt for one week +teaches others for the next, and if any one excuses himself from want +of memory, he is told that even one word every day will amount to many +sentences at the end of a year, which in many years will form a fund of +knowledge." "I have heard with my own ears," says this author, "one +of these poor peasants repeat the whole book of Job by heart, without +missing one word; and there are others who have the whole of the New +Testament at their fingers' ends. Do any of them lead an evil life? +they are sharply rebuked, according to their discipline, and told the +Apostles lived not thus, nor must we who imitate them." Reynerus Sacco +again confirms this by saying, "The Vaudois know the whole of the New +Testament by heart, and much of the Old, (in their own language,) nor +will they hear any thing else," saying, "that all sermons which are not +proved by the Scriptures are unworthy of belief." + +This then has been the foundation of Vaudois morality, they knew no +other rule of faith than the Gospel, and, as far as possible, adapted +their sentiments and conduct to it. The sacred duty of an historian +compels me to allow, that the effects of human frailty have sometimes +shown themselves among them. Leger, who wrote more than a century +ago, thus allows also, that "the Vaudois, his cotemporaries, no longer +possessed that great sanctity and detachment from the world which +distinguished their ancestors. But I must add," he continues, "that, +compared with other reformed nations, there is none which surpass them +in zeal for the word of God and constancy to their faith, at the peril +of their lives and fortunes; as well as in simplicity, innocence, +sobriety, and industry. For they abstain from cards, dice, gambling, and +swearing, and have a horror of drunkenness, and even of dancing. So that +if any one falls into a vicious life, he is esteemed infamous. Law-suits +have been from time immemorial unknown among them; but, according +to Thuanus, the first took place in the 16th century, owing to the +litigious disposition of a young man, who had gained a smattering of law +at the college of Turin, and sued his neighbour for having suffered some +goats to browse among his cabbages." + +However much it may cost me to avow it, I must in my turn allow that +the Vaudois have degenerated since the days of Leger; law-suits are +beginning to become common among them, and luxury and card playing +are insensibly introduced; nay, there are even some families who live +without labour, a thing formerly unknown.* The zeal for religion has +also cooled in those parishes adjoining Piemont. But these blots in the +morals of my compatriots are perhaps inevitable to human weakness, which +cannot approach perfection: perhaps, too, we are carried away by the +common mania of believing our ancestors ever better than ourselves. I +remark this both for Leger and myself. + + * Qui vivent dans l'oisivete, et donnent parla un exemple + pernicieux.--Perhaps this is translated in too favourable a + sense. + +What we can loudly proclaim is, that still in all Europe there does +not exist a people of such good faith, simplicity, frankness, and +kind-heartedness, as the Vaudois of the present day. They preserve a +respect for religion, a love for their duties, and a purity of opinions +and morals which may in vain be sought for among other nations called +Christian; and these virtues are joined to so much modesty, that they +appear perfectly natural, and never ostentatious. What a touching and +sublime spectacle do these people present to every kind heart and good +understanding which contemplates them! They are good husbands, good +fathers, kind friends, and good citizens, and have always, even in +the midst of their persecutions, shown the greatest fidelity to their +princes. Nay, even have, after an interval of a few days only, turned +in their defence those arms which they had used against them, in the +preservation of their lives and religion. + +During the long course of persecutions they have sustained, +notwithstanding the perfidy with which they were treated, and the +horrible tortures which they underwent, they have never given way to +vengeance, and have contented themselves with repelling force by force. +So that no instance is to be found, in their history, of a defenceless +enemy having been ill used, or of their having violated their promises, +even while treated with systematic perfidy. Nor have they ever shed +blood, except when their absolute safety obliged them. If so many +virtues, so many good qualities, are sometimes mingled with weaknesses, +we must attribute it to the imperfection of human nature; observing that +it is only some individuals who are worthy of reproach, and that the +mass of society is (humanly speaking) irreproachable. It would, +perhaps, be possible to clear off these faint stains, if the ancient +ecclesiastical discipline was again enforced; and it is in aid of this +object that we have consecrated the next chapter to its description. +Happy, thrice happy should I be, if this, or any part of my work, should +tend to draw any of my countrymen (still more than at present) into +the path of life. If this whole people, by drawing daily nearer to the +Eternal One, should ever render themselves worthy to have it said of +them--"This is the patience of the faithful, behold them who keep the +commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." + +Note.--Having had the opinion of my friends, the commissioners of the +Walloon Synod, upon my MS. and this having been thought too bright a +picture of the Vaudois morals by one of those gentlemen who had never +visited the valleys, I thus replied to one of them:--"I am not surprised +that my picture of the manners of my countrymen should appear to you too +highly coloured. But if you had lived some years among these excellent +people, as I have done, and then in a country where the corruption of +manners is as great as it is here, and in the towns in Switzerland, you +would not think so. For, although we may be degenerated from the purity +of our ancestors, I protest to you, that it is only those parishes +immediately adjoining to Piemont which have incurred this reproach. In +all the rest, their kindness of heart, frankness, benevolence, and zeal +for religion, would enchant you. I have more than once visited all the +parishes, and have resided in most of them, being acquainted with a +great many of their inhabitants; and, by all this experience, I am +confirmed in the belief that there does not exist, in our days, a people +in morals so pure, life so irreproachable, and piety so exemplary, as +the Vaudois."* + + * The author's sister is still living in the valleys, and is + the wife of one of the most exemplary pastors.--T. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. ON THE DISCIPLINE OF THE VAUDOIS CHURCH. + +That the Vaudois have preserved until the time of the Reformation the +doctrines of the primitive church, as described in the epistles of +the Apostles, has been acknowledged by Luther, Melancthon, Bucer, and +AEcolampadius, in the different letters which they addressed to our +ancestors. And it was by their advice that the latter relaxed somewhat +from the ancient severity of ecclesiastical government, fearing that it +might estrange persons otherwise desirous of embracing their belief; and +others, who having fallen into error, preferred abjuring their creed to +exposing themselves to the shame of public punishment. I cannot think, +however, that these changes have proved advantageous, and Melancthon +himself confesses, he cannot disapprove of the former strictness, and +wishes it had been adopted in the Protestant churches. It is certain +that the total abolition of all discipline among the latter has been +pernicious to good morals. Let us examine the methods taken by the +Vaudois to preserve them uncorrupted. + + +Public Worship, &c. + +The public worship was always celebrated in the Vaudois language till +1630, when a pestilence swept off the whole of the barbes,* then fifteen +in number, with the exception of two, who were inefficient from age.** +In consequence, pastors were invited to come from France and Geneva; +as these knew neither Vaudois nor Italian, they preached in French, a +custom which still continues, (though the churches have long been served +by Vaudois,) but though few families speak French habitually, there is +no one who does not perfectly comprehend it, all their books being in +French; and consequently the children always receive their instruction +in that language. They make use of the Swiss liturgy, not having it in +their power to print one of their own. In the holy sacraments the bread +was, until 1630, broken into three parts, and the water thrice sprinkled +in baptism, in remembrance of the Trinity. + + * Barbe, the ancient word for pastor. + + ** Gilles and Gros, two retired pastors, only remained. + +The parishioners, without exception, assembled at the house of their +respective elders, for communion, which was celebrated four times a +year; when before Easter, and sometimes before Christmas, each person +was required by his pastor to give his reasons for his faith, and if +one was passed over, it was esteemed an affront. Oh virtuous people! why +hast thou not persisted in this laudable custom, so well calculated to +perpetuate thy happiness, and maintain thy zeal for religion? Before the +time of the plague above mentioned, the pastors each year were subject +to a visit from the moderator and two members of the synod, who, after +minute inquiries, made their report to the synod. The foreign clergy +would not submit to this ordinance, and though it has been since +re-established, these perquisitions have not been made with the same +strictness. + +The ancient pastors were also accustomed to invite the censure of their +consistory once a year, upon any thing they might disapprove; and, after +general consultation, the first of the elders freely gave his opinion of +the conduct of the pastor. Ecclesiastical punishments were also severe; +a murderer, adulterer, or lewd person, could only be reconciled to the +church after having given unequivocal proofs of repentance, and a long +exclusion from the sacrament. Such persons were also obliged to appear +publicly in the church, (the number of times being regulated by the +extent of guilt,) and after sitting on a seat apart, stand up at the end +of the service, while the pastor announced that a person was permitted +to make public reparation for his fault. The penitent then implored +aloud the pardon of God, and his brethren, for having set them so bad an +example, and promised amendment; upon which the barbe announced to him +the remission of his sin, on the part and in the name of the Almighty, +and concluded by an exhortation to the people. This custom is +authorized, nay, prescribed by the Gospel, as one of great utility. I +must however repeat, sins of this nature are still extremely rare in +the vallies. Games of hazard were never permitted, and dancing was so +strictly forbidden, that the wife of a pastor was publicly censured for +having been present at a May-day dance in Luzerne, though she did not +herself take part in it. "There are also," says Leger, "ordinances +against blasphemy and swearing; but during the twenty-three years I have +been minister, and twelve moderator, no one instance of the kind has +ever occurred; and I am convinced in a whole century here one should not +hear the name of God taken in vain." + +The consistories in each parish are composed of the pastor, the elders, +and the deacon: * no one is admitted among the elders without a very +strict examination; the dignity lasts for life, unless forfeited by +unworthy conduct. In important cases the heads of families are called +in to the assistance of the consistory, who decide by the majority of +votes. There were besides other councils, called colloques,** composed +of the pastors and one or two ancients from every church, who met once a +month in each valley to take cognizance of those differences which were +not finally arranged at the consistories. From the colloques an appeal +might be made to the synods; but disputes were sometimes settled +by choosing arbiters, and exacting a promise of obedience to their +decision. By these means was every dispute terminated, for it was +absolutely forbid, under any pretence, to have recourse to courts of +law. + + * Who acts as churchwarden.--T. + + ** Literally parliaments. + +How consistent these rules were with the spirit of primitive +Christianity may be seen, by referring to the sixth chapter of St. +Paul's epistle to the Corinthians. + +The synods were the most solemn and general councils of the Vaudois, +and were formerly held every year, (but now every second year,) at each +parish in turn, excepting the four most remote.* They consist of the +pastor and two elders from every parish, together with a commissioner +from the sovereign, who, however, is not allowed to speak in the +discussions.** This assembly forms a court of dernier resort to all +others, appoints pastors and schoolmasters, and creates a moderator, +adjoint, and secretary; who, under the name of La Table, form a +committee for the management of affairs, until the meeting of the next +synod. But the synods do not assume the right of interfering in matters +of faith.*** Indeed, I find that all the articles of belief, and +declarations of faith by our ancestors, have been drawn up in special +general assemblies, consisting not only of pastors and elders, but +also of such heads of families who could attend. As, for example, the +articles d'union des vallees, in 1571. + +At the opening of their synods the pastors preach in turn, and it is +then only that the Catholics permit the members of their church to +attend such sermons, which they do in great numbers.**** + + * An ancient Vaudois manuscript, of 1587, asserts that 140 + barbes once assisted at a Synod in the valley of Laus, in + the Pragelas. + + ** L'intendant de la province envoye de la part du + government. + + *** This perfect liberty of conscience is a natural result + from the Vaudois maxims, before stated, and proves them + equally devoid of superstition and fanaticism.--Note by + Bresse. + + **** Vid. anecdote of the elder Moudon of S. Jean + + + + +CHAPTER VII. OF THE BARBES OR PASTORS + +This name, which originally signified _uncle_, was generally given to +those persons treated with any particular respect and reverence, and was +used to distinguish the pastors, until the calamity of 1630, mentioned +above. "These barbes* were," says Leger, "models of all virtue, pious, +humble, innocent, mild, and peaceable; as well as diligent, laborious, +and vigilant in their office; faithful labourers in the Lord's vineyard; +they consecrated all their time and talents to the care of souls; +exposing themselves to reproaches and persecutions, nay, even death +itself in defence of the truth; despising the vanities, luxuries, and +honours which the world offered to them. In a word, they fulfilled +to the utmost every duty of nature and society." Among them many were +married, others remained single, on account of the changes of abode then +so often necessary to keep up a correspondence with distant countries; +particularly (since the twelfth century) with Bohemia, Germany, Gascony, +Provence, Dauphine, Languedoc, England, Calabria, and Apulia. Our barbes +visited each of those countries in turn, preaching and animating the +courage of their brethren; and the money necessary for their journeys +and support while absent, was furnished them from the valleys. + + * The Catholics use the word Barbets, as a term of reproach + for the Vaudois. + +Besides preaching, they occupied themselves in making copies of the Holy +Scriptures, for the use of their flocks; many of them studied medicine +and surgery, an occupation the more laudable as medical men have always +been very scarce in the valleys, only one residing even now in the +valley of St. Martin, and none in that of Luzerne, except the apothecary +of the Catholic town of that name. It is true that the frugal manner of +life among the Vaudois renders their assistance little necessary; and +well acquainted as were our ancient barbes with the simples, with which +our country abounds, they found among them almost all the remedies +required. + +There were some of these venerable men, who, like the apostles, applied +themselves to mechanical arts, but the most particular object of their +care was the instruction of youth, and especially those intended for +the church. In the most ancient times, the studies of the latter were +confined to the learning by heart the gospels of St. Matthew and St. +John, and the epistles; with a good part of the writings of Solomon, +David, and the prophets; after which on presenting good testimonials, +they were admitted into the ecclesiastical order, by the imposition of +hands.* + + * Vide Note at the end of this chapter. + +Not only the inhabitants of the valleys, but the youth of distant +countries came to have the instructions of our barbes. For Illyricus,* +the Papist author before quoted, affirms--"I find that it was common, +nay, customary, for Bohemians to travel from their country to their +Valdensian preceptors in Lombardy, as if to some school or college for +the sake of studying divinity." + +The History of Alsace (lib. i.) makes a similar statement, with regard +to the Alsaceans preparing themselves for holy orders. + +The cavern, which served for the accademia of our venerable barbes, +where they sowed and cultivated the principles of their pure and +blameless religion, and whence they spread them through the world, is +still in existence; it is the cavern of the famous Pre du Tour in the +parish of Angrogna. Besides this sacred college, there was, and still +exists in each parish, one or more schools, where the children of +both sexes are instructed in writing, reading, arithmetic, and sacred +music,** well as in the elements of religion. There are also two latin +schools, where those destined to the study of divinity learn Latin, and +a little Greek, previous to their removal to Lausanne or Geneva. + + * Catalog, test, veritat. cap. 15. + + ** It is much to be regretted that an attempt to put these + schools upon the Lancaster system, has been rendered + abortive. After the revolt in Piemont, in 1820, though no + Vaudois was engaged in it, the government (attributing this + event to the increase of knowledge) absolutely forbad this + rapid mode of instruction. + +Note.--How different is this instruction from the method pursued in our +days; it sufficed then to have studied the Christian religion in the +gospel. But now a minister of the gospel must pass the flower of his +youth, in learning sciences which certainly do not render him a more +zealous and virtuous Christian, than he would have been had he studied +alone at the school of Jesus. Now, for four or five years he is to groan +beneath the study of languages:* then he goes on to the study of the +belles lettres; and then to philosophy, of little use indeed to him, and +indeed injurious, as it is taught at some universities. See here, +ten years of labour and expense! and for what? To gain a knowledge of +subjects which have no connection with the science of happiness. Ten +years, during which, the youth who has devoted himself to the preaching +of the gospel, has scarcely heard mention made of it; or if he has, only +as a necessary part of his studies; while he should have made it his +principal object. After this comes theology, which surely ought to +consist in the simple, but fundamental and thorough knowledge of +revelation; the proofs which establish its truth; and above all, the +duties which it recommends. Is this the method of study in the colleges? +By no means. It is not the gospel which they teach; it is the various +opinions of commentators, and heads of sects, on different passages of +the sacred writings. Is this to conform to the spirit of religion? is +it not, on the contrary, to engage one's self in that pretended wisdom, +that futile science it so much reproves? Let me be allowed freely to +say, that I consider the manner in which the Christian religion +is taught and learnt in our days, as the principal obstacle to its +progress. The gospel has no need of all this paraphernalia of science, +to affect the feelings or judgment. + + * Latin, Hebrew, Greek, French, and Italian. + +It possesses in itself all that is necessary to produce these happy +effects. I have only to cast a glance back upon our good ancestors, when +our barbes studied the Bible alone, to be confirmed in my opinion. +Is there now among the nations regarded as the most enlightened, any +example of a society, which has attained to such a degree of perfection? +Surely, if the answer is in the negative, we must not deny the source of +the superiority of the ancient Vaudois over other nations, and even over +the Vaudois of the present day. It is true that the studies of our young +divines have not always been so simple. Logic, together with Italian, +French, and Latin, were added, but still there was nothing like the +present course of study. I deny not that all these sciences, (with which +it is wished to adorn divines,) may be very useful in the countries +where they are taught; as France, Germany, England, Switzerland, and +the United Provinces; but I believe all this apparatus of learning to be +totally useless in our valleys, and that it is consequently in vain +to condemn so many youths, destined to the priesthood, to such heavy +expense and waste of time;* and every enlightened person will be aware +of the cruelty of awakening these young men to the pleasures of learning +and science, when on their return to their homes, they must abandon them +from poverty, want of time, and their isolated situation. For to whom +can they communicate their sciences? to the Vaudois? they understand the +gospel alone, and are indifferent as to the rest. + + * L40. a year at least. + +It must be remarked that the object of this note regards the Vaudois +alone, and that it has been added with a view of drawing their attention +to the establishment of a college, of which the author has drawn up +a plan, which will be added at the end of the history. When it is +considered what important objects may thus be obtained by a very small +comparative sacrifice of money, it is hoped the benefactors of the +Vaudois will turn their attention to it, and that some influence might +be exerted by the British government to obtain the necessary permission, +at the court of Turin.--Vide calculations of the expense by a traveller, +in 1825. + + + + +PART THE SECOND. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + +Those who are ignorant that our annals are marked by blood and misery, +will be surprised to find that the history of these virtuous and simple +Vaudois, worthy of the admiration of mankind, is little else than a +series of calamity. Nor will they be able to reconcile the barbarity +and ferocity, with which they have been persecuted, with the candour +and innocence of these victims. One word is sufficient to explain the +horrible enigma; mistaken zeal is blind to the duties of religion and +nature. Can we call those reasonable beings, who, while claiming the +privileges of the human race, utterly forgetful of humanity, massacre +thousands of their fellow-creatures in cold blood. Why is it that the +potentates of the earth have constituted themselves judges of an affair +which regards God alone? Or who has given them a right to treat as +heretics, those who think differently from themselves, or to pour out +their blood before the altars of God? + +It was at the end of the fifteenth century that these scenes commenced; +for previously, though the victims of secret intrigue, the Vaudois had +suffered no open persecution. It was reserved to the Inquisition to work +their ruin. A Spanish priest named Dominic, came to France to preach +against the Vaudois of Albi or Albigenses; and succeeded so well that +his order received the title of the preachers. He established himself +at Toulouse, and thence dispatched his spies in all directions to make +_perquisitions_ for those suspected of heresy, and punish them.* + + * Vide Llorente istoria della Inquisition passim; it is + translated; the statement which this learned Spaniard gives, + who was himself once a chief officer of the holy office, and + has been since entrusted with all its registers, perfectly + bears out the sketch given by Bresse.--T. + +Gregory IX., then Pope, soon perceived the advantage he might derive +from such missionaries, and authorised the Dominicans in France and +Spain, and the Franciscans in Italy, to make inquisition (inquirere) +after heretics; as well as to try, convict, and punish them. Such is the +origin of the Inquisition, a tribunal so execrable, that it threatened +to drown the human race in blood. Its principal seat was at Rome, and +on the model of that, was established at Turin, that famous council, De +Propaganda fide et extirpendis hereticis, which we shall hereafter call +the Propaganda. This council began by declaring the Vaudois unworthy of +communication with other Christians, ordered the confiscation of their +property, the demolition of their houses, even the cutting down of +their trees; sent to all princes and sovereign lords, to require them +to search for and deliver up such heretics to the Inquisition; inflicted +heavy penalties on those who concealed them; and conferred the third +of their property on the informers, who pointed out their retreats. +But these measures were too weak; the court of Rome aimed at the utter +extirpation of this unhappy people, and committed to its ministers, +the power of delivering over to the secular arm, that is, of putting +to death without mercy, all those they considered heretics. Nay, these +ferocious missionaries pronounced sentence against corpses which had +been buried twenty and thirty years; dragged them from their tombs to +flaming piles, and confiscated the possessions of the families to which +they belonged. + +A father was forced to give evidence against a son; a sister against +a brother; a wife against her husband; the bonds of nature, blood and +friendship, were esteemed as nothing, to the objects of the Inquisition; +even those suspected of heresy were rigorously punished, if they could +not procure witnesses to swear to their innocence. The accused was +ignorant of the name of his accuser, nor was he allowed any advocate, +except such as might be chosen by the Inquisition. One witness alone +was sufficient for condemnation to the torture, and even where the crime +could not be proved, the victim was never acquitted, but his name was +branded with infamy, and remained inscribed on the registers of this +relentless tribunal. + +I content myself with referring my readers to l'histoire de la religion +des eglises reformees, by Basnage, 1725, 4to., where they will discover +ample proof that the above statement is not overcharged; and find +extracts of the acts of the Inquisition of Toulouse, erected against the +Vaudois and Albigenses. + +I cannot however refrain from transcribing some of the Articles which +have served as rules to the inquisitors in the persecutions of our +ancestors. + + +Some of the rules followed by the Inquisitors in their proceedings +against the Vaudois: + +That no one can be received as a penitent or admitted to absolution, if +guilty of directly or indirectly concealing a heretic. + +That no one, after having been given over to the secular power, be +permitted to justify himself before the people, lest by his explanations +it should appear to the simple that injustice had been done him; and if +he should escape, the Catholic religion be thereby injured. + +That no one condemned before the people shall be pardoned, even should +he retract, and promise conversion; for a sufficient number of these +heretics could never be burnt, if they were suffered to escape on such +pretexts; because these promises being only drawn from them by the +fear of torments, would not be observed, and if they should promise +conversion before the people, and death be then inflicted, the people +might think them unjustly treated. Therefore it is best never to let +them speak before the people. + +That during examinations, the Inquisitor should always have a book +open before him, appearing to have therein registered, a quantity of +depositions, and, indeed, the whole life of the heretic. + +Inevitable death must be placed before his eyes, if he refuses to +confess and renounce his heresy. If he answers--"If I must die, then, I +prefer to die in my own faith," his execution must be hurried on as much +as possible, and _mercy never shewn_. + +No attempt should ever be made to convince heretics by the Scriptures, +for they pervert them with such dexterity, as often to confound the most +learned men, who attempt to answer them, and thereby they become more +hardened. + +A heretic must never be answered categorically; and in an interrogatory +several questions should always be given at a time; so that in whatever +way he may answer, he may be replied to, to his confusion. + +If there are any who protest they never were guilty of the Vaudois +heresy, they must be admonished, that there are proofs sufficient to +convict them; promising them in ambiguous terms, that they may hope for +pardon on a free confession; many will then confess, with the hope of +saving their lives. + +Such were the Rules of the Inquisition, at the end of the eleventh +century. + + + + +CHAPTER I. THE VAUDOIS QUIT THE VALLEYS IN THE FOURTEENTH AND FIFTEENTH +CENTURIES. + +We have already stated, that when Valdo and his disciples were driven +from Lyons, towards the end of the twelfth century, many settled in +our valleys. In consequence about 150 years afterwards, the population +becoming excessive, many families withdrew to Provence, where they +built Cabrieres, Merindol, Lormarin, and other villages. Others went to +Paysanne, Biolet, &c., villages in the Marquisate of Saluces; and some +retired to Meane and Mathias, near Susa. But the most considerable +colonies formed at this time, sought an asylum in Calabria, and Apulia; +where they first built the town called Borgo d' Oltramontani,* near +Montalto, and fifty years afterwards (on the increase of new settlers) +San Sisto, Vacarisso, Argentine, and St. Vincent. The Marquis of +Spinello also allowed them at last to build on his lands, near the sea, +the fortified town of Guardia, which soon became a flourishing place. + + * Foreigner's Town.--T. + +About the year 1400, a persecution arising in Provence, many Vaudois +returned to the valleys, and thence, accompanied by others of their +brethren, directed their course to Naples, in the neighbourhood of which +they founded successively the little towns of Moulione, Montavato, La +Celia, and La Motta. + +About 100 years after this some Vaudois of Frassinieres (then making one +body with those of the valleys) went to inhabit the town of Volturara, +near those above mentioned, which was the last considerable emigration +at this period. + +All these little colonies were regularly instructed by pastors, who +travelled from town to town for that purpose. Our barbes even possessed +houses at Florence, Genoa, and Venice, in which last city were +6000 Vaudois.* There were even numbers in Rome itself, who lived in +concealment. + +Although the Vaudois of Val Louise, and two other places in Dauphine, +were persecuted in 1380,** this calamity did not extend into Piemont +till 1400, when all the inhabitants of Pragela were forced to fly to the +highest mountains, where about eighty women and children died of cold. +After the massacre of all who fell into their hands, the persecutors +pillaged their houses, and carried their booty to Susa. + + * The barbe Gilles, who visited them, affirms this. + + ** Under Pope Clement the Seventh. + +This persecution was far exceeded in severity by that in the Valley +of Luzerne, excited by the monkish missionaries in 1476. These men, +notwithstanding the four edicts confirmatory of the privileges of the +Vaudois, published by the Dukes Louis and Amadeus and Duchess Jolante, +from the years 1448 to 1473, procured bulls of great severity against +them, from the inquisitor, Aquapendente, and Campesio, bishop of Turin, +in 1475. Many Vaudois in consequence fell beneath the hands of the +executioner, and among them the barbe Jordan Tertian was burnt at Susa; +and Rouzier, Chiamp, Ambroise, and Hian, also suffered martyrdom in +other places. + +In order to add force to the above bull, the Duchess Jolante issued, +in 1476, her Latin edict, (still extant,) directing the magistrates of +Luzerne, Cavour, and Pignerol, to use every means to bring the Vaudois +over to the Catholic faith; and, in case of resistance, to execute the +inquisitorial bulls against them. + +In this edict, the Duchess herself gives evidence of our antiquity; I +had almost said, apostolical succession, since the words are, "to make +them enter (venire) into the bosom of the Roman communion," and not +re-enter. + +Clement the Seventh may be regarded as the founder of the most monstrous +empire which has ever existed, exciting the flames of persecution +against all those who refused to acknowledge him as supreme head of +the church. Innocent the Eighth proceeded upon the same plan; taking +advantage of the brutal ignorance of the age, to lay the world at his +feet, and to dictate supreme laws to nations and their sovereigns.* The +bull of the latter Pontiff,** addressed to Albert de Capitaneis, papal +nuncio at the court of Charles Duke of Savoy, is too important to pass +unnoticed. The Pope complains that "the followers of that pernicious and +abominable sect of malignants, called Pauvres de Lyon, or Vaudois, say +and commit many things contrary to orthodox faith, offensive in the eyes +of God and pernicious to their own souls." In consequence of which, (and +thinking himself obliged by the duties of his office absolutely to root +out this accursed sect and all contaminated by it,) Innocent, through +his full power, orders "all bishops, archbishops, vicars, and others +possessing ecclesiastical office, to obey his inquisitor, and to take +up arms with him against the said Vaudois, in order to tread them under +foot, as venomous serpents, and thus fortify the people confided to them +in the profession of the true faith." He then recommends to all--"to +neglect nothing, and employ their best endeavours for such a holy +and necessary extermination of the said heretics." And exhorts all +sovereigns and princes "to take the shield of orthodox faith, and to +lend him and all bishops, &c. &c. their assistance, to the end that they +may exterminate and entirely destroy all these execrable heretics." + + * A title frequently used by the Popes is "servant of + servants." + + ** Bearing date, Rome, 1477. + +The Roman Pontiff proceeds, "to order all preachers to preach this +crusade, to excite and inflame the faithful to destroy this pestilence +by force and arms; to absolve all the crusaders, contributing by their +arms or otherwise to this holy extermination, from all ecclesiastical +censures and sentences. He grants to all the crusaders a dispensation +for all irregularities. He recommends to all inquisitors to make +composition with all those who have goods or possessions unjustly +acquired, provided they will employ them for the extermination of the +heretics. And he gives to all persons fighting against the latter full +indulgence and remission of all the sins they may have committed; and +this pardon is to extend even to the moment of their death."* He also +gives to the crusaders "the right to take possession of all goods of +heretics, moveable and immoveable. The missionaries shall command all +those in the service of these heretics to leave them, and to obey our +apostolical commands, under pain of excommunication. All those who have +any debtor promise due to these Vaudois shall hold themselves as free +from it, and discontinue all commerce with them. All those disobedient +to these commands shall be deposed from all their orders, rank, and +dignities, whatsoever they may be; and the ecclesiastics shall lose +their benefices, the laity their honours, titles, fiefs, and privileges, +becoming infamous, and incapable hereafter of holding any office or +employment." + + * Articul o mortis. + +Such is this series of horrible maxims, subversive alike of all justice, +humanity, and religion.* + + * The MS. of this bull is in the library at Cambridge. + +This bull, which was followed by an apostile from the Legate, almost as +long, and signed by two notaries of Pignerol, authorized by the Duke +of Savoy, to publish it in all his territories; was the cause of _eight +hundred thousand_ Vaudois being put to death in different parts of +Europe. Leger vouches for this fact; can any terms then be sufficiently +severe for the cruelty of this monster Innocent VIII. + +To return, the nuncio Capitaneis, furnished with the Pope's letters +patent, having engaged the Duke of Savoy, the King of France, and other +neighbouring princes to furnish troops for the extermination of the +inhabitants of the valleys, about 18,000 men were assembled, besides +5 or 6000 Piemontese volunteers, eager to obtain both the pillage +of the valleys and full remission of their sins. + +In order to ensure success, this army was divided into several corps, +and attacked at once Angrogna, Luzerne, Perouse, and St. Martin, as well +as Pragela, where, after many cruelties committed, they were repulsed +by the inhabitants. The chief attack was made in the Valley of Angrogna, +towards Roccal Mag-nol, where the Vaudois were prepared to receive it; +some of the advanced guard had armed themselves with a kind of long +wooden cuirass, which defended the men, and from which the arrows +rebounded; and under this living rampart the second rank made good use +of their long cross-bows, but were on the point of yielding to +superior numbers; when one Revel, indignant at the insulting shouts +and imprecations of Lenois, who commanded the enemies, shot him with +an arrow, upon which his troops were struck with a panic and fled. The +French and Savoyards, irritated by this defeat, made another attack +on the side of Angrogna, but though at first successful, they were +afterwards repulsed. One of their captains, Saquet, falling from a rock +into the torrent Angrogna, the spot was called by his name more than a +hundred years after. + +In the attack upon Pral, of 700 men, who engaged the Vaudois near +Pommiers, one ensign alone escaped, whom the Vaudois pardoned, that he +might carry the news of this defeat to the rest of the army. The attacks +in other quarters having had no better success, all open hostilities +ceased, although desultory incursions were made into the valleys for a +year afterwards, which did great mischief, in keeping up an alarm and +preventing the cultivation of the land. + +Philip the Seventh, Duke of Savoy, at length resolved to put an end to +the war, and sent a bishop to treat with the Vaudois, at Pra Ays-suit; +the only condition being, that they should come to Pignerol, where his +court was, to ask pardon. This was assented to, and the Duke granted a +general pardon, on receiving a sum of money; he allowed that he had been +ill informed; confirmed their former privileges, and affirmed that he +had not such good, faithful, and obedient subjects as the Vaudois. + +It was on this occasion that Philip VII. desired to see the children, +it having been reported among the vulgar, that the Vaudois children were +born with one eye in the midst of the forehead, and four rows of black +teeth: a striking instance of the ignorance in which Piemont was plunged +at that time. + +The favour of their prince did not, however, defend the Vaudois from the +persecutions of the inquisitors, who, from the convent near Pignerol, +took many prisoners, either by force or stratagem, and seldom allowed +them to escape death. By their intrigues they prevailed upon Marguerite +de Foix, widow of the Marquis de Saluces, to drive all the Vaudois from +her territory, in the year 1500. These poor exiles, after taking +refuge for five years in the valley of Luzerne, and making incessant +supplications for permission to return, at length suddenly attacked +their enemies sword in hand, and gained possession of their homes, +where they remained unmolested during the greatest part of the sixteenth +century. + + + + +CHAPTER II. THE REFORMATION. + +Every one knows that the commencement of the sixteenth century was +marked by the change in religious opinions throughout Europe which +produced the Reformation; nor need I here specify the names of the +reformers, or enumerate their labours in different countries, from +Luther's public acts, in 1516, to the assemblage formed by Cranmer in +England, of Bucer the martyr, Fagius, and others, about the middle of +the century. + +Our barbes had, in 1526, sent barbe Martin and others, to hold a +conference with the reformers Zwinglius, OEcolampadius, and Bucer, and +had returned with many eulogiums on the constancy and simplicity of the +Vaudois. Luther, though at first no friend to the Vaudois, admitted, +upon better information respecting them, that they were most improperly +styled heretics, and expressed his admiration of the courage with which +they had renounced all human systems, in order to be guided solely by +the light of revelation. Calvin also took a lively interest in them, +and held their doctrines in high estimation. To the eulogiums of the +reformers were added, however, some rebukes on what they esteemed +errors in church discipline, and some German ministers returned with the +barbes, to consult on their amendment. The strictures of the reformers +rested on points of doctrine not specified by our histories; too much +lenity shown towards feeble persons, who attended mass from fear of +persecution; and lastly and principally, "that the Vaudois had not +celebrated their worship with sufficient publicity for some years." + +I must be permitted to say, that even these, reproaches appear to me +ill founded. Our ancestors would have been indeed blamable had they +concealed their faith; but, on the contrary, they defended it at the +price of their property and lives. All that can be said is, that their +external worship was not so regular as in our days; because, as a means +of security, they often worshipped God only in caverns and forests, and +in their private houses. + +When our barbes had communicated to their brethren the observations of +the reformers, an assembly was convoked to discuss them, at Angrogna, on +the 12th of September, 1532, which was attended from every part of the +valleys. The result was a new confession of faith, though it appears +the assembly was not entirely unanimous, for two pastors and some others +were of opinion (and with reason) that it was better to adhere to the +old confessions, and particularly that of 1100. + +I would go farther and say, that these confessions of faith, so frequent +since the Reformation, have been pernicious. + +Is it not an act of folly or vanity to dare to form confessions of +faith, other than the Apostles' creed? I do not hesitate, therefore, to +blame our Vaudois for having thus departed from the wise maxims of their +forefathers. + +The spirit of this document, and the publicity with which the Vaudois +resolved in future to celebrate divine worship, greatly astonished their +enemies. The monks, who had been sent into the valleys to collect the +revenues of their cures, and to convert the inhabitants, despaired of +their undertaking, and returned in great ill-humour. But their hatred to +the Vaudois was too inveterate to allow them to remain idle; and having +put in force every stratagem, they at last succeeded in their plots so +far as to induce Duke Charles to begin a new persecution. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +Many Vaudois, to escape the last persecutions, had withdrawn from their +country to Merindol, Cabrieres, and Lormarin, in Provence, where they +lived undisturbed until 1534; when the bishops of this country, making +researches for heretics, seized these unhappy people, and finding them +to be Piemontese, wrote to the inquisitor and to the archbishop of +Turin, at whose instigation the Duke consented to appoint Pantaleon +Bressour, lord of Rocheplatte, director of the war against the Vaudois. +Bressour, provided with letters patent, went to examine the Vaudois +prisoners in Provence; and from them learned not only who were the +barbes who came from the valleys to instruct them, but the names of +almost all the families there. From this information, he formed two +lists., viz. one of declared, the other of suspected heretics, which he +presented to the inquisitors; he was soon armed with fresh powers, by +the edict of Quiers, (dated August, 1535,) to seize all whom he knew +to be Vaudois, and to force them to enter into the Catholic faith, or +undergo the punishments they deserved. Civil and military officers, and +all other subjects were enjoined to obey the requisition of Bressour for +assistance, under a heavy penalty. + +Having chosen 500 men from the Duke's whole army, this leader attacked +the Vaudois, who had not the slightest suspicion of the violation of +the peace, and massacred them without any distinction of age or sex, +spreading consternation throughout the valleys. The following day, as +they marched into the Val de Luzerne, with the intention of continuing +the carnage, our Vaudois suddenly attacked them in front, rear, and +flank, and succeeded in destroying most of these assassins, the rest +took to flight, abandoning their prisoners and booty. Perrin (the +historian) attributes this victory, in great measure to the slings, +which the Vaudois used at that time with the greatest dexterity, and +which formed their principal weapon. Blanche, countess of Luzerne and +Angrogna, complained in vain of this perfidious invasion: two days +afterwards appeared letters from the Duke, forbidding the inhabitants of +the valleys to assemble in arms, under a penalty of one hundred silver +marks. Bressour, however, contented himself with seizing those Vaudois +who were mingled among the Catholics in Lower Piemont, and soon filled +his castle, the prisons and Convents at Pignerol, and the inquisition at +Turin, with prisoners. After they were tried by the inquisitors, vicar, +and assessors, part of them were condemned to the flames, and the rest +to several years imprisonment. There were some indeed whose fate was +never known. + +The Duke, seeing that these persecutions made no impression, and having +remarked that, in open warfare, "the skin of a Vaudois always cost +fifteen or twenty of his best Catholics," by his letters, forbid them to +be further molested on any pretence whatever. + +My readers will see that he was here actuated by a political motive* +Francis the First, king of France, having demanded a passage for his +army destined for the reconquest of the Milanese, the Duke thought +proper to refuse, and consequently to employ all his forces to protect +the frontiers. It was therefore necessary to engage the Vaudois to +defend their passes, through which the French could have directly +penetrated. However, notwithstanding all resistance, the enemy soon +forced their way through Savoy into Piemont; and, after bearing their +part in the sufferings of the war, the Vaudois remained under the +government of the French for twenty-three years. + +They were during that time little disturbed on account of their faith, +although some individuals occasionally fell victims to the fanaticism +of the inquisition. Catelan Girardet, of St. Jean, was burnt at Revel +in 1535; as he was led to execution he took up two pebbles, and, +rubbing them together, thus addressed his persecutors: "You hope by +your persecutions to destroy our churches; you will no more obtain your +object than I can destroy these two stones in my hands." After which +he submitted to his fate with admirable resignation. In 1536, the barbe +Martin Gonin, of Angrogna, as remarkable for his learning as for his +piety, was seized at Grenoble, on his return from Geneva, and thrown +into the Isere for his perseverance in the faith. + +The Vaudois at this time resolved on publishing the Bible, having +only the New Testament and some books of the Old, which were sparingly +scattered among them, This they accomplished at the expense of 1500 gold +crowns, paid to the printer at Neuchatel, who undertook the work. The +translation was made by the barbe Robert Olivetan, with the assistance +of his relation the celebrated Calvin. Though some say, that the version +of Lefevre d'Estaples, prepared a few years before, served them for a +model; it is certain that this translation of Olivetan's was used as the +basis for almost all those since published. It was revised and reprinted +by the academy of Geneva, in 1588. + +We have mentioned the commencement of the persecutions of the Vaudois in +Provence, in 1534; they were revived in 1540, by the parliament of Aix +citing the inhabitants of Merindol to appear before them; when they +refused to do so on account of, the danger they would be exposed to, +they were condemned to the loss of their lives and possessions. The +execution of this barbarous sentence was deferred till 1545, when +Cardinal Tournon obtained permission to proceed by force of arms; +Minier, president of the parliament and lieutenant of the king, was the +principal executioner; having marched from Aix on the 16th of April, he +commenced by burning the villages of Pepin, La Motte, and St. Martin, +and massacred all the inhabitants, sparing neither age nor sex. On +the 17th, he ravaged and burnt Lormarin, Ville-Laure, Treizemenes, and +Genson. On the 18th, he set fire to Merindol, when he put to death a +child, the only one remaining of its inhabitants. And, finally, on the +19th, this monster destroyed the town of Cabrieres, where 800 victims +scarcely satiated his thirst for blood. The assassins under Minier's +command even extended their cruelties to infants yet unborn, in a manner +too shocking to relate. + +Those who escaped from this horrible carnage fled to the valleys and +to Geneva; but, after some years, returned to take possession of their +property. While these scenes were acting in the south of France, +Pope Paul III. excited the parliament of Turin to similar acts in the +valleys, then under the French dominion. To a petition for mercy, the +only answer returned by Francis the First was, that if they did not +conform to the laws of the Roman communion he would punish them as +obstinate heretics, since he did not burn such persons in France to +tolerate them among the Alps. They were then enjoined to send away their +barbes and receive Roman Catholic priests to celebrate the mass. + +The Vaudois replied courageously, that it was impossible for them to +obey such commands; that they were always ready to render unto Caesar the +things which belonged to Caesar; but that they would render unto God +what pertained to him, however dearly such obedience might cost them. No +doubt, at another time, this would have excited a general persecution, +but Francis had too much to do to employ his forces against them. The +parliament, therefore, contented itself with individual persecution, and +ordered all judges and magistrates vigorously to assist the officers of +the inquisition, and to commit to the flames all the Vaudois who might +fall into their hands. In consequence many suffered, and among them one +Hector, a bookseller, who was burnt 1555, in the square of the castle at +Turin, and behaved with great heroism. + +Until this time the houses of the barbes had served for the churches +of their flocks; but they were now considered as too small, and it +was decided to build temples:* the first erected was St. Laurence, at +Angrogna; but others were built in val Luzerne and val St. Martin in +the same year, 1556. It was also about this time that they began to send +students to foreign universities, which relieved the barbes, who were +much employed now, but also decreased the number of young divines, as +comparatively only a few could support the expense. + + * Temple is the word always used by the Vaudois for church. + +The number of pastors having at length greatly diminished, recourse was +had to Switzerland to fill up vacancies. + +Two commissioners were sent this year, on the part of the king, to +command all to go to mass; but after a tour in the valleys they were +convinced that their threats and promises were equally ineffectual, and +returned with the intelligence that the Vaudois were determined to +resist to the last extremity. This information was transmitted by the +parliament to Francis, whose answer was received the year after, 1557, +and consisted of a peremptory order to all the Vaudois to receive the +mass, under penalty of confiscation and death; and to send twelve of the +principal inhabitants and all the pastors immediately to the prisons of +Turin, to receive the condemnation they deserved. The Vaudois to this +replied much as before, with unshaken resolution. And though the +parliament of Turin cited a great number by name to appear before them, +none presented themselves. + +Two barbes perished this year by the hands of the executioner. Sartoris, +who was seized and burnt at Aosta, and Varaille, who suffered the same +horrible fate at Turin. He was the son of Varaille who commanded +the troops against the Vaudois in 1488, and had been a monk and +a missionary; but the arguments used by his opponents, during his +discussions with them, having at length made a strong impression upon +his mind, he renounced the Catholic faith, though he was in the suite of +a nuncio in France, retired to Geneva to complete his studies, and then +served as pastor the church of St. Jean, till, yielding to an invitation +to visit the brethren at Busque, he was seized at Barges on his return. + +The intercession of the Protestant princes of Germany procured repose +for the Vaudois till 1559. + +When peace was signed and Duke Emanuel Philibert regained most of his +territories, and concluded a marriage with Margaret of France, sister to +King Henry. They at first seemed favourably disposed to the Vaudois, +who now again fell under the Piemontese dominion. But the Duke was +so pressed by the Pope's nuncio, the King of Spain, and some Italian +princes and prelates, that a fresh edict was obtained from him against +our ancestors. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +This edict, dated Nice, 1560, was appointed to be carried into execution +by Raconis, the inquisitor-general, and Thomas Jacomel, and the +provost-general of justice, under the direction of Philip of Savoy, lord +of Raconis, and George Coste, Count de la Trinite. + +These delegates commenced their task at Carignan, where they burnt a man +and his wife for refusing the mass; but the other Vaudois, determining +to remain faithful to their religion, retired into the French territory. +The commissioners, after committing some excesses by the way, attacked +the parishes of Mathias and Meane, which they cruelly ravaged, and +actually burnt the pastor on a slow fire. + +The Vaudois, favoured by some of the nobles, again petitioned the +Duchess to have compassion on their situation; which petition the court +forwarded to the Pope. The answer was as follows: "That the Pontiff +would by no means consent to any discussion respecting the articles of +faith; that every person must submit blindly to all the ordinances of +the Papal chair; and that mild treatment having proved useless, +recourse must now be had to vigorous measures, and to force of arms if +necessary." + +In the mean time a desultory species of warfare was carried on, during +which, attacks were made on Villar and Pinache, and a desperate assault +on St. Germain by a troop of 300 robbers, kept in the pay of the monks +of Pignerol. + +After the answer of the Pontiff, Anthony Pousserin, commander of +the order of S. Antonio di Fossano, made a tour through the valleys, +preaching to the Vaudois and exhorting them to receive the mass, and +dismiss the barbes. Petitions were again vainly sent in, and finding +there was no hope of peace, the Vaudois, after holding a council-general +of the heads of families, celebrated a public fast, and removed the +feeble and old, as well as most of their goods, to the houses in most +elevated situations. The army at length appeared in November, 1561, +under the command of the Count de la Trinite. + +It was at this time that the Catholic inhabitants of La Tour sent their +wives and daughters for protection to the Vaudois on the mountains, as +before mentioned, with a request that they would take care of them as +long as the army remained at La Tour. + +The Count having garrisoned the chief towns in the valleys, and made +successive attacks in different quarters of the passes, which all proved +futile, pretended an eager desire to treat; and for that purpose it was +arranged at Angrogna, that deputies should be sent to the Duke, and a +truce agreed upon in the interim. The Count, indeed, asserted in the +most barefaced manner, that the recent attacks were made without his +knowledge. No sooner were the deputies departed than the Count required +the inhabitants of two hamlets to surrender their arms; thus surprised +they obeyed, and retired to Angrogna. An old man of 103 was massacred, +having been found concealed; and his grand-daughter, to escape the +affronts of the soldiers, threw herself down a precipice. After ravaging +the Val de Luzerne, the Count promised to withdraw his troops on payment +of 8000 crowns. He hesitated not, however, to remain after the payment +of this sum. After committing some ravages and great cruelties, the army +was ordered into the plains below the valleys.* + +About this time the deputies returned with the edict of the Duke, dated +10th of January, in which he declares, that having considered all the +privileges and immunities of the Vaudois, he now confirms them by this +present edict, and commands all officers, civil and military, to observe +them to the letter.** + + * One Geiraet was absolutely put to death by the wounds + inflicted by quantities of the scarabeus stercorarius, + confined under a vessel placed on his stomach. + + ** Cited in the second page of the original collection. + +It now seemed that the utmost wishes of the Vaudois were accomplished; +but, nevertheless, on the 7th of February the army re-entered the val' +Luzerne, and after a general attack upon Angrogna, which was repulsed, +burnt many hundred houses and barns, carrying away what they could. The +Vaudois this night took possession of the strong post of Pre du Tour, +abandoning their position at Angrogna, which was seized some days after +by the Count, and a regular attack made upon them from it, as well as +from the side of val Perouse and val St. + +Martin. These three simultaneous attacks all failed, with great loss to +the enemy. The Vaudois, who had only two men killed and as many wounded, +terminated the day by thanksgivings to God, who had thus preserved them +from total destruction. + +After the entire destruction of the village of Rora, the Count retired +to recruit his army; but, in the middle of March, again took possession +of Angrogna, with forces amounting to six or seven thousand men. + +The Count de la Trinite next called upon the inhabitants of Taillare to +give up their arms, promising not to molest them if they did. They had +the weakness to consent, and the very next night a large division of the +enemy massacred _all_ they could find in the village, and proceeded to +take up a position for a third attack on the Pre du Tour, supported by a +strong body, which made a simultaneous attack from Angrogna. + +On the arrival of those who had gone by Taillare at a narrow pass, near +Pre du Tour, they were for some time held in check by only six Vaudois, +three of whom occupied the pass, while the others rolled down rocks and +stones from above, until a reinforcement came up and forced the enemy +to retreat. The attempt from Angrogna was equally unsuccessful, and the +enemy was even pursued to the castle of La Tour. + +It would have been easy to have killed many more of the fugitives, had +not the barbes, with the ardent benevolence of true Christians, given +strict orders to act only on the defensive, and on all occasions to +spare the effusion of blood. + +On this memorable occasion the Vaudois had but four killed and wounded, +which the enemy has never contradicted, though the behaviour of the +defenders of Pre du Tour made a great impression on them; one officer +declaring, that in no war had he ever seen soldiers so dismayed as when +they were led against the Vaudois; and another, bringing the remains +of his company to the Count, absolutely refused again to engage in such +expeditions. It must be remarked, that among the reinforcements of the +Count were ten companies of infantry and some other troops, all composed +of picked men, sent by the King of France at the request of the Duke. + +These successes, added to the illness of the Count de la Trinite, and +the intercessions of the Duchess Marguerite, induced the Duke again to +offer peace, and demand deputies from the Vaudois, whose noble firmness +is recorded by Daubigne, a French historian. Chassincourt, who was +appointed to meet them, rudely demanded, "How dare such wretches as you +treat with a prince against whom you have made war? or how can such +poor ignorant shepherds, who deserve a gibbet for your folly, have the +assurance to contest religious points with a great prince, advised by +men of learning and authorized in his belief by the whole world?" + +"Sir," replied the most aged of the deputies, "it is the goodness of our +prince who has called us, which gives us the assurance to appear before +him. Our resistance has been just, since it was compulsory, and God has +approved it by the wonderful assistance he has afforded us: nor have we +fought for worldly wealth, but purely for conscience sake; and that when +we found our prince endeavouring to put an end to the true service of +God, and actuated not by his own will (as we charitably believe) but by +that of others, while executing with regret the commands of the Pope. +With respect to the simplicity, with which you reproach us, God hath +blessed it, since the most humble instruments are often the most +agreeable to him, and he can elevate the most ignoble for his own good +purposes: the counsels of the Spirit are sufficiently wise, the hearts +He excites sufficiently courageous, and the arms which He strengthens +vigorous enough. We are ignorant, and affect no other eloquence than to +pray with faith. As to the death you threaten us with, the word of our +Sovereign is dearer than our lives; at all events, he who has the fear +of God in his heart fears not death." + +Chassincourt is said to have been so struck with this reply, that he +changed his faith, and many were led by it to interest themselves for +the Vaudois, so that peace was granted them by an edict, dated Cavour, +June, 1565, in which their privileges, &c. were all confirmed, and not +only the free exercise of their religion permitted, but communication +and commerce with the states of his highness. In consequence, the +Vaudois again took possession of their villages, houses, and lands; +owing their restoration, in great measure, to Philip de Savoy, lord of +Raconis. + +Many families were, however, entirely ruined, and more reduced to the +greatest distress. The pastors of Geneva generously undertook to solicit +subscriptions for them among the reformed churches; and the celebrated +Calvin distinguished himself by his zeal and charity; so that they +received considerable assistance from the Palatinate, Wirtemberg, Baden, +Strasbourg, and the Swiss and Provencal Protestants. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +Notwithstanding the above mentioned formal treaty of Cavour, signed on +the part of the Duke Emanuel Philibert, by his cousin, Philip de, +Savoy, and by the principal people in the valleys, for the Vaudois; +notwithstanding the many solemn promises, (so often repeated,) that they +should not be again disturbed, another edict appeared, bearing date at +Turin, June 10th, 1565, (only five days afterwards,) which authorised +the seventh persecution. + +It merits notice, from the false principles and fanaticism which it +displays; independent of the reckless perfidy to which it owes its +existence. After a short preamble, it runs thus:--"And seeing that the +support of such a sect would excite the anger of God against us; and +that public tranquillity and repose cannot exist in a country where +there are two kinds of religion; and being resolved to maintain the +ancient Catholic faith, &c. Nevertheless, not wishing to have recourse +to rigour against our subjects, but to use clemency and humanity; We, +by the advice of our good council, publish this our irrevocable +order.--That all those who will not live according to the said +Holy Catholic faith, do quit our states, within two months from the +publication thereof; in which case we permit them to dispose of their +possessions and goods. But all those who disobey this order, continue +to dogmatise, or sell the forbidden books of this sect, will incur the +penalty of death, and the confiscation of all their property." + +To every virtuous and honourable man, who reflects on this edict, it +must appear subversive of every principle of nature, religion, and of +policy, even without considering the perfidy of it. + +This frightful tyranny owes its origin to the Inquisition, the very name +of which makes me shudder with horror. + +Sebastian Gratioi, a colonel of Militia, had, by intrigues, obtained the +office of Governor of the valleys, and was eager to gratify his hatred +of the Vaudois, which had been excited by the dishonour of having been +their prisoner, though he was well treated. His first act of vengeance +was the persecution of Gilles de Gilles,* Humbert, and Lentule, all +barbes, of whom the latter was forced into exile, and the first dragged +to Turin, where every means was used to induce him to desert his faith, +in vain. + + * He wrote a History of the Vaudois. + +The persecution also extended to Lower Piemont, where the fiscal +general, Barberi, conducted it. Coni was the first town which suffered; +and here the Vaudois had already endured much, for seven years +preceding, since the peace of 1559; for during the war they were +employed against the French. All who remained faithful to their +religion, were now either driven into banishment, or imprisoned; those +alone remaining in possession of their goods who received the mass. The +village of Carville, where great numbers of Vaudois lived, was treated +in the same way; and all who resisted condemned to the galleys. +Imprisonments, and numberless horrible cruelties, took place also +in other districts, wherever Vaudois were to be found. As soon as +intelligence of these persecutions was received in Germany, the Electors +of Saxony and of the Palatinate, united in complaining to the Duke of +Savoy of his conduct; and in consequence the most solemn assurances were +given to their envoy, that the Vaudois should no longer be harassed. But +no sooner had he departed, than Castrocaro recommenced his severities; +and among others, ordered all those of the valley of Luzerne, not +natives, to depart in twenty-four hours, under pain of death. Such was +the fanaticism of the time, that not the slightest scruple was made of +breaking faith with those whom they were pleased to call heretics. +The Elector of Palatine, indignant at such conduct, wrote again, very +energetically to the Duke of Savoy, in 1566, expressing his bitter +complaints, and exculpating the Vaudois from the calumnies spread +against them.* The demands of the generous Frederic, added to those of +the duchess herself, at last procured them repose until 1571. + + * A copy of this letter is to be found in Leger. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +In 1570, another decree was published, forbidding the Vaudois to +assemble together, under a fine of one hundred crowns; their refusal +of obedience to this order, which so clearly violated their privileges, +greatly irritated Castrocaro, who was particularly enraged at the recent +construction of the fort of Mirabouc, on which depended the only issue +of the val Luzerne towards France, and would undoubtedly have proceeded +to great extremities against the inhabitants of Bobbi, had he been +allowed. Strict searches were also made after some of the Vaudois, who +were accused of having assisted the Protestants in France; until Charles +the Ninth requested the Duke of Savoy to forgive them, as he had already +done his own Protestant subjects. + +In 1571, at a general assembly of the heads of families, six articles, +called "the articles of the union of the valleys," were drawn up; the +object of which was to bind themselves by still more solemn ties to +persevere in their religious faith, and in obedience to their prince, +when his orders were not contrary to their conscience. The news of the +massacre of St. Bartholomew, in that same year, gave them the utmost +disquietude, and the more so, as Castrocaro manifested his intention to +inflict the same punishment on all the French refugees he could find; +until he received the Duke's order to desist. + +A sudden attack was made about this time by order of the parliament of +Pignerol, upon St. Germain, in val Perouse, by Charles de Birague, an +officer in the French service; but he was repulsed, after taking five +Vaudois prisoners, who were hanged by the Papists. + +Peace was soon after concluded; and in consequence of Henry the Third +passing through Turin, on his way from Poland, to take possession of +the crown of France, the town of Pignerol and the valley of Perouse +were restored to the Duke of Savoy, from whose territory they had been +separated by Francis the First. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +Before we proceed further it is necessary to give some account of the +Vaudois of the marquisate of Saluces, who chiefly inhabit the valley +of the Po, the most northern part of the marquisate, and only separated +from the val de Luzerne by mount Viso, at the foot of which that noble +river takes its source. We have already mentioned the colonies sent +here from the valleys at the beginning of the fourteenth century; these +increased into numerous flourishing churches, among which those of +Praviglielm, Biolet, Bietonet, and Dronierwere the principal ones, in +1561; when they had no less than nine barbes distributed among these and +other towns. + +They had experienced only partial persecutions till 1572, when, (being +then under the French government,) after the dreadful day of St. +Bartholomew, M. Birague, governor of the marquisate, received an order +to put the chief Vaudois to death, and particularly those whose names +were transcribed in an accompanying list. On referring to the council, +after much discussion, the archdeacon remarked, that false reports could +alone have changed the sentiments of the king, who had before commanded +that his Protestant subjects should be treated with lenity; and he +advised that a representation of their good conduct should be sent +back, with a request for further orders. The courier charged with this +despatch met another, bearing an edict revoking the former one, and +requiring only that the Vaudois should not be allowed the public +exercise of their religion. In consequence, many who had fled returned, +and were reinstated in their possessions. + +All persecution was then suspended till 1588, when the Duke of Savoy +took possession of their country, and, in 1597, exhorted the Vaudois to +receive the mass by every means in his power; they replied firmly, but +dutifully, like peaceful subjects, and the threatened persecution was +suspended till 1601. When Charles Emanuel became absolute master of the +marquisate, in exchange for Bresse: he published an edict, commanding +that every Vaudois, who did not declare his intention of receiving the +mass in fifteen days, should leave the country within two months, +and never return, under pain of confiscation and death. Let the +compassionate imagine the distress of these unfortunate Vaudois, when +they found that nothing could diminish the rigour of this decree; they +were forced to abandon all their property and retire, some to France, +and others to Geneva and the valleys. Those of the church of Praviglielm +were alone flattered with the hopes of an exception in their favour; yet +they too were forced to fly suddenly, leaving their wives and children; +but some time afterwards, upon a threat of retaliation if any harm +happened to them, they were allowed to return. They remained till 1633, +visited occasionally by a pastor from the valleys, in the greatest +secresy; when, on the reception of an order (from Duke Victor Amadeus, +similar to the one issued by Emanuel Philibert in 1565,) they too were +driven into perpetual banishment, and thus perished the last trace of +the Vaudois church in the marquisate of Saluces, where it had flourished +for three centuries. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +Charles Emanuel having succeeded his father Emanuel Philibert, +Castrocaro, governor of the valleys, was, for his many enormities, +imprisoned for life; and, in 1582, the young prince issued an edict, +confirming the ancient privileges and usages of the Vaudois; a list of +them is included in this document of the dates' of these former edicts, +being 1448, 1452, 1466, 1473, 1499, 1509, all, it will be observed, +preceding the Reformation. For some years the Vaudois enjoyed some +repose; but Charles Emanuel, being afterwards occupied by the war in +Provence, the French army, under Les-dequiere, entered the valleys +in 1592; and, after some resistance, possessed himself of the town of +Perouse, and the castles of La Tour, Mirabouc, Cavour, &c. During which +time the Vaudois, having taken arms, sent a deputation to the court +to inquire what they should do, and were recommended to submit to the +enemy, as there were not forces sufficient to oppose him effectually. +The campaign was concluded on the return of the Duke, and, after an +engagement at Salabertran, each army retired to its respective country. +In 1593, Charles Emanuel retook some of the forts, and took up a +position near Luzerne, on the southern bank of the Pelice, while the +enemy occupied the opposite side. A truce was then concluded till 1594, +when the Duke took Bri-queiras; and, in 1595, Cavour, and Mirabouc, the +only remaining forts in the hands of the French; on this occasion the +inhabitants of the valleys assembled at Villar, to felicitate him on +his victories, and received the most flattering assurances of his +protection. Indeed, the preceding year, an edict granting them full +pardon for their submission to the French had appeared. This did not, +however, prevent the Roman Catholic clergy from persecuting all who fell +into their hands. One Coupin, an elder, was seized at Aste, and dying in +prison, his body was publicly burnt. + +Such acts did not satisfy the enemies of the Vaudois, who, in 1602, +succeeded in obtaining from the Duke a public repeal of former +immunities. The principal clauses in this edict were:--That the Vaudois +should not perform any religious act beyond the limits of the valleys +Luzerne, Perouse, and St. Martin, on pain of death:--that they should +maintain there neither public nor private schools:--that no marriage +should take place between those of different communions:--that no +Catholic should assist at the Vaudois worship:--that no Vaudois should +dissuade others from attending mass, or reply to the missionaries sent +for their conversion:--that all Vaudois should be incapable of holding +any public employment whatever:--that no Catholic, under pain of +confiscation, should sell or hire to a Vaudois either goods or lands. + +It will be observed that this edict, under the appearance of preventing +the extension of heresy, acted as a severe persecution on those of the +marquisate of Saluces, as well as of Bri-queiras, Fenil, Campillon, +Bubiana, and the town of Luzerne. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +In consequence of this edict, the Count Charles, lord of Luzerne, the +governor of Turin, and the archbishop of Broglia, arrived at Luzerne, +as commissioners for its execution, accompanied by numbers of monks +and jesuits: having ordered the heads of families before them, they +commanded all who would not receive the mass to quit the town. Very few +were weak enough to comply with this condition. At Bubiana, Campillon, +and Fenil, where they next proceeded, they made no more proselytes, +and ordered all Vaudois to depart within five days, under pain of +confiscation and death. From these towns some of the chief people +were sent to Turin, where Valne Boule was presented to the prince, and +pressed by him to receive the mass; but, on refusal, was dismissed +with kindness. The others promised all that was asked of them, and soon +repented of having done so. At Perouse the archbishop had no better +success than elsewhere, and the governor of Turin falling into disgrace, +the Count of Luzerne was pressed to use his influence in favour of the +Vaudois. By his means the edict of Nice was obtained from the Duke, +in 1603; by which the religious exercises of the Vaudois were freely +permitted within the valleys, and they were allowed to trade with the +Catholics and to hold public employments. + +Nothing of importance occurred till 1613, when, in consequence of the +war in Montferrat, all the subjects of the Duke, and particularly the +Vaudois, were summoned to defend the frontiers. The next year the same +thing happened, (war having been declared against the king of Spain,) +and the post of Verceil was committed to the guard of Vaudois. These +duties were so well performed as to obtain the marked approbation of the +prince, and the assurance that he would not forget their services. The +poor ignorant Catholics, among whom they marched in these wars, were so +prejudiced against them that they fled at their approach, believing them +to be heathens, and that they had one eye in the forehead, and four rows +of black teeth, with which they used to devour their own children, &c. +&c.* Those who had the courage to stay in their houses, trembled at the +very sight of a Vaudois. + + * In 1825, a Catholic priest, educated at the episcopal + college of Lugano, asked his Protestant guest if he had been + baptised.--That guest was the Translator. + +In the year 1622 a decree appeared, by which the inhabitants of St. Jean +were ordered to shut up the church, built there a few years before, and +a payment of six thousand ducats required from the three valleys. At +the same period Pope Gregory XV. granted to the Duke the tenth of all +ecclesiastical revenues. In gratitude for this bounty, more vigorous +measures were taken against the poor Vaudois. Those of Praviglielm were +banished by the prefect of Saluces; and a great number in the valley +of Barcelona, dependent on the Cardinal de Savoy, were driven thence in +1625, and fled into the south of France, or Piemontese valleys. +Although the decree only mentioned the church of St. Jean, a regiment of +infantry, in the val de Perouse, forced the inhabitants to demolish six +of their churches, and then made a perfidious attack on St. Germain. + +The report of this treatment having spread into foreign countries, an +ambassador extraordinary from Great Britain arrived at Turin, in 1627, +to intercede for the Vaudois. He received a promise that they should not +be any longer molested, and returned in October, having recommended +them to the protection of some of the nobility. The following year, +the French army having shown a disposition to attack the frontiers, +the passes were placed under the defence of the Vaudois; who so well +defended them, that no enemy penetrated into Piemont. A convent of +capuchin monks was this year founded at Luzerne, by two of the noble +family of Rorenco, lords of that place and La Tour, which has since +taken a great part in our history. + +In 1629, another ambassador came from England, named Carlisle, who +earnestly interceded for the Vaudois, and obtained the most honourable +testimonies in their favour. But though the court was well disposed +towards them, the implacable clergy always found means to evade its +benevolent purposes. One of their contrivances was, to disperse a great +number of monks through the valleys; but these, upon reference to the +court, were at this time withdrawn. + +The Vaudois were also this year again called upon to defend the +frontiers against a threatened attack, on the part of the French; but +a truce having been concluded, it was not till 1630 that the enemy +actually advanced by Susa and reduced Pignerol. The inhabitants of the +valleys, after some hesitation, consented to submit, on being summoned +to do so by Marshal Schomberg; but on condition that no one should be +forced to bear arms against the Duke. A violent plague, this year, +made great ravages, and most of the pastors fell victims to it. Charles +Emanuel also died about the same time, and Victor Amadeus I. having +succeeded him, peace was signed between Piemont, Spain, and France, by +the articles of which the town of Pignerol and the val St. Martin were +retained by the latter. + +From this time till the death of Victor Amadeus the First, in 1637, +tranquillity remained nearly uninterrupted, except by the violent +writings of Rorenco, and the monk Belvedere, which were subsequently +refuted by Gilles, pastor of La Tour, and author of the history of the +Vaudois.* + + * Printed at Geneva, 1644. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +Before we enter upon the dreadful tragedy which took place in the +valleys during the regency of the Duchess Christina, sister to the +king of France, (which succeeded the reign of Victor Amadeus;) it +is necessary to call the attention of the reader to the state of the +valleys at this period. For years, the continual partial and individual +persecutions had held them in a state of alarm, even in the midst of +peace, and now they had suffered most severely by pestilence, and were +reduced to want or poverty by the great scarcity of provisions which +succeeded it. After a calm of thirteen years, under the regency, what +must have been their dismay to hear that councils, for the propagation +of the faith and extirpation of heresy, had been established in all +Catholic countries, after the model of that at Rome; and that one was +now instituted at Turin, in 1650. + +This establishment was divided into two bodies of supporters; the +archbishop being the head of the male, and the Marchioness di Pia-nezza +of the female, devotees. + +The eagerness of the ladies engaged in this pious enterprise can hardly +be imagined, they sent forth spies to promote dissensions in private +families, offered money to new converts, and even penetrated into the +prisons to make proselytes. To support their expenses, they went round +even to the shops and inns to collect contributions. The secular arm +also assisted them, if required, in their labours to deserve the plenary +indulgence for all their sins granted them by the court of Rome. + +The council of men formed still greater designs, in the execution of +which they were indefatigable, and sent spies and missionaries into the +valleys, who were always at hand to excite quarrels, rebellion against +church discipline, and even to carry off women and children from the +Vaudois, and attack the pastors. They cited the principal people to +appear before the tribunal at Turin, whence they scarcely ever escaped +without having been imprisoned, ill treated, or nearly ruined; nay, +often were they condemned to confiscation and banishment. Such were +the means used by the Propaganda to harass the Vaudois. An unfortunate +accident happened in 1603, which gave them more power of doing mischief. +A convent of monks had been some years established at Villar, when an +infamous traitor, whom they had engaged in their service, undertook to +excite the Vaudois to expel these missionaries; having persuaded the +wife of the pastor Manget to further the plan, she had influence enough +to induce her husband, and two others of the name of Pellene, to call +an assembly, where this subject was discussed, and the project of Manget +highly disapproved of and censured. The wife of Manget made a false +report of the decision to the two young Pellenes, who succeeded that +very evening in driving out the monks and setting fire to the convent. +It may well be supposed that the inquisitors did not lose so favourable +an opportunity; and the fact having been represented in the blackest +colours to the Duchess Regent, they obtained five or six thousand men, +under the command of Count Tedesco, who marched immediately with orders +to surprise and burn down the town of Villar. + +In the mean time Leger, then moderator of the valleys, with the +principal members of his own and the neighbouring churches, repaired +to the chief magistrate at Luzerne, and protesting the innocence of the +assembly, and even the parish of Villar, offered to bring the offenders +to justice. The Count Tedesco nevertheless proceeded to Villar, and made +his attack; but a storm of rain prevented the muskets of his soldiers +from going off, and the Vaudois then having given every where the alarm, +the approach of darkness induced him to return to Luzerne without having +accomplished his purpose. + +The Propaganda being thus defeated, had recourse, in 1654, to a still +more sanguinary plot for the destruction of the Vaudois, by means of +the French army under Marshal Grance. The court of Savoy had offered to +provide this army with winter quarters in our valleys, at a much +less sum than had been demanded elsewhere, in consequence, the troops +appeared before Pignerol, demanding their quarters; in the mean time, +the monks and other agents of the Propaganda had artfully persuaded +the Vaudois, that it was contrary to the intention of the Duchess, that +these troops had entered her states, and excited them to take up arms. +The main body of these forces was already before the fort of La Tour, +and all the inhabitants of the val de Luzerne were drawn up to oppose +them, when Leger, the moderator, throwing himself at the feet of the +Marshal, explained the trick played upon him, and requested he would +suspend hostilities until a written order could arrive from the Duchess +Regent for the cantonment of the troops. This was assented to, and +on the arrival of the order, on the morrow, the army quietly took +possession of their quarters. + +This plot was afterwards more fully proved by two officers in De +Grance's army,* and its details were lodged with the other MSS. by +Leger, in the Cambridge library. + + * One named De Petit Bourg. + +A year had scarcely elapsed when another motive was added to the zealous +labours of the propaganda, which was the wish of establishing in the +valleys those Irish whom Cromwell had banished in consequence of the +massacres they had committed among their Protestant countrymen. + +This eager desire to obtain possession of the valleys, and all that the +Vaudois possessed in them, excited a series of intrigues, which ended +in an order to Gastaldo, auditor of Luzerne, to enjoin and command the +Vaudois inhabitants of Briqueiras, S. Second, Bubiana, Fenil, Campillon, +Luzerne, St. Jean, and La Tour, to abandon those places within three +days, or receive the mass, under pain of death and confiscation of their +property. + +What makes this step still more cruel and unjust, if possible, is, that +it took place in the winter of 1654, when Charles Emanuel II. +had, by an edict of 3rd December, just confirmed all their privileges, +&c.* In this, and in the one of the preceding year, they were mentioned +as faithful and obedient subjects; nay more, at the very time the +lawyers were employed in verifying the original charters, the last +decree was about to be enrolled, and the sum of money exacted on these +occasions had long been paid. + +It will easily be imagined that no time was lost in sending deputies to +Turin, and trying every means to obtain a mitigation of this dreadful +sentence. These deputies were amused by an affected deliberation on +their petition, and were referred sometimes from the Duke to his mother, +sometimes from the Duchess to the Marquis di Pianezza, and from him +to the Propaganda, till they received information on the 16th of April +(though they were promised a final audience on the 17th) that the +Marquis was already at Luzerne with his forces, and that they had better +provide for their own safety. + +Thus, by a series of base treachery, duplicity, and cruelty, was the way +prepared for those dreadful massacres, which have cast so foul a stain +on the reign of Charles Emanuel the Second.** + + * This seems to have been necessary every new reign, these + confirmations being personal acts of the sovereign.--T. + + ** Which excited the compassionate muse of Milton.--T. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +It was on the 17th of April, 1655, that the Marquis di Pianezza entered +the valleys with an army of 15,000 men, composed of the troops of the +Duke, four French regiments, one German corps, and 1200 Irish. + +On the 18th, this army ravaged the parishes of St. Jean and La Tour. +On the 19th, they even attacked them in quarters to which the order of +Gastaldo (to abandon their possessions) did not extend; the enemy was +repulsed, notwithstanding his immense superiority of numbers; and, on +the 20th, vainly attempted to burn the church of St. Jean. + +In consequence of this spirited resistance, Pianezza had recourse to +the most infamous treachery. Having sent to demand a conference, he +protested to the deputies that his only object was to enforce the order +which had been given by Gastaldo, and that the parishes not falling +within it might rest secure of peace, if, in sign of their obedience, +they would permit a regiment of infantry and two troops of cavalry to be +quartered in their territory for two or three days. + +The deputies who, unsuspicious of treason, judged of the Marquis by +themselves, assented, though M. J. Leger and some other pastors greatly +suspected the measure. + +The before mentioned troops no sooner entered, than they seized the +strong points round each village, and (regardless of entreaties that +they would remain in the lower villages) pressed forward to the highest +positions. Meanwhile they were followed by the whole army, in divisions, +which marched in different directions against Angrogna, Villar, and +Bobbi, and upon the last bulwark of defence, the Pre du Tour; this last +force laid the country they passed through waste by fire and sword; +and in consequence, the error being now perceived, most of those who +inhabited the right of the Val de Luzerne, passed the mountains in the +night, and took refuge in the Val de Perouse. The inhabitants of the +other side of the valley were almost all obliged to remain, having no +means of retreat,* the passage being completely closed against them. The +enemy after gaining entire possession of the valleys, pretended to have +no intention of remaining there more than a few days, and exhorted the +Vaudois to recall their fugitive brethren, which some had the weakness +to do, trusting to the assurance given them that no harm should befall +them. Such was the situation of affairs when, on the 24th of April, +the signal was given from a hill near La Tour, called Castellas, for a +general massacre, which extended through the whole valley, and began at +the same instant neither age nor sex were spared; every refinement of +cruelty which the malice of demons could invent was put in practice. + + * Behind the mountains in their rear was a Catholic country. + +The very mention of these horrors excites too much disgust to allow of +a detail of them. Violation, mutilation, and impalement were mere common +atrocities; many were roasted by slow fires; others cut in pieces while +alive, or dragged by mules, with ropes passed through their wounds; some +were blown up by gunpowder placed in the ears and mouth; many rolled off +the rocks, with their hands bound between their legs, among precipices, +where they were abandoned to a lingering death; children were carried +on pikes, and women.... But let us not dwell longer on these infernal +barbarities.* They are detailed in Leger, and the names of many of the +sufferers, and the evidence of eye witnesses there recorded. The number +who perished in the Val Luzerne alone, amounted to 250, besides children +and others, whose names have not been collected, and the men who fell +sword in hand; for nearly all the victims of these cruelties were women, +children, and old people. But the mere recital of the numbers destroyed, +cannot suffice to give an idea of the miseries endured, we must add the +horrors encountered by the survivors, wandering in utter destitution +among the mountains, in terror and want, after witnessing the murder and +outrages committed on their dearest relatives and friends. + + * The translator has spared the feelings of the reader by + omitting many of the horrors mentioned by Bresse. + + ** Leger, chap. ix. second part. + +Will it be believed, that the Marquis di Pianezza, shortly afterwards +published, in the name of the government, a manifesto, justifying these +barbarities, and even declaring that the Vaudois had deserved greater +punishment. + +In addition to this, appeared an edict under the name of Charles Emanuel +II., dated 23rd May, 1655, one month after the massacre, by which he +condemns to exile all the principal persons of the Vaudois, setting a +price on their heads, "because they had rebelled against his supreme +authority, and opposed in arms the forces of the Marquis di Pianezza." + +Such is in general the blindness of those who misunderstand the true +spirit of the gospel, that after having violated its clearest precepts, +there is no sort of artifice which they do not use in order to give a +colour to their crimes. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +The very day on which this massacre was perpetrated, in various parts of +the Val de Luzerne, the Count Christophe, Seigneur de Rora, a member of +the Propaganda, sent 400 or 500 men to surprise Rora, and put all the +Vaudois they should find there to the sword; although they were included +in the promise of Pianezza, "that no harm should befall them." This band +of assassins had reached the summit of Mont Rummer, from whence they +were about to rush down upon Rora, when they were perceived by Joshua +Janavel, who had retired there for refuge. With only seven others he +took up an advantageous position, and falling upon the enemy with +great spirit, forced them to retire; killing no less than fifty in the +pursuit. On the news of this defeat, the Marquis sent to say that +these troops had not acted under his orders, and were robbers, whose +destruction he was pleased to hear of. On the very next day, Pianezza, +notwithstanding, sent 600 men to make another attack, by the hill of +Cassulet. Janavel was again fortunate enough to discover them from a +distance, and assembled twelve men, armed with pistols and cutlasses, +muskets, or slings. This feeble force he divided, and placing a party in +three places of ambush, once more repulsed the enemy, who retired with +the loss of sixty men. + +The Marquis di Pianezza had again the effrontery after this, to send a +message by Count Christophe to his vassals, to assure them that the +late attack was made by mistake, and owing to a false report; and on +the following day, a third party, of 900 men, was detached for the +destruction of Rora. The intrepid Janavel attacked them at Damasser, and +drove them back upon Bianpra, where, owing to a perfect knowledge of the +mountains, the Vaudois attacked them in their march, and converted their +retreat into a shameful flight, in which great numbers perished, owing +chiefly to the cattle and other plunder they were endeavouring to carry +off with them. The Marquis now became furious, and assembling all +the troops within distance, ordered no less than 8,000 men, for the +destruction of a village composed of only twenty-five families. Three +divisions were formed, and a rendezvous given, at which they arrived +two hours too late, except the corps of Captain Mario, who, thinking his +force sufficient, formed his men into two divisions, and attacked the +Vaudois near Rummer. These brave men had the good fortune to take up +a position where their flanks and rear were well covered, and made so +vigorous a resistance, that the enemy again retired, leaving sixty on +the field, besides others who perished in their flight. Mario himself +fell into a chasm, from whence he was extricated with great difficulty; +and when languishing under a painful illness at Luzerne, he declared +that he already felt the fires of hell within him, in consequence of the +people, houses, and churches, which he had caused to be burned. He died +amidst agonies of pain and remorse. + +To return to the heroic party of Janavel, which consisted of only +seventeen persons, they soon discovered another division of the enemy on +the side of Villar, climbing the mountains to attack them in the rear, +and immediately seized on an advantageous position. The advanced guard, +sent to reconnoitre, mistook them for their own people, and approached +so near, that on firing, the Vaudois each brought down his man, which +struck so much terror into the survivors, that they fled back to the +main body, and spread such a panic among them, that the whole army +commenced a retreat. The Vaudois again followed and killed great +numbers; after which they assembled to thank God for the memorable +deliverance he had granted them. + +Three days after this event, the Marquis di Pianezza, ashamed of such +ill success, sent another message to Rora, enjoining every one to go +to mass within twenty-four hours, if they wished to avoid immediate +sentence of death, and prevent their lands being laid waste, and their +houses razed to the ground. + +Rather death than the mass, was the unanimous reply of the inhabitants. + +It may well be imagined that the Marquis was not satisfied with it. He +now ordered 10,000 men to march to the reduction of Rora, and divided +them into three corps, one of which took the road from Luzerne, and the +others by Bagnol and Villar. Janavel hesitated not to attack the last of +these divisions, and succeeded in killing great numbers, when being +informed that the other divisions had gained the post where the +twenty-five families of Rora had taken refuge, and seeing himself +overcome by numbers, he escaped with his brave companions, into Val +Queiras, taking with him his son, who was only seven years old. + +It is needless to harrow the feelings of my readers with a detail of +the dreadful fate of Rora; suffice it to say, that none of the horrid +tortures to which their countrymen were condemned on the 24th of April, +were omitted here; nearly all the victims were old or infirm, women, +and children. And lest any stragglers should ever return to their once +beautiful home, the houses were all burnt, and no vestige of cultivation +left around them. + +Yet even this was not enough to glut the vengeance of Pianezza; Janavel +had escaped--and the Marquis did not hesitate to use the most unworthy +means of getting him into his power. He wrote to him, urging him to +renounce his heresy, as the only means of obtaining mercy for himself, +and his wife, and his daughters, who had been taken prisoners. In case +of non compliance, he was threatened that they should be condemned to +the flames, and that so high a price should be put on his head, that he +could not escape; in case of his capture no torture should be spared to +punish his rebellion. Janavel's simple reply was, that "no tortures were +horrible enough to induce him to abjure his faith, which the threats of +the Marquis only served to confirm; and as to my wife and daughters," +he adds, "Providence will not abandon them; if you are permitted to put +them to death, the flames will only destroy their bodies, while their +pure souls will soon accuse you before the throne of the God of the +universe." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +Janavel returned from Dauphine, after having remained there a short +time, and collected the Vaudois who had also taken refuge in that +province. He made, another attack, in hopes of taking some prisoners, +whom he might exchange for his wife and daughters, but being +unsuccessful, he proceeded to join Captain Jayer, who had put himself +at the head of those who had escaped the massacres. They very soon after +took the town of St. Second, by assault, and put the Irish garrison of +800 men to the sword, as a punishment for the barbarity with which they +had acted on the 24th of April. The Piemontese by their own avowal, +lost from 500 to 600 men, in this action; but the Vaudois had only seven +killed and six wounded. The houses and churches were burnt, and some +booty retaken; but the women, children, and old people, were not +insulted. + +After some other successes, in which great numbers of the enemy fell, +and many severe combats, Janavel found himself posted at An-grogna, with +300 men, while the rest of his troops were engaged in an expedition +to the Val Pragela; the enemy here attacked him 3000 strong, but he +defended himself, in a good position, from morning till two o'clock in +the afternoon, when they retired, losing 500 men in the retreat. Jayer +now coming up, the pursuit was pressed farther, most unfortunately, for +Janavel received a severe wound, and Jayer, misled by treachery, was +surrounded, and lost his life, together with 150 brave men, one only +escaped, who returned with the melancholy news in the night. + +Notwithstanding the consternation which this disaster occasioned, the +Vaudois, under the command of Jacques Jayer and Laurens, now amounting +only to 550 men, courageously marched from La Vachere to meet the enemy, +who attacked them with 6000 men; but were repulsed, with the loss of +more than 200, and of the Vaudois only two were killed, one of whom was +Captain Bertin. + +The beginning of July was marked by the arrival of the moderator, J. +Leger, who had made a long journey, with the hope of interesting the +French and other Protestants for his countrymen. Colonel Andrion, of +Geneva, also joined them with one of his captains, and a soldier; he had +served already with honour in France and Sweden, and now came to assist +the cause of the unfortunate Vaudois. + +Having pointed out some negligence in their manner of encamping, and +sent out picquets, this officer received intelligence of an intended +attack, which must have destroyed the little force of the Vaudois, had +it been made unexpectedly: after a most severe combat of ten hours, when +Les Barricades was the only post they could make good against the +enemy, they at last obtained a victory; in great measure by rolling down +fragments of rock, when their ammunition was expended. + +The enemy lost nearly 400 in killed and wounded; and to add to the +pleasure occasioned by this success, Mons. Descombier, a French officer, +who had served with great distinction, arrived on the 17th July, with +some other French Protestants. He was immediately elected commander +in chief, and a corps formed of from sixty to eighty French gentlemen, +under the command of M. Feautier. + +These circumstances filled the Vaudois with the most lively hope, and an +attack upon La Tour was resolved on; on the 19th they marched there by +day-light, and would certainly have got possession of the town, if +Mons. Descombier had not been dissuaded from the assault, by the French +soldiers he had sent to reconnoitre. On their report of the strength +of the place, he sounded a retreat; but captains Belin and Peyronel +resolved to proceed, and, making a vigorous attack, pierced the +wall, and entered the town, when the citadel immediately offered to +capitulate. At this moment troops poured in from Luzerne, upon their +rear, when captain Janavel (now for the first time in the field since +his wound) sounded a retreat, and brought off the party with the loss of +only one man. + +Besides the engagements above mentioned, there were many others, in +which the Vaudois obtained advantages; indeed they universally behaved +with such heroism, that M. Descombier declared they fought like lions.* + + * Bresse here gives the names of those who most + distinguished themselves. + +A very short time after the attack on La Tour, the court of Turin +published a truce, which was not broken till the peace. We shall pursue +the negociations after a few remarks, which appear necessary at this +point of our history. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +The news of the severity with which the Vaudois had been treated having +now been spread throughout Europe, had awakened the sympathy of all the +Protestant powers; the British ambassadors extraordinary have already +been mentioned, and we must not here omit, that, on the publication +of Gastaldo's proclamation, in 1655, the Swiss cantons interfered in a +similar manner. The only reply to the statement of the fidelity, &c. of +the Vaudois, being a complaint of their great insolence, particularly as +manifested on Christmas day, 1654; thus grounding their conduct on some +ridiculous masquerading which took place on that day, and which was +afterwards allowed by Gastaldo himself to have been conducted by +Catholics. So much for the reasons given for driving the Vaudois from +their ancient possessions beyond the three valleys. The further order +for the massacre has been (it will be remembered) justified by their +self-defence on that occasion, when attacked, even within the bounds +assigned for their allowed possessions. + +On receiving the news of the massacres, the Swiss cantons proclaimed +a solemn fast, wrote the most affecting and pressing letters to other +powers, and made a general collection for their unhappy brethren; +deputing at the same time Colonel de Wits to press their intercession at +the court of Turin. This envoy was referred by the court to the Marquis +de Pianezza; and, after a vigorous representation of the injustice of +the court towards the Vaudois, he returned without having gained his +point. + +The cantons resolved nevertheless to send another solemn embassy, and +wrote pressing letters to the United. Provinces, and to the protector of +England,* entreating these powers to assist them in the defence of their +innocent and most undeservedly persecuted brethren. + + * See copies in Leger. + +Mons. de Wits arrived at Turin for the second time, in the beginning of +July, (the period of the successes before mentioned,) closely followed +by four other Swiss envoys. His object was eluded by the court; and +the reply given was, that the king of France having offered himself +as mediator for these rebels, the affair could not be taken out of his +hands. The four other envoys arrived on the 24th, and were graciously +received; they presented a memorial, justifying the Vaudois, and +bitterly complaining of the cruelties exercised towards them; even using +the words "so cruelly oppressed." After many pressing entreaties for an +accommodation of differences, a Mons. Gresi, counsellor of state, was +sent to the envoys with papers, tending to calumniate the Vaudois, +and justify their persecutors; they were allowed, (notwithstanding the +transactions with the king of France,) to go to the valleys, for +the purpose of examining into their present state. The next day they +accordingly went to Pignerol, then in the hands of the French, and were +soon met by the French ambassador, M. Servient, the Count Truchis, the +senator Perraquin, the prefect Ressau, the prior M. A. Rorenco, and some +other agents of the Duke, as well as the deputies from the valleys, at +the head of whom was M. J. Leger, the moderator.* + + * Afterwards, in his banishment, he wrote his valuable + History. + +Under the auspices of these gentlemen negociations of peace were entered +into on the 3rd of August, 1655. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +On the 18th of August, articles of peace were finally concluded. In the +intermediate time, Mons. de Wits had received letters from the English +envoy extraordinary, Morland, requesting him to delay the conclusion +of the treaty, hoping himself to arrive in time to take part in the +business. + +The details of the negociations can hardly at this time excite much +interest; the agents of the Duke were most imperious in their demands, +choosing always to treat the Vaudois like obstinate rebels, and +notwithstanding the protestations of these oppressed people, the treaty +was entitled a "patente de grace", and in the preamble they were +represented as "culpable in having taken up arms," and said to be +pardoned by the "sovereign clemency" of their prince. + +The Vaudois, by the second article, were required to give up possession +and the right of habitation in the villages beyond the Pelice; that is, +in Luzerne, Luzernette, Fenil, Cam-pillon, Bubiana, Briqueiras, &c. (It +will be recollected that they were established in all these places +long before the house of Savoy possessed any authority in Piemont.) +An exchange of prisoners was agreed to, but many there were who never +returned to their homes, and many children were detained. The fifteenth +article is singular, as marking the spirit of justice dealt to them, +when the non violation of a right is esteemed a favour. "No person of +the pretended reformed religion shall be forced to embrace the Roman +Catholic apostolic faith: children shall not be taken away from their +parents during their minority; that is, the boys before the age of +twelve, the girls before that of ten." A secret article respecting the +demolition of the fort at La Tour was eluded by the court. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +Of all the potentates who interested themselves for the Vaudois, Oliver +Cromwell showed the greatest zeal. He is known to have said, that +nothing ever so affected him as the news of the massacres of the 24th +of April; and to have declared to the Duke of Savoy, "that if he did not +discontinue his persecutions, he would cause a fleet to sail over the +Alps to defend the Vaudois." + +It is certain, that as soon as he heard of the horrors of April and +May, 1655, he ordered a general fast, and collection for the Vaudois, +throughout England, Ireland, and Scotland, to which he personally +subscribed L2000. He also wrote to many princes in their favour, +particularly to the kings of Denmark, Sweden, and to the States General +of the United Provinces, and sent Morland as his envoy extraordinary +to the court of Turin, charged also to deliver a letter to the king of +France on the same subject. + +In answer to this, Cromwell was assured that the French troops had been +employed without the orders of their court, which greatly disapproved of +their interference; and was well content with the fidelity of the French +Protestants. + +Morland, on his presentation at the court of Turin, made a most eloquent +and ardent appeal to the Duke, boldly stating the horrible outrages +which had been committed, and the innocence of the sufferers. He was +well informed of all the facts from M. J. Leger, whom he had met at +Lyons. Yet the court, in the answer to Cromwell's letter, dared to +express its surprise, "that the malice of men had presumed so to +misrepresent the mild and paternal castigation of the rebels," as to +excite the odium of the other courts of Europe. + +Besides Morland, Mr. Douning and Mr. Pell were sent from England to +assist at the negociations; but on finding that the treaty was already +concluded, while they had been consulting with the Swiss Protestants, +they returned to England and Sir Samuel Morland to Geneva. + +It was owing to the absence of these gentlemen, as well as that of +the Dutch ambassador, that the terms granted to the Vaudois were so +unfavourable. + +Morland, having been informed of the miserable poverty to which almost +all the Vaudois were reduced, the want of provisions, and particularly +the inability of the pastors to support themselves or to obtain a +salary, made such representations as to induce Cromwell to make an order +in council, dated Whitehall, May 18th, 1658,* stating, "That report +having been made to us by our commissioner and committee for the affairs +of the poor Vaudois churches, upon the information relative to the state +of the said valleys, given them by Sir S. Morland, &c. &c. it is ordered +that the money, which remains from a collection made for them, shall be +applied as an annual stipend, as under: + + To M. J. Leger, + who has always supported the interests of the valleys, L100 + To eight ministers in the territory of Savoy, L320 + To three ditto in the territory of France L30 + To one head schoolmaster L20 + To thirteen other schoolmasters L69 + To four students of theology and medicine L40 + To a physician and surgeon L35 + + Annual amount Sterling L614" + +These annual stipends, thus derived from the residue of the +subscriptions left in England, which amounted to upwards of L12,000.** +were paid very regularly until the restoration of Charles the Second; +when that prince declaring that he had nothing to do with the orders +of an usurper, or the payment of his debts, the valleys were entirely +deprived of them. It is needless to make any observation on this +injustice--injustice not only to the Vaudois, but to the British nation, +whose humane generosity was thus defeated in its purpose, and whose +contributions were seized without a shadow of reason. + + * Three years after the first mission of Morland, + consequently a large sum had been paid out of the + collection, for present use. Of this large sum, it has been + asserted, that the government of Geneva possessed themselves + of a great part, to repair their fortifications.--T. + + ** Jones says, L38,241 1s. 6d.--T. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +We have now the agreeable task of recording the bounties of the United +Provinces, ever celebrated for their philanthropy. No sooner had they +received information of the disaster in the valleys, than they wrote +to the courts of England, France, and Turin, as well as to the Swiss +cantons, and deputed M. Van Ommeren, a deputy of the States General, to +confer with the Swiss cantons, and to carry their joint complaints to +the Duke of Savoy. In the mean while a general fast, and the order +for collections in every town and village, seconded the zeal of +the government, and Amsterdam was distinguished by its generous +contributions, which furnished our ancestors with the means of +rebuilding their houses, and churches, and recultivating their land. + +From the Swiss cantons M. Van Ommeren went to Geneva, to confer with the +British envoys, Morland, Pell, and Douning; and thence to Paris, where +he urged the king to take into consideration the complaints of the +Vaudois against the treaty of Pignerol, just concluded, and in which he +had appeared in the character of a mediator, by means of his minister M. +Servient. A person of confidence (M. de Bais, marechal de camp) was in +consequence sent to inquire into the truth of the facts. He obtained +at a meeting of the principal Vaudois, at La Tour, in March, 1656, a +justificatory recital of the complaints of the valleys, a letter to the +king of France, and another to M. Le Serdigences, governor of Dauphine, +with which he sought redress at the court of Turin; but his object was +defeated by the agents of the Propaganda, who so contrived to disguise +the truth, that he seemed suddenly to have lost all that insight into +the affairs of the Vaudois, which he had obtained by his visit to the +valleys. The king of France was, however, so touched by the letter of +the Vaudois that he was about again to intercede, when the intrigues of +the same agents had the effect of convincing him that the statements of +the Vaudois were without foundation. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +Charles Gustavus, king of Sweden, replied with great warmth to the +letter which Cromwell addressed to him in favour of the Vaudois, +testifying the horror he felt at such cruelties, and his desire to +support the cause of the Gospel with the same energy as the Protector. + +This king also wrote to the court of Turin, earnestly to request that +the Vaudois might not be disturbed in their possessions and privileges; +and soon after desired that M. J. Leger should be sent to him, that +he might receive from him all necessary details, and take efficient +measures for the re-establishment of the Vaudois. A premature death +unfortunately put a stop to his benevolent intentions. + +The elector Palatine acted similarly in writing to Turin. + +Frederick William, elector of Brandenburg, interested himself in the +most lively manner, corresponding with the other Protestant courts on +the subject, and offering a general collection. + +The landgrave, William, of Hesse Cassel, exhibited the same spirit of +charity, and acted with equal energy. + +The republic of Geneva showed great interest in the affair, and indeed +every one of the reformed churches of Europe wrote the most touching +letters, evincing their great interest and compassion for their brethren +of the valleys. + +So many proofs of the kindness and respect shown to our ancestors, +by the most wise and enlightened governments, would suffice for the +eulogium of this unfortunate people, were not the details of their own +conduct amply sufficient to place them in their true light; nor can the +unrestrained malevolence, to which they have been exposed, withhold from +them the admiration and esteem of all good men. + +The Vaudois had scarcely began to enjoy the repose which was granted +them, when their implacable enemies had again recourse to the same +system of intrigues, which had so often been resorted to against them. +But, for the moment, we will not follow them any farther, lest the +minds of my readers should be wearied with this tale of suffering, they +require to be relieved for a time from the contemplation of these dark +plots of malevolence and fanaticism, before they return to the scenes +which we have yet to lay before them. + +Alas! a cloud of misfortune seems to have hung over all the Vaudois +historians:--Gilles de Gilles was persecuted, as we have seen above; the +indefatigable J. Leger (the same moderator already mentioned) finished +his great work in exile, and died in Holland; and our author, the +virtuous Bresse, after experiencing the most cruel injustice at Geneva, +was forced by circumstances to establish himself at Utrecht, where he +died before the publication of the last part of his work, which it had +been the project of his life to accomplish, and to which he had devoted +himself since the sixteenth year of his age.--Note by the Translator. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's L'Histoire Des Vaudois, by J. 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