XV. The ministers of the word of God ought not to be removed from one place to another, unless it be to the great benefit and advantage of the Church.

XVI. It is no ways repugnant to the apostolical communion, that the ministers should possess anything in particular, to provide for the maintenance of their families.

XVII. As to the sacraments, it hath been determined by the holy scriptures, that we have but two sacramental signs or symbols, which Christ Jesus hath left unto us: the one is baptism, the other the eucharist or Lord's supper, which we receive to demonstrate our perseverance in the faith, according to the promise we made in our baptism in our infancy: as also in remembrance of that great benefit which Jesus Christ hath conferred upon us, when he laid down his life for our redemption, cleansing us with his most precious blood.

Those articles being resolved upon by them, astonished the Romish priests, who were then among them to collect the revenues of their cures, so that being out of all hopes of ever seeing those people reclaimed, or reduced to the obedience of the Church of Rome by any violence and compulsion, much less of their own accord, and perceiving the door of their gain to be shut, they departed without speaking a word. Upon this their retreat, the mass vanished of itself in the valleys of the Waldenses; and because they had only the New Testament, and some books of the Old translated into the Waldensian tongue, they resolved speedily to send the whole bible to the press, their books being only manuscripts, and those few in number. They sent therefore to Neufchatel in Switzerland, where they gave one thousand five hundred crowns in gold to a printer, who published the first impression of the bible which was seen in France. In the year 1536, they sent Martin Gonin to Geneva to provide a large supply of those books which he should see necessary for the instruction of the people. But they were balked in their attempt, because that good man was apprehended for a spy as he was passing over the Mountain de Gap, by George Marten, Lord de Champollion. As soon as Gonin was discovered to be a Waldensian, he was sent to Grenoble, and there confined in prison. Afterwards, in the night time, he was cast into the river Lyzere, for fear he should declare his faith before the people." The monk-inquisitor who delivered him to the secular power told them that it was not convenient that the world should hear him, "because," said he, "it is to be feared that they who hear him may become worse than himself."

It then happened that there were wars in Piedmont. between Francis I. and the Prince of Piedmont, which fell out providentially for those Waldenses; for during the continuance of those confusions they were at quiet, until Pope Paul III. solicited the parliament of Turin to take some violent course against them, as pernicious and mischievous heretics, whensoever they should be delivered into their hands by the inquisitors. That parliament caused a great number to be burnt at Turin, in imitation of other parliaments in France, who in those times burnt all those whom they called Lutherans.

4 Ecclesiastical History of the Churches of France, p. 37.

5 Book of Martyrs of our Time, lib. 3, fol. iii.

The Waldenses appealed to the king, presenting to him their petition that they might not be persecuted by the parliament for the profession of that religion, in which they and their ancestors had lived for so many hundred years, with the permission of their princes. But the king enjoined them to live according to the laws of the Church of Rome, upon pain of being punished as heretics. He likewise commanded the parliament at Turin to cause all his subjects within their jurisdiction to profess his religion; adding, that he did not burn the Lutherans throughout his whole kingdom of France, to make a reservation of them in the Alps."

The parliament endeavoured to put the king's decrees speedily in execution; and to that end enjoined the Waldenses, upon pain of death, immediately to dismiss their ministers, and to receive priests among them to sing mass, in conformity to all others of the king's subjects. They replied, that they could not obey any such injunctions, contrary to the commandment of God, whom they would obey rather than man, in matters relating to his service. But if the king had not at that time been elsewhere engaged, doubtless the parliament would have compelled them to do that by force, to which mere injunctions could never have brought them. They therefore were contented to prosecute them by the Inquisition, and to receive from the monks those whom they condemned to be burnt. But in the year 1555, they increased the persecution. Having condemned to the fire Bartholomew Hector, a stationer, who suffered death at Turin, because he died with admirable constancy, insomuch that he edified even the assistants, as well as others the standers by, so that he drew tears from their eyes, and compassionate expressions from their lips; they unanimous ly justifying and applauding him for his good and holy speeches and prayers to God-the parliament took occasion thereupon to use their utmost endeavours to subvert and overthrow this profession in its very source and original, and to make use of the king's authority to constrain the people either to submit to the laws of the Church of Rome, or else to suffer a miserable death. To this end, the parliament of Turin deputed the President of Julian, and an assessor nanied de Ecclesia, to repair to those places, and there to put in execution whatsoever they thought proper, either to the reduction or extermination of the said people, with a promise to assist them in whatsoever should be necessary to that purpose, according to the advice and counsel that they should receive from them." The president with his assessor took their journey to Perouse, and caused public proclamation to be made in the name of the king, that every one of the inhabitants should go to mass upon pain of death. Afterwards they came to Pignerol, where they summoned several to appear before them. Among others, there appeared a poor simple labouring man, whom the president ordered to have baptism again administered to his child, who had been lately baptized by the Waldensian minister, near Angrogne. The poor man desired so much respite, as to offer up his prayers to God, before he answered him. Which, with some laughter, being granted, he fell down upon his knees before all the standers by, and having concluded his prayer, he said to the president, that he would cause his child to be re-baptized, provided he would oblige himself by a bond, signed with his own hand, to discharge and clear him from the sin that he should

• Book of Martyrs of our Time, lib. 8, fol. 123.

commit in so doing, and suffer himself the punishment and condemnation, which God would one day inflict upon him for it, taking this iniquity upon him and his. Which the president understanding, commanded him to depart out of his presence, without pressing him any farther.

Having framed and drawn up several indictments against some particular persons of the said valleys, and made collections of whatsoever the president could imagine might be hurtful to the people, he tried also to win them by the preaching of the monks, whom he brought with him into the valley of Angrogne. Being therefore come to the place where their temple stood, he caused one of the monks to preach before the Waldenses, who bestowed much time in exhorting them to return to the Church of Rome, concerning which he related many things, to which the people gave no credit. After the monk had said as much as he thought good, and held his peace, the greatest part of the people requested that the pastors there present, or some one of them in the name of the rest, might be permitted to make answer to the sermon which the preaching fiiar had made; but the president would by no means yield to it. Upon which ensued a murmuring among the people, which astonished the president and his monks. But dissembling their fear, the president withdrew to Turin, without speaking one word; where, being arrived, he gave the parliament an account of his proceedings, and withal signified to them, how difficult a matter it was to overcome that people by violence and extremities; because if any attempt should be made to take them by force, they were resolved to defend themselves; and their country favouring them, it was to be feared that it would cost much blood and labour, before they could either be reduced to the Church of Rome, or despatched out of the world. It was the work of a king of France to exterminate them; and therefore it was necessary to send the report, and to leave the issue of so troublesome an undertaking to his own will and pleasure. This advice was followed; the indictments and reports were sent to the king; but as court affairs cannot be finished in a short time, it was a whole year before any other course was taken, or so much as mentioned against them, than that of the inquisitors who continually delivered some of them to the secular power. At the year's end, the king sent down express orders from the court, to compel them by force to do that, which they could not be brought to do by fair words and kind usage. The parliament sent the president of Julian again, who upon his arrival at Angrogne, commanded them in the king's name to go to mass, upon pain of both bodily punishment and confiscation of goods. They demanded a copy both of his commission and his speech, promising to return him such an answer, as that he should have reason to be satisfied therewith: but nothing could give the president satisfaction, who still urged them in vain to alter their religion. They answered him, that they were not bound to obey decrees which were contrary to the commands of God. He commanded, that twelve of the heads amongst them, together with all the ministers and schoolmasters should instantly resign themselves prisoners at Turin, there to receive such sentence as reason should require. He enjoined the syndics of the said valleys to dismiss and enjoin all strangers forthwith to depart; and thenceforward, not to receive or entertain any preachers or schoolmasters, but such as shall be sent them by the papal diocesan. They answered that they neither could nor would obey commands that were contrary to those of God; and that they would not appear at all at Turin, since they could not do it without the hazard of their lives, and being troubled for their faith.

The Parliament of Turin were so incensed against them, that as many of them as they could cause to be apprehended in Piedmont, and the frontiers of their valleys, they committed to the flames at Turin: among others, Jeffery Varnigle was burnt in the castle-yard, 1557, by whose death, the Waldenses were very much strengthened and edified, there being a great number present, who saw and heard him continue to call upon God to his last breath.

During those grievous persecutions, the Protestant princes of Germany interceded for them, intreating King Henry II. to permit them peaceably to enjoy that religion in which from generation to generation they had lived for ages past. The king promised to have regard to their petitions: and so they continued unmolested until the peace was concluded between the kings of France and Spain. and till the Duke of Savoy was restored, in 1559, to his dominions and government.

About a year after the said restitution of the country, in 1560, the pope's nuncio reproached the Duke of Savoy,that he did not imitate the zeal of the king of France, who out of affection to the Roman religion, to the utmost of his power had persecuted the Waldenses and Lutherans of the valleys of Angrogne, and other neighbouring and adjacent places; and that if he did not contribute what in him lay, either to bring them back into the bosom of the church, or else to destroy them out of the world, the pontiff would have great reason to suspect him as a favourer of them. The Prince of Piedmont promised to make use of all the means he could either for their reduction or total subversion. In pursuance of which declaration, he commanded them to go to mass upon pain of death and of seeing their valleys exposed to fire and sword. To which commands they not yielding obedience, he assaulted them with military force, and gave the charge of that war to le Sieur de la Trinité. He caused them at the same time to be persecuted by the monks inquisitors, Jacomel and de Corbis. After la Trinité had been sufficiently defeated with his troops, seeing that the lion's claw stood him in no stead, he made use of the fox's skin, and told them that what was passed had happened unto them rather for want of parley and communication than out of any ill-will which his highness bore to them that if his soldiers had exceeded their bounds, it was because of the resistance which they met with-that he would for the future be an instrument of their preservation, and become as zealous to procure their rest and quiet, as at first he had shown himself ardent to give them trouble. To that purpose he advised them to send some of the principal among them to his highness, by whom he would send his letters recommendatory to the prince, and Margaret, dutchess of Savoy, only sister to Henry, king of France, and that he was very well assured his highness would bury in oblivion all that was past. But it was his opinion above all things, that the Waldenses ought to give some testimony of obedience to their prince, who was obliged by the pope to set up the mass in all his territories, and that therefore they should suffer the mass to be sung at Angrogne, which would be but a thing indifferent since he did not require their presence thereat, but only that he might write to his highness that they were his obedient and loyal subjects. Moreover, because his highness was fully bent that no strange minister should remain within his territories, they should entreat their pastors to withdraw to Pragela for some days, and after his highness was reconciled to them they could recall them. He had much difficulty to get them to comply with that point. "If we intreat our pastors to withdraw, the Waldenses retorted, it will be the counsel of the flesh,

to which God will not give his blessing; for our enemies, when they shall have gained this advantage over us, that we have no persons left to comfort, counsel, reprove or exhort us, will doubtless endeavour to the utmost of their power to prevent forever the return of our good pastors, by whose ministry we have been so worthily instructed and so well fortified against a world full of temptations. And since we shall not fail of being accused as rebels in recalling them, it is better not to deprive ourselves of the fruit of their holy ministry, and be accounted as such now by serving God, and keeping those whom he hath sent to preach his word unto us. He is still as mighty to preserve us as he hath hitherto been, and we should be ungrateful wretches to doubt of his assistance, not considering that we poor miserable sheep, the dogs being driven away, shall be devoured by the wolves." Those representations, and several others made by the more zealous and perspicacious amongst them, could not hinder some of them from entreating their pastors to withdraw for some days into Pragela, a neighbouring valley, and peopled with their brethren the Waldenses of Dauphiny. There might a man see the justice of God executed upon them, and the beginning of misery. They all of them melted into tears, all their rocks resounded and echoed with their outcries and lamentations when the women and children went to conduct their pastors to the top of the mountains to depart from them to the other side. In other places, when they saw the principal amongst them take their journey to Turin, into the hands of their enemies, several foretold the mischief that would befall them thereupon, and that it seemed to them that God had abandoned them at the very same time when the Waldenses forsook him in the person of his servants. It fell out just according to what was foretold by those who would not allow of, nor consent to such counsels of the flesh. Being arrived at Turin they were closely confined in prison, their indictments drawn up as against heretics, and the passes secured and guarded to prevent any one from giving notice or information of the treatment which the said deputies had received. In the mean time la Trinité told them, that he knew his highness had granted all their requests, and that he had written to him that he detained them only for this cause, that he might be better assured of their promises for the time to come, to which purpose he likewise erected a fort, which he built near Angrogne. That which gave them a suspicion was, that they heard no news from their Waldensian prisoners, much less would la Trinité permit them to send any thither. At length having a long time consulted together what they had best to do, seeing a fort was building, which if they should suffer to be completed, it would bridle and restrain them for ever; and fearing on the other hand, if they should undertake any thing against the workmen, that they would put all those whom they had sent to Turin to death, they were reduced to extreme perplexity. But they were soon cleared in all their apprehensions and suspicions, knowing that they had been deceived by de la Trinité; and that therefore it highly concerned them to commit the issue to Divine Providence, and to make their peace and reconciliation with him by fasting and prayer. Which having done, they recalled their pastors, begged the assistance of their neighbours of Pragela, who came unto them with their arms, entered into those temples where la Trinité had caused altars to be erected and images to be placed. The Waldenses then demolished those altars and laid them level with the ground, broke the images, besieged the fort and took it, beat the succours that were sent to relieve the said fort, put them to flight and slew a great number of the soldiers. The prince