The

Emanuel Philibert, being very much incensed, determined to avenge himself upon the prisoners: but Margaret interceding for them, endeavoured all she could to appease and pacify the prince; telling him that they must needs have been informed of the treatment that their deputies had received from his highness, and that seeing themselves in a fair way to be entirely destroyed, they had taken those desperate methods for their preservation Now his royal highness by the advice and instigation of the pope's nuncio, had compelled the said deputies to go to mass, and there to ask pardon of God, the pope, and their holy mother the church of Rome, with a promise to live in obedience to its laws, and afterwards remitted them to prison, waiting for the perfection of his fort. But seeing himself frustrated in his design, he followed the methods of treaty proposed by Margaret, under which they have lived to this day. It is true, they afterwards suffered at various times, several persecutions, which with much zeal and patience they did undergo. Among others, that in the year 1570, was very severe. For their prince having entered into an offensive league against the Protestants with several other princes of Europe, he began to molest and disturb his said subjects of the valleys. He forbade them to hold any correspondence with the Waldenses of Dauphiny upon pain of death, or to assemble themselves or meet in any synod or council, except in the presence of the governor of Castrocaro. In pursuance of which that governor did not fail to be present at their first council called at Bobi. pastors and elders there present, signified to the governor that his presence and assistance at their councils would not be in the least prejudicial to the matters in agitation therein, which were of such a nature, that if the whole world were witnesses to them, the more clearly and evidently would their piety towards God, and their fidelity to their prince appear, forasmuch as they held no consultations there, but what might tend to the glory of God, and loyalty to their superiors. Yet since his highness took occasion to mistrust them, he must have been misinformed by some of their enemies. Therefore, being satisfied in their conscience that they had deserved no such thing, they looked upon that novelty as a manifest infringement of the treaty which he had made with them, and as a persecution destroying the free exercise of their religion. They therefore desired the governor of Castrocaro to withdraw, and not to molest them by such innovation and infringement of the foregoing treaty, at least till such times as, having cleared and justified themselves before his highness, it should be otherwise ordered by him. The governor was fully resolved to stay there. The pastors and elders protested against the said innovation. The governor also on the other hand protested and declared that he undertook nothing therein without the express commands of his highness, and that they ought to be better satisfied that that charge had been laid upon him, rather than upon any other, since he gave place to none in good-will and affection towards them, always interpreted their actions to the best advantage, and would make a true report to his highness of the loyalty and fidelity that he perceived in their carriage and deportments.

He was therefore admitted into their synod, at the conclusion of which, he made use of this artifice; he endeavored to sow envy and jealousy amongst the pastors, speaking well of them in general, that he had found their order to be good and decent, and that he could not have believed they had proceeded with so much zeal, order and charity; but that there was no reason why they should wonder that his highness had been so jealous and mistrustful of strange ministers, because he knew that they were more

violent in their opinions than the generality of the natives of the country He again excepted Stephen Noel, whom he knew to be a quiet and peaceable man, and more desirous to content and satisfy his highness. Therefore since his highness had resolved to permit no stranger to dwell in his territories, he could not believe that the ministers would be exempted any more than others; and to the end that he might not any more be constrained to employ his power and authority to drive them out of his dominions, that it would be better for them and much more for their honour, to depart elsewhere freely and of their own accord, than to stay till the prince expelled them out of his country by banishment. They replied, they could not believe that his highness had any such meaning or intention as the said governor would persuade them; but that to inform themselves of the truth thereof, they would send a deputy to his highness.

The governor being incensed because they would not give credit to his words, nor do any thing according to his persuasions, gave permission to the soldiers of the fort of Castrocaro to surround the church when the minister was in his sermon, and there to commit many insolencies and disorders, firing several muskets and alarming those who saw themselves surprised and unarmed. Stephen Noel was desired to write to lady Margaret, which he did; but the letters whereby madame assured them that the governor had received orders from his highness to contain himself within the bounds and limits of the treaty made between his highness and the said people, remained in the hands of the governor. While those things were in agitation, the massacre of the Huguenots happened in France, in the year 1572, which so puffed up the pride and increased the stubbornness of the governor, that his violences could by no means be restrained. Bonfires being made throughout all Piedmont in token of joy for that horrid effusion of blood, the governor persuaded himself that he should shortly see the like persecutions in the Waldensian valleys. Therefore hearing the cannons fired and understanding the great pleasure and satisfaction that his highness took therein, the Christians were persuaded that they should not continue long unmolested, and therefore that it was the safest way to convey what they most valued into the caverns upon the top of the Alps, whither they used to fly in times of trouble. His highness being informed that the Waldenses were in a posture of defence, would not hazard the lives of his other subjects to subdue them, but rested contented with having terrified them; giving commandment that when any of them came into Piedmont, they should be apprehended and executed as heretics. Which the Christians being aware of, they provided themselves with what was necessary for their nourishment and sustenance in Dauphiny, and in the valleys of their brethren of Pragela and Valclusion. After the decease of his highness and Margaret, Charles Emanuel their son, and prince of Piedmont, suffered them to live in peace and tranquillity, under the treaties made with his father and mother. Notwithstanding which, the inquisitors have always been upon the watch to take some or other of them, especially to hinder them from speaking of their faith when they came into Piedmont. In such case, provided it appear that they have held any conferences concerning religion, they have always condemned them as the teachers of strange doctrines and swervers from the treaties whereby it was enjoined that they should broach no new opinions.

The last who was persecuted in that cause, was a merchant of Lucerne, who much strengthened and edified the people by his constancy. His history will manifest to the world that the popes continue to show how

hateful and odious the doctrines of the gospel is to them, and that if it lay in their power to overrule the hearts of the kings and princes of Europe at their pleasure, the fires would still be burning in all those places where they have any influence or authority.

In the year 1601, Bartholomew Copin, a Waldensian of the valley of Lucerne, being at Ast in Piedmont with his goods and merchandise, Copin sitting at table in the evening at supper with several other merchants, one of them started a discourse concerning the diversity of religions, and uttered many expressions tending to the dishonour of the Waldenses of Angrogne and the neighbouring valleys. Copin hearing him speak of his brethren and of their religion, to the dishonour of God, and with less modesty than became such who profess themselves to be merchants; and believing that he should render himself partaker in the crime, if he did not make some reply to the blasphemies which he heard, returned an answer to the person who held such discourses in favour of his own religion. What, said the man whom Copin reprimanded, are you a Waldensian? Yes, said he, I am. Do you not believe the real presence of God in the host? No, said Copin. "See, replied the other, what a false religion yours is!" "My religion, said Copin, is as true as that God is God, and as 1 am certain that I shall die." The next day Copin was called before the bishop of Ast, who told him that he had been informed of certain scandalous opinions and discourses which he held yesterday in the evening, at his lodgings, and that he must acknowledge his fault if he would obtain pardon for it, or else that he would take care to have him punished. Copin answered, that "he was provoked to say what he did, and notwithstanding, he had said nothing but what he would stand to, and maintain at the hazard of his life: that he had some goods in the world, and a wife and children, but that his affections were so far dead to such things, as not to love them to the prejudice of his conscience. As to his life and conversation, he said if his lordship would be pleased to inquire of the merchants of Ast, who all knew him, concerning his honesty and good behaviour, they would all certify that he never wronged or injured any man during the whole course of his traffic and commerce among them; and that being a merchant he ought to be dismissed to follow that business for which he came thither, to trade and traffic, without being molested and hindered. That if the Jews and Turks were permitted to keep the fairs and traffic throughout all Piedmont, much more ought he to be suffered so to do, who was a Christian; since in that discourse about religion, he only made answer to a question, and that it, was lawful for him to answer and give a reason of his faith to any one that asked him in any place whatsoever, even by the treaty made between the Waldenses and his highness, which forbids them to broach and teach any new doctrines and opinions, but doth not deprive them of the liberty of making answer to whosoever shall perplex them with any questions.

The prelate regarded not those just remonstrances, but commanded that he should be committed to prison. The next day the bishop's secretary visited Copin, expressed much love and kindness to him, and told him that he forewarned him as a friend, that if he did not acknowledge his fault, he was in great danger of losing his life.

Copin replied, that his "life was in the hands of God, and that he would never preserve it to the prejudice of his glory. He beseeched God, that as he had but two or three steps to take in his journey to heaven, to give him his grace not to shrink back, or turn aside." Some time after he was

examined by a monk inquisitor before the prelate, who at first treated him with kind and gentle persuasions, endeavouring to win him by fair words to the abjuration of his faith: but Copin always repulsed him by the word of God, telling him, that "if he should be ashamed of, and deny Jesus Christ, Christ would be ashamed of, and deny him before God his father." The monk then concluded his dispute with menaces and threatenings. "Out upon thee thou cursed Lutheran; thou shalt go to all the devils in hell, and when thou shalt be tormented by those unclean spirits, thou wilt call to mind the holy instructions, which we have given thee, to bring thee to salvation: but thou hadst rather go to hell, than reconcile thyself to thy holy mother the church."-"I have been reconciled a long time ago," said Copin, "to the holy church."

After several violent attempts, they caused his wife and his son to come to him, promising him liberty and leave to go away with them, if he would make satisfaction for his offence by the confession thereof. They permitted his wife and his son to sup with him in prison; where the time was spent in exhorting them to patience; the wife, because she should be deprived of her husband, and the child of its father. Copin said, that "he was fully persuaded that God would be a father to him, and better than a husband to her; and that for his part, he was not obliged to love wife or children more than Christ; that they ought to esteem him happy, that God was pleased to confer such honour upon him, that he should bear witness to his truth at the expense of his life; and that he hoped God would give him grace to suffer and undergo all manner of torments for his glory." He recommended the care of his son and daughter to his wife, enjoining her to bring them up in the fear of God. He commanded his son to be obedient to his mother, that so he might draw down the blessing of God upon him. He desired their prayers to God for him, that he would be pleased to strengthen him against all temptations. Thus having blessed his son, and taken leave of his wife, they were dismissed out of prison, and he locked up where he was before. His wife and child pouring forth floods of tears, crying and lamenting in such a manner as would have melted the most obdurate hearts into pity and compassion. That good man, not contented with what he had said to them, wrote to his wife the following letter; the original of which she hath delivered to us, written and signed with Copin's own hand.

To

my well-beloved consort Susanna Copin.

From the Tower of Lucerne.

"MY DEAREST CONSORT:-I have reaped much comfort and consolation from your coming hither, and so much the more, by how much the less I expected it. I believe it was no small comfort and satisfaction to yourself too, to have the opportunity of supping with me, as it fell out upon Saturday the fifteenth of September, 1601. I know not how it came about, that we were permitted so to do. But all things are in the hands of God, and be the cause what it will, I do not think that we shall eat together any more. I therefore beseech God to be your comforter, and put your trust in him, who hath promised never to forsake those who depend upon him. You want not prudence, and therefore so manage and govern our house, that you may keep Samuel and Martha in obedience to you, whom I command by the authority that God hath given me, to honour and obey you; for in so doing they will obtain the blessing of God. As to the rest, be

not troubled and concerned for me, for if Divine Providence hath decreed to put a period to my life, and if it please the Almighty to demand the restitution of that soul which he hath a long time lent me, my trust is in him, that out of his immense and divine mercy and goodness, he will receive it into heaven for the sake of his son Jesus Christ, who I believe hath blotted out our sins by his holy death and passion. Be careful to pray unto God, and to serve him: for by that means you will be happy. You need not take any care to send me any thing for these three weeks. At the end of which you may send me some money, if you please, to pay the gaoler, and something more for my own relief and succour, if I live so long. Moreover remember that which I have often told you; that God added fifteen years to the life of king Hezekiah, but that he had prolonged my term much more; for you have seen me dead as it were a long time ago. Nevertheless I still live, and hope, and certainly believe that he will still preserve my life, till my death shall be more to his glory, and my own happiness and felicity, through his goodness and mercy towards me."From the prison of Ast, September 16, 1601.

The prelate of Ast was in great perplexity, to know how to dispose of that good man. If he should let him go, he feared giving offence, and that several others would take courage, and openly exclaim against the Romish religion. On the other hand, there was a clause in the treaty made between his highness and the Waldenses, which cleared him from guilt in those words. It provided that "if any question should be put unto them relating to their faith, being in Piedmont among the rest of the subjects of his highness, it should be lawful for them to make answer, without incurring thereby any personal or real punishment."-Now the question was put to him, and therefore he ought to have been acquitted; but the prelate would not have it said, that he had wrongfully and unjustly imprisoned him. To the end therefore that he might not be charged with his death, and that he might not send him away absolved, he sent his indictment to pope Clement VIII. to know what they should do in the case. It could never be learned what answer that prelate received from him; but soon after Copin was found dead in the prison, with the appearance and suspicion of having been strangled; for fear that had he been publicly executed, he would have edified the people by his confession and constancy. After his death, he was condemned to be burned; and being brought out of prison, his sentence was read in the same place, and cast into the fire. This was the last of the Waldenses, so far as it has come to our knowledge, who suffered death for his faith.

CHAPTER V.

The Waldenses dwelling in the valleys Maties and Meane, and the Marquisate of Saluces; and the last persecutions which they suffered.

WHEN the Waldenses of Dauphiny dispersed themselves into Piedmont, some of them dwelt in the Marquisate of Saluces, in the valleys of Maties and Meane, and other adjacent parts; but these did not escape, during the grievous persecutions and sufferings of their brethren of the valleys of An grogne, St. Martin, and other places. All their refuge was to fly into the