ters, to whom they paid much more honour and respect than they did to them, giving them nothing but their tithes according to their compact and agreement made with their lords. They suspected, therefore, that the said people made profession of some particular religion, which hindered them from mixing or allying themselves with the natives of the country, and that they had no good opinion of the church of Rome. The lords of the place fearing that if the pope should take notice that there were certain people so near his seat, who despised and contemned the laws of the church of Rome, he would destroy them, withheld the curates from complaining of those people who, as to all other matters were so just and honest, and had enriched all that country, and even the priests too; for the tithes alone which they received out of so vast a plenty and abundance of all manner of fruits brought forth and produced in those countries which before yielded them no profit or advantage, were such that they might very well bear with other matters. Those lords represented withal, that they came to dwell in those places from far countries, where perhaps the people were not so much addicted to the ceremonies of the church of Rome; but since in the main, they were just and honest, charitable to the poor, and feared God, they would not have them troubled and molested by any farther or more particular scrutiny into their conscience. These reasons wrought much with their enemies, and the lords of the said places stopped the mouths of their murmuring neighbours, who could never entice them into their alliances, and who saw their lands, goods, cattle and all that they possessed was attended with signal and singular blessings, by alleging farther that they were a temperate, sober and wise people, not dissolute and debauched, not given to frequent balls or taverns, never known to suffer any blasphemous expressions to escape their lips. In a word, living in a country where the inhabitants were addicted to all manner of vice and wickedness, they were like precious stones in a dunghill, and therefore, both envied and admired, but always vindicated and upheld by their lords, who comparing those with their other subjects, could never speak enough in their commendation. They were therefore maintained and protected by their said lords against all envy, and in spite of the priests, until the year 1560, when they could no longer defend them from the thunderbolts of the pope, and then calamities came upon them.

Those people understanding that in the valleys of Pragela and Piedmont there were certain pastors who openly preached the gospel, they sent to Geneva to provide themselves pastors, who sent them Stephen Negrin and Lewis Paschal. Upon their arrival, they endeavoured as much as in them lay, to establish the exercise of the protestant religion. Pope Pius the IV. having notice of it, assembled the college of cardinals, and concluded upon the entire extirpation of those people, who being so near to the pope's seat, had presumed to plant the faith of the Lutherans. The charge of their destruction was given to cardinal Alexandrino, the most furious and violent man amongst the cardinals. He made choice of two monks for his informers, Valerio Maluicino and Alphonso Urbin, a Dominican monk, who began with the inhabitants of St. Cixt. Being in the place, they caused the people to be assembled, speaking very mildly to them, protesting that they were not come to trouble or molest them, but only to admonish and advise them in a friendly manner, to desist from hearing any teachers, but such as should be appointed them by the prelates of their diocese. That they very well knew they had received ministers from Geneva, but by forsaking them and living for the future in obedience to the laws of the church

of Rome, they need not fear any thing; but if they presumed to keep and conceal the said ministers among them, they would endanger both their lives and fortunes, because they would be condemned as heretics. To discover who those were that had wholly rejected the laws of the church of Rome, they caused the bell to be sounded for mass, inviting the said people to come thereunto; but they, instead of going thither, forsook their houses and fled into the woods with such of their wives and children as were able to follow them, leaving only a few decrepid men and women, and some little children in the city. The monks dissembled that flight, that they might ensnare and entrap them all at once. They went to la Garde without threatening any of those who stayed behind at St. Xist. Being there, they caused the gates of the city to be shut, and the people to be assembled, and told them that the inhabitants of St. Xist had renounced and abjured their religion, and going to mass had begged pardon at the hands of God. They promised them that if they would do the like, no body should offer them any hurt or violence. Those poor people thought that the monks had told them nothing but the truth, and therefore they complied with whatsoever they required of them. But when they understood that their brethren of St. Xist had refused to go to mass, and that they were retired into the woods, they were extremely ashamed and displeased at their weakness and apostacy, and immediately resolved to fly with their wives and children to their brethren of St. Xist; but Salvator Spinello, the lord of the place, would not suffer them to make so miserable a retreat, promising to defend and protect them against all injuries, provided, they would live, said he, like good Roman catholics. In the mean time, the monks sent two companies of foot after those of St. Xist, who hunted and pursued those poor people like wild beasts, crying amassa, amassa, kill, kill. They slew a great many of them. Those who could reach the top of the mountains, desired to be heard, which request being granted them, they intreated them to have pity upon them, their wives and their children; that they would remember they had for several ages inhabited the country wherein they dwelt; that during that time there was no body who complained of their life and conversation; and that notwithstanding if they could not dwell in their houses in the profession of that faith in which they had hitherto lived, if they might be permitted to retire under the protec tion of God, either by sea or land, whithersoever it should please the Lord to conduct them only with their own persons and some few conveniences for their use and subsistence, they would very willingly forsake all their goods, rather than fall into and comply with any idolatry, promising both for themselves and theirs, never to return to their houses again. They intreated them in the name of God not to drive them to any further necessity of defending themselves, because if they were once deprived of all hopes of mercy, it would be to the peril of those who had reduced them to such extremity. The soldiers being but the more enraged at these words, violently and impetuously rushed upon them, which obliged those poor people to a just defence, and God so prospered and assisted them, that they slew the greatest part of the soldiers who pursued them, and put the rest to flight. The monks inquisitors wrote to the viceroy of Naples to send immediately some companies of soldiers to apprehend certain heretics of St. Xist and de la Garde, who had fled into the woods, telling him that in this he would do a work acceptable to the pope and meritorious to himself, by freeing the church from such a contagion. The viceroy came in person with some troops. As soon as he was arrived at St. Xist, he caused it to

be proclaimed by sound of trumpet, that the place was condemned to fire and sword. Whilst those things were in agitation, the women had time to return to St. Xist, whither they went to get some food for their husbands and children in the woods. The viceroy caused it to be proclaimed throughout the whole kingdom of Naples, that all the exiles who would come to the war against the heretics of St. Xist, should receive pardon and forgiveness for their former offences. Whereupon great numbers of them came in, and were conducted to the woods where the fugitives of St. Xist were, and they chased them so hotly and furiously, that at length having slain a great number of those poor people, the rest of their wounded retired into the caverns upon the top of the rocks, where the greatest part of them perished by famine. The monks inquisitors seemed to be very much displeased at what had happened, and going to Cossence, where the syndic of St. Xist appeared before them, they advised him forthwith to withdraw, for fear if the viceroy should know he was there, he would cause him to be apprehended. This lulled the inhabitants of la Garde into security, who being summoned by public proclamation to appear before the said inquisitors at Cossence, or else before the viceroy at Folcade, they were easily induced to believe the promises and fair words of the inquisitors. For seventy of them were apprehended upon their arrival at Folcade, and being bound were carried to Montaud before the inquisitor Panza, who caused them to be put upon the rack. Amongst others, he tormented Stephen Charlin with such violence that his bowels burst out of his belly, to make him confess that they sometimes met together by night to commit whoredom and damnable incests, the candles being put out. But notwithstanding the extremity of the said torture, they could never extort from him the confession of so heinous and flagitious a piece of wickedness as that forged against them. There was another, named Verminel, who by reason of the torments which he endured upon the rack, promised to go to mass. The inquisitor thought, that since the torture of the rack had constrained him to renounce his faith, he might, by doubling the violence thereof, draw from that weak person a confession of the foregoing imposture; and therefore he caused him to be tormented in such a manner, that he often left him eight hours hanging upon the rack, but for all that could never force so horrid a calumny out of his mouth.

A person called Marcon, was stripped stark naked, and beaten with iron rods, afterwards drawn through the streets and burnt with firebrands. One of his sons was assassinated with a knife, and the other led to the top of a tower, where a crucifix was offered unto him, with a promise, that if he would kiss it, he should have his life saved. He replied, that he had rather die than adhere to any idolatry; and though he were cast headlong from the tower, as he was threatened, he had rather his body should be dashed in pieces upon the earth, than his soul, by denying Christ and his truths, should be cast into hell. The inquisitor, very much enraged with this answer, commanded him to be cast down, that he may see, said he, whether his God will preserve him. Bernardine Conte was condemned to be burnt alive; as they led him to the stake, he let drop a certain crucifix, which the executioner had put into his hands. The inquisitor commanded him to be sent back to prison, that his torture might be aggravated and increased. He had him thence conveyed to Cossence, and there covered over with pitch, and so burned. Moreover, the same inquisitor Panza, cut the throats of fourscore of them, just as butchers do their sheep; and afterwards caused them to be divided into four quarters, and

the highway which lies between Montald, and Chasteau Villar, for the space of thirty miles, to be set with stakes, and a quarter to be stuck upon each of them. He caused four of the principal men of la Garde to be hanged, and strangled in a place called Moran, James Ferner, Anthony Palcomb, Peter Jacio, and John Morglia, who died with admirable constancy. A youth named Samson, defended himself a long while against those who came to apprehend him: but being wounded, he was at length taken, and led to the top of a tower, where he was bid to confess himself to a priest there present, before he was cast down. He refused, saying, that he had confessed himself to God. Then the inquisitor commanded him to be thrown down. The next day the viceroy passing below by the said tower, saw that poor man lie languishing, with his bones all broken, imploring the mercy of God. He kicked him with his foot upon the head, saying, "that dog is yet alive; give him to the hogs to eat."

Sixty women of St. Xist were tortured upon the rack, with such violence, that the cords corroded their arms and legs to that degree, that a great quantity of worms bred and engendered in their wounds, which eat them up alive, they not knowing how to remedy it, till some body, moved with pity and compassion towards them, secretly gave them some lime, which destroyed them. They died almost all of them in prison in a very miserable condition. Nine of the chief and most beautiful amongst them were LOST, and it was never known what became of them, after they were delivered to the fathers of the inquisition.

That inquisitor went next to Agathe, where he delivered a great number of them up to the secular power. And if any one offered to intercede for them, he had him immediately put upon the rack, as a favourer of heretics: so that no one at length durst open his lips in their favour.

Pope Pius IV. sent the marquess of Butiane, in order to complete their destruction, with a promise, that if he would do that good piece of service to the holy see, as to clear Calabria of the Waldenses, that had taken footing there, he would give his son a cardinal's hat. That marquess met with no great difficulty in the execution of his commission: for the monks, inquisitors, and the viceroy of Naples, had already put to death almost all those whom they could apprehend, having sent the strongest and most robust of them to the Spanish galleys, banished the fugitives for ever, and sold or slain their wives and children.

As to their ministers, Stephen Megrin was imprisoned at Cossence, where he was starved. Lewis Paschal was conveyed to Rome, and there condemned to be burnt alive. Pope Pius IV. would see the last punishment of him who had held and maintained him to be antichrist, being present with several cardinals at his death. But the pope wished himself elsewhere, or that Paschal had been dumb, and the people deaf: for he spake many things against the pope from the Word of God, which very much displeased him. Thus did that person die, calling upon the name of God, with such an ardent zeal, that he moved thereby the spectators to pity him, and made the pope and cardinals to gnash their teeth for

anger.

Thus you see the end of the Waldenses of Calabria, who were entirely exterminated. For if any of the fugitives returned, it was upon condition, that they would live in obedience and subjection to the laws of Rome.

The Waldenses dwelling in Provence, and their persecutions.

THE Waldenses inhabiting Provence, the parts of Cabriers, Merindol, la Coste, and other neighbouring places, have been accounted the first offspring of the Waldenses of Dauphiny and Piedmont, as still appears by the families of the same name; and there remain some amongst them to this day, who can evidently make out the same. It was upon the like occasion, that those of Calabria took up their abode in Provence, to disburthen their valleys of so vast a multitude of inhabitants as were therein. And although at their first arrival into Provence, the country wherein they dwelt was but a wild desert, and an uncultivated place, yet by the blessing of God, within a few years they rendered it fruitful, and fit to bear corn, wine, oil, olive, and other fruits, in great plenty and abundance.

The first persecutions which they suffered, have not come to our knowledge, although we find the commissions given out by the popes and antipopes residing at Avignon, very near to their habitations; as particularly that of the archdeacon of Cremone, Albert de Capitaneis, and Francis Borelli, a monk of the order of the friar minors, who in the year 1380, received a commission against them, to examine the Waldenses in the diocese of Aix in Provence, Arles and Selon. As also when they were restored into the said province in the year 1228, when the archbishops of Aix, Arles, and Narbonne met together at Avignon to give their advice to the inquisitors about the business of the Waldenses, who then said, that the inquisitors had taken and apprehended so vast a number of them, that they were not only at a loss to provide food for their subsistence, but also to procure lime and stone enough to build prisons for them. It is certain that the Waldenses of Provence, dwelling as it were at the gates of the pope's palace, and round about Avignon, were not then forgotten.

The first persecution, is that which history gives us an account of, in the reign of King Louis XII. about the year 1506. This king having been informed, that in Provence there were a certain people, who lived not according to the ordinances of the church of Rome, but were wicked and flagitious wretches, committing all manner of impieties and villanies, the memory of which struck a horror into men's hearts, and were such with which the primitive Christians had been charged; he left it to the parliament of Provence to take cognizance thereof, and to punish them according to their deserts. Which orders the said parliament having diligently put in execution, so soon as he understood that several innocent persons were put to death, he put a stop to the proceedings of the said parliament, and would not suffer them to continue their persecutions, till such time as he could certainly be informed, what manner of people those were, who had been represented to him as such wicked and impious wretches. To that purpose he sent Adam Fumee, master of his requests, who brought him back word, that the information which had been given him concerning the Waldenses of Provence, was notoriously false; for they were not any ways guilty either of sorcery or adultery, but lived like honest men, doing no hurt or injury to any man; that they caused their children to be baptized, and taught them the articles of the creed, and the