CHAPTER I. THE VAUDOIS QUIT THE VALLEYS IN THE FOURTEENTH AND FIFTEENTH

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.