Before we proceed further it is necessary to give some account of the
Vaudois of the marquisate of Saluces, who chiefly inhabit the valley
of the Po, the most northern part of the marquisate, and only separated
from the val de Luzerne by mount Viso, at the foot of which that noble
river takes its source. We have already mentioned the colonies sent
here from the valleys at the beginning of the fourteenth century; these
increased into numerous flourishing churches, among which those of
Praviglielm, Biolet, Bietonet, and Dronierwere the principal ones, in
1561; when they had no less than nine barbes distributed among these and
other towns.
They had experienced only partial persecutions till 1572, when, (being
then under the French government,) after the dreadful day of St.
Bartholomew, M. Birague, governor of the marquisate, received an order
to put the chief Vaudois to death, and particularly those whose names
were transcribed in an accompanying list. On referring to the council,
after much discussion, the archdeacon remarked, that false reports could
alone have changed the sentiments of the king, who had before commanded
that his Protestant subjects should be treated with lenity; and he
advised that a representation of their good conduct should be sent
back, with a request for further orders. The courier charged with this
despatch met another, bearing an edict revoking the former one, and
requiring only that the Vaudois should not be allowed the public
exercise of their religion. In consequence, many who had fled returned,
and were reinstated in their possessions.
All persecution was then suspended till 1588, when the Duke of Savoy
took possession of their country, and, in 1597, exhorted the Vaudois to
receive the mass by every means in his power; they replied firmly, but
dutifully, like peaceful subjects, and the threatened persecution was
suspended till 1601. When Charles Emanuel became absolute master of the
marquisate, in exchange for Bresse: he published an edict, commanding
that every Vaudois, who did not declare his intention of receiving the
mass in fifteen days, should leave the country within two months,
and never return, under pain of confiscation and death. Let the
compassionate imagine the distress of these unfortunate Vaudois, when
they found that nothing could diminish the rigour of this decree; they
were forced to abandon all their property and retire, some to France,
and others to Geneva and the valleys. Those of the church of Praviglielm
were alone flattered with the hopes of an exception in their favour; yet
they too were forced to fly suddenly, leaving their wives and children;
but some time afterwards, upon a threat of retaliation if any harm
happened to them, they were allowed to return. They remained till 1633,
visited occasionally by a pastor from the valleys, in the greatest
secresy; when, on the reception of an order (from Duke Victor Amadeus,
similar to the one issued by Emanuel Philibert in 1565,) they too were
driven into perpetual banishment, and thus perished the last trace of
the Vaudois church in the marquisate of Saluces, where it had flourished
for three centuries.