And whereas, it is not reasonable that the religious missionaries, the catholics, and those which have embraced the catholic religion, should be at any loss by occasion of several damages which they have received from those of the pretended reformed religion, we desire, command, and ordain, that all the necessary sums to indemnify them be generally and without distinction levied upon the goods of those of the pretended reformed religion, so as that it shall be summarily enforced before the Chevalier Monzonx, intendant of justice of the valleys, declaring, nevertheless, that in case those of the said religion prove that the damages have been caused by some particular persons, they may have their recourse and warrant against them.

And to shew our said subjects how great our clemency is towards them, we grant leave to those that shall think of a retreat out of our territories, to do it within the term, and upon the conditions hereafter prescribed: but because their ill-will has shewed itself but too much by their past conduct, and that several could hide their evil designs under a false pretence of obedience, we 'reserve for ourselves, besides those who shall retreat out of our territories upon their own motion, to ordain it also to such as we shall think fit, and as we shall find it most expedient to secure the peace of those that shall stay behind, whence we do intend to prescribe the rules which they shall observe for the future.

And for an augmentation of our favours, we grant leave as well to those that shall voluntarily retreat as to those who retreat by our orders, to take along with them their goods and effects at their pleasure, and to sell those they shall leave behind them, provided they do it in such a manner as is hereafter prescribed.

The same is to be understood concerning strangers, and those that are born from strangers, who are to conform themselves to all but the last article of our order of the 31st of January last, here above-mentioned.

The said selling of goods shall be made to catholics, or to persons that have embraced the catholic religion; but because there may perhaps not be found buyers within the term herebefore prescribed, and that we are not willing that the zealots of that religion, who shall retreat out of our territories, should be deprived of the benefits of our present concession, they may agree about, or fix upon persons into whose hands they shall put their procurations, who shall have leave to stay during three months in Lucerne, with full liberty to treat and negotiate with whom they think fit to sell the goods of those who shall have retreated, and who shall have leave to prescribe in their procurations the conditions of their selling their goods, for their better security to receive the price thereof in what place soever they desire it should be sent to them, without fraud and deceit of the constituted procurators, which the Chevalier and Intendant Monzonx shall take care of.

Those that shall be willing to retreat, shall be obliged to meet at the day and place hereafter specified, to be ready to depart, without fire-arms, by the way that shall be named them, either through Savoy or the valley of Aste: to this purpose we will provide them with passports, that they may receive no ill usage or hinderance in our territories; but that, on the contrary, they may find all possible assistance; and because, that being in great number, they may be exposed to some inconveniences upon the way, and in the places through which they are to go overcharged, they shall divide themselves into three bodies as is herein before-mentioned. The first shall be composed of those of the valleys of Lucerne, and shall meet at Tour this month of April; the second, composed of those of the valleys of Angrogne, St. Bartholomew, Rocheplatte, and Perustin, shall meet at St. Second, and shall part the day following-viz,, the twenty-second of this month; the third and last, made up of those of the valleys of St. Martin and Perouse, shall meet at Micadole, and part from thence the third day-viz., the twenty-third of this month.

The term wherein our said subjects of the pretended reformed religion, that inhabit the valleys of Lucerne, shall be obliged to lay down their arms, in the

THE WALDENSES TO THE SWISS AMBASSADORS.

663

manner prescribed in the first article of this present order, is within eight days after the publication hereof in Lucerne, during which they ought to have obeyed the contents of the said order, to enjoy the fruits of our clemency, by which as well as our fatherly affection towards our said subjects, we leave to its nature and course, notwithstanding the enormity of their crimes. And by means of a punctual observation of all herein contained, we grant our favour, pardon, remission, absolution, and a full amnesty to our said subjects, of all their excesses, misdemeanors, crimes, and other things which they may have committed since the publication of our order of the thirty-first of January last, as well in general as particular, so that they may not be called to an account for it under any pretence whatsoever, prohibiting all judges, fiscals, and others whom it belongs to, to inquire into it. But because in case they should render themselves unworthy of such favours, by not observing all that is here above-mentioned, within the prescribed term, it would be too pernicious an example to delay any longer their deserved punishments, after having been prodigal to them of our favours, and after having waited so long time for their repentance, we intend to make use of those means which God has put into our hands to bring the obstinate to their duty, and to make them feel the punishment of their great presumption.

Given at Turin, the 9th of April, 1686.

Enrolled the 10th.

No. 10 and 11.

Letters from the Deputies of the Churches of Boby, St. John, and Angrogne, to the Swiss Ambassadors.

MY LORDS,

We did not fail immediately after the arrival of our deputy to make some copies of the letter which your Excellencies have been pleased to write to our churches, and they have been read everywhere after sermon. There can nothing be said that is either more true, or more moving and comforting; and your Excellencies may be fully persuaded, that there is nobody but that finds, and and does acknowledge, that it is the effect of your holy and Christian charity towards our churches; yet, notwithstanding it has been till now absolutely impossible to dispose our people to a retreat out of this country; some out of fear it might cause the loss of several persons that shall venture to stay behind; others by a principle of conscience; and others from several other considerations, which our deputy will explain to your Excellencies by word of mouth. We are in the greatest consternation about it, and scarcely dare to appear before your Excellencies with so much irresolution. Our people adhere the more to their opinion, because they have been informed that several other churches, at least a great part of those that composed them, did not know that the business was about such a retreat when they gave their procuration to their deputies, or if they had understood them, they had changed their minds; which gives us just reason to fear, that in case your Excellencies should be farther engaged for this people, you would be extremely displeased with their refusal to retreat; and it was by reason of this fear which we had here the last Sunday, when we desired your Excellencies to give us leave to inform ourselves of the minds of our people about this proposition, foreseeing at the same time that it would he very hard to persuade them to it. They were for the most part resolved to be their Father's children, and hope that the Lord will be their deliverer, that would make use of feeble things to confound the strong, and that heaven would find out some hinderance to those designs which are formed against us. We do not question but this extremely afflicts your Excellencies and we are touched with it to our very souls; but it is not in our power to

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change their hearts, and to dispose of other men's wills; nevertheless we conjure your Excellencies, in all possible humility, that you would be pleased not to abate your kindness to these churches, neither to deprive us of your powerful and comfortable support, which, under God, has made us subsist till now. God's sake, do always pity us: what way soever our affairs shall go, we lay our souls before God, to supplicate him with all ardency, that he would be pleased to direct all things to the glory of his holy name, and the preservation of our people; and that he would grant, by his Divine Providence, by the means of your Excellencies, that we may still get the prolongation of some days, that we may once more inform ourselves of the sentiments of our people by the collecting every man's voice in particular, if it be possible, to know their final resolutions; so that we may not be blamed, neither of one side or another. The Lord be the abundant rewarder of your Excellencies' kindness, and we are, with all manner of respect,

My Lords,

Your Excellencies' most humble, most obedient, and most obliged servants, The Deputies of Boby, St. John, and Angrogne.

MOST HIGH, MIGHTY, AND SOVEREIGN LORDS,—

WE throw ourselves in all humility at your Excellencies' feet, to shew you our most sensible and inexpressible concern, that a great part of our people are not able to appreciate with Christian prudence the favour your Excellencies endeavour to procure them, by a free retreat out of this country, with person and goods, and to embrace it with holy joy, as a present from heaven, and a favour which they have sighed for at other times. This makes our hearts bleed, and so much the more, that your Excellencies' letter, which you have been pleased to write to them, ought to have immediately disposed them to an affair of this nature; yet we dare still most humbly beseech your Excellencies to have the goodness to exercise love on all these considerations, as knowing very well that we have to do with persons whom it is very hard to compass, and to make them all sensible of the reason, and the state of things, but by experience, and principally when it is about abandoning their old and dear native soil. There are, nevertheless, a great many, and the principal of them, who resign themselves entirely to your Excellencies' counsel, charity, and prudence, and that will never oppose what you shall find most expedient for the glory of God, and their welfare and preservation. The ministers also are all of the same opinion, and we are all willing punctually to observe the counsel your Excellencies shall be pleased to give us. And we most humbly beseech you to pity us and our families, to extricate us out of an unhappy state which, to all appearance, is unavoidable. This is the favour we hope from your Excellencies, and pray the Lord to bless your lordships with all manner of prosperity; and we are, with all possible respect and submission, most high, mighty, and sovereign lords, Your Excellencies' most humble and most obedient servants, SIDRAC BASTIE, GUILLAUME MALLANOT.

Angrogne, April 9, 1686.

SWISS AMBASSADORS' MEMORIAL TO THE DUKE OF SAVOY. 665

I. We have been informed for certain, by a credible person, that his royal highness will not grant us a retreat with our goods, but that he pretends to detain them for the charges he has been at already.

II. That he absolutely insists that the ministers and foreigners should be delivered into his hands.

III. That we should lay down our arms, and that we should deliver them up to the governor.

IV. That the troops are to enter into the valleys to demolish the churches, and to obstruct all Divine exercises.

V. In fine, we have been informed, that the council would by no means suffer that the French troops should march against us.

No. 12.

Memorial of the Swiss Ambassadors to the Duke of Savoy.

YOUR royal highness is humbly requested to consider, that he that will retreat out of the valleys by virtue of your published order, is obliged to prepare himself for his departure, for the transportation of his wife, his children, and his goods, that will be necessary to him; that he will be obliged to dispose in several places what he cannot carry along with him; that he must provide for the sale of his corn, of his provisions, of his wine, of his cattle, which he would not be forced to leave at random; and that he cannot entrust with his procurator at Lucerne, and who consequently, by reason of the distance of the place, will be incapable to take care of it; that within the term of eight days he will not be able to settle accounts either with his creditors or his debtors, because those he has to do with do not live in the valleys, or because there may be some accounts that cannot be regulated but by arbitration; that in consideration of goods immoveable, there is to be made an exact description of the vineyards, meadows, fields, and woods, whose boundaries and limits are to be marked out and described, as also of the rights thereunto belonging, and the sums for which they are mortgaged; and that there ought to be granted some particular procurations to that purpose. Therefore your royal highness having been pleased, by an instinct of your justice and clemency, to grant to your subjects of the valleys leave to retreat wherever they please, and to sell their goods which they shall leave behind them, you would not wish that this favour should be unprofitable to them, by obstructing the favour of this concession by the shortness of time, to take away from them with one hand what you had given them with the other. Your royal highness is also requested to consider that six trustees are not enough for the sale of goods belonging to several hundreds of families that shall be willing to retreat; that this commission cannot be given but to people of the country, and consequently to persons without learning and without capacity, and taken up with their own affairs; that besides, these trustees will be obliged to run to several places to find out buyers, to let them have a view of the property which they are to buy; that settlements must be made in several places before several notaries; that they are to watch at the selling of a great number of moveables that are dispersed in several houses; to count money, to change it, and to send it to them into foreign countries, to find out some conveniences for that purpose, to write to their correspondents for the clearing of several doubts that may be raised, to remove the obstructions they shall meet with, to defend themselves against some unjust demands, to receive letters from those they shall write to from the places of their retreat, to acquaint them with the state of their affairs, and in a word, to be charged with a thousand other occupations that we cannot now foresee. Therefore, because your royal highness does not intend

to enrich yourself with the goods of your poor subjects, nor to augment your revenues by their losses, you will be pleased to grant them leave to nominate twelve persons, that, within the time prescribed by your royal highness, shall proceed to the sale of the goods of those that shall have retreated. But because it will undoubtedly happen, that within the term of three months, with what diligence soever the trustees may proceed to the sale of the goods of the poor refugees, there will be found few chapmen, and that everybody will expect the end of the term to take advantage of the necessity to which the trustees will be driven to dispose of their goods, and to have them from those wretched people at an under-price, by reason of their fear to lose all, we hope your royal highness will have the goodness to prevent this inconvenience, and according to the agreements made in the year 1663, with his late royal highness of glorious memory, you will buy, at a reasonable price, the moveable and immoveable goods, that within the space of three months shall not be sold.

And forasmuch as your royal highness distinguishes yourself by your goodness and clemency, you are not willing, without doubt, to oblige anybody to impossibilities, and therefore must be aware that females newly brought to bed, or such as are in the last month of their time, and old and sick men, are incapable of travelling, you will make no difficulty to dispense in their favour with the law you have prescribed to others about their retreat, and exempt them from quartering soldiers, who, how well soever disciplined, always cause some disorder, and carry distress into all places where they enter—as also to grant them leave to live and die in their houses, without fear of being ill used, and of being spoiled of their goods and provisions.

In fine, we beseech your royal highness that you would be pleased instantly to use your clemency towards those of the valleys that are detained in your prisons, and towards those that have been taken up on that account, and that you will be pleased mercifully to set them at liberty.

No. 13.

From the Swiss Ambassadors to the Churches of the Valleys.

GENTLEMEN,

Ar the secret audience which we had of his royal highness, your prince, we have earnestly desired him, that he would be pleased to grant you a retreat out of his territories upon more gracious conditions than those that are expressed by the last edict; and we have represented to him, as well by word of mouth as by our memorial, all the reasons that might be capable of moving, and to prevail with him to mitigate the orders he has already published against you. We solicited him to grant you a longer term to dispose yourselves for so troublesome a retreat, and to sell your goods, and that he would be pleased to augment the number of the trustees charged to sell them; to give leave that the aged, sick, and infirm persons, and women newly brought to bed, or that were big with child, might stay behind in the country, without being exposed to any ill usage, and without being obliged to quarter soldiers; and in fine, to give orders that his procurators might sell the goods that should not be vended within time prescribed by his edict. But we have not been able to obtain the least thing from his royal highness, because he has been informed that you are up in arms to obstruct the execution of his orders. We have also endeavoured to persuade the Marquis of St. Thomas, that he would be pleased to employ his credit with his royal highness, to dispose him to grant us what we desired in your favour; but he has given us to understand, that as long as you shall keep in arms, there are no hopes for you. His royal highness departs this day for