Lielenstenius, a Dominican, speaking of the Waldenses of Bohemia, says, "I say that in morals and life they are good; true in words, unanimous in brotherly love; but their faith is incorrigible and vile, as I have shewn in my Treatise."* "That Samuel de Cassini, a Franciscan friar, speaking of them in his "Victoria Trionfale," explicitly owns in what respect their faith was incorrigible and vile, when he says, all the errors of these Waldenses consisted in this, that they denied the church of Rome to be the holy mother church, and would not obey her traditions.”† Jacobus de Riberia, who published a work intituled, "Collections of the city of Toulouse," and who, in his time, assisted in persecuting the Waldenses, nevertheless acknowledges, that for a long time they had obtained the highest esteem in Norbonne, ‡ as well as in the diocese of Alby, Rhodes, Cahors, and Agen; and that those who would be styled priests and bishops [in the catholic church] were then but little accounted of, which he resolves into their ignorance and unworthy conduct, by reason of which, says he, it was an easy matter for the Waldenses to obtain the preference among the people for the excellency of their doctrine. He acknowledges that they were so well instructed in the Holy Scriptures, that he had seen peasants who could recite the book of Job verbatim, and several others who could perfectly repeat all the New Testament. Cardinal Baronius, in his Ecclesiastical Annals, tom. xiii. styles the Waldenses of Toulouse "good men," and acknowledges that they were "peaceable persons," though he elsewhere falsely lays to their account many heinous accusations.§ Usher, ubi supra. + History of Popery, Vol. I. p. 421. A city and province in the south of France. § Perrin's Hist. des Vaudois, ch. v. In the time of a great persecution of the Waldenses of Merindol and Provence, a certain monk was deputed by the bishop of Cavaillon, to hold a conference with them, that they might be convinced of their errors, and the effusion of blood prevented. But the monk returned in confusion, owning that in his whole life he had never known so much of the Scriptures, as he had learned during those few days that he had been conversing with the heretics. The bishop, however, sent among them a number of doctors, young men, who had lately come from the Sorbonne, which, at that time, was the very centre of Theological subtlety at Paris. One of these, publicly owned that he had understood more of the doctrine of salvation from the answers of the little children in their catechisms, than by all the disputations which he had ever before heard. * FRANCIS I. king of France, being informed that the parliament of Provence brought very heavy charges against the Waldenses, whom they were then severely persecuting, at Merindol, Cabriers, and other neighbouring places, was desirous of ascertaining the truth of those accusations. With a view to this, he commanded one of his nobles, the Lord of Langeai, who was at that time his lieutenant in Piedmont, to investigate this matter, and report to him the true state of things. His lordship consequently sent into Provence two clergymen, giving them a strict charge to inquire into the lives and religious principles of the Waldenses, and of the proceedings of the parliament against them. On their return, they reported that "they were a laborious race of people, who, about two hundred years ago, had emigrated from Piedmont, to dwell in Provence, -that betaking themselves to husbandry and feeding of cattle, they had restored many villages destroyed by the wars, and rendered other desert and uncultivated places * Vesembecius's Oration on the Waldenses, quoted by Perrin, in his Hist. des Vaudois, ch. v. extremely fertile by their industry. That by the information given them in the said country of Provence, they found they were a very peaceable people, beloved by their neighbours-men of good behaviour, of godly conversation, faithful to their promises, and punctual in paying their debts. That they were a charitable people, not permitting any among them to fall into want. That they were, moreover, liberal to strangers and the travelling poor, as far as their ability extended. And that the inhabitants of Provence affirmed, they were a people who could not endure to blaspheme, or name the devil, or swear at all, unless in making some solemn contracts, or in judgment. Finally, that they were well known by this, that if they happened to be cast into any company, where the conversation was lascivious or blasphemous, to the dishonour of God, they instantly withdrew. LOUIS XII. king of France, being informed by the enemies of the Waldenses, inhabiting a part of the province of Provence, that several heinous crimes were laid to their account, sent the Master of Requests, and a certain doctor of the Sorbonne, who was confessor to his majesty, to make inquiry into this matter. On their return, they reported that they had visited all the parishes where they dwelt, had inspected their places of worship, but that they had found there no images, nor signs of the ornaments belonging to the mass, nor any of the ceremonies of the Romish church; much less could they discover any traces of those crimes with which they were charged. On the contrary, they kept the sabbath day, observed the ordinance of baptism, according to the primitive church, instructed their children in the articles of the christian faith, and the commandments of God. The king having heard the report of his * Joachim Camerarius, in his History, p. 352. quoted by Perrin, book i, chap. v. commissioners, said with an oath that they were better men than himself or his people. * The same monarch having been told that in the valley of Fraissiniere, in the diocese of Ambrun and province of Dauphiny, there was a class of people who lived like beasts, without religion, and strongly opposed to the Romish worship, deputed one of his confessors and the official of Orleans to investigate the truth or falsehood of this report. The confessor, with his colleague, accordingly repaired to the place, where he examined the Waldenses who inhabited the valley, respecting their faith and conversation. The archbishop of Ambrun, well knowing that the goods of the Waldenses were liable to confiscation for the crime of heresy, and that they would be annexed to the domains of his archbishoprick, strongly pressed the commissioners to condemn them as heretics. They, however, not only resisted his application, but even expressed their admiration of the Waldenses, insomuch that the king's confessor publicly declared, in the presence of a number of his friends, who were with him at his lodgings, at the angel in Ambrun, that he wished he was as good a Christian as the worst of the valley of Frassiniere. † These are, unquestionably, very important testimonies to the Waldenses who resided in France; but I shall now lay before the reader a still more interesting document; it is the testimony which is borne to these people, by that eminent historian Thuanus-an enemy indeed to the Waldenses, himself being a catholic, but he was, nevertheless, a fair and candid one. Quoting the words of Guy de Perpignan, bishop of Elna, in Roussillon, who exercised the office of inquisitor against the Waldenses, he informs us that "Their fixed opinions are said to be these—That * Vesembecius's Oration on the Waldenses, in Perrin, ch. v. + Memorials of Rostain, Archbishop of Ambrun, quoted in Perrin, ch. v. the church of Rome, because she hath renounced the true faith of Christ, is the whore of Babylon, and that barren tree which Christ himself hath cursed and commanded to be rooted up; therefore we must by no means obey the Pope and the bishops who cherish his errors-that the monastic life is the sink of the church, and an hellish institution; its vows are vain, and subservient only to the filthy love of boys-the orders of the presbytery are the marks of the great beast mentioned in the Apocalypsethe fire of purgatory, the sacrifice of the mass, the feast of the dedications of churches, the worship of saints, and propitiations for the dead, are the inventions of Satan. To these the principal and certain heads of their doctrine, others were fictitiously added concerning marriage, the resurrection, the state of the soul after death, and concerning meats." Again, describing the inhabitants of the valley of Fraissiniere, he thus proceeds-" Their cloathing is of the skins of sheep-they have no linen. They inhabit seven villages; their houses are constructed of flint stone, having a flat roof covered with mud, which when spoiled or loosened by the rain, they again smooth with a roller. In these they live with their cattle, separated from them, however, by a fence. They have also two caves set apart for particular purposes, in one of which they conceal their cattle, in the other themselves, when hunted by their enemies. They live on milk and venison, being, through constant practice, excellent marksmen. Poor as they are, they are content, and live in a state of seclusion from the rest of mankind. One thing is very remarkable, that persons externally so savage and rude, should have so much moral cultivation. They can all read and write. They know French sufficiently for the understanding of the Bible and the singing of Psalms. You can scarcely find boy among them, who cannot give you an intelligible account of the faith which they profess. In this, indeed, VOL. II. L |