i CHAPTER V. THE ANTIQUITY OF THE VALLENSES SHEWN FROM ABOUT a century after the time of Claude, we again find the Alpine Vallenses presented, with a sufficient measure of distinctness, to our observation. Vercelli is a city of Piedmont, not very far distant from Turin to the eastward and it constitutes the ecclesiastical metropolis of an immediately contiguous diocese or province. Of this district, in the year 945, Atto was Bishop or Archbishop. Hence, from the mere circumstance of locality, he must have been fully aware of what was passing, both in his own province, and in his own close vicinity. I. Now two of his Epistles, by describing and censuring what he deemed the errors of certain neighbouring religionists, who had penetrated into his diocese of Vercelli and who had there success fully laboured to make proselytes, establish alike both the prolonged existence of the Vallenses and their steady adherence to the system of doctrine which had distinguished them in the time of Claude of Turin. 1. The former of these two Epistles is couched in terms following. Atto, by the grace of God, a humble Bishop, health and joy to all the faithful who reside in our diocese. Lately, on the eve of the Octave of the Lord, we preached, God permitting, to those who were present a certain discourse, which we judge it necessary to direct to yourselves also. In your parts, alas, there are many persons, who despise the divine services of the Church. These apply themselves to auguries or to signs of the heavens or to vain precantations, fearing not that which the Lord says concerning the Jews. A generation, incredulous and perverse, seeketh a sign. Paul likewise, the blessed Apostle, exclaims: Beware, lest any one seduce you through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ. And elsewhere: Why turn ye again to weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? The Psalmist, moreover, says; Ye Sons of men how long will you be heavy in heart, and love vanity, and seek after a lie?" And again: Blessed is the man, whose hope is in the name of the Lord, and who has not looked to vanities and insane falsehoods. Farewell in the Lord*. 2. The latter of the two Epistles speaks the same language, and plainly refers to the same subject. Atto, through the mercy of Christ, a humble Bishop, to all the people of our diocese of the holy mother Church of Vercelli. Know ye, that, both through Christ himself and through the holy Apostles or Prophets and through the other holy Teachers, we have heard: that numerous false prophets will come, who, what is most * Atto, gratia Dei, humilis Episcopus, cunctis fidelibus in nostra parochia consistentibus, salutem et gaudium. Nuper in vigilia Octavæ Domini, quemdam sermonem, his qui præsentes erant, Deo donante, retulimus: quem vobis dirigere necessarium æstimamus. Heu! quia sunt multi in vestris partibus, qui divina servitia contemnunt, et auguria vel cœli signa seu vanas præcantationes intendunt, nec metuunt illud quod Dominus de Judæis ait: O generatio incredula et perversa, signum quærit. Beatus quoque Paulus clamat Apostolus: Videte, ne quis vos reducat, per philosophiam et inanem fallaciam, secundum traditiones hominum, secundum elementa mundi, et non secundum Christum. Et alibi: Quomodo convertimini iterum ad infirma et egena elementa, quibus denuo servire vultis? Psalmista quippe dicit: Filii hominum, usquequo graves corde; ut quid diligitis vanitatem, et quæritis mendacium? Et iterum: Beatus vir, cujus est nomen Domini spes ejus; et non respexit in vanitates et insanias falsas. Valete in Domino. Atton. Vercell. Epist. ii. in Dacher. Spicil. vol. viii. p. 110, grievous, will study to turn many aside from the way of truth, so as to lead them into destruction, inasmuch as they shall have given credit to their pretensions. Whence the heart is not so easily preserved in righteousness, but that ye may hasten to believe even some persons who utter only words of brute ignorance and simplicity: insomuch that (alas, most unhappy men !), being deceived by diabolical error, and forsaking your holy mother the Church or the Priests through whom ye ought to come to eternal salvation, you even distinguish those individuals by the name of Prophets. Wherefore, when this letter shall have been seen or heard or known, if, by chance, any one of you (which God forbid !) shall hereafter perpetrate wickedness of such a description: let him learn, that he is altogether to be condemned, and that he has no licence either to drink wine or to eat any thing cooked save bread alone, until he shall come to his holy mother the Church of Vercelli and into our presence, in order that he may be adjudged to make satisfaction and to exhibit the true humility of penitence. But, if any one, inflated by pride, shall attempt to act against this our behest, let him know: that he is to be driven from the threshold of the Church, an alien from the holy communion; and that he is to be abominated by all the faithful, until he shall have submitted to the correction of the Holy Church, as well himself, as all those who shall have asso ciated with him after they have learned his cha racter. If, moreover, any one of the Priests (which God avert!) shall peradventure have been polluted with such an abomination: let him not dare usurpatively to administer any divine sacrament, until he shall have made satisfaction in our judgment worthy of God*. II. Thus run two of the Epistles of Atto: and, * Atto, Christi misericordia, humilis Episcopus, cuncto populo nostræ diœcesis sanctæ matris Vercellensis Ecclesiæ. Noveritis igitur, quia, et per ipsum Christum Dominum atque sanctos Apostolos seu Prophetas sive sanctos reliquos Doctores, audivimus, plurimos venturos esse pseudo-prophetas, qui, quod gravissimum est, subvertere a via veritatis multos studebunt, ita ut eos in perniciem perducant, qui illis crediderint. Unde-non tam facile justum habetur cor, ut etiam quibusdam, simplicia atque bruta referentibus tantummodo verba, credere omnino festinetis; eosque, heu miserrimi, diabolico errore decepti, prophetas nominetis; relinquentes sanctam matrem vestram Ecclesiam seu Sacerdotes per quos ad æternam pervenire debetis salutem. Quocirca, his visis litteris auditis vel cognitis, si quis vestrum forte, quod absit, deinceps hujuscemodi nefas perpetraverit, sciat se omnimodis damnandum, et non habeat licentiam manducandi quid coctum nisi panem nec bibendi vinum, quousque ad suam sanctam matrem scilicet Vercellensem Ecclesiam nostramque præsentiam, ad satisfactionem veramque pœnitentiæ humilitatem, judicandus adveniat. Si quis autem, superbia inflatus, contra hoc agere tentaverit, sciat se ab Ecclesiæ liminibus pellendum et a sancta communione extraneum omnibusque fidelibus abominandum, donec Sanctæ Ecclesiæ susceperit correptionem, tam ipse, quam |