CHAPTER IX.

Rora-Its secluded situation-Retrospect-Gratitude of Victor Amadeus II.-Exploits of Gianavello-Treachery of the Marquess di Pianezza-Heroic defence of Rora-Massacre at Rora -Last achievements of Gianavello-Sufferings of Giovanni Pallias, Paoli Clementi, and Gianavello's sister-Affecting taleTraits of character-Juvenile disinterestedness-Comparative mendicity in Protestant and Catholic countries-Blasphemy unknown among the Vaudois-Temperate and manly remonstrance.

It was our intention to have crossed the Pelice from Bobbio, and to have found our way over the mountains to Rora, or Rorata, but we were assured that it was quite impracticable in consequence of the late fall of snow. The parish, or communautè of Rora, is the smallest of the Protestant parishes; its population is about seven hundred. It is also situated farther to the south than any of the rest, and may be said to stand almost entirely separated from the other villages of the Vaudois. The craggy tops of the lofty Sea Bianca seem to rise just above it, and Mount Viso itself is distinguished among the towering summits, at the basements of which the little village is built. Mount Friolant separates it from the valley of the Po, and its hamlets are picturesquely suspended over the torrent of Luzerna, which takes its rise from that mountain. Locked up, as it is, in a very narrow valley, its soil is for the most part rocky and unproductive: but in the intervals between the rocks it is fertile, and, like the other districts of the Vaudois, extremely, well cultivated. Prodigious chesnut-trees decorate the slopes of the mountains, and for eight or ten weeks in the summer time, the rich pasturages of the higher regions

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tempt the inhabitants to leave their dwellings in the vale, and to drive their cattle thither.

Unfortunately for Rora, its sequestered situation rendered it an easy prey in the days of persecution, and nearly the whole population have been more than once put to the sword, before their brethren on the north of the Pelice could send them any succours. But Rora, as well as Bobbio and Angrogna, has had its heroes, and its fastnesses have been the secure retreat not only of persecuted Protestants, but also of royal fugitives, when they could find none so loyal and faithful as their Vaudois subjects. The hiding places of Victor Amadeus are still shewn to the tourist, and the name of Durand will be as little forgotten as the gratitude of his sovereign, in return for the protection which he had afforded. "I grant you," said the Duke of Savoy, "I grant you and your family, for ever, the privilege of using your garden as a burying-ground!!!”

The exploits of Gianavello®, and his comrades, during the dreadful persecution of 1655, did not fall short of those of Henri Arnaud, and his band of eight hundred, although they were not crowned with equal success in the end. After the bloody havoc that was made by the Marquess di Pianezza1, at San Giovanni, La Torre, and Villaro, the Count Christophel resolved to display similar devotion to his prince, by doing something at Rora, which should rival those achievements; he therefore sent three hundred soldiers from Villaro, to surprize Rora, and pillage the houses. The inhabitants were too well aware of what had been going on, on the other side of the Pelice, not to be on their guard, and their forces were divided in such a manner, as to watch all the approaches from the quarters occupied by the enemy.

Christophel's detachment had crossed the river, and were espied by Gianavello, just as they were ascending the little

e See distinguished mention of this hero in the order of council, referred to in p. 88.

f See Appendix, No. 4.

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hill of Rumer, behind which he was posted, with seven or eight capital marksmen. Long before the troops were expecting to be received by an armed force, and even before they deemed it requisite to march in any regular order, they were saluted with a rapid fire of musquetry from various directions, for Gianavello had disposed of his men so judiciously, in ambuscade, that it did not seem to come from one point only, but from the right and left, as well as the front. The enemy were thrown into confusion in an instant, and fled amain to Villaro: in their way back they had to traverse a wood, which lies between the mountains and the Pelice. Gianavello and his men pursued, but in such a manner as to keep out of sight, and being concealed, as they advanced, by the trees and shrubs, poured in a murderous fire upon the fugitives.

The commander of the royal army, Di Pianezza, affected to disclaim the whole proceeding, and as Rora had hitherto made no resistance to the soldiers, who were over-running the country, he declared that the three hundred had acted without his orders, and that Rora should have no occasion to fear any thing for the future. But upon the principle that no faith is to be kept with heretics, five hundred men were despatched the next day, to accomplish what the other detachment had failed in doing. Gianavello was again fortunate in his choice of a place, where he remained in ambush with eleven musqueteers, and six slingers, and this smallforce was sufficient to defeat an enemy, who were already half conquered by their own terrors. The tale of the previous day had filled their minds with a dread, which made them feel more like victims hurried to slaughter, than soldiers marching to battle. The first volley put them to flight, and Rora was once more delivered.

A third enterprize, of the same sort, was projected, but upon this occasion, Gianavello, instead of waiting for the attack, put himself at the head of his little band, and fell upon the vanguard of the Roman Catholics, at Ramasiero. The re

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sult of this bold exploit was the third retreat of the invaders to Villaro, and the capture of all their cattle and baggage.

The Marquess di Pianezza now threw off the mask, and under pretence that the people of Rora had been the aggressors, declared that he would take vengeance for the slaughter of his men, and openly made preparations for the destruction of this devoted village. A simultaneous attack was ordered to be made with all the royal forces from Cavour, Bagnol, Barges, Bubbiana, Luzerna, and Villaro. By some accident the orders were misunderstood, and one troop only, that from Bagnol, under the command of an officer named Mario, advanced to the assault. Previous to the attack these men, among whom were a great many Irish, had dispersed themselves in quest of plunder, and when they were marching to Rora, their ranks were in such disorder, and they were so encumbered by their booty, that it was no difficult matter to put them to the rout. They were pursued as far as a rock called Peyro Capello, which overhangs the torrent, and so precipitate was their flight, that instead of taking the right path, they found themselves cut off from every hope of escape, except by letting themselves down from the precipice into the water. This they endeavoured to effect by tying cords to the nearest shrubs; but the greatest part of them were either drowned in the torrent, or dashed to pieces by falling from the rock. Sixty-five men perished in the action and in the flight, and to add to the success of the Protestants, as they were returning from the pursuit of the troops from Bagnol, they fell in with another party, who were advancing from Villaro, and gained a second victory on the same day.

This, however, was the last day of triumph for the intrepid inhabitants of Rora. Pianezza put his whole army in motion soon afterwards, and while Gianavello and his brave comrades were nobly defending a pass in the mountains, against one of the enemy's detachments, the main body marched against the village, and found no difficulty

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in making themselves master of it. Men, women, and children, were indiscriminately put to the sword, the few who were not massacred were carried prisoners to Turin, and not a Protestant was left in Rora to tell the tale of its calamities.

The heroic Gianavello, when he found that his arm could no longer be raised in defence of his native hamlet, effected his retreat to the mountains of Angrogna, where, with a few gallant followers, he long continued to be the terror of his persecutors. Upon one occasion he fell upon a convoy, as they were entering the fort of Mirabouc, and did terrible execution; upon another, he carried off a thousand head of cattle from Crusol, and soon after destroyed the bridge of Luzerna. His vigilance was incessant, his courage undaunted, and at last he died, as a brave man should die, with his sword in his hand, and for the welfare of his country. A noble answer is recorded of this brave man, when Pianezza threatened to burn his wife and children, unless he should surrender himself, and change his religion." There is no torment so violent, nor any death so cruel, which I would not prefer to the abjuration of my religion, and all the threats of the Marquess do but fortify my faith. He has wife and children in his power, but he can do no more than kill their bodies. As to their souls, I commend them and my own to the protection of God, whose servant I am, and will remain to the last hour of my life."

my

The little community of Rora not only enjoyed the honourable distinction of producing heroes in the field, who avenged her injuries, but of exhibiting her martyrs, whose undaunted resolution, in the hour of death, extorted expressions of admiration, even from their persecutors. The Marquess di Pianezza, who signalized himself at the executions as much as at the massacres of the Vaudois, made use of all his rhetoric, upon one occasion, to persuade a poor peasant, of the name of Giovanni Pallias, to embrace the Roman Catholic faith. He ordered him to be placed upon the ladder