To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
THE Duke of Schomberg, whom I had the Honour to serve as Chaplain, arri∣ved at Turin the 18th of July, 1691. He found the State of Affairs there in a bad Po∣sture, and the People in a great Consternation. The French had lately Fortified Carmagnole. Coni was Besieg'd and given over for lost. Mon∣sieur
la Hoguette had forced the Passages of the Valley of Aoste, which gave him entrance into the Country of Verceil and the Frontiers of the Milanese. Our Army instead of making some motion to disturb the Enemy, Incamped upon the Descent of Mountcallier, being Spectators of the waste and burning of the Plains below. Tu∣rin dreaded every hour being invested. There was an universal fear; and the retreat of the Prin∣cesses to Verceil added yet more to the terrour of the Inhabitants. The Favourers of France gave out publickly that his Royal Highness would un∣avoidably be stripp'd, this Campaigne, of all his Territories, and that he had no way left, but to submit to the King's mercy.
Certain it is, that without that firmness and greatness of Soul which his Royal Highness shewed on this occasion, all had then been lost; and though the beginning of his Reign seems to prognosticate a series of Heroick Actions, yet this part of his History will be none of the less Illustrious. Emmanuel Philibert, oppressed du∣ring the Wars between Charles the V. and Fran∣cis the I. sunk at last under the weight of his Misfortunes. He had the weakness to take up∣on him the Name of St. Mark's Son; and that he might be assisted by the Venetians, he Sacri∣ficed to that Republick the prcedency he had in all the Courts of Europe. The Affairs of his now Royal Highness were almost as desperate: Nevertheless a manly and undaunted Air did al∣ways appear on the Face, and in the meen of this young Hero. Neither the Proposals of France,
joined with Italian craft, the bad Condition of his Troops, the exhausting of his Treasury, nor the Enemies Army Incamping in the Plain of Millefleurs, a League distant from Turin, could ever raise in him the least degenerate Thought. And it may be said that his Constancy and steddiness bore up against his ill Fortune, and that himself put a stop to the desperate Condition of his Affairs.
The Duke of Schomberg came to him in this dangerous juncture; and did by his Example and Counsels confirm his Royal Highnesses's Resolu∣tions. Two or three days after his Arrival, waiting on the Prince on Horse back to observe the French Army, which had then pass'd the River Pô, and was incamped between Carmag∣nolle and Mountcallier; Duke Schomberg speaking High-German to one of the Guards of that Nati∣on, his Royal Highness declared his desire to Learn that Language, adding that he had attempted it two or three times, but was always discoura∣ged by the difficulty he found in it; which gave occasion to Duke Schomberg to offer his assistance, and to be his Master. The Prince reply'd that others might Instruct him in the German Tongue, but that it was the Art of War that he desired to Learn of him. A visible change was soon perceived in the State of Affairs. Our Infantry which was posted on the rising Ground of Mount∣callier, came down to the Foot of the Hill. Our Horse stretched on the Plain where the Enemies were Incamped, and caused the Siege of Coni to
be raised, and forced Catinat to retire, which freed the City of Turin from their Allarm.
The Wisdom and Valour of his Royal High∣ness were justly praised. And publick Prayers were made to bless God for having averted the Storm, and removed in a great measure the sad appre∣hensions they had lain under. And thus far all things went right. But to speak freely, I could not see without grief, a part of that Incense, the Smoak whereof ought wholly to have ascended to the Glory of the Lord of Hosts, burnt to the Honour of the Thebean Souldiers. I was present at my return from the Compaign, at a Sermon Preached by a Jesuite in the Church of the Old Colledge, on the Holy-day kept in Honour of the Thebean Souldiers, Solutor, Adventor and Octavius, to whose Memory this Church is De∣dicated; and to whom the City of Turin pays veneration as to their Patrons: O People of Turin (said the Preacher above a hundred times) O people of Turin, bless your deliverers! Bless these Sacred Martyrs who watch for your safety, and whose Merits and Prayers have preserved your City, your Families, and Estates. I saw after∣wards all the Religious Orders, and the Confra∣ternities or Brotherhoods come to the Feet of the Altars, where the Reliques of these Souldiers are deposited, to receive, what the Romish-Church calls, the Blessing.
This occasioned the first desire I had to ex∣amine the Martyrdom of the Thebean Legion, as soon as I could have both time and Books neces∣sary for that purpose. And that which further
moved me to do it, was my being afterwards an Eye-witness of the Church-Service which the Ma∣gistrates of the Town ordered to be performed on the 20th of Jan. 1693. for the discharge of a Vow they had made in Honour of the Thebean Souldiers, which, by reason of some difficulties, they had not been able sooner to perform.
The Reliques of the Thebean Souldiers were set in the Church of the Jesuits, upon a Throne covered with a Golden Brocado, illuminated with an infinite number of White-wax-tapers. The Archbishop accompany'd with the whole Chapter, came and Officiated in his Pontifical Habit. The Court was present at this Solemn Service, and adored the Urn in which these Sa∣cred Corpses were (for so they are Styl'd by the Jesuit, who Printed a Relation of the Ceremony) Indi sopravenne la Corte, e s'espose alla publica * 1.1Adorazione l' Urna de' Sacri Corpi All the Or∣ders, the Monks and Fryers, all the Confrater∣nities, the White, Blue, Black, Red, and Gray Penitents, came in Procession to adore the Sacred Shrine, which contains the Fate and Hopes of their City. Towards the Evening it was car∣ried about from the Church on Mens shoulders under a rich Canopy of State, supported by four Persons of the first Quality. The Canopy was attended by twelve Knights of St. Mauritius and of St. Lazarus, appointed by their Order for that performance. The most part of the Nobility and Gentry of the Town followed with lighted Wax-Torches, and almost all the People, of what Rank and Condition soever, flocked thither to
Worship the pretended Reliques of their Pro∣tectors.
I withdrew my self, not a little concern'd to see the Devotion of all sorts of People, applied to the Honour of the Saints, when it should have been wholly directed to the Glory of God, the only Author of their Deliverance, and present safety. And my grief was heightned, by a Sense of grati∣tude to a People that had shewed so much good Nature to me a Stranger, and a Protestant Mi∣nister; which Character, though odious to all the rest of Italy, yet was in nothing prejudicial to me during two Years that I Preached there. Though I confess the Kindnesses I received were owing most to the great esteem they had for the Duke of Schomberg, and especially to the great regard they have there for the English Nation, whose Valour and Power are as rightly under∣stood there at this time, as in the rest of Europe. But I cannot, without, ingratitude forbear here giving to the Inhabitants of Turin their due, which is, that they are extreamly Courteous and Civil to Strangers, and partake of the Politeness of the Court of Savoy, which hath been for a long time lookt upon as one of the most Polished and Civilized, and where Conversation is justly tem∣pered, between the Liberties of Paris, and the Re∣straint of Florencc.
Since then it is neither out of unthankfulness, nor for want of respect for the City of Turin, but out of meer Love to Truth, and as a Duty in∣cumbent on my Function, that I do Attack their Patrons in this Work of mine, no body I hope
will take any offence at my design. Morever, as this whole business depends on Proofs; if they are frivolous, the Thebean Souldiers will still peaceably enjoy the Glory of their Martyrdom; but if they prove good, it will be some Service to have undeceived the World in this matter. Now I desire this Justice may be done me, that my Thoughts may not be misinterpreted, nor a construction put upon them, which I do not de∣sign. For I know some Protestants do make use of the Martyrdom of the Thebean Legion to back some other questions, which are not at all to my present Design, nor proper for one in my cir∣cumstances to meddle with. Those who are ac∣quainted with my Temper will believe me in this point. And I have always applyed to my self this wise saying, Exul tace.
Ferrero. p. 205.