Matchlesse crueltie declared at large in the ensuing history of the Waldenses apparently manifesting unto the world the horrible persecutions which they have suffered by the papists, for the space of four hundred and fifty years : wherein is related their original and beginning, their piety and purity in religion, both for doctrine and discipline : likewise hereunto is added an exact narrative of the late bloody and barbarous massacres, murders and other unheard of cruelties committed on many thousands of the Protestants dwelling in the valleys of Piedmont, &c. by the Duke of Savoy's forces, joyned with the French army and several bloody Irish regiments / published by command of His Highness the Lord Protector.

CHAP. IX.

Of the Waldenses that did flie into Bohemia, and those persecutions which they suffred, that haue come to our knowledge.

DIuers haue written, * 1.1 that Waldo at his de∣parture from Lion, came into Dauphine, and from thence (hauing erected and or∣dered some Churches, and laid the foun∣dations of them, which haue been mi∣raculously preserued vnto this present time) he went into Languedoc, and there he left excellent Pastors, who ordered and instructed those Churches, that af∣terwards cost the Pope and his Clergy so much to de∣stroy; and from thence he went into Picardy, from whence being chased, he tooke his iourney into Ger∣many, and from Germany he retired himselfe into Bo∣hemia, where (according to the opinion of some) he ended his dayes. The Waldenses inhabiting in Dau∣phine, Piedmont, and Prouence, haue had commu∣nion and incelligence with their Brethren retired into Bohemia, for proofe whereof, we haue the message of Daniel de Valence, and Iohn de Molin Pastors in Bohe∣mia, who did much hurt to the Churches of that Country, by reuealing vnto the aduersaries those flockes or companies, which before were hidden and vnknowne, because of the great and grieuous persecu∣tions that then were.

We haue also a certaine Apology of the Waldenses of Bohemia in the Waldensian tongue, * 1.2 in the forme of a

Letter, which they wirt to King Ladislaus, wherof the Inscription is.

Al Serenissimo Princi Rey Lancelao. A li Duc Barons, & a li plus veil del Regne. Lo petit tropel de li Christians appella per falce nom fal∣sament Pauuers o Valdes. Gratia siaen Die lo Paire & en Iesus lo Filli de luy.

This Letter makes proofe of the Communion which the Waldenses of Dauphine haue had with those of Bohemia, in that they haue had in their language this Letter, which containes a iust Apology against those impostures, and other faults which in former times haue been imputed to the one and to the other, and haue been common with the Christians of the pri∣mitiue Church. We haue also in the same volume a treatise, the inscription whereof is this. Aico es la causa del nostre despartiment de la Gleisa Romana. That is to say; This is the cause of our separation from the Church of Rome. Causes which haue been common with all those, that haue withdrawen themselues from that Church, for feare of participating of her plagues.

The Author of the Catalogue of witnesses of the truth, * 1.3 makes mention of a certaine forme of Inquisiti∣on, which was practised against the Waldenses of Bo∣hemia vnder King Iohn, which was about the yeere 1330. As also in another Inquisition this is noted, that the Waldenses of Bohemia sent into Lombardy to the Waldensian Doctors, those whom they would haue trained vp in the profession of Diuinity.

In the treatise of the beginning of the Churches of Bohemia, * 1.4 at what time the doctrine of Iohn Hus was there receiued, the Pastors, Ancients, and faithfull of Bohemia say, that the Waldensian Churches of Bo∣hemia, had been oppressed by the tyranny of the Pope, in such manner, that they had no more assemblies, and that there were no more of their writings to be found in Bohemia.

Esrom Rudiger in his treatise of the Churches of Bohemia saith, that the Waldenses haue had their Chur∣ches, at the least two hundred and forty yeeres before those of the Hussites, and though he confesse that their beliefe was one and the same, yet he affirmeth that there was not in their times any memory of their Churches, but onely of those that were in France at Merindoll, and the places neere adioyning. And that when they sent to Bohemia to ioyne them∣selues vnto them in the confession of their faith, they enquired of them, whether they made any publike profession of the truth: and when they had vnder∣stood, that there were some amongst them, that some∣times frequented Papisticall Churches, and were pre∣sent at those idolatries that were there committed, they did bitterly reprehend them for it.

And therefore they that haue answered vnder the name of the Waldenses, * 1.5 and haue brought vnto light their confession, which at this day is to be found in the Catalogue of things to be desired, are not any of the Waldenses, but one of those that by way of reproach were afterwards so called, and they haue not been ashamed of that name, assuring themselues of the pu∣rity of their doctrine. And this notwithstanding, they reuiue againe this common opinion when they

affirme that they know well, that there are many good men, that follow and loue the truth of the Gospell, who being deceiued by false markes and notes, where∣by they haue described vs (say they) haue held vs for Waldenses.

And euen there to, they giue this testimony of the Waldenses; that there is in them much light and knowledge, and that they haue well vnderstood and purely taught many things, yea and that they haue suf∣fered much for the truth, especially in France; And so they desired to be distinguished from them, to the end that if it were obserued, that the Waldenses had done much for the establishment of the truth in their times, that it might likewise be knowne, that the Hus∣sites haue not done little in their time.

Aeneas Syluius reporteth of one Iames de Misne, and Peter de Dreze disciples of the Waldenses, that they went into Bohemia in the time of Iohn Hus, and that ha∣uing conferred with him, he made profession of their doctrine, and they themselues deny it not: for thy say that Wicklif was assisted to shake off the yoke of the Pope, by example of the Waldenses, and that Wicklif was the instrument which God had vsed for the in∣struction of Iohn Hus, who taught in Bohemia, and that therefore they haue thought themselues much bound to the Churches of the Waldenses, because whatsoe∣uer good there hath been in the said Churches, they say, was transported vnto theirs; and so haue they been in some sort, the beginning of theirs.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Albertus de Ca∣pitaneis lib. de origine Walden∣sium. Thuanus in hi∣storia sui tem∣poris, pa. 457. Petrus Valdus eorum Ante∣signanus, pa∣tria relictain Belgium venit, at{que} in Picardi∣am quam hodie vocant, multos sectatores n••e∣tus cum inde in Germaniam transisset per Vandalicas ci∣uitates diu di∣uersatus est, ac postremo in Bo∣hemia consedit. See what is said of these two Barbes before in the first booke Chap. 9.
• * 1.2

  Ʋineaux in his memor. fol. 15
• * 1.3

  Flac. Ill. in ca∣tal. test. verit. p. 116.
• * 1.4

  Lib. de origine Ecclesiarū Bo∣hemiae. pa. 273. Sed cum oppres∣sae tyrannide Pontisicia con∣uentus publicos nullos haberent ne{que} scripta ho∣rum extarent vll••, ignotae no∣stris prorsus fuere. Esrom Rudiger in narrati••ncu∣la de Ecclesijs fratrum in Bo∣hemia Valden∣ses ad minimum CCXL annis originem no∣stram antece∣dunt.
• * 1.5

  See the Con∣fession of the Waldenses in the Catalogue rerum expeten∣darum. Lib de orig. & confess. Eccl. Pohem. Scimus quod multi boni viri, & veritatis E∣uangelicae in∣staurata culta∣res & sectate res pij seducti & indicationi∣bus falsis & cri∣minationib. ad∣uer sariorum, pro Valdensib nos habeant. Ibid. Hoc quidem constat, multum in ipsis lucis fuisse & de ple∣ris{que} eos rectè sensisse & do∣cuisse, & prop∣ter veritatem grauigima per∣pesso. in Gallia in primis. Aeneas Siluius in his history of the Tabo∣rites.