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. IIII.

The warre of the Albingenses changeth countenance, be∣cause of the death of Pope Innocent the third; of the change of the Legat; the death of the Earle Remond of Toulouze; of the disease of Remond Earle of Foix, and the Lady Philippe de Moncade, mother to the Earle of Foix, and of the Monke Dominick.

THe Legat Bertrand Bonauenture, being weary of the long labours of this warre, and perceiuing that therein the danger was greater, than either the pleasure or the profit, tooke oc∣casion vnder a pretence of his de∣crepit age, to retire himselfe to Rome; euen at that time, when Pope Innocent the third being departed, Pope Honorius his successour, who had not managed this warre by his authoritie, from the beginning thereof, knew neither the importance thereof, nor what directi∣on to giue, and therefore had need to be enformed by his Legat, touching the meanes of the continuance thereof, and the commoditie that might arise vnto his Seat. Bonauenture entreated him to depute another Legat, and told him, that the necessitie of this warre was such, that it concerned not onely the losse of all those Lands of the Albingenses, which were conque∣red, because they might be easily recouered by them, if no opposition were made, but also the ruine of the Church of Rome, because the Doctrine of the Walden∣ses and Albingenses, did directly shake the authoritie of the Popes, and ouerthrow the Statutes of the Church:

That this warre had beene very chargeable, and cost them deere, for within the space of fifteene yeares and lesse, there had died aboue three hundred thousand souldiers of the Crosse, that at diuers times had come to end their liues in Languedoc, as if there were not enough else-where to burie them, or as if there were a necessi∣tie in those times, to be borne in France, and to dye en∣countring the Albingenses. That all this would be lost, if they continued not to spend and weaken them, vn∣till they were vtterly destroyed. The Pope delegated one named Contat, who went thither.

Now albeit Almeric were very valiant, yet he had not gotten that authoritie which his Father had, who had made himselfe, at the charges of the Albingenses, a great Captaine, loued of the Souldier, of an admira∣ble valour, patient in affliction, inuincible in his tra∣uels, diligent in his enterprises, fore-seeing and proui∣ding, for the necessities of an Armie, affable; but of an vnreconcileable enmitie against his enemies, be∣cause he hated them onely to haue their goods, and that he could not haue but after their death, which he procured and hastned as much as he could, and that vnder the mantell of a plausible pretence of religion. His sonne was a true inheritor of the hatred of his fa∣ther; but slow and sluggish, louing his ease, and no way fit for an action of great importance. Besides, he was depriued of the Monke Dominique, of whom his Father had made very profitable vse: for lodging him in the conquered Cities, he gaue him in charge to fi∣nish that destruction by his inquisition, which he could not doe by warres. [ 1220] He died in the yeare 1220. the sixt of August, so rich that notwithstanding he were the author of an order mendicant, that is to say, of Ia∣cobin

Monkes, or Iacobins, yet he made it knowne be∣fore his death, that a scrip well ordered was better than a rent ill assigned; for hee left many houses and much goods, shewing thereby that he vsed his scrip but for a shew and outward appearance of pouertie; but in effect he thought it good, to haue wherewithall to liue else-where, witnesse the Protection which the Earle Simon gaue him a little before his death, whereof this is the tenure.

Simon by the Grace and prouidence of God, Duke of Narbonnes, Earle of Toulouze, Vicount of Licestre, Beziers, and Carcassonne, wisheth health and dilection. * 1.1 We will and command you to haue a speciall care to keepe and defend the houses and goods of our most deare brother Dominick, as our owne. Giuen at the siege of Toulouze, Decemb. 13.

The death of this Monke was a great comfort to the Albingenses, who had persecuted them with such vio∣lence, but yet they were more weakned by the death of the Earle Remond of Toulouze, the Earle Remond of Foix, and the Ladie Philippe of Moncade, Wife to Re∣mond Earle of Foix.

The Earle Remond of Toulouze died of a sicknesse, much lamented of his Subiects, if euer man were. He was iust, gentle, valiant and couragious, but yet too easie to giue eare vnto those that gaue him counsell for his ruine. Hee was carried at the first by a true loue and charitie onely towards those his Subiects, that made profession of the Religion of the Albingenses, but afterwards hauing beene basely and dishonorably handled by the Legats of the Pope, he knew both the crueltie of the Priests, and the falshood of their do∣ctrine, by those conferences that had beene in his pre∣sence

with the Pastors of the Albingenses. His Epitaph was written in two Gascon verses.

Non y a home sur terre, per grand Segnor que fous, Qu'em iettes de ma terre, si Gleisa non fous.

He that writes the Historie of Languedoc, saith, That he died a sudden death, and that hee was carried into the house of the Friers of the Hospital S. Iohn, and that he was not buried, because he died an excommunicate person. There was shewed not long since at Toulouze a head, which some did beleeue was the head of the Earle Remond, which was said to be alwaies without a sepulture; but there is no likelihood that he that died amongst his owne, and being Ruler ouer them, should not haue so much credit after his death, as to bee put into a Sepulcher: * 1.2 that he that by his valour had re∣stored all his Subiects to their houses, and their Citie to it former greatnesse, he whose death they lamented as a Father, should be cast out like a Dogge. It is nei∣ther true nor hath it any resemblance of truth, that they should deny him this last office of charitie, which they haue not refused to bestow vpon their greatest enemies, for it was neuer heard of that the Albingenses haue denied sepulture vnto any.

As touching the Earle of Foix, Remond, he was a Prince of whom the Historie giues this testimony, that he was a Patron of Iustice, clemency, prudence, va∣lour, magnanimitie, patience and continency; a good Warriour, a good Husband, a good Father, a good House-keeper, a good Iusticer, worthy to haue his name honoured, and his vertues remembred through∣out all generations. When this good Prince saw that he was to change the earth for heauen, he defied death

an assured constant carriage, and tooke comfort in for∣saking the world, and the vanities thereof, and calling his sonne Roger vnto him, hee exhorted him to serue God, to liue vertuously, to gouerne his people like a Father, vnder the obedience of his Lawes, and so gaue vp the ghost. His Wife the Lady Philippe of Mon∣cade, followed him shortly after, notwithout suspition of poyson, by some domesticall enemy of the Albin∣genses, whose religion she professed with all deuotion. A Princesse of a great and admirable prouidence, faith, constancy, and loyaltie. She vttered before her death many excellent sentences, full of edification, as well in the Castilian tongue, as the French, in contempt of death, which she receiued with a maruellous grace, fortifying her speeches with most Christian consolati∣ons, to the great comfort and edification of all that were present, and in this estate she changed her life.

All these deaths made a great alteration in the wars of the Albingenses, both on the one side and the other.

Notes

• * 1.1

  After the Hi∣storie of the Monke of the valley Sernay.
• * 1.2

  Holaga. pag. 164