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.

An Appendix to the foregoing Apologie.

AS we are informed by severall Letters, the ruine long intended by the enemies of the truth of the Churches of Piedmont, by the per∣mission of God, being angry because of our sinnes, is now executed. Indeed they had put off the execution by fained shewes and hopes of reconciliation, that they might the while provide all necessaries to compasse their ends; But against our expectation upon the 16. of A∣pril 1655. the Army, made up of the Forces of the Duke of Savoy, and of the King of France, amongst which were some Irish Regiments, fell upon the Churches of the Valley of Lucerna, and with them the Militia of Piedmont, and a crew of banished theeves, felons, and other male∣factors, let on purpose out of prison, and from all parts flocking together in hope of prey; whose incursions in an hostile manner the Re∣formed mistrusting at first, and fearing to be crushed ere they could be heard, when all means of approach by supplication to his High∣nesse the Duke of Savoy was taken from them, they withdrew themselves into the mountaines. But the Commander of that Army, the Mar∣quesse of Pianesse, sewing the Fox skin to that of the Lyons, feigned he had no other intention

then to intreate the Reformed that they would approve to the Prince their faith and obedience, not by bare words, but by reall facts, viz. by quar∣tering onely for three daies three Regiments of the Army, viz. one at Angrogne, another at Vil∣lars, and a third at Boby; which if they did, he faithfully promised that no harme to them or theirs should be done; which when it was gran∣ted by the Reformed, and they had received the three Regiments, presently the whole Army rushed upon them, no difference made of men, women, children, or sucking babes, dashing them against stones, some laying hold on them by the legges, and either dismembring them, or hurling them headlong into precipices, with such fury, that the very rocks were wet & bloody with their brains, and that in sight of the mothers, who after the murther committed upon their chil∣dren, were themselves likewise murthered, as it was done in the Borrough of Villars and Boby, with such horrible butchery, that some appeared to be indeed partakers of the crosse of Christ, by being nailed to trees and put to imgring deaths: am ongst whom one Paul Clement, a man of a very upright life, who being nailed the head downward did undergoe with great constancy the butchery and continued in holy prayers to God to the very last; others, especially of the weaker age and sex, striving to flie from the fury of the souldiers, being driven through Pre∣cipices into the mountaines full of snow, died of cold, and of other accidents; as the nume∣rous

family of the L. Scipion Bastia. In the Coun∣tries of St. John and la Tour, they fell with fire and Sword upon Churches and private houses; this holy fire being kindled by a Priest and a Franciscan Frier, thereby to prove himselfe a Seraphin with his St. Francis, to whom his Disci∣ples give the seat of Lucifer. This disaster being made in the Churches of Lucerne, the Com∣mander of the neighbour Valleys under the Duke of Savoy, namely in that of Perouse, St. Martine and Rupelate, as glorying at the thing done, commanded the Inhabitants of those pla∣ces, in case they did not turn Papists, to leave the Countrey: Whereupon those who perferred the richesses of Christ and Heaven to the ear∣thy Country, chearfully went out, carrying his shame, and followed him in huge numbers. The names of the banished, who persevered in the faith, and how many they be, are not yet known to us; for those of Lucerne having been over∣whelmed unawares, they made an escape and fled where they could. Of many thousands, a very few have carried any thing with them, whereby they might for some daies preserve life. Those that remaine doe by the bowels of Christ beseech all godly men to open their hearts unto them, that they may receive of him a greater re∣ward, and may reap so much the greater harvest, that the field of God to receive seed, is the grea∣ter.