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.

A Continuation of the description of the murthers, and cruelties committed on the Reformed, in the Valleys of Piedmout, on the 6. and 7. of Aprill 1655.

MY Lord Marquess of Pianess, having many times reiterated to the Deputies of the Churches of the Valleys with asse∣veration (as they do affirm) that upon the Paroll of his Royall Highness and his own (they giving testimony of their confidence and obedience by the Reception of such Regiments) they should not receive any injury, They did thereupon suffer them to en∣ter without any resistance whatsoever, hoping the rather that it should have been so, seeing those places were reserved, even in the order lately published, and never questioned, as to their ha∣bitation, But those of St. John, who had all their goods and fa∣milies in Angrogne, and for whom there was no Quarter, ha∣sted thither to save their Wives and Children, which also did those of Angrogne, who soon perceived the Treachery, and how the Papists keep Faith to the pretended Hereticks. The said Marquess also kept Prisoners the Deputies of St. John and An∣grogne, who went thither to treat upon his Parole; and as the Troops agreed on, were going up by the way appointed, three or four thousand men got before them by a backway, near La Tour, climbing up with an incomparable swiftness, putting all to the Sword they met with, and firing the Houses of Angrogne, near the Meadow of La Tour, being one of the strongest pla∣ces, and at the furthest distance; and that they executed even before the others were come into the middle of Angrogne which they had chosen for their Quarter. The other Troops did the like neer St. John towards Bricheras, and in many other pla∣ces near la Tour, so long as Day light permitted.

Amongst so many furious assaults, so many violent attempts, and so black deceits and treasons, the air being all on fire by

reason of the flames, or all duskish by the smoak of burnt Hou∣ses and Churches, did resound nothing else but the Cries, Lamen∣tations and fearful scriechings, made yet more pitiful by the mul∣titude of those Eccho's, which are in those Mountains and Rocks.

The Mother hath lost her sucking Child, the Husband his Wife, the Brother his Brother, some have been barbarously massacred, whilst they were busy in saving some of their goods, others having fled to escape to the tops of the Mountains, were forced to cast themselves into the hollows of Rocks and amongst the Snow, without fire, without nourishment, without covering, sick, old, wounded, Women with Child, of whom many miscar∣ried, and lay dead near their Children, after they had sustained themselves with a little Snow, which was put and meited in their mouths instead of Sugar. Amongst many, who were forced to run away bare-foot and bare legg'd, severall persons of great quality had their legs and feet so long frozen by Snow and Ice, that they have altogether lost them.

On the morrow after, being the 21, the Boutefeus and mur∣derers were not idle: A Monk of the Order of St. Francis and a Priest, who were desirous to have the honour to be the chief Incendiaries, with their fire works (which they easily could do) did not fail to set on fire the Church of St. John, and almost all the re∣maining houses, part in Angrogne, and part in La Tour. And where they found any Corner free from the first fires, the Priest did but discharge his Carbine to make an end of it; And the Souldiers being fleshed with blood, did run to the very tops of the Rocks and places which seemed to be inaccessible, to cut the throats of all such as they should find there. It was not a difficult thing to them so to do, since they were not in a posture to make any other resistance, but by their tears, which might have caused the most barbarous Tartarians and Canniballs, to let fall their Arms out of their hands. At Taillareta very small Village scitua∣ted upon one of the highest hills of La Tour, they offered a thou∣sand injuries to an hundred and fifty Women and little Chil∣dren, and then cut off their heads; whereof they did boyl many,

and eat their Brains, but left off, saying, they were too unsa∣voury, and that it went against their Stomack; they cut ma∣ny others in pieces and bits which they threw the one at the other. From a poor woman that escaped them, and is yet li∣ving although she was cruelly treated by them, they took her little Child in swadling Bands, and threw him from a pre∣cipice with many others. And there have been many others, who have been torn and split in the middle by two Souldiers, who took those innocent Creatures, one by one leg, and the other by the other, and after they had torn each one his half, they beat one another with it. They stripp'd naked many peo∣ple, without distinction either of age or sex, and cut their Bo∣dies after such a manner, as would make one tremble 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hear it recited, and then threw upon them Salt and Gunpowder, and then putting on them their Shirts again, they set them on fire, making them burn upon these poor martyrized Bod••es. Others being naked were tyed Neck and Heels together, and rowled down some Precipices. They were so barbarous as not to exempt one Peter Symond of Angrogne, being 100 years old, nor his wife, who was 95 years; They burnt a g••eat ma∣ny in their houses, refusing to kill them before, though they requested it: To others they opened their Breasts; to others they pulled out their Guts, and cut off their privy parts; After they had abused severall women, they thrust many stones in their privy parts, and walked them in this posture till they dyed. They hanged others upon trees by the feet, and left them in that estate till they dyed. They gaunched many both by the fundament after the Turkish manner, and a Cross. They sta∣ked others through the Belly to the ground, and drove the Stakes into the earth as far as they could. Of those whom they brought alive before the Marquess, and who would not abjure their Religion, they carried many to Turin, and a∣mongst others Master Gross, and Mr. Ag••it, Ministers of Vil∣lars and Boby, and that after they had seen the admirable con∣stancy of John Paillas, and Master B••ul Clement that a poor Peafant, this an Elder and Deacon of the Church of La Tour,

the former having chosen the Gibbet rather than the Masse, the other was carried neer him to appale him; but as he was on the top of the Ladder, and the Missiona∣ries redoubling their exhortations, saying, it was yet time enough if he would turn Catholike, he spake to the Exe∣cutioner to do his duty, desiring him to dispatch, and prayed God to pardon those Murtherers, although (said he) he saw, as present, the Vengeance that God wou'ld take for so much innocent blood spilt.

My pen falls from my hand in describing these thing ••••ea, the very thoughts of them makes my whole Body to tremble, my Hair to stand up; A Heart of Ada∣mant, a hand of steel, and a pen of Iron, could not express halfe the horrid Prodigies of cruelty and lamentable spe∣ctacles which were seen, unheard of amongst the most barbarous in former ages, farre from ever being exerci∣sed in Christendome. You might have seen here the legg of a Woman, there the head of a Child, sometimes the privy Members of a man, the Intrails of another, and sometimes the pieces of another, whom the Beasts had not yet made an end of eating. Tears obscure my sight, and the violence of my sobbings hinders me from procee∣ding further.

Having paused here a litle and taken breath, I shall say farther, that a poor old man, being ninety five years old, called Mr. Thomas Margher, having been taken among the rest, a French Officer, who was present at his Martyr∣dome, relates of him, that at the first time he refused to go to Masse, his Nose was cut off; then being asked a∣gain whether he would go to Masse, and having answer∣ed he would rather choose to dye, one of his Eares was cut off, and then the other; and so every time he said he would not go to the Masse, one or other of his Limbs was cut off; at length they hanged him as they did the other two abovenamed; and then this good old man with

a smiling countenance would say to his Executioners, Do ye tye and torment my Body as much as you please, yet you cannot touch my Soul, nor have ye any Prisons or Chains that can keep it from going to Heaven; but to the contrary according to the course of Nature, having so little time yet to live in this VVorld, ye do but hasten my Deliverance and my Happiness. Then having given thanks to God for the honor he did him to suster for his name, he prayed the Hangman to performe his duty.

Of the spoil of Provisions, of Wine spilt in abundance by those who pull'd off the iron hoops from the vessells, of the Cattell, or of their plunder, say we any thing; The very Women came from the furthest part of Pied∣mont and carryed away all to the very Broomes.

A very few of them, who made shift to get away with some of their Cattell, upon the neighbouring Mountains of Val Perouse; sav'd some of them there, all the rest were plundred. The French, Irish, Piemontois, banished per∣sons and released Criminalls, divided the Spoil amongst themselves, and many of them killed one another in the di∣vision of it; That which they could not carry away they set on fire, and those poor people that escaped as Brands rescued from the fire, the one almost as rich as the other, being of Val Perouse, Val Cluson and Queiras, some of them drawing lamentably after them their miserable fa∣milies with Cries and Tears, others weeping and be∣wailing the losse of theirs.

Val Luserne was destroyed, which did contain 7 Churches, each containing about three or foure thousand persons, except Roche-platt and Roras, which had something less. Before the Troops assaulted the rest, the Deputies of the Vallies desired the protection & intercession of Monsieur de la Bertoniere. Lieutenant & Governor for his Majesty at Pineroll, and of Monsieur de Corselles, Captain in the Regiment of Navarr, who said he had found in their

Royal Highnesses a great inclination to pity, desired them to intercede for them, which they did with a great deal of Di••igence, and presented their Petition to his Royall Highness, and at the same time gave their Letters to the Marquesse of Pyanessa, to whom (as they were inform∣ed) however things went, all would be referred.

The Contents of the Letter shew's that of the Petition to wit.

Most Excellent Lords.

PResuming that neer the infinite clemency of his Royal Higness, there may be yet some Grace and Mercy for us, his poor and disconsolate Subjects upon our due humility and submission to him, we have sent to him our Petition in the best form the present disturbances will permit us, referring our selves wholly to his good pleasure, and promising to conform our selves to what ever he shall pre∣scribe, if he will onely give us leave to enjoy the liberty of our Consciences, so that we may serve God according to his Word; in the mean time we supplicate his Highness that it would please him to cause these strange Hostilities to cease, which are committed against his intention, and also your Excellencies; Of which we thought it our duty, not onely to give advice to your Excellency, but also as to one that hath full Power and Authority, and to whom we are informed all shall be referred: We make to you the same Supplications and Promises, imploring your Grace and Protection.

Given at Val Cluson the third. of May 1655.

Your Excellencies most humble, most obedient and devoted servants, the Deputies of the Vallies of Lusern, Perouse, and St. Martin.

It was signed by a great number.

Let the Reader take notice that these poor people, for to endeavou•• to preserve yet this small part of Val Perouse, which belongs to his Royall Highness, with the small and poor Vally of St. Martin (notwithstanding their entire and irreproveable fidelity and innocence) did humble themselves, but all to no purpose as yet, except God be pleased to touch the Hearts of the Superiours, or deliver them by other means

Every one doth ask, But what may be the reason these poor folk have been so dealt with? Farre from hence rea∣sons enough and causes of it are alledged; whereof they do not so much as speak of upon the place.

First, Some say that the Reformed have killed a Priest at Fenill in the lower Vale of Luserne; But that Priest hath been killed but sixteen daies after publication of the aforesaid Edict, and was murthered by the Secretary of the Prefect of that Province, who is a Romish Cathosike, and had already slain another Priest in the same place. A young man of the Reformed Religion, having been accu∣sed to have been partaker with him therein, hath been de∣livered by the said Reformed into the hands of Justice and of the Delegate of his Royall Highness; who having de∣posed there, that the said Secretary called Pagot had per∣swaded him to go along with him in that horrid executi∣on promised to give him three hundred Pistolls, but that he had refused to do it, and took onely two, to bind him not to say a word of it, hath been released and declared not guilty. After this, considering the scruples of some yet, the same man hath severall times presented himselfe to Madame Royall and the cheifest of her Ministers, and the Reformed have still represented him upon all occasions to be examined and brought face to face before the parties, but they still refused it, holding him as sully justified, and the other convicted. Besides, though among the Re∣formed there should have been found a Thiefe, neither

their Concessions nor their Laws do suffer the innocent to be punished for the guilty. Such Assassinations were never commited by order of the Reformed, and could have no advantage by the death of an inconsiderable Country Priest, who could never do them neither good or evill.

Secondly, Some say that at La Tour an Asse hath been dressed like a Monk. It is a Diabolicall invention. In a word it was thus. The Youth of the place, partly Papists, partly Reformed, to jeere and mock at a very Heteroc••iti∣call Marriage, made a Charivary, as they call it, and tooke the asse or the Bridegroome, whom they did set on the topp of the Oven in a publick place, where it was seen of all, all the day long; and nothing therein touched the Monks, nor the Masse, nor the Host. The Roman Catholikes in such occasions have often set up Asses up∣on the top of their Pinacles in those places.

Thirdly, Therefore the published Order alledges no such reasons, onely the Marquess•• de Piannesa, as appears in the answer he got M G••beline (the Roman Catholike At∣turney of the the Reformed at Turin) to make, said, that his Royall Highues was willing to abase their pride, for ha∣ving craved the Protection of the Forraign Princes, because the Lords of Zurick and Berne, after the Order published against them (though not required, but out of their own inclinations) had sent to his Royall Highnes some Letters in their behalf. Let the Reader judge of the validity of this Reason.

This Fourth is most cryed up in Piedmout. viz. That the Reformed have cruelly murthered the Catholiques in Ireland, and have wholly expelled them; and that they ought to murther the Reformed in Piedmont, and clear the State of them, to lodge the Irish in their place. Let yet the

Reader Judge of this reason. Besides it is false the Refor∣med have murthered the Catholicks in Ireland, but to the contrary.

Therefore it remains that there hath been no other true cause of this, but the hatred they bear to the Religion; it being known to all the world, that no Subjects have ever been true or more obedient to their Prince than they who never stirred, when all the rest of the State was up in Arms; who still payd their Taxes, though over burthe∣ned, have borne extraordinary Winter Quarters, affor∣ded their men for the war, as often as demanded, and even some few days afore their desolation, sent their Mi∣litias for the service of his Royall Highness, upon the se∣ceipt of his very first command.

I have hastily given you a Copy, of this tract, of the horrible furies of the Adversaries, desiring you to see if his Highness, the Serenissinie Lord Protector, could take occasion to insert in the Treaty with France, the re-establishment of our Brethren, escaped from the Mas∣sacres, which they have caused the Irish to do as in re∣venge of their being banished out of their Country, for Massacring the Protestants there. Your Brother hath as∣sured us, he will give us the Charity ordained by your Church. A generall Collection in your Quarters will be necessary, there being so many thousands despolld of all, that are seeking for refuge. There are two Ministers viz. Master Gross and Master Aghit Prisoners at Turin, God strengthen and deliver them, and conserve you and your Colleagues, whom I salute, remaining

May 8. 1655.

Most honoured Brother,

wholy yours.

A Letter written to his Highness the Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, &c. about the said Murthers, Massacres and cruelties, sent together with the said descriptions.

To his Highness My Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of Eng∣land, Scotland and Ireland.

ALthough his Highness the Lord Protector be well informed of whatsover comes to pass in most places of the world, yet we have thought he would not be sorry to see as in a contracted picture, the horrid crueltie, pra∣••••sed by the Duke of Savoy's men, upon the Faithfull in the Valleys of Piedmont; That it to say, upon such peo∣ple, that, if any in the world, did live in the greatest purity, and the greatest innocency; whose onely crime is, that nei∣ther they, nor their Fathers, nor their Auncestors, 500 years since, would ever pollnte themselves with the Roman Superstitions and Idolatries.

The whole Christendome have their eyes fixed on his Highness, and all good men hope that he will avenge, or rather God will avenge, by his hand, such a hellish, barba∣rousness. If we should have a less knowledge of his Zeal, and of his Heroicall courage, we would tell him what once Mordecai said to the Queen Esther. * 3.1 If thou holdest thy peace at this time, then shall their enlargement and de∣liverance arise from another place; But thou and thy Father's house shall be destroyed: And who knoweth whether thou art come to such a high dignity for such a time as this?

But as his Highness possesses lights, altogether extra∣ordinary, he will of himself consider that God hath given him a great power, to imploy it to his glory; and that he hath put a victorious sword in his hand, * 3.2 to be a revenger to execute wrath upon those that do evill. So that, as since the Creation of the World, nothing hath been seen so dreadfull, so nothing shall be punished in such an exem∣plary mander.

It is hoped that with him severall Protestant Princes

will imbrace so just a cause. But if there be any that be not sensibly moved by so deep and so sharp a wound, and that having power, yet be not willing to prosecute and pur∣sue those Murtherers, and those Incendiaries, that say∣ing will be applyed unto them of the Prophetess Deborah, Curse ye Meroz, * 3.3 curse ye bitterly the Inhabitants there∣of, because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord with the mighty.

In the mean while, your Highness will spread through the whole earth the sweet savour of his name, and as it hath been said, The sword of the Lord and of Gideon, so hereafter they will say, the sword of the Lord and of OLIVER. His praises will be celebrated to the world's end, and they will say that the Protector of Great Brittain, is become the Protector of all those that are persecuted for righteousness sake.

All those that do sincerely love God, and that are sick because of the bruise of Joseph, will heartily pray unto God, that he might be pleased to prolong the days of his High∣ness, to settle his Government, and to pour upon his poste∣rity his most holy and most precious blessings.

Let his Highness be assured that this draught hath been made by a faithfull hand, and let him have the good∣ness not to enquire who he is that sends it. It is not so much the voice of men, or the blood of the Martyrs, as the voice of God himself, who crys for vengeance for the injury done to his great name, and who commands him to work the deliverance of those that are Prisoners for the Lord Jesus, and to restore to their Native Country the poor banished men, who like the faithfull of old, are man∣dring in the wildernesses, in the Dens, in the Mountains and in the clefts of the earth: That they might sing as those that returned from the Babylonian Captivity, * 3.4 When the Lord turned again the Captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream: Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing, &c.

Notes

• * 3.1

  Esther c. 4. v. 14.
• * 3.2

  Rom. c. 13. v. 4.
• * 3.3

  Iudges c. 5 v. 23.
• * 3.4

  Psal. 126. v. 1.2.