FA 
 
 9 ^i/cowr/* THE 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 O F 
 
 The Perfecution 
 
 OF THE 
 
 VALLEYS 
 
 O F 
 
 PIEDMONT. 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 An Account of what hath patted 
 in the Diffipation of the Churches 
 and the Inhabitants of the Valleys, 
 which happened in the Year 1 6 8 6. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for Tbo. Newborough, at the Golden Sail in 
 S. Paul's Church-yard, m dc lxxx yiii. 
 
* \ 
 
 V 
 
 -J 
 
r x 1 !>-■£. 
 
 THE 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 • O F T H E 
 
 PERSECUTION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Valleys of PIEDMONT. 
 
 IT is not my defign at preterit to make a large and particular Rela- 
 tion of all that hath happened on account of this fad and lament- 
 able Diffipation, fince I hope to treat of it more amply hereafter. 
 Neverthelefs, I (hall obferve all that is neceflary to make it appear that 
 there never was a Perfecution more cruel nor more unjuft, than that 
 which hath been put in execution this laft time againft the Churches 
 and the Inhabitants of the Valleys of Piedmont > that their Religion hath 
 been the only caufe of this Perfecution, and that thofe who have efca- 
 ped from it do well deferve the companion and charity of all good 
 Chriftians. 
 
 The Churches of the Valleys of Piedmant, or of the IValdenfes^ as 
 they are commonly called, were the molt ancient of all thofe that de- 
 rive their Original from the Apoftles, whofe Dodrine they have always 
 followed and taught. They flood in no need of a Reformation, by 
 reafon that they never were partakers of thofe grofs Errors and Idola- 
 tries with which the Church cf Rome and Popery have infe&ed Chri- 
 stendom. The purity of their manners hath correfponded fo well with 
 their Do&rine, that their very Enemies have not ftuck to avouch, That 
 their moderation, and the exemplarinefs of their Lives, have contribu- 
 
 fi ted 
 
Z*} 
 
 ted much to the eftabliShment of their Religion. They have not been 
 content only not to enter into an idolatrous and fuperftitious Com- 
 munion, but they have always openly declared and protefkd againft 
 thofe Abufes and againSt the Papal Tyranny \ infomuch, that neither 
 Luther nor Calvin, nor any other of our Reformer?, have pleaded more 
 Strongly or more boldly in confutation of the Herefies of the Roman 
 Church ; asalfo the aforefaid great Men have given their approbation 
 (i'the Doctrine of the Churches of the Walienfis, as Orthodox and 
 Apoftolical. 
 
 It is not at all to be wonder'd at then, that thefe Churches have al- 
 ways been the object of the hatred and rage of the P&pifts i that Popes 
 have caufed Croifades to be publifhed, and engaged a pait of Europe 
 agiinft them > that divers famous Inquifitorshave at feveral times made 
 ufe of all that cruelty and fubtilty that rage and malice could invent for 
 the extermination of the IValdenfes ■> and that particularly the Council 
 de propaganda fide & extirpandis HtreticU hath left no ftone unturn'd to 
 effect their utter destruction : But we cannot fufficiently admire that 
 fpecial and peculiar Providence with which it hath pleafed Almighty 
 God always to protect the Churches and the Inhabitants of the Valleys 
 of Piedmont, fince notwithstanding fo many violent Persecutions, not- 
 withstanding the perfidious Treafons with which their Enemies have 
 always repaid their Fidelity, notwithstanding feven or eight and twenty 
 Wars, which their Religion hath drawn upon them, and notwithstand- 
 ing the Maffacres which have fo often as a torrent overflowed the Val- 
 leys with, the blood of the IValdenfes, this great God hath preferved 
 them by continual Miracles of his Providence. 
 
 All Historians, even they of the contrary party, are agreed, That 
 thefe Churches have continued in an immemorial poiTefTion of the ex- 
 el cife of their Religion, before they fell under the Dominion of the 
 Dukes or Counts of Savoy, which came not to pafs till the Year 1235, 
 when Thomas Count of Savoy made himfelf Matter of the City of Pig- 
 mrol and of the Valleys of Piedmont, under pretence that the Race of 
 the Prince? of Piedmont was extinct. It is alfo certain that the Wal- 
 denfij never Submitted to the Counts of Savoy (from whom his Royal 
 Highnefs is defcended) but on condition that they Should be main- 
 tained in their Privileges. In fine, it is upon this Foundation that the 
 faid Counts being become Princes of Piedmont, have defended and con- 
 firmed the Waldenfian Churches in theexercife of their Religion, and 
 in their other Rights and Privileges. They have granted unto them 
 upon this account j from time to time, feveral aiuhentick Conceffidns, 
 
 particu- 
 
m 
 
 particularly in the years 1561, 1602, and 1603 •, which being emcl- 
 ed and enroll'd in the Senate and in the Chamber of the Accompts 
 of Turin, in the year 1 620, on corifideration of a great fum of money 
 which the Waldenfes paid thereupon, as appears by the A& of Enroll- 
 ment, thefe Conctffions thus paffed in form of an irrevocable Tranf- 
 action and of a perpetual and inviolable Law, the execution whereof 
 was ordained by feveral folemn Decrees of the Dukes of Savoy in the 
 years 1638, 1649, 1654, and 1655. 
 
 The Council de propaganda fide, which is obliged by its Eftablifti- 
 ment, by its Title, and by its Oath, to procure the ruine of thofe 
 whom it brandfwith the Name of Hereticks, obferving with great re- 
 gret the peaceable and quiet State which the Waldenfes enjoyed under 
 the protection of thefe Laws, put every thing in execution that might 
 tend to the difturbancc thereof. To this end it was that this Council 
 which was then compofed partly of the Principal Minifters of State of" 
 the Court of Turin, taking advantage of the minority of Charles Ema- 
 nuel, Duke of Savoy, caufed to be published in the raoath of Janua- 
 ry x ^55> an Order which obliged all the Inhabitants of the Valleys to 
 quit the Plain within three days, and to retire into the Mountains, 
 upon pain of death, in cafe they did not make proof that they were 
 turned Catholicks. The Waldenfes obey'd this Order, as unjuft and 
 cruel as it was. But this their obedience that took away all pretence 
 from their Enemies, could not feenre them from that horrible Maf- 
 facre in the year 1655, of which all Europe hath been informed and 
 aftonifhed at, and of which Pofterity will fpeak as of an Action the 
 moft inhumane, the moft perfidious, and the moft infamous that ever 
 was committed in the World. This Maffacre feem'd in all appearance 
 irrecoverably to have deftroyed the Waldenfes > but there were many, 
 who having efcaped the fury of thefe Butchers, refolved to defend their 
 Lives to the laft gafp. They executed this their Refolution with that 
 brave force and undaunted Courage, that they had defeated in feve- 
 ral Rencounters a confiderable party of their Enemies, when all the 
 Proteftant Princes and Eftates intereiTed themfelves in behalf of the Wal- 
 denfes. Thefe generous Prote&ors having been informed of this dread- 
 ful Maffacre, were not content only to open to them the bowels of their 
 Charity and Benevolence, but they continually follicited the Duke of 
 Savoy by their Interceffions. The reform'd Cantons of Stutzerland 
 among the reft, fent on this account four Ambaffadois to the Court 
 ci Turin. Thefe AmbalTadors joining themfelves to that of France, 
 who had already made hirofelf Mediator or Arbitrator in this Affair, 
 
 B 2 in 
 
C4] 
 
 in the name of his Mailer, laboured together to procure a Peace, and 
 obtained for the Churches and Inhabitants of the Valleys, a Confir- 
 mation of their Privileges definitively and irrevocably, by a folemn Pa- 
 tent which the Duke of Savoy give, the pth oiAugufh 1655, enrolled in 
 due form in the Senate, and in the Chamber of Accomptsof Turin. 
 
 One would think that after a Patent of this nature, that carries 
 the title and character of a perpetual and inviolable Law, granted in 
 the prefence and at the mediation of the AmbafTadors of France and 
 Switzerland, and of which the King of France was declared Garantee* 
 as (hall be made appear hereafter i one would think.I fay, that the 
 Waldenfes might have enjoyed the fruits ofa Peace whnFh they had pur- 
 chafed with the blood of more than fix thoufand of their Brethren s 
 but all this was not capable to cover them from the Infults of their 
 Enemies. The Council of Propagation violated this Patent in its moti 
 effential points, and peifecuted the Waldenfes by divers unjult and 
 violent means. But fince they oppos'd their Persecutions only with 
 complaints, their Enemies took their patience for floth > and believing 
 that they could opprefs them without refinance, they employed again 
 once more Fire and Sword, and renewed in 1663. the mifchiefs and 
 the violences that they had caufed in 1655. The Waldenfes knowing 
 by experience that to Hand in their own defence was the only way to 
 lave themfelves, were conftrained to take up Arms \ and defended 
 themfelves fo well, that they had re-eftabli(hed their Aflfairs about 
 the end of the year 1663. It was at this time that the reformed Can- 
 tons fent again AmbafTadors to the Court of Turin , to render them- 
 felves Mediators of the Peace: thefe AmbafTadors being joined as the 
 former to that of France who refided with the Duke of Savoy, they 
 procured again for the IFaldenfes a folemn, perpetual, and irrevoca- 
 ble Patent in the month of February i66<±, confirming the precedent, 
 and enrolled likewife in the Senate , and in the Chamber of Ac- 
 compts. 
 
 But this Patent was not executed with better faith than the former, 
 though the Duke had engaged with the Reformed Cantons in a Letter 
 bearing date the 28th of February 1^64, to caufe ft to be punctually 
 obferved. It would not be eafie to reprefent the Artifices which the 
 Council of the Propagation made ufe of to render this Patent ufclcfs 
 to the IValdenfes'. It may fuffice to fay, that it were impoilible for 
 them -to defend themfelves againft fo much fubtilty, and fo much ma- 
 lice, if God, who holds the hearts of Kings and Princes in his hands, 
 had not changed in thcii favour that of Chirks Emanuel Duke or 
 
 Savm. 
 
[ J 1 
 
 Savoy. This Prince on the other fide, examined the conduct of the 
 ffaldenfes » knew that it was without reafon, that they had rendered 
 them odious to him, and calling to mind the Zeal which they had 
 fhewn for his fervice on fcveral occalions, particularly in the years. 
 1*38. and 1640. when they fo vigoroufly oppofed his Enemies, 
 whiift the greaceft part of his Eftates had revolted agair.ft him, he 
 refolved for the future to treat them as Subjects, who well defer- 
 ved his love and protection. 
 
 The War which he had with the dnoefes in the year 1672. mightr 
 ly confirmed him in the favourable opinion he had conceived ot the 
 Waldenfcs. Theytfeived him in this War with fo much Z al and Cou- 
 rage, that this Prince not fatisrud witch commending their VUor and 
 Fidelity in a Letter which he wrote to them for this purpofe, gave 
 them continually allured marks of his protection and good will towards 
 them ever to his Death. TheDuchefs, his Widow, after his exam- 
 ple, treated them not only with abundance of gcntlencfs and goodnefs, 
 but likewife engaged with the Reformed Cantons in a Letter dated the 
 28th. of January 1679* to maintain the Waldenfej in the exercife of 
 their Religion, and in their other Privileges. 
 
 I have touched but lightly on thefe matters, left I mould go beyond* 
 the due limits I have (et my felf, but I thought it not convenient to 
 fupprefs them. For befides that, they ferve for to fh:w that the 
 Rights and Privileges of the JValdenfes were e(habli(hed on immovable 
 foundations, and to Ihew that their Enemies have alwaies violated the 
 moll folemn and the molt authentick Engagements, and have exer- 
 cifed nothing but Cruelty, Injuftice, and Peindioufnefs towards them » 
 they fcrve alfo to juftihe the conduct which the Waldenfcs have at 
 laft taken, which is properly the fubject of this Relation. 
 
 The IFaldenfes flattered themfelves, that under the Government of 
 the. Duke of Savoy that now reigns, they might enjoy fome Tranquil- 
 lity. They had rendered him very confiderable Services in the year 
 1684. in the War of the Banditi of Mondevi. This Prince hath given 
 them authentick affurances of his fatisfadtion and good will, in a 
 Letter that he caufed to be written to thtm on this occalion, and the 
 beginning oi his Reign feemed to promife for the future, that in 
 rendering unto Cdfar that which is Ce/ir's, they mould have the li- 
 berty to render to God that which is God's. They were difappointed 
 of that hope, when the Governour of the Valleys of Piedmont caufed' 
 to be publiftied, about the end of the year 1685. an Order which 
 loibad all Foieiners to go and inhabit thefe Valleys, and to remai.-v 
 
 there 
 
[ 6] 
 
 there above three daics without his pcrmifTion, and the Inhabitants 
 to lodge or entertain them, under feverc Penalties. The Waldtnjcs 
 had already heard of" the Violencies which were ufed in France, to 
 compel people to change their Religion : They had alfo heard that the 
 King of France had made void the Edidts of Nantes, and they 
 judged well that the prohibition that was given them not to further 
 the retreat of their Brethren, might be of dangerous confequence to 
 them. Eut they forefaw not the mifchiefs that happened to them, 
 whether it were by reafon that men naturally love to flatter themfelves, 
 or becaufe their Enemies took all the care they poflibly could to deceive 
 them, and to drive from them all thoughts that fcar might infpire 
 them withal, to the end that they might take no precaution. 
 
 They were in this condition when the Order of his Royal High- 
 nefs, dated the 31ft. of January 1686. was publifhed in the Valleys, 
 which prohibits the exercife of their Religion in general, upon pain 
 ofDiath, the confifcation of their Goods, condemneth all the Churches 
 to be demoiifhed, and all the Minifters to banifliment, ordaineth that 
 the Children that (hall be born, (hall be baptized and educated in the 
 Romifh Religion, under penalty that their Fathers (hall be fent to the 
 Galleys, ar.d contains almoft the fame things with the Declaration of 
 the King of France, that annuls the Edi& of Nantes. It is impoflible 
 to exprefs the fears and grief with which the Waldenfes were feized 
 at the fight of an Order fo furprizing, fo unjuit and fo rigorous, as 
 alfo fo much more terrible than the preceding, that had produced 
 fuch tragical effects. For the former tended only to lock them up 
 within (freighter bounds, and to take from them the right of inhabit- 
 ing the Plain which they had enjoyed time out of mind : But the 
 Order of the 3 1 it. of January, deprives them intirely of the exercife 
 of their Religion, and of the Liberty of Confcience. They faw them- 
 felves at one liroak precipitated into a dreadful abyfs of misfortunes 
 without perceiving any means of recovery, and they found them- 
 felves cxpofed either to fee the light of the Gofpel extinguifhed in 
 the V.^leys, that had fncne fo bright there for fo many Ages, or to 
 fee thofe cruel MaiTacres renewed, that had facrificed fo many of their 
 Brethren : Neverthelcfs, fince they were perfwaded that this Order was 
 got by furprize, add that their Enemies had knpofed on the equity of 
 their Prince, they had rccourle to complaints and Amplications, ac- 
 cording to their ufual cufiom, and prefented four Petitions to the 
 Duke of Savoy, to implore the revocation of this Order. But fince 
 they could obtain nothing but fome adjournment to prepare them- 
 felves 
 
[7] 
 fclves for its execution, they faw that their misfortune was without 
 remedy > they were yet more certain of it when they underftocd th3t 
 the Ring of France, who for reafons of State and Polity had hitherto 
 protected them, and who was alfo declared Garantee of the Patents 
 aforefaid, had not only obliged the Duke to put forth this Order, but 
 further, that his Majefty had caufed his Troops to advance into Pud' 
 mont for the execution or it. Then it was that the IValderfcs i<.eing 
 themfelves infulted over by the Papiirs of their neighbourhood, took 
 fome Precautions to defend themfelves, and to prefttve their Lives 
 from the danger that threatned them. 
 
 I; the mean time the Reformed Cantons having been informed of 
 thii order, and of themeafures that they had taken for the execution 
 of it, thought that they ought not to abandon a People perfecuted 
 for their Religion, and that they ought to appear on this occafion as 
 they had before appeared on others of the like nature. They were 
 lefolved then, in an AlTembly held at Baden, in the month of February 
 1 6 8(5, to fend again ArobalTadors to the Duke of Savoy to intercede 
 for the IValdenfes. Thefe AmbalTadors arrived at "Turin in the begin- 
 ning of March, and made their Propofitionstending to the revocation 
 of the Order of thejith of January. They made it appear that the 
 Reformed Cantons were interdTed in this Affair, not only as Brethren 
 of the Waldenfts in the Communion of one and the fame Faith, 
 but alfo by reafon that the Patents of 1^55 and 1 66%. which that Or- 
 der deftroyed, were the fruits of their Mediation, and they back'd their 
 demands with many cogent and folid Confederations. The Court of 
 Turin difputed not thefe Reafons, and contented it (elf to caufe it to 
 be told the AmbalTadors, That the Engagements wherein the Duke 
 of Savoy had entred with the King of France, oppofed the Succefsof 
 their Negotiation. This obliged the AmbalTadors to reprefent in a 
 Memorial which they gave for that purpofe, that the PrcdecelTors of 
 his Royal Highnefs having engaged their royal word to feveral Sove- 
 reigns, and particularly fo the Reformed Cantons, for the execation 
 of the Patents granted to the Waldenfts, he could not renounce En- 
 gagements fo formal and fo authentick, whether becaufe thefe Patents 
 are not fimple Tolerations, but perpetual Conceffions, and inviolable 
 Laws, or becaufe thefe Patents were granted at the interceflion of feve- 
 ral Sovereigns, and according to the Law of Nations they are evcr- 
 lafting Monuments of the publick Faith •, or laftly, becaufe the words 
 of Sovereigns ought to be facred and inviolable. They alledged alfo 
 many reafons of Polity that ought to oblige the Duke of Savoy to 
 
 main- 
 
en 
 
 maintain the Waldenfes in their Privileges ', and the rules of Juflice 
 and Clemency did rot permit him to carry Fire and Sword, Blood 
 and Slaughter into his own Dominions, nor to deftroy a People that 
 implored his grace and mercy, and who had done nothing to draw 
 upon themfelves this fevere Order which was the caufe or their de- 
 fpair. But neither the Reafons of the AmbalTadors, nor their preffing 
 Sollicitations, nor the Letters of Inteictffion that many Protectant 
 Princes wrote befides on behalfof the Waldenfes, produced any erTe6c, 
 but ferved only to confirm the AmbalTadors in the aflurance of the En- 
 gagements wherein the Duke of Savoy had entred with the King of 
 France, for the extirpation of the Religion in the Valleys. 
 
 The IValdcnfts in the mean time were ignorant of that which palTed 
 at Turin : they had not heard of the departure of the AmbalTadors, for 
 they had taken and (topt two men on their PalTage who went to carry 
 the News into the Valleys. It is true that they had heard at length by 
 a common report, That thefe AmbalTadors were at Twin to demand a 
 Revocation of the Order of the 3 ith of January \ but they knew no- 
 thing certain of the fuccefs of their Negotiation. They could net go 
 fo much as to inform thcmlelvesi for belldes that none of them durft 
 go to Turin tince the adjournment that was granted them from the 
 execution of the Order was expired, the Court had moreover refu- 
 ted a fafe conduct that the AmbalTadors had demanded of them, that 
 the Deputies of the Valleys might come and defend their Rights, as 
 hath been pra&ifed in the preceding Negotiations : but however 
 things went, in expecting the event of this, the lValdenfes had forti- 
 fied themfelves in their own Country with cerrain Entrenchments, and 
 ltood upon their guard to hinder the entry of the Troops, the moft 
 part of which were already encamped at the foot of the Valleys. 
 
 The Duke of Savoy returned an Anfwer to the propofition of the 
 AmbalTadors by the Maiquefs of St. ThomM, one of his Minifters of 
 State, who hath the management of foreign Affairs, and who fwore 
 to them that the Duke could not revoke his Order, by reafon he was 
 not the Mailer of it. He protefted to them alfo, on the part of his 
 Royal Highnefr, that provided the Order were executed, he would not 
 rcfufe to enter into fome Expedients. He gave them alfo to under- 
 hand, that upon their account he would not refufe to give the WaU 
 denies permiffion to depart out of his Dominions,and to difpofe of their 
 Goods. The AmbalTadors were perfuaded, that the lValdenfes, ha- 
 ving nciiher a Commander nor regular Troops, could not luftain a 
 War againft the King ol Frame, and the Duke of Savoy, who were uni- 
 ted 
 
[?] 
 
 ted for their Deftru&ion. They thought therefore, that to avoid the 
 ftorm with which the People were threatned, the belt way would 
 be to procure a Retreat for them, with thcdiipofition of their Goods. 
 Butbecaufe before they entred into this Negotiation, it was mcciTa- 
 ry for them to confult the Opinion of the Valleys, the Ambaffadors 
 took meafures with the Court of Turin to make a Journey thither v 
 and the Duke of Savoy alfo gave them a Letter to this erTedt for the 
 Governor of the Valleys. The Ambaffadors airived there the 22th 
 c( March, and caufed the Communities to be afflmbltd by their De- 
 puties the next day, to whom they declared what they had done. 
 They told them, that the condition of the JValdenfesbtm^ fuch, that 
 they weredeftituteof all hopes of relief, they had no more to do but 
 toconfidcrofa Retreat* in cafe' they could obtain it with leave to fell 
 their Goods \ and that if they would embrace this Proportion, they 
 would relate this their difpofition to it as coming from them. The De- 
 puties of the Commons being much furprized to underftand, that they 
 might not expect any fuccor in an occafion wherein thty thought that 
 all the Reformed part of Europe ought to be concerned, told the Am- 
 baffadors that they were perfuaded that they could not do better than 
 to follow their advice, but that to take deliberation in an Affair of fo 
 great importance, it was neeiffary to call a General Affcmbly. 
 
 The Orders being given for this, the Ambaffadors returned to Turin, 
 they informed the Marquefs of St. Thomas of the Succefs of their Jour- 
 ney, who alTured them that this Negotiation was very agreeable to 
 the Court. They demanded, at length, a fafe Conduct, that fome of 
 the Inhabitants of the Valleys might have liberty to come, and bring 
 the Deliberations that fliould be taken in this AlTembly : but it was re- 
 fufed upon thefe two Pretences i one was, That the Duke of Savoy 
 would not permit that any IFaldenfes (hould appear at the Court i the 
 other was, That he defigned to do nothing in this Affair but only for 
 the fake of the Ambaffadors. They were forced then to fend the Se- 
 cretary of the Embaffy into the Valleys to fetch thefe Deliberation?. 
 This Secretary found the Communities affetnbled at Angrognt the' 28m 
 of March, very much unrefolved what courfe to take i for on one fide 
 they faw the lamentable confequences of War, on the other tide the 
 dangers, and the almoft unfurmountable difficulties in the execution 
 of their Retreat > belldes, although they might depart without danger, 
 they could not behold, but with extreme icgret, the hard nectffiiy of 
 being forced to abandon their Goods and their Native Country to gp 
 into a foreign Land to lead a miferabk, difwonfolate, and a vagabond 
 
 C fort 
 
[ 10] 
 
 fort of a life. At laft they took a Refolution to fend a Memorial to 
 the AmbafTador*, concerning the dangers and difficulties that obftru- 
 &ed their Departure, and to write a Letter to them figned by nine 
 Miniilers and eight Lay men, in which, after having entreated them 
 to reflect on thefe Obttacles, they fhould declare, That they would 
 refer the whole to their Prudence and Condudt. Upon this Letter 
 the Ambafladors made it their bufinefs to obtain a pcrmiflion for the 
 Waldettjes to retire out of the Eftatesof Piedmont, and to make fale of 
 their Goods \ but the Duke of Savoy t to whom this Propofition was 
 referred, gave it out, That before he would return any Anfwer there- 
 to, he expected that the Communities of the Valleys mould fend De- 
 puties to him, with full power to make thofe Submiflions that were 
 due to him, and to beg leave to depart out of his Territories, as a pe- 
 culiar favour that they (hould implore of their Prince. The Ambaf- 
 fadors had reafon to be furprized at thefe Preambles. They had de- 
 nied them the fafe Conduces that they had demanded for the com- 
 ing of the Deputies of the Valleys to imin. They had allured them 
 (everal times, that if they (hould grant to the Waldenfts leave to retreat, 
 it was only upon the account, and at the interceffion of the Ambaffa- 
 dors: neverthelefs, they would by no means have it faid that the Am- 
 bafladors dtfired a permiffion for them to depart, on their own be- 
 half > but on the contrary, that it was the Waldenfts themfelves that 
 made this Requeft. This alteration was not made without caufe, and 
 it was not for nothing that they took meafures altogether different 
 from their former. The Council of the Propagation who managed this 
 Affair,, had without doubt refpe& to thefe two feveral regards > one 
 was, That they would not have the Ambaffadors named in the per- 
 miffion of departure, to the end that they (hould have the lefs right to 
 demand the execution of thofe things that (hould be promifed to the 
 Waldenfts » the other, That the Waldenfts themfelves defiring this Per- 
 miflion as a favour, they might be at liberty to impofe on them what 
 conditions they pleafed i and laftly, That the Waldenfts making thofe 
 Submiflions that the Duke required of them, muft needs be in the 
 ftate of Supplicants, and would by confequeace be forced to lay down 
 their Arms s otherwife they could not be in the condition of Petiti- 
 oners. But howevet it were, the Ambaffadors being willing to take 
 away all pretences from the Enemies of the Waldeufes, took a fafe Con- 
 duct to bring the Deputies whom they had demanded : they fent this 
 fafe Conduct into the Valleys by the Secretary of the EmbalTy, who 
 caufed the Communities to be aflembled to nominate their Deputies. 
 
 But 
 
C V ] 
 
 But as on the one hand, there were many who were never engaged in the 
 defign of departing i and that on the other, the new Marches of their 
 Enemies appeared fufpicious, the Communities were not all of one 
 mind, nor the Orders they gave to their refpc&ive Deputies confor- 
 mable one with another. For the tenor of fome, was to beg leave to de- 
 part and to fell their Goods > and others required the maintenance of 
 the exercife of their Religion and their other Rights. Thefe Deputies 
 being arrived at Turin* the AmbaiTadors thought it not convenient for 
 them to appear at Court thus divided > but fent them back into the 
 Valleys to endeavour a Union between themfelves, and labout'd in the 
 mean time to obtain a Truce for them. 
 
 Their Enemies heard with a great deal of fatisfa&ion, that the 
 Communities were divided amongft themfelves upon the point of de- 
 parting; they were fo well perfuaded that this diviiion would be an 
 infallible means to deftroy them, that they caufed it to be carried on 
 and fomented ever iince, in thofe parts, by perfidious perfons whom 
 they had gained for that purpofe. It is alfo to be prefumed, that thiy 
 never had propofed the expedient of departing, but With a piofped: 
 that it might be the occafion of the difunion of the Waldettfet* To make 
 advantage then of the variable difpofitions of the Communities, their 
 Enemies changed their minds once more. They had lately declared, 
 That they expe&ed, in the firft place, that the Waldtnfes (hould them- 
 felves defire a permiflion to depart, and (hould make their Submiilions 
 thereupon. The tfaldettfej had not made this Requeii nor thefe Submif- 
 ilons: fcveralof the Communities were not of the opinion to retire : 
 the AmbaiTadors did not follicit any longer a permiflion to depart, but 
 a Truce, as appears by a Letter that they wrote to the Marquefs of S.7ba- 
 mas, the 8th of April* i6%6. In the mean time, notwithstanding all 
 this, to accomplifti abiolutely the diviiion of the Waldenfes, and con- 
 fequently to ruine them with the greater eafe, they publifhed forthwith, 
 and unknown to the AmbaiTadors, an Edid dated the pth of the fame 
 Month of April, granting to the Waldmfu an Amnefty, and a permlf- 
 fion to retire out of the Eftates of Piedmont. For the better judging 
 of the defign of the Council of the Propagation^ I have inferted a Copy 
 of this Edift, tranflated from tht-Italian. 
 
 DTvine Providence, in eftabliflung Sovereigns above the People, hath 
 granted unto the firft the diftribution of Rewards and Punifti- 
 ments, to the end that the hopes of the one may invite the good, and 
 that the fear of the other may reftrain the wicked. The laft of thefe 
 
 C 2 ought 
 
ouftht to fall from our revenging hand on our Subjects of the Valleys 
 of Lucerne, who make profeffion of the Protectant Religion, finee it is 
 notorious, that they have not only oppofed, with great obftinacy, our 
 Order of the 3 1 ft of January laft,but they have alfo hardened themfelves 
 in their crime, and have fallen into the exceiTes of an enormous and 
 confummated Rebellion : nevertheless, our natural Clemency furpailing 
 their Crimes, and not fufTering us to be content with that paternal for- 
 bearance, with which we have fo long time in vain waited for their Re- 
 pentance ■■> it is our good pleafure again to leave it to their will, that 
 hath hitherto followed evil counfel, the choice of a happy or a mife- 
 rable condition, and to open to them this laft time the gate of our 
 Grace, to the end that they may make their beft advantage thereof in 
 manner following, which if they do not accept by a ready obedience, 
 they cannot but impute to their rafhnefs the chaltifements which they 
 (hall deferve,and which they (hall receive from our exafperated patience. 
 Wherefore, in the firft place, for the confirmation of our Order of the 
 31ft of January laft, in regard that it (hall not be contrary to this, we 
 have by vertue of thefe Prefents, of our certain knowledge, full power 
 and abfolute authority, by the Advice of our Council, ordained, That 
 all our Subjects of the Valleys of Lucerne making profeffion of the Pro- 
 teftant and Reformed Religion, (hall lay down their Arm?, and retire 
 into their Houfes within the time herein afterwards prefcribed. 
 
 We command them alfo to make no Aflbciations nor AiTcmblies in any 
 manner whatfoever, to the end that following our direction, the Judges 
 of thofe places may have free accefc, and that the Fathers Mifiionaries, 
 and other religious Orders, may return into the Churches from whence 
 they have been forced to depart, and that the Catholicks, and ihofe 
 that have turn'd Catholicks, may poiTcfs the houfes tha't they have 
 abandoned. 
 
 And forafmuch as it is not reafonable that the Religious Mifiionaries, 
 Catholicks and made Catholicks, fliould (offer by fo many damages 
 that they haVe received from the Proteftant Pueligion j we will, require, 
 and ordain, that the necefiary fums to indemnirie them, (hall be levied 
 without diltin&ion, and generally upon the Goods of the faid Profcffors 
 of the Proteftant Religion,fo far as (Ball be juftiried and fummarily made 
 appear before the Chevalier Monroux, Intcndant of juftice in the Valleys > 
 declaring neverthelefs, that in proving by the faid Religious that the 
 damages they fuftained were caufed by private Perfons, they (hall have 
 their Redrefs and Satisfaction from the laid private perfons. 
 
 And to demonftrate to our faid Subjects how great our Clemency is 
 towards them, we give peimiifion to thofe that (hall think fit to go out 
 
 of 
 
[ I*.] 
 
 of our Eftatcs, to do it within the term and upon the conditions here- 
 after prcfcribed. 
 
 But by reafon that their ill difpoin ion is but too manifeft by their pafk 
 carriage and conduct, and that leveral may cloak their wicked defigns, 
 under a falfe pretence of obedience, we do rtferve, btJides thofe that 
 (hall go out of our Eliates of their own accord, to order fuch others 
 as we (ball think tit, and as we (hall rind it mod expedient to afcertain 
 the repofe of thofe who (ball remain, unto whom we (hall prefcribe fuch 
 rules as they (hall obferve for the future. 
 
 And for an augmentation of cur Favours, we grant as well to 
 thofe who (hall retire voluntarily, as to thofe who (hall depart by 
 our orders, power to carry away with them what moveables and 
 Effe&s they pleafe, and to fell their Goods and Effects that they (ball 
 leave behind j neverthelefs after the manner hereafter prefcribed. 
 
 The fame (hall be underftood of Foreigners and thofe defcendtd 
 from Foreigners, who (hall conform themfclves to the lad Article 
 but one of the Older of the 31ft of Januiry above-mentioned. 
 
 The abovelaid fale of Goods (hall be made to Catholicks and thofe 
 that are converted Catholicks: But btciufe it may happen that there 
 may not be found Buyers enough within the term hereafter men- 
 tioned, and fince we are not willing that the Religious, who lhall 
 go out of our Eftates, (hould be deprived of the benefit of our pre- 
 ient conceffion, it (hall be lawful for them to agree with four or fix 
 perfons to whom they (hall give their Commillions, and who {hall 
 remain, by our permiflion, in Lucerne, with all freedom, during three 
 months, to treat and negotiate with any, and to fell the Goods of 
 thofe that are retired, to whom it (hall be permitted to prefcribe in 
 their Commiffions the precautions with which they would have their 
 Goods fold for their greater fecurity, and to receive the price of 
 them where they have a mind to have it fent them, without fraud 
 or malverfation of the appointed Commilfioners, over whom the 
 Chevalier and Intendant Mom^x (hall have the charge to infpeft. 
 
 They who have a mind to retire, (hall be obliged to appear re- 
 fpedively on the days and places hereafter fpeciried, to be ready to 
 depart without Fire-arms by the way that (hall be marked out for 
 them, either by Savoy, or by the Valley of Aojh: To this efk& a 
 Pafport and a free fafe Conduct (hall be given them on our pirt, to 
 the end that they may not receive any evil, treatment or hindrance 
 in our Ettates, but on the contrary, that they may receive all aid 
 and affiftance > and becaufe, that being in great numbers, they may 
 
 be 
 
[ 14 ] 
 
 be expofed to fbme inconveniencies in the roads and in the places 
 through which they mult pafs, being overloaded, they mall be form- 
 ed into three Brigade?, after this manner. The rirlt that (hall be 
 compofed of thofe of the Valley of Lucerne, (hall rendezvous at the 
 Tower, to depart immediately the day atter the term hereafter ap- 
 pointed, viz. the 21 ft. of the month of April. The fecond Bri- 
 gade compofed of th; fe of the Valley of Angrogne, S. Bartholomew, 
 Rocbeplate, and Pruruftin, (hall rendezvous at S. Second, and (hall de- 
 part the day following, viz. the 2 2d. of this month. And the third 
 and hit Brigade formed of thofe of the Valley of S. Martin, and 
 about Permfe, (hall rendezvous at Miradol, and (hall depart the third day, 
 viz. the 23d. of this month. 
 
 The term limited wherein our faid Subjects of the Proteftant Re- 
 ligion inhabiting the Valleys of Lucerne, (hall be obliged to lay down 
 their Arms, after the manner exprelTed in the firft Article of this pre- 
 fent Order, is eight days after that it (hall be publi(hed in the place 
 of Lucerne, during which they mud obey the Contents of the fame 
 Order, to enjoy the fruits of our Clemency, the motions of which 
 we follow as well as thofe of a paternal atfe&ion, with which we 
 regard our laid Subjects, notwithftanding the heinouinefs and enor- 
 mity of their Crimes. And provided all that is above faid, be pun- 
 dually obferved, we grant our grace, pardon, remiffion, abolition, 
 and an ample obJivion to our faid Subje&s, of all the excelTes, default?, 
 crimes, and other things that they may have committed fince the pub* 
 lication of our Order of the 31ft. of January laft, as well in gene- 
 ral as in particular, infomuch that they may never be called to an 
 account under any pretence whatfoever, prohibiting all Judges, Fif- 
 cals, and others to whom it may appertain to make any enquiry there- 
 into. Butbecaufe if they (hould render themfelves unworthy of fuch 
 grace, in not obferving every point as is above faid, within the time 
 prefcribed, it would be of too pernicious a confequence to delay any 
 longer the chaftifement that they have deferved, after we have been 
 fo prodigal of our favours to them, and have waited fo long time for 
 their repentance, we will put in execution thofe means that God hath 
 put into our hands to reduce the obftinate to their duty, and caufe 
 them to undergo the puniftiment of their unheard of ra(hnef?i 
 
 We deliver it to our Senate, &c. Given at Turin the £th; 
 of April i6%6. Enrolled the 10th. 
 
 This 
 
C i5 ] 
 
 This Edid was publifhed in the Valleys the nth. of April, the 
 fame day the Ambafladors wrote a Letter to the fame effcd to fome 
 of the Communities to know their refolution. In the mean time they 
 gave a very prefling Memorial to the Marquefs of S. Ibom&s, to have 
 fome aiTurance that the Troops mould not enter into the Valleys, and 
 to obtain for the Waldeufes certain Conditions more favourable than 
 thofe of the Edid : But the Court of Turin certified them that there 
 was nothing to be expected for the fValdtnfes, till they had laid down 
 their Arms, of which the Ambaffadors gave advice to the Deputies 
 of the Valleys who had been at Turin, by a Letter dated the 13th. 
 that they wrore to them on that fubjed. The t 4th. the Communities 
 held a general aflembly at Roebeptate, wherein after having examin- 
 ed the terms and conditions of the Edidt, they were of opinion, that 
 their Enemies thought of nothing lefs than in reality to permit their de- 
 parture, which they feemed to grant to them, and that this Edid was 
 nothing but a fnare that they had laid to entangle them, and to deftroy 
 them with more eafe : They refolved then not to accept of it, but to 
 follow the example of their Anceftors, and to refer the event of it to 
 Providence. Infomuch that this Edid which was defigned altogether 
 to divide them, wrought a quite contrary effed, and ferved to unite 
 them all in the fame judgment. 
 
 The principal reafons that hindered them from accepting this Edid, 
 were, Firft, That fince it ordains the entire execution of the Order of 
 the 31ft. of January, that condemns all the Churches to be demolished, 
 they muftof neceffity demolifh all the Churches within eight days, be- 
 caufe the Edid declareth exprefly, that if all that is contained in it be 
 not executed within the fpace of eight days, they are deprived of and 
 forfeit thofe favours that aregranted in it. It muft follow then, that for 
 the execution of the Edid, either that the IValdenfa themfelves ihould 
 demoliQi their Churches, or that their Enemies mould doit. The Wal- 
 denfes could not refolve to demolKh them themfelves, they would have 
 fent then Troops, that under the pretence of this demolifhing, would 
 have infallibly opprelTed the Waldrnfts* Secondly, If they deiigned to 
 permit them to retire without dilmrbance, why did they not defer the 
 execution of the Order of the 3 1 it. of January, till after their depar- 
 ture ? Why mould they oblige them to demolilh their Churches within 
 the eight days that were given them,to prepare themfelves to abandon for 
 ever their native Country, were it not to render their retreat impoflible > 
 Thirdly, This Edid requires further, that they mould lay down their 
 Arms, and that they (hould open their Country to Monks, MilTi onaries, 
 
 and 
 
C '6-] 
 
 and Catholicks. Now if is plain, that if they had thrown away their 
 Arms, and opened their Countiy before their departure, they would 
 have been expofed to the mercy of their Enemies, and to the fury of 
 Troops who would not have failed to enter into their Country, to op- 
 pofe the retreat of the Waldenfes, and to torment them till fuch time as 
 they had changed their Religion, as hath been pra&ifed elfewhere : But 
 their fear was fo much the more juitiriable on this occafion, in regard 
 that they gave them no aflurance that their Troops fhould not enter 
 into the Valleys. Fourthly, The Waldenfes are alio obliged to retire 
 in three feparate Brigades, and to rendezvouz in thofe places, where 
 the Troops being encamped, they mull confequently furrendcr them- 
 fclves to the difcretion of the Soldiers, and deliver themfelves up to be 
 butchered. Fifthly, Thepermiilion that the fame Ed id gives to the 
 Waldenfes to fell their Good ; , was altogether uftlcfs to them. For be- 
 iides that the fale could not be made till after their departure, to Catho- 
 lic^, and by the management of Commillioners, they were bound out 
 of the price of the fame Goods, to indemnihe the Monk?, the Miffio- 
 naries, the ancient, the modern, and the future Catholicks, from thofe 
 damages and interefts which they mould pretend, which they would 
 have enhanced above the value of their Goods. Sixthly, The Edidfc alfo 
 ordereth, thatbefides thofe that (hall go out of the Valleys of their own 
 accord, the Prince fli <uld referve to himfelf a power to banifh whom 
 he fhall think fit, for the fecuring the repofe of thofe that remain, which 
 fuppofes not only that the conditions of the Edicft were fo difad vanta- 
 geous, that there would be many Waldenfes ,who would not accept them, 
 nor depart out of thtir Station i but alfo that their departure ought not 
 to be looked upon as -a Favour, but as a Puniflimentthat they intended 
 to infli&on feveral Waldenfes, fince they referved to themfclvesa power 
 to banifh thofe who mould have a mind to ftay. Seventhly, The Am- 
 balTadors were not named in the Edi#, and the Waldenfes had no 
 fecurity for the execution of thofe things that are therein contained. 
 They had good reafon then very much to miltruft thefe proceedings, 
 fince the many fad experiences that they had made on feveral occasions, 
 how ill their Enemies kept their word, efpecialiy in this juncture, when 
 they lud broke the moil inviolable Laws, were but too juft a ground for 
 their fufpicions. Laftly, Since the Duke of Savoy had declared that he 
 was not the Matter of this affair, becaufe of the engagements that he 
 had taken with the King of France, it was not to be prefumed that his 
 Majeft y, on whom this matter depended, would take any other mea- 
 fures, in rtfpeft of the Waldenfes^ than thofe he had taken with regard 
 
 to 
 
[ »7 ] 
 to his own Subjects. The Waldenfes had alfo feveral other reafons 
 grounded on the impoflibility of their departure in fo (hort a time, and 
 upon other obftacles. « 
 
 The Communities fent their refolution to the AmbaiTadors, whoufed 
 all the diligence imaginable, to procure for the Waldenfes Conditions 
 more certain and more advantageous than thofe that arc contained in 
 the Edi&v but neither their reafons nor their follicitations produced 
 any erTedr. They were always told, that as long as the JValdenfet 
 were in Arms, they could not agree to any thing, nor fo much as 
 promife any thing pofitively. As alfo the jyaldcnfes being perfwaded 
 that they would rot difarm them, but to d.llroy them without trouble 
 and without reliihnce, would by no means yield to it, and pertilicd in 
 their refolution to defend themfelves, if they came to attack them. 
 
 There happened a thing that ferved much to confirm them in this re- 
 folution. Two or three days after the publication of theEdid, feveral 
 perfons, namely, Tbolozan, Gaurier^ Gaujnre, Cbabrifi, and ten or 
 twelve other inhabitants of the Valleys, went to the Intcndant, to de- 
 clare to him, that they and the ; r Families intended to go out of the E- 
 ihtes of Piedmont, conformably to the Edi&, and to dclire of him f*fe 
 Conduces, which herefufed them, under pretence that they mould I ay 
 till they went out with the relt. Moreover, b.caufe there were feveral 
 who refifted his (ollicifations to change their Religion, he caufed them 
 to be putinPrifon, where Tome of themlanguithed, and at laftdied 
 miferably, and others remained there ab->venine months, viz. till the 
 time when all the other Prifoners were difcharged. There is no need of 
 any further proof to make it appear, that their defign was to deftroy 
 the Waldenfes, who would not change their Religion. However, the 
 Communities of the Valleys having received a Letter from theAmbaf- 
 fadors, made another Atfcmbly at llocbeftate, the'ipth. of April: They 
 perilled in their refolution not to accept the Edidt, and to defend them- 
 selves-. It was then ordered in that Affembly, that all the Mini(te»s 
 mould preach, and adminifter the Sacrament the Sunday following, 
 which was Eajhr-day, The Valley of S. Mirtin entered into this deli- 
 beration with the rtlt, but put it not in execution. Some of that Val- 
 ley changed their mind, without acquainting the other Valleys. And 
 the Re&ors of the Church of VilUfecbe wrote ro the AmbaflaJors who 
 were yet at Turin upon the point of their departing, a Letter dated the 
 2oth.of April, wherein they declared to them, that they would execute 
 the Edidt, they entreated them for that reafon, to procure for them a fafe 
 Conduct, and fome time to provide for their retreat. One of the Am- 
 
 D bjfladors 
 
C 18] 
 
 ballad. >rs took the pains to go to the Camp to demand a fafe Condu<3i 
 but they deni'd it, under pretence that they had not delircd it in rime. 
 It wasalwaystoofoonor too late, and the time was never convenient to 
 cbtain fafe Conducts. In the mean time the Duke of Savoy was come 
 into the Camp fome days after the publication of the Edicfr, to the 
 end he might ilrike terrour into the Waldeufts by his pre-fence, and lorce 
 them to accept of the Conditions that he had impol\d on them \ he 
 had made a review of his Troops, and of thofe of France, that were 
 encamped en the Plain at the foot of the Alps; his Army wascompofed 
 of his Family, oi all the Cava'rieand Infantry, and the Militia of Mon- 
 dovi, of Barjes, ci Bagnols, and of a great number of Foragers. And 
 the Army of France confifted of feverai Regiments of Hotfe and Dra- 
 goons, cf feven or eight Battalions of Foot, that had pafled the Moun- 
 tains, and a Party of the Garifon of Pignerol and Cafal, he had alfo pre- 
 pared all things to attack the IFaldenfes, as foon as the Truce that was 
 granted them Ihould be expired, having appointed his own Army to 
 ftorm the Valley of Lucerne and the Community ol \ Angrogne "-> and the 
 Army of France to attack the Valleys of S. Martin and Peiroufc. The 
 Waldenfes on the other fide had taken fome care to defend therrfclves \ 
 they poffciTed but a part of the Valley of Lucerne. F r the Tower that 
 gives the Name to this Valley-, and many other confidence places were 
 in the Enemies hand. The Community of Angrogne, trom which fome 
 call the Valley by the fame Name, by reaidn of' its large extent, was 
 not wholly occupied by the IFaldenjes. In the Valley of Peiroufe they 
 took up only certain Pofis in the places that depend on the Effaces of 
 Piedmont i for this Valley is divided by the Clufon between the King of 
 France and the Duke of Savoy; but they were in poiTtffion of all the 
 Valley of S.Martin, being the (troogeft of all by its fituation. They had 
 fortified themfclves in "every one of thofe Valleys with feverai Retrench- 
 ments of Earth and dry Stones. They were about 250c. Men bearing 
 Arms •, they had made Captains and Officers of the chiefell among 
 themfelves, for they had no Foreigners, and they cxpecftd the approach 
 of the Enemies with a great deal of refolution. But fince on the one 
 fide they had neither regular Troops, nor Captains, nor experienced 
 Officers ; and that on the other fide there were feverai Waldenfes who 
 had been corrupted, or that had relented during the Negotiation \ it is 
 not to be wondered if they took not all the necellary precautions that 
 were in their power. One of the grcatelt faults they committed was, 
 their ftrivirg to maintain all their Poits> For if they had abandoned 
 the moft advanced, and had retired withingthe Retrenchments they had 
 
 made 
 
C 19 1 
 
 made in the Mountains, it is not likely that they would have been beafen 
 out of them. 
 
 The 2 ad. of April being the day appointed for the attack, the French 
 Army commanded by Catinat Governor of Cafal, marched two hours 
 before day by Torch-light againll the Valleys of Fdroufe and S. Martin, 
 having for fome time followed the River Clufon on the Kings Territories. 
 Catinat fent out a Detachment of Infantry, commanded by Vellevieilk 
 Lieutenant Colonel in Litnofm, who having paiTcd the River over a 
 Bridge, entered into the Valley of Peimife on the fide of Piedmont. He 
 feized on S. Germain a Village that the Waldenfts had abandoned, and 
 came to attack a Retrenchment that they had made hard by, in which 
 there were two hundred Men. The Waldenfes quitted this Poll after 
 (time refinance, and took poffeifion of another more advantageous. In 
 the mean time a new Detachment of Horfe and of yellow Dragoons 
 having again paffed the River, came to relieve the Foot who had began 
 the Engagement. They ufed their utmoft efforts to gain the Entrench- 
 ments ot the Waldenfes, which they thought eafily to b; Mailers of, 
 fincethey were fix to one ; but they found fo flout a refinance, that 
 after having loft abundance oftheir Soldiers,thcy were forced toentrench 
 themfelves at a Piftol fhotdiltance i continual Fires were made on both 
 fides for more than ten hours together ^ but at length the Waldenfis 
 went out of their Entrenchments with their Swords in their hinds, fur- 
 pi ized the French, who little expected fo bold an adion, and drove thum 
 even into the Plain on the other tide of the Clufm, where opportunely 
 they found a Bridge that kept them from being drowned. There were 
 on this occafion more than rive hundred Frencb-mtn killed and wounded, 
 and among the reft feveral Officers of note, and the IValdenfes had but 
 two men killed and fome few wounded. The account that the contra- 
 ry Party hath given of thj^Adion, entituled, A Relation of the War a- 
 gainft the Religious, called Barbrts, agrees in this, concerning the 
 great lofs the French then fuftained * for it affirms that the Fire of the 
 revolted put a great Party of them into diforder. It conhrmeth alfo 
 the routing of the French, for it faith, that the Waldenfes fell violently 
 upon the Soldiers, and drove them out to the other fide of the Clufon. 
 In this rout Vilkvieilh threw himfelf into the Church of S. Germain with 
 threefcore and ten Soldiers and fome Officers : They (ummoned him to 
 furrendcr himfelf, and offered him good Quarter^ but he refund ir, 
 and (hewed great courage, although they had killed and wounded a Par- 
 ty of his men. The Waldenfes had nevcrtheh Is infallibly forced himi 
 but the night being come, they found themfelves fo harralTcd with the 
 
 D 2 f.tiguc 
 
C20] 
 
 fatigue of the day, that they were conftrained, having left a few be- 
 hind to guard at the door of the Church, to go feck for fome refrefli- 
 ment. VilUvieille was difengaged at break of day by certain Troops 
 that the Governor of Pignerol had cauied to march all night. The 
 TFaldenfes retreated into their Intu-nchment ; , thinking that they would 
 come and attack them, but the Enemies being gathered together in 
 greater numbers than the day before, were content to encamp out of 
 the reach of a Piftol-lhot, without (hooting on either fide but at ran- 
 dom for two days together. Whilit things patted thus in Peiroufe, the 
 Body of the Kings Army repalTed the Clitjon to the Fort of Peiroufe on 
 rhe fide of France, then Catinat made a Detachment of Horfe com- 
 manded by Melac, wh .) having palled the River on two Bridges, fetch'd 
 a compafs about to gain the high grounds that faparate the Valley of 
 S. Martin from Vaupbine. The relt of the Army having likewise palled 
 the River, went to encamp with Catinat at Bolards part of the night, 
 and the next day attack'd the Valley of S. Martinet a Village called Rio- 
 claret. But iince thole that had the command in that Valley, did not 
 think that they would moleft them, after they had (hewn their inclina- 
 tion to accept of the Amnefly, efpecially fince the day appointed for 
 their -departure out of that Valley was not prefixed : ThzlFaldinfes 
 ^vere not in a condition to defend themfelves nor to make any refinance, 
 but yielded to lay down their Arms, and to implore the pity and com- 
 paflion of the Conqueror. But the French being heated and vexed with 
 what had patted before S. Germain-, were not content only to burn, to 
 ravilli, and to pillage, but they malTacred without diltindHon of Age or 
 Sex, with an unparallel'd fury all thofe that could not efcape their bar- 
 barous Cruelty. Catinat having ravaged all the Country of Kioclaret 
 alter a molt horrible manner, left fome Troops in the Valley of S.Nlartin 
 traver fed with the Body of his Army the mountains that feparate this 
 Valley from that of Peirenfe, and encamped without any opposition, 
 in the Community of Pramol in the Valley of Peiroufe; the Soldiers 
 notwithstanding put to the edg of the Sword all that fell into their hand?, 
 without refpedi to Women nor Children, to the old nor the fick. In 
 the mean time the Detachment that Melac commanded, having encamp- 
 td one night on thecminenciesof the Valley of S.M^rm*,entered through 
 divers paitages into thatValley,having certain Waldenfes for their Guides, 
 who were fo bafe and treacherous as to conduct them through ways 
 unknown to any but the Inhabitants of the Country. He left where- 
 soever he palled the marks of an unheard of rage, and joyned ,the main 
 
 Ecdy 
 
I " ] 
 
 Body of the Army that was encamped at Prjntol. I (hall not here give 
 an account of the Cruelties that were exercifed here on thefe occasions 
 and many others : It (hall be fufficient to report in the fequel of this 
 Relation, feme Examples whereby one may judge of the reir. 
 
 It is neceflary to interrupt rhc Relation of the Aciions of the French 
 in the Valley of Ptiroufe, b*caufe their happened things in the Valley of 
 Lucerne and Angrogne that ought to be known before. 
 
 The Army of the Duke of Savoy having had their Rendezvouz at the 
 Plain of S.John the 2 2d. of April, was divided the next day into feve- 
 ral Bodies, that attack d divers Entrenchments that the IValdenfes had 
 made in the Valleys of Lucerne and Angrogne. The \Valden[es not being 
 able to refift the Enemies Cannon in the Poll that were too open, where 
 the Horfe might alfodraw up, were forced after ibmeretillance to aban- 
 don a part of thefe Entrenchments, and to withdraw into a Fort that 
 was more advantageous above Angrogne, where they found thtmfelves 
 to be near five hundred Men. The Enemy having burnt all the Hou- 
 ses that they found in their way, came to ftorm the Fort of th&Valden- 
 fes, who received them fo warmly with their Muskets and Stones, and 
 defended themfelves fo vigorouily againft this great Body, that they, 
 kept their Poft all that day without the lofs of above rive men > the E- 
 nemy loft above three hundred, though they were covered with an ln- 
 trenchment beyond Piltol {hot. The IValdevfes fearing that they mould 
 not be able to keep this Fort any longer, by rtafon that the Troops en- 
 creafed, paffed into another diliant an hundred paces beyond it, in a 
 more convenient places fhere they expe&ed with great refolution the 
 Army that advanced to attack themi when the next day being the 24th 
 of April, they were informed that t\\t Valley of S. Martin wa? furren- 
 dercd, and that the French were coming on their backs ; for from that 
 Valley there is an eafie paiTage to thofe of Lucerne and Angrogne. This 
 news obliged the IValdenfes to treat with Don Gabriel ot Savoy, Uncle 
 to and General ot fhe Armies of the Duke of Savoy, and with th&refi 
 of the General Officers, who having understood the m<nd of his Royal 
 Highnefs, promifed potitively on his part anH on frheir own, that the 
 IFaldenfts (hould be abfolutely pardoned, and that they (hould be re- 
 mitted to the teims ot the Older of the pth of April, provided they 
 would yield themfelves up to his Clemency : But the IV aider ft s making 
 fome difficulty to confide in this promife, Don Gabne\ who had notice 
 of it, ftntthem a Note written and figned with his own hand in the 
 name of his Royal Highnefs, to this erred, Lay fawn your Arms im-. 
 mediately, and fubmit your [elves to bis Royal Highnefs' s Clemency, in f» 
 
 icings 
 
C 2,4, ] 
 
 doing, affureyour felves that be will pardon you, and thai your perjons and 
 tbofe of your Wives and Children (hall not be touched. An aflurance of 
 this nature might give full fatisfacVion to the Waldenfts for the fecurity 
 ottheir lives and liberties. For betides that this promife was made in the 
 name and on the part of the Duke i on the other hand, though it had 
 been made only by Don Gabriel and the General Officers, it ought not 
 to be the lets inviolable. The Waldenfes then lay down their Arms, 
 relying on this promife, and the greateti purt of them went and furren- 
 dred themfelves to their Enemies, believing that they fhould be quickly 
 releafed. But all thofcihat yielded themfdvis into their hands, were 
 made Prifoncrs, and carried to the City of Lucerne, under pretence of 
 leading them to his Royal Highnefs to make their fubmiifions. The E- 
 nemies fcized alfo all the l-'olts that the Waldenfes polTclIed in the Com- 
 munity of Angrogne; they were not content only to plunder, to pillage 
 and to burn the Houles of thefe poor People, but they alfo caufed a great 
 number of the Waldenfes of what Age or Sex foever, to be put Co the 
 edg of #ie Sword, the;y ravifhed abundance of Women and Virgins, 
 and in fine, committed A&ions fo barbarous and brutiih, thattheyare 
 enough to it r ike horror into the minds of all thofe that have any (name 
 or fenfe of humanity leff. There were ncverthelefs many Waldenfes, 
 who after this composition difperfed themfelves up and down, not being 
 willing to deliver themfelves into the hands of their Enemies, till they 
 had heard what became o! the tirit that did: feeing then on the one hand, 
 that the Army exercifed all manner of outrages whitherfoever they came, 
 and on the other, that all thofe that had Surrendered themfelves were 
 detained, they hid themfelves in the Woods, and fent a Petition to 
 Don Gabrkl by a man of S. John named Bartholomew Frafcbie, to entreat 
 the ieleaie of their Brethren whom they kept in hold contrary to their 
 word, and tocaufe a ceifation of thofe Afts of Hoftility that the Ar- 
 my executed after fo barbarous a manner. Don Gabriel returned no 
 anfwer to thisr'.queiU but certain Officers replyed to Frafcbie, that 
 they carried the Waldenfes to Lucerne, for no other caufc, but to ask for- 
 givenefs of hrs Royal Highnefs, and that afterwards they (hould be re- 
 leafed. In the mean time Don Gabriel caufed the highe'ft places of the 
 Valley of Angrogneto be gained by part of his Army, who finding no 
 more opposition, came as far as the Tower, being the mott conilderablc 
 Fort of the Waldenfes, in which they had the greatefi psrt of their Cat- 
 tle. The Marquefs de Parelle who commanded this Body of the Army, 
 gave th. Waldenfes to under/land, that a Peace being concluded by the 
 Capitulation oiAngrogne^ he oifeied to them the enjoyment of thefrui-s 
 
 of 
 
C *3 ] 
 
 of the faid Peace. He allured them to this effe&, on the Word and 
 Honour of a Gentleman, That if they would deliver themfelves into 
 his hands, their Petfbns and thofe of their Wives and Children (hould 
 be preferved harmlefsj that they might carry away with them what 
 they had a mind to, without fear of having any thing taken from 
 them j that they had nothing to do but to come to Lucerne to make 
 their SubmilTions to his Royal Highnefs , and that upon this condi- 
 tion, thofe that were willing to turn Catholicks, might return with all 
 Sifety to their Houfes and Goods => and thofe that would go out of 
 the Estates of Piedmont, (hould have Liberty to depart, conformably 
 to the Order of the ptb of April. The IValdenfes that were in the 
 Field and in the Tower yielded themfelves again, upon the credit of 
 thefe Promifes, that were no better performed than the rther : for (he 
 Enemies were no fooner entred within (he bounds ot the Tower, when 
 not only all (hat belonged to the JValdenfes, was left to the plunder 
 of the Soldiers, and of the Banditi of Mondavi their mortal Enemies, 
 who enriched themfelves with their fpoils : but thofe poor people, the 
 greateu part of whom confided of old Mai, of tick Perfons, and of 
 Women and Children, were made Prifoncrs, with forre Miniilers 
 who were among them, and hurried along fo violently, that thofe 
 who through Age or Infirmity could not march fo tart as the Soldiers 
 would have them, had their Throats cut , or were flung headlong 
 down Precipices. 
 
 To return to the French, whom we left at Pramclln the Valley of 
 Peirouft, they committed almoft the fame Ourrages that the Dukes 
 Troops had done at Angmgne and at the Tcw t r in the Valley c( Luccrxe. 
 They were encamped in a Quarter of the Community of Pramol, called 
 la T\.ua, diltant about half an hours march from another Quirt-, r called 
 Pcumian, where a Party of the Communities of Pramol, St. Germain, 
 PrarujiiA and Kocbeplate were retreated, to the number cf 1500 per- 
 fons, as well Men as Women and Children. The French might ealily 
 make a defcent from their Quarters to St. Germain, and carry away the 
 two hundred JValdenfes who had fo valiantly defended themfelves before, 
 and wire retreated within their Retrenchments : but they being in- 
 formed of the lofs of the Valley of St. Martin, and of the Enemies March , 
 quirted this Intrenchment,* tearing left they lliculd be furprized {n it, 
 and went into Piutn'unw'rth their Brethren. They were confulting how 
 they might defend themfelves againft the French who prepared to attack 
 them, when certain Inhabitants of the Valleys who had revolted to the 
 Enemy, came and allured them that the Valleys of Angrogne and Lu- 
 
 cerne 
 
[ *4 3 
 
 emfehad already fubmitted to their Prince's difcretion, who had par- 
 doned them, and referred rhem to the terms of the Order of the pth of 
 dpril. They told them alfo, That he only ofTer'd them to put an end 
 to a War, the weight whereof thty were not able to fuftain alone, and 
 to procuie tor themfelves an advantageous Peace. This News having 
 in part broke the meafures of the JVabdenfes-, they fent Deputies and a 
 Drummer to treat with the Genera) of the French Army, who dclired 
 nothing more than a Prnpofition of Peace. He told them that his Royal 
 Highnefs's Intention was to pardon them, and promifed them pofitive- 
 ly on the part of the Prince and on his own behalf, the Lives and Li- 
 berty of the JValdenfes, with a per million to return with all fecurity to 
 their Houfcs and Goods, provided thty would readily lay down their 
 Arms: and whereas the Deputies reprefented to him rhat they feared 
 left the French, being exafperated with what had palTtd at St. Germain^ 
 (hould revenge themfelves on the JValdenfes when they were difarmed , 
 he made great Protections to them, and confirmed them with Oath?, 
 that although the whole Army (hould pafs by their Houfes, yet they 
 {hould not kill fo much as a Chicken. This Proportion being imde, 
 Catinat detained with him one of the Deputic?, and fent back the others 
 to give notice to the JValdenfes, and to oblige all them that were dif- 
 peded to meet together the next day, being the 25 th of April-, at Peu- 
 mian, to the end that everyone might return to his Houfe after they 
 were informed of the Peace, while the JValdenfes were gathering toge- 
 ther their fcattered Families at Peumian, Catinat gave an account of this 
 Capitulation to Don Gabriel, who fent a Courier to him in the Even^ 
 ing, who parting through Peumian alTured the JValdenfes that he brought 
 Peace i and the next day at his Return, he told them that the Peace 
 was concluded. They were fo well perfuaded of it, that they had laid 
 down their Arms the day before, obferving the conditions of the Treaty, 
 and confiding wholly in Catinais Promifes. In thefe Circurnliances 
 they were expedling the News at Peumian, when there arrived a perfon 
 named St. Peter, one of the Kings Captains in the Garrifon of the Fort 
 o£ Peiroufe, with feveral Dragoons with him. This Captain, who was 
 very well known by the JValdenfes, repeated to them the affurances of 
 Peace, and caufed the Men to be put in one Quarter, and the Women 
 and Children in another. The French "Hoops being arrived at the 
 lame time, told the Men that they had Orders to lead them to their 
 own Houfes, and caufed them to march four by four. Thefe poor 
 people being forced to leave their Wives and their Daughters expo- 
 fed to the difcretion of the Soldiers, were conducted, not to their Hou- 
 fes 
 
C *5 ] 
 
 fe«, as they were told, but to Vofi Gabriel who was encamped on the 
 Mountain de h Vacbiere, and cauftd them to be carried Prifoi* rs to 
 lucerne. In the mean time, the Women fuff.r'd all the abominable 
 ufage and cruelty that the rage of brutilh Soldiers could invent i for 
 thefc Baibarians were not farisfied vvirh rifling them of all the money 
 they had about them, but they ravilhed many Women and V'rgins 
 after a manner that modefly (oibids to relate, and murther'd (eve- 
 ral of them that offer'd to refift in defence of their Honour. Catinat 
 was not prcfent at this that was adhd at Vcumian. He Uft the ma- 
 nagement of this Affair to certain Officers, without doubt that he 
 might be out of the hearing of thofe Complaints that the Waldenjcs 
 might juftly have made to him, or that lie might not be a fpe&ator 
 ofthefe villanous Actions. Howfoev t rit were, it is certain that betides 
 the Women that were killed , and thofe that efcap;d by flight from 
 the perfection ofthefe Monliers and laved themfelves in the neigh- 
 bouring Woods, in danger of being killed by the Mufquets they flint to 
 ftopthem : all the reft of them were dragg<d to divers Prifons after a 
 moil inhuman manner. 
 
 It were needlefs here to alledge any reafon* to make it appear that the 
 Enemies of the IValdenfes have broke in thefe Rencounters themoft facred 
 and mod inviolable Laws. This Relation of what hath Pcffed is fuhScient 
 to conhrm the truth,fince ir is evident that the IValdenfes have falLn, as 
 fo many Sacrifices to the falfe promifesof their Enemies. And it is in vain 
 that they pretend to excufe themfelves from this Treachery, under 
 pretence that the JFaldenfes were rebellious Subjects, who had taken up 
 Arms againft their lawful P/incei for befides that it were eafie to demon- 
 ftrate that they cannot be accufed of Rebellion, fince they have only 
 made ufe of a natural and warrantable Defence againit the unjuft and 
 violent opprefTion of the Council of the Propagation, and of their other 
 Enemies i on the other hand, theQueftion is not whether the Walden- 
 fes have a right to do what they have done ? The cafe is precifely con- 
 cerning the execution of thofe Promifes that have been made to them 
 notwithstanding this pretended Rebellion, fince this is (he only Foun- 
 dation of thofe Promifes that they made. Ncfw it is certain that the 
 breaking of their Word in this nature an never be jnuifkd bat by 
 thofe that follow this pernicious Maxim, %bat Faith U not.to.be kgpt with 
 Heretickj. It is certain alfo, That Kings and Princes are fo much, the 
 more obliged to condemn this Maxim , in regard that they are the lively 
 Images of God Almighty, who hath never failed to keep his faithful 
 Promifes, and who hath always punifhed Perjury and Perridioufnefs 
 
 E either 
 
cither in the perfon of thofe that have committed it, or in that of their 
 Poltcrity. It is alfo in vain that they would fay , that when the 
 Waldenfes furrendred themfelves, they only promifed them their Lives, 
 according to the relation of the contrary party ; for it hath been jufliried 
 that they had poiitively promifed them their Liberty. But fuppoiing 
 that they had only promifed them their Lives, can it be faid in good 
 truth that they have kipt their Word ? Is it not true, on the contrary, 
 That they have caufed almolt all to expire under the weight of an un- 
 fupporfable mifery, and of the hardcit Captivity that ever was ? 
 
 The Valley of Ptiroufe being reduced as the otheis, by the Capi.ii.k- 
 tion ot Petunia* , a Party of the French Army quitted this Valley, and 
 went to joyn Don Gabriel 3t la Vacbiere : then it was that they gather- 
 ed together the poor Waldenfes from all Parts, and dragged them into 
 divers Prifoes or Catties, under pretence of leading them to his Royal 
 Highr.efs to ask his pardon i but that which was moll afflicting and 
 molt lamentable, was this, That they lefufed, upon tluir earned Pray- 
 ers and Tcais, to put their Families together. They (eparated a Father 
 rrom his Child, and a Husband from his Wife, to take away from 
 them all means of fupporting and comforting one another. They 
 broke the facred bonds of Katuie and Confanguinity, to the end that 
 they might be the lefs able to withihnd thofe Temptations, and to un- 
 dergo thofe Evils that they had prepared for them i they would have 
 thole who could not beai the fufferings and miferies of a clofe Con- 
 finement, to be confumed with the corroding anguilh and regret of 
 being feparated fo far from their Kindred. There was a great num- 
 ber of young Boys and Girls whom they put not in prifon, but difper- 
 fed through Piedmont in private Houfesj yet this was not done upon 
 point of Equity, but only to make them change their Religion, to 
 caufe them to be inftru&ed in the Catholick, and toravifti them from 
 their Parents. 
 
 There was alfo a confiderable number of Waldenfes who had not 
 furrendred themfelves, and were not taken. For thofe of Villars, of 
 Boby, and Come other Places in the Valley of Lucerne, would not come 
 to compofition as the reft did. that they might not partake of the 
 fame fortune. Several of thole, of AngrogMe+had joyned with them, 
 having feen the Enemies break their word -, and feveral Waldenfes of 
 the Valley of St* Martin bad took Sandluary, and retreated into 
 the Woods and in the Rocks , to efcape the barbarous fury of the 
 French, who gave no Quarter. The Enemies were refolved to become 
 Mites of thefe Waldenfks by force or by craft, as they had done to the 
 
 others. 
 
other?. For the tfTc^ing this, while a body of the Army of (Ik Duke 
 of Savoy was engaged againlt thofe that remained in Arrr.s in the Val- 
 ley of Lucerne, the French returned into that of 5"/. Martin with rhe 
 Marquefs de Parclle, who was a Pcrfon well known to the Jfaldenfej, 
 and very fit to perfuade them. He knew by experience, that Policy 
 was a more certain means to gain his ends than open Force. He made 
 ufeof then certain IValdenfe: who hid yielded chemfjves, in whom 
 the People had much confidence. He caufed them to march at the head 
 cf rhe Army, and with Piltols preferred to their Breads, forced them 
 not only to ferve as Guides to the French^ to difcover the JFaldct-fes 
 in thfir moft hidden ReceiTes i but a'fo to write fevcral Letters to the 
 Valley of St. Martin, to exhort their Country-men to fubmit them- 
 felves to the Clemency of their Prince, whofe Pardon was orlVd to all 
 thofc who would accept itiand becaufc themeafmes that they had taken 
 with refpeft to thole that had furrendrcd themftlves, might take away 
 the credit of this Solicitation, they added, in many of thefe Letters, 
 That the Pr ifoners (hould be fuddenly releafcdi whereupon, on the 
 fight of thefe Letters, the Writing and Character whereoi they knew, 
 and on the aflurance that the Marquefs de Parellc, and the other ge- 
 neral Officers, gave the TValdenfis concerning the Peace and Favout 
 of the Prince, a great number of thefe poor people delivered them- 
 fclves into their hands within a tew days: many others were taken or 
 butcher'd by the Soldiers \ but thofe that yielded themfelves , and 
 thofe that were taken, had the fame fate* and were equally carried 
 Prifoners into divers Prifcns or Caftles. 
 
 IVhilit. Subtilty ot Cruelty depopulated the Valley of St. Martin of 
 its Inhabitants, let us fee what happens in the Valley of Luctrne. The 
 IValdenfes pofllfTed among others two Ports, one called Jaimu, and 
 the other Cbamroma, beyond the Tower, wherein a Party of thofe that 
 had efcaped at Angwgne had caft themfelves. Thefe two Pods cover- 
 ed Villaff, where there were about a thoufand Perfons, as well old 
 Men as Women and Children. A detachment of the Army of the 
 Duke ©f Savoy enforced by the Banditicf Mondovi, came to attack thefe 
 two Ports, wherein the iVaidenfes defended themftlves a whole day 
 with extraordinary Courage; They killed a great number of Soldiers 
 and considerable Officer*, among whom was the Commander of the 
 Banditi. They had but fix men killed and as many wounded. The 
 Enemies were extreamly wearied, and having no more Ammunition 
 left, began to think of a Retreat »- bur fince they might have been 
 eafily purfued, and defeated in Retreating, they made ufe of this 
 
 E a Stra- 
 
C*8 ] 
 
 Stratagem : Several Officers having laid their Arms and their Hats on 
 the ground, approached in the Evening to the Intrcnchment of Chum- 
 rama, with a Handkerchief tied to the top of a Stick, and demanded 
 a Pailey, to make Propofitions rf Peace: they (hewed a Paper, and 
 told the IFjldcufes that they had jult now received Letters, the purport 
 of which was, That the Peace was concluded in all the Valleys i that 
 his Royal Highncf, had given a General Pardon to all his Subjects, 
 and that thofe that were mil in Arms were comprehended as well as 
 the others; they added, That they had Orders not to tight any more 
 but to retreat i and exherted the IValdevfes to do the fame, and to 
 accept of this favour that his Royal Highncls had ofTa'd thtm, where- 
 of the Pvd;fta Prat, who was dure prcfent, might aiTure them. This 
 Podcjla being well known to the IValdenfes, having joyned his Protefta- 
 tions with thefe of the Officers, and all together having pofitivdy pro- 
 mifed thtm their Lives and Liberty provided that they would retiie: 
 the JValdcnfes of Cbamrawa confiding in their Pror»ifeS, left off firing, 
 and gave their Enemies opportunity of retreating, and retreated alfo 
 themftlves, being all pe>fuadcd that the Ptace was made. There were 
 fcveral of the Community of Angrogne who met at the Tower to enjoy 
 the fruits of this Peace, but they were prxfently committed to Pri- 
 fow The Credulity of the Waldwjes made them lofe a fair opportu- 
 nity of revenging themfelves on their Enemies - , for they might with- 
 out trouble or danger have vanquiihed thofe Troops that had no 
 Ammunition of War left, and the greatelt part of whom were in 
 difoidcr. The Enemy that feigned to retrca', only to caufe the WjL 
 denfa to retire, and to oblige them to abandon the Port of Chamrama 
 that was fo advantageous, being teinforccd with fome Succors, im- 
 mediately feized on the faid'Poft. Thofe that were ztjaimet, and 
 had made no Compofition, were thereupon forced to quit their Poft, 
 becaufe it was commanded by the other, and to wheel off to the 
 Hills of Villars. The Enemy marched on after them, and encamped 
 at Bonnet on the Avenues of Villars and Boby\ they remained there 
 two days without (forming the Waldenfes , who were got together, 
 and might make four or five hundred men. The Officers of the 
 Army fpent this time in making Propofitions of Peace to them, ac- 
 companied with fair Promifes if they yielded , and terrible Threat- 
 nings if they refufed. The Waldenfes replied to thefe Propofitions, 
 That they were defirous of nothing more than Peace, but that that 
 which they offcr'd them was more hmentable than War, fince they 
 ceuld not purchafc it but at the price of their Liberty \ that notwith- 
 standing 
 
■ C »9 ] 
 
 (landing the Peace tint fhcy had promifed to thofe ctCbamrama, in 
 purfuance of which they had quitted their Port, they had not left irrr 
 prifoning thofe that furrendred themfelves > and that the Exampl e 
 of their Brethren had fufficicntly in (1 rutted them what they were t° 
 expect from fach Propolitions ; however this hindred not a great 
 number oOValdinfcs f.om going to deliver themfelves info their hands* 
 on the account thit they had fworn to them, thofe who would fub- 
 mitfhould return quickly to their Houfcs, without being carried t'° 
 his Royal Highnefs to beg. his Pardon \ but thefe alfo were clap'd i" 
 Prifon, and treated after the fame manner as the others. There h 
 great reafon to admire the eafinefs with which the IValdenfes furTbr'd 
 themfelves fo often to be deceived. But it is to be obferved, that there 
 were many who could not believe that it was polliole for them to 
 rcfilt after the reddition of the Body of the Valleys, others feased left 
 Rcliliance would be of mifchievous confequence to their Wives and 
 Children that were in Prifon, and the greateft part could not be per- 
 fuadtd that their Enemies would be (o cruel as to caufe trnfe to perilTr 
 in Prifon who had furrendred themfelves. They imagined that they 
 mould be difcharged for a few Weeks Captivity, and that afterwards 
 thev mould obtain their Liberty. 
 
 However, the Waldenjes being very much weakned, left Fillarf, 
 which the Enemies feifeJ. They gave them refpit ti.il the $tb of Mzi>, 
 when the Troops being re-inforced, went to attack Boby^ where the 
 JValdenfes were retired > but they were vigorouily repulfed by 1 50 Wd- 
 denfes who were on the Mountain of Subjufqite, and without the lofs 
 of a man, killed fome Officers and a great number of Soldiers. Eight 
 days after, the Army o( France joined that of the Duke of Savoy. The 
 Enemies then made their la(t Effort to gain Boby-, but the Waldenfes 
 defended themfelves fo refolutely, that after a Fight that lafled all the 
 day, they forced the Army to retire, and to go and encamp at Sar- 
 fen*i with- the lofs of abundance of their men. The next day the 
 Marquefs de Fanlle, who came from the Valley of St. Martin^ with' 
 a great Detachment paiTed the Mountain of Julian^ which is one of 
 the Alpes, that was thought, till then, inacceffible, and prepared to 
 take the IValdmfes from above. This obliged the Waldenjes to aban- 
 don Bobi, and to convey themfelves into the Woods and Rocks. 
 The Marquefs de Parelle^ and the Count de Bircbanteau , having oc- 
 cupied the Ports that the Waldenfes had quitted , Cent after them 
 in their Retreat divers Perfons to exhort them to fubmit, and to 
 offer them favour: feveial of thefe poor People being worn out witlv 
 
 the. 
 
C 3° ]. 
 
 the Fatigue, and fore preiTeel with Hunger and Mifery, yielded fo this 
 Oifer, bur they loft thcii Liberty into the bargain. Others furrendred 
 themfelves to the Governor of Mireboue , on an aifurance that he 
 had given them of their Lives and Liberty \ but he rewarded their P'airh 
 with a rigorous Imprifonment. There were fcvcral who had with- 
 drawn themfelves into the Mountain rf VandaWn, and fought for 
 fome time with much Courage and good Fortune : but at lalt they did 
 as the others, and let ihemlelvesbe feduced by the Count de la Kgcbe 
 Governor of the Valleys. He promifed them p^fitively, by a Letter 
 wrote with his own hand, that they (hould return to their Houfes 
 with all freedom \ but they had no fooner quitted their Port, than that 
 he C2uf:d thvm to be carried to Prifon, and took from them the Letter 
 that he had given them. 
 
 The Enemies of the JValdenfes having thus by the means afore- 
 mentioned taken away the L'ves of a multitude of People, deprived 
 mote than tweive thoufand } fatten fes of their Liberty, and rakenaway 
 and dilperied two thoufand Children, thought that they had no more 
 to do. They proceeded to carry on their Injuftice to the utmoft, and 
 caufed all the Goods of the IValdenfes to be confifcated. 
 
 After this manner it was, that the Yallejs of Piedmont have been 
 dtpopu'atcd of their ancient Inhabitants i that the light of the Gofpe! 
 ruth been extinguished in a Country where it hath (hor-e fo bright for 
 fo many Ages i that Pt rfidioufnefs and Treachery hath triumphed over 
 the good faith of the Waldtnfes » that the Council of the Propagation 
 and the reft of their Enemies, have executed the dellgn they had 
 formed for their Extirpation » and that the Waldenfet have unjuftfy 
 furfer'd, and for the fole caufe of their Religion, this horrible Perfe- 
 cution and lamentable Diffipation, that ought to draw Tears from the 
 eyes of all good GhriHians. But for the more perfect knowledge of 
 what Spirit their Perfecutors have been animated with, it will bere- 
 quilite to take a profpeft of the Outrages and Cruelties they have 
 committed on thefe occafions. 
 
 Although ic is my defign to give an Account only of thofe difrrul 
 erfedts or their rage that were produced after the Capitulations, yet! 
 cannot but mention the barbarous Enormities wherewith the French 
 fignalized their entry into the Valley of St. Martin i not only becaufc 
 they exceed thofe bounds that Chriftians ought to fct to their Victo- 
 ries, but alfo becaufe they were committed on Perfons not capable of 
 defending themfelves : it were eahe to expofe to publick view the Maf- 
 facre of fo many old Men,Women 3 and little Children that were focririced 
 
 to 
 
C 3* ] 
 
 tothe fury of the Soldiers, the dcfolation of thofe poor Women and 
 Maidens, who after they had been rivilhcd, were conftrained to march 
 fhrk naked at the head of the Army, to ferve for Guides to the French , 
 and the monftwus and diabolical adtions of thofe enraged Soldiers 
 that fatiated their infamous Lulls on the very B die- of thofe whom they 
 had deprived of Lite. But I (ha'dpafs by all thofe things, to produce 
 fome examples of Cruelties and Opprcifions executed after the fub- 
 duing of the Valleys. 
 
 The Soldiers committed feveral MaiLcres at Angrogne, which I mall 
 not fpecirie, that I may not be engaged in too tedicus a recital. They 
 ravifhed many Women and Maidens, whofe Names ( for mo.lefty fake ) 
 I (hall fj are, by reafon that feveral of them are yet living. They would 
 alfohave deflowered Margaret Maraude who was not fourteen years old, 
 and becaufe James Maraude her Father, and Margaret Maraude mzat 
 fome oppofition to this Violence, they were m< fl inhumanly butcher- 
 ed. Sufanna Olivktte and Margaret Baline endeavour ing to prelcrvc 
 their Cbattity loft their Lives by the hands of thefe Barbarians. Jofeph 
 David being wounded at sslngrogne, w»s carried by the Soldiers into 
 a neighbouring Houfe, where they caufed him to be burnt. Four 
 Women and three Children of Prarujiin were murthered in a Cave 
 in a Rock where they had hid themfelve?. Daniel Fourtieron^ Mo- 
 ther aged fourfcore years was tumbled down a Precipice coming from 
 the Tower-Held, becaufe (he did not go fa(t enough. M. Deumian kill'd 
 the Wife of James Fourneron and Magdalen Roche, with a Back Sword, 
 becaufe they had not delivered foon enough the Mony that they had 
 about them. Mary Romain a handfom young Woman efpoufed to 
 James Griot was malTacred for driving to maintain her Honour. An- 
 other Maid for keeping hers, being calf into a River, was killed with a 
 Musket- (hot. Several Women and Maidens who are yet living, were 
 dragged by the Hair into Houfes, where they were raviihed with abo- 
 minable circumftances > there was one of thefe who through defpjir 
 flung herfelf headlong out at Window. Honoria Jayer a young Child, 
 being found with the Woman, was (hot to death with aFuzee : A great 
 number of Women and Virgins trying to fave themfetves in the, 
 Woods to getoutof danger of the Violences of the Soldiers, weredif- 
 patched with Muskets that were (hot off to (top them. The Marcjucfs 
 de Parelle and feveral Waldenfts whom he caufed to march to ferve him 
 for Guides, pafling through Plumian to go into the Valley of S.Martin, 
 found the dead Bodies of many little Children cut in pieces, fever a f 
 naked Women malTacred with Swords, among whom there were 
 
 fome 
 
I 3*3 
 
 fome that had Stones thruft into their Privy Parts: They faw alfo 
 feveral Soldiers that carried in their Hats the mark or' an horrible 
 Cruelty, and of a diabolical Impudicity, at the light whereof, the 
 Marquefs de Parelle was offended. In the Valley of S. Martin there 
 were fix men, twenty Women, and fome Children, who went to 
 furrerder themfelves in the City of Peiroufe, upon promife that was 
 made them that they mould receive no harm. But as foon as they 
 were come 'they (hot thcle fix men to death in the prefence of their 
 Wives. John Bibet of Macel being apprehended, they caufed his Arms 
 and Legs to be burnt, to oblige him to change his Religion i but God 
 gave him the Grace to obtain the Crown of Martyrdom, in confiamly 
 furT ring the Death th.it thtfe Butchers put him to. They alfo inhu- 
 manly murthered BirtbolowavRibct, James Breus and his Son. They 
 tyed a poor ir.hzm Perfon to a HorfcsTail, and drag'd him along till 
 he expired. They hung up 911 old blind Woman before her own Houf.. 
 They found a. Woman at the point of bong biought to bed, and com - 
 raitted two Murthers at one blow, taking away her Life and that of 
 the Child in her Bel'y. They purfued alter two young Maids from 
 a place called le Colet to another quarter named Bonniot, where having 
 overtook them thev ravillkd them, and at length (hot them to death 
 and hack'd them in pieces. Four Women falling at the fame time 
 into the hands of thefe Barbarians, hid the fame fortune, with this 
 difference only, that before they were raviftied and maffacred, they faw 
 their Childrens Throats cut, at a place called the Fountains. They 
 cut open the Body of a Mother and her Child, and tore out their 
 Entrails which they burned in the Fire. They killed a great num- 
 ber of Children in the fame place, becaufe they were fick, and had 
 not firength to follow them into the Prifons where they would have 
 carried them. Twenty two Perfons who were for a long time hid in 
 the Woods, the greater! part of whom were Women and Children, were 
 found by thefe Murtherers on the Mountain of Pf/z/e, and flung down 
 headlong into dreadful Abvtfls crofs the points of the Rocks, where 
 the Entrails of thefe N4artyrs were feen a great while after. In the 
 ' Valley of Lucerne, Snjanna the Wife ot Daniel Violin^ Katharine the 
 Wife of James Negrin, and Anne Melanote and her Daughter, had 
 their Throats cut with a Baionct. Some Soldiers having uled their ut- 
 moft endeavours to flea Daniel Pellene alive, and not being able to 
 pull the Skin over his Shoulders, laid him along upon the ground, 
 put a great Stone upon his Belly, and caufed him to expire in this 
 condition. Daniel BlttmerolfoR his life by the means of a Cord that 
 
 they 
 
[33] 
 
 they tied violently about his Head, his Belly, and his Privy Members. 
 finite and Magdalen Vittow-, and feveral others were burnt. The 
 Wife of Daniel Monin was mafTacred with a Back-Sword, and had her 
 Head chopt in pieces. Anne Ballianne was tumbled down the Preci- 
 pices. Vavid Moudon had his Head cleft afunder with a broad Sword. 
 Margaret Salvajote being ftript ftark naked, was run through with a 
 Dagger in llveial parts of her Body, but (he did not furTer only this 
 cruel Death in her own perfon; for before they cut her Throat, thefe 
 Ruffians mortified her little Daughter about feven months old before 
 her face, and dattied her Plead againft the R.ock, fill all her Brains 
 flew out. They cut Mary Salvajot in pieces with a Scimetcr. They 
 pierced Mary Vuraud through with a Dagger becaufe (he refilled their 
 delign to ravi(b her. They cut the Throat of the\ Mother of the 
 Sieur Berirand a Miniirer, a Perfon that was 80 years old, and lay 
 Bed-rid through extreme old Age. A certain Maiden of Boby was 
 tyed ftark Daked crofsaMule, with her Privy- parts expofed topublick 
 view, and was led about in this condition through the City of Lucerne* 
 Amongft a great number of IValdenjes whom they hanged at Boby> 
 there was oue called Anthony Mai anot, whom the Soldiers Ihot atfeve- 
 ral times after he was dead, taking for their Mark thofe parts of his 
 Body that modedy forbids to name. The Soldiers having found a 
 \Voman named Jaimonate in a hole in a Rock on the Mountain of 
 Carbonahres, brought her to the Marquefs de Bevil Colonel of the Re- 
 giment of Savoy, who demanded of her how long (he had been in 
 that Cavern, and what Food (he got there : (he made Anfwer, that 
 (he had been there eight days, and that (he nourimed her felf with 
 a little Milk of a Shee-Goat that (hee took along with her : They 
 would force her at length to difcovcr where the fFaldxnfet were that 
 hid themfelves in the Rocks ■■> but ihe protefting that (he knew nothing 
 of them, the Soldiers having put her to a fort of Torture by fattening 
 their Matches to her fingers to make her fpeak, tied her Feet to her 
 Head backwaids, and in this pofture hurled her down a Precipice; 
 but as (he was (topped in falling, the Soldiers flinging Stones and 
 Brick-bats at her, caufed her Bowels to drop out of her Belly, and 
 thruft her down headlong in $he prefence of the Marquefs de Bevil. A 
 young Lad of the Valleys, by name David Magnot^ whom the faid 
 Marquefs took for his Domeftick Servant, and who had afterwards 
 made his efcape, was an Eye-witnefs of, and related this horrible A- 
 dion. Damel Moudon an Elder of the Church of Rorai, after he had 
 been fpe&ator of the Death of his two Sons John and James Moudon, 
 whofe Heads the Soldiers cut off, having feen John's Wife cleaved 
 
 F afunder 
 
C 34 ] 
 
 afunder from her Ereaft to the bottom of her Belly, her Child alfo 
 knnck'd on the Head that was but fix weeks old, and James's two 
 Children cut in pieces, one whereof was four years old, and the ether 
 but fourteen months, was conftrained by thefe Butchers to carry the 
 Heads of his two Sons on his (boulders, and to travel thus bare-foot 
 two hours, till they cime to Lucerne, where he was hanged in the mid- 
 dle of thefc Heads that were thick upon the Gibbet. I (hall pais over an 
 infinite number of examples of Barbarity of the like nature ■-, not to 
 mention the mifcrable Death of fo many eld Men, Women, young 
 Infants and fick perfons that died with cold and hunger in the VVoods 
 or in the clefts of the Rocks : Not to mention an incredible number of 
 Prifoners that were hanged without form or Jufticcon the branches of 
 Trees, or in the Towns and Villages, among whem there was one 
 Paul Megle aged 27 years, whom they carried from his Bed ro the Gal- 
 lows. At prefent I (hall content my fclf with what \ have already re- 
 lated, which may be fufficient to (hew how far the fury of the Ene- 
 mies of the IPaJdenfej proceeded. I (hall only add here the Death of 
 the Situr Leidet that equally deferves pity and admiration: He was 
 Minister of Prabe in the Valley of S.Martin, who had tfcaped at the- 
 fubduing of the Valleys, and had hid himftlffor fome time within the 
 Caverns of the Rocks i He was taken by a Detachment of Soldiers, 
 and carried to Lucerne into the Palace of the Marquefs of Angrogne, 
 where the Duke of S avoy was at that time: He was put in prifon witnin 
 a Tower of this Palace, and fctter'd with a kind of Stocks that were made 
 with two thick pieces of Timber, between which they loek'd his Legs : 
 He remained a great while in this condition, fed with Bread and Water, 
 not being able to lie down by reafon of the weight of thofe Shackles i 
 it was reported that he had taken up Arms, but it was a falfe Accufa- 
 tion, from which he was cleared even by the Testimony of thofe that 
 apprehended him : They let him lie feveral months in Prifon, without 
 bringing him to his Tryal, and fome Judges themfelves defired to be 
 excufed from being concern'd in his Proceis. In the mean time there 
 was-not a day pilTed wherein he was not expofed to the Perfecutions of 
 the Monks and Prielts, and had great Difputes with them about matters 
 of Religion, wherein he came off always victorious. They caufedone 
 day two Bibles to be brought, wherein he demonftrated to them fo clear- 
 ly the truth of his Belief, that being afhamed and put to confufion, they 
 retired after a Conference of four hours. They often threatened him 
 with Death, thinking thereby to affright him, and told him feveral times 
 that there was no other means to preferve himfelf, but by turning Ca- 
 tholick. But he received the news of his -Death with a great deal of 
 
 Tranquillity 
 
[ 35 ] 
 
 Tf anquillity. He replyed to them, that although he knew well that they 
 could not put him to death with Juftice, fincehe was not taken in Arms, 
 and that betides the Duke of Savoy had pardontd all his Subjects i ne- 
 verthelefs he was prepared for death, eftceminghimfelf moil happy to 
 be able to fuffer for the Name of Jefus Chrift. He fortified by his exam- 
 ple and pious Exhortations the Prifoners that were in the fame Palace, 
 fome of whom were permitted to fee him. At laft, the Monks and 
 Prietfs provoked with his Zeal and Conftancy, found cut Judges who 
 were willing enough to condemn him to Death. The day that he was 
 executed, the Auditor S alvay cauied Sentence to be pronounced againtt 
 him in the prefence of certain Monks, he heard the publication thereof 
 with a relignation altogether Chrittian, without any emotion, trouble, 
 or fear appearing in his Countenance. The Monks left him not that 
 day, and although he defned them feveral times to leave him to his re- 
 pole, that he might pray to God freely without difturbance, yet they 
 always perfecutcdhim,and forced him to enter into a Difputewith them, 
 thinking that he was not in a condition to maintain it > but he acquit- 
 ted himfelf with that Courage and prefence of Mind, that they were 
 a'rtonifhcd at it. This did not hinder them neverthekfs from coming 
 again the next morning at break of day, to give themfeves the p!eafure 
 of tormenting him, even to the end of his life. He faid as he was go- 
 ing out of the Prifon, that it was the day of a double deliverance to him, 
 iince his Body went out of Captivity, and his Soul was agoing quickly 
 out the Prifon of his Body to enter into Heaven, to enjoy the full Liber- 
 and Pleafures of the bkifed. He went to Execution with an holy Joy 
 and admirable Rcfolution, defpilTng equally both the Life that the 
 Monks offered him, and the Death that was fet before his eyesi he 
 made a long and good Prayer at the foct of the Scaffold, with which all 
 that affiiied were extremely touched. He pronounced thefc words on 
 the Ladder, O my God, into thy hands I recommend my Spirit ■■> and 
 dyed a Death io edifying, that the Monks rhemfelves, who torfook hira 
 not to the Uft, were forced to avouch that he died like a Saint. 
 
 At that time there remained only in the Valleys certain Inhabitant?, 
 who preferring Death before Slavery, would not hearken to any Pro- 
 pofttions of Peace whatfoever. Some of thefe were in the ValUy of 
 S. Martin, and although they could not know one anothers Dcligns, 
 becaufe the Army was encamped between the two Valleys, and hindered 
 them from having any Communication, yet they were all of the fame 
 mind, and equally took up a refolution worthy of immortal Praife. 
 They remained a longtime hid and diftrefled in theMountains,that they 
 
 F 2 might 
 
C 3« 3 
 
 might avoid falling into the hands of the Enemies that every day fent 
 lout Detachments tofurprize them -, one cannot fufficiently admire the 
 '^ConiHncy with which they endured all (he Fatigues and all the Milerics- 
 to which they were expofcd,but efpecially that whereby they fuffered the 
 extremity of hunger, for they were often compelled to feed on the 
 grafs of the Fields, and to eat D-f.s and other Beafts that came to devour 
 the dead Bodies of thofe IValdcnfes that were left unburied. But the 
 French and the Banditi oiMondovi being retired, they w» re no more fo hard 
 ly preffed by the Duke of Savoy's Army that remained alone in the Val- 
 ley. Then it was that they that were in the Valley of Lucerne began to 
 go out of their places of refuge to fearch for fome Victuals wherewith to 
 inftain their langujlhing Live«. There were found in this Valley but 42 
 Men, fome Women, and Children when they were got together > never- 
 theless they ffiade fevcral Incurtlons into the Phin,from whence they al- 
 ways carries away Victuals and Booty, defeated in feveral Rencounters 
 fevcral Detachments of the Enemies, killed or drove away a great num- 
 ber of'SvwyoHh that were come to inhabit in th»; Valleys, and hilly for 
 fome monSWfoiiVH^tttd Actions, fo flout, fo bold and fo vigorous,that 
 they put thVr^cmks to Contribution, and forced them to furni.'h them 
 with Provifionsjjifof fome time, to hinder them from continuing their 
 
 inroads into iWrPhiv.. 1 (hall not here recite all ihefe marvellous A- 
 ctions, that I may not be engaged in too long a Relation : I (hall only fay- 
 thus much, That the Court of Turin having to no purpofe made ufe of 
 force to drive them out of the Valleys, cauled an offer to be made them 
 of fafe Conduct^in due form, and Hoftages for the fecurity of their re- 
 treat. They that brought the Propofition to the Waldenfes, took no 
 care to avouch that they acted by order of the Court of 'twin. But they 
 affirmed on the contrary, that they treated only on their own account, 
 and at the motion of fome Perfons that had promifed to procure for 
 them thefe fafe Conducts, and to aufe Hon* ages to be given •, but it is 
 certain that thefe Overtures mere not made without the participation of 
 the Court : For btfides that no private perfon durft have undertook 
 fuch a negotiation of his own head, the fafe Conducts that were after- 
 wards difpatch'd make it appear plain enough, that all was done by the 
 orders of the Court. However it were, the Waldenfes at firft refufed 
 to hearken to this Propotltion, whether it were becaufc they thought 
 that they ought not to give any credit to their words, or becaufe they 
 were refolded either to peri(h,or to bring the Prifonersout of Captivity, 
 Death being more eligible to them thanLife,> fo long as their Brethren 
 groaned under their Chains. Some time after this Propofition was re- 
 
 newed, 
 
C 37 1 
 
 newed, they made ufe of divers Confiderations to oblige the Waldenfs 
 to accept it. They told them that the D.of Savey had declared that as long 
 as they were in Arms, the Prifoners fhould not be releafed, and promifed 
 them pofitively thatas foon as th.v were gone,orders mould be given to fet 
 their Brethren at liberty : infomuch that the Waldenfes coniidering on 
 the one fide that the Winter drew nigh, and that they could not ex- 
 pect any relief i and on the other fide, that their Refinance might give 
 them a pretence to detain the Prifoners, thought it was beft for them 
 to retire out of the Elrares of Ticdmwt. It was agreed then and 
 ordained, That they Ihoul'd go out of the Valleys wi:h t.'ieir Wives 
 and Children,. Arms and Baggage, in two Troops ov Brigades, that 
 ■fhould be defrayed and co; 1 .indted to Switzerland at two fcveral times, 
 by one of his Royal Highnefs's Captains nam:d Perrct , with fafe 
 Conducts indue form: That for thefecurity of the rirtt Troop that 
 fhould depart, H> (foges fhould be ltft in the Valleys in the hands of 
 the fecond, who fhould keep them till they were certified of the Ar- 
 rival of t'-ie firli i and that as foon as the firft Troop (hould be ar- 
 rived, this Captain fhould give them an Officer of his Kindred for 
 -an Holtage till fuch tinre as the fecond Troop fhould be alio arrived. 
 This Treaty was faithfully executed j for thefe two Troops arrived 
 happily in a place or fccuiity with their Arms and Baggage under . 
 the Conduct of the faid Captain. One remarkable Circumftance is 
 not to be forgot > that is, That the Waldenfes could never be brought 
 to confent to a Retreat, till they had fent them back forrse of their 
 Kinsfolks that were in Prifon, and in erTecT: carried them away along 
 with them \ whence it may be inferred, That this Treaty was mana- 
 ged by the Court of twin > fince thefe Prifoners could not have been 
 delivered but by their Orders. 
 
 The Waldetijes that were in the Valley of St. Martin aded almofi: 
 the fame things as the other had done in the Valley of Lucerne : for al- 
 though they were reduced at laft to twenty five men, and fome 
 Women and Children, yet they defended themfelv,s with fo much 
 Courage and Refolution, that they procured for tbcmillves fafe Con- 
 duces and Securities to pafs into Suitzerland with their Wives and 
 Children, Arms and Baggage. It is faid, That thofe that were in one 
 Valley knew not what palTed in the other, becaufe the Army hin- 
 dred them from keeping any cor ref pond ence one with another. If 
 they had been able to joyn together, or to have heard any News one 
 of another, they had without doubt made a more advantageous Com- 
 pofition, and it may fee have idcucd their Brethren dut of Capti- 
 vity.. 
 
[ j8] 
 
 vity. For whether the Court of Turin would have been obliged to 
 maintain an Army in the Valleys to hinder the Incurllon of the Wal- 
 denfes, or whether they had a dtfign to re-people that Country with 
 Savoyards, who would not care to go and inhabit there, as long as there 
 were any in Arms \ it is probable that to caufe them todepart, they 
 would haveconfented to deliver the Prifoners. 
 
 Whilft the valiant Waldenfes retreated into Switzerland by vertue 
 of the Hoftages and fafe Conducts that their Arms had procured, the 
 generous reformed Cantons tranfacted for the liberty cf the Prifo- 
 nerr. They had wrote feveral times in vain to the Court of Turin 
 on this Subject : but as their Zeal and Charity never fails, they 
 called an AlTembly at Aran in the Month of September i62>6. in 
 which they refolved once more to demand the releafe of the Prifo- 
 ners : to this effect they fent two Deputies to the Count de Govon 
 the Duke of Savoy's Refident at Lucerne in Switzerland. Thefe 
 Deputies' having carried the Proportion to this Refident, and ha- 
 ving reprefented to him the reafons that induced the Reformed 
 Cantons to intercede for the Waldenfes, concluded a Treaty with 
 him in the beginning of Ottober by agreement of their Superiors. 
 The tenor of this Treaty was, that the Duke of Savoy (hould give 
 liberty to all the Prifoners to go into Switzerland in faftty, and 
 that he mould caufe them to be cloatrud, conducted, and their 
 Charges born to the frontiers of Switzerland, where the Reformed 
 Cantons (hall caufe them to be received and conducted into the 
 heart of their Country, that they may not be in a condition to re-en- 
 ter into the Territories of Piedmont. When this Treaty was made 
 they were ignorant without doubt at Lucerne, that the tfaldenfes 
 afore-mentioned were already retired ; for there is an Article that 
 imports that the Duke (hould give them fafe Conducts in due form, 
 that they might be able to retreat freely and fecurely, which they 
 would not have inferted in this Treaty, if they had known what 
 had palled with refpect to them* However the Cantons immediate- 
 ly ratified this Treaty i but the Duke of Savoy did not ratirie it 
 till fomc time after, in a Letter that he wrote to them on this 
 occafton, in which he appoints the Road through which the Pri>- 
 foners (hould pafs, by Mountains then maccellible , and by the 
 Country of Valay that belongs not to the Duke of Savoy, nor to the 
 Spritzers, and thorow which there is no going wi«toout agreeing for 
 a PafTags with the Biftiop of Sion in whofe jurifdiction it is. It was 
 evident that they dtfigned to raife obftades to hinder the execution of 
 
 this 
 
[35>] 
 this Treaty; otherwife they would not have appointed a paiTage 
 through other Territories than their own, where there are Roads 
 much more convenient to go into Switzerland. The Reformed 
 Cantons complained thereof to the Count de Govm,. who having wrote 
 about it to the Court of lurin ; at length the Duke order'd their 
 pafoge through that part of Savoy that borders on the Canton of Bern, 
 and caufed the Prifons to be opened; but it was in the middle of 
 Winter and in a feafon fo rigorous, that according to all appearance, 
 thofe that had efcaped the miferies of the Prifons would have perill- 
 ed on the way. 
 
 It would be very difficult to reprefent all the Miferie? and Cala- 
 mities that the Prifoners have endured during a Captivity of more 
 than nine months. There are neverfhelefs exaft Memorials of 
 what hath patted in every Priton , out of which a particular Re- 
 lation might b; collected : but fince it would exceed the dus 
 bounds of this prefent Narrative, I (ball only g : ve a general Idea 
 of the Hardfliips they have fuffered, expecting a more particular 
 enumeration of them hereafter. They were put in Prifon at fe- 
 veral times, according to the different Circumftances wherein they 
 furrendred thcmfelves or were taken. They were difperfed to 
 the number of about two thoufand , as well Men as Women and 
 Children, into fourteen Prifons or Gaftles of the Eltates of Pied- 
 mont , and they were more or lefs ill ufed according to the Hu- 
 mour of thofe that had the Government of thofe Piifrns ; but it 
 is. certain, that every where they were expofed to many Inconve- 
 niencies and great Sufferings. In every Prifon they had nothing 
 but Bread and Water for their ordinary Food > neither had they as 
 much of that as neceflity required. In fome Prifons they gave them 
 very bad Bread, black and heartlefs without Subftance, kneeded up 
 with dirty Water taken out of Sinks and Kennels, in which they of- 
 ten find pieces of Mortar, Glafs, and other Ordure : in other places 
 they gave them ftinking and corrupted Water, of which they could 
 hatdiy drink: they were forced in fome places to take it out cf 
 a Pond wherein they had watered Cattel and flung in Dogs* In 
 fome places they would not fuffer them to take Water out of the 
 Wells, but caufed it to be poured into Troughs and expofed to the 
 Sun-beams and to the heat. of the Weather, that they might not 
 drink it till it were lukewarm. In other Parts they would give 
 them no Water but at certain fet hours, out of which it was not 
 permitted them to take any, though they were ready to dye with,- 
 
 thirft, 
 
Third ; which hath caufed many poor fick Perfons to expire for 
 want of a Glafs of Water to refrefh their parched Bowels. They 
 were compelled almoft every where to lye on the hard Bricks 
 with which the Chambers of Viedmont are paved, without Straw ; 
 or if in fome places they had any given them, it was either redu- 
 ced to Chaff, or as rotten as Dung. They were fb crowded to- 
 gether and fluffed up in fome Prifons, that they were icarcely able 
 to ftir themielves ; and when any of them dyed, which happened 
 every day, they put others in their room, that they might be al- 
 ways equally preffed. The fuffbcating heat that there was in the 
 Summer, and the Corruption with which the Chambers were in- 
 fected, by reafon of the Sick, had engendred abundance of Lice 
 that would not let the Prifbners deep night nor day; there were alia 
 great Worms that eac thorow their skin : there were feveral lick 
 Perfons to be feen that were ( if we may fb fay) eaten up alive 
 with Worms ; for by continual lying, as not being able to rife or 
 lift themfelves up, thefe poor People were become fb mangy, that 
 their very skin being already putrified, parted from their Flelh and 
 mouldredaway in pieces: they left them thus flead and miferably 
 languifhing till death put a period to all their Sufferings. They have 
 not only endured all the inconveniencies of exceffive heat, but al- 
 fo thole of extreme cold; for in the middle of Winter they never 
 allowed them any fire to warm themfelves at, nor gave them- any 
 cloths-to cover themfelves with, tho' they lay in upper Rooms, that 
 for the moil part had no Windows. They never were permitted nei- 
 ther during the Summer, nor yet in the Winter, to have any Can- 
 dles or Lamps to give Light in the obfcureft nights, notwithstanding 
 they have often defired it, to find means to fuccor the fick, many 
 of whom have died for want of relief: a great number of Wo- 
 men have alfb expired in the pains of Child-birth merely for want 
 of help in the dark, and the lofs of them hath been followed 
 with that of their Infants, who have received Death the fame 
 moment wherein they mould have received Life. They have 
 put fick People whom they had ieparated from the whole, in- 
 to open places, to be expofed to the injuries of the Air and the 
 Weather, whether fair or foul, wet or dry. But this fort of Cru- 
 elty hath proved in fome manner charitable, fince it hath cau- 
 fed them to find an end to their Sufferings and Sorrows in that of 
 their Lives. In other Prifons they have put many Children taken 
 with the Small-pox into wet Yards, and on the Gutters of the Houfo, 
 
 forcing 
 
E4» ] 
 
 forcing them to receive the water that falls from thence. They arc 
 not content not to afford the fick any relief themfelves, but hinder 
 others from bringing them any fuftenance, as Water-gruel, Broth, 
 &c Whenever the Prifoners dare fb much as to complain of the 
 little care they take of them, they reproach them with threatnings, 
 and blows. They tell them that inftead of having compaflion on 
 them, they will uie them like Dogs till fuch time as they are all 
 dead. There is hardly a Prifbner that is not feized with many di- 
 ftempers. There hath been fiich a great number of fick people 
 together, that they have counted threefcore and fifteen at the fame 
 time in one chamber : They have taken away out of the Prifbns 
 many young Children, notwithstanding the oppofition of their Pa- 
 rents. In fine, the Prifoners have been fo barbaroufly ufed, that it 
 is fcarce podiblc to believe, that among thole that bear the name of 
 Chriflians, there could be found fb much inhumanity, were it not 
 known to what degree die Enemies of the Waldenfes have extended 
 their fury. But we cannot doubt of the excels of miferies that thefe 
 poor Captives have endured, fince we have been informed that 
 more than 8000 perfons have expired under the weight of this cruel 
 bondage. In the mean time, as if the fufferings wherewith their 
 bodies were affli&ed were not fufficient, they have even perfecutecf 
 their very fouls after a moft dreadful manner. For the Monks and 
 the Priefts have tned all the means imaginable to oblige them to 
 change their Religion. The good God hath neverthelefs given them 
 the grace to perfift in the Truth, and there are very few that have 
 yielded to the force of thefe temptations : thofe that turned were 
 treated a little more gently than the others, but they gave them not 
 their liberty. 
 
 The Pnfoners were reduced to this lamentable condition, when 
 the Duke of Savoy caufed the Order to be published in the Prifbns, 
 that permitted them to go out, and to retreat into Switzerland. Thi> 
 publication was not made every where in the fame manner, nor at 
 the fame time ; but fucceffively, and with proportion to the depar- 
 ture of the Prifoners. It was made nevertheless in the greateft par: 
 of the Prifbns by the means of an Auditor who caufed the P, ifbners 
 to appear before him, and told them that thole that had a mind 
 to retreat out of the Eftates of Piedmont to go into Switzerland \\ em 
 permitted lo to do; even thofe that had promised ro change their 
 Religion, becaufe that promifes that had been made iri a Prifbn 
 ought to be look'd on as forced and extorted, and by conjequence 
 
 G null 
 
[4* ] 
 
 nul and void. He added that thev were left to their liberty, whe- 
 ther they would go, or flay behindand change their Religion ; ne- 
 verthelefsthe Prifbners had not all this freedom of choice that they 
 pretended to grant them. For the Monks and the Officers of the 
 Prifons who were prefent at this publication endeavoured to hinder 
 the effects thereof. Sometimes they reprefented to them that the ri- 
 gour of the Seafon, and the cruelty of the Soldiers that conduced 
 them, would caufe part of them to perifli on the Road. Sometimes 
 they flatter'd them with the hopes of returning to their Houfes if 
 they would abjure their Religion. But when thele Confederations 
 could not move them, they beat them outragioufly, as ithapnedin 
 the Prifons of Afi s where the Governor gave them athoufand blowi 
 with hisCane in the prefence of the Auditor Leonardy. They fhut them 
 up in deep ditches, and in very ftinking places, as were the Prifons 
 of Queirafyue and others. In fine, they railed fb many obftacles, 
 that there were feveralthat yielded to thetemptation, and confent- 
 ed to renounce their Religion. But inftead of fending them back 
 to their Houfes, they carried them at length,as it were into captivi- 
 ty,into the Province of Verceil, being the moll barren, and the leafl 
 fertile part of all the Duke of Savoys Dominions. I cannot omit 
 fbme circumilances that were very remarkable; one whereof is, 
 that feveral young Children, as well thofe that had been taken out 
 of the Prilbns, as thofe that were difperfed through Piedmont, hear- 
 ing that the prifbners were fee at liberty, defired to go along with 
 their Parents and Kindred, but they would not fufFer them to do 
 it: the other is, that the permiffion to depart was not publifhed in 
 the Prifons of Lucerne, but only fluck upon the Walls, that the Pri- 
 fbners might have no benefit thereof: And laftly, they would not 
 give liberty to the Prifoners that were in the deep ditches of Afi } 
 nor to the families tljat were in the Citadel of Turin. 
 
 Soon after this publication, they caufed the Waldenfes to depart 
 in feveral Troops or Brigades,that were conducted to Genevaby the 
 Officers, and Soldiers of the Duke of Savoy. They had promi- 
 fed by the Treaty made with the Count de Govon to Cloath all the 
 Prifoners; whereupon they gave them certain old tattered Coats, 
 and fbme pairs of Stockings ; but as they executed the Treaty in 
 this particular, they broke it in others much more confiderable. For 
 befides the Cruelties that they exercifed againft feveral Brigades; they 
 took away a great number of young Children upon the Road.There 
 hapned amongft others, two things by which one may judge of the 
 
 reft. 
 
C4J 3 
 
 reft. One refpe&sthePrifbners that were atMondovi; they caufed 
 to be publifhed at Chriftmas, about five of the Clock in the evening, 
 the Order that gave them permiflion to depart ; they told them 
 that if they did not go away immediately upon the fpot, they 
 mould have no benefit of the Order, becaufe they intended to re- 
 voke it the next day. Thefe miferable creatures were all difabled 
 and worn out with Difeafes and languilhing Pains. Neverthelels 
 they chofe rather to go free, and to expofe themfelves to a mani- 
 feft danger, than to groan any longer under this cruel Captivity. 
 They departed then in a night the mod cold, and the moll in- 
 convenient that can be poffibly imagined, and travelled without 
 flopping, four or five miles over the Snow and the Ice, but with 
 fo great misfortune, that there were more than an hundred and 
 fifty that fainted under this fatigue, and dyed by the way, without 
 any poffibility of fiiccour from their Brethren. The other is in 
 reference to the Prifbners that were at FoJJ'an. There was a Brigade 
 of thefe Prifbners that having lain at Ncvalaife, at the foot of 
 Mount Senis, perceived the next morning as they were going,oa 
 great ftorm to arife on that Mountain. Some of them caufed the 
 Officer that conduced them to take notice of that ftorm. They 
 entreated him to ftay till it was over, and not to expofe them to 
 an apparent deftru&ion, but to take pity of fb many perfons, the 
 greateft part of whom were feeble, and without flrength ; they 
 told him alfb that if he would be fb charitable to them, they would 
 ask him for no Bread, choofing rather to pais without eating, than 
 to venture to call themielves on this danger : but this Officer was 
 fo rigorous and unmerciful, as to caufe them to march on, and to 
 Sacrifice part of them to his barbarous cruelty. For there were 
 about twenty fix that dyed under Mount Senis, being deftroyed by 
 the tempeft. They were old Men, fick Perfons, Women, and 
 little Children, that had not flrength to refift the rigour of the 
 bad weather, whom their kindred were compelled to leave behind 
 them for a prey to the wild Beafts, becaufe this Officer would 
 not fuffer them to take any care of them : the following Brigades, 
 and feveral Merchants, who fbon after pa fled by this Mountain, 
 faw the bodies of thefe miferable wretches extended on the Snow, 
 and the Women having their Children in their Arms. How- 
 ever, this teftimony muft be given to the truth, that feveral 
 Officers, that conducted the Ifaldenfes, took a particular care 
 of them. 
 
 G z The 
 
C 44 1 
 
 The Reformed Cantons being informed of the taking away of 
 the Children, and the other ill treatment received by the Walden- 
 fes on the way, thought that they were frill obliged in Charity to 
 iollkit in their behalf. Therefore to that end they fent Depu- 
 ties to the Court of Turin, as well in favour of the march of the 
 Brigades that were not yet arrived at Geneva, as to demand the 
 reftitution or the Children that were taken away on the Road, 
 and of the young Boys and Girls that were difperfed through Tied- 
 wont, when the Valleys were fubdued. And fince they had re- 
 ceived at the fame time a Letter from the Count de Govon, where- 
 in he acquainted them that his Mailer had deferred for fome time 
 the deliverance of the Minifters, and that he would not releafe 
 fbme Prifoners that had been taken in Arms, and that had been 
 condemned to work all their life-time in his Royal Highnefs'i 
 Fortifications : the Reformed Cantons charged their Deputies 
 again to demand the liberty of the Minifters, and of all the other 
 Pnfbners conformably to the Treaty made with the Count de 
 Govon. But before we fpeak of the fuccefs of this Negociation, 
 let us fee in what condition the TValdenfes were, when they ar- 
 rived at Geneva. 
 
 They arrived at feveral times, and in feveral Troops or Brigades, 
 that compofed in all but two thoufand five hundred perfbns ; 
 but they were in fofad and deplorable a condition, that it is not pof- 
 fible to exprefs it. There were feveral poor people that expired 
 between the two Gates of the City, and that found the end of 
 cheir lives in the beginning of their liberty ; others were fb con- 
 fumed with difeafes and pain, that they thought every moment 
 rhey would dye in the Arms of thofe that had the Charity to en- 
 tertain them. Others were fb frozen with cold that they had not 
 ftrength enough to fpeak; fbme daggered under the weight of an 
 extreme faintnefs and wearinefs, others loft the ufe of fbme of 
 their Members, and were not able to lift up their Hands to receiva 
 the alliftance that was offered them. The greateft part of them 
 were naked and without mooes : in fine, they all carried about 
 them fuch marks of exceffive furferings, and extreme mifery, that 
 the moft obdurate Heart would have been pierced to the quick 
 with a feniible grief at the very fight of them. Whereas the 
 Brigades remained fbme time at Geneva, to take a little^ reft and 
 
 refrefhment 
 
C4S3 
 
 refreshment before they fet forward for Switzerland' thofe that ar- 
 rived firft went to meet thofe that came after, to inform themfelvcs 
 concerning their kinsfolks and acquaintance of whom thev had 
 heard no News fince the reddition of the Valleys. A Father 
 enquired after his Child, and a Child after his Father, a Husband 
 fought for his Wife, and a Wife for her Husband, and every one 
 encfeavoured to hear fome News of their Friends and Neigh- 
 bours ; but as this was to very little purpofe,(ince the mod pa'-t were 
 dead in Prifon, it made a fpedtacle Co fad and difmal, that all 
 that flood by, were diflblved in Tears, whilit thefe poor mifera- 
 ble creatures, being opprefled, and overwhelmed with the excefs 
 of their grief, were not able any longer to lament themielves, or 
 Co much as to complain. But as it is very difficult to repre- 
 fent objects Co fad and Co affecting, Co it would be as hard a task 
 to exprefs the charity wherewith the people of Geneva were ani- 
 mated on this occafion. The Inhabitants pre fled on Co hft; to go 
 before thefe poor wretches to lead them into their Houfes, that the 
 Magiftrates .were obliged to forbid them to go out of the City, 
 to avoid the confufion and difbrders that ufually attend fo great a 
 concourfe of people. Every one ftrove who mould entertain the 
 moll fick, or thofe that were moft afflicted, to the end they 
 might have a greater fubject whereon to exercife their Charity. 
 They treated them not only as dear and tender Children, but 
 alfo as perfons that brought Peace, a«d a Bleffing along with them 
 on their Families. They took an. extraordinary care of the 
 fick, feveral of whom dyed at Geneva, and fome of them had 
 the wounds yet on their Bodies, that the Worms had caufed in 
 Prifon. All the Waldenfes that wanted cloathing, were either 
 furnifhed by thofe that lodged them, or by the Italian Bank, 
 the Directors whereof from the beginning to the end, fhewed 
 all the marks of a tender compaffion, and of an ardent Cha- 
 rity. 
 
 But it was not only in Geneva, that the Waldenfes have found 
 fuch confblation , but they have received alio a great deal in 
 Switzerland, where the Reformed Cantons have opened to them 
 their Country , and the Bowels of their Compaffions, after the 
 moft Generous, the moft Chnftian, and the moft Charitable 
 manner in the World. And it is upon the account of the TVal- 
 
 denfes > 
 
 
denfes y as well as of other diftrefled people that have took 
 Sanctuary there, that it may be faid, that the Country of Swit- 
 zerland is a fafe Harbour, that the Hand of God hath made, to 
 preferve from Ship wrack, thofe that are expofed to the Waves 
 of Perfecution. 
 
 Furthermore, the Deputies of the Reformed Cantons being ar- 
 rived at Turin, demanded the liberty of the Minifters, and of 
 the other Pnfoners, and the reftitution of the Children that 
 were took from them on the way , and of thofe that were 
 diiperfed through "Piedmont when the Valleys were fubdued. 
 They reprefented on behalf of the Minifters, that they could 
 have no juftifiable pretence to detain them, not only becaufe 
 they were comprehended in the Treaty made with the Count 
 de Govons ; but alio becaufe they were the principal fubject of 
 the Switzers incerceflion : befides that it was but juft to reftore 
 the Paftors to their Plocks, to comfort and fupport them in 
 their Tryals. As for the Pnfoners condemned during their 
 lives to work in the Fortifications, they reprefented alio that 
 they ought not to be diftinguifhed from the reft, under colour 
 that they were more culpable: For 
 
 i. The Treaty mentions no exception to their prejudice. And 
 it imports, that all the Prifbners in general fhall be releafed. 
 
 2. The Count de Govcn himfelf hath declared in a Letter, that 
 he wrote on this Subject in behalf of the Duke his Mafter, that 
 they did not intend to detain any of the Pnfoners. 
 
 2. Since it hathpleafed his Royal Highnefs to grant fafe Con- 
 ducts to thofe that were actually in Arms, with much more reafon 
 ought he to give leave to thefe Prifbners (of whom it isdifputed ) 
 to retreat, who have always been confidered as far lefs criminal. 
 And as for the young Children, they mewed, that they ought to be 
 releafed, both thofe that had been took away upon the Road, and 
 thofe that had been difperfed through Piedmont, becaufe both the 
 one fort and the other was kept back, contrary to the purport and 
 intent of the Treaty : but neither the Reafons nor the Solhcitati- 
 ons of the Deputies produced any effect ; they yielded to nothing 
 
 but 
 
C 47 ] 
 
 but the reftitution of fome of the Children that were taken on 
 the way. For all the reft remain as yet in the Eftates of Piedmont. 
 It is true the Court of Turin hath promifed to reftore the Mini- 
 fters in fome time. But at prefent they are diftributed with 
 their Families, confiding of forty (bvQn perfons into three Pri- 
 sons or Caftles, where they are ftri&Iy guarded , and expofed to 
 abundance of Inconveniences and miferies , without feeing yet 
 any appearance or Redemption. 
 
 Thus I have given you in fhort, a Relation of the mod mate- 
 rial Paflages on the account of the diflipation of the Churches and 
 Inhabitants of the Valleys of Piedmont. There wants norhing 
 more to demonftratc, that there never was any Perfecution 
 more unjuft, nor more violent. Much lefs is there any thing want- 
 ing to make it appear, that there never were any Objects more wor- 
 thy of the compaffion of all good Chriftians, than the IValdenfa 
 that have efcaped this Perfecution. They are perfwaded, that all 
 Reformed Europe will look with an eye of pity on the Calamities 
 and Pains with which they are overwhelmed, and that they will be 
 partakers of their fbrrow. Theie are the fad Remains of that 
 difmal Shipwrack, wherewith the true Succefiors of the Apoftles 
 have been Co lately fwallowed up. This is that fcattered Remnant 
 of thole Mother Churches, the moft ancient of all, that from the 
 Top of the Alfes had illuminated a great part of the Univerfe. 
 Finally, this is that poor Remainder reduced to Co (mall a number, 
 and to ib deplorable a condition, on whole diminution and mifery 
 we cannot reflect without being pierced to the Heart with an ex- 
 traordinary and iurprifing grief. They implore the Protection 
 of Kings, Princes and Proteftant Eltates : and in fine, of all the 
 Faithful. They conjure them by the Bowels of Companion of the 
 common Saviour of the World, and by all that is moft Sacred in 
 the Communion of Saints, to hearken to the fad voice of their 
 bitter Lamentations and Groans. They befeech them to continue 
 the effects of this incomparable Charity of which they have given 
 Co many famous Examples, and to open the Treafure of their Be- 
 nevolence towards this Refidue, that the good God hath juft now 
 faved by a Miracle of his Providence. They will by this means en- 
 deavour to conduce fomewhat to the Glory of the Sovereign Mo- 
 narch of the Univerfe. And they will receive this Conlolation, 
 
 that 
 
1*4*] 
 
 laatshsy hava ma<teufe ©f fo happy an opportunity of prefervlng in 
 ihs.fwlQiiB of (h@ Wdfonlth the fir'ft Fruffi of the Primitive Church. 
 In the mean rims, thefe poor diftreiled people will never eeafe to 
 open their Hearts in the pretence of the Father of Light, for 
 their charitable Benefactors, that it may pleafe him to multiply 
 more and more thefe their good Fruits, and crown their Charity 
 with the moft precious Bleffings, both in this life, and that which 
 is to come. 
 
 ■ ii l ui i h i iii 1 1 i i 
 
 A LETTER 
 
 ■ m 1 1 ii i' *■ " ■' 
 
C49] 
 
 A LETTER from his Royal Highnefs of Savoy, to the 
 Inhabitants of the Valleys. 
 
 To our molt Dear and Faithful Subjects, the Communities of 
 the Valleys of Lucerne, Peiroufe and S. Martin, and of the 
 Quarters of Perruflin, S. Bartholomew andRccheplatte 
 
 The Duke of Savoy > Prince of Piedmont, King of Cyprus ', &c. 
 
 Moll Dear and Faithful , 
 
 Since we have been well pleafed with the z&al and readinefs, -with which 
 you have provided Men who have ferved us to our entire fatts- 
 faEtion in the Affairs we had again/} the Genoefes; we have thought fit by 
 thefe Prefents to teftifie unto you our good liking thereof * and to ajfitre you, 
 that we wiU keep it in particular remembrance ,to make youfenfible on ad 
 occafions, of the Effects of our Royal Protection, whereof the Count and 
 Intendant Boccaria {hall give you a more full Information, whom we 
 have commanded to exprefs to you our fentiments more at large, and alfo 
 to take a Lift of the Officers and Soldiers , as well ofthofe that are dead-, 
 as of thofe that remain Prifoners, to make report thereof unto us ; to the 
 end that we may have due regard thereto. In the mean time thefe' 
 Prefents {hall ferve you for an affured tefiimony of our fatisfaftion and 
 good will ; and we pray God to pre ferve you from Evil. 
 
 From Turin the fifth of November, 1672* Signed 
 
 C Emanuel Buonfiglio, 
 
 A Copy of a Letter wrote to Count Boccaria, by His Royal 
 Highnefs. 
 
 Trufty and Well-Beloved, 
 
 THe Men whom the Communities of the Valleys of Lucerne, &c, 
 have provided, have ferved us fo faithfully, that being defirous 
 to teftifie unto them our {attsf action therein, we have fent you a Letter- 
 herein indofed, that we have wrote to them\ to the end that you may 
 deliver it to them, and alfo exprefs more fully the good will that we 
 bear to them on this account, and that you may affure them, that when- 
 foever any thing {hall happen, that may tend to their advantage, we 
 
 will 
 
C so-] 
 
 will particularly remember their affection, and on this occajion you (haU 
 take a Lifi of the Officers and Soldiers, as -well of thofe that are dead 
 as of thofe that are Vrijoners, and make report thereof unto us % to the end 
 that we may he able to have convenient regard thereto ,and referring to you 
 what may be fatd further in token of the fatisf action we have received, n% 
 lefs' by their zeal and readmefs, than by the good Service that their Of- 
 ficers and Soldiers have rendredus, we pray our Lord to preferve you. 
 
 At Turin the fifth of November, 1672. Sirned 
 
 C. Emanuel. 
 
 To Monfieur the Count Am. Bcccaria, Counfellor of State, 
 and Refendarylntendant General of the Valleys. 
 
 The Order of Don Gabriel of Savoy, in favour of the Inha- 
 bitants of the Valleys. 
 
 D.Gahriel of Savoy, Marquefs of Rive, Commander Gene- 
 ral of the Armies of his Royal Highnefs, and General 
 of the Cavalry. 
 
 THe underwritten Officers of the Valleys of Lucerne have Jliewn 
 fo great a zeal for bis Royal Highnejfes Service, as opportunity 
 hath cffered it (elf, particular)/ in the Commotions of this Province, that 
 we have thought it convenient to give them feme atteftation thereof, to 
 the end, that on other occafions wherein his Royal Highnejfes Service 
 (Jia/l be required, they may be punctual to continue, and to give fur- 
 ther proofs of their \z>eal and courage ; wherefore by virtue of the Au- 
 thority we have from hu Royal Highnefs, we give permiffwn to the 
 afore faid Officers here undernamed, to carry Arms, upon condition ne- 
 verthelefs, that they do not abufe it ; and we command all thofe that depend 
 en cur Orders, as General, and defire others not to give them, nor to 
 -permit any molefiation to be given them, upon the account of carrying 
 the fatd Arms directly, nor indirectly, under any pretence whatfcever 3 
 this being his Royal Highnejfes Will and Pleafure, and his Service requi- 
 ting the fame. 
 
 Given at Mondovi the twenty ninth of September, 1 68 1 . 
 
 FINIS.