A short and faithfull ACCOUNT OF THE LATE COMMOTIONS IN THE Valleys of Piedmont, Within the Dominions of the Duke of Savoy.

VVith some Reflections on Mr. Stouppe's collected Papers touching the same businesse.

Printed for W. P. and G. L. 1655.

A true Relation of the late Commotions in the Valleys of Piedmont, &c.

THe Vaudois or Woldenses took name from one Peter Wal­dus a Citizen of Lyons in France, who lived in the tweifth Age, his opinions were for the most part negatives to the Church of Rome; he held Episcopacy. Diabolical, and Ordination impertinent, himself, being a meer Lay-man, and only a gifted Merchant, preach't and undertook all the other offices, belonging to the new Church himself had gathered, he sold all his own estate, and lived o [...] voluntary alms, teaching, it was un­lawfull for Church-men to have any thing of their own; he held all Festivalls, as Christmas, Easter, &c. were Popish inventions and abominations to the Lord, and so were set Fasting daies: O­ther singularities he had, but I intend only to touch his Character, and proceed to the late passage in the Valleys of Piedmont.

The Off-spring of this Waldus (who by degrees have in some points approacht to the way of Geneva) have for many yeares continued in the Valley of Angrogue, Rorata, Bobiane, and coun­try of Bonetti, within the Territories of the Duke of Savoy; and had absolute toleration of Religion, and free commerce granted them by Charles Emanuel, late Duke of Savoy, and Victorio Ame­deo his Successor; and the same was confirmed to them by Duke Charles Emanuel now Reigning, in the year 1649. But of late years, the said Waldenses, having much encroached upon the Dukes Catholique Dominions, and been so far from not enjoying the li­berty of their own Religion, that they began to deny the Papists a Liberty of Conscience among them, not permitting their Priests to say Masse, but used many revilings and mockeries towards their Masse, and religious people; as at La Tour, they dressed an Asse in a Monks habit: These, with other such like indiscretions, caused the Duke, with his Officers, to publish this Edict.

Andrew Guastald Doctor in Law, Auditor to his Royall High­nesse, and generall Conservator of the Catholike Faith, ap­pointed to put in execution all Orders against the pre­tended reformed Religion in the Valleys of Lucerne, Perouse, and S. Martin, &c.

IN order to the power given us by his Highnesse, Letters dispatched to us in due form, signed Violetta, and sealed, bearing date the thirteenth instant, and in performance of the Instructions given us, as also at the instance of Mr. Bartholomew Guastaldus, in behalf of the Royall Exchequer; We ordain and command the chief Sergeant or Bailiff sworn to make command and injunction to all heads of Families, and to each particular of the pretended Reformed Religion, of what­soever estate, condition, and degree, no inhabitant [...]xcepted, possessing any goods in the Territories of Lucern, Lucernette, S. John, la Tour, Bobiane, Fenill, Campiglion, Bricheras, and S. Secondo, within three daies next after the publication hereof, to relinquish and abandon­with their families, the said places, and to transplant themselves into those places and limits, which by the good pleasure of his Royal High­ness are assigned unto them, viz. Bobiane, the Ʋalley of Angrogne, Rorata, and Country of Bonetti, under pain of life, and confiscation of such of their houses, possessions, and goods which are without the said li­mits, in case they cannot within twenty daies make proof before us, that they are Catholiques, or that they have sold their estates to some Catho­liques, his Royal Highness declaring, that it never was his, nor his Royal Predecessors intention, by any act done, or to be done, much less his will to inlarge their bounds, and that if any thing hath been done or published to the contrary, it was both against his own orders, or those of his Magistrates, and a meer usurpation against the intention of those Acts, as is manifest; and therefore the transgressors have un­dergone the penalties mentioned in his Declaration: Besides, his High­ness intends that in all and every of those places, where they are lo­vingly tolerated, the holy Sacrifice of the Masse be celebrated, prohi­biting all Subjects of the pretended reformed Religion, to give any mo­lestation in deeds or words, to the fathers Missionaries, and those that officiate under them, much less to disturb or divert any of the pretend­ed [Page 3] reformed Religion, from becoming Catholiques, under pain of death, charging aend commanding each particular person of the pretended re­formed Religion, to see the forementioned injunctions invi [...]lably ob­served, as they will answer the contrary at their utmost perils, de­claring his intention to be, that the execution hereof be done, by posting or fixing Copies of these presents, which shall be of like force, as if they had been made, and intimated to each in particular.

Given at Lucerne, the 25. of January, 1655.
Andrew Castaldus Comrius.

In this Edict, twenty daies was allowed those Waldenses, who had encroached upon the Catholique Territories, either to become Catholikese, or to sell their estates, and to transplant themselves into the places formerly assigned, yet it was so far from being ob­served, that certain desperate persons among them, contrary to the expresse words of the Edict, fell in a rage upon two Priests at Fe­nil, in the lower Vale of Lucern, and slew them at the Altar, as they were saying Masse. This might justly incense the Duke, who forthwith sent certain Delegates to hear and examine the business, and punish the offenders according to Law. These Delegates were no sooner arrived, but they were furiously assaulted by tumultuous persons, and some of their Retinue slain, so that they returned r [...] infecta. Hereupon his Royall Highnesse dispatched other Dele­gates to the same purpose, guarded with a Troop of Horse; but these also were opposed by a considerable number of men in Arms, and in an encounter, much routed, and divers slain and taken pri­soners.

The Waldenses conceiving themselves now to have extreamly incensed their lawfull Prince, and that they could expect no fa­vour from him, took Arms generally, yet they pretended it was not against the Duke himself, but his Popish Councellors, that is, the Congregation for propagating the Faith, of which the chiefe were, the Arch bishop of Turin, the Dukes Confessor, the Abbot Del Monte, the Prior of Rorene, and others.

Within few daies these Waldenses (by the help of the Lords o [...] Bern and Zurick, whose aid they implored) were embodied many thousands strong, and had fortified many Towns, insomuch as the Duke began really to dispair of raising a force sufficient in his own Dominions to suppresse them; however he armed what Forces he could for present, which were commanded by Mar­quesse Pianess, and forthwith dispatcht an Env [...]yè to the King of France, requesting his aid towards the suppression of certain re­bellious Subjects, who forthwith appointed Count Quinsey with an Army (wherein there was one Regiment of Irish) to joyne with the said Marquess Piaress, which being done accordingly, they marched towards the said Valley, where, in a set encounter, the Waldenses were totally routed, yet after that, several Townes and strong holds were, and some yet are, with much violence main­tain'd against the Dukes Army, and many confiderable persons slain, which inraged the Souldiers so much, as to commit some cru­elties in the heat of blood, without the Dukes Order, and has been the cause that many of those people, who could not content themselves in their own bounds, nor allow others that liberty they enjoyed themselves, nor obey their own lawfull Prince, are destroyed by the violence of an unnaturall War, and lost their E­states by the severity of Sequestration.

Some Observations on Mr. Stouppes collected Papers, &c.

BUt because 'tis almost as easie to justifie as to accuse, if the par­ties bare word may passe for proof, and that no evidence is so sure and convincing, as that which is acknowledgeded by him that pleads for the cnntrary cause; I shall chuse some few Observati­ons out of Mr. Stouppes late printed Collection, by which most of the Allegations in defence of the Dukes proceedings are made good, and no man will undertake to excuse every action of the Souldiers.

The sum of the Edict was this, as Mr. Stouppe (and I think very faithfully) relates i [...], pag. 7. That the Waldenses who inhabited those [Page 5] valleyes, which were not contained in the former Instruments of Tole­ration, should within three dayes retire to the places where they were permitted (neighboring valleys, not any forraign Country) or within twenty dayes sell their goods to Catholikes, or themselves become Ca­tholikes.

1. That the Waldenses inlarged their Quarters, and introduced themselves and Religion beyond the limits of their Toleration, is no where deni'd by Mr. Stouppe, but rather, as to some of them, con­fest, pag. 18.

2. Nor that the Dukes Edict was published against any, but such Incroachers: All Concessions of the Duke still expresly relating to their formerly granted Liberties, without extending them to new places.

3. The Duke, permitting them the free exercise of their Reli­gion, thought it reasonable, that they should at least tolerate the exercise of his, and allow their Prince at least Liberty of Consci­ence in his own Dominions: This they denied. Stouppe pag. 13.

4. The Waldenses were in arms, when the Marquesse Pianesse came against them, els how could they have kild most of his men by their couragious resistance? Stouppe, p. 31. But then (sayes Stouppe) the Marques [...]e betaking himself to dissimulation, overcame and ruin'd them. What stratagems are lawfull for Princes Officers to use in order to the reducement of disobedient Subjects, I intend not to dispute; but it seems their opposition was so strong and dangerous, that they put the Marquesse to his wits; wherein yet if he dealt perfidiously, no honest man will defend him.

5. These Waldenses (sayes Stouppe (pag. 21 & 22.) struggled not against the Prince, but against the Congregation of propagating the faith, &c. who covered their injustice under the name and authority of the most illu [...]rious Prince. 'Tis no new piece of wit to disobey the Prince, and yet pretend to do nothing but against his evill Coun­cillors. Howsoever it seems Mr. Stouppe and his Countrimen of the Mountains, think it lawfull to take arms against the supreme Magistrate, if the inferior ones misuse their Office.

6. For their sufferings, I believe them far greater then they de­served, especially being a people whose rudenesse and ignorance might lay a faire claime to their Magistrates mercy; yet when I survey Mr. Stouppes particular accompt, I cannot find such a vast sum, [Page 6] as his generall words import: And for the exiles, they were only banisht into their own country, and that no farther off then the next valley, with liberty too, either to sell their goods, or carry them with them.

And though in those collected Papers I easily finde (for I did but swiftly read them) two great exceptions; one, That they de­scribe the punishment, and not expresse the crime, a course that will condemn all the Tribunalls in the world of barbarousnesse, and even God himself of injustice. The other is, That there are many extravagant and indeed incredible exaggerations in relating the matter of fact; yet I shall willingly give Mr. Stouppe his just praise, because, me-thinks in the whole designe of his Book, he [...]trives still to excite his Readers to a resentment of charity, rather [...]en of revenge, wherein he is far more manly and Christian too, than those, who cry out for a retaliation upon any Papists where­ever they meet them, not considering the innocent are not to be destroy'd with the guilty, if the peace of the State where they live permits a triall, that unruly proceeding being only tolerable where distinction is impossible.

After we have offer'd these few reflexions upon Mr. Stouppes col­lected papers, we must highly applaud the charity of relieving these poor distressed people, who though they might deserve some cha­stisement, yet their very being reduc'd to poverty, gives them ti­tle enough to our pity, onely I could wish that Subjects would proceed very warily in representing the actions of Supreme Magi­strates, though of another Nation, and not strain to render them odious to the vulgar: It accustomes the people to think ill of Go­vernors in generall, and breeds in them a disposition to believe any wilde story against the Magistrate, without regard to his dig­nity; and when they have talk'd saucily a while against the Go­vernours of their Neighbour Countryes, they are in a very hope­full readiness, upon the first occasion, to think, and speak, and act as much against their own.

THE END.

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