Abridgment of the Book of Acts and Monuments by Timothy Bright, Volume 1 · Book 7 · Account 6
The perſecution of Merindole and Cabriers.
ABout 200. yéeres ago, this people is ſaid to come out of the coūtry of Piedmount, to inhabit in Prouence, in certaine villages deſtroyed by warres, and other deſert places, wherein they vſed ſuch labour, and diligence, that they had aboundance of corne, wine, oyle, almondes, with other fruits. They had of long time refuſed the Biſhoppe of Romes authoritie, and obſerued euer a more perfect kind of doctrine, then others, (deliuered vntounto them from the Father to the ſonne) euer ſince the yéere 1200. In the yéere 1530. vnderſtanding that the Goſpel was preached in certaine townes of Germany, and Switzerland, they ſent thither two learned men, that is, Georgius Maurellus, Georgius Maurellus.borne in Delph, and Petrus Latomus, P. Latomus.a Burgundian, to conferre with the learned miniſters in the doctrine of the Goſpell. Which done, as they returned through Burgundie, Petrus Latomus was taken at Dyion, and caſt into priſon: Maurellus eſcaped, and returned to Merindoll, with bookes and letters, which he brought with him from the churches of Germanie: Whereby they being inſtructed, ſent for the moſte auncient brethren, and chéefeſt in knowledge in all Calabria, and Apulia, to conſult with them, touching the reformation of the Church. Whereby the Biſhops were ſo mooued, that they raged greatly againſt them. Among other, there was one Iohn de Roma, a Monk, who was moſt cruell:A cruel monk. and among other his cruelties, he vſed to examine them thus: he filled bootes with boyling greace, and put the bootes vponupon their legges, tying them backeward to a forme, with their legges hanging downe ouer a ſmall fire, and ſo examined them: thus he tormented very many, and in the end moſt cruelly put them to death. The firſt whom hée thus tormented, were Michellotus Serra, Michellotus Serra.and William Melius, Wil. Melius. The vengeance of God.with a number mo. But Gods vengeance fell heauily vponupon him, for firſt he was condemned for this crueltie, by the high court of parlement of Prouence: and auoiding that ſentence by flying to Auinion, he was ſtroken with ſuch a horrible diſeaſe, that no man durſt come nigh him, aliue or dead. He did ſo horribly ſtinke whē he was dead, there was none would come néere him to burie him, but a yoong nouice newly come to his order, caught hold with an hooke vponupon his ſtinking carrion, and drew him into a hole, which was made for him harde by. While he was in tormēts and anguiſh, he cried out oftentimes in great rage, oh,Deſpaire. who will deliuer me? who will kill me, and rid me out of theſe intollerable paines, which I know I ſuffer for the euils & oppreſſions I hauehave doone to the poore men? &c.
After the death of this monſter, the B. of Aix, by his officiall Perionet continued the perſecution by the hands of the ordinary iudge called Meiranus a cruell tyrant: who without forme of law, ſuch as the iudge had pronoūced to be heretikes, he put to death with moſt cruell torments.
In the time of Bartholmew Caſſanus preſidēt of the parlement of Aix, a moſt cruell tyrant: they of Merindoll in the perſon of 10. were cited perſonally to appéere before ye kings atturney. But they hearing that the court had determined to burne them, without order of law; durſt not appéere at the day appointed,A cruell ſentence againſt the people of Merindoll. for which cauſe the court awarded a moſt cruell ſentence againſt Merindoll, & condemned all the inhabitants to be burnt, both men and women, ſparing none, no not the little children, and infants: the towne to be raſed, and their houſes beaten downe to the ground: alſo the trées to be cut downe, as well Oliue, as other, and nothing to be left, to the end it ſhould neuer be inhabited, but remaine as a wilderneſſe. This ſentence againſt the Merindolians,The harlot of the B. of Aix, laboureth againſt Merindoll. the concubine of the Biſhop of Aix, laboured greatly to hauehave executed, eſpecially becauſe (as the Biſhop of Aix told her) they held, that all Biſhops, paſtors and, prieſts, ought eyther to be married or gelded: for which ſhe ſaid, ſhe hated them to the very death, and would employ goods, and fréends, to worke their deſtruction.
The Archbiſhop of Arles, the Biſhop of Aix, & diuers Abbots, and Priors, conſulted how to execute the arreſt with all ſpéede, and by the aduice of the Biſhop of Aix they went to Auinion, there with other Prelates to intreat of the matter: in which aſſembly they made a generall compoſition, confirmed with an oth, that eueryevery mā ſhould endeuor himſelfe, that the arreſt of Merindoll ſhould be executed with al expedition, eueryevery man offering to furniſh out men of warre according to his ability, the charge wherof was giuen to the B. of Aix. After this councell holden, the next day they banketted at the houſe of the Biſhop of Rieux: to which banket all the faireſt women of Auinion were called, to ſolace theſe good Prelates: after they had dined, they fell to dauncing, dicing, and ſuch other paſtimes: which béeyng ended, they walked abroade to ſolace themſelues till ſupper: as they paſſed the ſtréete, eueryevery one leading his minion vppon his arme, they ſaw a man which ſold bawdy pictures, and ballades, all which the Biſhops bought vp, being as many as a mule could well carrie: and if any ſentence were obſcure in the rime, the Biſhops did expound it, with great delight and laughter. In the ſame place walking along, they found one that ſold certaine bibles in French, & Latine, which when ye prelats perceiued, they greatly raged againſt the man, who anſwered thē, is not the bible as good as theſe goodly pictures which you hauehave bought for theſe gētlewomen? He had ſcarſe ſpokē theſe words, when ye B. of Aix ſaid, I renoūce my part of paradiſe, if this mā be not a Lutheran: ſo he was laid hold on, and on the next morow after, brought before the iudges,The martyr burned with 2. bibles about his necke. in preſence of the Biſhops, & condemned immediatly to bée burned, with two bibles hanging about his necke: the one before, & the other behind. This ſentence was executed the ſame day: and thervpon, proclamatiō made againſt al books in the french tongue intreating of the ſcriptures, vnderunder pain of death, to all them that would not bring them in.
After this, the B. of Aix goeth to the preſident Caſſaneus, and laboureth him to put the arreſt in execution: who being perſwaded therto, the drum was ſounded vp through out al Prouence, the captains were prepared with their enſignes diſplaied, and a great number of footmen, and horſmen, begā to ſet forward, & marched out of the towne of Aix, in order of battel, wel horſed and furniſhed againſt Merindoll, to execute the arreſt. The inhabitants of Merindol hearing therof, commended themſelues, and their cauſe to God by prayers,The manner of of Gods children in affliction. making themſelues ready to the ſlaughter, In this while the Lord of Alence, a man, wiſe and learned in the Scriptures, and in the ciuil law, altered againe the preſidents mind: and ſo the commiſſion was called barke, and the army retired, which was come within a mile & a half, of the town of Merindol, to do the execution.God heareth their praiers. The Merindolians hearing therof, gaue thankes to God, and determined to ſubiect thēſelues vntounto Gods will, and to endure whatſoeuer affliction ſhould be layd vponupon them. The fame of them, and alſo of the arreſt, came to the king Francis eares; who gaue commandement to the noble & vertuous Lord monſieur de Langeay: at that time his Lieutenant in Thurim, a citie of Piedmount diligently to enquire the trueth of the matter: who ſent 2. deputies to enquire: the which deputies made report of ye vertue, & diligence of ye poore Merindoliās, in ſuch ſort that they had by their labour fructified Merindol; yt wheras before it was taxed but at 4. crowns, before the deſtruction & oppreſſion which it ſuffered, paid yeerly to the Lord 350. crowns, beſides other charges: they declared alſo the great oppreſſion, which they had ſuffered. Beſides they had good teſtimonie giuen of their neighbors of Prouence, what they held alſo: alſo, againſt the popes religion, was truly reported, and the copye of the arreſt brought whereof the king was aduertiſed by monſieur de Langeay: who vnderſtanding theſe things,King Frauncis pardoneth the Merindoliās. ſent letters to them of grace and pardon, not to thoſe onelyonly which were condemned for lacke of appearance, but alſo for all the reſt of the countrey of Prouence, which were accuſed and ſuſpected in like caſe: commanding the Parlement, that they ſhould not hereafter ſo procéed: but if there were any that could be proued by ſufficient information to hauehave ſwerued from chriſtian religion, that then hee ſhoulde hauehave demonſtration made vntounto him by the word of God, out of the old, and new teſtament: & ſo by gentlenes bée reduced to the church of God: cōmanding alſo, that thoſe which were conuicted of hereſie, ſhould abiure, & that all priſoners ſhould be ſet at libertie: which either were accuſed, or ſuſpected of Lutheraniſme. By vertue of which commandement, & letters of the king, they were permitted to declare their cauſe, Whervpon,A confeſſion of the Merindolians faith. they made a cōfeſſion of their faith,, which was preſented firſt to the court of parlement, & afterward more at large, with articles therunto annexed: it was deliuered to the B. of Cabillon, and to Cardinall Sadolet.
About this time, the yéere 1542. the vicelegate of Auinion aſſembled a great number of men of war, at the requeſt of the B. of Cauailon, to deſtroy Cabriers: 1542 Cabriers.when the army was come within a mile of Cabriers, the Cardinall Sadolet went with ſpéede vntounto the Vicelegate, and ſhewed the articles of the confeſſion of Cabriers, Sadolet helped Cabriers.and how they offered to bée informed, wherin they had erred, by the word of God: whervppon, at that time, the army retired.
Afterward, it was ordained by the court of Parlement, that according to the kings letters, Ioh. Durand, counſeller of the court of parlement, with a ſecretary, and the Biſh. of Cauaillon, with a Doctor of diuinitie, ſhould goe vntounto Merindoll, and there declare vntounto the Inhabitants, the hereſies which they knew to be cōteined in their cōfeſſion: & to make them apparant by good and ſufficient information. And hauing ſo conuicted them by the word of god, they ſhould make them renounce, and abiure the ſaid hereſies, &c.
Whereupon, Durandus ſignified the day that he woulde be preſent at Merindol, that none of the Inhabitants might be abſent. At the day appointed, the parties aboue mentioned came vntounto Merindoll, whereas alſo were preſent diuers Gentlemen, and men of vnderſtanding of all ſortes. There was called foorth Anthonie Mailard, Examination of the Merindolians.Bailiffe of the towne of Merindoll, Ienon Romane, and Michelin Maynard, Sindiques, Iohn Cabrie, and Iohn Palenc, Ancients of Merindoll, and Iohn Brunerol, vnderunder-bayliffe: who requiring that they might (becauſe they were vnlearned) anſwere by Aduocate, were denyed either to anſwere by Aduocate, or by wryting, but only in their owne perſons: who notwithſtanding, did (by Gods aſſiſtance) ſo anſwere, that the aduerſaries were aſhamed, and durſt put in no information of hereſie againſt their articles. But the B. ſpake a lōg tale in ye Cōmiſſioners day, and would declare nothing: and the Doctor made a long tale in latin, and would geue no otherwiſe any information againſt them. Many that came thether to heare this diſputation, were much touched, and moued to require copies of their confeſſion, and anſweres. Whereupon, many were conuerted to the faith: & namelie, 3. doctors, who went about to diſſwade the Merindolians from the trueth: whoſe miniſterie God vſed afterwarde in the preaching of the Goſpel. Of whom, one was D. Comband, Prior of S. Maximinie, afterwardes Preacher in the territorie of the Lords of Bern: another was D. Semanti, who was alſo a preacher in the Bayliwike of Touon: the other was D. Herandi, paſtor, and miniſter in the Countie of Newcaſtle.
After this, the Inhabitantes of Merindoll were in quiet for a time, vntill Iohn Miniers, an excéeding bloudy tirant, began a new perſecution.
This Miniers, being Lord of Opedie, néere to Merindol, firſt began to vexe the poore Chriſtians, by polling and extortion, getting from them what he could, to inlarge his own Lordſhippe, which before was very baſe. For this cauſe, he put 5. or 6. of his owne Tenants into a Ciſtern vnderunder the ground and cloaſing it vp, there kept them till they died for hunger, (pretēding that they wer Lutherans) to hauehave their goods and poſſeſſions.
By this, and ſuch other practiſes, this wretch was aduā ced in a ſhort ſpace to great wealth and dignitie: and at lēgth became the Kings Lieutenant generall in the Countrey of Prouence, in the abſence of the L. Grigitane, then being at the Councell of Wormes in Germanie: this wretch, impudently, and falſly, geueth the king to vnderſtand, yt they of Merindoll and Snatre, about the number of twelue or fiftéene thouſande, were in the field in armour, with Enſigne diſplayde, entending to take the towne of Marcelle, & to make it one of the Cantons of the Suitzers. By which lie he obteined the kings letters patentes, and through the helpe of the Cardinal of Tournon, commanded the ſentence of the former arreſt to be executed againſt the Merindoliās.
After this, he gathered all the Kings armie, which was then in Prouence, ready to go againſt the Engliſhmen: and tooke vp all (beſides) that were redy to beare armour in the chéefe townes of Prouence: and ioyned them with the army which the popes Legate had leuied for that purpoſe in Auinion, and all the Countrey of Venice, and employed ye ſame to the deſtruction of Merindoll and Cabriers, and of other Townes and Villages, to the number of 22. geuing commiſſion to his Souldiers, to ſpoile, ranſacke, burn, & deſtroy al together, and to kil man, woman, & child, without al pity, ſparing none. Before he came to Merind. he rāſakt & burnt certaine townes, namely, La Roche, S. Stephens, ville Laure Lormarin, la motte, Cabrieretter S. Martin, Pipu, The cruelty of Antichriſt.and other places mo, notwithſtanding the arreſt onelyonly extended to Merindole, where the moſt of the inhabitants were murthered, and ſlayne, without any reſiſtance: women, and maidens rauiſhed, women with child, and little infants moſt cruelly murdered, the paps of many women which gaue ſucke to their children cut of, and the children ſtaruing at the breaſts of there dead mothers: ſuch crueltie, as was neuer before ſéene.
The Merindolians ſéeing all on a flaming fire about them, left their houſes, with women and children, and other few, and with them certaine miniſters of their Churches. Miniers in the meane time, had deuided his army into two parts, marching with the one partie himſelfe towards Merindoll: and hauing knowledge by eſpiall, whether the Merindolians were fledde, hée ſent the other part of his armie to ſet vppon them on a ſudden: who came and found them aſſembled at prayers, and ſpoyled them of all that they, had pulling their garmentes from their backes:Popiſh crueltie. ſome they rauiſhed, ſome they whipped and ſcourged, ſome they ſold away like cattle, &c. The women were in number about fiue hundred.
In the meane time, Miniers came to Merindoll, where hée found none but a yoong man, named Maurice Blanc, Maurice Blanc.who had yéelded himſelfe to a Souldier, promiſing him for his raunſome 2. French crownes. Miniers would hauehave had him away by force, but it was anſwered: the ſouldier ought not to looſe his priſoner. Miniers therefore paying the two crownes, himſelf tooke the yoong man, & cauſed him to be tied to an Oliue trée, & ſhot through with harquebuſhes, and ſo cruelly martired the yoong man, ſtill calling on God: ſo hée razed Merindoll, and laid it euen with the ground.Merindoll razed, and layed euen with the ground. When he had ſo done, he laid ſiege to Cabriers: which whē he could not ouercome by force, he promiſed thē fairly, if they would let him enter in, ſwearing hée would harme none of them, wherevpon the people let him in: who when he was once entered,Miniers breaketh his oth with Cabriers falſified his oth, and firſt picked out about thirtie men, cauſed them to be caried to a certaine medow, bound, and there to bée miſerably cut and hewen in péeces of his Souldiers: hée exerciſed alſo great cruelty ouer the women, and cauſed fortie of them to be taken, of whom many were with childe, and put them into a barne full of hey and ſtraw, and cauſed it to be ſet on fire at foure corners, kéeping them that would breake out, with pikes and halberts: there was a Souldier which being moued with pittie at the lamentation of the women, opened a dore to let them out, but as they were comming forth, the cruell tyrant cauſed them to be ſlaine, and cut in péeces, opening their bellies,Meruailous crueltie. that their children might fall out, whom they trode vnderunder their féete: many were fledde into the wineſeller of the Caſtle, and many hidde themſelues in caues, whereof ſome were caried into the medow, and there ſtripped naked, were ſlaine, other ſome were bound two and two together, and caried into the hall of the Caſtle, where they were ſlaine by the Captaines, reioycing in their buchery. That doone, this tyrant commaunded captain Iohn de Guy, with a band of ruffians to go into the church (wher was a great number of women, children, and yoong infants) to kill all that he found there: he although at firſt refuſing, yet being threatned, performed the ſame. The number of them which were ſlaine,1000. ſlaine. was a thouſand perſons, men, women, and children: the infants which eſcaped their furie, were baptized againe of their enemies.
In token of this ioly victory, the Popes officers cauſed a piller to be erected in the place of Cabriers, in which was engrauen the yeare and daye of ſackyng the towne by Iohn Miniers Lord of Oped, and chéefe preſident of the Parlement of Prouence. In this meane ſeaſon, they of Merindoll and Cabriers which had fled to the mountaines, being in great neceſſitie of victuals, procured certaine men, which were in fauour with Miniers, to intreate him, they might depart ſafely, onelyonly with their liues: although they had no more but their ſhirts to couer their nakednes. Whervnto he anſwered, not one of them ſhal eſcape my hands, I will ſend them to dwell in hell among the diuels.
After this, there was a power ſent vntounto Coſſa,Coſſa deſtroyed. which likewiſe they ouerran, and committed there great ſlaughter. Many of the inhabitants fled away, and went into an Orchard, where the ſouldiers rauiſhed the women, & maidens: and when they had kept them there a day and a night, they handled them ſo beaſtly, that they died ſhortly after. They which eſcaped to the woods, and went wandring by mountains, were taken, and ſet in gallies, or els were ſlaine outright: many which hid themſelues in rocks and dark caues: ſome were famiſhed, ſome ſmoothered with fire & ſmoke put to thē. And this was the deſtruction of Merindol & Cabriers.
This cauſe was afterward in the time of Henry the ſecond, fiftie times pleaded to and fro, by one called Aubrius, Aubrius.againſt Minerius, and another named Robertus, the defendant: but it could not be determined, and Minerius was let out of priſon, and reſtored to his poſſeſſions, and libertie agayne: vponupon condition made to Charles, Cardinall of Loraine, that he ſhould expell the true profeſſors out of al prouinces: which he after his reſtoring, practiſed accordingly,Gods iudgmēt vponupon Minerius & other perſecutors. till being ſtricken of God, he died of a rotting in his guts, his entrals being eaten with wormes, yelding a horrible ſtēch. Lewis de Vanie, brother in law to ye preſident, & the brother, & ſon in law to Peter Durand, maiſter Butcher of the town of Aix, flew one another, vponupon a ſtrife that fel betwixt them: and on them the ſame day, the judge of Aix, who accompanied Minerius in the ſame perſecution, as he returned home, going ouer the riuer of Durance, fell of his horſe, and was drowned Pantal.