A General Martyrology, Chapter 34
CHAP. XXXIV. The Persecution in the time of the Civil Wars.
ANNO 1562. The Duke de Guise passing towards Paris, and coming near to Vassy, understanding that the Bell rang to a Sermon, which was to be preached in a Barn, in which place there were assembled about twelve hundred men, women, and children, he presently went vvith all his Troops to the barn, and entring into it, they cryed out Death of God, kill, kill these Huguenots;Christians murthered at a Sermon. then did some of them shoot at those vvhichwhich vvere in the Galleries, others cut in pieces such as they met with. Some had their heads cleft in twain, others had their Armes and hands cut off, so that the Walls and Galleries of the Barne were died with the blood of the slain; The Duke with his sword drawn stood amongst them, charging his men to kill without sparing, especially the young men: Some of these godly persons getting upon the roof, hid themselves there: but at length some of this bloody crew spying them, shot at them with long pieces, whereby many of them were slain, falling down from the roof like Pigeons. Then they fell to murthering of them all without distinction; the poor Saints of God made no resistance, only praying unto God: and every one running to save himself, as it pleased God to direct him, many men and women were slain; others being sore wounded, escaped, which died shortly after; the poor mans box was taken and emptied. The Minister in the beginning of the Massacre ceased not to preach still, till one discharged his Peece against the Pulpit; Then falling upon his knees, he intreated the Lord to have mercy upon him, and upon his poor persecuted flock; and so coming down from the Pulpit, attempted to escape, but by the way he received divers wounds, whereupon finding himself as he thought, mortally hurt, he cryed, Lord into thy hand I commend my spirit, for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth; yet before he was slain, some took him and carried him before the Duke, Who said to him, who made thee so bold thus to seduce the People?Slanders. Sir, said the Minister, I am no seducer, but have faithfully preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them. Then did the Duke curse and swear, saying, Death of God, doth the Gospel teach sedition? and calling the Provost, he said, Take this Varlet and hang him upon a Gibbet; Then was the Minister delivered to two Pages, who basely abused him; The popish women also threw dirt at him, and could scarce be restrained from tearing him to pieces. He was kept close Prisoner, none being suffered to bring him necessaries; and he was oft threatned to be sown up in a sack and drowned;A special providence. yet at last, through Gods mercy, he was released, at the earnest request of the Prince of Portion. The pulpit was broken down,Barbarous cruelty. the slain stript stark naked, and so the Duke departed with his bloody Troops, sounding his trumpets as if he had obtained a great victory.
When he came to Paris, he with the Constable and Marshal of Saint Andrews, seized upon the King, defaced and overthrew the places where they of the Religion used to assemble, which so encouraged the Popish party, that in every place they so abused those of the Religion, as the most cruel Barbarians would have been ashamed to do the like. This caused a Civil War, wherein the Duke of Guise, having taken Roan, sacked it for three dayes space, and executed many of the Citizens.
Not long after he went to Orleance, boasting that within twenty four houres he would win the Town; and neither spare man, woman, nor child in it, and that he would so destroy the Town that the memory of it should be extinct for ever; But mans purposes; and God disposes; for the same night there was a young Gentleman named John Poltrot, who watching his opportunity,Gods judgement on Persecutors. shot him with his pistol laden with three bullets, whereof he shortly after died; and Poltrot declared at his death, that he did it to deliver France, and especially the City of Orleance from the violence of the Duke of Guise; After whose death peace was shortly after concluded between the Queen-mother and the Protestants.
But before this peace took place, those of the Religion suffered much in sundry parts of the Realm.
In Paris they were persecuted cruelly, the Popish people being wholly set upon blood,Persecution in Paris. and the Parliament there sparing neither great nor small that fell into their hands, either of that City, or such as were brought thither upon appeal, or summons.
At Senlis many godly Christians suffered much, some were beheaded,At Senlis. some murthered in a popular tumult, some were whipt, some imprisoned, some fined, and others sent to the Gallies, not sparing the simple women. Yet through Gods mercy, some escaped, amongst whom was one Iohn Gardens and his Wife, who living with his Wife and child in the fileds, at length determined to go back into the City, casting themselves upon Gods providence; but when they came into the suburbs, they met some who bade the souldiers to put them to the sword. The woman kneeling down, begged of the souldiers, that if they must needs dye, they would kill her child first, saying that so she should die with the more comfort;A special providence. which speech of hers so wrought upon the souldiers, that they spared all their lives.
In Chaalons there was a godly Minister, called Fournier, At Chaalons. Mr. Fournier.apprehended and spoiled of all that he had: They stripped him also of his apparel, instead whereof they put on him a thredbare cloak, and so carried him away in a Cart, by reason of an hurt that he had gotten in one of his feet; by the way they did nothing but jeere and scoffe at him, and every moment he was in danger of his life; the rude people also had almost pulled him in pieces; but it pleased God that he was preserved by those which had designed him to death. When he came to Munchon he was cast into prison, and after a while there came a Captain to him with many souldiers, who mixing mocks and threatnings together, sware that within three houres he should be hewen in pieces. After them came in some of the Judges, commanding the Jailor to load him with irons, saying to him, You are no better I am sure then Saint Peter, whom they laid in irons: but if you have as much faith as he, God will then deliver you as he did him, by sending an Angel to you. I will not, said Fournier, compare my self with Saint Peter; yet it is not twelve years ago, since for preaching the same doctrine that Peter did, I was imprisoned at Tholouse, and there was admirably delivered. And though Peter was delivered out of prison, yet in the end he glorified God by his death:Faith. and if I should be counted worthy with him to suffer for the truth, may it not be said that I have the like precious Faith with Saint Peter? When they were gone, the Jailor forbore putting bolts upon him, because of his sore legg, yet did he put him into a straiter prison.
Afterwars the Duke of Guise being made Governour in that place, he was put to the torture, where first they strained his thumbs so hard with a small cord that blood came forth: Then turning his armes behind his back, they hoisted him up with a rope put between his thumbs, twitching him up and letting him down five or six times; they tied also great stones to both his great toes, and let him hang till his spirits failed:Popish cruelty then they let him fall with such violence upon his face, that he was grievously hurt thereby. Then was he thrown into prison, and they would not suffer him to have a Chirurgion to cure him of the gashes which the cords had made in his flesh even to the bare bones: so that his torment and anguish was very great, neither could he lift his hands to his mouth, which he was likely to lose the use of. But it so fell out by Gods Providence, that after he was condemned, news coming of the Duke of Guise his death,A special Providence. his enemies began to tremble, and some of his Judges coming to him in prison, asked him if he did not bear them ill will? He answered, that men of his Profession and Religion ought not to bear malice to any, being enjoyned by God to love and pray for those that persecuted them; Shewing also that whatsoever troubles had befallen him, were none other but such as God had fore-ordained for the setting forth of his own glory, for which he esteemed himself most happy; yet he warned them to lay to heart the wrong that they had done him, lest the vengeance of God did sooner or later overtake them for it. The next day Bussi, one of his persecutors, having received letters from the Constable of France to release him, swore that he should be delivered indeed, but into the hands of the multitude.
But it pleased God that just at that time there came by the Prince of Portion with his Germane Souldiers,A special Providence. which were for the Protestants, who sent word that they would not leave so much as a house standing except they would deliver Fournier; This so affrighted his enemies that they released him out of prison, protected him from the violence of the multitude,His delivery. and conveyed him in safety to the Prince; There he was kindly welcomed and entertained, all grieving for the miseries which he had endured, and two dayes after he preached before the Prince and his followers, and the day after, at the instant request of the Protestants of Vitri, he went to them to preach and baptize their children, and shortly after was called to Ver, where he gathered a Congregation, and spent some time amongst them with wonderful fruit; but by reason he was so extreamly weakned by his strait imprisonment and tortures, being above fifty years old,His death. he soon after finished his course, and quietly resigned up his soul unto God.
At Amiens Bibles burnt.At Amiens, all Bibles, New Testaments, and Psalm-books were sought for and openly burnt, as also the Ministers Pulpit: Then did the Guisians proceed to killing of the Christians, and casting them into the River, some they shot to death, and others they hanged.
At Abbevilli they slew the Lord of Haucourt, with divers others; one Beliart they dragged along the streets with his face downwards,At Abbevilly. and then drowned him in the river.
At Meaux.At Meaux the Protestants were the stronger Party, and therefore continued the free exercise of their Religion for a while; but the Parliament of Paris gave judgment against them, and exposed them to the spoil of such as would undertake it; Then a company of Souldiers entring the Town, disarmed the Citizens, and slew about foure hundred of the Religion; Then Mounsieur de Boisy entring with more Souldiers committed a thousand villanies:Abominable villanies. women and maids were ravished in the open market-place and streets; some were beaten and hailed to Masse; children were re-baptized: others married again; houses were pillaged and plundred: Some that fled into the field died with hunger and cold. Many men, women and children, were massacred and drowned; infants were dashed against the walls; and some others were hanged. The Executioners running into divers places, committed a world of mischief; and divers Priests amongst them slew some of the Protestants with their own hands.
At Troys, At Troys Bibles burnt.Bibles and Divinity-books were rent and torn in pieces; They of the Religion were murthered, and their houses sacked; Eighteen men were hanged; women were dragged through the streets, and cast into the river; and Infants were pulled from their Mothers breasts, and re-baptized.
At Bar the Popish enemies entring the Town, committed such cruelties as never were seen, especially against women and little children;At Bar. Some of their breasts they cut open,Popish cruelty pulled out their hearts and gnawed them with their teeth, rejoycing that they had tasted of an Huguenots heart; A young Counsellor they hanged at the request of his own father; with most horrible blasphemies they ravished women and girls.
Mounsieur de St. Esteen with his two brothers were cruelly stabbed by their own Cousin germane, their wives were spoiled of all they had, and led away prisoners.
The Pesants in some places committed infinine murthers and mischiefs against those of the Religion; Monsieur de Vigney with his wife and servants they massacred in his own house, which afterward they pillaged and spoiled.
In Crant, the Pesants entring the Town, murthered many; one young child together with his father they burnt.At Crant.
In Sens one hundred Protestants were cruelly murthered,At Sens. and their naked bodies thrown into the River; one hundred houses were plundered, the Church where they preached was defaced.
At Auxerre one Cosson was barbarously massacred; a faire young Gentlewoman was stabbed and cast into the River;At Auxerre. many other outrages and robberies were committed.
At Nevers the Ministers were cast into prison,At Nevers. whereof one perished miserably there; Another miraculously escaped; Children were re-baptized, marriages reiterated, and many houses plundred.
The Popish party entring Chastillon, left no kind of cruelty un-exercised, neither upon Women nor Children, old nor young;At Chastillon. yea not sparing the women with childe that were ready to be delivered.
At Guyen.At Guyen they used all the cruelty that possibly could be invented: and some Italians, in hatred of the Religion, cut an infant in two pieces, and eat his liver.
At Montargis, there lived the Lady Rene, Dutchesse Dowager of Ferrara, At Montargis.and daughter to King Lewis the twelfth; The Duke of Guise sent thither one Malicorn a Knight of the Order, who entring the Town, murthered some of the Religion, and committed other outrages; Then he proceeded so far as to threaten the Lady to batter her Castle with Canon-shot, if she would not deliver up those of the Religion which were with her; To whom the Princesse bravely answered, I charge you, look what you enterprize; A brave answer of the Lady Rene.for no man in the Realm can command me but the King only: and if you proceed to your battery, I will stand in the breach, to try whether you dare kill the daughter of a King; neither do I want means or power to be revenged on your boldnesse, even to the infants of your rebellious race: This stout answer made Malicorne to pull in his hornes and depart.
At Monlius, Monsieur de Montare used all extremity against the Protestants;At Monlius. and without any form of Law he hanged up two Artificers, drave others out, and plundred their houses, and murthered many.
At Mans two hundred persons were put to death, men, women, and children,At Mans. the houses of the Protestants were pillaged; such as were fled, were executed by their pictures, their goods confiscated, and their children made uncapable of their offices and estates, yea of inheriting their Lands. Some they beheaded; Others they hung up; Others they massacred, and being half dead, threw them into the River: Above one hundred and twenty men, women, and children were murthered in the neighbouring Villages. One Captain threw above fifty persons into his fishpond to feed his Pikes, and above as many more were thrown into Ditches.
One godly man, a Weaver, had his throat cut, and his moutastuffed with leaves of a New Testament which they found bouth him.
At Angers.At Angers they murthered a godly Minister, cast many into prison, robbed the houses of others, and slew such as they found therein: In a Merchants house,Bibles burnt. finding many books of the holy Scriptures, they openly burnt them in the middle of the Town; One fair guilt Bible they hung upon an Halberd, and carried it in Procession, saying, Behold truth hanged, the truth of the Huguenots, the truth of all the Divels; Behold the mighty God, Horrible blasphemies.behold the everlasting God will speak; and when they came to the Bridge, they threw it into the River, crying louder, Behold the truth of all the Divels drowned.
Above eighty other persons were executed. An aged Gentlewoman of the age of seventy years was beaten to death with their pistols, then drawn through the dirty streets, and thrown into the River, terming her the mother of the Divel that preached to the Huguonets. A Counsellors wife that lay bed-rid was murthered; women and maids were ravished: Two young maids were ravished before their Fathers face, who was forced to look on the while: All that were but suspected to be of the Religion, were massacred, and their houses pillaged.Popish perfidiousnesse. A valiant Captain, contrary to their faith given to him, they broke upon a Crosse, and so they left him hanging in great misery till he died.
Anno 1562. a Decree was made by the Parliament of Paris, A bloody Edict.commanding all Catholicks presently to rise in Armes, to sound the Bells in every place, to destroy all those of the Religion without respect of quality, sex, or age, to spoyle their Houses, and utterly to root them out. This encouraged all sorts of rascals to rise up in Armes, forsaking their Vocations, and to march against the Protestants.
In Ligueul they hanged up some, put out the Ministers eyes,In Ligueul. and then burnt him in a small fire: In other places they committed infinite villanies; One young man they flayed alive; The Village of Aze they burnt down, and massacred thirty persons therein. A godly Minister was drowned called John de Tour, at seventy five years old.John de Tour.
At Tours, one hundred and forty were murdered and cast into the River; divers others were drowned, sparing neither man, woman,At Tours. nor child. The President being suspected to favour them of the Religion, was beaten with staves, stript to his shirt, hanged up by one foot,Barbarous cruelties. his head in the water up to the breast, and whilst he was yet living, they ript up his belly, pluck't out his guts, and threw them into the River; and sticking his heart upon the point of a Lance, they carried it about, saying, It was the heart of the President of the Huguenots.
Shortly after came thither the Duke de Monpensier, who caused gibbets, wheels and stakes to be set up, whereupon many more, especially of the richer sort, were murthered to the number of some hundreds: when they put any man or woman to death, they entred their houses, murthered their children, and took all their goods.
A poor woman, whose husband was a little before drowned, having a young infant sucking at her breasts, and a beautiful daughter of about sixteen years old in her hand; These bloody villains drew them to the River: there the woman on her knees prayed ardently unto God: then took her infant, and shifting it in the Sun, laid it upon the grasse: In the mean while this hellish Rabble endeavoured, partly by threats, partly by fair promises to seduce the young maid; and one of them finer then the rest, promised to marry her if she would do it,Popish subtilty so that the poor wench stood in a disway, which her mother perceiving, who was now ready to be thrown into the River, she earnestly exhorted her daughter to persist in the truth; the daughter hereupon cryed out, I will live and die with my Mother, whom I know to be a vertuous woman: as for your threats and promises I regard them not, do with me what you please. The mother was not yet dead when they threw in the daughter after her, where making towards her mother, they mutually embraced each other,The Mother and her daughter drowned. and so yielded up their souls into the hands of God.
Also in the same City there was a godly Matron called Glee, who was carried before the Captain, where she gave a reason of her Faith,Glee. and confirmed it by evident testimonies of Scripture: She dispuited also with some Friars, whom she so silenced that they had nothing to say, but that she was in a damnable condition.Vincit verit…. It seems so indeed, saith she, being in your hands; But I have a God that will not faile nor forsake me, &c. Then was she committed to prison, where she was much sollicited to recant, but all in vain; for she spake her mind freely, and comforted the prisoners which were in the same Prison for Religion. News being brought her that she was condemned to be hanged, when the rope was put about her neck,Joy in tribulation. she kneeled down, praising and magnifying the name of God, in that he shewed her such mercy as by this death to deliver her out of the troubles of this wretched world, as also for that it pleased the Lord to honor her so far as to die for his truth, and to wear his livery, meaning the halter; Then she brake her fast with the rest of the company, and giving thanks to God, she exhorted them to be of good courage, and to trust to the end in his free mercy, &c. As she went to execution,Tentation resisted. a Kinswoman met her with her little children, perswading her to recant, telling her that thereby she might preserve her life, and see those her Babes provided for; This meeting wrought so upon her motherly affection, as made her shed plenty of tears; but presently taking new courage, she said, I love my children dearly, yet neither for love to them, Faith.nor for any thing else in the world, will I renounce my God or his truth. God will be a Father to these my children, and will provide better for them then I could have done, and therefore to his providence and protection I commend and leave them, At the place of execution having prayed to, and praised God with a chearful heart and voice,Her Martyrdome. she quietly resigned up her spirit unto God.
Ponteou de MerThe Duke de Aumale in Normandy, took Pontea de Mer by subtilty, where he used all kinds of cruelty, especially against the Minister, Master Brione; Shortly after, Roan was besieged, and two Forts taken, wherein they put all to the sword,Impudence. the Queen-mother in an impudent manner leading the King, who was but twelve years old, to shew him the naked bodies of the women weltring in their own blood; After divers assaults the City of Roan was taken, wherein the Kings souldiers used all kinds of monstrous cruelty, massacring all they met: many English and Scots souldiers were hanged; the sick and wounded were cast into the river: Divers Ministers were retreated into a strong Tower, which they yielded upon promise of safety, but contrary therereto they were cast into prison;Marliorat hanged. Augustine Marlorat with three Counsellors were condemned to be hanged, which was presently executed, with many opprobrious speeches against Marlorat; The sackage of this Town lasted foure moneths together, in which space divers were executed.
In Valougnes divers persons of good quality were massacred, and the houses of the Protestants were filled with souldiers that did what they listed therein.At Valougnes. Amongst other outrages they slew a godly Minister, called Monsieur de Valougnes, whose body▪ they stripped naked, dragd it up and down his house with many scorns and jears;Monsieur Valougnes. Popish profaneness and blasphemy. at last bringing it into the chamber where he used to preach to his people, they spurned his corpse, saying, Now pray to God▪ and preach if thou canst; The Priests that were present stuffed his mouth and wounds with the leaves of his Bible, saying to him, Preach the truth of thy God, and call upon him now to help thee.
In Vire as they came from a Sermon, some were slain, some stoned,At Vire. and a while after many were put to the sword.
In, and about Agen, Monluc killed and massacred many,At Agen. two young children were roasted.
In the Castle of Reime, Monluc used great cruelty against those of the Religion, sparing none,At Reime. but murthering young children in their mothers armes, and then killing the mothers: some other women they reserved for their lust, which they so abused, that (saith mine Author) I abhorre to write it. Above five hundred men were hanged upon gibbets, amongst whom was a grave Counsellor in his long gown and square cap. One poor man they cut and mangled in several parts of his body, filling all his wounds with salt.
In the City of Blois there was a godly woman called Nichola, at whose house some holy people used to meet to pray,At Bl…is. and confer together for their mutual edification and comfort. The murtherers hearing of it, came rushing in, thinking to have found a Minister preaching, but being disappointed in their expectations, they dragged these good women out by the haire of the head, loaded them with many stripes, and then threw them into the river; but behold a singular Providence! God so endowed them with strength and skill, that they swam safely to an Island: yet after a while some watermen finding them there, they stript them stark naked, and threw them again into the river, yet they still sought to save themselves by swimming, and coming at last to the Suburbs of Vienne, they were there most cruelly knocked on the head by the bloody Papists.
Monluc having defeated a party of the Protestants under Monsieur Duras, he took divers Prisoners, most of which he hanged, especially the Ministers. Amongst the Prisoners was a Captain called La-mothe, whom Monluc meeting with, gave him divers stabs with a dagger, and thrust him through with a rapier, saying, Villain, Blasphemy.thou shalt die in despite of God; but he proved a lyar; for the man being carried away, though he had many mortal wounds, yet he was wonderfully cured and lived after.A miracle.
In Guillac, In Guillac.the murthers committed upon the Protestants were many and horrible; and amongst other this was one of their practices; There was by the City, the Abbey of St. Michael, built upon a very high rock, under which ran a swift and deep river called Tar. Many of the Protestants they forced to go up to the top of this rock, whom they threw headlong down into the river; by the way there was another rock,Horrid cruelties. upon which most of the bodies falling, were dashed and broken all to pieces, and if any escaped with life into the river, they had their cut-throats waiting upon the river in boats to knock them on the head; Amongst others there was one Peter Domo, an Apothecaries servant,Peter Domo. who seeing them bent to murther him, requested that he might have leave to cast himself down from the top of the Abbey, provided that if God should preserve him in the fall, they would suffer him to escape with life; this they promised; whereupon having made his Prayers to God, he fetched his leap from the top of the Abby,Popish perfidiousnesse. and flew so far, that missing the rocks under him, he fell safely into the river, and endeavoured to swim out with life; but these perfidious Villains, contrary to their promise made, knocked him on the head and slew him.
In Souraize.In Souraize, there was one Captain Durre, who with his souldiers going into the house of a godly widow, called Castille Roques, he caused her to be bound with cords, and a rope to be put about her neck, by which he haled her up and down, almost strangling her; then he asked her how oft she had played the whore with those of her Religion? She answered, That in their Christian meetings they had no such villanies committed. Durre fretting and fuming at this answer, took her by both the cheeks, and oft dashed her head with such violence against the wall, that he had almost beaten out her brains; Then he required her to give him the seven hundred pieces of gold which she had hidden;Prodigious villanies. she told him that she was a poor woman, and had onelyonly one French penny; This more enraged him; whereupon he drew her again about by the neck, and applyed burning hot egges to her arm-pits, till they were all blistred,Blasphemy. bidding her in derision to cry to her Father which was in heaven.Faith and patience. She answered, I will not cry aloud for thee, and yet my God can hear me well enough, and when his pleasure is, he will deliver me out of thy hand. This made him so to blaspheme, that the poor woman was more afflicted to hear his blasphemies than with all her pains. Then did he call her Huguenote whore, telling her that these were but the beginnings of her sorrows, except she fetched him out her gold, which if she refused, he would draw her cheeks and breasts with Lard, and so roast her quick, and afterwards throw her headlong from the highest steeple in the town. Well, Faith.said she, If you throw my body never so low, that shall not hinder my soul from ascending into heaven: This her courage and constancy did still further enrage him; Then did he open her mouth with his dagger, and crammed lime down her throat; after which he made her drink a glasse of Urine which himself had made before her, withal throwing the glasse with the remainer into her face. After this he carried her to his quarters, where with strange cruelties he intended to have slain her: but some of the neighbours pitying her sad condition, redeemed her from him with ten Crowns,A special Providence. and so conveyed her to her house, where shortly after she finished her dayes.
Some other of these hell-hounds meeting with one Peter Roch, constrained him to dig his own grave,Peter Roch buried quick. and then to try how it fitted him; which whilst he was doing, they buried him alive.
In Saint Martins in Castillon, they took the wife of one Andrew Renaud, stripped her stark naked,Two crowned with thorns. and would have violated her chastity, which she resisting, they whipt her most cruelly, wounded her with their swords, crowned her with thorns, and lastly shot her to death.
Janetta Calvin.They took also one Ianetta Calvin, whom they carried into the City of Brignole, stripped her, whipt her cruelly, crowned her with thorns, and first stoned, and afterwards burned her.
In Mont de Marsan, At Mont de Marson.six of the principal men had their heads stricken off, otheres were executed divers wayes; One was buried quick; and a young woman being pursued to be ravished, threw her self out of a window and died.
In Tholouse the Papists fell upon the Protestants, hurt many,In Tholouse. killed some outright, divers they threw into a Well; Then did some Counsellors proclaim, that they should not spare to kill and spoil all them of the religion, for that they were licensed by the King and Pope. This soon ran through all the Villages, and the Papists rang their bells; In Tholouse were about thirty thousand Protestants, so that there began one of the most horrible Massacres that was in those parts.Horrible cruelties. The prisons were presently filled, and many were knocked on the head at the prison-doors, because they could hold no more; the river in a short space was covered with dead bodies; many were thrown into the streets out at the windows: if any sought to escape out of the water, they were presently slain with swords or stones.
Some of the Protestants gat into the town-house, where they stood upon their guard, and at last it was agreed, that leaving their Arms, they should depart in safety; and so after they had received the Sacrament, commended themselves to God with prayers and tears, they came forth; but contrary to the faith and promise made to them, the Popish party seised upon as many as they could, whom they cast into prison;Popish perfidiousness. of such as gat out of the City, some escaped to Montaubon, others in the way were spoiled and killed by the Souldiers and Pesants.
At Carcasson those of the Religion being gone out of the Town to hear a sermon, when they returned, the gates were shut,Carcasson. and the Papists shot at them, who afterwards issuing out against them, slew some, and hurt others: One they beat down, cutting off his nose and ears, and pulling out his eyes: some they took prisoners, whom they hanged; one they beheaded, and put others to great ransomes. One they took, blacked his face, hands and feet, and gave it out that he had a Divel within him, then hanged him, and threw his body to the dogs; Others they banished, or condemned to the Gallies.Popish lies.
In Limoux the Papists used all manner of cruelty,At Limox. deflouring women and very girls in a most detestable manner; The Minister was slain, two Gentlemen, and sixty others were hanged. A widdow of great account redeemed the virginity of her only daughter with a great summe of mony; but the villain that promised to defend her,Abominable villany. ravished her in her Mothers presence, and then killed them both. Yea after peace was proclaimed, fourteen of the Religion coming thither were all slain.
In Nonnay, Monsieur Chaumont having surprised the Town,At Nonnay. murthered many Protestants, spitting out infinite and horrible blasphemies against God himself:Blasphemy. A Locksmith being commanded to despite and blaspheme God, because he refused to do it, was presently hewen in pieces; for the same cause another was brained with the butt end of a musket;Barbarous cruelties. A Naylor, because he would not give himself to the Divel, was drawn about his shop by the ears; then being laid on his Anvile, they beat his head in pieces with hammers; yea all manner of cruelty was used that could be devised; Three of the principal in the Town were thrown down from an high Tower; many other were thrown down to make sport: Some were burnt in their houses, others thrown out at windows: others stabbed in the streets: women and maids were most shamefully handled; a young woman that was found hid in an house with her husband, was first ravished before her husbands face, then forced to hold a Rapier; wherewith one thrusting her arme, made her kill her own husband.
In Foix, many Protestants were cast into prison, of whom some had their armes and legs cut off,At Foix. and then were beheaded; Some burnt, some hanged, and others sent to the Gallies.
In Aurange they killed the Protestants without distinction of age, sex, or quality:At Aurange. Some they stabbed, others they threw upon the points of Halberds; Some they hanged, others they burnt in the Churches; Of some they cut off their privy members, sparing neither old nor bedrid, nor the diseased in the Hospitals. Women and maids were killed, others hanged out at windows were harquebushed, sucking children massacred at their mothers breasts;Horrible cruelties. girls of five or six years old ravished and spoiled; the wounds of the dead were filled with leaves torne out of Bibles. Those in the Castle yielding upon oath and promise of safety, were all stabbed, or thrown over the wals, being one hundred and ninety of them.Perfidiousness.
In Grenoble, they slew many of the Religion, and others they cast from the Bridge into the River.At Grenoble.
At Cisterno.In Cisterno, the men that were of the Religion being fled, the popish party fell upon the women and children, whereof they slew three or foure hundred: Some women with child were rip't up, many were buried quick; Some had their throats cut like sheep, others were drawn through the streets, and beaten to death with clubs.
At Beaune.In Beaune, they were bereaved of the exercise of Religion, their three Ministers imprisoned; many were driven out of the Town to the number of eight hundred persons with women and children: their houses were filled with souldiers who made spoile of all; such as were found in their houses, were vilely abused, and some were slain.
In Mascon the bloody Persecutors having apprehended a godly and learned Minister called Bonnet Bor who was of a very unblameable life,At Mascon. Bonnet Bor a godly Minister having served twenty years in the Ministry, and in that time had been put to his ransome three times; they carried him along the streets with a thousand scoffs and scorns, smiting him with their fists, thrusting him up and down, and then made a Proclamation, That whosoever would hear this holy man preach, should come to the slaughter-house; at which place they again buffeted and mocked him two hours together: Hereupon he requested them that before his death they would permit him to pray to God:Barbarous cruelty. Then one stepping to him cut off half his nose, and one of his ears, saying, Now pray as long as thou wilt, and then we will send thee to all the Divels; and so this holy man kneeling down, prayed with such fervency of spirit that drew sighs from some of the Murtherers: and aftervvards directing his speech to him that had cut off his nose, he said, Friend, I am now ready to suffer what thou hast further to inflict upon me; But I intreat thee and thy companions to bethink you well of the outrages committed by you against this poor City; for there is a God in heaven, Courage and constancy.before whose Tribunal you must shortly give an account of these your cruelties. A Captain passing by, cryed, send that wretched man to the Divel; which one of them hearing, took him by the hand, pretending to have him to the river to wash off his blood, but when he came thither he threw him into it,His martyrdome. battering him with stones till he was drowned.