A General Martyrology, Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII. The Persecution, of the VValdenses in Calabria.
ANno Christi 1370. The Waldenses of Pragela and Dauphine grew so numerous, that they sent their younger people to seek some other country to inhabit. In their travell, they found in Calabria, some wast and untilled lands: yet seeming very fertil,Gods providence. fit for corn wine, oyl and chestnuts, and that the hils were fit for cattel, and to furnish them with fuell and timber; they came therefore to the Lords of those places to treate with them touching their abode there.
The Lords received them lovingly, agreed to orders much for the advantage of these new inhabitants; agreed about rents, tenths, tolls, penalties, &c. and so assigned to them certain parts of the Countrey. Then did they return to their parents, shewing how it fared with them, and so receive what they pleased to bestow upon them, and many of them marrying, they returned into Calabria, where they built some Towns and Cities, as St Xist, la Garde, &c.
The Lords of those Countries thought themselves happy in that they had met with such good subjects as peopled their waste lands,Their holy lives. and made them to abound with all manner of fruits; but principally because they were honest men, and of good conscience, yeelding all those duties and honours which they could expect from good subjects. Only the Priests complained of them, that they lived not after their religion, made not their children Priests and Nuns; loved not Tapers, Masses, &c. that they adorned not their Churches with Images, went not on Pilgrimage, &c.
Hereupon the Lords feared, that if the Pope should take notice, that so near his Seat, there were people that contemned his Laws, they might chance to lose their subiects: They therefore perswaded the Priest to be silent, since in other things they shewed themselves honest men, inriched the Country, yea and the Priests themselves, by their Tithes. These Lords also stopped the mouths of their neighbours, who exceedingly murmured, because by no means they could draw them into alliance with them, and because all that they had,Their godly conversation▪ prospered exceedingly: They were wise and temperate, not given to drinking, dancing, swearing, &c. and living in a Country, where the inhabitants were given to all manner of wickednesse, they were as precious stones in a common sink.
Thus they were preserved in peace by their Lords, till Anno 1560. At which time these Waldenses resolving to make a publick profession of their Religion; sent for two Ministers from Geneva, who did much establish the exercise of Religion amongst them.
The Pope persecutes them.Pope Pius the fourth hearing of this, presently concluded their utter ruine and extirpation, giving the same in charge to Cardinal Alexandrino, a violent man, who chose two Monks Inquisitors of his own humour, and sent them, first to begin with the inhabitants of St. Xist; There they assembled the people, gave them good words, promising that they should receive no violence, if they would accept of such Teachers as the Bishops should appoint, which if they refused, they would lose their lives, goods and honors, and would be condemned for Hereticks: And further to prove them, they appointed a Mass to be sung: but the people with their wives and children, presently quit their houses, and fled into the woods.
From thence the Monks went to la Garde, where they caused the Town-gates to be locked, and the people to be assembled, telling them that they of St. Xist had adjured their Religion,Popish lies. and went to Mass, &c. promising that if they would do the like, no man should injure them. These poor people, believing what was told them, were content to do what they would have them; but when they heard that their friends of St. Xist refused to go to Mass,Humane frailty and were fled into the woods, they were exceedingly grieved at their own revolt, and resolved with their wives and children, to go to their brethren.
In the meane time the Monks sent two companies of souldiers after them of St. Xist, Popish cruelty.who ran after them as after wilde beasts, crying, kill, kill, and so slew divers: but such as could get to the top of the mountain, called to the souldiers, beseeched them to have pity on them, their wives and children, telling them that they had been inoffensive in their conversations, &c. yet if they would not suffer them to continue in their habitations, that at least they would license them to depart, either by sea or land, that they might retire themselves whether the Lord should be pleased to conduct them, beseeching them also, for Gods sake, not to force them to defend themselves-
But this more enraged the souldiers, who presently violently assaulted them: Then did they so defend themselves, that by Gods assistance,A speciall providence. they slew the greatest part of the souldiers, and put the rest to flight. Hereupon the Inquisitors wrote to the Viceroy of Naples, speedily to send some Companies of souldiers to apprehend the Hereticks of St. Xist and la Garde, whereby he should do a work very pleasing to the Pope, and meritorious for himself.
Then did the Viceroy come himself with his Troops, in the mean time the Waldensian women came home to seek for food for their husbands and children that were in the woods-
The Viceroy proclaimed through all Naples, that all such banished persons as would come to fight against the Hereticks of St. Xist, should be pardoned all their offences: Whereupon great numbers resorted to him, and were conducted to the woods, where they chased these poor people, slaying some, wounding others, the rest fled into caves,Barbarous cruelty. where most of them died of famine.
Then were they of la Garde cited before the Inquisitor, and many fair Promises were made unto them if they would appeare; but contrary thereunto, thirty of them were apprehended, and put to the rack.
One Charlin was racked with such violence, that his bowels brake out of his belly, and all to extort from him a confession, that in the night, the candles being put out, they committed whoredome, and abominable incest, yet would he never confesse any such wickednesse.
Another with extreame pain upon the rack, promised to go to Masse, the Inquisitor seeing that he had shewed such weaknesse,Prodigious wickednesse. urged him to confesse the forementioned wickednesse, which, because he refused, he left him eight hours together upon the rack, yet could he not get from his mouth so foul a slander.
Another was stripped stark naked, whipt with rods of iron, drawn through the streets, and burnt with firebrands: One of his sons was killed with knives: Another thrown down from an high Tower, because he would not kisse a Crucifix: Another was condemned to be burnt alive, and as he went to the fire, he threw to the ground a Crucifix, which the executioner had fastened to his hands,Zeal. whereupon they covered him all over with pitch, and so burnt him.
The Inquisitor Panza cut the throats of eighty,Horrible cruelties. as butchers do their sheep's; then causing them to be divided into four quarters, he set up stakes for the space of thirty miles, and appointed a quarter to be fastned to every stake. Four of the principall men of la Gard he caused to be hanged. Another young man, because he would not confesse himself to a Priest, was thrown from an high tower.
The Vice-roy passing by before he was dead, and hearing him implore Gods mercy, kickt him on the head, saying, Is this dog yet living? take him and cast him to the hogs. Sixtly women were racked so violently, that the cords pierced into their arms and legs, and being then cast into prison, they died there, only nine of the handsomest being delievered to the fathers of the Inquisition, were never heard off after.
Many others were delivered to the secular power to be burnt,Their totall extirpation. and if any interceded for them, he was presently put on the rack as a favourer of Hereticks.
Pope Pius the fourth sent the Marquesse of Butiane, promising that if he would wholly cleare Calabria of these Waldenses, he would make his son a Cardinall: But he was put to no great pains to do it, for the Inquisitors and the Vice-roy of Naples had by sundry deaths killed all the men, women and children that they could light of.
One of their Ministers was famished in prison: Another was carried to Rome, where he was condemned to be burnt; The Pope and his Cardinals would needs see that pleasing spectacle: But the Minister spake so many things out of Gods Word, against the Pope, that the Pope gnashed his teeth for anger, wishing that he had been some where else. And thus were these godly people wholly rooted out of Calabria.