A General Martyrology, Chapter 42
CHAP. XLII. The Marquisate of Saluces described, with its several troubles and Persecutions.
THe Marquisate of Saluces is on the South side of the Valleys of Predmont, containing in it several Cities, and considerable Valleys, very fruitfull in all sorts of fruits. Its most Northerly Valley is that of Po, where the famous River Po hath its rise, and source; one onelyonly Mountain separates this from the Valley of Lucerna on the North side: In this Valley were those ancient Churches, viz. Pravillem, Biolets, and Bietone, who retained the purity of Christian Religion for several hundreds of years, and lived in great union with their neighbouring Churches.
Anno Christi 1561. The Church of Dronier, which was one of the most flourishing, understanding that the publick exercise of the Reformed religion was permitted in France, obtained Letters from the Kings Council to Sieur Lovis of Birague, Governour of that Country in the Duke of Nevers absence, whereby he was ordered to provide for the Petitioners a convenient place for the publick exercise of their Religion: But not long after their Adversaries, by their importunity, prevailed so far that the said letters were revoked:They are favoured, but again molested. This occasioned the said Church to send Monsieur Francis Galatee, their Minister, into France, with some others, to recover (if it were possible) their former priviledges. But this falling out in the time of their troubles in France, all that they could obtaine, was only bare promises. In the mean time they received many hortatory and consolatory letters from the chief Ministers in the Churches of France, and amongst others from those of Grenoble, Lions, &c. to perswade them to patience, and perseverance in that truth which they had embraced: which accordingly they did, notwithstanding all the malice and subtilty of their adversaries: So that their Churches were continued and upheld,They are encouraged. convenient order being had for the preaching of the Word, administration of the Sacraments, exercise of their discipline, &c. only there wanted in some places liberty of having General Assemblies, and publick Sermons.
For the better safety of their Ministers in the places that were most dangerous,Their prudence. one Pastor had the charge of the faithful in several Cities and Communalties, which rendred their residence and exercises less visible to their Adversaries: Hereby the Gospel (through Gods mercy) made a very considerable progress at Dronier, Verzo, and some other places of mo…e no…e. The Church of Aceil in the Valley de Mairi was extraordinarily peopled, and enjoyed more liberty than the others, by reason of the scituation of the place: but Satan the Enemy of Christs Church and Kingdom, perceiving such a growth of the reformed Religion in those places,Satans policy. ceased not to imploy all his power and policy to hinder the same; and therein he made use of instruments for the effecting of it: viz. first the Anticodemites, whose ringleader was Baronius, who lived at Valgrane and thereabouts, accommodating himself to the times:Dissembling Hypocrites. For when the Church had rest and ease, he wrote strange things, and cryed out of the abuses in Popery: But in times of persecution he usually played the Hypocrite, and laboured to draw others to do the same, by which means he had a multitude of followers, and amongst them the Lord of Valgrane, and Maximilian de Saluces, who set his name to Baronius to add luster to his writings against the Ministers, reproaching them for that they would not give way to any dissimulation in their Disciples, whereby they exposed them to great extremities. This Lord had some learning and knowledge of the truth; but to avoid the bearing of the Cross, he thought it convenient to dissemble, and condemned those who any way gain said the Papists. They are confuted.Yet Monsieur Gelido, Minister of Aceil, opposed them both, very learnedly in several letters that he wrote unto them: So did Monsieur Truchi, Minister of Dronier, together with other Pastors of the Neighbouring places, demonstrating both by Scripture Testimonies, and by the Example of the Primitive Church, that they had done nothing but what they ought to do, and what every faithful Christian was bound to, and consequently that the opinion of Baronius and his followers was pernicious to the Church in times of persecution.
The other instruments that Satan made use of to the prejudice of the Church, were the Roman Clergy, with their passionate Proselites, who would faine have done to these godly Christians, as their brethren in iniquity had done to their neighbours in the Dukedom of Savoy: viz. Banish, imprison, kill, and confiscate the goods of the Protestants: But (through Gods mercy) they were hindred by the Kings Edicts, confirming to those his Subjects of Saluces a peaceable habitation, without being molested for their Conscience and religion, or questioned for any thing they did in their private houses (provided they abstained from the publick exercise of it) by which means their Ministers had opportunitie of assembling in small Companies, baptizing, marrying, comforting the sick, and instructing every one in particular; which provoked their adversaries to bend themselves chiefly against the Ministers, thinking that if they could find out any meanes to extirpate them,Popish policy. they should easily prevaile upon the common people, having none to animate and instruct them.
Accordingly they published an Edict of Octob. 19. 1567. in the name of the Duke of Nevers, Governour for the King on this side the mountains, injoyning all of the religion there inhabiting or abiding, that were not the Kings natural Subjects, to depart, together with their families within the space of three dayes, and never to return thither to inhabit, pass,Persecution renewed. or otherwise to abide without a special safe conduct, upon pain of life, and confiscation of their goods.
Now the greatest part of the Ministers not being natural subjects to the King, by this Edict were to quit the Marquisate, o… to obtain a safe conduct, or lastly to incur the penalty: A safe conduct they could not obtain, and yet they thought themselves bound in Conscience not to abandon their people; wherefore continuing with their Congregations, two of them were apprehended and imprisoned: viz. Monsieur Francis Truchi, and Monsieur Francis Soulf, where they were detained four years, four moneths, and odd dayes, the poor people being not able by any means to obtain their deliverance, though they continually sollicited de Berague their Governour,Gods Providence. and others that had undertaken the management of these affairs: yet the Lord was so pleased to restrain the power of their Enemies that they could not take away their lives: yea by degrees they obtained for them a more spacious and convenient prison than that whereunto they were at first confined.
To procure their full deliverance the Churches of the Marquisate sent their supplications to the King by the aforesaid Minister Galat…e, and another; who set out July 27. 1571. and went as far as Rochel to implore the intercession of the Queen of Navar, as also to intreat the assistance of divers others in several places:Gods mercy. and the great Patrons of the reformed religion disputed their case before the King, and in the end obtained Letters under the Kings own hand for their enlargement, Octob. 14. 1571. which was accordingly effected; but it was four moneths after before it could be done.
When Sieur Galatee returned, he was overjoyed, as well for the prosperous successe of his negotiations, as for the great hopes of a profound peace, founded upon the smooth promises of his Maj…sty, and upon the alliance which he had made by the marriage of his sister to the King of Navar, who professed the reformed religion. But this joy lasted but from the monethmonth of May 1572. to the beginning of Septemb. at which time there arived the lamentable news of the massacre of many noble persons, and multitudes of others who were most inhumanely murthered in divers places of France, The massacre of Paris.to the great astonishment of all the faithful in those parts.
About the same time there arived letters from the King to the Governour Birague, by which he was required to have an eye, that, at the arival of the news of what happened at Paris, they of the Religion should make no combustion; remitting the rest of his pleasure to those instructions which he had sent him by the bearer, the contents whereof were, that he should put to death all the chief of the Protestants within his jurisdiction, whose names he should find in the Roll that should be presented to him.
Birague having received this command, together with the Roll aforementioned, was much troubled, and immediately called his Council together, whom he acquainted with the Kings Orders: whereupon some were of opinion that they should be immediately executed: But others, seeing the King in his late Patents, not many moneths before, had enlarged the Ministers that were imprisoned, and had ordered that those of the reformed Religion should not be any wayes molested for their Conscience sake: as also upon consideration that nothing had occurred since that time worthy such a change, they therefore thought it sufficient to secure the persons of such as were enrolled,A special providence. and to defer execution for a while, and in the mean time to inform the King that they were persons of Honour, faithful to his Majesty, living peaceably with their neighbours, and inoffensive in their lives: adding that in case his Majesty was resolved that they should be put to death, there was yet time enough to execute his pleasure therein.
This advice Birague approved of, and accordingly apprehended some, but others escaped, and concealed themselves: and in the mean time he dispatched a Messenger to the King, to inform him as abovesaid, and to know his further pleasure. This Messenger met another at Lions, where the King had sent to Birague to advertise him, that in case his former Order was not already executed, he should desist from it, and only have a special care that those of the Religion should make no insurrection, nor have any publick exercises.
But they of the reformed Religion in the Marquisate were not a little troubled when they heard of the cruel massacre of their brethren in France without distinction of age, sex, or quality, insomuch as divers of them fled; many Papists also secretly caused the families of their kind…ed and friends of the Religion to retire their families and themselves till such time as Birague had published the Kings pleasure, after which they returned by little and little: and though their publick exercises were prohibited, yet they were well satisfied with the assurance of their lives, and estates, besides that they had the liberty of private exercises in their families.
This was the condition of the Protestant Churches in Saluces during the time that it was under the Dominion of the King of France, which continued to the year 1588. at which time the Duke of Savoy took the possession, who, for a while suffered them to enjoy their priviledges in general: But in particular, some of the chief Members of the Church of Dromier, being cited to Turin, were so befooled with subtile Artifices, that one part of them promised to go to Masse, which gave a considerable blow to the said Church, yet it lost not its courage in general, although the great failings of the former encouraged their adversaries to attempt the like upon others by both words and letters.
Anno Christi 1597. the Duke of Savoy wrote his Letter to them, wherein he told them how desirous he was that all his Subjects in the Marquisat of Saluces should embrace the Romish Religion,The Dukes letter to draw them to Popery. and finding that his exhortations had prevailed with some, he hoped that they would have the same effect upon the rest, desiring that laying aside their Heretical obstinacie, they would embrace the true Religion out of respect to Gods glory, and their own good, making large promises to such as should submit, and telling them that it should return to their great advantage.
The Churches of the Marquisat having received this letter, they answered,Their answer. first, that they returned his Highness many thanks for that he had suffered them to enjoy their Religion hitherto as he had found them in the year 1588. when he took possession of the Marquisat. Secondly they humbly intreated him to continue to them the said benefit, as also to grant them his protection, seeing that they knew that their Religion was founded upon the holy Scriptures, according to which they ordered their lives and conversations, so as none had any just occasion of offence: and considering that even the Jews and other enemies of Christ were suffered to live in peace, and to enjoy their Religion, they hoped that those which were found Christians, faithful to God, and loyal to their Prince, should not be denyed the same priviledge.
After this a…swer they lived a while in peace, and the Duke took a voyage into …, after which followed a War, so that they continued as aforetime But after the exchange of the Marquisat was established upon him, his soft Letters were turned into sharp Edicts, wherein he commanded all those of the Religion within the Marquisat, that every one should go, and declare to his ordinary Magistrate within the space of fifteen dayes whether he would renounce his religion,A cruel Edict or go to Mass or no; which if they would do, they should not only enjoy their habitations, and Estates, but many other favours also: But if they resolved to persist in their Religion, they were enjoyned to depart out of his Highness Dominions within the space of two moneths, and never to return without expresse permission, and that upon pain of death, and confiscation of all their goods: yet they were permitted within the said term of two months to transport their goods as they should think meet.
This unexpected Edict being published through the Marquisate, July 1601. much troubled those of the reformed Religion, who immediately sent Deputies to his Highness to obtain a revocation, or at least a moderation of it: and indeed they had some hopes given them by divers persons of quality, so that many of the poor people resting upon this broken reed, let slip much of the said prefixed time without preparing for their departure, whereby they were the more amazed when they understood, not many dayes before the time was expired; that all hope of favour was now wholly taken away: yet most of them prepared for their departure; some recommending their goods to their kindred and friends who remained in the Country, others leaving all they had at random, except what they could carry with them to serve for their present necessities.
In these two moneths space they who were resolved to depart, were continually set upon by their friends and kindred,Popish subt… ty. with all manner of perswasions to divert them from their purposes, especially when they presented themselves to the Magistrate to give in their answer in writing: For then they were caused to stand in a certain Pew in publick view, where the Magistrates had either Monks, or other Ecclesiasticks, who ceased not to urge them by all possible arguments and motives thereby to shake their faith and constancy: Amongst others, a certain Capuchin Friar called Philip Ribo ▪ who a little before had been imployed in the same manner in the Valley of Perosa, being now imployed in this place, ran up and down, using all subtilties imaginable, especially among those who through feebleness of age, weakness of sex, or want of estates, might probably make them more easie to be seduced: they caused them also to be brought before the Magistrate one by one, that so the constancy of some might not encourage others: Yea hardly were Husbands permitted to declare for their Wives and Children; and they▪ so sifted the tender ones that it was hard for them to escape without making shipwrack of their Faith and Religion; and to promote their design they prohibited all upon pain of death, not to disswade others from revolting. Yet through Gods mercy, they were so fortified in their spirits▪ that most of them withstood the tentations, and went forth as Providence guided them▪ not knowing whither they went. Some steered their course beyond the Alps to France, Courage, and constancy.Geneva, and other places: Others retired themselves into the Valleys of Piedmont, and remained there without trouble,They are banished. though the Edict required that they should depart out of his Highnesses Dominions.
In the beginning of this Persecution, the adversaries fearing some resolute union amongst these poor persecuted souls, to prevent any combustion, they gave it out in the Churches of the Mountains, that though the Edict was general, yet the intention thereof was only to unlodg those in the lower Plains,Popish subtilty in the great Villages, and other publick places: and that such as inhabited amongst the Mountains might be sure to live in peace and quiet: This indeed was a cause that at the first there was not such an universal union amongst those of the Reformed Religion that were destinated for slaughter, as they could have desired: But this fraud at length appearing occasioned a more close union amongst them: Neither was it without cause: for at last they spared those in the Mountains no more then those of the Plains: only that they made no enquiry after the Church of Pravillelm, and the quarters thereabouts, who thereupon trusting to the ancientness of their possession, troubled not themselves to make any declaration to the Magistrate, or to prepare themselves for their departure, as if the Edict had not at all concerned them: Neither indeed were they disturbed till all the rest were departed out of the Province, and scattered in several places: But at length they were given to understand, that seeing they had not yeilded obedience to the Edict, they were liable to the punishment therein appointed: and therefore some warned them to have a care of themselves both in general, and each particular: Hereupon they repaired to the Syndicks of the Communalty, requesting them to intercede for them, shewing the reasons why they conceived not themselves concerned by the Edict, and therefore they had not offended out of any malicious intention.
The Syndicks accordingly made many journeys about this business, but brought back nothing but sad and uncomfortable messages; so that at last they were forced to flie.They are forced to flie. One part of them (the men having ordered their Families which they left in their houses) retired into the Western Mountains:They are forced to flie. Those who were fit to bear Arms (being about two hundred) with their Arms retired into the Castell…nie of Casteau Dauphine which was near at hand: but those of Dauphine, and who were lesse disposed, retired themselves into their highest Forrests.
Yet before their departure they declared to their Popish neighbours, that being forced to retire themselves by reason of the threats which were given against them for their Religion; and being unable to take their families along with them, they intreated them to take care of them; withall telling them, that they would make a sudden return, either of the good or evil that should be done to their Relations, either by themselves, or by their permission. This so prevailed with the Papists, that either out of fear, or for some other reasons, they so far sollicited, and prevailed with their Superiours, that the others had liberty of returning to their ancient habitations withour being molested, and that for many years together.