Letters of State, Letters 2 · Letter 8
Oliver the Protector, &c. To the moſt Serene Prince, Immanuel Duke of Savoy, Prince of Piemont, Greeting.
Moſt Serene Prince,
LEtters have bin ſent us from Geneva, as alſo from the Dauphinate, and many other Places bordering upon your Territories, wherein we are given to underſtand, That ſuch of your Royal Highneſs's Subjects as profeſs the Reformed Religion, are Commanded by your Edict, and by your Authority, within three days after the Promulgation of your Edict, to depart their Native Seats and Habitations, upon pain of capital Puniſhment, and Forfeiture of all their Fortunes and Eſtates, unleſs they will give ſecurity to relinquiſh their Religion within Twenty days, and embrace the Roman Catholick Faith. And that when they appli'd themſelves to your Royal Highneſs in a moſt Suppliant manner, imploring a Revocation of the ſaid Edict, and that being receiv'd into priſtin favour, they might be reſtor'd to the Liberty granted 'em by your Predeceſſors, a part of your Army fell upon 'em, moſt cruelly Slew ſeveral, put others in Chains, and compell'd the reſt to Flye into Deſert places and to the Mountains cover'd with ſnow, where ſome Hundreds of Families are reduc'd to ſuch Diſtreſs, that 'tis greatly to be fear'd, they will in a ſhort time all miſerably Periſh through Cold and Hunger. Theſe things, when they were related to us, we could not chuſe but be touch'd with extream Grief and Conpaſſion for the Sufferings and Calamities of this Afflicted People. Now in regard we muſt acknowledge our ſelves link'd together not onelyonly by the ſame tye of Humanity, but by joynt Communion of the ſame Religion, we thought it impoſſible for us to ſatisfie our Duty to God, to Brotherly Charity, or our Profeſſion of the ſame Religion, if we ſhould onelyonly be affected with a bare ſorrow for the Miſery and Calamity of our Brethren, and not contribute all our endeavours to Relieve and Succour 'em in their unexpected Adverſity, as much as in us lies. Therefore in a greater meaſure we moſt earneſtly Beſeech and Conjure your Royal Highneſs, that you would call back to your thoughts the moderation of your moſt Serene Predeceſſors, and the Liberty by them Granted and Confirm'd from time to time to their Subjects the Vaudois. In Granting and Confirming which, as they did that, which without all queſtion was moſt grateful to God, who has bin pleas'd to reſerve the Juriſdiction and Power over the Conſcience to himſelf alone, ſo there is no doubt but that they had a due conſideration of their Subjects alſo, whom they found Stout and moſt Faithful in War, and always Obedient in Peace. And as your Royal Serenity in other things moſt laudably follows the footſteps of your Immortal Anceſtors, ſo we again and again beſeech your Royal Highneſs not to ſwerve from the path wherein they trod in this particular; but that you would vouchſafe to Abrogate both this Edict, and whatſoever elſe may be Decreed to the Diſturbance of your Subjects upon the account of the Reform'd Religion; that you would ratifie to 'em their conceded Privileges and priſtin Liberty, and command their Loſſes to be repair'd, and that an end be put to their Oppreſſions. Which if your Royal Highneſſ ſhall be pleas'd to ſee perform'd, you will do a thing moſt acceptable to God, revive and comfort the miſerable in dire Calamity, and moſt highly oblige all your Neighbours that Profeſs the Reformed Religion, but more eſpecially our ſelves, who ſhall be bound to look upon your Clemency and Benignity toward your Subjects as the fruit of our earneſt Solicitation. Which will both engage us to a reciprocal return of all good Offices, and lay the ſolid foundations not only of eſtabliſhing, but encreaſing Alliance and Friendſhip between this Republick and your Dominions. Nor do we leſs promiſe this to our ſelves from your Juſtice and Moderation; to which we Beſeech Almighty God to encline your Mind and Thoughts. And ſo we cordially Implore Juſt Heaven to beſtow upon your Highneſs and your People the Bleſſings of Peace and Truth, and proſperous Succeſs in all your Affairs.
White-Hall, May—1655.