Letters of State, Letters 2 · Letter 11 – Letter 12
Oliver Protector, &c. to the High and Mighty Lords, the States of the United Provinces.
WE make no queſtion but that you have already bin inform'd of the Duke of Savoy's Edict, ſet forth againſt his Subjects Inhabiting the Valleys at the feet of the Alps, Ancient Profeſſors of the Orthodox Faith; by which Edict they are commanded to abandon their Native Habitations, ſtript of all their fortunes, unleſs within Twenty days they embrace the Roman Faith; and with what Cruelty the Authority of this Edict has rag'd againſt a needy and harmleſs People; many being ſlain by the Soldiers, the reſt Plunder'd and driven from their Houſes together with their Wives and Children, to combat Cold and Hunger among deſert Mountains, and perpetual Snow. Theſe things with what commotion of Mind you heard related, what a fellow-feeling of the Calamities of Brethren pierc'd your breaſts, we readily conjecture from the depth of our own Sorrow, which certainly is moſt Heavy and Afflictive. For being engag'd together by the ſame tye of Religion, no wonder we ſhould be ſo deeply mov'd with the ſame Affections upon the dreadful and undeſerved Sufferings of our Brethren. Beſides, that your conſpicuous Piety and Charity toward the Orthodox, where-ever overborn and oppreſs'd, has bin frequently experienc'd in the moſt urging ſtreights and calamities of the Churches. For my own part, unleſs my thoughts deceive me, there is nothing wherein I ſhould deſire more willingly to be overcome, then in Good will and Charity toward Brethren of the ſame Religion afflicted and wrong'd in their quiet Enjoyments; as being one that would be accounted always ready to prefer the Peace and Safety of the Churches before my particular Intereſts. So far therefore as hitherto lay in our power, we have Written to the Duke of Savoy, even almoſt to Supplication, beſeeching him that he would admit into his breaſt more placid thoughts and kinder effects of his Favour toward his moſt Innocent Subjects and Suppliants; that he would reſtore the Miſerable to their Habitations and Eſtates, and grant 'em their priſtin freedom in the Exerciſe of their Religion. Moreover we Wrote to the chiefeſt Princes and Magiſtrates of the Proteſtants, whom we thought moſt nearly concern'd in theſe matters, that they would lend us their Aſſiſtance to intreat and pacifie the Duke of Savoy in their behalf. And we make no doubt now but you have done the ſame, and perhaps much more. For this ſo dangerous a preſident, and lately renew'd ſeverity of utmoſt Cruelty toward the Reformed, if the Authors of it meet with proſperous Succeſs, to what apparent dangers it reduces our Religion, we need not admoniſh your Prudence. On the other ſide, if the Duke ſhall once but permit himſelf to be atton'd and won by our united Applications, not onelyonly our Afflicted Brethren, but we our ſelves ſhall reap the noble and abounding Harveſt and Reward of this laborious Undertaking. But if he ſtill perſiſt in the ſame obſtinate Reſolutions of reducing to utmoſt extremity thoſe People, among whom our Religion was either diſſeminated by the firſt, Doctors of the Goſpel, and preſerv'd from the defilement of Superſtition, or elſe reſtor'd to its Priſtin ſincerity long before other Nations obtain'd that felicity; and determins their utter extirpation and deſtruction; we are ready to take ſuch other Courſe and Counſels with your ſelves, in common with the reſt of our Reformed Friends and Confederates, as may be moſt neceſſary for the preſervation of Juſt and Good men upon the brink of inevitable Ruin, and to make the Duke himſelf ſenſible, that we can no longer neglect the heavy Oppreſſions and Calamities of our Orthodox Brethren. Farewel.
To the Evangelick Cities of Switzerland.
WE make no queſtion but the late Calamity of the Piemontois, Profeſſing our Religion, reached your Ears, before the unwelcome News of it arriv'd with us. Who being a People under the Protection and Juriſdiction of the Duke of Savoy, and by a ſevere Edict of their Prince Commanded to depart their Native Habitations, unleſs within Three days they gave ſecurity to embrace the Roman Religion, ſoon after were aſſail'd by Armed Violence, that turn'd their Dwellings into Slaughter-houſes, while others, without Number, were terrifi'd into Baniſhment, where now Naked and Afflicted, without Houſe or Home, or any Covering from the Weather, and ready to periſh through Hunger and Cold, they miſerably wander thorough deſert Mountains, and depths of Snow, together with their Wives and Children. And far leſs reaſon have we to doubt, but that, ſo ſoon as they came to your knowledge, you laid theſe things to heart, with a Compaſſion no leſs ſenſible of their multipli'd Miſeries, then our ſelves; the more deeply imprinted perhaps in your minds, as being next Neighbours to the ſufferers. Beſides, that we have abundant proof of your ſingular Love and Affection for the Orthodox Faith, of your conſtancy in retaining it, and your Fortitude in defending it. Seeing then, by the moſt ſtrict Communion of Religion, that you, together with our ſelves, are all Brethren alike, or rather one body with thoſe unfortunate People, of which no member can be Afflicted without the feeling, without pain, without the detriment and hazard of the reſt; we thought it convenient to Write to your Lordſhips concerning this matter, and let you underſtand, how much we believe it to be the general Intereſt of us all, as much as in us lies, with our common Aid and Succour, to relieve our extirminated and indigent Brethren; and not only to take care for removing their Miſeries and Afflictions, but alſo to provide, that the miſchief ſpread no farther, nor incroach upon our ſelves in general, encourag'd by Example and Succeſs. We have Written Letters to the Duke of Savoy, wherein we have moſt earneſtly beſought him out of his wonted Clemency, to deal more gently and mildly with his moſt faithful Subjects, and to reſtore 'em, almoſt Ruin'd as they are, to their Goods and Habitations. And we are in hopes, that by theſe our Intreaties, or rather by the united Interceſſions of us all, the moſt Serene Prince at length will be atton'd, and grant what we have requeſted with ſo much Importunity. But if his mind be obſtinately bent to other determinations, we are ready to communicate our Conſultations with yours, by what moſt prevalent means to relieve and re-eſtabliſh moſt Innocent men, and our moſt dearly beloved Brethren in Chriſt, tormented and overlaid with ſo many Wrongs and Oppreſſions; and preſerve 'em from inevitable and undeſerved Ruin. Of whoſe welfare and Safety, as I am aſſur'd, that you according to your wonted Piety, are moſt cordially tender, ſo, for our own parts, we cannot but in our opinion prefer their preſervation before our moſt important Intereſts, even the ſafeguard of our own life. Farewel.
Weſtminſter, May, 19. 1655. O. P. Superſcrib'd, To the moſt Illuſtrious and Potent Lords, the Conſuls and Senators of the Proteſtant Cantons and Confederate Cities of Switzerland, Greeting.