A
CHRISTIAN LIBRARY:
CONSISTING OF
EXTRACTS FROM AND ABRIDGMENTS OF
THE
CHOICEST PIECES
OF
PRACTICAL DIVINITY
WHICH HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED IN THE
ENGLISH TONGUE.
IN THIRTY VOLUMES.
FIRST PUBLISHED
IN 175O, IN FIFTY VOLUMES, 12MO.
BY JOHN WESLEY,
LATE FELLOW OF
LINCOLN COLLEGE, OXFORD.
VOL. 4:
LONDON
PRINTED BY T. CORDEDR, FOR T. BLANSIIARD,
14, CITY-ROAD, AND
66, PATERNOSTER-ROW.
1819.
TO
MR. FOX'S
ACTS AND MONUMENTS
OF THE
CHRISTIAN MARTYRS.
EXTRACTED FROM
MR. SAMUEL CLARK'S
GENERAL MARTYROLOGY.
VOL. 4:
A NARRATIVE
OF
THE BLOODY CRUELTIES,
Exercised egalamt
the
PROTESTANTS OF THE VALLEYS
OF PIEDMONT,
In Apri1, 1655.
UPON Saturday, April 17, 1655, whilst- the deputies of the Protestants were detained at Turin, there arrived a great army at
St. Giovanni, which was now, with La’Torre, and all
the lower parts, unpeopled by a late edict of the
Duke of Savoy. This army continued there for some hours, and in the dusk of the
evening fell into La Torre, where they met with none
of the Protestants; only eight or ten persons, not thinking of an enemy, were
seeking up and down for something to satisfy their hunger. As soon as they came
near the convent, they were saluted with a volley of shot, which killed
Giovanni Combe, and hurt Peter Rostain,
whereupon the rest, seeing the danger, fled for their lives. The
next day, being the Sabbath, the enemy ranged about, plundering, and pillaging
all before them. The day after, their number being increased to about
15,OOO, they set upon the Protestants in several quarters,
amongst the little hills of St. Giovanni and La Torre.
The poor people at length stood in their own defense, and the enemy was
vigorously opposed on every side; in one place by Captain Jahier, and in other places
by the officers of St. Giovanni, Angrogne, Roccapiata, and their troops.
Tuesday,
April 2O,-the Popish army made three several attempts to take away the bell of
St. Giovanni, and to burn the church; but the people did so courageously resist
them, that they were driven to a shameful retreat, with the loss of 5O men; and
had not the cavalry defended the plain, they had been utterly routed. Only two
of the Protestant party were slain. Wednesday, the
21st, which was the fatal day to the Protestants, the Marquis of Pianessa held the deputies of the valley of Lucerne in
parley till noon, and then entertained them with a large dinner, and sent them
away with many fair promises, that there' should be no hurt done to any.
Hereupon the agents of Angrogne bestirred themselves
to dissuade their own party from making the least resistance. The same did the
agents of Villars and Bobio.
But no sooner were those troops entered, than they put all to fire and sword,
slaying all they met with, and that in the most barbarous manner they could
possibly devise. The following extract of a letter, written by some of those
poor Protestants, contains a brief account of the barbarities exercised upon
them.
The army having gotten footing, became very numerous by
the addition of a multitude of the neighboring inhabitants; who, hearing that
we were given for a prey to the plunderers, fell upon us with an impetuous
fury, To these were added a great number of out-laws, prisoners, and other
offenders, who thought hereby to have saved their souls, and filled their
purses, We were also forced to receive five or six regiments of the French
army, besides some Irish, (to whom, as it was said, our country was promised,)
and several troops of vagabonds, under a pretence of coining into the valleys
for fresh quarters. The multitude being licensed by Pianessa,
encouraged by the monks, and led by our wicked neighbors, fell upon us with
such violence on every side, and in so treacherous a manner, especially in Angrogne, Villars, and Bobio, that in a moment all was turned into a confused heap,
and the inhabitants constrained to flee for their lives, together with their
wives and little children; and that not only the inhabitants of the plains, but
of the mountains also. Yet all their diligence was not sufficient to preserve
very many of them from destruction. For in many places they were so hemmed in,
on every side, that there was no way left for their flight, but they were most
inhumanly massacred. In one place they most cruelly tormented 15O women and
children, and afterwards chopped off the heads of some, and dashed out the
brains of others against the rocks. They took multitudes of prisoners; and
such of them, from 15 years of age and upwards, as refused to go to mass, they
cruelly butchered, hanging some, and nailing the feet of others to trees, with
their heads hanging downwards; all which torments they constantly endured. They
made such havoc of all, that there was neither any
cattle nor other provision left in the valley of Lucerne, in the commonalties of St.
Giovanni, La Torre, &e. A Franciscan friar, and
another priest, set fire to houses and churches, so that they left not one of
them unburnt. In these desolations the mother was
bereaved of her child, and the husband of his wife. Those that were richest
amongst us, are forced to beg their bread. Some are
weltering in their own blood, and deprived of all outward comforts. There were
some churches in St. Martin's, that were formerly reckoned a
sanctuary to the persecuted; but they are now commanded to quit those places,
and every soul of them immediately to depart, without any respite, and that
under pain of death. The pretence of these strange massacres and cruelties, are
that we are rebels to the duke's commands, in not performing a pure
impossibility, by immediately departing from our habitations in Bubiana, Lucerne, Fenile,
Bricheras, La Torre, St.
Giovanni, and St. Secundo."
In a word, the cruelties which were there executed, would
exceed the belief of any man, were they not so fully proved by the formal
attestations of eye-witnesses, and by the woful cries
of so many desolate and poor wretches, who have been miserably robbed of their
relations, houses, lands, and all other comforts; yea, the formal oath of one
of the chief commanders of the army that acted these cruelties, signed with his
own hand in the presence of two authentic witnesses, and the voluntary
confession of one of the soldiers, who told some of his comrades, that many
times he had surfeited himself with eating the boiled brains of the
Protestants, is sufficient to confirm the truth of what is here related.
The
declaration of Monsieur du Petit Bourg, first captain
of the regiment of Gransey, subscribed with his own
hand, at. Pignerol, Nov. 27, 1655, in the
presence of two other commanders. " I Sieur du Petit Bourg, being commanded by prince Thomas, to go and
join myself with the Marquis of Pianessa, who was
then at La Torre; upon my departure, I was requested
by the ambassador to speak to the marquis, and to use my endeavor to
accommodate the troubles which were amongst those of the Religion, in the
valleys of Piedmont, which accordingly I did, entreating him with much
earnestness that he would give way thereunto, and I doubted not but I should be
able to effect it. But he refused this my request, and that divers times,
notwithstanding all the endeavors I could possibly use to persuade him thereto;
and instead of the least mitigation, I was witness to many great violences, and extreme cruelties, exercised by the soldiers
of Piedmont, upon all sorts, of every age, sex, and condition, whom I saw
massacred, dismembered, banged up, burnt, and ravished, together with many
horrid confusions, which I beheld with horror and regret. And without any
distinction of those that resisted, and such as resisted not, they were used
with all sorts of inhumanity, their houses burnt, their goods plundered; and
when prisoners were brought before the said marquis, I heard him give order to
give them no quarter at all, saying, ` His highness was resolved to have none
of the Religion within his dominions.' And whereas in his declaration he
protests, that there was no hurt done to any, but during the fight, nor the
least outrage committed upon any persons that were not fit to bear arms; I will
maintain that it is not so, having seen with my eyes many persons killed in
cold blood; as also women, aged persons, and young children, miserably
murdered."
The
ensuing barbarous cruelties, which were exercised upon divers
members of the evangelical churches, in the valleys of Piedmont, in the late massacre, in 1655,
are attested by divers persons of honor and integrity, who were, for the most
part, eye and ear witnesses thereof.
SARAH
RASTIGNOLE DES VIGNES, about 6O years of age, being overtaken by divers
soldiers, was commanded to say her prayers, and when she had done, they bade
her say, " Jesus, Maria!" which the poor woman refusing, one of the
soldiers thrust a sickle into the lower part of her belly, and ripped her up to
her navel, and then dragged the poor creature upon the ground being half dead,
till another came and cut off her head. The daughter-in-law of this poor woman,
who hid herself in the snow for two days after, without any succor, was an
eye-witness thereof.
MARTHA
CONSTANTINE, of Giovanni, after she had seen several others most cruelly put to
death, was herself first -.ravished, and afterwards had her breasts cut off;
with other shameful acts of barbarity used upon her, by some of the soldiers.
These inhuman wretches fried her breasts, and set them before some of their comrades,
making them believe they were tripes. When they had
eaten a good part thereof, they told them what it was, which caused a quarrel
amongst them; and they that had eaten thereof were so sick, that some of them
died soon after. This was certified by a Papist, to one Andrea Javel, of Einachia.
A man of Thrassaniere, being taken prisoner, received divers stabs
in the soles of his feet, and in his ears, by two of the soldiers, who
afterwards more severely mangled him, and then applied a burning candle to the
wound, frying it with the flame thereof, that so the blood might be stopped,
and the torments of that miserable creature prolonged. Then they tore his nails
off with burning pincers to force him to renounce his religion. When nothing
would do, they tied one of his legs to a mule, and dragged him through the
streets, till he was almost dead; and then binding a cord about his head, they
twisted it with a staff till his eyes and brains dropped out, and then they
cast his carcass into the river.
PETER
SIMOND, of Angrogne, about eight years of age, was
tied neck and heels together, and in this posture violently thrown down a
fearful precipice. By the way he fell upon a cragged branch of a tree, and hung
there in a most languishing condition for several days together, (a most
lamentable spectacle,) being neither able to help himself, nor capable of
receiving help from others; the precipice being inaccessible.
GIOVANNI
ANDREA MICHIALIN, of La Torre, being taken prisoner,
escaped miraculously, having first seen three of his children torn in pieces
limb from limb before his eyes, and the fourth, being about six weeks old,
snatched out of the mother's arms, stripped of its swaddling-clothes, and its
brains dashed out against the rocks.
JACOB
PERRIN, an elder of the church of Villars, and David, his brother, being
taken prisoners in their beds, were carried to Lucerne, and cast into the marquis's
prison, where they were most barbarously and cruelly handled. The soldiers
stripped off the skin of their arms and legs, in long slices like leathern
points, till the flesh was left quite bare. After which they were starved to
death in the prison, and their carcasses left to rot there,
GIOVANNI PELANCHION, a young man, about 25 years old,
having been taken prisoner, had made his escape; but being taken again by the
soldiers, they tied one of his legs to the tail of a mule, and so dragged him
through all the streets of Lucerne. And because the poor wretch
sometimes lifted up his hands and head, through pain and anguish, that he
suffered by the grating of his body against the ragged flints, the merciless
villains battered and bruised his body with stones and brickbats, crying,
" He is possessed with the devil, which keeps him from dying." Then,
after many strange, shameless, and unheard of cruelties, they chopped off his
head, and so dragging him to the river's bank, they left him there unburied.
MAGDALEN,
the daughter of Peter Fontana, a beautiful girl, about ten years old, being
taken by some of these brutes, they tore her in so inhuman a manner, that she
was afterwards found half dead, wallowing in her own blood.
A poor
woman, apprehending her danger, having a sucking child in the cradle, took the
child and cradle upon her head, and fled. Some of the soldiers seeing this, pursued her; and she perceiving that she was like to
be overtaken, left her cradle in the way, supposing that those butchers could
not have such hearts as to hurt her innocent babe, and so hid herself in the
cleft of a rock not far off. But these hell-hounds finding
the infant in the cradle, took it out, and tore it in pieces; and afterwards
finding the mother, they first ravished her, and then cut off her head, and
left her dead body in the snow.
At Villa
Nova, the daughter of Moses Long, about ten years old, as she was fleeing upon
the snow, some soldiers of Piedmont took her, b: oached
her upon a pike, and roasted her alive with a fire made upon a broad stone; and
after a while they cut off a slice of her flesh, intending to have eaten it;
but finding it not well roasted, their stomachs would not serve them to eat
it. JACOBO MICJELINO, one of the chief
elders of the church of Boby, being taken prisoner, was hung
upon a gate in a shameful posture. But the shame was nothing to the torments;
the whole weight of his body hanging upon a tender part, which caused most
exquisite and almost incredible pain. And this they did to force him to renounce
his religion. When this prevailed not, they took him down, and carried him away
amongst other prisoners. Afterwards, having with incredible constancy endured a
world of other cruelties, he at last exchanged this' life for a better.
GIOVANNI
ROSTAGNAL, of Boby, being 8O years old, had his nose,
ears, and other parts of his body, cut off, and was left languishing upon the
snow for a long time, till at last he gave up the ghost. DANIEL SALVAGIO and
his wife, GIOVANNI DURANT, DANIEL REVEL, LODOWICK and BARTHOLOMEW DURANT, all
brothers, and PAOLO REYNAUD, being taken by the soldiers, had their mouths and
throats stuffed full of gunpowder, and then fire being set to it, their heads
were torn all,to pieces.
JACOB Di RONE, a school-master of Roras,
being stript stark naked, after they had torn off his
nails with pincers, and made a thousand holes in his hands with the point of a
dagger, they dragged him, by a cord fastened about his middle, through Lucerne.
At almost every step, one soldier on one side cut off a piece of his flesh with
a faulchion, and another on the other side gave him a
great blow with a staff, crying, " What sayest
you now, Barbet? Wilt you go to mass?" To which the poor creature, with
admirable constancy, as long as he was able to speak, answered, " Rather death than the mass. Despatch
me quickly, for the love of God." A while after came a notorious cut-throat,
who, as soon as he saw him, cried out, "Lo! here
is the minister of Roras." With that he gave him
a deadly blow athwart the head with a back-sword. From thence they dragged him
to the bridge; there they cut off his head, and then threw him into the river.
PAOLO
GARNIER, of Roras, being taken by these murderers,
they first violently pulled out his eyes, and in this state they exposed him to
public scorn for several days together. Afterwards they flayed him alive, and
then cutting his skin in four parts, they hung it in the windows of four of the
principal houses of Lucerne.
DANIEL CARDON, of Roccappiata,
being taken by some of the soldiers, they cut off his head, took out his
brains, and frying them in a pan, eat them up. They had cut open his breast also,
and were taking out his heart to fry and eat, but being frighted
by some of the poor people's troops that were coming that way, they made off.
MARGARET REVEL, of La Cartere, aged 85 years; MARY DI
PRAVILLERM, of St. Giovanni, who was blind, aged 9O years; as also MADONA LENA,
a blind woman, aged 8O years; and JEANNA BATZAN, aged 9O years, were taken, and
in a most barbarous manner burned alive.
to them also, " God will
assuredly avenge (he innocent blood that you have spilt." Having by some
ejaculations prepared to resign up his soul unto GOD, he desired the hangman to
do his work, which he accordingly did. Arid three or four days after, the
Marquis of Pianessa coining that way, one of the
soldiers discharged a musket at his dead body, whereupon there gushed out a
stream of fresh blood. The marquis observing this, said to some that were
present,’1 This blood cries for vengeance." Afterwards
they took both these dead bodies, and hung them up naked by one foot near to La
Torre, and when any prisoner of the Protestants
passed that way, they forced him or her to go and kiss those parts of them as
might put a like scorn upon the living as had been put upon the dead: but by
reason of the multitude of bullets that were shot through them by the soldiers,
they at last fell to pieces.
MARY, the
widow of Daniel Pelanchion, of Villars,
being taken by the soldiers, after they had basely abused her, they shot her,
and then threw her into the river. This poor woman not being quite dead, with much pains, got out of the river again. Hoping to be
somewhat revived by the warm sun, she laid her down where it shone. Some of
these bloody villains espying her, they fastened a rope to her feet, and
dragged her to the bridge, where they hung her up by the legs, and shot her to
death, afterwards leaving her stark naked upon the rock.
MARY, the
wife of Daniel Monino, was taken by the soldiers, who
having broken her jaws in pieces, they gave her a deep cut in the neck, and
left her in that languishing condition, till, after having endured extreme
torments for divers days together, she at last yielded up the ghost.
JACOB
BARIDONO was taken prisoner at Villars, and from
thence carried to La Torre. There the tormentors
cruelly afflicted him with burning matches placed between his fingers, to his
lips, and other parts of his body, till he died with the intolerable pain. Then
they caused his
dead corpse to be carried out by two
of his fellow prisoners, and thrown into the river Pelice.
But thinking that too honorable a burying-place for an heretic, they forced
them to fetch it out again, and to lay it on the brink of the river; where,
after they had exposed the same to all manner of ignominies, it was at last
eaten up by dogs.
ISAIAH
MONDON had a long time hid himself in the cleft of a rock, where, for many days
together, he had nothing but a few leaves of unwholesome herbs to eat. At last
he was found out by the soldiers, and most unmercifully handled by them. From
thence they drove him to the town of Lucerne, being half dead. At last, when
the poor creature could march no further, he fell down-upon his knees, and
besought them to despatch him at once; which they
accordingly did.
GIOVANNi BARROLINO and his wife were cast
alive into a pool, and often plunged and thrust under the water with staves and
pitchforks, and at last despatched with stones. MARY REVEL, receiving a shot in her body,
fell down in a manner dead, yet afterwards she recovered so much strength as to
get upon her knees; and as she was praying to GOD, the bloody enemies despatched her.
GIOVANAI
SALVAGIOT, as he was returning from Bagnol, after
the peace was concluded, passed by a chapel; and because he put not off his hat, and made obedience thereto, was murdered, and his
body left unburied. GIOVANNi GAYO, and divers other
men, women, and children, hid themselves in a cave, where for a time they
continued in safety. At last, they were discovered by some of these
blood-hounds; most of whom had been their neighbors
and familiar acquaintance, and such as had pretended great friendship to them,
whereupon they fell upon their knees, and begged their lives of them. But the
kindest salute they could afford their old acquaintance was with swords,
muskets, and pistols. The poor people perceiving this, and not desiring to
behold the lamentable misery of each other, they kneeled down in a ring, in
which posture they were all shot to death, and their dead bodies cut in pieces.
There were
very many others, besides those here mentioned, which might have been
inserted, whereof some were drowned, some burnt, some slain with the sword,
some shot to death, some starved, some smothered in the snow, some pined, some
killed with staves, some cut in pieces; but I am weary with reckoning up their
names, and I suppose the reader is tired also with these cruelties. But though
their names are not here, they are written in the calendar of heaven, which
their popish adversaries would have written in the dust.
A NARRATIVE
OF
THE WAR IN THE VALLEYS OF
PIEDMONT,
On Occasion of
the Massacre.
IN the
former part you have a faithful narrative of the bloody cruelties exercised in
the valleys of Piedmont, from April 17, 1655, the day that the Marquis of Pianessa's forces arrived at St. Giovanni, to the 21st day
of the same month. During which time they made such havoc of the poor
Protestants, that there was now only the little commonality of Roras which was left entire and untouched. But that they
also might in all things be made like unto their suffering brethren, and that
it might appear the destruction was designed to be universal, the Earl of CHRISTophle upon that very day, April 21, sent 3OO soldiers
secretly by the way of Villars, to surprise them of Roras, and to put them all to the sword. This party being
got upon a little hill called Rumer, belonging to Roras, it pleased God that they were met by some soldiers
belonging to Captain Joshua Gianavel, (whom God
raised up at that time as a choice instrument for the preservation of the poor
scattered remnant of his people.) These soldiers were but seven or eight in
number, yet having been beforehand placed at a convenient post to prevent the
inroad of the enemy, they fired upon them, and plied them so hard, that many of
them were killed upon the place, and the rest, supposing by the great number of
bullets that flew about their ears, that the ambuscade consisted of six times
more men than there really were, they fled back in great disorder. The others,
perceiving this, fell upon their rear, and chased them at least three quarters
of a league, amongst the rocks and woods, doing notable execution upon them in
their flight.
The
members of this little church of Roras, to take away
all occasions of exceptions, presented their complaints to the Marquis of Pianessa; who, that he might b have the better opportunity
to deceive and surprise them, answered,’1 That those of his soldiers that went
to Roras, were but robbers and outlaws, that had
wholly disobeyed his orders;" adding, a That they had done him a singular
favor in driving them out of their country; and that he would take a course to
prevent their being disturbed for the future." He then published an order,
whereby he straitly charged his soldiers not to
molest them in any kind hereafter. Yet he perfidiously sent a party of 5OO
chosen men the very next day to put his first bloody design in execution. As
these men were passing over a little hill of Roras,
they were so saluted by eleven Protestant musqueteers,
and six men with slings, under the conduct of Captain Gianavel,
who had divided them into three squadrons, that the enemy was soon put to
flight. This poor handful of despicable
men pursued them for a whole league, slaying a great number of them, without
the loss or hurt of any one of themselves; which spews the admirable providence
of God.
The
Marquis of Pianessa, though he had failed this second
time, yet he was resolved to make a third attempt. And still to deceive them,
he made new promises and protestations, that no injury should be offered them,
and that in regard of the intercession of the Earl of CHRISTOPHLE, their lord
and patron, he would protect and defend them. Yet, the very morrow after, he
sent a party of 7OO men, who first seized upon, and secured all the passes,
that none might escape their bloody hands, and then most barbarously burnt and
destroyed whatsoever they met with through all the commonalty of Roras. Hereupon, seventeen house-keepers, (whose hearts God
had marvelously strengthened and encouraged for their poor brethren's
preservation, seeing what they must expect, and that nothing but death and
destruction waited for them, unless sonic admirable providence prevented it; as
also calling to mind those singular deliverances which God had vouchsafed to
his ancient people the Jews,) unanimously resolved to cast themselves with
their lives and estates into the hands of the same God; resting upon his
gracious promises, and freely submitting to his good will and pleasure for the
issue of their undertaking. The captain of this valiant party was the aforesaid
Gianavel, who marching up with this little band, suddenly
surprised and carried away their court of guard with their sentinel from off a
hill where they were placed, The enemy being not a little amazed at this bold
attempt, withdrew from the place where they were, resolving to march through a
little meadow, and so to get to Villars or La Torre. But being not nimble enough, the others met with
them at Piampra, and there slew many of them, without
the loss of one of their own men, and took from
them besides, all the cattle and
other things which they had plundered from the neighboring places.
Pianessa, seeing all his designs thus frustrated, and that
his specious promises were but so many watch-words to bid these poor people
stand upon their guard, he speedily sent to all those of Lucerne, Bubbiana, Barges, Bagnol, Famolas, Cavors, and the adjacent
places, who were able to bear arms, to come and join with a good part of his
own army, to environ these poor people on every side. But though the time of
their rendezvous was punctually assigned them, yet they all came two hours too
late, except the troop of Bagnol, which was conducted
by one Mario, an inveterate enemy to the reformed churches. Mario, with his
regiment of thieves, outlaws, and a great number of Irish rebels, assaulted
these poor people on the upper and lower part of the canton of Runner, who were
not above seventeen in number; yet the Lord was pleased so to encourage them,
that they presently got upon the top of the mountain, and there, after a long
skirmish, forced their enemies to retire, and flee as far as the cliff called Pairo Capello. In this fight and
pursuit they killed above sixty of the enemies, and wounded many more; and
many of them being laden with plunder, fell down, as they fled amongst the
precipices of the rocks, and were dashed in pieces. Those of them that were
lighter and nimbler, got safe to Pairo
Capello. But when they came thither, they found
greater difficulties to contest with than before, for being closely pursued,
and compassed in on every side, they were forced to take the ropes wherewith
they had bound up their plunder, and tying them to shrubs, slid down the rocks
by them, and fell into the river that ran below. By this means they thought to
make their escape; but by reason of the violence of the torrent, and the great
con
fusion that was amongst them, which occasioned one to fail
on the neck of another, and such as could not swim, catching hold of them that
could, the greatest part of them were drowned. Captain Mario threw himself into
the river amongst the rest, and had not several of the soldiers, that could
swim excellently well, ventured their lives to fetch him out, he had gone with
the rest to receive present pay from his master, whom he so diligently served.
Mario, having thus escaped, was carried to Lucerne in his shirt, without either hat
or shoes, like a man bereaved of his wits. Shortly after he
fell into a desperate disease, whereof he died. Before his death, he oft
cried out, in a despairing manner, that he felt a grievous burning in his
bowels, as a just judgment upon him, for having burnt so many innocent persons,
and their habitations.
As the
Protestants were marching back to refresh themselves after this gallant
action, being somewhat weary with their hard service, they espied another
company of murderers coming from Villars; whereupon,
forgetting their weariness, they placed themselves in ambuscade. When the enemy
drew near the place, they perceived some of them; but not being able to discern
what party they were of by their colors, they called-to them for the word. The
Protestants answered not; but beckoned to them to come'nearer,
which they did, in a careless posture, supposing them to be friends; and when
they came near, the others suddenly discharged upon them, and slew many of them
upon the place, and the rest they pursued almost to La Torre
and Villars. After this victory, Captain -Gianavel rallied his men on an
high ground, not far off, and caused them to kneel down in the very sight of
his enemies, while he, with a loud voice, gave thanks unto the Lord for his
great mercy in their deliverance.
Three day after, the Marquis of Pianessa,
being highly incensed by this success of the Protestants, sent to the people of
Roras, expressly charging then to change their
religion, within the space of twenty-four hours, and that upon pain of death,
and having their houses burnt to the ground. To' this they answered,
" That they would much rather choose death, than obey any such
order!" The marquis, vexed at this resolute answer, immediately despatched away 8OOO men, besides the. Militia forces of
the neighboring commonalties, who, according to his order, were divided into
three squadrons; the one to set upon the poor people of Villars;
another upon the mountains of Bagnol; and the third
on that part which looks towards Lucerne. They accordingly did so, and not only
murdered every man, woman, or child they met, but exercised all manner of
cruelties upon them; taking much pleasure in torturing these poor creatures,
and in tossing their little infants from off their pikes and halberts, and dashing out their brains against the rocks.
The rest almost miraculously escaped their bloody hands. When they had thus
shown their valor upon naked men, women, and infants, and were glutted with the
prey that they found in the country, they turned their houses into ashes. Such
as survived, they sent prisoners to Turin, amongst whom, was the wife and
children of Captain Gianavel. Then they marched back
to Lucerne with great joy and acclamations.
Shortly after, Pianessa wrote to
Captain Gianavel, promising him great preferment, if
he would change his religion; otherwise he threatened, that his wife and children
should be burnt. He also promised a great sum of money to any that should bring
him, the said Gianavel, either alive or dead. Captain
Gianavel returned the marquis this answer:’1 There is no torment so violent, nor death so cruel, that I
do not much prefer before the abjuration of my religion. All these promises
and threats do but the more fortify me and strengthen my faith: as for my wife
and children, though you have gotten them into your power, you can but kill
their bodies, and as for their souls, I recommend them, together with my own,
into the hands of GOD, if he shall suffer me to fall into your power."
Gianavel having gotten together a small party of men upon
part of the Alps, called La Pella des Jamies, on May 22,
went out in the evening to a place about three leagues off, not far from Bubiana. He there first sought God by prayer, and
afterwards informed himself of the number and strength of the enemy. Finding
them too many to be attacked by such a handful of men, he turned towards Lucernetta, where he was furiously assaulted by the
garrison of Lucerne, but he courageously encountered them without the loss of
one man; only himself was shot in the leg, by a soldier that hid himself behind
a tree, with a purpose to have slain him. The captain, perceiving whence the
shot came, lame as he was, he made to the place, where he quickly despatched him for his pains. Whilst these things were
acting, the Irish rebels in the marquis's army, thought to make themselves
masters of Bubiana, under a pretence of protecting
the inhabitants against the Barbets, (as they called the Protestants in
scorn). The peasants of the place perceiving their drift, took occasion to
quarrel with them, and drove them out, killing a great number of them.
May 26, 1655, Captain Gianavel
wrote to Captain Jahier and the rest that were
retired into the valley of Lucerne, to meet at a rendezvous at Angrogne, which
they accordingly did. The day after,
they marched together to a place in the plain called Garcigliana,
thinking to have entered the
"town but they met with a great party of horse and foot,
with whom they disputed the pass a long time, and at’last,
being overpowered, they were forced to retreat. They got six yoke of oxen, with
several small cattle, and some prisoners in the skirmish,
and that with the loss of only one man in the retreat.
May 28,
they marched to St. Secondo. As soon as they came
thither, they first kneeled down, and prayed for a blessing upon their
undertaking, and having encouraged one another, they attacked the place with
incredible valor. And the better to secure themselves against their enemies,
who had fortified themselves in houses, they got planks, barrels, and such
other things as they, met with, to keep off the bullets, which were poured out
upon them out of the houses. They quickly made themselves masters of the doors
of those houses, to which they immediately set fire, and forcing their
entrance, put all the soldiers they found to the sword. Then they set the town onn fire, and emptied the churches, which they found full
of their own goods and cattle, and carried away seven of their mass-bells. At
this time they slew about 45O of their enemies, and, amongst others, a whole
company of Irish rebels, who chose rather to be burnt, than to crave quarter.
There were only seven of the Protestants slain, and six or seven slightly
wounded.
Monday,
June 1, the Captains Jahier, Laurentio,
Gianavel, Genolat, Benet, and other officers of the Protestants, went to Angrogne, and having called a council of war, they
concluded the next day to alarm the enemy at Briqueras
and St. Giovanni. Accordingly, the Captains Laurentio
and Jahier went by the way of Roccapiatta,
that by the help of the thick woods, wherein they shrouded themselves; they
might the better approach Briqueras. Having got upon
a little hill near the town, Captain Laurentio made
a stand, to hinder any relief that might be sent them from St. Secondo; and Captain Jahier
marching down, set fire to several houses and barns. At the sight of this fire,
they of Briqueras gave notice to those of Cavors, Penile, Bubiana, Campiglione, and other neighboring places, whereupon the
enemy- quickly advanced towards them, and were as soon beaten back. In the mean
time there came a party of horse, and stood at St. Secondo,
lest the reformed party should sally out that way, really believing that they
had a design upon Briqueras. But Jahier
marched with his company by the way of Giovanni, and Laurentio
went an higher way, yet both met at the place appointed, where Captain Gianavel was engaged with the enemies from Lucerne and La Torre, against whom he had defended himself very’stoutly. Then Jahier charged
them on the flank, and Laurentio
on the front, seasonably interposing his company in that place, where the enemy
thought to have surrounded Gianavel. The popish party
was soon routed, leaving 15O men behind them, besides many that were wounded,
the reformed party having but one slain upon the place.
June 2d,
three hundred of the enemies went from La Torre, to
fetch a convoy, into the fort of Mirebuc, that lay between the frontiers of Dauphiny
and Piedmont. Gianavel,
being at Malbec, fell upon them, though he had but
nine soldiers with him, and fought a great while with them, to the great
astonishment of his enemies: but at last he was forced to retreat, yet without
the loss of a man; only four were slightly wounded. Afterwards Gianavel, with a small party, marched to La Pella des Guienets, from whence he sent to some that were retired
into Villars, requiring, that all those of the
reformed religion should’come within twenty-four
hours, out of the said place, where mass was `celebrated; and that, upon the
pain of being dealt with as enemies: and that such, as through weakness had
abjured, and would persist in their abjuration, should depart thence upon the
same penalty. Hereupon all the papists fled presently out of Villars, and the Protestants carne to Gianavel,
and such of them as were able to bear arms, followed him cheerfully. The rest
contributed according to their abilities, towards the maintenance of him and
his troops. Those, which through frailty had abjured their religion, went over
the mountain into the valley of Queires; yet not long after they
returned, like so many wandering sheep, to the true Shepherd of their souls,
and testifying their repentance, were again received into the bosom of the
church.
After
those of Lucerne were retreated, the Captain Jahier
and Gianavel, with some officers, called a council of
war, wherein they resolved to sally out, and if it were possible, to surprise
those of La Torre, most of which were Irish. But the
enemy having timely notice, were so prepared; that they
killed some, who had passed the bridge at Angrogne.
This so encouraged them, that they thought to have enclosed the small body of
the Protestants, and to have cut them off: but after many assaults to no
purpose, they were forced to retreat to La Torre, with
the loss of many of their soldiers, besides many others that were dangerously
wounded. The next day Jahier and Gianavel
went before La Torre, against whom many of the
soldiers came out, but not sallying forth in a full body, they were all slain
upon the place. Their captains seeing this, they thought fit to send out no
mere. The Protestants then retreated towards Angrogne,
to a place called La Verne, -where a few houses were yet
left unburnt.
They spent
the next day in reviewing the army, and holding a council of war, in which it
was resolved to send a party against the commonalty of Crusol;
the inhabitants whereof had made incursions upon them, and committed many
outrages in the beginning of the massacre. Accordingly they marched all night,
with 495 men, and passing by La Torre undiscovered, a
little after midnight they arrived at Crusol, where
they took 4OO head cattle, 6OO sheep and goats, with much other booty, an that
without the least resistance. For the inhabitants of Crusol,
being terribly affrighted, had cast themselves into the mouth of a most fearful
rock, whence they could not be gotten out. The Protestants returned over one of
the Alps of Villars, and the next day, towards
evening, they divided the spoil amongst the soldiers. Presently after their
departure, the enemy from Lucerne, Cavors,
Briqueras, and other places, to the number of 8OO,
having heard of their design against Crusol, marched
to their relief. But finding that they were gone too far to be overtaken, they
resolved not to lose-their labor, and so fell a plundering the poor people
(though their friends) much worse than the Protestants had done; and afterwards
falling out amongst themselves about dividing the spoil, they destroyed one
another. The very same day that this enterprise was had against Crusol, the enemy at St. Secondo
advanced to burn the rest of the houses at Roccapiatta;
and being advanced as far as to the little hill of Angrogne,
they thought to have surprised the rest of, the forces, left under the command
of Laurentio and Jahier's
brother. But they, having timely intelligence of it, marched immediately to the
top of the mountain, with one half of the soldiery, leaving the other half
under the command of Captain Benet, of St. Germains, who also took his post with all possible
expedition upon the said little hill, with seventeen of his men, and placed the
rest in ambuscade. But the enemies' hearts misgiving them, they shamefully
retreated.
June 8,
Captain Gianavel, being left at Angrogne,
with only his own company, and some few others, was assaulted early in the
morning by the soldiers of LaTorre, and some others.
Of these one part got upon the top of the mountain, and the other part went to
the lower passage to possess themselves of the gate of Angrogne
by the way of St. Bartholomew, intending suddenly to fall upon Gianavel and his small company, having already devoured
them in their hopes. But it pleased God that at the sound of the trumpet, when
all should have fallen on, Gianavel soon awaked, and
having first sought God by prayer, he fell upon the enemy, and got the
advantage of the place from them, and after a short dispute, forced them to
turn their backs, though there were at least 25OO of them. And though all the captain's company was not above 3OO, yet that handful
of men pursued the enemy as far as to the descent of Angrogne,
into the woods,
and steep places of the rocks, where
they slew a great number of them.
Gianavel seeing it impossible to make any further at tempt
for the present, entreated Jahier to give over for
that day, and to refresh himself and his soldiers: but he, being at that time
more resolute than prudent, refused his good counsel, and picking out 15O
choice men, marched down into the plain, where he burnt several of the houses
of those who had formerly burnt and destroyed so many of the Protestants, and
brought them away with a good booty of cattle and other goods. In the close of
the day, when he thought to have put the finishing stroke to all his former
undertakings, a squadron of horse surrounded him and his 45 men, (for at this
time he had no more with him,) at a country-house, not far from Ossac. He and his men did all that could possibly be
expected from them, killing three captains, with the commander in chief of the
squadron; but at last, he and 35 of his followers lost their lives. The
enemies, in great triumph, cut off Captain Jahier's
head, and the heads of his sons, and carried them to Turin.
Captain Jahier deserves to be renowned for his great piety and zeal
for the service and honor of GOD, and the preservation of his poor afflicted
church. He was of so undaunted a spirit, that the terrors of death, and the most cruel torments, could never affright him. He was as
bold as a lion in his enterprises, but meek and humble as a lamb in the midst
of his victories. In all his ent prises
he looked up to heaven, from whence he ackn ledged
all his help to come; and always recited fit and comfortable passages out of
the Scriptures, (wherein he was admirably versed,) for the encouragement of all
his followers, and the strengthening of their faith upon all occasions.
The death
of so brave a commander as Jahier, and the wound of Gianavel, did not a little startle the Protestants; but
yet they did not wholly despond, nor lose their courage; but assembling shortly
after in a mountain of Angrogne, they from thence descended into
the plain, where they were twice assaulted with violence. The last assault was
by a dangerous ambuscade of at least 6OOO of the enemies, and they were not
above 1OO. But God of his infinite goodness so encouraged their hearts, that
they slew very many of their enemies, and amongst them many principal officers.
The Reformed lost only one Michael Bertino, a
sergeant of Angrogne, and had but one common soldier
wounded. The son of Bertino, seeing his father fall
dead at his feet, was so far from being discouraged, that he immediately
stepped into his father's place, and said, "Though my father be dead, yet
be of good courage, my fellow soldiers; for God is a Father to us all." On
Monday following they had a very sharp dispute at La Torre,
and Dear Tagliaretto, where they killed and wounded a
great number of their enemies, without the loss of any of their own men. At
this time, the enemies were reaping their corn in the plains of St. Giovanni,
but they could not carry it away without the loss of many of their lives. About
the same time, there came to the Protestants one Monsieur Andrion,
a major of a regiment of horse, with Uvo other
gentlemen that were strangers, who were followed with some volunteers, whose
friendly visit of their poor afflicted brethren, and their good advice in such
a juncture of time, was taken very kindly; and God made it a singular means to
uphold the fainting spirits of some weak brethren; who seeing others come in
" to the help of the Lord against the mighty," went on with a great
deal more cheerfulness and alacrity. These stayed with them till peace was concluded.
July 11, Sieur John Leger, pastor of the church at St. Giovanni,
(who deserves to be remembered for the great pains and many services he
performed in behalf of the churches of the Valleys,) having notice that the
enemies were of opinion that he was come back from his journey, with arms, ammunition,
and money, and thereupon presuming that they would suddenly make some notable
attempt to prevent what they so much feared, went to Colonel Andrion, and pressed him to put his design in execution.
The poor people had as yet no standing army: but the bands of each commonalty
were quartered at a great distance the one from the other; and they had
certainly been cut off every man of them within a few days, had not the centinels been very watchful; and above all, if Captain Charforan had not on the one side timely discovered the
enemy, and the poor people on the other side been exceedingly heartened to the
battle by the great valor and singular conduct of the Sieurs
Andrion, Michelin, and Leger.
The enemy
was very numerous, having been lately reinforced with many troops. They
encamped themselves within half a league of the Reformed, and early in the
morning they divided themselves into four brigades, three whereof fell on the
Protestants with a marvelous resolution, in three several places at once: the fourth
stood still, ready to succor their
friends if there were need. The fight continued at least four hours, without
intermission, and was the sharpest that ever was fought
in the open field. That which made
the enemies more fierce, was, their hopes to have beaten back the Protestants
from their post, called the Castelas; which if
they could have effected, they had
been certainly masters of the Valleys of Perosa, St. Martin, and Lucerne. But the poor people having
lifted up their hearts by earnest supplications to the Lord of Host, (as they
used to do upon all such' occasions,) Andrion, and
the two other captains which he had brought with him, gave forth such orders as
were necessary, encouraging their men exceedingly, so that they kept their
ground, all save a few, who were either quite tired, or faint for want of food,
or that wanted powder, or flints in the fire-locks. But these the Sieurs Mechelin and Leger
employed in rolling down great stones upon their enemies' heads as they came to
attack them, which proved very successful, doing much execution upon the enemy,
and causing them to abate much of their fury. In the beginning of the fight,
the enemy cried always, "Advance, advance, ye relicts of Jahier." And the Protestants now began to cry as fast,
"Advance, advance, ye relicts of St. Secondo:"
and withal they ran upon those murderers like so many lions, and caused them to
turn back, and flee towards La Torre and Lucerne as
fast as they were able, leaving behind them 55 upon the place, and about 4O
that were killed in the flight; besides many others who were carried either
dead, or dangerously wounded, to Lucerne. They themselves confessed,
that in this encounter they lost at least 3OO men, amongst which were many
officers of a Bavarian regiment. When such multitudes of dead, wounded, and
dying men were brought into Lucerne, the syndick,
who was a Papist, but not so superstitious as many,
said to some, " Hitherto the wolves deavoured
the barbets, but now the barbets devour the wolves." Which words being reported
to Monsieur Marolles, the commander of Lucerne, he
threatened to imprison him, and to give him the strappade,
for them, which so terrified the poor man, that he presently sickened, and
within a few days died.
Two days
after this, the enemy being much enraged for their loss, spread themselves all
over Angrogne, and began to set the corn on fire;
which being seen by the company of La Torre, who at
that time were upon the mountain of Tagliaretto, they
speedily gave notice to those of St. Giovanni and Angrogne,
who basted thither, and charged them so fiercely, that they forced them to
flee, and leave most of their ammunition behind them. In the mean time, Captain
Berlin assaulted the town of La Torre, killed the centinel and soldiers upon the works, and gave the town
such a hot alarm, that most of them fled towards the river of Pellice; and probably, if he had had a few more men with
him, he had made himself master of La Torre. July 18, the general of the Protestants gave
order to fall upon the town of La Torre, which accordingly was put in
execution. Berlin gave the first onset, who being followed with many other
officers and soldiers, they quickly made a considerable breach in the
garden-wall, next to the convent, which so encouraged the rest, that they fell
on with an invincible resolution, and in a short space burnt both the convent
and most of the town down to the ground.
In May,
1655, letters were brought to Oliver Cromwell, who then held the title of Lord
Protector of England, of the above-mentioned
massacre, whereupon he invited all the people of England to seek the Lord by humiliation
and prayer, and withal moved them to a liberal contribution for the succor of
these poor people. He sent also Mr. Samuel Morland,
as his envoy to the King of France, and the Duke of Savoy, to mediate on their
behalf. He also wrote to the King of Denmark, to the States of the United
Provinces, and to the Evangelical Cantons of the Switzers,
requesting all their mediations in behalf of these poor people. May 26, Mr. Morland set out on his journey, and on the 1st of June he
came to the King of France, at La Ferre, to whom he
delivered the Lord Protector's letters, wherein he solicited his majesty to
improve his power and interest with the duke, that the cruel order might be
recalled, and the poor people restored to their ancient liberties and
habitations. Three days after, the King of France returned an answer to the
Lord Protector's letter, and Mr. Morland proceeded
on his journey to the court of Savoy, and arrived at Rivole,
where the court was, June 21, and demanded audience as the Lord Protector's
envoy; which accordingly was granted. At his appearing, he made a speech in the
behalf of the poor people, and delivered the Lord Protector's letter. Madam
Royal, the duke's mother, answered, That she could not but extremely applaud
the singular charity of his highness, the Lord Protector, towards their
subjects, whose condition had been represented to him so exceeding sad and
lamentable, as she perceived by Mr. Morland's
discourse it was; yet withal, she could not but extremely admire, that malice
should proceed so far as to clothe their father-like chastisements of their
rebellious subjects with so black a character; thereby to render them odious to
all their neighboring princes and states; especially with so great and powerful
a prince as the Lord Protector. She further added, That
she doubted not, but when the truth of all passages should be made known to
him, he would rest satisfied with the duke's proceedings; yet, for his
highness's sake, they would pardon their rebellious subjects, and grant them
such privileges and graces as would
spew the Lord Protector how great respect they bare both to his person and
mediation. Mr. Morland was requested withal to go to Turin, where, by the duke's order, he
was entertained with all outward demonstrations of civility and respect
imaginable. After a while, Mr. Morland pressed for
his despatch; and when he had got it, according to
the Lord Protector's order, he went to Geneva.
There was
collected in England and Wales, towards the relief of these
poor people, 38,O971. 7s. 3d.
the greatest part whereof was, at several times,
transmitted to them. What remained, being about 9OOO1.
was put out to interest, that so both the principal and
the improvement might be disposed of for their best advantage. The Lord
Protector's intercession had such an effect, that presently after, the King of
Sweden, the King of Denmark, the States of the United Provinces, the Prince
Elector Palatine, the Elector of Brandenburgh, the
Duke of Wittenberg, and many other Protestant princes, especially the Land-rave
of Hesse, either by their letters to the Duke of
Savoy, or otherwise, declared their deep resentment of the bloody massacre.
They had also many consolatory letters, written to them from sundry particular
churches; viz. from Frankfort, Zurick,
Hanau, Flushing, Middleburg, &c. and large
contributions were raised for them, according to their respective abilities.
Divers coimnissioners were also sent from England and Holland to join with those of the
Evangelical Cantons for the procuring a well-grounded peace. But before they
came, the Switzer ambassador had concluded a treaty with the French ambassador;
and between them they huddled up a peace; the woful
effects whereof these poor people were quickly sensible of; and to this day
they labor under heavy burdens, laid upon their shoulders by their popish
task-masters. They forbid them all manner of traffic for their sustenance: they
rob them of their goods and estates: they drive them from their abitation, and force them to sell their
a birth-right for a mess of pottage." They banish their ministers,
that the shepherds being gone, they may the more easily devour the flock: they
ravish their young women and maidens: they murder the innocent as they pass
along the highways on their business: they continually mock and revile them,
and threaten another massacre, seven-fold more bloody
than the former. Through the malice and subtlety of their popish adversaries,
their valleys are no other than a dungeon, to which the fort of La Torre serves as a door, whereby, at their pleasure, they
may let in a troop of murderers, utterly to destroy and extirpate those
innocent people. And notwithstanding all those large supplies that have been
sent them from England, and other states, yet so great are the necessities of
those poor, hungry creatures, and so grievous are the oppressions of their
popish adversaries, who he in wait to bereave them of whatsoever is given
them, that some of them are yet ready ever and anon to eat their own flesh for
want of bread. Their miseries are more sad and grievous than can be expressed.
They are dying, even whilst they live. When that which is collected for them is
spent, they must inevitably perish, unless the Lord, in whose hands are the
hearts of princes, shall incline the heart of their prince to pity those his
poor, harmless, and faithful subjects, who are so far from thoughts of
rebellion, that could they but enjoy the freedom of their consciences in peace,
they would be the first that would be ready to sacrifice their lives for the
good and safety of his royal highness.
A fuller
account of these things, together with the letters and transactions about them,
may be found fully and faithfully set down by Mr. Samuel Morland,
in his History of the Evangelical Churches in the Valleys of Piedmont.
A RELATION
OF THE.
DISTRESSED STATE OF THE
PROTESTANTS
IN THE GREAT DUKEDOM OF
LITHUANIA
Presented to
the view of all compassionate Christians.
THE fatal
and bloody tragedy which, with a great deal of confusion, was acted on the
theatre of Europe for near forty years, or upwards, having dashed most potent
kingdoms, nations and provinces, one against another, at last reached that most
flourishing kingdom of Poland, but especially the great dukedom of Lithuania;
wherein it so destroyed many populous cities, towns, and villages, without
number; and that in such a manner, that there were not so much as any marks
left where they stood before.
In the
year 1648, when the first rebellion of the Cossacks broke forth, to whom the Tartars readily associated themselves, the
nobility was sought out with much diligence, by the furious rebels, to be
slaughtered. All such as were not of the Greek religion, were put to death
without distinction. There were many numerous congregations of the Reformed
Protestants, whose ministers were not spared. The cruelty of the furious
Cossacks was more barbarous than that of their associates, the Tartars
themselves. Insomuch, that they pulled the skins of many over their ears,
whilst they were alive. Others had their shin-bones bored through. They made
wounds in the heads or bodies of some, and poured melted lead into them. The
eyes of many were plucked out. There is no numbering those that were hanged.
And it was accounted a great mercy, if any had his head cut off, or if they
were sent away as perpetual slaves to Turkey. Poor parents and husbands were
forced to look on whilst their wives and daughters were ravished.
This was
the miserable condition of our country and church for several years together,
during the civil wars. But afterwards,
when we all began to hope for better things, there fell a new and more strange calamity. For the Muscovites, having taken
notice of the distraction and devastation, which by the just hand of God befel us, and that the strength of Lithuania was decayed by continual
intestine wars, they presently took an opportunity to invade it. Having found
out some pretences of war, they came with an army of 2OO,OOO
men, and associated to themselves 6O,OOO of the rebellious Cossacks;. who carried all before them, like a flood, spoiling,
burning, and destroying all that they met with, sacking the strong holds and
cities, and leaving not one corner in all Lithuania unsearched.
Never was greater tyranny committed in those parts before. There was no regard
of tears and lamentations. No pity spewed to yielding persons. All, without
distinction, were cut to pieces. The common multitude were
slaughtered out of hand. The gentry and nobility were carried away; and, upon
deliberation, either hanged or burnt alive. Every corner was filled with
massacres, and the blood ran like streams through the streets of towns and
cities.
But the
condition of the ministers of CHRIST was most miserable; for as many as were
taken, were, with most exquisite torments, put to several kinds of death.
ADRIAN CHYLINSEY, a very aged man, and most conspicuous for his piety and
learning, being surprised at his own house, had his legs and hands tied
together, and was then roasted alive by_ slow degrees, there being only some
chips and straw gathered about him. One, named Smolsky,
together with his son, both ministers of CHRIST, near Vilna, the chief city of
Lithuania, had their heads cruelly sawed off with a sickle. Another minister,
in a town called Holocyzn, whose name was Slawinskie, had a new kind of torment put upon him. They
cut him piece-meal till he died. Many other ministers were exposed, bound and
naked, to the snow and extreme cold air amongst the high mountains, which made
their noble souls forsake their miserable tabernacles. By this kind of death,
this last winter, 15OO innocent persons were destroyed; who, seeking for
shelter, were in their flight overtaken. Those that were most healthy and
strong were sent away to be made slaves,• but others
were either flayed alive, or cut in pieces. The number of those that were thus
miserably put to death, as also the several kinds of torments, which poor
innocent creatures were put to, no history can describe.
One would
think that the land had been by this time.chastised
sufficiently, and that the sharp rod of our correction should have been
broken. But God was not yet pleased to put a period to our calamities; for
every year our country had a new enemy raised upon it; and so that little which
the former had left, the succeeding enemy devoured. In the year 1655, the
multitude of our enemies was augmented by the coming of the Swedes; whose
armies (by reason of the vicinity of these three provinces, Prussia, Courland, and Liefland,
which they had in their power,) have, for the space of five years, afflicted
our country also. without any respect of the
Protestant religion, they used us as enemies; and by their coming into the
country, they also made us liable to be more hated by those of the Roman
religion than before.
What our
native country, the church, and every member thereof have suffered, in such a
long continuance of our troubles, amongst so many eastern, western, northern,
and other enemies, cannot be sufficienty lamented, muchless uttered. The dead and unborn were then accounted
blessed: the weaker sex was reputed as the most unfortunate. For we have seen
so many illustrious and noble families so exhausted, and brought to extremity,
that they have not had bread to eat. We have seen noblemen and matrons,
virgins, and children of great parentage, under the servitude of the
Muscovites, Tartars, Cossacks, and others; under which, both they, and many
ministers of the gospel, to this day do groan heavily. In consideration of
those extremities, however, which indeed are extraordinary, we cannot but adore
the just judgments of GOD, thus poured upon us by reason of our sins, and
deplore our sad condition: and the more, by reason of the small hopes of restitution
or deliverance from such a devastation. For, though we are brought very low
already, having been made subject to many wastings,
great terrors and troubles, as having had death before our eyes continually;
yet there is still matter of new troubles at home, especially to those that
desire to serve God in simplicity and purity. To these particularly one
calamity followeth another, as the waves in a
tempestuous sea come one upon another. For our parts, we have no other recourse
but to the goodness of our God; and the sympathy of the members of the church;
and therefore, following the practice of the apostles of CHRIST, and the
example of the churches in the Palatinate, Bohemia, and others, which being in
the same condition, some few years ago, implored the aid of their fellow
members of the Reformed Protestant church, we do likewise make our recourse to
your goodness and charity. For we are persuaded that God has in these times
made these kingdoms, and churches more happy and flourishing than others; that
they might be a place for refuge, and a port of safety to those that suffer-
shipwreck for the name of Jesus elsewhere.
JOHN DE KRAINO KRAINSKI, minister
of God's
Word, and the messenger of the churches
ACTS AND
MONUMENTS.
THE PERSECUTION
OF THE
CHURCH OF GOD IN POLAND
In the Year of
our Lord 1656.
THE
all-wise and holy GOD, whose ways of Providence are always righteous, though
secret and unsearchable, has made it the constant lot
and portion of his people in this world to follow his Son in bearing his cross,
and suffering persecutions. For "they that are born after the flesh,"
do always persecute " them that are born after
the Spirit." But scarcely have any sort of the churches' enemies more
clearly followed the pernicious way of Cain herein, than Rome, "that mother of harlots
and abominations, whose garments are died red with the blood of saints."
Amongst those faithful witnesses, the Lord seems very signally to have raised
up those Christians, who (though dispersed in divers countries,) have been commonly
known by the name of Waldenses, who for some
centuries have lived amongst their enemies as lambs amongst wolves, to bear
their testimonies to the truths of CHRIST, against the apostasies and
blasphemies of Rome; for which they have been "killed all the day long,
and accounted as sheep for the slaughter."
One part
of this little Flock are scattered partly in the Valleys of Piedmont, of whose
sufferings you have had an account in the preceding pages. The other part, in
the kingdoms of Bohemia and Poland, whose sufferings, together with
the Lord's signal providences about them, are now to be spoken of. These some
time flourishing churches were by degrees worn out by the constant underminings and open outrages of the antiChristian
party. They were first driven out of Bohemia into Poland: then, after their taking root,
and spreading in Poland, they were forced out of their
cities there. At last, by the popish army, they were persecuted in their few
hiding places with fire and sword. Their ministers were tortured to death, by
cutting out of the tongues of some, pulling out the eyes, and cruelly mangling
the bodies of others. Yet did not their rage reach only to the ministers, but
to private persons also; yea, even to women and to young children, whose heads
they cut off, and laid them at their dead mothers' breasts. Nay, their rage
broke out, not only against the living, (not one of whom they spared that fell
into their hands,) but also against the dead, plucking the bodies of honorable
persons and others out of their graves, tearing them to pieces, and exposing
them to public scorn. But the chief object of their fury was the city of Lesna. Only the Lord in mercy having
alarmed the city by the report of their enemies' approach, the greatest part of
the inhabitants saved themselves by flight, and are now wandering up and down,
poor, destitute, afflicted, and naked; the relation whereof you have in the
ensuing narrative.
Above 7OO
years ago, Mieczislaus, then Duke of Poland, took to
wife the daughter of Bolislaus, Duke of Bohemia, and,
together with her, received the Christian faith. It happened then that, among
those of the Bohemian nobility that accompanied him, there was one Peter de
Bernstein, whom, because he was a person endowed with many virtues, Mieczislaus was willing to detain in Poland; and to that
end bestowed upon him rich possessions, the chief whereof was a village called Lezsyna, (i. e. a grove of hasle-trees,) upon the very confines of the Lower Silesia,
twelve miles distant from Wratislavia, five from Glagow, and ten from Posnania.
Peter de Bernstein taking his denomination from this place of his residence,
according to the custom of the nation, he and all his posterity were called Lezsynii, and were afterwards admitted to all sorts of
dignities in the realm; so that of this family there have always been some or
other that were captains, governors of castles, palatines, marshals, chancellors,
bishops, or archbishops, even to this day. And besides this, for their noble
management of affairs in several embassies to the Roman emperor, they were
adorned with the title of earls of the empire, which they still enjoy. But Lezsyna itself begun by little and little to change its name, and by contraction was called Lesna,
and their German neighbors called it Lissa. This
village, something above 1OO years ago, had the dignity of a market-town
granted to it by King Sigismund, and tradesmen were
invited hither out of Silesia, and the use of the German
tongue was brought in with them.
As for
religion, it was reformed at Lesna about the same
time, by Count Andrew, Palatine of Bernstein, according to the rites of the
Bohemian confession, which it has retained to this day, and became the
metropolis of the churches of that confession throughout all the Greater Poland.
After the year 162O, a very sharp persecution was raised against the
professors of the gospel in Bohemia; and not long after the
ministers and nobility being banished, they were fain to seek refuge in
Poland, whom the Lord
Raphael de Lesna, Palatine of Belse,
received under his protection, appointing Lesna, Woldavia, and Baranavia for their
places of refuge. But forasmuch as the greater part seated themselves at Lesna, because of the nearness thereof, and not long after,
a far greater company flocked thither out of Silesia, (for there also the
butchery grew wonderfully fierce, in the years 1628 and 1629,) it came to pass,
that Lesna, by the addition of many streets, grew
into a large city, having three market-places, four churches, a large school, above
2O streets, 16OO houses, 2OOO freemen of the city, and abundance of other
company. There was built also a very fair church for the service of GOD,
according to the rites of the Augustine confession, which had over it three
pastors, and a school for the mother-tongue, with some school-masters, besides
the free-school, which had a learned man of the forementioned
confession appointed over it, by the title of protector.
The
citizens, having ordered themselves according to the best policy they could,
were able for some years to maintain workmen for the compassing of the city
about with a bulwark and trench, and for the building the gates with walls and
fair turrets. Lastly, there was built a very fair court-house in the middle of
the market-place of the old city; there was scarce the like in all Great
Poland, except at Posnania. In a word, civility,
trading, merchandize, (for all things were here bought and sold,) and religion
so flourished here, that this city did not come behind any city in Poland for its admirable pleasantness.
All this was matter of joy, not only to those pious Christians that were
scattered out of several places for the gospel's sake, and here gathered
together under the protection of GOD, but to others also that came hither from
all parts as strangers. But it galled the enemies of the gospel extremely, so
that it made them leave no design unassayed for the
overthrow of this city.
