The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont/Chapter 10
CHAPTER X.
The Slaughtered Church
The persecutions of the Propaganda, and the slaughter of the inhabitants of the Vaudois valleys by the armies of France and Piedmont.
IN 1637 the short reign of Victor Amadeus i. terminated with his life, and the Duchess Christina, sister of Louis xiii., was nominated regent during the minority of her son, Charles Emmanuel ii. Unlike her relative the good Princess Margaret, Christina evinced from the first a spirit of persecution against her Vaudois subjects. Nothing seems to have softened the heart of this cruel bigot. Even when the men of the valleys, ever ready in the defence of their lawful sovereigns, espoused the cause of her son, of whom the guardianship was disputed by his uncles, and took up arms in his defence, she showed neither gratitude nor compunction. One sentence had gone out against them, which no services on their part could repeal; and a formidable tribunal, as yet
stealthy and concealed, was assembling in every kingdom
which owned the supremacy of Rome, determined, heart and
hand, to enforce its most rigid execution—the sentence of
exile and death, unless averted by submission and apostasy.
This tribunal, as celebrated for the power and rank of its members as for the cruelty of its proceedings, was styled, “The Council for the Propagation of the Faith, and the Extirpation of Heretics.” It was composed of members of both sexes, and held its seat at Turin, in the palace of the archbishop, who presided over one committee, whilst the Marchioness of Pianezza, a meet helpmate for her cruel and crafty husband, took the lead in the other.
The first proceeding of this awful tribunal was an edict of exile against the Vaudois of Saluzzo, which left them no alternative but Popery. They did not hesitate, but left their long-cherished home to seek one amongst their brethren of Luserna, who threw open their doors and their arms to shelter them. They were scarcely domesticated amongst them, when they found all return was cut off by the utter destruction of their dwellings by the monks of Paisana. And now began a series of subtle machinations set on foot by the monks and spies of the Propaganda s introduction, who endeavoured by every art, and once too successfully, to excite the unsuspecting Vaudois to some acts of opposition, in order to justify the extremity of their punishments: thus a creature of the Marquis of Pianezza, named Villeneuve, contrived to inveigle the pastor of Villars and his wife into a concerted plan for opposing the settlement of a colony of monks in their parish; and the latter carried her misguided zeal so far as to furnish some matches for the burning of their monastery.
Léger, at that time moderator, flew, like Moses, to avert
the consequences of this rash act, to protest before the magistrates his innocence and that of his colleagues, and to promise that the guilty should be given up to justice, whilst at the same time he prayed for immunity for the innocent—alas! in vain.
Villars, Val Pellice
The Count Tedesco, whilst the men of Villars and its ad- jacents were, as was their custom, at the market of Luserna, arrived at the gates of the guilty town at the head of two hundred horse, followed by other troops. And who now was to save the devoted inhabitants? the interposition of Heaven alone. Torrents of rain so completely soaked the accoutrePage:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/170 Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/171 Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/172 Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/173 Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/174 Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/175 Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/176 ties which guard this celebrated natural fortress of Vaudois heroism.
We know not why this glen was at first left unoccupied by the enemy, unless it was left as a scourge for them,
Valley and village of Rorà and to exhibit in strong relief the strength of faith and patriotism.
But it was not overlooked; for, contrary to his repeated assurances of safety and protection, the Count Christophe of Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/178 Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/179 Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/180 Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/181 Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/182 each dwelling is supplied with a store of casks, and the Vaudois, collecting a number of these from the first houses they occupied, rolled them before them, and under their shelter gained without loss the gate of the principal fortress.
Bobbio, Val Pellice Here they found a quantity of vine fagots, to which they set fire, and thus soon obtained an entrance. The garrison retreated to a great hall, but more lighted fagots being placed against the door, they recoiled from the fire and smoke, and thus, Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/184 Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/185 Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/186 Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/187 Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/188 Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/189 Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/190 of the martyr Pascale. “I could prove,” remarks the historian, “an unbroken sacerdotal line for four hundred years, as the ark of the covenant has always remained in my house” In 1620 the family went to Geneva. Whilst pursuing his studies there,
Jean Léger Léger was the means of preserving the life of a young prince palatine, who, whilst bathing in the lake, got entangled in some weed which grew beneath the surface. It appears that all hope of his being saved was abandoned, as no boat could approach the place on account of the matted reeds, and no one but the young Léger was found to risk his life on so hazardous a chance. At one time Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/192 Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/193 Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/194 Page:The Waldensian Church in the valleys of Piedmont.djvu/195