those of their adversaries, proving that the doctrines of the Waldenses were the same which prophets and apostles set forth in times of old, and those which have been in later days revived by Protestant reformers and Christian ministers. This is sufficiently proved by one of their early confessions of faith, in which, after a list of the books of Scripture, distinguishing them from the Apocrypha, it is added, in connexion with the statement that there is one God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost:

"The books above named teach thus much, that there is one God Almighty, wholly wise and good, who hath made all things by his goodness. For he created Adam according to his own image and similitude, but by the malice of the devil, and the disobedience of Adam, sin entered into the world, and we are made sinners in Adam and by Adam.

"That Christ was promised to our forefathers, who received the law, to the end that knowing their sin by the law, and their unrighteousness and insufficiency, they might desire the coming of Christ, to the end he might satisfy for their sins, and accomplish the law by himself.

"That Christ was born at the time appointed by God the Father, that is to say, at a time when all iniquity abounded, and not for our good works' sake only, for all were sinners, but to the end he might offer his grace and mercy unto us.

"That Christ is our life, and truth, and peace, and justice, and Advocate, and pastor,

and sacrifice, and Sacrificer, who died for the salvation of all who believe, and is raised again for our justification.

"We do also firmly hold that there is no other mediator and advocate with God the Father, but only Jesus Christ. And as touching the virgin Mary, that she is holy, humble, and full of grace; and so do we believe of all the other saints, that they attend in heaven the resurrection of their bodies, at the day of judgment.

"We do also believe, that, after this life, there are only two places: the one for those that shall be saved, the other for the damned, which we call paradise and hell; denying altogether purgatory, as being a dream of antichrist, and invented against the truth.

"We have, also, always believed, that the inventions of men are an unspeakable abomination before God,-as the feasts and the vigils of saints, holy water, the abstaining upon certain days from flesh, and the like; but principally, the masses.

"We do abhor all human inventions as coming from antichrist, all which bring troubles with them, and are prejudicial to the liberty of the spirit.

"We believe that the sacraments are outward signs of holy things, or visible forms of invisible grace; and are of opinion that it is good that the faithful do sometimes use those signs and visible forms, if it may be done. But, nevertheless, we believe and do hold that

the aforesaid faithful may be saved, not receiving the said signs, when they want place or power to use them.

"We do not acknowledge any other sacrament but baptism and the eucharist.

"We do honour the secular power with all subjection, obedience, promptitude, and payment."

The above confession is taken from the memorials preserved by George Morel, who lived about the time of the German reformation in 1530. The same truths have been held by the Vaudois in all ages, though not always with the same fervour of spirit, and they have testified with their blood.

"Yes, go thou to the hamlet vales
Of the Alpine mountains old,
Ifthou would'st hear immortal tales,
By the wind's deep whispers told!
Go, if thou lov'st the soil to tread
Where man hath bravely striven,
And life like incense hath been shed,
An offering unto Heaven!

"For o'er the snows and round the pines
Hath swept a noble flood;

The nurture of the peasant's vines
Hath been the martyr's blood!
A spirit stronger than the sword,
And loftier than despair,

Through all the heroic region pour'd
Breathes in the generous air."

CHAPTER IV.

RENEWED PERSECUTIONS.

Settlements in Italy-Attack on Pragela-Massacre in Calabria -Present and former state of Pragela-Proceedings in France -Ecclesiastical assailants-Waldensian retreats-Females of high rank protect the followers of the truth.

FROM the close of the fourteenth century, the inhabitants of the Alpine valleys seem to have been continually exposed to persecution, though at times with short intervals of comparative repose, when it might be said the churches had rest, and were edified. These intervals never were of long continuance, and tales of suffering and martyrdom, as in the times of the early Christians, must constantly have been handed down from father to son. They now reckon that thirty-two invasions from enemies were suffered by their ancestors; but it was not till the last of these, in 1686, that they were actually expelled from their native valleys. Of many of these attacks the notices are brief, and not distinctly preserved in history; nor is it possible to present a regular account of them. Others are more marked and better known. It should be observed, that the valleys of Piedmont became subject to the duke of Savoy, in consequence of some victories in the crusade of the thirteenth century. And to the princes of

that state they have ever been loyal and obedient subjects, though sometimes protected, and sometimes persecuted, according to the characters or political interests of their rulers.

But

During the fifteenth century, the Vaudois being assaulted in Provence and the south of France, many withdrew to Italy, and joined others who had settled as far south as Naples. They had teachers at Florence, Genoa, and Venice, and some of their followers lived in concealment, even in the city of Rome. the crusades against the Albigenses, or inhabitants of the Pyrenees, have not fallen under notice in these pages; though they engaged the attention of most of the nations in Europe throughout the thirteenth century, being called crusades, and encouraged by the same promises that were held out to those who made war against the Mohammedans in Asia. They were undertaken even at the time when peaceable conferences were proposed to be held with Arnold, and other teachers of the Albigenses.

There is no authenticated record of the Vaudois in Piedmont being persecuted till the year 1400, when, about Christmas time, in the valley of Pragela, their enemies took possession of the caves or caverns which they had already frequently used, when they were assaulted. Being thus surprised at a season when they least expected it, they betook themselves to one of the highest mountains of the Alps, named the Albergam, that is to say, the mountain of retreat; and running together in troops with

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