for they are orderly and modest in their manners and behaviour; they avoid all pride in their habits. To avoid lies, they do not follow trades, but live by the labour of their own hands as handicraftmen and day labourers. They do not heap up riches, but are content with necessaries. They are also very chaste. They are very sparing and temperate in eating and drinking; they do not frequent taverns and ale-houses, neither do they go to balls and other vanities. They abstain from anger. Their women are very modest, avoiding backbiting, foolish jesting, and levity of words, and especially they abstain from lies and swearing, not so much as making use of the common asseverations, in truth,' 'for certain,' and the like, because they look upon them as oaths. They kneel down upon the ground, before a bench or such like, and pray in silence as long as it might take to repeat the paternoster thirty or forty times, concluding their prayers by repeating the word Amen several times. This they do every day very reverently, amongst those of their own persuasion, before noon, after noon, and at night when they go to bed, and in the morning when they rise out of bed, besides some other times in the day." And, "among all those who have risen in opposition to the church of Rome, the Waldenses have been the most dangerous and pernicious, since their resistance has been long continued, and also because the sect is so extended; for there is scarcely any country in which it has not ob

tained a footing; and, in the third place, because all others excite abhorrence by their blasphemies against God; but this sect, on the contrary, has a great appearance of piety; for they live justly in the sight of men, and believe rightly concerning God in all things, holding the articles which are in the creed, blaspheming against the church of Rome, and hating it. They teach by the words of the gospel and the apostles what the disciples of Christ ought to be, saying, that such only are the successors of the apostles as imitate their life."

The present extent of the Waldensian valleys is about twenty-two miles in the greatest length, and eighteen miles as the greatest breadth. They include a population of about 20,000 native inhabitants, among whom about 3,000 Romanists are dispersed. During the recent comparatively quiet state of their affairs, the population has increased. The usual approach to the valleys is from the plains of Piedmont, passing from Turin, about fifteen miles, to Pignerol, where is the convent, or hospital, for the Vaudois who may be induced to become Romanists. Dr. Henderson, in 1844, was informed that there were several children who had been abducted from their parents. A mile further, the road turns off to the valleys, entering that of St. Jean, the wealthiest of the Vaudois parishes, through which the visitor having travelled about six miles from Pignerol, reaches La Tour, the little capital of the Vaudois, where the hospital and college are situate,

where also a convent has lately been erected for missionary priests who are to traverse the valleys, using the wiles and arts of Jesuitism. This little town is situate at the entrance of the valley of Lucerne, extending to the left, that of Angrogna lying to the right, but being often considered and enumerated as a part of the former.

Beyond Angrogna, and parallel with it, but separated by a range of heights, is the valley of Perouse, from which opens the valley of St. Martin. The valley of Pragela, once counted among the Waldensian vales, also extends from that of Perouse; still further to the north are Susa and the marquisate of Salaces, which will be mentioned in these pages. The town of Perouse, situate at the farthest part of that valley is wholly popish: in this and in the town of Lucerne, also popish, a few miles south of La Tour, markets are allowed to be held, but nowhere else in the vicinity. The parishes are as follows:-In Lucerne, and Angrogna, La Tour, St. Jean, Villar, Bobi, Rora, and Angrogna. In Perouse, St. Germain, Pramol, Pomaret, and Prarustin, the latter being at the entrance from Lucerne. In St. Martin, Villesêche, Maneille and Macel, Prali and Rodoret. This district is the poorest and most destitute of the whole. The heads of the three valleys of Lucerne and St. Martin terminate in ranges of mountainous heights, difficult to pass, beyond which are the French valleys, the scene of the self-denying labours of Felix Neff.

CHAPTER III.

EARLY PREACHERS, AND OPPOSITION MADE

AGAINST THEM.

Outline of history-Writings of Claude-Peter of Bruys, and Henry-Tracts-List of pastors-The noble lesson-The Inquisition-Waldenses in Germany-English Lollards-Ancient confession.

THE history of the Waldenses in all ages, has been thus briefly summed up by a pastor of their own church, now living, "The Vaudois church is the uninterrupted descendant of the primitive church, and dates from the persecutions of the Roman emperors. This existence is proved by authentic historical documents. This church takes the name of the Vaudois before the year 1100. The Waldenses are known in France under that name since 1143. Bruys and Henry scattered the Vaudois doctrines throughout France, and were the fathers of the Albigenses. The crusades against the latter, and the proceedings of the inquisition, made great ravages among the Vaudois in all places. Then they returned in crowds towards their centre-the Vaudois valleys. Valdo, who was only one Vaudois, is only known since the persecution of Lyons, in 1181. Soon after that period, the Vaudois cause is almost reduced to the Valleys of Piedmont, and their

history becomes a relation of their misfortunes. It comprises, also, what is related by Perrin, Gilles, Leger, and others—their return to their valleys, as described by Arnaud-and a view of their subsequent condition and also of their present state."

Some further notice of their early teachers may be desirable. Claude, bishop of Turin, was one of the most eminent.

Claude was born in Spain; he was a disciple to Felix, bishop of Urgel, who has been accused of some views considered erroneous by the church of Rome. Claude, however, derived his principles from God, not from man; but being gifted with natural abilities, he was chosen by Lewis the Pious, king of France, to be one of his chaplains, and was afterwards advanced to the see of Turin. He appears indeed to have been "an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures;" as Allix observes, "There were few in his time who took so much pains to explain the Scripture, or to oppose themselves against the torrent of superstition. He wrote three books on Genesis, in the year 815. He made a commentary on St. Matthew, which he published the same year, dedicating it to Justus, abbot of Charraix."

"He published a commentary upon the Epistle to the Galatians, in the year 816, and dedicated it to Drueteramnus, a famous abbot, who had exhorted him to write comments on all St. Paul's epistles. He wrote a com