their territory in 1500, by the inquisitors, who gained the support of Marguerite de Foix, the widow of the marquis of that district. They took shelter in the valley of Lucerne for five years, and then fought their way back again to their homes, where for many years they continued undisturbed. The marchioness was not the only female persecutor of the Vaudois; the duchess Jolante of Savoy had issued a decree against them in 1476, being probably influenced by the inquisitors. There have in every region been found the slaves of superstition as well as the promoters of true Christianity among females in an elevated station. While some, like Jezebel, cut off the prophets of the Lord, others, like Esther, are found to plead the cause of his people. Such a character was Margaret, the duchess of Alençon, and queen of Navarre, the sister of Francis I., king of France; she, as well as her friend and kinswoman, Philiberte of Savoy, was often known to intercede with earthly princes for the people of the King of kings, who, while rendering to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's, forgot not that some things are due to God alone.

CHAPTER V.

ERA OF THE REFORMATION IN EUROPE.

Intercourse of the Vaudois with Luther and EcolampadiusPlaces of worship-Meetings in the open air-Mountain life -Hostile incursions-The Barricade-Intercession of the duchess of Savoy-Efforts of Romanists-Pramol.

THE era of the Reformation was now arrived, at which time scarcely an individual existed in any of the courts of Europe before whom the great question of religion was not, in some way or other, presented. From this period, the Waldenses appear more in public view, connected with others who protested against popery, and their history can be traced with more distinctness. They derived advantage from intercourse with the reformers. Some of their barbs, or pastors, conferred with Martin Luther, in 1526; and though not at first prepossessed in their favour, he discovered, on examination, that their views agreed with his on all essential points. With Calvin and the other Swiss reformers, they were yet more closely connected. Indeed some of these had probably received their tenets, in part, at least, through the Vaudois' instrumentality. The inhabitants of the valleys also availed themselves of the introduction of printing, to obtain

a complete edition of the Scriptures, in their own tongue. This translation was made by Olivetan, one of their pastors, assisted by Calvin, to whom he was related; it was printed at Neufchatel, at the cost of 1,500 gold crowns. This was the celebrated version afterwards adopted and revised by the divines of Geneva, in 1588.

It may be left to the numerous histories of the Reformation to detail the progress of Protestant opinions in France, Germany, and elsewhere. Nor is it necessary to give the full correspondence which has been preserved, that passed between the Vaudois of France and the reformed churches. One extract, addressed to the Swiss reformer, Ecolampadius, may here be inserted. "We are," they said, "the teachers, such teachers as we are, of a certain unworthy and poor little people. Yet in all things we agree with you; and from the very time of the apostles, our sentiments respecting the faith have been the same as your own. In this matter alone we differ ; that through our own fault, and the slowness of our genius, we do not understand the inspired writers so accurately as yourselves." The reformer answered, by assuring them of his readiness to look upon them as brethren, objecting only on this ground, that many of them had been lately known to attend the Romish service of the mass. They acknowledged the justice of this reproof, and resolved thenceforth to abide by their principles, which were soon after put to the test. Nor was their weakness without

excuse, when their circumstances are fairly considered; but the admonition proves that the early reformers well knew that the temple of God has no agreement with idolatry.

It is said that, about this time, the Vaudois began to build temples, as their churches or places of worship are still called. The first erected was that of St. Laurent, in Angrogna; soon afterwards those of St. Martin and Lucerne were built. Probably they now saw it to be desirable to make a more open avowal of their faith. Hitherto the houses of their barbs had served them as places for meeting; and a secluded spot near their ancient college is yet shown to strangers, as the place in which they were accustomed to receive the Lord's supper, being sheltered on all sides by rocks, and overshadowed by spreading chestnut trees. Here they might find safety, concealment, and suitable objects for contemplation. It is impossible, as it is unnecessary, to ascertain whether their meetings were, from the first, held in the open air, or whether that was a method resorted to in times of persecution, like their brethren in France, who, when shut out from public assemblies, had recourse to private ones, without which, as their historian states, their lives would have been those of savages. But it is certain that the Alpine peasants still meet for purposes of devotion in the open air, and also in their cattle sheds.

In the rude stable, dark and wide,
The brethren from the tempest hide;
Beneath such roof, an infant mild,
The Saviour on his mother smiled!

Hid from their foes on stormy moor,
Those worshippers were few and poor,
Yet, pilgrims on the heavenly road,
Were heirs of bliss and dear to God.

The Piedmontese churches enjoyed a slight degree of peace, when, in 1532, the duke of Savoy was compelled to turn his whole force against the king of France. He avowed that a single Vaudois had often cost him the lives of fifteen or twenty of his best subjects; having thus had full proof of their bravery, he gladly employed them in his army.

Some of the Waldenses had settled, in the fourteenth century, in Merindol and the neighbouring towns in the south of France, and had there, by their industry, brought a previously barren district into a high state of cultivation, supplying the whole of Provence with honey, fruits, oil, flocks and herds. Their confession, as made at the time of their first establishment, funishes a proof of the identity of their faith with that afterwards professed by the reformed churches in the sixteenth century. And about 1501, Louis XII., king of France, when urged to persecute them, made inquiry, and refused to do so, declaring that they were better men than himself, or the rest of his subjects. But king Francis 1. was less liberal, although under his government the Waldenses of Savoy enjoyed some degree of peace; yet he refused to interfere for their protection, and those of his hereditary dominions were, without hesitation, readily given over by him to the