or, in plainer terms, for not having performed an utter impossibility, in departing in a moment from our houses and homes in Bubbiana, Lucerne, Fenile, Bricheras, La Torre, S. Giovanni, and S. Secundo; and also for having renewed our repeated supplications to his royal highness, to commiserate our situation, who, while, on the one hand, he promised us to make no innovations in our lot, on the other refused us permission to depart peaceably out of his dominions, which we have often entreated him for, in case he would not allow us to continue and enjoy the liberty of our consciences, as his predecessors had always done. True it is, that the marquis of Pionessa had adduced another reason, and we have the original copy of his writing in our possession, which is, that it was his royal highness's pleasure to abase us and humble our pride, for endeavouring to shroud ourselves, and take sanctuary under the protection of foreign princes and states.

To conclude, our beautiful and flourishing churches are utterly lost, and that without remedy, unless our God work miracles for us. Their time is come, and our measure is full! O have pity upon the desolations of Jerusalem, and be grieved for the afflictions of Joseph! Show forth your compassions, and let your bowels yearn in behalf of so many thousands of poor souls, who are reduced to

a morsel of bread, for following the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. We recommend our pastors, with their scattered and dispersed flocks, to your fervent christian prayers, and rest in haste,

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"Your brethren in the Lord.”

April 27th, 1655.”

The pen almost drops from one's hand, at the touching strain of this most afflicting letter; yet it records nothing in comparison to the deeds of cruelty which are given by Morland, Leger, and other historians of equal ve racity. These two writers, in particular, have embellished their works with plates, representing the tortures that were inflicted on the Vaudois, at the sight of which, the very blood freezes in the veins. To use the words of the apostle, it was literally true, that "they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword; they wandered about in sheep skins and goat skins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented, (of whom the world was not worthy;) they wandered in deserts and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth."

To give any thing like an outline of the atrocities which the Papists, or rather demons in human form, committed on the servants of the Most High, would render the book in

which they are stated, a horror to every vir tuous and feeling mind.

The enemy, after gaining entire possession of the valleys, pretended to have no intention of remaining there more than a few days, and exhorted the Vaudois to recal their fugitive brethren, which some had the weakness

to do, trusting to the assurance given them, that no harm should befal them.

"Such was the situation of affairs, when on the 24th of April, the signal was given from a hill near La Tour, called Castellas, for a general massacre, which extended through the whole valley, and began at the same instant. Neither age nor sex was spared; every refinement of cruelty which the malice of demons could invent, was put in practice. The very mention of these horrors excites too much disgust to allow of a detail of them. Violation, mutilation, and impalement, were mere common atrocities; many were roasted by slow fires, others cut in pieces while alive, or dragged by mules, with ropes passed through their wounds; some were blown up by gunpowder placed in the ears and mouth; many rolled off the rocks, with their hands bound between their legs, among precipices where they were abandoned to a cruel and lingering death; children were carried on pikes.

"But let us not dwell longer on these infernal barbarities. They are detailed in Leger, and the names of many of the sufferers, and the evidence of eye-witnesses, are there recorded. The number who perished in the Val Luzerne alone, amounted to two hundred and fifty, besides children and others, whose names have not been collected, and the men, who fell sword in hand: for nearly all the

victims of these cruelties were women, chil. dren, and old people. But the mere recital of the numbers destroyed, cannot suffice to give an idea of the miseries endured; we must add the horrors encountered by the survivors, wandering in utter destitution among the mountains, in terror and want, after witnessing the murder and outrages committed on their dearest relatives and friends. "*

The report of this inhuman massacre raised in every Protestant state of Europe, as we shall afterwards see, a universal feeling of horror. The chief agents in these deeds of blood found it necessary, therefore, to endeavour to extenuate their enormities, and every

The Marquis of Piannezza was so enraged at the escape of Gianavello, who with a handful of men had nobly defended the village of Roia and thrice repulsed the murderous assailants, although thousands in number, that he threatened to torture his wife and children, whom he had taken prisoners, unless he surrendered himself and changed his religion. Gianavello, however, returned the Marquis the following noble answer:-"No torture is so horrible, nor is any death so cruel, which I would not prefer to the abjuration of my faith, which the threats of the Marquis only serve to confirm. As to my wife and children, whom he has in his power, Providence will not abandon them. If he is permitted to put them to death, he can do no more than kill their bodies. As to their souls, which will accuse him before the throne of the God of the universe, I commend them and my own to the Divine protection."

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