and beleue all thinges well of God, and holde al the articles conteyned in the Crede. Only they blaspheme the Romish churche, and hate it. &c.

MarginaliaGratio.Now to touche somwhat their persecutions. After they were driuen out of Lyons, they scatered into diuers and sondry places, the prouidēce of God so disposing, that the sound of theyr doctrine might be hard abrode in the world, Some, as I said, went to Bohemia. Many did flee into other prouinces of France. Som into Lombardy, other into other places. &c. MarginaliaThe crosse commonly the worde.But as þ^e crosse commenly foloweh the veritie and sincere preaching of gods word: so nether could these be suffered to liue in rest. They are yet to be seane, the consultations of Lawiers, Archebishops, and bishops of France, as Harbonensis, Areletatensis, Aquensis, and Albanensis, diuised amongst them selues, and yet remayne in writyng, for the abolishing, and extirping theise Valdenses, writen aboue. CCC. yeares: wherby it appeareth, there was a great number in Fraunce.

Besides there was a whole councell kepte in Tolose about. CCCLv. yeares tofore, and all against these Valdenses: The whiche also were condemned in an other councell at Rome before that.

What great persecutions were raysed vp against thē in Fraunce, by these. iii. Archbishops before mētioned, it appeareth by their writings, wherof I wil recite some of their wordes, which towards thend be these: MarginaliaValdenses uted then yeres by Antichrist.Quis enim est sol⁹ ille peregrinus, qui condemnationem hæ reticorum Valdensuū ignoret a longe retro annis factam, tam famoiam, tam publicam, tot et tantis laboribus, expensis, et sudoribus fidelium in secutā, et tot mortibus ipsorum infidelium solenniter damnatorū, publiceq; punitorum tam fortier sigillatam. &c. That is: who, is he such a straunger, that knoweth not the condemnation of Valdenses the heretikes, doon and paste so many yeares ago, so famos, so publick, folowed vpon, with so great labours, expenses, and trauayle of the faithfull, & sealed with so many deathes of these infidels, so solemly being condemned and openly punished. MarginaliaAntichriste with whō he first began his persecucion.Wherby we may see persecution to be no newe thing in the churche of Christ, when Antichriste so long before. 300. yeares began to rage against theise Valdenses. In Bohemia likewise after that, the same called by the name of Thaborites (as Siluius recordith) suffered no litle trouble. But neuer persecution was stirred vp againste them or any other people, more terrible, thē was in these latter yeares in France, by the Frenche king, An. MDxlv. which lamentable story is discribed in Sledan, and here after in the proces of this booke, as we come to the order of yeres, shal be set forth (by the grace of Christ) more at large MarginaliaAn horrible murder of Christes holy martirs.In the which persecutiō is declared in one town Cabriera to be slaine by the Captayne of Satan Minerius eight hundreth persons at once, without respect of wemen or children or any age: Ofwhom. xl. wemen, and most of them great with childe, thrust in to a barne, and the windoes kept with pykes, and so fyer set to them, were all consumed. Besides in a caue not far from the towne Mussium, to the number of. xxv. persons with smoke and fire were the same time distroyed: MarginaliaMinerius an horrible persecuter.At Merindolum the same tyranne, seing all the rest were fled away, finding one yong man, caused him to be tied to an Oliue tree, and to be distroyed with torments most cruelly: with much other as may appeare heareafter, in the history translated out of Sledan into English.

MarginaliaA glouer, suffered marterdō in Cheron.But to returne agayne to heygher times frō whence we digressed: Besides that Reinerius, aboue mentioned, speaketh of one in the towne, Cheron, a glouer, whiche was brought, in hys time, to execution, and suffered. Marginalia443. brought to examination. An. 1391.There is also an olde monumente of processes, wherin appeareth CCCCxliii. brought to examination in Pomerania, Marchia, and places therabout: aboute the yeare of our Lorde. MCCCXCi.

And thus much touching the original, doctrin and the lamentable persecutions of the Valdenses: who, as is declared, first began about þ^e time of this Pope Alexander. Now for as muche, as our English Pope holy martir called Thomas Becket, happened also in the same time of thys Pope Alexander. Lette vs somewhat also story of him, so far as the matter shall seeme worthy of knowlege and to stand with trueth, to thend, that the truethe therof being sifted from all flattery and lyes of suche popish writers, as painte out his story, men may the better iudge bothe of him what he was and of his cause.

IF the cause make a marter (as it is saide) I see not why we shulde esteme Thomas Becket, to die a martir, more then any other, whō the princes sworde dothe here temporally punish for their temporall deserts. To dye for the churche, I graunt, is a glorious matter. But that churche as it is a spirituall not a temporall church: so it standeth vpon causes spirituall, and vpon an heauenly foundation, as vp on faith, religiō, true doctrine, sincere disciplin, obedience to Gods commaundementes. &c. not vpon thinges pertening to this world. Worldly possessiōs, liberties, exemptions, priueleges, dignities, patrimonies and superiorities, if they be geuen to the Churche, I pray God, churchemen may vse them wel: But if they be not geuen, the churche can not clayme them: or if they be taken away, that standeth in the princes power. To contende with princes for the same, it is no matter, in my minde, material to make a martir, but rather a rebelliō against them, to whom we owe subiection. Therfore as I suppose Thomas Becket to be far from the cause & titell of a martir,