An abridgement of the book of acts and monuments of the ChurchAn abridgement of the booke of acts and monumentes of the Church

The persecution of Merindole and Cabriers.

About 200. years ago, this people is said to come out of the country of Piedmont, to inhabit in Provence, in certain villages destroyed by wars, and other desert places, wherein they used such labour, and diligence, that they had abundance of corn, wine, oil, almonds, with other fruits. They had of long time refused the Bishop of Romes authority, and observed ever a more perfect kind of doctrine, then others, (delivered unto them from the Father to the son) ever since the year 1200. In the year 1530. §1530understanding that the Gospel was preached in certain towns of Germany, and Switzerland, they sent thither two learned men, that is, Georgius Maurellus, ¹borne in Delph, and Petrus Latomus, ²a Burgundian, to confer with the learned ministers in the doctrine of the Gospel. Which done, as they returned through Burgundy, Petrus Latomus was taken at Dijon, and cast into prison: Maurellus escaped, and returned to Merindoll, with books and letters, which he brought with him from the churches of Germany: Whereby they being instructed, sent for the most ancient brethren, and chiefest in knowledge in all Calabria, and Apulia, to consult with them, touching the reformation of the Church. Whereby the Bishops were so moved, that they raged greatly against them. Among other, there was one John de Roma, a Monk, who was most cruel:³ and among other his cruelties, he used to examine them ⟨p. 481⟩thus: he filled boots with boiling grease, and put the boots upon their legs, tying them backward to a form, with their legs hanging down over a small fire, and so examined them: thus he tormented very many, and in the end most cruelly put them to death. The first whom he thus tormented, were Michellotus Serra,