London, 1655; Sabaudiensis
in Reformatam Religionem Persecutionis Brevis Narratio, Londini, 1655;
Morland, 326-384, and the papers in Thurloe, iii. 361, 384, 412, 416, 430,
444, 459, 538. Against them--A Short and Faithful Account of the late
Commotions &c., with some reflections on Mr. Stouppe's Collected Papers,
1655; Morland, 387-404; Siri, xv. 827-843, and Thurloe, iii. 413, 464, 475,
490, 502, 535, 535, 617, 626, 656.]
[Sidenote a: A.D. 1656. April 7.]
Accounts of these transactions, but accounts teeming with exaggeration and
improbabilities, were transmitted to the different Protestant states by the
ministers at Geneva. They represented the duke of Savoy as a bigoted and
intolerant prince; the Vaudois as an innocent race, whose only crime was
their attachment to the reformed faith. They implored the Protestant
powers to assume the defence of their persecuted brethren, and called for
pecuniary contributions to save from destruction by famine the remnant
which had escaped the edge of the sword.[1] In England the cause was
advocated[a] by the press and from the pulpit; a solemn fast was kept, and
the passions of the people were roused to enthusiasm. The ministers in a
body waited on Cromwell to recommend the Vaudois to his protection; the
armies in Scotland and Ireland presented addresses, expressive of their
readiness to shed their blood in so sacred a cause; and all classes of men,
from the highest to
[Footnote 1: The infidelity of these reports is acknowledged by Morland,
the protector's agent, in a confidential letter to secretary Thurloe.
Pages:
656
657
658
659
660
661
662
663
664
665
666
667
668
669
670
671
672
673
674
675
676
677
678
679
680