vancement of true piety and Christian knowledge, caused a translation of the four gospels and other parts of the Holy Scriptures to be made into the French language. Perusing these books with deep attention, he perceived that the religion which was taught by the Church of Rome, was totally different from that which was taught by Christ and his Apostles. Being animated with zeal for the truths of the gospel, he abandoned his mercantile vocation, distributed his riches among the poor, and forming an association with other pious men, who had adopted his sentiments, he began in 1180 as a public teacher to instruct the multitude in the doctrines and precepts of Christianity.

The attempts of Peter Waldo and his followers were crowned with great success, they formed religious assemblies, first in France, then in Lombardy, from whence they propogated their sect throughout the other provinces of Europe, with great rapidity, and with such invincible fortitude, that neither fire nor sword, nor the most cruel inventions of merciless persecution, could damp their zeal, or entirely ruin their cause.

The Roman Pontiff and his ministers, often

instigated the civil rulers to exterminate or drive the Waldenses from their dominions. For this purpose troops were sent against them many times, who plundered and destroyed their villages, and murdered many of the inoffensive inhabitants.

The persecution in 1655, 1656, and 1696, was carried on with peculiar rage and violence, and seemed to threaten nothing less than the total extinction of this unhappy people. They were hunted like wild beasts upon the rocks and mountains (where they fled for safety.) The banditti and soldiers of Piedmont massacred all sorts of persons, of every age, sex and condition, they were dismembered, hung up; females violated, and numerous other horrid atrocities were committed.

The few Waldenses that survived, were indebted for their existence and support, to the intercession made for them by the English and Dutch governments, and also by the Swiss Cantons, who solicited the clemency of the Duke of Savoy on their behalf.

Milton the poet, who lived at this time, touched with sympathy for the suffering of the Waldenses, penned the following exquisite sonnet.

ON THE LATE MASSACRE IN PIEDMONT.
Avenge, O Lord, thy slanghter'd saints, whose bones
Lie scatter'd on the Alpine mountains cold;
E'en them who kept thy truth so pure of old,
When all our Fathers worship'd stocks and stones
Forget not; in thy book record their groans
Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold
Slain by the bloody Piedmontese that roll'd
Mother with infant down the rocks. Their moans
The vales redoubled to hills, and they

To heaven, their martyr'd blood and ashes sow
O'er all th' Italian fields, where still doth sway
The tripled tyrant; that from these may grow
A hundred fold, who having learned thy way
Early may fly the Babylonian woe.

17.

JOHN HUSS AND JEROME OF PRAGUE.

JOHN Huss was born in a little village in Bohemia, called Huss, and lived at Prague in the highest reputation, both on account of the sanctity of his manners and the purity of his doctrines. He performed in that city at the same time both the offices of professor of divinity in the University, and of a pastor in the Church of that city.

He adopted the sentiments of Wickliffe, and

the Waldenses; and, in the year 1407, began openly to oppose and preach against the doctrines and corruptions then in the Romish church. This inflamed the resentment of the clergy against him, and he was summoned to appear before the council of Constance. Secured as

he thought, from the rage of his enemies, by the safe conduct granted him by the Emperor Sigismund for his journey to Constance, his residence in that place, and his return to his own country, Huss obeyed the order of the council, and appeared before it to demonstrate his innocence, and to prove that the charge of his having deserted the Church of Rome was entirely groundless However, his enemies so far prevailed, that, by the most scandalous breach of public faith, he was cast into prison, declared a heretic, because he refused to plead guilty against the dictates of his conscience. and burnt alive in 1415; a punishment which he endured with unparalleled magnanimity and resolution. When he came to the place of execution, he fell on his knees, sang portions of psalms, looked steadfastly towards heaven, and repeated these words: "Into thy hands O Lord do I commit my spirit ; thou hast redeemed me O most good and faith

ful God. Lord Jesus Christ, assist and help me, that with a firm and present mind, by thy most powerful grace I may undergo this most cruel and ignominious death, to which I am condemned, for preaching the truth of thy most holy gospel." When the chains were put upon him at the stake, he said with a smiling countenance, "My Lord Jesus Christ was bound with a harder chain than this for my sake, and why should I be ashamed of this old and rusty one?" When the faggots were piled up to his very neck, the duke of Bavaria was officious enough to desire him to abjure, "No" says Huss, "I never preached any doctrine of an evil tendency; and what I taught with my lips I seal with my blood." He said to the executioner, "Are you going to burn a goose? In one century you will have a Swan you can neither roast nor boil." If he were prophetic, he must have meant Luther, who had a Swan for his arms. The fire was then applied to the faggots; when the martyr sang a hymn. At last his voice was cut short, after he had uttered" Jesus Christ thou son of the Living God, have mercy upon me," and he was consumed in a most miserable manner. The Duke of Bavaria ordered the executioner