The Huguenots in France

by Samuel Smiles

But the tide of war turned, and the French were eventually driven out of Piedmont. Many of the Vaudois, who had settled in Brandenburg, Holland, and Switzerland, returned and settled in the valleys; and though the Dukes of Savoy, with their accustomed treachery, more than once allowed persecution to recommence, their descendants continue to enjoy the land, and to worship after the manner of their fathers down to the present day.

The Vaudois long laboured under disabilities, and continued to be deprived of many social and civil rights. But they patiently bided their time; and the time at length arrived. In 1848 their emancipation was one of the great questions of North Italy. It was taken up and advocated by the most advanced minds of Piedmont. The petition to Charles Albert in their favour was in a few days covered with the names of its greatest patriots, including those of Balbo, Cavour, and D'Azeglio. Their emancipation was at length granted, and the Vaudois now enjoy the same rights and liberties as the other subjects of Victor Emanuel.

Nor is the Vaudois Church any longer confined to the valleys, but it has become extended of late years all over Italy—to Milan, Florence, Brescia, Verona, Genoa, Leghorn, Naples, Palermo, Cataneo, Venice, and even to Rome itself. In most of these places there are day-schools and Sunday-schools, besides churches. The new church at Venice, held in the Cavagnis palace, seems to have proved especially successful, the Sunday services being regularly attended by from three to four hundred persons; while the day-schools in connection with the churches at Turin, Leghorn, Naples, and Cataneo have proved very successful.

Thus, in the course of a few years, thirty-three Vaudois churches and stations, with about an equal number of schools, have been established in various parts of Italy. The missionaries report that the greatest difficulties they have to encounter arise from the incredulity and indifference which are the natural heritage of the Romish Church; but that, nevertheless, the work makes satisfactory progress—the good seed is being planted, and will yet bring forth its increase in God's due time.

Finally, it cannot but be acknowledged that the people of the valleys, in so tenaciously and conscientiously adhering to their faith, through good and through evil, during so many hundred years, have set a glorious example to Piedmont, and have possibly been in no small degree instrumental in establishing the reign of right and of liberty in Italy.[Back to Contents]

INDEX.

Aiguesmortes, Huguenot prison at, [193], [273], [300]
Albigenses, [75]
Anabaptists of Munster, [282]-3
Anduze, visit to, [125]
Angrogna, valley of, [481];
fighting in, [481]-86, [498]
Arnaud, Henry, [215], [512];
leads back the Vaudois, [503]-15;
defends the Balsille, [515]-19
Athlone, siege of, [349]-50, [355]-8

Balsille, the, [510];
defence of, [515]-19;
given up, [519]
Baridon, Etienne, [442]-3
Barillon, M. de, [323], [330]-1
Baville on the Protestants of Languedoc, [77], [86];
occupies the Cevennes, [87];
at Pont-de-Montvert, [92]
Beauval, Basnage de, [364]
Beauvau, Prince de, [273]-4
Beckwith, General, [478]
Berwick, Duke of, [310]-11, [333], [351]
Bibles, destruction and scarcity of, [215]-16
Boileau, General, [351]-2
Bonnafoux repulsed by Camisards, [142]
Book-burning, [215], [235]-6
Bordeille, Raphaël, [318]
Bourg d'Oisans, [409]-10
Boyne, battle of the, [341]-7
Briançon, [414]-16
Briset, Lieut., death of, [335]
Broglie, Count, [143]-4, [148];
superseded, [149]
Brousson, Claude, [30];
advocate for Protestant church at Nismes, [31];
meeting in house of, [34];
petition by, [35];
escape from Nismes, [42];
at Lausanne, [43], [46];
at Berlin, [44]; in the Cevennes, [50]-2, [54];
reward offered for, [56];
at Nismes, [57];
preaching of, [58]-9;
to Lausanne, England, and Holland, [61]-2;
at Sedan, [64];
through France, [66]-7;
portraiture of, [68] (note);
to Nismes again, [69];
taken, tried, and executed, [70]-3
Browne, Col. Lyde, [380]
Brueys on fanaticism in Languedoc, [91]
Bull of Clement XI. against Camisards, [160]

Caillemotte, Col., [339];
death of, [345], [348]
Calas, Jean, [257];
executed, [258];
case taken up by Voltaire, [259]-62;
reversal of judgment on, [262]-3
Calvinism and race, [100] (note)
Calvinists, French and Scotch, compared, [100]
Cambon, Col., [357]
Camisards, the origin of name, [107];
led by Laporte, [109];
organization of, [112]-13;
encounter troops, [113]-14, [117];
war-song of, [115];
organized by Roland, [123]-4;
successes of, [134]-40, [142], [146]-50;
spread of insurrection of, [138]-9;
measures against, [139], [146]-7;
defeat of, at Vagnas, [150];
defeat of, near Pompignan, [152];
success of, at Martinargues, [162]-4;
bull against, [160];
success at Salindres, [164]-5;
defeated near Nismes, [168]-9;
reverses of, [170]-1;
success at Font-morte, [176]-7;
defeated at Pont-de-Montvert, and end of insurrection, [187]-9
Camisards, White, [160]-1
Carrickfergus, siege of, [335]
Castanet, André, [111], [113], [118], [123], [189]
Cavalier, John, joins insurgents, [108], [111];
family of, [121];
to Geneva, [121];
to the Cevennes, [122];
portrait of, [124];
in Lower Languedoc, [133];
defeats Royalists, [134]-5;
takes Château Servas, [136]-7;
repulses Bonnafoux, [142];
at Nismes, [144]-5;
successes of, [148];
winter campaign, [148]-9;
at Vagnas, [150]-1, [153];
betrayed at Tower of Belliot, [156]-8;
at Martinargues, [162]-4;
at Rosni, [169];
his cave magazines, [170]-1;
his interview with Lalande, [173]-6;
attempts peace, [177];
his interviews with Villars, [177]-83;
deserted by followers, [183]-5;
to England, and subsequent career, [186]
Caves in the Cevennes, [125], [127]-9;
at La Tour, [477]
Cazenove, Raoul de, [321], [367]
Cevennes, the, persecutions in, [39], [52]-3, [85];
secret meetings in, [54], [84]-8;
executions in, [59], [67]-8;
description of, [79]-82;
arming of the people, [85]-6;
occupied by troops, [88];
prophetic mania in, [88];
encounter at Pont-de-Montvert, [92];
outbreak against Du Chayla, [96]-7;
map of, [98];
Protestants of, compared with Covenanters, [100]-1;
organization in, [123]-5;
caves in, [125], [127]-9;
visit to, [125]-9;
present inhabitants of, [129], [131]-2;
devastation of, [154]-5
Champ Domergue, battle at, [114]
Charlemont, capture of, [339]
Château Queyras, [467]
Chaumont, [271]
Chayla, Du, [93]-4, [97]
Chenevix, [15] (note)
Choiseul, Duc de, [268]
Claris, [237]
Colognac, execution of, [59]
Comiers, [407]
Conderc, Salomon, [119], [123]
"Conversions," rapid, [289]
Converts, [19]-23, [38]-9
Cook, Captain, last voyage round the world, [371];
cruel death, [371]
Court profligacy, [275] (note)
Court, Antoine, [206]-17;
organizes school for preachers, [224];
marriage of, [231];
retires to Switzerland, [232];
results of his work, [233]-4;
in Languedoc, [239]
Covenanters compared with Protestants of the Cevennes, [100]-2
Cromwell, [391]-2, [476]

D'Aguesseau's opinion of Protestants of Languedoc, [76]-7
Dauphiny, map of, [382];
aspect of, [383]-4
Delada, Mdlle. de, [295]
Denbeck, Abbé of, [322]-3
Denèse, Rotolf de la, [364]
Desert, assemblies in the, [83]-8, [218]-23
Desparvés, M., [297]
Dormilhouse, [438], [443]-54
Dortial, [238]
Douglas, Lieut.-General, [349]-51, [355]
Dragonnades, [36]-7, [42], [54]-5, [288];
horrors of, [291]
Drogheda, surrender of, [349]
Dumas, death of, [52]
Dundalk, Schomberg's army at, [337]-8
Durand, Pierre, [236]