The Bloody Theatre, or Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians / who baptized only upon confession of faith, and who suffered and died for the testimony of Jesus, their savior, from the time of Christ to the year A.D. 1660

by Thieleman J. van Braght

In the year 1232 the bishop of Toulouse apprehended, in his dominion or bishopric, nineteen persons, who were said to be heretics, because they adhered to the belief of the Waldenses, whose confession we have already shown not to be at variance with ours; all of which persons the bishop of Toulouse caused to be executed, that is, burnt alive. Vignier, A. D. 1232. Hist. Eccles. Also in the second book of the History of the Persecutions, fol. 466, col. 4.

TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FOUR PERSONS, CALLED WALDENSES, BURNT FOR THE FAITH, IN A PLACE NEAR TOULOUSE, A. D. 1243.

When the north wind[179] of persecution, which, from the year 1233 on, had done but little harm in the garden of the true Christians, began to raise again, A. D. 1243, there were apprehended, near Toulouse, two hundred and twenty-four persons, called Waldenses, who are to be distinguished, and were also then distinguished from others, who carried arms and called themselves Albigenses, but had no communion with the true Albigenses and Waldenses, both of whom were opposed to all revenge, professed the same confession respecting suffering and bearing for the name of Christ.

These two hundred and twenty-four defenseless and innocent lambs of Christ, having been apprehended, and refusing to forsake the Great Shepherd of the sheep, Jesus Christ, and his holy commandments, as also the faith in his name, were all condemned to death, and burnt alive, thus offering up a living holy sacrifice, acceptable unto God, A. D. 1243.[180]

Concerning these persons, as well as their imprisonment and death, see Vignier Hist., Eccl. A. D. 1243; also, second book of the History of the Persecutions, fol. 469, col. 3, also in an old manuscript chronicle, same date.

Note.—Besides the above authors, P. J. Twisck, also, it seems, makes mention of these two hundred and twenty-four persons, from the account of Henry Boxhorn, though he differs somewhat in regard to the time when this happened, as well as to the number of persons put to death; for, instead of A. D. 1243, he has it A. D. 1242, and instead of two hundred and twenty-four, he has about two hundred.

However, this difference is easily reconciled, if, first, in regard to the time, A. D. 1242, is understood to mean the end or close of said year, and A. D. 1243, the beginning; the number of persons put to death, about two hundred, to mean over two hundred, or two hundred and twenty-four, as expressed.

The words of his account are as follows: “A. D. 1242, the Waldenses had to suffer much from popery, on account of their faith and religion. At this time, about two hundred persons, together with two of their preachers, were apprehended in the bishopric of Toulouse, by the bishop of Narbonne and Albi, and the Seneschal of Carcassonne, and were all burnt alive, continuing steadfastly in their religion.” In the 13th book of his Chronicle, p. 557, col. 1, from Henr. Boxhorn, fol. 25.

SEVERE INQUISITION OF BELIEVERS IN THE COUNTRY AROUND TOULOUSE, A. D. 1251.

At this time there was as yet no abatement of the constraint of conscience exercised over the faith of the orthodox Christians, who had fled from Babylon, and, for the sake of the welfare of their souls, could no longer trust themselves in Romish Egypt. This appeared from the new inquisition, which, by order of the Pope, through appointed inquisitors, suffered the minds of the true believers to have no rest, until they left the Roman territories, or made an oral disavowal, or, remaining steadfast, exchanged their life for a violent death.