About the year 1390 there began, in the countries on the Baltic Sea, the very severe persecution of the Waldenses, of which we made mention of our account of the true faith in the fourteenth century; which, continuing until into the year 1391, was the cause that, among very many others, four hundred and forty-three of these people, whose names are mentioned, in Pomerania, the Mark, and the adjacent places, were brought to torture or the rack; who, refusing to apostatize, freely confessed their faith, and how many long years they had believed and confessed the truth of their faith, which was called a heresy. They are stated to have been sober and frugal people, discreet in their speech, careful to avoid lying, swearing, etc. Second book of the History of the Persecutions, fol. 505, col. 3, 4, ex Catal. Test. Verit., lib. 18. Matt. Flacc. Illyr., lib. 15. Tit. de Waldensibus. Vignier recutil de histoire de l’Église, A. D. 1391.
Note.—It seems that these people were not only persecuted and tortured for the faith, but also put to death; according to the account of P. J. Twisck, who says: “Of the believers or Waldenses more than four hundred and forty were apprehended and put to death for their religion, in the countries of Saxony and Pomerania, whose confession showed that they had received that doctrine from their parents, and that their teachers came to Bohemia; and the proceedings in their trial shows among other things that they were sober, and discreet in their speech, carefully avoiding lying, swearing, and all dishonorable practices.[189] P. J. Twisck, Chron., page 743, B., from Henr. Boxh., fol. 27.
OF THE PERSECUTION AND SUFFERING OF THE CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS, BY THOSE OF THE ROMAN CHURCH, A. D. 1400.
That the intelligent and godfearing J. Tauler called the prelates of the Roman church blind and leaders of the blind, and taught his fellow-believers much concerning the persecution and suffering of the true Christians, we set forth in our account of Holy Baptism, for the year 1400.
In the meantime some of the sheep of the flock of Christ were devoured by the Roman wolf; their names, however, are not known to us, except one, and even respecting him we have not been able to obtain sufficient information with regard to his whole faith, save this much, that in his belief he was opposed to antichrist, that is, the Pope of Rome; on which account the cruel death by fire was inflicted upon him, because he would not apostatize.
Concerning this, the following words, among others, are found in the Chronijck van den Ondergang: “William Santraus also opposed the (Roman) antichrist at this time; he fell into the power and custody of the archbishop of Canterbury, where he, after a whole year’s confinement, ultimately, though with great steadfastness, ended his life in the flames.” Chron., page 750, col. 1.
Note.—A. D. 1400, Franciscus Petrarcha wrote mightily against the Pope, saying, 1. That the Pope was antichrist; 2. That his court was Babylon and the whore that sitteth upon many waters (of which we read in John’s Revelation), yea, the mother of all idolatry and whoredom; 3. That Rome was a school of errors, a temple of heresy, and a nest of treachery. But speaking thus the truth, the writers say, he could find no shelter, but was persecuted and driven away by the Pope. P. J. Twisck, Chron., page 750, col. 1, compared with the twentieth letter of F. Petrarcha, and the poem composed on it; also, Phil. Marn. Tract, fol. 213.
AN ACCOUNT OF THE HOLY BAPTISM IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY.
SUMMARY OF BAPTISM IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY.
[In the beginning of this century, the decree Statutum ex Officio, of King Henry IV., of England, published against the Wickliffites, is mentioned.