Many Christians Burned in Flanders, in the Year 1183

For the year 1183 we read of many more such people, who were called publicans (a name we have already spoken of), and whom Philip, Count of Flanders, and William, Archbishop of Rheims, most unmercifully had burned.

Concerning this, Rigordus, an ancient historian of those times, writes as follows for that year: "At this time very many heretics (so this papistic writer calls the true Christians) were burned in Flanders, by the reverend bishop of Rheims, cardinal priest of the title of Sancta Sabina, Legate of the Pope, and by Philip, the illustrious count of Flanders, Rig., page 168, edition Wechelian.

"The same year," [n415-1] says the above author, "over seven thousand Cottarelli (thus he calls the pious witnesses of Jesus, also called Waldenses and Albigenses) were killed in the province of Bourges, by the inhabitants of the land, who all united against them, as against the enemies of God."

Notice here that they must all have been defenseless people, since so great a number let themselves be put to death by so few people as there were at that time in the small province of Bourges; however, we leave this to God.

The same writer adds this also: "In the same year, Pope Lucius condemned as heretics those who in Italy were called Humilitani, and in France, Poor Men of Lyons (the Albigenses and Waldenses), upon which, as may well be supposed, no small persecution took place in those fierce times.

This decree, it seems, was first published, or else renewed, in the year 1184, or, as others state, in the year 1185, according to the account of Mellinus, second book, folio 443, column 2.