Of the Third Decree of Emperor Frederic the Second Against the Aforementioned Persons, in the Year 1230

Peter de Veneis (book 1, epistle 26) relates in his letters a third decree of Emperor Frederic the Second, in which he gives fuller information about the surname of the Waldenses, namely, Patarini, as well as about their belief, and their spreading into all the provinces of the empire. It reads as follows:

"The sects of these heretics (says the Emperor) are not called by the name of any ancient heretics, so that they may not become known; or, what is perhaps still more shameful, they are not content with the ancient names, that is, to borrow their names, like the Arians from Arius, the Nestorians from Nestorius, or from other heretics like them. But following the example of the ancient martyrs, who suffered martyrdom for the Catholic faith, they also, from their suffering, call themselves Patarini, that is, delivered up to passion or suffering.

"But these miserable Patarini, who are estranged from the holy faith of the eternal Godhead (this is how he speaks of the true believers), destroy with one sweep of their heretical wickedness three things at once, namely, God, their neighbor and themselves. They destroy God because they do not know the faith and the counsel of God. They deceive their neighbor because, under the cover of spiritual food, they administer the pleasure of heretical wickedness. But far more cruelly they rage against themselves, because, after destroying their souls, they, as extravagant squanderers of their life and heedless seekers of their death, in the end expose their bodies as well to a cruel death, which they might have escaped by a true confession of, and constancy in, the orthodox faith (this is what he calls the priest's faith).

And what is hardest of all to say, those who survive are not only not deterred by the example of others whom they see die before their eyes, but they even strive to be burned alive in the sight of men," as he speaks of it later in this same decree.

"Therefore we cannot refrain," says the Emperor, "from drawing the sword of just vengeance against them, in order to persecute them all the more vigorously, since it is judged and known that they practice all the more widely the knavery of their superstition (this is what he calls the virtue of these people), to the clear exclusion of the Christian faith, on account of the Roman church, which is held to be the head of all other churches. For it is known that they came from the borders of Italy, and especially from Lombardy, where, as we have ascertained, their wickedness overflows far and wide, and that from there they have directed the rivulets of their unbelief even into our kingdom of Sicily.

"It is furthermore the will of the Emperor that the crime of heresy, and all kinds of accursed sects, of whatever name, shall be reckoned among the public crimes, or those deserving of death. Indeed, that the heresy of the Patarini (also called Waldenses) shall be considered, before all the world, as more abominable than the crime of lese majesty, that is, than the crime of one who has offended the Imperial Majesty.

"The Emperor also wishes that, since the Patarini (or Waldenses) walk in darkness in order to hide themselves from the heat of persecution, efforts shall be made to discover them, and to seek them out in earnest, even though no one accuses them, and that the officers of the Emperor, when they have found them, shall keep them in bonds, so that at the proper time they may be called before the inquisition, or brought to the rack.

"And if they are accused only on slight suspicion, we command that they shall be examined by ecclesiastical persons and prelates. And though they may err in only one article of the (Roman) Christian faith, and, after admonition, continue stubbornly in their error, we ordain by this, our present decree, that the Patarini (or Waldenses) shall be condemned to death, and burned alive. And let no one dare to intercede for them, for against anyone who does this we will justly direct our anger. Given, and so on." Second book of the History of the Persecutions, page 466, a. b. c., from Abr. Bzovius, and A. Bzovius, from Petr. Vine., book 1, epistle 26.