Two Hundred and Twenty Four Persons, Called Waldenses, in the Year 1243

When the north wind* of persecution, which from the year 1233 on had done but little harm in the garden of the true Christians, began to rise again, in the year 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 concerning suffering and bearing for the name of Christ. [n449-1]

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 to God, in the year 1243.* [n449-3]

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

NOTE. Besides the authors named above, P. J. Twisck also, it seems, mentions these two hundred and twenty four persons, from the account of Henry Boxhorn, though he differs somewhat as to the time when this happened, as well as to the number of persons put to death; for instead of the year 1243 he has the year 1242, and instead of two hundred and twenty four he has about two hundred.

However, this difference is easily reconciled if, first, with regard to the time, the year 1242 is understood to mean the end or close of that year, and the year 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 stated.

The words of his account are as follows: "In the year 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, page 557, column 1, from Henry Boxhorn, folio 25.