Summary of the Martyrs of the Fourteenth Century

[The introduction at the entrance to this century is taken from the places where most of the martyrs suffered at this time, and also from the circumstances of their suffering and death.

The manner of the inquisition over the believers in these times, shown in various articles, for the year 1301, according to the account of Jean Paul Perrin Lyonnois.

Dulcinus and his wife Margaret, who, as L. Kreutzheim says, founded a sect like the Anabaptists in every respect, are torn limb from limb; and with them one hundred and forty others, burned for the same faith, at Novaria, in Lombardy, in the year 1308.

Very many persons at Crema (probably Krems), in Austria, burned for the religion of the orthodox Waldenses; also at Steyer, in the same Austrian territories, and at Zuidenitz, in Poland, all of whom are put to death by burning, in the year 1315.

Two years later, namely, in the year 1317, four persons, called Brethren of the Poor Life, or Waldenses, miserably perish on red hot coals, at Marseilles, in France.

A persecution of the believing Waldenses, begun by Pope John the Twenty-second, set forth for the year 1319, from the accounts of the ancients. This persecution extended in the year 1330 into Bohemia and Poland; one Eckhard burned for the faith mentioned before.

NOTE. For the years 1336, 1340, 1350 and 1360, of the frankness of John de Pistoia, Conrad Hager, John de Landuno, John de Rupe Scissa, who did not hesitate to point out to the pope his errors. Also what happened to them on this account.

Another persecution of the Waldensian brothers in France, begun in the year 1365 by Pope Urban the Sixth, shown from his own bull.

Eight years later, namely, in the year 1373, still another persecution is shown, which arose in Flanders, Artois and Hainault, in which Peronne, of Aubeton, a pious woman of the Waldensian religion, offered up her life to God by fire.

Thirty-six persons called Waldenses are burned for the faith, at Bingen, in the year 1390.

A severe persecution of ancient Waldenses arises again on the Baltic Sea, four hundred and forty-three of whom are severely tortured and put to death, in the Mark and in Pomerania, in the year 1391.

The sufferings of the Christian believers, caused by those of the Roman church, in which one William Santrus, who censured the pope, loses his life, shown in detail, for the last year of this century, in the year 1400,

In a note, the testimony of Franciscus Petrarcha against the pope is called to mind; and because of this opposition he had to suffer expulsion and persecution from the Roman dominions. Conclusion of the tragedy of the fourteenth century. ]

With few steps we will make a long journey, and our course will be no less wonderful than sad. The places through which we will first travel are the mountains of Lombardy, near Novaria. In the midst of our journey we will come to the cities Crema and Steyer, in Austria, Zuidenitz, in Poland, and Marseilles, in France. From there we intend to go on into Bohemia, and at last to finish our journey in the countries on the Baltic Sea.

What will we meet on our way, dear friends? Certainly nothing that is pleasing to the flesh; for fire and flames will threaten us on our right hand, and deep waters on our left. Between them there is nothing but bloody scaffolds, gallows, wheels, stakes and countless horrible instruments of death and torture, which cause men to die slowly, as by a thousand deaths. The company is made up altogether of bodies burned, drowned, beheaded or otherwise murdered, so that our footsteps must tread through the midst of skulls and dead men's bones; to say nothing of the crimson blood, which seems to flow in rivulets, indeed sometimes in large streams, along the ways we must travel.

Nevertheless our heart is full of joy, and we delight in this journey, and draw life in the valleys of death; for here is the portal of heaven, the door of the blissful palace, which is indeed strait, yes, on whose posts flesh and blood remain; but through it is the entrance into the spaciousness of the heavenly halls, and into the infinite and ever blooming garden of the blessed paradise. Here are heard, with the ears of faith, as if close at hand, the glad voices of the holy angels,* to which no singing of nightingales in earthly groves can be compared; no, the loveliest instruments of music, compared with these, sound harsh and unpleasant to the ear. [n471-2] There are also beheld, as with unclouded eyes, the majesty of God, Jesus, the Savior of the world, and the heavenly societies. We dare not speak further of it,** for the human ear has not heard nor eye seen, neither have there entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. First Corinthians 2, verse 9. [n471-1]

All this is perceived there in the soul, though the bodies suffer great distress; but this is soon over. Have we no reason, then, to long for this journey? Certainly. So let us go on. May the Lord guide us and show us the right way, that we may not only begin well, but also finish well.

O you slain and martyred multitudes, who have testified with your blood to the name of your and our God, we have come to behold your martyrdom, and to make it known, by writings, to our fellow brothers and sisters; not that we intend to make a pilgrimage to the places of your death, to greet you in the manner of worship, or to bring you an offering, after the manner of the priests, by no means; for this would profit neither you nor us; but we seek to bring your good examples to remembrance. With this we will begin.

NOTE. Before we approach the sad mountains and fields of the miserable, but nevertheless well comforted martyrs, it will be necessary to give an account of the manner of the inquisition which, having already begun in the preceding century, had continued even to this time, and was the cause of all the harm and distress that now came upon the believers, and through which they had to suffer, first in their consciences and then in their bodies, indeed were subjected to the most bitter and cruel death.

In the preceding century, for the years 1214 and 1215, we showed the beginnings of the inquisition; we now come to its progress and extension.