The Portable Medieval Reader

by James Bruce Ross

  Also, they hold and teach that all oaths, whether in justice or otherwise, without exception and explanation, are forbidden by God, and illicit and sinful, interpreting thus in an excessive and unreasonable sense the words of the holy Gospel and of St. James the Apostle against swearing. Nevertheless, the swearing of oaths is lawful and obligatory for the purpose of declaring the truth in justice, according not only to the same doctrine of the saints and doctors of the Church and the tradition of the same holy Catholic Church, but also to the decree of the Church published against the aforesaid error: “If any of these should reject the religious obligation of taking an oath by a damnable superstition, and should refuse to swear, from this fact they may be considered heretics.”

  It should be known, however, that these Waldensians give themselves dispensations in the matter of taking oaths; they have the right to swear an oath to avoid death for themselves or for another, and also in order not to betray their fellows, or reveal the secret of their sect. For they say that it is an inexpiable crime and a sin against the Holy Ghost to betray a “perfect” member of their sect.

  Also, from this same fount of error, the said sect and heresy declares that all judgment is forbidden by God, and consequently is sinful, and that any judge violates this prohibition of God, who in whatever case and for whatever cause sentences a man to corporal punishment, or to a penalty of blood, or to death. In this, they apply, without the necessary explanation, the words of the holy Gospel where it is written: “Judge not, that ye be not judged,” and “Thou shalt not kill,” and other similar texts; they do not understand these or know either their meaning or their interpretation, as the holy Roman Church wisely understands them and transmits them to the faithful according to the doctrines of the fathers and doctors, and the decisions of canon law.

  Also, the aforesaid sect, wandering from the straight and narrow path, does not accept or consider valid the canonical sanctions and the decretals and constitutions of the supreme pontiffs, and the regulations concerning fasts and the celebration of feast days, and the decrees of the fathers, but scorns, rejects, and condemns them.

  Also, more perniciously in error concerning the sacrament of penance and the power of keys, the aforesaid heretics say, hold, and teach that they have power from God alone and from no other, just as the apostles had from Christ, of hearing the confessions of the men and women who wish to confess to them and be absolved and have penances imposed on them. And they hear the confessions of such people and absolve them and impose penances, although they are not priests or clerics ordained by any bishop of the Roman Church, but are simply laymen. They do not confess that they hold such power from the Roman Church, but rather deny it, and in fact they hold it neither from God nor from His Church, since they are outside the Church, and are now cut off from that Church outside which there is no true penitence salvation.

  Also, the aforesaid sect and heresy ridicule the indulgences which are made and given by the prelates of the Church and declare that they are worthless.

  They are in error indeed concerning the sacrament of the Eucharist, saying, not publicly but secretly, that in the sacrament of the altar the bread and wine do not become the body and blood of Christ if the priest who celebrates or consecrates is a sinner; and they consider any man a sinner who does not belong to their sect. Also, they say that the consecration of the body and blood of Christ may be made by any just person, although he be a layman and not a priest ordained by a Catholic bishop, provided he is a member of their sect. They even believe the same thing concerning women, if they are of their sect, and so they say that every holy person is a priest....

  Also, they declare that there are three ranks in their church; deacons, priests, and bishops, and that the power of each of these comes from them only, and not from the Roman Church. They believe that the holy orders of the Roman Church are not from God, but from human tradition and so they falsely deceive when they profess that they believe that there are in the holy church (meaning their own) the holy orders of the episcopate, the priesthood, and the diaconate....

  These three doctrines, however, they do not make known indifferently to their “believers,” but the “perfect” of this sect hold them among themselves; namely, that the miracles of the saints are not true, that prayers should not be made to them, and that their feasts should not be celebrated, except Sunday, the feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and, some add, the feasts of the apostles and evangelists.

  They teach these and other insane and erroneous doctrines, which follow by necessity from those which precede them, secretly to their “believers” in their conventicles. They also preach to them on the Gospels and Epistles and other sacred writings, which these masters of error, who do not know how to be the disciples of truth, distort by their interpretation. For preaching is absolutely forbidden to laymen. It should be known, also, that this sect formerly had and held many other errors, and still in certain regions is said to hold them secretly, such as those concerning the celebration of the mass on Holy Thursday, described above, and the abominable and promiscuous coupling of men and women, under cover of darkness, and concerning the apparition of cats, sprinkling with the tail, and certain others described more fully in the little summaries written on this subject.

  CONCERNING THE MANNER OF LIFE OF THE WALDENSIANS

  Something should be said concerning the practices and way of life of the Waldensian heretics, in order that they may be known and recognized.

  In the first place, then, it should be known that the Waldensians have and establish for themselves one superior whom they call their “majoral” and whom all must obey, just as all Catholics obey the lord pope.

  Also, the Waldensians eat and drink at common meals. Also those who can and will, fast on Mondays and Wednesdays; those who fast, however, eat meat. Also, they fast on Fridays, and during Lent, and then they abstain from meat in order not to give scandal to others, since they say that to eat meat on any day whatsoever is not a sin, because Christ did not prohibit the eating of meat, nor order anyone to abstain from it.

  Also, after they have been received into this society, which they call a “fraternity,” and have promised obedience to their superior, and that they will observe evangelical poverty, from that time they should observe chastity and should not own property, but should sell all that they possess and give the price to the common fund, and live on alms which are given to them by their “believers” and those who sympathize with them. And the superior distributes these among them, and gives to each one according to his needs.

  Also, the Waldensians recommend continence to their believers. They concede, however, that burning passion ought to be satisfied, in whatever shameful way, interpreting the words of the Apostle [Paul]: “It is better to marry than to burn,” to mean that it is better to appease desire by any shameful act than to be tempted inwardly in the heart. This doctrine they keep very secret, however, in order not to seem vile to their “believers.”

  Also, they have collections made by their “believers” and friends, and what is given and received they take to their superior.

  Also, each year they hold or celebrate one or two general chapters in some important town, as secretly as possible, assembling, as if they were merchants, in a house hired long before by one or more of the “believers.” And in those chapters the superior of all orders and disposes matters concerning the priests and deacons and concerning those sent to different parts and regions to their “believers” and friends to hear confessions and to collect alms. He also receives the account of receipts and expenses.

  Also, they do not work with their hands after they have been made “perfect,” nor do they do any work for profit, except perchance in case it is necessary to dissimulate, so that they may not be recognized and apprehended.

  Also, they commonly call themselves brothers, and they say that they are the poor of Christ or the poor of Lyons.

  Also, they hypocritically insinuate themselves into the society of the religious and
of the clergy, so that they may conceal themselves, and they bestow gifts or presents upon them and pay them reverence and services so that they may obtain a freer opportunity for themselves and theirs to hide, to live, and to injure souls.

  Also, they frequent the churches and sermons, and in all externals conduct themselves with religion and compunction, and strive to use unctuous and discreet language.

  Also, they say many prayers during the day, and they instruct their “believers” that they should pray as they do, and with them. This is their manner of praying: on bended knees, they bow down on a bench or on something like it, and so, on their knees, bowed down to the ground, they all remain praying in silence for as long as it takes to say the “Our Father” thirty or forty times or more. They do this regularly each day, when they are with their “believers” and sympathizers, with no strangers present, before and after dinner, before and after supper, at night when they go to bed, before they lie down; also in the morning when they arise, and in the course of the day, both in the morning and in the afternoon.

  Also, they say and teach and recognize no other prayer besides the “Our Father.” They have no regard for the salutation of the Virgin Mary, “Hail, Mary,” or for the Apostles’ Creed, “I believe in God,” for they say that these have been arranged or composed by the Roman Church and not by Christ. They keep, however, seven articles of the faith on divinity, seven on humanity, and the ten commandments of the Decalogue, and the seven works of mercy. They have arranged and compoed these in a sort of résumé and in a certain way, and they say and teach them thus. They glory exceedingly in this and they show themselves immediately ready to answer concerning their faith.

  They can thus easily be detected in this way: “Say for me the Apostles’ Creed, as the Catholic Church says it, since it contains all the articles” and then they answer: “I do not know it, because no one has taught me thus.” ...

  Also, they tell their “believers” that they should in no way betray them to chaplains or clerics or religious or inquisitors, because, if they should be known, they would be seized. They are pursued by the inquisitors and those of the Roman Church unjustly, they say to their “believers,” because it is they who serve God and observe the commandments of God and practise poverty and evangelical perfection, just as Christ and the apostles did. They say that they themselves know the truth and the way of God better than the chaplains and clerics and religious of the Roman Church, who persecuted them through ignorance of the truth....

  ON THE METHOD OF TEACHING OF THE WALDENSIANS

  One can distinguish two categories in this sect; there are the “perfect,” and these are properly called Waldensians. These, previously instructed, are received into their order according to a special rite, so that they may know how to teach others. These “perfect” claim that they possess nothing of their own, neither houses nor possessions nor furnishings. Moreover, if they had had wives before, they give them up when they are received. They say that they are the successors of the apostles, and are the masters and confessors of the others. They travel through the country, visiting and confirming their disciples in error. Their disciples and “believers” supply them with necessities. Wherever the “perfect” go, the “believers” spread the news of their arrival, and many come to the house, where they are admitted to see and hear them. All sorts of good things to eat and drink are brought to them, and their preaching is heard in assemblies which gather chiefly at night, when others are sleeping or resting.

  The “perfect,” moreover, do not immediately in the beginning reveal the secrets of their error. First they say what the disciples of Christ should be like, according to the words of the Gospel and of the apostles. Only those, they say, should be the successors of the apostles who imitate and hold to the example of their life. On this basis, they argue and conclude that the pope, the bishops and prelates, and clergy, who possess the riches of this world and do not imitate the sanctity of the apostles, are not true pastors and guides of the Church of God, but ravening and devouring wolves, to whom Christ did not deign to entrust His spouse the Church, and so they should not be obeyed. They also say that an impure person cannot purify another, nor can one who is bound loose another, nor can an accused person influence a judge, already angered against him, in favour of another accused person. One who is on the road to perdition cannot lead another to heaven. In this way, they slander the clergy and the prelates, in order to render them odious, so that they will not be believed or obeyed.

  The Waldensians, then, commonly say and teach to their “believers” certain things which seem good and moral, concerning the virtues which should be practised, the good works which should be done, and the vices to be avoided and fled from. Thus they are more readily listened to in other matters, and they ensnare their hearers. For they say that one should not lie, since everyone who lies slays his soul, according to the Scripture; also that one should not do to another, what he would not want done to him. One should obey the commandments of God. One should not swear in any case because God has forbidden all taking of oaths, saying in the Gospel: “Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: Nor by the earth for it is the footstool of His feet, nor by any other creature, because a man cannot make one hair white or black, but let your speaking be yea, yea, and nay, nay; for whatever is more than these comes of evil.” These words make a great impression on their “believers” and they receive no further interpretation of them....

  Also, when they preach on the Gospels and the Epistles, or on the examples or sayings of the saints, they allege: “This is written in the Gospel or in the Epistle of St. Peter or St. Paul or St. James, or the writings of such and such a saint or doctor,” so that what they say may be more readily accepted by their hearers.

  Moreover, they ordinarily have the Gospels and the Epistles in the vulgar tongue, and also in Latin, since some of them understand it. Some also know how to read, and sometimes they read from a book those things which they say and preach. Sometimes they do not use a book, especially those who do not read, but they have learned these things by heart...

  Also, they teach their “believers” that true penitence and the purgatory of sins are only in this life and not in another. And so they instruct their “believers” to confess their sins to them, and they hear confessions, and absolve those who confess to them, and impose penances on them, consisting usually of fasting on Friday and of saying the “Our Father.” They say that they have this power from God, just as the apostles had.

  Also, according to them, when souls leave their bodies, those which should be saved go immediately to heaven, and those which should be damned immediately to hell. There is no other place for souls, after this life, except paradise or hell.

  Also they say that the prayers which are said for the dead are of no avail for them, because those who are in paradise do not need them, and for those who are in hell there is no redemption.

  Also, when they hear confessions, they tell those who are confessing that they should not reveal, when they confess to priests, that they have made confessions to those Waldensians.

  CONCERNING THE SUBTLETIES AND DECEITS WITH WHICH THEY CONCEAL THEMSELVES IN ANSWERING

  It should be known that it is exceedingly difficult to interrogate and examine the Waldensians, and to get the truth about their errors from them, because of the deception and duplicity with which they answer questions, in order not to be caught....

  This is the way they do it. When one of them is arrested and brought for examination, he appears undaunted, and as if he were secure and conscious of no evil in himself. When he is asked if he knows why he has been arrested, he answers very sweetly and with a smile, “My Lord, I should be glad to learn the reason from you.” Asked about the faith which he holds and believes, he answers, “I believe everything that a good Christian ought to believe.” Questioned as to whom he considers a good Christian, he replies, “He who believes as Holy Church teaches him to believe.” When he is asked what he means by �
��Holy Church,” he answers, “My lord, that which you say and believe is the Holy Church.” If you say to him, “I believe that the Holy Church is the Roman Church, over which the lord pope rules; and under him, the prelates,” he replies, “I believe it,” meaning that he believes that you believe it.

  Interrogated concerning the articles in which he believes, such as the Incarnation of Christ, His Resurrection and Ascension, he promptly answers, “I firmly believe.” Asked if he believes that in the mass the bread and wine are transubstantiated into the body and blood of Christ by the words of the priest and by the divine power, he says, “Should I not, indeed, believe this?” If the inquisitor says, “I do not ask if you should believe, but if you do not believe,” he replies, “I believe whatever you and other good doctors command me to believe.” ...

  When he is questioned concerning this deception and many others like it, and asked to answer explicitly and directly, he replies, “If you will not interpret what I say simply and sanely, then I do not know how I should answer you. I am a simple and illiterate man. Do not try to ensnare me in my words.” If you say to him, “If you are a simple man, answer simply, without dissimulation,” he says, “Willingly.”

  Then if you say, “Will you swear that you have never learned anything contrary to the faith which we say and believe to be true,” he answers somewhat timorously, “If I ought to swear, I shall willingly swear.” “I am not asking whether you ought to swear, but whether you will swear.” Then he replies, “If you command me to swear, I shall swear.” I say to him, “I do not compel you to swear, because, since you believe that it is forbidden to take an oath, you will put the blame on me for compelling you; but if you want to swear, I shall listen.” Then he answers, “Why should I swear then, if you will not command me?” “To remove the suspicion that you are reputed to be a Waldensian heretic who believes that all swearing of oaths is unlawful and sinful.” He then replies, “How ought I to swear?” You say, “Swear as you know.” He answers, “My lord, I do not know, unless you teach me.” “If I should have to swear, then with hand upraised, and touching the holy Gospels of God, I should say, ‘I swear by these holy Gospels that I have never learned or believed anything contrary to the faith which the holy Roman Church believes and holds.’” Then, trembling and as if he did not know how to form the words, he stammers over them, he stops, as if interrupted, and he puts in words, to avoid the direct formula of the oath, but uses certain expressions, which are not swearing, so that he will seem to have sworn....