On these words the papistic commentator remarks, in the margin: “Up to this time, no inquisitors had yet been sent or appointed by the Pope.”
In the same month, namely on the 21st of April, 1198, twenty days after the writing of the first letter, Pope Innocent III. wrote another letter, not only to the abovementioned Bishop of Auxitana, but also to the archbishops of Aix, Narbonne, Vienne, Arles, Ebredun, Tarragon, Lyons, etc., and at the same time appointed one Reinerius and one Guido as his commissaries or inquisitors, to apprehend those who sought to escape the dominion of the Roman church. The contents of the letter were directed against the Waldenses, and commanded that they should be caught, as little foxes that spoil the vineyards. Finally he commands them to be driven out of the country. _Epist. de Cretal., lib. 1, pages 56, 57, edit. Colon._
In the following month, namely on the 13th of May, Innocent wrote still another letter for the same purpose; in which he again commanded that the little foxes should be caught, and promises to send the inquisitors, adding:
“We pray, admonish, and entreat you all together, in the name of the Lord, and charge you, unto remission of sins, that you receive them (the inquisitors, Reinerius and Guido), kindly, aid them manfully and vigorously, and lend them a helping hand by good counsel and with the deed.
“But, as brother Reinerius, for urgent and important matters of the church, has first, by order of the apostolical see, gone to Spain, we will and command nevertheless, that you archbishops and bishops, draw the spiritual sword, when requested so to do by said brother Guido, against the heretics whom he shall name to you; but let the lay power confiscate their goods, and banish them from the country, and thus separate the chaff from the wheat.
“Furthermore, to all who in this great difficulty which now threatens the church, shall faithfully and devotedly assist her in maintaining the Christian faith, we grant the same indulgence, pardon, or remission of sins, which we have granted to all those who go on a pilgrimage to St. Peter’s or St. Jacob’s church. Given at Rome, on the above day, A. D. 1198.” _Page 98._
FIVE MEN AND THREE WOMEN BURNT AT TROYES, IN CHAMPAGNE, A. D. 1200; AND SOME EXPELLED FROM METZ.
About two years after Pope Innocent III. had issued those three bloody letters, for the persecution and suppression of the true, defenseless Christians, who were commonly called Waldenses, but by their enemies or persecutors, Publicans and sinners, it came to pass, in the last year of the twelfth century, namely A. D. 1200, that in the city of Troyes, in Champagne, there were apprehended, by order of the Pope and the reigning authorities, eight persons, five men and three women, who made the same confession as was stated above with regard to the Waldenses, contradicting the authority of the Pope, infant baptism, the swearing of oaths, the office of criminal authority, and whom the papistic author of the large _Chronicle of the Netherlands_ calls _Popelitatnos_.
However, these persons were not accused by the papists of any evil works, but simply on account of their faith; in which faith they desired to remain steadfast unto death, without, in any wise departing from it. Hence they were all sentenced to the fire, in said year, and offered up their bodies unto God as a burnt-sacrifice, having commended their souls into his hands.
THE EXPULSION OF THE CHRISTIANS FROM METZ, AND THE BURNING OF THEIR BOOKS.
At the same time, many Christians at Metz, who professed the same faith and were called Waldenses, were shamefully expelled from Metz, and their books burnt, because they had translated the Holy Scriptures into their mother tongue.
The papistic author of the large _Belgic Chronicle_, upon the authority of the ancient historian Albericus, calls them a Waldensian sect, and says: “That certain abbots were sent to preach against them; who burnt some books translated from the Latin into their mother tongue, and thus extirpated said sect. _Mon. Nuciensis Magn. Chron. Belgicum, edit. Frankfort, A. D. 1607, page 189._