“Have you ever journeyed to Rome, to obtain forgiveness of your sins? Have you sprinkled yourself with holy water? Have you tasted the consecrated salt? Have you consecrated twigs and tapers in your house? Have you done this with a pure and upright heart, as do other Christians, who by your people are called _Strangers_? or have you done it merely for appearance’ sake, so as not to be detected in your heresy? Tell the simple truth.
“Do you not believe that St. Martin has become a saint, and that his holy soul is now in the kingdom of heaven? Will you drink in the name and to the remembrance of St. Martin? Do you know any hymns to the honor of God, or his holy mother? and so forth.
“Say, finally: Will you desist with all your heart from your errors, and separate yourself from the heretics, and henceforth have no fellowship with them? If so, then swear thus:
_The second oath administered by the inquisitors to those who were at that time called heretics; which none of the true martyrs ever swore._--“I, N. N. N., swear an oath, to God Almighty, my lord, bishop N. N., and the lords present in his stead, without any dissimulation, that henceforth I will go no more to the people that call themselves, etc., and will have fellowship neither with them nor with their leaders, teachers, etc., as long as they remain heretics. Moreover, I forswear (see what papistic tricks these are), all manner of unbelief that is contrary to the open faith taught and maintained everywhere in the holy Roman church and in Christendom. And that I will also submit to penance for my transgressions, when and as it shall, though in mercy, be imposed upon me. So truly help me God and his mother, in my last hour.” _Boxhorn, page 18._ Concerning the examination, see _page 15–17_.
NOTE.--Who does not see, beloved reader, that these were snares from which the pious could not extricate themselves without losing their lives? for it was certain that the Poor Men of Lyons, in those times, whether called Vaudois,[173] Waldenses, or Albigenses, did not swear at all; which, especially as regards the Waldenses and Albigenses, has been distinctly proved in our previous explanation. This, then, was the first snare which they could not escape.
[173] That the very odious name _Vaudois_, was given the Poor Men of Lyons, need offend no one; since Christ himself and his holy apostles were often called evil and opprobrious names, by their adversaries.
In the second place, by the form of that oath it was proposed to them, that they should forsake their entire religion, faith, and worship, and join themselves to the Roman church which they held to be worse than Babylon. How could this be done by them with a good conscience? In no wise. This snare, therefore, they could likewise not escape. What, then, had they to expect? Nothing less than certain death; yea, a cruel, ignominious, and accursed death, though blessed for those who, remaining steadfast, suffered it. I will say nothing now of the cruel and horrible manner of inquisition, by red-hot iron, hot water, as also in open rivers;[174] which generally followed upon the examination just stated.
[174] For further information respecting the method of the inquisitors, see our account of the martyrs for the year 1301, etc.
What heathen or barbarians have ever acted thus? It is true, they put the pious witnesses of Jesus to death in a very painful manner; however, that was the end of it; and, besides, sometimes means remained by which it was possible to escape death, and yet keep the faith. And we nowhere read, that they ever had such a mode of inquisition over matters of faith; but the Romanists, who call themselves Christians, were not afraid or ashamed of it.