vouchsafe to do the same; and lastly to the princes of the Reformed Religion, to the end they might understand our sentiments concerning so fell and savage a piece of cruelty. Which though first begun upon those poor and helpless people, however threatens all that profess the same Religion, and therefore imposes upon all a greater necessity of providing for themselves in general, and consulting the common safety; which is the course that we shall always follow, as God shall be pleased to direct us. Of which your Highness may be assured, as also of our sin. cerity, and affection to your Serenity, whereby we are engaged to wish all prosperous success to your affairs, and a happy issue of all your enterprises and endeavours, in asserting the liberty of the gospel and the worshippers of it.

"Whitehall, May, 1655.

"OLIVER, Protector, to the most Serene Prince, Charles GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS, King of the SWEDES, greeting.

"We make no question but that the fame of that most rigid Edict has reached your dominions, whereby the Duke of Savoy has totally ruined his Protestant subjects inhabiting the Alpine valleys, and commanded them to be extirminated from their native seats and habitations unless they will give security to renounce their religion received from their forefathers, in exchange for the Roman catholick superstition, and that within twenty days at farthest; so that many being killed, the rest stripped to their skins and exposed to most certain destruction, are now forced to wander over desert mountains and through

perpetual winter, together with their wives and children, half dead with cold and hunger; and that your Majesty has laid it to heart with a pious sorrow and compassionate consideration we as little doubt. For that the Protestant name and cause, although they differ among themselves in some things of little consequence, is nevertheless the same in general and united in one common interest, the hatred of our adversaries, alike infenced against Protestants, very easily demonstrates. Now there is nobody can be ignorant, that the kings of the Swedes have always joyned with the Reformed, carrying their victorious arms into Germany in defence of the protestants without distinction. Therefore we make it our chief request, and that in a more especial manner to your Majesty, that you would solicit the Duke of Savoy by letters, and by interposing your intermediating authority, endeavour to avert the horrid cruelty of this Edict, if possible, from people no less innocent than religious. For we think it superfluous to admonish your Majesty, whither these rigourous beginnings tend, and what they threaten to all the Protestants in general. But if he rather chuse to listen to his anger than to our joynt intreaties and intercessions, if there be any tye, any charity or communion of religion to be believed and worshipped, upon consultations duly first communicated to your Majesty and the chief of the Protestant princes, some other course is to be speedily taken, that such a numerous multitude of our innocent brethren may not miserably perish for want of succour and assistance. Which in regard we make no question but that it is your Majesties opinion and determination, there can be nothing in our opinion more prudently resolved, then to joyn our reputation, authority, councels, forces, and whatever else is needful, with all the speed that may be, in pursuance of so pious a design. In the mean time we beseech Almighty God to bless your Majesty."

"OLIVER, Protector, &c. to the High and Mighty Lords, the States of the UNITED PROVINCES.

"We make no question but that you have already bin informed of the Duke of Savoy's Edict, set forth against his subjects inhabiting the valleys at the feet of the Alps, ancient professors of the orthodox faith; by which Edict they are commanded to abandon their native habitations, stript of all their fortunes, unless within twenty days they embrace the Roman Faith; and with what cruelty the authority of this Edict has raged against a needy and harmless people; many being slain by the soldiers, the rest plundered and driven from their houses, together with their wives and children, to combat cold and hunger among desert mountains, and perpetual snow. These things with what commotion of mind you heard related, what a fellow-feeling of the calamities of brethren pierced your breasts, we readily conjecture from the depth of our own sorrow, which certainly is most heavy and afflictive. For being engaged together by the same type of Religion, no wonder we should be so deeply moved with the same affections upon the dreadful and undeserved sufferings of our brethren. Besides, that your conspicuous piety and charity toward the orthodox, wherever overborn and oppressed, has bin frequently experienced in the most urging streights and calamities of the churches. For my own part, unless my thoughts deceive me, there is nothing wherein I should desire more willingly to be overcome, then in good-will and charity to. ward brethren of the same religion afflicted and wronged in their quiet enjoyments; as being one that would be accounted always ready to prefer the peace and safety of the churches before my particular interests. So far

therefore as hitherto lay in our power, we have written to the duke of Savoy, even almost to supplication, beseeching him that he would admit into his breast more placid thoughts and kinder effects of his favour towards his most innocent subjects and suppliants; that he would restore the miserable to their habitations and estates, and grant 'em their pristin freedom in the exercise of their religion. Moreover, we wrote to the chiefest princes and magis. trates of the Protestants, whom we thought most nearly concerned in these matters, that they would lend us their assistance to entreat and pacify the duke of Savoy in their behalf. And we make no doubt now but you have done the same and perhaps much more. For this so danger. ous a president, and lately renewed severity of utmost cruelty toward the Reformed, if the authors of it meet with prosperous success, to what apparent dangers it reduces our religion, we need not admonish your prudence. On the other side, if the duke shall once but permit himself to be atoned and won by our united applications, not onely our afflicted brethren, but we ourselves shall reap the noble abounding harvest, and reward of this laborious undertaking. But if he still persist in the same obstinate resolutions of reducing to utmost extremity those people, among whom our religion was either disseminated by the first doctors of the gospel, and preserved from the defilement of Superstition, or else restored to its pristin sincerity long before other nations obtained that felicity; and determins their utter extirpation and destruction; we are ready to take such other course and counsels with yourselves, in common with the rest of our Reformed friends and confederates, as may be most necessary for the preservation of just and good men upon the brink of inevitable ruin, and to make the duke himself sensible, that we can no longer neglect the heavy oppressions and calamities of our orthodox brethren. Farewel."

"To the Evangelick Cities of SWITZERLAND.

"We make no question but the late calamity of the Piemontois, professing our religion, reached your ears, before the unwelcome news of it arrived with us. Who being a people under the protection and jurisdiction of the Duke of Savoy, and by a severe Edict of their prince commanded to depart their native habitations, unless within three days they gave security to embrace the Roman Religion, soon after were assailed by armed violence, that turned their dwellings into slaughter-houses, while others without number, were terrified into banishment, where now naked and afflicted, without house or home, or any covering from the weather, and ready to perish through hunger and cold, they miserably wander through desert mountains, and depths of snow, together with their wives and children. And far less reason have we to doubt, but that, so soon as they came to your knowledge, you laid these things to heart, with a compassion no less sensible of their multiplied miseries, than ourselves; the more deeply imprinted perhaps in your minds, as being next neighbours to the sufferers. Besides, that we have abundant proof of your singular love and affection for the orthodox faith, of your constancy in retaining it, and] your fortitude in defending it. Seeing then, by the most strict communion of Religion, that you. together with ourselves, are all brethren alike, or rather one body with those unfortunate people, of which no member can be afflicted without the feeling, without pain, without the detriment and hazard of the rest; we thought it convenient to write to your Lordships concerning this matter, and let you understand, how much we believe it to be the general interest of us all, as much as in us lies,