rindoll, where as was also present, diuers gentlemē and men of vnderstandyng, of all sortes, to see this commission executed. Then they of Merindoll were aduertised, that they should not appeare all at once, but þ^t they should keepe thē selues apart, & appeare as they should be called, in such order & number, as should be appointed vnto thē. After that Durandus, the byshop of Cauaillō, þ^e Doctor of Diuinitie, & the Secretarie, were set in place where iustice was accustomed to bee kept, there was called forth Andrew Maynard, the bailife of Merindoll, Ienon Romane, & Michelin Mainard Marginalia* Syndicus is a Greke word, and signifieth as much as an aduocate or patrone, or deputie, sent to plead our cause.* Syndiques, Iohn Cabrie & Iohn Palenc auncientes of Merindol, and Iohn Bruneroll vnderbailif. After they had presented them selues with all due reuerence, the Coūseller Durandus spake thus vnto thē.

MarginaliaThe wordes of Durandus to the Merindolians.You are not ignoraunt that by the Arrest giuen out by the hygh Court of Prouince, you were all condemned to be burned, both men wemen, and children: your houses also to be beaten downe, and your towne to be rased and made desolate. &c. as is more largely cōteined in the sayd Arrest. Notwithstandyng, it hath pleased the kyng our most gracious prince, to send his letters vnto the sayd Court, commaundyng that the sayd Arrest should not so rigorously procede agaynst you: but if it could, by sufficient information be proued, that you or any of you had swarued from the true religion, demonstration should be made therof vnto you by the worde of God, whereby you might bee reduced agayne, to the flocke of Christ. Wherfore it was determined in the sayd Court of Parlament, that the Byshop of Cauaillon, with a Doctour of Diuinitie, should in my presēce, declare vnto you the errours and heresies wherwith, they say, you are infected: and after good demonstratiō made by the word of God, you should publickely and solemnely renounce and abiure the sayd heresies, and in so doyng, should obteyne the grace and pardon conteyned in the kynges letters: Wherfore shewe your selues this day, that you be obedient vnto God, the kyng, and the Magistrates. When he had thus spoken, what aunswere you (sayd hee) to that whiche I haue propounded?

MarginaliaThe Merindolians denied to geue aunswere by counsail or writing.Then Andrew Maynard the Baylife, desired that they would graunt them an Aduocate to aunswere according to the instructions, whiche they would giue him, for so much as they were men vnlearned, and knewe not how to aunswere, as in such a case was requisite. The Counceller aunswered that hee would heare theyr aunswere neither by Aduocate not by writyng, but would heare them aunswere in their own persons: Notwithstanding he would giue them leaue to go apart and talke together, but not to aske any Counsell, but onely amongest them selues: and then to aunswere one after another. Vppon this determination, the bailife and the two Syndiques, with other two auncient men, talked together a while, and determined that the two Syndiques should speake first, and after them the Baylife, then the two auncient men, euery man accordyng as God should geue them grace, and by and by, presented them selues. Wherat the Counceller Durandus was greatly abashed, to see that they had agreed and determined so spedely. Then Michelin Maynard began to aunswere, desiring the Counceller and the Bishop, with the other assistaunce, to pardone him if that he aunswered ouer rudely, hauyng regarde that they were poore, rude, and ignoraunt men. His aunswere here foloweth.

MarginaliaThe aunswer of the Merindolians to Durandus.We are greatly bound (sayth he) to geue God thākes, that besides other his benefites bestowed vppon vs, hee hath now deliuered vs from these great assaultes, & that it hath pleased him to touch the heart of our noble kyng, that our cause might be intreated with iustice and not by violence. In lyke maner are we also bounde to praye for our noble kyng, whiche folowyng the example of Samuell and Daniel, hath not disdayned to looke vpon the cause of his poore subiectes. Also we render thankes vnto the Lordes of the Parlament, in that it hath pleased them to minister iustice accordyng to the kynges commaundemēt. Finally, we thanke you my lord Durandus, Commissioner in this present cause, that it hath pleased you in so few wordes, to declare vnto vs the maner and order howe wee ought to procede. And for my parte, I greatly desire to vnderstand and know the heresies and errours, wherof I am accused, and where as they shall make it appeare vnto me, that I haue holdē any errours or heresies, I am contēted to amende the same, as it shal be ordeined and prouided by you.

After him aunswered Ienon Romane the other Syndique, a very auncient father, approuyng all that whiche his felowe before had sayd, geuyng God thankes that in his time, euen in his latter dayes, he had sene & heard so good newes, that the cause of religion should be decided and debated by the holy Scriptures, and that he had often heard auncient men say, that they could neuer obteyne of the iudges in all their persecution, to haue their cause debated in such sorte.

MarginaliaThe Bailif of Merindoll aunswereth.Thē Andrew Maynard þ^e baylife aunswered saying: that god had giuē to those ij. Syndiques þ^e grace to aūswere so well, that it was not necessary for him to say or adde any more thereunto. Notwithstandyng it semed good that their aunsweres were put in writing, whiche was not done by the Secretarie, that had done nothing els, but mocke and gyre at all that had bene said: wherfore he required the Commissioner to looke vnto the matter. Thē the Commissioner was very angry and sharpely rebuked his Secretarie, commaundyng him to sitte nerer and to write their aunsweres worde for worde, and hee him self with a singular memorie, repeated their aunsweres, and oftentymes asked if it were not so. The sayd aūsweres beyng thus put in writing, the Commissioner asked the bailife if he had any more to aunswere, saying that he had done him great pleasure to shew him his Secretaries faulte, willyng him to speake boldely, what hee thought good for the defence of their cause. Then the baylife sayd, for so much as it hath pleased you to giue me audience and libertie to speake my minde frely: MarginaliaThe proceding with the Merindolians not after forme of lawe.I say moreouer, that it semeth vnto me, that there is no due forme of processe in this iudgement: for there is no partie here that doth accuse vs. If we had an accuser present, whiche accordyng to the rule of the Scripture, either should proue by good demonstration out of the olde and new Testament, that whereof we are accused, or if he were not able, should suffer punishement due vnto such as are heretickes: I thinke he would be as greatly troubled to mainteine his accusations, as we to aunswere vnto the same.

MarginaliaIohn Palenc aunswereth.After that the bayly had made this aunswere, Iohn Palenc, one of the auncientes of Merindoll, sayd that hee approued all that had bene sayd by the Syndiques, and that he was hable to say no more then had bene sayd by them before. The Commissioner said vnto him: you are (I see) a very auncient mā, and you haue not lyued so long, but that you haue some thyng to aunswere for your parte, in defense of your cause. And the sayd Palenc aunswered: seyng it is your pleasure that I should say somethyng, it semeth vnto me vnpossible that (saye what wee can) we should haue either victorie or vantage: for our iudges be our enemyes.

MarginaliaThe vnder Bailife of Merindoll aunswereth.Then Iohn Bruneroll vnder bailife of Merindoll, aunswered, that he would very fayne know the authoritie of the Counseller Durandus, Commissioner in this cause, for as much as the sayd Counseller had giuen them to vnderstand, that hee had authoritie of the hyghe Court, to make them abiure their errours, whiche should be found by good and sufficient information, and to giue them so doyng, the pardon conteined in the kynges letters, and quyte them of all punishement and condemnation. MarginaliaDurandus the Commissioner, required to shew hys Commission.But the said Commissioner dyd not giue them to vnderstād, that if they could not be found, by good & sufficient informatiō, that they were in errour, he had any power or authoritie to quyte and absolue them of the sayd sentēce and condemnation: Wherfore it semed that it should be more vauntage for the sayd Merindolians, if it should appeare that they were heretickes, then to be found to lyue accordyng to the doctrine of the Gospell. For this cause he required that it would please the sayd Commissioner to make declaration therof: concluding that if it did not appeare by good and sufficient information agaynst them, that they had swarued from the fayth, or if there were no accuser that would come foorth agaynst them, they ought to be fully absolued, without beyng any more troubled either in body or goodes.

These thynges were thus in debatyng from vij. of the clocke in the morning, vntill xi. Then the Commissioner dismissed them till after dynner. MarginaliaThe bailife and Syndickes of Merindoll appeare the second tyme.At one of the clocke at after noone, they were called for agayne, and demaunded whether they would saye any thyng els, touchyng that whiche was propounded in the mornyng, by the sayd Commissioner. They aunswered, no. Then said the Cōmissioner, what do you conclude for your defense? The ij. Syndickes aunswered: we conclude that it would please you to declare vnto vs the errours and heresies, wherof we are accused. Then the Commissioner asked the Byshop of Cauaillon, what informations hee had a-