you, question wyth one or two of these young children, MarginaliaThe children of Merindol too good for the Byshop.that you may vnderstand whether they be well taught or no. But the Byshop either knew not how to question wyth them, or at the least, would not.

Then one named Pieron Roy sayde, Syr, one of these children may questiō wyth an other, if you thinke it so good: and the Byshop was contented. Then one of the children began to question wyth hys felowes, wyth such grace and grauitie, as if he had bene a Sholemaster: and the children one after an other, aunswered so vnto the purpose, þ^t it was maruelous to heare: For it was done in the presence of many, amōg whom there were foure religious men þ^e came lately out of Paris, of whom, one sayd vnto the byshop,MarginaliaThe youth of Merindol well brought vp. I must needes confesse that I haue often bene at the commō scholes of Sorbone in Paris, where I haue heard þ^e disputations of the Diuines: but yet I neuer learned so much as I haue done by hearyng these younge children. Then sayd William Armant: did ye neuer read that which is written in the xi. chapter of S. Mathew, where it is sayd: O father, Lorde of heauen and earth, I render thankes vnto thee, that thou hast hidden these thynges from the sage & wyse men of the worlde, & hast reueled them vnto younge infantes. But beholde O father, such was thy good will & pleasure.MarginaliaMath. 11. Then euery man marueyled at the ready & witty aunsweres of the children of Merindoll.

When the Byshop saw that he could not thus preuaile, he tryed an other way, and went about by faire & flattering wordes, to bryng hys purpose to passe. Wherefore, causing the straungers to go apart, he sayd that he now perceaued they were not so euill as many thought them to be:MarginaliaThe Merindolians are moued to abiure. Notwythstanding for the cōtentatiō of them, which were their persecutors, it was necessary that they should make some small abiuration, which onely the Bailife, wyth two officers, myght make generally, in hys presence, in the name of all the rest, wythout any Notary to recorde þ^e same in writtyng, and in so doyng they should be loued and fauoured of all men, and euen of those which now persecuted them: and that they should susteine no infamy thereby, for there should be no report therof made, but onely to the Pope, and to the hygh Court of Parlament of Prouince: And also if any mā in tyme to come, would turne the same to their reproch, or alledge it agaynst them to their hurt or damage, they might vtterly deny it, and say they made no abiuration at all, because there were no recordes made thereof, or witnesses to proue the same. For thys purpose he desired them to talke together, to the end there might be an end made in this matter, wythout any further busines.

The Bailife and the two officers, wyth diuers other Auncientes of the towne, aunswered, that they were fully resolued, not to consent to any abiuratiō, howsoeuer it were to be done, except that (which was alwayes their exceptiō) they could make it appeare vnto them by the worde of God, that they had holden or maintained any heresie: marueilyng much that he woulde goe about to perswade them to lye to God and the world. And albeit that all men by nature are lyars, yet they had learned by the worde of God, that they ought diligently to take heede of lying in any matter, were it neuer so small.MarginaliaIn matters of fayth and religion, ought to be no dissimulation. Also that they ought diligently to take heede, that their children did not accustume or vse themselues to lye. and therfore punished them very sharpely, whē as they tooke them wyth any lye, euen as if they had cōmitted any robbery: for the deuill is a lyer and the father of lyes. Here the Byshop rose vp in great anger and indignation, and so departed.

MarginaliaDurandus styrred vp by the byshops to execute the commission agaynst the Merindolians. Wythin a while after, the Byshop of Aix solicited maister Iohn Durandus Councellour of the Court of þ^e parlament of Prouince, to execute the commission which was geuen hym, that is, to go vnto the place of Merindoll, together wyth the Secretarie of the sayd Court, and there, in þ^e presence of the Byshop of Cauaillon, accompanyed wyth a Doctour of Diuinitie, to declare the errours and heresies which the Byshops pretended the inhabitantes of Merindoll to be infected and intangled wythall, and accordyng to their dutie, to make it appeare by the worde of God, and so beyng conuict, to make them abiure and renounce the sayd heresies. Whereupon the sayd Counceller Durandus, certified the day that he would be present at Merindoll, to the end & purpose that none of the inhabitauntes should be absent.MarginaliaDurandus the Cōmissioner commeth to Merindol At the day appointed, the sayd Counseller Durādus, the Byshop of Cauaillon, a Doctour of Diuinitie, & a Secretary, came vnto Merindol, where as was also present, diuers Gentlemen and men of vnderstandyng, of all sortes, to see this commission executed. Then they of Merindol were aduertised, that they should not appeare all at once, but that they should keepe thēselues apart, and appeare as they should be called, in such order and number, as should be appointed vnto them. After that Durandus, the Byshop of Cauaillon, the Doctour of Diuinitie, and the Secretary were set in place where iustice was accustomed to be kept, there was called forth Andrew Maynard, the baylife of Merindol, Ienon Romane, & Michelin MaynardMarginalia* Syndicus is a Greeke word, & signifieth as much as an aduocate or patrone, or deputie, sent to plead our cause. * Syndiques, Iohn Cabrie and Iohn Palenc auncients of Merindol, and Iohn Bruneroll vnderbaylife. After they had presented themselues with all due reuerence, the Counseller Durandus spake thus vnto them.

MarginaliaThe wordes of Durandus to the Merindolians. You are not ignorant that by the Arrest giuen out by the high Court of Prouince, you were all condemned to be burned, both men women, and children: your houses also to be beaten downe, and your towne to be rased and made desolate. &c. as is more largely conteined in the sayd Arrest. Notwithstandyng, it hath pleased the kyng our most gracious Prince, to send his letters vnto the sayd Court, commaūdyng 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 word of God, Whereby you might be reduced agayne, to the flocke of Christ. Wherefore it was determined in the sayd Court of Parlament, that the Byshop of Cauaillon, with a Doctour of Diuinitie, should in my presence, declare vnto you the errours and heresies wherewith, they say, you are infected: and after good demōstration 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 shew your selues this day, that you be obedient vnto God, the Kyng, and the Magistrates. When he had thus spoken, what aunswere you (sayd he) to that which I haue propounded?

MarginaliaThe Merindolians denyed to geue aunswere by counsayle or writing. Then Andrew Maynard the Baylife, desired that they would graunt them an Aduocate to aunswere accordyng to the instructions, which they would giue him, for somuch as they were men vnlearned, and knew not how to aunswere, as in such a case was requisite. The Counseller aunswered that he would heare their aunswere neither by Aduocate not by writyng, but would heare them aunswere in their owne persons: Notwithstandyng he would giue them leaue to go a part and talke together, but not to aske anye counsell, but onely amongest themselues: and then to aunswere one after an other. Vpon this determination, the bayliffe and the two Syndiques, with other two auncient mē, 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, & by and by, presented themselues. Wherat the Counseller Durandus was greatly abashed, to see that they had agreed & determined so spedely. Then Michelin Maynard began to aunswere, desiryng the Counseller and the Byshop, with the other assistaunce, to pardon hym if that he aunswered ouer rudely, hauyng regarde that they were poore, rude, and ignoraunt men. His aunswere here foloweth.

MarginaliaThe aunswere of the Merindolians to Durandus. We are greatly bound (sayth he) to geue God thankes, that besides other his benefites bestowed vpon vs, he hath now deliuered vs frō these great assaultes, and that it hath pleased him to touch the hart of our noble kyng, that our cause might be intreated with iustice and not by violēce. In lyke maner are we also bounde to pray for our noble kyng, which folowyng the example of Samuell and Daniel, hath not disdayned to looke vpon the cause of his poore subiects. Also we render thankes vnto the Lordes of the Parlament, in that it hath pleased them to minister iustice accordyng to the kynges commaundement. Finally, we thanke you my lord Durādus, Cōmissioner in this present cause, that it hath pleased you in so few wordes, to declare vnto vs the maner and order how we ought to proceede. And for my part, 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 holden any errours or heresies, I am contented to amende the same, as it shalbe ordeined and prouided by you.

After hym aunswered Ienon Romane the other Syndique, a very auncient father, approuyng all that which hys fellow before had sayd, geuyng God thankes that in hys tyme, euen in his latter dayes, he had sene and 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 sort.

MarginaliaThe Baylife of Merindoll aunswereth. Then Andrew Maynard the baylife aunswered saying: that God had giuen to those two Syndiques the grace to aunswere so well, that it was not necessary for him to say or adde any more thereunto. Notwithstandyng it seemed good that their aunsweres were put in writing, which was not done by the Secretary, that had done nothyng els, but