The Vaudois of Piedmont: A Visit to Their ValleysWorsfold, J. N. (John Napper)
History
The Vaudois of Piedmont: A Visit to Their Valleys
Worsfold, J. N. (John Napper)
Waldenses
fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth centuries, the contemptuous foes of
the Vaudois met with humiliating and disastrous repulses, while the Vaudois
themselves escaped comparatively unhurt. This circumstance led the enemy,
during the persecution of 1560, under the Count de la Trinita, to place his
men on the heights above Roccamanente; but his one thousand two hundred men
were successfully driven back by less than one-twentieth of that number of
the Vaudois; and when he renewed the attack with scornful assurance of
victory, a few days later, the Vaudois, who were engaged in prayer at the
time, having despatched six of their number, who were slingers, to a
commanding point above the assailants, obtained a still more triumphant
victory, without loss on their own side, but with terrible slaughter to
the enemy, including eight of his chief officers.
Time fails to recount all that might be said of these celebrated regions. I
must, however, make passing mention of the beautiful mountain peak a little
higher up on the right hand as you approach Pra del Torno, _i.e._, La
Vachera. On the 11th of June, 1655, after the Piedmontese troops were
unable to force the Barricata, though they tried from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m.,
they advanced towards La Vachera. The Vaudois went up higher. Thinking this
to be a retreat, the Piedmontese soldiers exclaimed, "Advance, wreck of
Janavello!" The Vaudois responded, "Advance, wreck of San Segonzo!"
accompanied by such a shower of stones that the soldiers fled in greatest
confusion, leaving behind them two hundred dead, and carrying away more
than twice that number of wounded. Indeed, this defeat was so decisive that
the persecutors were constrained to acknowledge "God was with the Barbets,"
and that whereas "formerly the wolves eat the dogs (_i.e._, barbetti), now
the dogs (barbetti) eat the wolves."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account