Part 70

_The priest’s prayer over the red-hot iron._--”‘Lord God! we pray thee that thou wouldst clearly manifest the truth in this thy servant; thou, O God, who hast in former times done great and wonderful signs by fire, among thy people; who didst deliver Abraham, thy son, from the fire of the Chaldeans, by which many perished; who didst preserve Lot, thy servant, when Sodom and Gomorrah were justly laid in the ashes by the fire; who, in the sending of the Holy Ghost by the light of fiery and flaming tongues, didst separate the believers from the unbelievers; grant us the grace, while we make this trial, that through this red-hot fire we may discover the truth. If this, thy servant, who is now being tried, is guilty, let his hand be seared and burnt by the fire. But if, on the contrary, he is innocent, let him not be hurt by the fire. Lord God, to whom all secrets are known, however hid they are, fulfill, by thy goodness, the expectation of our confidence and faith, while we make this examination; that the innocent may be acquitted; but the guilty detected and punished.’

“When the priest had uttered this prayer,” writes _M. S. Boxhorn, p. 24_, “he again sprinkled the red-hot iron with holy water, and pronounced this blessing over it: ‘The blessing of God the Father, and God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, come down upon this iron, that by it we may be enabled to pronounce a true judgment.’”

_How the iron was given into the hand of the accused._--This having been said, the flaming iron was given into the hand of the accused, who had to carry it nine paces. The hand was then closely wrapped up with cloth by the priest, and sealed, for three days, at the end of which it was inspected. If it was wounded, the accused was judged to be guilty; if not, he was acquitted.

O, cruel inquisition! by which not only men, but even God was tried and tempted to the utmost. “Thou shalt not,” says Christ, “tempt the Lord thy God.” Matt. 4:7.

_Another examination, by hot water._--Sometimes also a kettle with hot, boiling water was used, into which the accused had to thrust his hand up to the elbow, in order to ascertain his guilt or innocence. This procedure was called _Ketel-vang_, in the ancient Netherlands, and particularly in the Friesian statutes and laws.

_The trial by cold water._--Likewise, and for the same purpose, the cold and consecrated water of the canals or rivers was used. The accused were cast into it, and from the sinking or floating of their bodies, the righteousness or unrighteousness of their case was judged. This mode was carried out in the following manner at that time: A priest, one of the judges, went with the accused, and a great train of others, to a deep canal, ditch, or river, near by; and standing on the shore or brink, he adjured the water with these words: “I adjure thee, O water.” However, first he gave the accused a cup of holy water to drink, saying: “This holy water be for a test to thee this day.” Turning then to the water, he exclaimed: “I adjure thee, O water, in the name, etc., who created thee in the beginning, and would have thee serve to meet the necessities of man, and be separated from the waters above.” He then adjured the water again in the name of Christ, and then in the name of the Holy Ghost, and finally in the name of the Holy Trinity; and this, with such hard, stern and severe words that I am shocked, and afraid in my very soul to repeat them.

“Thereupon followed,” writes M. S. Boxhorn, “several additional solemn adjurations (these, however, he does not relate), which, when the priest had finished, the accused was stripped stark-naked, and cast or driven into the water. If he sank, he was considered innocent; but if he floated, he was forthwith condemned and punished by fire, as being guilty.” _Page 26._

If any one should desire to read a full account as regards said papistic adjurations over the water, let him consult _M. S. Boxhorn, Nederlandtsch Hist., 1st book, pp. 25, 26_.

THE MANNER IN WHICH THESE TRIALS WERE COMMENCED IN THE NETHERLANDS, ABOUT THE YEAR 1215.

Before bringing persons to the trial with red-hot iron, hot or boiling water, or in cold rivers, which was called the severest or extremest examination, milder means were employed, especially in the Netherlands; however, with such intricacies, and so many snares, that an honest soul, that would act candidly, and without dissimulation, could not escape, but was in danger of losing his life.

The above-mentioned Boxhorn, describing the manner of examination used at that time against the Vaudois, who also belonged to the Poor Men of Lyons, and were at that time one people with the Albigenses and Waldenses, but afterwards differed with them in various articles, relates: That the Dominicans, a certain order of monks, were at that time sent by the Pope here into the Netherlands, as inquisitors; who, in order to well execute their office as it were, had put in writing a certain mode of examination, which literally read as follows:

_Examination._--“When any one in the Netherlands is brought before the judge, suspected and accused of heresy, he shall first be asked: Why are you apprehended? Does any one know of your imprisonment? Have you not learned from any one the cause of your apprehension? If he say: I do not know; answer him: They say that you, seduced by certain teachers who keep themselves concealed, have, to a considerable extent, departed from the Christian faith, as it is publicly taught in this country and elsewhere, throughout all Christendom. Let him answer as well or as much as he will, and let forthwith an oath be demanded and put to him, unless his youth does not admit of his swearing. Before he takes the oath, these words shall be spoken to him: See, you are to swear here, that you will tell in all sincerity the truth as it is known to you, concerning yourself as well as others in regard to whom you will be questioned. If he refuses to swear,[171] he shall be suspected so much the more.

[171] From this it is quite evident that said people had an aversion to the swearing of oaths. But some one may say: This has reference to adjuring their belief. To this it may be replied, that the oath demanded here did not aim at anything further than the telling of the truth, as the preceding words declare.

“See well to it also, that he have no reason to say that he was compelled by threats or otherwise to swear; but if he is ready willingly to take the oath, present these words to him:

_The oath administered by the inquisitors, near the chapter-house of Utrecht, to those who at that time were called heretics._--“I, N. N. N., swear to God Almighty, my lord of Utrecht (or otherwise) and the lords present in his stead, that I will tell the pure truth, without fear, of all matters known to me, concerning which I shall be questioned here; not only in regard to myself, but also to others. So help me God and his holy mother, in my last hour.” _Boxhorn, Nederl. Hist., p. 15._

In this manner the inquisitors proceeded, and then observed the following mode of examination, which it seems they had to employ as their fundamental rule, against those who were called heretics:

“If he is not known to you (says this rule) question him thus: What is your name? Where were you born? Who was your father? Again: How often have you confessed to the teachers of the heretics, who secretly circulate that they have come into the world in place of the apostles, to go from place to place, preaching the Gospel?[172]

[172] It seems that these inquisitors thought that these people also observed auricular confession; which is a grave misapprehension, seeing their confession avowed the contrary.

Again: “How long have you resided here? How old were you when you began to give audience to these heretics? When did you last confess to them? For whom did you take them? Do they also wear crowns [the tonsur] and the priestly garb? What penance did they impose on you? Did they not charge you to say an _Ave Maria_? Did you believe that it was in their power to forgive your sins? Who first directed you to these heretics? To how many heretics have you confessed? What was the name of the first? the second? the third? etc.

“Did your parents also hold this heretical belief? How often have you received the body of Christ? Have you also confessed to our priests? Have you also confessed to them, that you hold this heretical belief? Why did you not confess it? How often have you heard them teach? where first? in what houses, or places? in what room or chamber? by day or at night? in the morning or evening? Who were there besides you? What did your teachers preach respecting purgatory? Is there a purgatory? How many times a day do you pray for the souls of your parents, friends, and benefactors? What alms have you given for them? How many days have you fasted for them? How many masses have you had read for them?

“Can you say the _Ave Maria_? Say it. Can you say any prayers to the saints? Do you believe, that the holy Mary, and other saints, are acquainted with our distresses, and that they are filled with compassion on this account, and pray for us? Who is the patron of your parish? When is his day celebrated? Have you properly celebrated him? What kind of a saint is it? Is it an angel? or a martyr? or a confessor? or an apostle? or a virgin? or a widow? What did you bring as an offering on their feast-day? Have you chosen for yourself a certain apostle? Who is your apostle? “What do you hold with regard to the worship of the holy cross? the nails? the crown of thorns? the spear? and the images of the saints?

“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.

Certainly, here one or the other, either the body or the soul, had to be sacrificed by the martyrs; for if they would save the body, by forsaking the faith, which they, in their conscience, recognized as the genuine, yea, the only and eternal truth, they were in danger, yea, fully assured of losing their souls; on the other hand, if they sought to preserve their souls, by their good confession, and by forsaking the superstitions of popery, they had to lose their bodies, and this by the most cruel, horrible, and miserable death; which, according to the custom at that time, was to be placed alive into the flames until death ensued.

In this manner, very many, yea, almost a countless number, of pious Christians, called Albigenses and Waldenses, perished in those times; who, constrained by the love of Christ, to hold fast the confession of their faith, willingly exchanged this earthly for the heavenly; suffering here the tabernacle of their body to be dissolved, in order to have a building with God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 Cor. 5:1.

We will now see, what persons perished for the faith, in that cruel inquisition, particularly under the test of red-hot iron, not in the Netherlands, but in Germany, where it first originated.

ABOUT EIGHTY PERSONS CALLED WALDENSES, BURNT FOR THE FAITH, AT STRASBURG, A. D. 1215.

Now, when the throne of antichrist began to suffer much detriment through the doctrine of the Waldenses, and infant baptism, the swearing of oaths, the secular power and dominion, the authority of the Pope of Rome, the mass, purgatory, absolution or forgiveness of sins by the so-called clergy, pilgrimages, visitations of the holy sepulchres prayers, or sacrifices for the dead, and other things pertaining to popery, were opposed by them, they saying, that these things ought to have no place in the true church of Christ; it came to pass, A. D. 1215, that this cruel man, Conrad of Marpurg, of whom it was stated, for the year 1214, that he had been sent into Germany, as grand inquisitor, by Pope Innocent III., apprehended over eighty persons, both men and women, who were called Waldenses and made the same confession. They were also examined, concerning their faith, in that horrible manner of which we have already spoken, namely, by taking a red-hot iron into their bare hands; and having all of them endured it patiently, and remaining steadfast, they were finally condemned to be burnt alive as heretics; which was done to them all on the same day, at Strasburg, in said year of their apprehension, A. D. 1215.

Of this the papistic writer Trithemius gives the following account: “At this time, namely A. D. 1215, there were very many who were heretics secretly, men as well as women, who spread divers strange errors throughout all Germany, France, and Italy; of whom great numbers were apprehended and burnt alive. For in said year more than eighty were apprehended in Strasburg, at the same time, among whom but very few were found innocent; for if any of them denied the heresy,[175] Conrad of Marpurg, the Pope’s inquisitor, would try them by giving them a red-hot iron into their hands, and deliver all those that were burnt by it, to the secular judge, as heretics, to be sentenced to the fire.” _Trith. Chron. Hirsaug._ Also, _A. Mell., 2d book, fol. 459_. _C._ Mellinus calls these martyrs Waldenses, _fol. 457, col. 3_; and their confession he has shown, _fol. 446, col. 1, 2_.

[175] It is necessary here to understand that by the word _heresy_ those people did not mean their orthodox faith; but all that could truly be called heresy; and this they then disavowed; whereby this inquisitor, (to all appearance) though he was very crafty, was greatly misled.

SEVERAL CHRISTIANS BURNT FOR THE FAITH, AT TOULOUSE, A. D. 1215.

About that time, Pope Innocent III. had advised Dominic, that by means of constant preaching and disputation he should wondrously execute the office of inquisition, which he had entrusted to him, namely, against the so-called heretics; and that he should reconcile to the Roman church those who should ostensibly become converted; but should justly condemn such as remained refractory, that is, steadfast in their faith. _Sixtus 5, in Diplom. instit. Festi S. Petri Mart._

Dominic discharged his inquisitorial office so energetically in the city of Toulouse, against the heretics mentioned, that is the Christians called Waldenses, that several who had been cast into prison, were, by his advice, delivered to the secular judge, to be burned. For, when in those times people could not be overcome by way of argument, with the word of God, they began to dispute with fire and sword against them; and then it was an easy matter to conquer them, not in regard to the truth, but in regard to their bodies and lives. This was also the case with these pious people of Toulouse, who would rather lose their lives than forsake the truth; which they confirmed in the flames by their death, having commended their souls into the hands of God, in the year of our Lord 1215.

The papist Theodoric, in his biography of Dominic, makes mention of these martyrs, saying: “When he (Dominic) was preaching, at this time, in the parts of Toulouse, it happened that some heretics were apprehended in that city and were convicted by him; whom, when they would not return to the Catholic church, he delivered to the secular Judge. When they had been condemned to be burnt.” _Theod. in vita Dominici, citate Bzov. ad A. D. 1215, Art. 11, 12._ Also, _A. Mellinus, 2d book, fol. 460, col. 4_.

NOTE.--A. D. 1220 lived the strong and celebrated theologian Almaricus; he reproved as idolatry the invocation of saints, and denied transubstantiation; on which account he was burnt at Paris. _P. J. Twisck, page 537, col. 1_, from _Hist. Andr., page 162_.

_A. D. 1218._--In a certain ancient history of the martyrs of this time, I have found the following account, in which one of the orthodox believers presents a summary of the doctrine of the papists, as opposed to the true doctrine of the true church of God in those times; it reads as follows:

1. “They found their church upon the succession and derivation of the bishops (though erroneously) from the times of the apostles.

2. “They call those bishops, who consecrate churches, chapels, and altars; who make mass-priests and sanctuaries of the altars.

3. “They regard the Pope as the supreme Bishop, the head of their churches; who may be reproved by none but God.

4. “They are divided into many contending sects; some are ecclesiastics, some seculars. The ecclesiastics have separated themselves from the common people--whom they call the laity--and are themselves variously divided. Some are called monks and nuns; who vow, not to marry; to submit to voluntary poverty; to observe human institutions, such as, to have nothing to do with money; to wear a gray, white, or black cap; to eat no flesh; to be dumb at times; and other similar false and invented forms of holiness. Others are called secular priests; who also may not marry, but like the others, have to do a great amount of muttering and reading.

5. “They have priests, who are consecrated by the bishops, to offer up sacrifice for the living and the dead.

6. “All these ecclesiastics hold themselves exempt from punishment by civil authority, and bear no burdens with the citizens, since they are exempt.

7. “They seek their salvation out of Christ, in their own works and merits, which they also sell to each other for money; such as masses, indulgences, pilgrimages, and the merits of departed saints, which they also sell to the dead, who, they say, are in purgatory.

8. “They have an idol or patron for every city, village, or hamlet.

9. “They divide the power and honor of God among the departed saints; thus, seamen invoke St. Nicholas, St. Christopher, and St. Anna; women in travail, St. Mary; for gum-boils, St. Appollonia; against pestilence, St. Rochus and St. Anthony.

10. “They set up images in their churches; they light tapers, torches, and lamps before them; they clothe them in cloth, silk, velvet, silver and gold; they carry them with great reverence on their shoulders; they visit them in different places, and offer gifts to them (to which practice the popes and bishops append indulgence for sins); they kneel before them; they kiss, and worship them.

11. “In their oaths they swear by God and all his saints, etc.

12. “They pray to, and call upon God, without considering their need, and without thinking why they call upon him; they give him their prayers by the number, as apples are bought; they read, in the hours, rosaries, etc.

13. “They create many sabbaths, which they call holidays, in honor of departed saints; on which days manual labor is forbidden on pain of punishment; while drinking to excess, bartering, and gambling remain unpunished. On these days they generally commit shameful idolatry; the services are read in an unknown tongue; water is conjured; the organ is played; and the dead are called on for help and assistance.

14. “To the two sacraments, or signs of grace, instituted by Christ in his church, namely, holy baptism and the holy Supper, which they have shamefully corrupted, they have added five others, namely, confirmation, matrimony, ordination of mass-priests, auricular confession, and extreme unction.

15. “In baptism they leave out the most important part, namely the preaching of the Gospel; and add of their own, conjured salt, grease, spittle, and tapers, and exorcise the devil from the child which he never possessed.

16. “They also baptize bells, giving them names.

17. “They have changed the Lord’s Supper into an offering for the living and the dead; they conjure the bread with five words,[176] and persuade the people, that the bread is changed into flesh, and the wine into blood.

[176] _Hoc est enim corpus meum_, _i. e._ for this is my body.

18. “They withhold the wine from the laity, contrary to the command of Christ, who said: ‘_Drink ye all of it_.’

19. “They worship the bread, and say that it is their God; they enclose it in coffers and ciboria; they carry it through the streets; they burn torches and tapers before it, also at noon-day; they address and salute it; but it answers not.

20. “In their churches they have altars draped with linen, upon which burning tapers are placed at day-time, when mass is read.