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Protestantism in the Waldensian Valleys - James Aitken Wylie

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Chapter 16<br />

Condition of <strong>the</strong> Waldenses<br />

from 1690<br />

WITH this second plant<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> Vaudois <strong>in</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong>ir <strong>Valleys</strong>, <strong>the</strong> period of <strong>the</strong>ir great persecutions<br />

may be said to have come to an end. Their security<br />

was not complete, nor <strong>the</strong>ir measure of liberty<br />

entire. They were still subject to petty oppressions;<br />

enemies were never want<strong>in</strong>g to whisper th<strong>in</strong>gs to<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir prejudice; little parties of Jesuits would from<br />

time to time appear <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir <strong>Valleys</strong>, <strong>the</strong><br />

forerunners, as <strong>the</strong>y commonly found <strong>the</strong>m, of<br />

some new and hostile edict; <strong>the</strong>y lived <strong>in</strong> cont<strong>in</strong>ual<br />

apprehension of hav<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> few privileges which<br />

had been conceded to <strong>the</strong>m swept away; and on<br />

one occasion <strong>the</strong>y were actually threatened with a<br />

second expatriation.<br />

They knew, moreover, that Rome, <strong>the</strong> real<br />

author of all <strong>the</strong>ir calamities and woes, still<br />

meditated <strong>the</strong>ir exterm<strong>in</strong>ation, and that she had<br />

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