IT is not unknown to all Europe, That of Time out of Mind, we and our Anceſtors have been in the uninterrupted Poſſeſſion of the aforeſaid Vallies, and of the ſame Religion which we profeſs at this very day, without any conſiderable Alteration either in Doctrine or Diſcipline: And that under the Succeſſive Reigns of the Princes of Piedmont and Pignerol: And that at length about Four Hundred Years ago, upon the failing of the Princes of that Family, we put our ſelves under the Dominion of the Houſe of Savoy, upon certain Conditions and Articles then agreed on for Security of our Religion and Liberties.

Under which Family of Savoy our Anceſtors lived in the greateſt Peace and Eaſe for two Ages and more, till by the unhappy Counſels of ſome about our Princes, we were put to great Severities in the laſt Age, on the Account of Religion; notwithſtanding whereof, Their Royal Highneſſes were pleaſed at ſeveral times, and upon ſeveral occaſions, to Ratifie our Rights and Priviledges, and to grant us full and free Liberty in the Exerciſe of our Religion; and particularly in the Years 1561, 1602, 1603, and in the Year 1620. All which were Formally and Solemnly Ratified and Enrolled in the Chamber of Turin, and declared to be Irrevocable, Inviolable, and Perpetual Laws: And the Execution thereof was Ordained by ſeveral Decrees of the ſaid Chamber, and by the Senate of Turin, in the years 1638, 1649, 1654, and 1655.

In which year 1655, the Council de Propaganda fide, ſetled at Turin ſome years before, taking the Occaſion of the Minority of Charles Emanuel, then Duke of Savoy, cauſed to be Publiſhed an Edict, Ordering all the Inhabitants of the Vallies to quit them within three days, and to retire to the Mountains, under the pain of Death, in caſe they did not Renounce and Abjure their Religion they had been Educated in. And albeit the ſaid Inhabitants did really Obey this Unjuſt Order, as much as the ſhortneſs of time granted them would allow, by making ready to Remove, yet upon it fell out that Horrid and Execrable Maſſacre, whereof all Europe has to this day an Abhorrence. But at length, by the Interceſſion of ſeveral Chriſtian Princes and States with the then Duke of Savoy, and the Dutcheſs, then Regent, the ſaid Cruel Edict of putting us all to the edge of the Sword, was recalled, and a new Confirmation given Ʋs as to Our whole Liberties, and the free Exerciſe of our Religion, upon the 9th of Auguſt 1655. which was thereafter enrolled in the Senate and Chamber of Turin.

Notwithſtanding this Confirmation of our Priviledges, ſeveral bad Miniſters did in many particulars infringe it by Oppreſſions and deſigned ſtretches of Law; and at laſt, in the Year 1663, they re-acted the ſame Tragedies upon Ʋs, as they had done in the Year 1655. At which time, at the interceſſion of the ſame Chriſtian Princes, we obtained another Solemn, Irrevocable, and Perpetual Patent in the Month of February 1664, likewiſe Ratified in the Senate and Chamber of Turin.

Since which time, We, the Inhabitants of the Vallies, lived in great Peace, and did many Remarkable and Important Services to the late Duke of Savoy, Father to his preſent Royal Highneſs, and to his Royal Highneſs himſelf, both in the War againſt the State and Republick of Genoa in the Year 1672. and againſt the Banditti in Mondovi in the Year 1681, and 1684. As was acknowledged by his Royal Highneſs in his Letters written to Ʋs on that Occaſion, which was alſo Inrolled in the Chamber of Accounts of Turin.

Thus We reſted ſecure of our own Innocence, and of the many reiterated Aſſurances of his Royal Highneſſes Favour to and Protection of Ʋs, till the 31st. day of January 1685. At which time, without any imaginable Provocation on our part, there was publiſhed in the Vallies an Edict of his Royal Highneſs the Duke of Savoy, Prohibiting the Exerciſe of our Religion upon pain of Death, and Confiſcation of Moveables, ordering all our Churches to be immediately Demoliſhed, all our Miniſters to be Baniſhed, all our Children to be Educated and Baptized in the Roman Catholick Religion.

This Dreadful Edict was received among Ʋs with the greateſt Aſtoniſhment, and in a moment ſeem'd to diſanimate Ʋs altogether.

But at length we ſo far recovered our ſelves from our Conſternation, as to fall upon the ordinary means we had many times try'd before; And conſidering that it was more the effect of bad Counſel, than from the Natural Inclinations of his Royal Highneſs himſelf, of whoſe good Intentions towards Ʋs we had ſo many Proofs: We had Recourſe to Supplications, and preſented his Royal Highneſs four ſeveral Petitions for recalling this Bloody Order; and at the ſame time made our Addreſs to the Evangelick Cantons of Switzerland, to Intercede with his Royal Highneſs on our behalf.

Whereupon in an Aſſembly of the ſaid Cantons, held at Baden in the Month of February 1686. they diſpatch'd Embaſſadors to his Royal Highneſs at Turin, to ſollicit the Revocation of that Edict againſt Ʋs; And all the Anſwer they could obtain, was, That It was not in his power to recall the Edict, becauſe his Royal Highneſs had paſt his Word to the Moſt Chriſtian King already to the contrary. Whereupon the Embaſſadors of the Evangelick Cantons, ſeeing no other way at preſent to ſave Ʋs, propos'd to the Court of Turin, That We, the Inhabitants of the Vallies, might have leave betwixt that and a fixt time, to depart to any other Country, with our Families and Goods, under the Duke of Savoy's Safe Conduct. And to this end, the ſaid Embaſſadors procured leave from his Royal Highneſs to allow certain Deputies of Ours to come to Turin, in order to concert and agree on the Articles.

But in the mean time that we were meeting in an Aſſembly at Angr • gne about this Affair, came out a Second Order from his Royal Highneſs, unknown to the ſaid Embaſſadors, bearing Date Ninth of April 1686, for an Amneſty to the Inhabitants of the Vallies, upon Condition they immediately remove out of his Royal Highneſſes Countries, with their Families and Goods, But the Order ſo clog'd and full of Limitations and Reſtrictions, that it was palpable to every body, that it was nothing but a Snare to intrap Ʋs, and to delude the Sollicitations of the Embaſſadors of the Evangelick Cantons: For according to the Terms of this Order, We were to Remove in ſo few days, to leave ſuch and ſuch things behind us; we were to be ſeparated in ſmall Troops, ſo many miles from one another, That we expected to be juſt ſo treated as in the Maſſacre in the Year 1655. Upon which ſad Juncture, we reſolved to ſtand to our own Innocent and Lawful Defence, till we might appeaſe by Foreign Interceſſions the Wrath of the Duke of Savoy, and obtain for our ſelves a laſting Peace.

In perſeverance of this Reſolution, It's known ſufficiently to all the World, what dreadful Afflictions, Murthers, Rapes, Tortures, and all manner of Barbarities we ſuffered by an Army of Savoy on the one hand, and of France on the other, till we were reduced to a poor handful of ſtarved and infirm Creatures, whereof the moſt of them periſhed in the Mountains for Hunger. And at laſt, the miſerable remainder; after our Enemies had ſufficiently glutted their Rage with the Blood of our Brethren, were ſent away to Geneva and Switzerland in the moſt deplorable Condition that ever was ſeen in the World: Many of Ʋs dying in the Road through Cold and Sickneſs. Since which time we have been forced to wander in ſtrange Countries, where we have been againſt our wills burthenſom to the Inhabitants, who have ſhewed Ʋs a Chriſtian Sympathy and Compaſſion.

We, the Inhabitants of the foreſaid Vallies, Conſidering that by no Laws of God, or juſt Conſtitutions of Men, we can be juſtly thrown out of our Native Country, and debarred from the Exerciſe of our Ancient Religion, which both the one and the other, we and our Fathers have enjoyed and poſſeſſed through a great many Ages. And Conſidering that his Royal Highneſs and his Predeceſſors have at ſeveral times Ratified to Ʋs and our Anceſtors, the Liberties of our Country, the Property of our Goods, and the free Exerciſe of our Religion: And that the ſaid Ratifications were declared to be Irrevocable and Perpetual Laws. And likewiſe Conſidering, That We, the ſaid Inhabitants of the ſaid Vallies, are perſwaded in our Conſciences, That it's our Duty to Vindicate and Aſſert our Religion and Properties with our Sword, they having been granted to Ʋs upon juſt grounds and motives by our Princes. We therefore, truſting in the Protection, Help, and Aſſiſtance of the Almighty God, the Lord of Hoſts, do Declare and make known to all Chriſtian Emperours, Kings, Princes, and Free States, That we reſolve to ſtand by, Vindicate, and Maintain our Lives, Religion, Liberties, and Properties with open Force, and in a Defenſive way; and not to lay down our Arms, till we have procured to our ſelves the free and peaceable Poſſeſſion of our Country, Goods, Lives, Religion, and Liberties, in the ſame manner as we enjoyed them before the Year 1684; and as is contained in all the Ratifications granted to Ʋs and our Anceſtors above-mentioned. Declaring, That We by this our moſt warrantable and juſt Defence intend not to diminiſh, detract from, or lay aſide any of the juſt and lawful Prerogatives, Preheminencies, Cuſtoms, Juriſdictions, or Royalties due to His Royal Highneſs and his Succeſſors, from Ʋs and our Succeſſors; But that we are willing, and ſhall ever pay his ſaid Royal Highneſs and his Succeſſors all due Allegiance and Homage, which can conſiſt with the free Liberty of our Religion; and with the peaceable Enjoyment of our Goods, Liberties, and Properties.

And We, the ſaid Inhabitants of the ſaid Vallies, do hereby in the Bowels of Jeſus Chriſt our common Saviour, Obteſt, Require, and Beg all Chriſtian Emperours, Kings, Princes, and Free-States, that they would Compaſſionate our Condition, and Intercede with His Royal Highneſs the Duke of Savoy, for the Reſtoring to Ʋs the Rights, Properties, and Liberties that have been ſo cruelly and unjuſtly raviſhed from Ʋs; and that they would procure to Ʋs a firm and laſting Peace, that we may no more be expoſed to ſuch horrid Barbarities and Diſtreſſes for the Religion we derive from our Fathers, through the Succeſſion of a great many paſt Ages.

And We, the ſaid Inhabitants of the ſaid Vallies, do hereby Declare, That We, in execution of this ſo juſt a Reſolution of Vindicating our Religion and Liberties by Arms, have at this time entred into the ſaid Valley of St. Martin, to take Poſſeſſion thereof as a part of our Native Country, out of which we were unjuſtly driven; and are reſolved, through the Bleſſing and Favour of Almighty God, to keep it, and to take Poſſeſſion, as ſoon as is poſſible, of the remanent Vallies and Territories, which juſtly belong to Ʋs by an immemorial Right; Reſolving to keep the ſame without Prejudice to the juſt Prerogatives, Preheminencies, Cuſtoms, Juriſdictions, or Royalties, in or concerning the ſaid Vallies, due to His Royal Highneſs the Duke of Savoy, and his Succeſſors, as Prince of Piedmont, when ever a firm and laſting Peace ſhall be granted to Ʋs.

And laſtly, We, the ſaid Inhabitants of the ſaid Vallies of Piedmont, do Declare to all Chriſtian Emperours, Kings, Princes, and States, That we have, and do hereby put our ſelves under the Protection and Patronage of the moſt Serene Prince William, King of Great Britain, and of the Illuſtrious and Noble the Evangelick Cantons of Switzerland; hoping and truſting in their Aſſiſtance and good Offices, as alſo in the Aſſiſtance and good Offices of all other Chriſtian Emperours, Kings, Princes, and Free States, until there be a firm and laſting Peace obtained for Ʋs from his Royal Highneſs the Duke of Savoy, or his Succeſſors, and Ratified in the Senate and Chamber of Accounts of Turin.

All which things above-mentioned, We hereby make known to all Chriſtian Princes and People, by this our Solemn Declaration, given at our Camp at Villeſech • , in the Valley of St. Martin, this Sixth day of December, 1689.