A NARRATIVE Published by the special Order of His Highness The Lord Protector, AND HIS COUNCIL; For the better Satisfaction of all those who have al­ready contributed towards the Relief of the Poor Protestants of the Valleys of Piemont, and for the Encouragement of those who are yet behinde to the performance of so good and charitable a Work.

HIs Highness the Lord Protector having received intelligence about the month of May, in the year of our Lord 1655. that many hundreds of the Poor Protestants in the Valleys of Piemont (otherwise known by the name of Waldenses) within the Territories of the Duke of Savoy, were most cruelly massacred by a Popish party; and having upon his spirit a deep sense of their Calami­ties, which were occasioned by their faithful Adherence to the profession of the Reform­ed Religion, was pleased, not onely to mediate by most pathetick Letters in their behalf, to the King of France, and Duke of Savoy, but did also seriously invite the People of this Nation to seek the Lord by Prayer and Humiliation in reference to their then sad condition, and future relief: And from a confidence that the good People of this Nation would be sensibly touched with the afflictions of Joseph, and in that day of their Brethrens trouble, manifest a sutable resentment of, and sympathizing with the Sufferings of their fellow members, professing the same Faith and Religion with them­selves, did forthwith publish a Declaration, expressing his earnest desire that the People might be stirred up to a free and liberal Contribution towards their Succor and Support: For the Management of which Collection, certain Instructions were also agreed upon, and annexed to the said Declaration: And for the more effectual promoting of the Work, His Highness appointed a Committee, consisting of persons of known Honor, Fidelity and Integrity, to consider and advise from time to time how the Moneys that should be thereupon raised, might be imployed with most advantage and certainty for the Supply of those poor distressed Members of Christ, according to the true intention of the Givers; amongst whom likewise there were two select Persons of very consi­derable Estate and Reputation, appointed to be Treasurers for the receiving in the said Moneys, whose names, together with the number and names of the Committee above­said, for the better satisfaction of the Reader are here inserted, viz.

• [Page 2]LOrd Commissioner Fiennes.
• Earl of Mulgrave.
• Lord Fleetwood.
• Lord Viscount Lisle.
• Sir Gilbert Pickering.
• Sir Charls Wolsley.
• General Disbrow.
• General Montagu.
• Colonel Sydenham.
• Lord Strickland.
• Major General Skippon.
• Colonel Philip Jones.
• Mr. Rouse.
• Mr. Secretary Thurloe.

• LOrd Richard Cromwel.
• Lord Lambert.
• Lord Chief Justice Glynn.
• Lord Chief Justice St. John.
• Lord Whitlock.
• Wil. Steel Lord Chancellor of Ireland.
• Lord Widdrington.
• William Pierpont Esq
• Sir Gilbert Gerrard Baronet.
• Sir Iohn Trevor Knight.
• Iohn Crew Esq
• Major William Packer.
• Colonel Iohn Bright.
• Colonel William Purefoy.
• Colonel Tobias Bridge.
• Colonel Iohn Bridges.
• Edward Cresset Esq

• Mr. Philip Nye.
• Mr. Edmund Calamy.
• Mr. Iôseph Caryl.
• Mr. Nicholas Lockier.
• Mr. William Ienkins.
• Mr. Peter Sterry.
• Mr. Daniel Dike.
• Mr. Thomas Harrison.

• Sir Thomas Vyner Knight and Alderman of London.
• Sir Christopher Pack Knight and Alderman of London.

Neither was this His Highness Christian care and tenderness left unanswered by the open hearts and hands of many charitable and compassionate souls, both of this Nation and Ireland, who upon the publishing of the abovesaid Declaration and Instructions, did most freely and chearfully Contribute towards the seasonable Refreshing the Bow­els of their poor afflicted Brethren.

True it is, some Parishes and particular Persons of note there were, amongst whom there was at that time observed some kinde of backwardness to this good Work; (yea many there are to this very day, who do not appear within the Returns to have contri­buted any thing towards it) however means were also used for supplying that defect, and that by a subsequent Proclamation, which was afterwards reinforced by His High­ness punctual Orders to the Justices of Peace in the several Counties, to examine in their respective Divisions at what places no Collections had been made; and in case of Col­lections made, where the Money had not been sent up, and to cause a speedy return to be made thereof; By which means, through the great goodness of God, and blessing upon His Highness endeavors (though it may be justly feared that there were defaults in some places, and the money not to this day delivered in to the Treasurers) there were considerable Sums in a short space of time brought in, and carefully lodged in the Trea­sury, ready to be issued out and distributed, as there should be ways and means found for the safe conveyance thereof into the respective places, where those poor wretches [Page 3] had then their abode, which was in the Clefts of ragged Rocks, and in the Caves of snowy Mountains.

For this very end and purpose His Highness (continuing His care for carrying on this Work) did at the same time constitute and appoint Mr. Pell (His Resident with the Pro­testant Cantons of Switzerland) and Mr. Morland (whom he had not long before sent as His Envoy to the King of France and Duke of Savoy, in their behalf) as His Joynt-Commissioners Extraordinary for the management of this Affair beyond Sea, who were likewise furnished with sutable Instructions and Commands, to the end that by their special inspection and care, the collected Moneys might not onely be remitted from England into the Valleys, with expedition, security, and at the easiest rates; but likewise, that being thus conveyed, they might be actually distributed and laid out for the clo­thing of the Naked, the feeding of the Hungry, and relieving the Sick, and that with all possible equity and just proportion, having a due respect to the greatest Sufferers, and most necessitous amongst them; the which was accordingly performed by the abovesaid Mr. Pell and Mr. Morland; and the way and method which they then propounded to His Highness and the Council, being approved, things were immediately put in execu­tion; and His Highness, upon advice from time to time with the said Committee, did Order the remitting of several sums of Money into the Valleys, through the hands first of Mr. Pell and Mr. Morland joyntly, and afterwards through the hands of Mr. Mor­land singly (who by His Highness Order resided at Geneva for the space of a whole year, commencing fro [...] the twentieth of November 1655. for that very end) accord­ing to the several Conjunctures, and pressing Seasons of the poor peoples Necessities, as they were by him from time to time represented to His Highness and the Council.

Upon Mr. Morlands Return into England, an Accompt was by him tendred to the said Committee in Ianuary last, for the Moneys so remitted beyond Sea, and then a Sub-Committee was appointed to receive and examine the same (viz. Sir Thomas Vyner, Sir Christopher Pack, and Mr. Cresset) who had also power to call to their assistance any such person as they should think fit as an Auditor, for the punctual Examination and Adjusting of the said Accompt; which Sub-Committee did on the 21 of Ianuary last past, make Report to the said Committee, That they had perused and examined the Ac­compt, both as to the Moneys sent from hence, and that whi [...]h was by him taken up there, and that upon the whole, they found it to be justly stated in the Book delivered by Mr. Morland.

Now to the end that publique notice may be given what Moneys have been received upon the said Collections, and from what particular persons, parishes or places within this Nation and Ireland, what Sums have been issued out and transmitted beyond Sea, and at what rates; what method hath been from time to time observed in the manage­ment of this Affair, and the reason why the same hath been so distributed amongst the poor people by parts, [...]ther then the whole Sums together; and lastly what yet re­mains in stock, with the method in general which His Highness hath proposed for the imployment thereof for the best advantage of those distressed Protestants: And to the end that all the good People of this Commonwealth may receive full satisfaction, and be well assured that no part of the said collected moneys either hath been, or shall hereafter be diverted from the charitable intention of the Donors, but solely imployed and dispo­sed to those very Uses to which they were originally designed, His Highness hath thought fit to appoint the publishing of the following Accompt.