# Further Observations Touching Said Fourteen Martyrs, According To The Accounts Of Various Papistic And Other Writers, Noted In A. Mellinus’ Second Book Of The Persecutions, Fol. 437, Col. 3, 4.

11th century (source section) · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: FURTHER OBSERVATIONS TOUCHING SAID FOURTEEN MARTYRS, ACCORDING TO THE ACCOUNTS OF VARIOUS PAPISTIC AND OTHER WRITERS, NOTED IN A. MELLINUS’ SECOND BOOK OF THE PERSECUTIONS, FOL. 437, COL. 3, 4.

Century of containing source section; exact event date not assigned

FOURTEEN PERSONS BURNED AT ORLEANS, FRANCE.

“Robert Altisidorensis states of said martyrs of
Orleans, that they were of the best or chiefest laymen
of Orleans, and that for this reason a council
was convened there against them, in which they
were unanimously condemned and sentenced, as
heretics, to the fire; and that they were thus burned
alive.”

This testimony is confirmed by Johannes, a monk
of Floriax, who gives a somewhat fuller account of
the matter, in his letter to Oliva or Olivarius, abbot
of the church of Ansona, saying: “Meanwhile I will
inform thee of this heresy (thus he calls the true
faith of these people), which was on Innocent’s day,
in the city of Orleans; for it is the truth if thou hast
heard aught of it. King Robert caused fourteen of
the best or most nobly born laymen of said city to
be burned alive; who, (O, what a great falsehood!)
abominable before God, and hated by heaven and
earth, utterly denied the grace of holy baptism (he
means infant baptism, for thereupon the grace of
salvation was promised to children, which these
men denied) as well as the consecration of the body
and blood of the Lord, and denied that one could
thereby obtain remission of sins, after he had committed
a crime.” Masson Annal. Franc., lib. 3, in
Hugo and Robert.

Glaber Radulphus (in Hist. Gall., lib. 3, cap. 8),
gives a much more circumstantial account of these
martyrs, relating not only how this (so called) heresy
was discovered, but also how it was brought to
Orleans and propagated; which we, in order to be
brief, pass by.

He mentions, among others, two of these people
by name, namely, Heribert and Lisoius, who were
greatly esteemed and beloved by the king and the
lords of the realm, as long as their case was not
known. Glaber further relates how they were discovered.
They sought, at Rouen, to bring a certain
priest over to their belief, through some whom they
probably had expressly sent to this priest, to expound
to him the mystery of their doctrine, and
who endeavored to persuade him by saying that
very soon all the people would fall over to them.

256

When the priest understood this, he immediately
went to Richard, the Count of that city, and told
him the whole matter. The latter instantly sent
letters by express messengers to the King, informing
him of this secret pestilence (as he calls the true
faith). King Robert, much grieved at this, without
delay convened a council of many bishops, abbots,
and other religious persons (thus he calls this bloodthirsty
council), and, through them, caused very
strict investigations to be made, both as to the
authors and the adherents of said heresy. When
inquiry was made among the laymen, as to what
the belief and faith of each several one was, the
aforesaid Heribert and Lisoius immediately discovered
themselves, that they differed in their belief
from the Roman church, and afterwards others also
declared that they adhered to Heribert and Lisoius,
and that they could in no wise be drawn away from
their faith. Being interrogated more closely, whence
and by whom this presumption had originated, they
gave this answer: “This is what you have long
called a sect, which you now, though late, recognize.
But we have waited for a long time, that you as
well as all others, of whatever law or order, might
come over and unite with this sect; which, we also
believe, will yet take place.”

They then immediately presented their belief,
undoubtedly after the manner of the Albigenses and
Waldenses, as shall be shown hereafter.

When the King and all those present saw that
they could not be moved from their belief, he commanded
that a very large fire of wood should be
kindled not far from the city, in order that perhaps,
terrified thereby, they might desist from their belief.
But when they were about to be led out to the fire,
they cried aloud, saying, that they greatly longed
for it, and gave themselves into the hands of those
who were to draw them to the fire. They, thirteen
in number, were committed to the flames, and all
who afterwards were found to be their adherents,
were put to death by the same means.

Again, in the records of the parish church of
Orleans, called St. Maximus’ church, the time is
specified, when this took place. It occurred, it is
there stated, publicly at Orleans, A. D. 1022, in the
twenty-eighth year of King Robert, on the fifth
induction, when the arch-heretic Stephen and his
companions were condemned at Orleans, and burnt.

The above citations are taken from the writings
of papists; hence, the reader is admonished, to judge
charitably with regard to the accusations which these
inveterate adversaries have so bitterly cast up against
these pious witnesses of Jesus Christ.

257

Note.—We have related above, that said fourteen
martyrs have been considered, by the ancients,
as the firstlings of the Waldenses; but the papists
called them heretics. However, this is not to be
wondered at; since, in the course of time, they
adopted the practice of calling heretics and the
Waldenses by the same name. Of this we will present
a few examples. The priest Reinerius wrote a
book, which he called, Summa contra Hæreticos,
that is, “A Summary against the Heretics.” To
this book the Jesuits subsequently gave the title
Contra Waldenses, or, “Against the Waldenses;”
as if all the errors opposed in said book, were peculiar
to the Waldenses, which is as untrue as falsehood
itself. Compare Reinerius’ book with A. M.,
2d book, fol. 437, col. 4.

Everhard Berthuniensis gave to his book the title,
Antiheretisin, which is equivalent to saying Against
Heretics, etc.; but the Jesuit Gretserus, when he
published said book, called it, Everhardus contra
Waldensen; as if Everhard had written only against
the Waldenses, notwithstanding only the smallest
part militates against them. Nevertheless, it was
sought, by this title, to accuse the poor Waldenses
of all the heresies mentioned in that book.

Afterwards, one Ermegard wrote a book against
the grossly erring spirits who maintained in their
confession, that the world and all visible things were
not created by God, but (O what an awful falsehood!)
by Satan; which belief is imputed, by most
of the ancient writers, to the Manicheans; yet, the
last mentioned falsifier, namely, Gretserus, has not
hesitated to head such a page of said book, Ermegard
against the Waldenses; though the author
specially refuted the Manicheans, with whom the
Waldenses had nothing in common. See the abovementioned
authors and books, and also the comments
of Balthasar Lydius on the disputations of
said persons. Hence it follows from the foregoing,
that it need not seem strange to the reader, that the
papists called the orthodox Waldenses, or, at least,
such as opposed the Roman doctrine, as well as the
priests and monks, by the odious name of Manicheans
or heretics, as was frequently the case, and
shall presently be shown, with regard to the good
martyrs, who, through the malice of the papists,
were hanged at Goslar.

![Illustration from Martyrs’ Mirror](/sources/martyrs-mirror/images/i0531.jpg)



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