ildren
were born with black throats, with four rows of teeth, an bodies all
over hairy.

The duke was not so devoid of common sense as to give credit to what the
priests said, though they affirmed in the most solemn manner the truth
of their assertions. He, however, sent twelve very learned and sensible
gentlemen into the Piedmontese valleys, to examine into the real
characters of the inhabitants.

These gentlemen, after travelling through all their towns and villages,
and conversing with people of every rank among the Waldenses returned
to the duke, and gave him the most favourable account of those people;
affirming, before the faces of the priests who villified them, that they
were harmless, inoffensive, loyal, friendly, industrious, and pious:
that they abhorred the crimes of which they were accused; and that,
should an individual, through his depravity, fall into any of those
crimes, he would, by their laws, be punished in the most exemplary
manner. With respect to the children, the gentlemen said, the priests
had told the most gross and ridiculous falsities, for they were neither
born with black throats, teeth in their mouths, nor hair on their
bodies, but were as fine children as could be seen. "And to convince
your highness of what we have said, (continued one of the gentlemen), we
have brought twelve of the principal male inhabitants, who are come to
ask pardon in the name of the rest, for having taken up arms without
your leave, though even in their own defence, and to preserve their
lives from their merciless enemies. And we have likewise brought several
women, with children of various ages, that your highness may have an
opportunity of personally examining them as much as you please."

The duke, after accepting the apology of the twelve delegates,
conversing with the women, and examining the children, graciously
dismissed them. He then commanded the priests, who had attempted to
mislead him, immediately to leave the court; and gave strict orders,
that the persecution should cease throughout his dominions.

The Waldenses had enjoyed peace many years, when Philip, the seventh
duke of Savoy, died, and his successor happened to be a very bigoted
papist. About the same time, some of the principal Waldenses proposed,
that their clergy should preach in public, that every one might know the
purity of their doctrines: for hitherto they had preached only in
private, and to such congregations as they well knew to co