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the Popish communion. This persecution of Waldo and his followers, (who were increased to a very great number,) began in France in the year 1060. Waldo being compelled to fly into the moantains of France, among the savage inhabitants, to whom he taught his doctrine; others fled into Picardy, from whence they were called Picards; several into Flanders and Alsatia, and thereby, for the safety of their own lives, they spread their doctrine into all places.
King Philip of France, being incited by the eclesiastics, raised arms against them, and destroyed 300 gentlemen's houses; and likewise wasted towns. And those that fled to Flanders escaped little better; for they were persecuted, and many of them for their religion put to death. The bishops of Mayence and Strasburgh raised great persecutions against those who fled thither, there being thirty-five citizens of Mayence burned in one fire, and eighteen in another, who suffered death with great constancy. And at Strasburgh, at the instance of the bishop, fourscore were likewise burned for professing the same truth; and yet by the exhortations, constancy and patience of these martyrs, there were such multitudes who entertained their doctrines, that in a few years after, in the county of Passau and in Bohemia, there were above fourscore thousand persons that made profession of the same faith. Some of them likewise fled into England for shelter, but were more barbarously and cruelly put to death at Oxford, by the Papists there, than ever any Christians were before that time, for matters of religion. Three years after, Pope Alexander the 3rd, made a decree in the Council of Tours, in
