otecting their prince at the risk of their own safety,
also inflicted great injury upon the French troops when obliged to raise
the siege of Turin. Indeed the vexations to which the Vaudois were
subjected by the interference of the French court as the ready instrument
of papal cruelty and intolerance provoked the kindly interposition of
Frederick I. of Prussia on their behalf. However, Amadeus would not protect
the converts from Catholicism, although he was firm in maintaining the
rights of the Vaudois within the narrow limits which had been conceded.
Still these faithful subjects of the House of Savoy had to bear many
grievous acts of injustice, from which they were exempted by the express
words of the royal edicts. However, they endured all these irritations from
papal lawlessness without being led away by the seductive promises and the
illusory hopes of freedom and happiness which so largely unsettled the
continent of Europe by the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789.
Indeed so sensitive were they of anything which might bring their loyalty
into question that they actually suspended one of their pastors from his
functions for six months because he had inadvertently alluded to
revolutionary principles from his pulpit! I may add that the same principle
of wise abstention from all political discussions still characterize the
Vaudois pastors, both in the valleys and the mission-field of the Italian
peninsula.

In the wars between France and Savoy at this time the Vaudois had the
guardianship of the frontiers entrusted to them. In 1793 the French tried
hard to move the Vaudois from their fidelity by the most attractive
promises of civil and religious liberty. Although they refused to listen to
these promises, yet the ready tongue of calumny took advantage of
circumstances connected with the surrender of the fort of Mirabocco to
asperse their integrity. Investigation showed that if Musset (the only
Vaudois officer present at the time) had been in command, the place would
have been defended to the last. Still such was the spirit engendered by
popish fanaticism, that a most frightful conspiracy to murder the
defenceless Vaudois women and children of San Giovanni and La Torre, while
their fathers and brothers were all away guarding the frontiers, was
concocted. Happily for the credit of Christianity and humanity it was
discovered and revealed in time by two members of the Romish faith, who
were too honourable to sanction