Foxe - The Book of Martyrs

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs
The marquis of Pianessa, that he might have the better opportunity of deluding and
surprising the Protestants of Roras, sent them word in answer, 'That he was perfectly satisfied
with their behavior, for they had done right, and even rendered a service to their country, as
the men who had attempted to pass the defile were not his troops, or sent by him, but a band
of desperate robbers, who had, for some time, infested those parts, and been a terror to the
neighboring country.' To give a greater colour to his treachery, he then published an
ambiguous proclamation seemingly favourable to the inhabitants.
Yet, the very day after this plausible proclamation, and specious conduct, the marquis
sent five hundred men to possess themselves of Roras, while the people as he thought, were
lulled into perfect security by his specious behavior.
Captain Gianavel, however, was not to be deceived so easily: he, therefore, laid an
ambuscade for this body of troops, as he had for the former, and compelled them to retire
with very considerable loss.
Though foiled in these two attempts, the marquis of Pianessa determined on a third,
which should be still more formidable; but first he imprudently published another
proclamation, disowning any knowledge of the second attempt.
Soon after, seven hundred chosen men were sent upon the expedition, who, in spite of
the fire from the Protestants, forced the defile, entered Roras, and began to murder every
person they met with, without distinction of age or sex. The Protestant captain Gianavel, at
the head of a small body, though he had lost the defile, determined to dispute their passage
through a fortified pass that led to the richest and best part of the town. Here he was
successful, by keeping up a continual fire, and by means of his men being all complete
marksmen. The Roman Catholic commander was greatly staggered at this opposition, as he
imagined that he had surmounted all difficulties. He, however, did his endeavors to force the
pass, but being able to bring up only twelve men in front at a time, and the Protestants being
secured by a breastwork, he found he should be baffled by the handful of men who opposed
him.
Enraged at the loss of so many of his troops, and fearful of disgrace if he persisted in
attempting what appeared so impracticable, he thought it the wisest thing to retreat.
Unwilling, however, to withdraw his men by the defile at which he had entered, on account
of the difficulty and danger of the enterprise, he determined to retreat towards Vilario, by
another pass called Piampra, which though hard of access, was easy of descent. But in this
he met with disappointment, for Captain Gianavel having posted his little band here, greatly
annoyed the troops as they passed, and even pursued their rear until they entered the open
country.
The marquis of Pianessa, finding that all his attempts were frustrated, and that every
artifice he used was only an alarm signal to the inhabitants of Roras, determined to act
openly, and therefore proclaimed that ample rewards should be given to any one who would
bear arms against the obstinate heretics of Roras, as he called them; and that any officer who
would exterminate them should be rewarded in a princely manner.
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