Foxe - The Book of Martyrs

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs
This engaged Captain Mario, a bigoted Roman Catholic, and a desperate ruffian, to
undertake the enterprise. He, therefore, obtained leave to raise a regiment in the following
six towns: Lucerne, Borges, Famolas, Bobbio, Begnal, and Cavos.
Having completed his regiment, which consisted of one thousand men, he laid his plan
not to go by the defiles or the passes, but to attempt gaining the summit of a rock, whence
he imagined he could pour his troops into the town without much difficulty or opposition.
The Protestants suffered the Roman Catholic troops to gain almost the summit of the
rock, without giving them any opposition, or ever appearing in their sight: but when they
had almost reached the top they made a most furious attack upon them; one party keeping
up a well-directed and constant fire, and another party rolling down huge stones.
This stopped the career of the papist troops: many were killed by the musketry, and more
by the stones, which beat them down the precipices. Several fell sacrifices to their hurry, for
by attempting a precipitate retreat they fell down, and were dashed to pieces; and Captain
Mario himself narrowly escaped with his life, for he fell from a craggy place into a river
which washed the foot of the rock. He was taken up senseless, but afterwards recovered,
though he was ill of the bruises for a long time; and, at length he fell into a decline at Lucerne,
where he died.
Another body of troops was ordered from the camp at Vilario, to make an attempt upon
Roras; but these were likewise defeated, by means of the Protestants' ambush fighting, and
compelled to retreat again to the camp at Vilario.
After each of these signal victories, Captain Gianavel made a suitable discourse to his
men, causing them to kneel down, and return thanks to the Almighty for his providential
protection; and usually concluded with the Eleventh Psalm, where the subject is placing
confidence in God.
The marquis of Pianessa was greatly enraged at being so much baffled by the few
inhabitants of Roras: he, therefore, determined to attempt their expulsion in such a manner
as could hardly fail of success.
With this view he ordered all the Roman Catholic militia of Piedmont to be raised and
disciplined. When these orders were completed, he joined to the militia eight thousand
regular troops, and dividing the whole into three distinct bodies, he designed that three
formidable attacks should be made at the same time, unless the people of Roras, to whom he
sent an account of his great preparations, would comply with the following conditions:
(1). To ask pardon for taking up arms.
(2). To pay the expenses of all the expeditions sent against them.
(3). To acknowledge the infallibility of the pope.
(4). To go to Mass.
(5). To pray to the saints.
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