WALDO, a merchant of Lyons in the latter part of
the 12th century, who applying himself to the study of the
Scriptures, and finding no warrant there for several of the
Romish doctrines, particularly that of transubstantiation,
publicly opposed them. His followers, who from him were
called Waldenses, being chased from Lyons, spread over
Dauphine and Provence; upon which Philip II. is said to
have razed 300 gentlemen's seats, and destroyed several walled
towns to stop their growth; but this, instead of suppressing,
spread them over a great part of Europe. The articles of
their faith, which they drew up and dedicated to the king
of France, agreed in most points with those of the present
Protestants. In the year 1200, those of them who dwelt
in the province of Albigeois in Languedoc, from whence
they were called Albigenses, stood upon their defence; upon
which Philip drove them into Bohemia, Savoy, and Eng-
land. The crusade against them is said to have consisted of
500,000 men, who wore their crosses on their breasts, to
distinguish themselves from those who went to the Holy
Land, and wore them on their shoulders.