VALDENSES, or Waldenses, in ecclesiatical history, a name given to a sect of reformers, who made their first appearance about the year 1160.

The origin of this famous sect, according to Moſheim, was as follows: Peter, an opulent merchant of Lyons, named Waldens, or Valdidus from Vaux or Waldum, a town in the marquifate of Lyons, being extremely zealous for the advancement of true piety and Christian knowledge, employed a certain priest called Stephanus de Eoſfa, about the year 1160, in translating from Latin into French the four Gofpels, with other books of Holy Scripture, and the moft remarkable sentences of the ancient doctors, which were so highly esteemed UBI VEE

Vandois Ubiquitarians.

esteemed in this century. But no sooner had he perused these sacred books with a proper degree of attention, than he perceived that the religion which was now taught in the Roman church, differed totally from that which was originally inculcated by Christ and his apostles. Struck with this glaring contradiction between the doctrines of the pontiffs and the truths of the Gospel, and animated with zeal, he abandoned his mercantile vocation, distributed his riches among the poor (whence the Waldenses were called poor men of Lyons), and forming an afflication with other pious men, who had adopted his sentiments and turn of devotion, he began in the year 1180 to assume the quality of a public teacher, and to instruct the multitude in the doctrines and precepts of Christianity.

Soon after Peter had assumed the exercise of his ministry, the archbishop of Lyons, and the other rulers of the church in that province, vigorously opposed him. However, their opposition was unsuccessful; for the purity and simplicity of that religion which these good men taught, the spotless innocence that shone forth in their lives and actions, and the noble contempt of riches and honour which was conspicuous in the whole of their conduct and conversation, appeared so engaging to all such as had any sense of true piety, that the number of their followers daily increased.—They accordingly formed religious assemblies, first in France, and afterwards in Lombardy, from whence they propagated their sect throughout the other provinces of Europe with incredible rapidity, and with such invincible fortitude, that neither fire, nor sword, nor the most cruel inventions of merciless persecution, could damp their zeal, or entirely ruin their cause.