"Ilphonsus, by the grace of God, King of Aragon, to all archbishops, bishops, and other prelates of the church of our kingdom; to all earls, viscounts, soldiers, and to all the people in our realm and under our dominion, greeting, and good wishes that the Christian religion may be maintained entire., "Whereas, it has pleased God, to place us over His people, it is right and just that we should constantly, and according to our ability, care for the safety, happiness and protection of said people; therefore, as faithful successors of our ancestors, and as being justly obedient to the ordinances of the church, who have deemed it well, that the heretics should everywhere be rejected, condemned and persecuted, from the face of God and of all Catholics; namely, the Waldenses or Insabbathi (that is, those who do not observe the Sabbaths or holydays of the Roman church), who call themselves Poor Men of Lyons, and all other heretics, of whom there are so many that they cannot all be enumerated, who have been excommunicated by the holy church, from our whole realm and dominion, as enemies of the cross of Christ, dishonorers of the Christian religion and our person, and open enemies of our realm, we command them to depart and flee from our kingdom., "If from this day on, any one shall receive said Waldenses and Insabbathi, or other heretics of whatever confession, into his house, or hear their pernicious preaching in any place, or give them food, or dare show them any other favor, be it known to the same, that he has incurred the disfavor of God and of us, that he is punishable for the crime of leze-majesty, and that his goods shall be confiscated without appeal., "And we command that this our decree and perpetual ordinance, in every city, castle, and village of our kingdom and jurisdiction, and throughout all the lands of our dominion, shall be read and presented every Sunday to the people for observance, by the bishops and other rulers of the church, and by our governors, bailiffs, justiciaries, and other magistrates, and that upon all offenders the aforesaid punishment shall be inflicted., "Be it further known: If any person, noble or ignoble, shall find any of the afore-mentioned heretics anywhere in our lands, who, after three days' proclamation, knowing this our decree, do not speedily depart, but obstinately remain; and shall inflict upon them every evil, ignominy, and disgrace, death and maiming alone excepted, he shall have to fear no punishment for it, but shall know, that he has much rather merited our favor thereby, and that his deed is pleasing and acceptable to us., "We, however, give these infamous heretics, though above their deserts and against reason, a respite till tomorrow, which is All Saints Day, to leave, or to begin leaving, our land. If thereafter any do still remain, we give to each and all of our subjects full authority, to rob and plunder them, to beat them with sticks, and to maltreat them shamefully.";
This decree was signed with the seal of Ilphonsus, King of Aragon, as well as with the seal of Bishop Regimund of Terragona, of the Bishop of Tiracisca, and of other bishops..The decree itself was made by William de Bassa, the king's notary A. D. 1194. Abr. Mell., 2d book, fol. 444. A. from Fr. Pegna Direct. Inqaisit., part 2, Comment 39. Also, Joan. Maviana Prefdt., in Lucani Tudens.
But what sort of execution followed upon this decree of Ilphonsus against the poor Waldenses in the kingdom of Aragon, it is not easy to know, since it seems that the historians of this century
