Sabotiers

Sabotiers, a name given to the Waldenses, from the sabots (sandals) worn by the French peasantry. The sabots of the Waldenses were, however, distinguished by a painted cross—insabbatati — or else by sandals tied crosswise. They are described in an epistle of Innocent III as "calciamenta desuper aperta" (Innocent, Ep. 15, 137); and other writers speak of the Waldenses as wearing sandals, after the custom of the apostles, and as walking with naked feet. Ebrard speaks of them contemptuously as assuming this name themselves: "Xabatenses a xabata potius, quam Christiani a Christo, se volunt appellari." The custom was doubtless adopted in imitation of the voluntary poverty of the apostles, and in accordance with the names "Pauperes de Lugduno" and "De Lombardia," which they assumed (Ebrard, Contr. Waldens. in Bibl. Lugd. [1572], 24).