Different People: The Picards

The Picards were basically French, but really were of mixed nationalities. They were a sect of the Neo-Adamites also known as the Bohemian Brethern. AS far back as the 1400's a force of 400 men, led by a military man known as the hero of Bohemia, had been sent there to exterminate the Picards because of their beliefs.

The members of this group lived in a communistic society, where they rejected marriage and held wives they shared in common.They also held that no one should be King except God himself and that government was in the hands of the people not anyone with power, such as nobles or knights. All taxes and laws were no longer to be enforced as they didn't believe in fortune or a distinction of rank. This upset the Roman Catholic Church no end. Despite all their efforts though, the religious group continued to grow and it is reported there was at one time 80,000 of them.

This did no dissuade the Roman Catholic church who was quick to call these people heretics because they were Protestant. They tried to rid themselves of this group again in 1500 during the Inquisition when they were accused of worshiping false Gods while in the in the nude and doing licentious things. However most of what was said was never proven or was highly exaggerated.

Many of their people were put to death, unless they changed their ways and even some of them that became Catholics did not avoid the wrath of the church. However many remained defiant and choice to believe the way they had. They were craftsmen, many of them weavers

When war broke out in 1635 between France and Spain they saw the writing on the wall and knew their days were numbered. So they found it dangerous to stay in their own country, which was said to have been named for their founder "one Picard of Flanders."

The northern part of Picardy's outlet was on the extreme northeast of England and so they headed for the English shores. This part of England was strongly Protestant and they felt they would be treated more fairly there. Many of the Picards fled the area and moved to England, as it behooved the Picards to try to get as far away as they could when the opportunity presented itself. Part of southern Picardy had already been annexed by France to the Isle of France. Many of the Picards ran for Belgium, Bohemia, and the Flemish Netherlands as well, but some even went in hiding in the Vermandois forests.

Gradually their way of life faded. They were separated into so many places that they found it easier to merge in to the society where they lived. However many continued to practice their beliefs in secret and may even until today.