Account of the Persecutions of the Protestants in France, Edict
An EDICT of the French KING, Prohibiting all Publick Exerciſe of the Pretended Reformed Religion in His Kingdom.
LEWES, by the Grace of God, King of France and of Navarre, to all preſent and to come, Greeting. King Henry the Great, Our Grandfather of Glorious Memory, deſiring to prevent, that the Peace which he had procured for his Subjects, after the great Loſſes they had ſuſtained, by the long continuance of Civil and Forreign Wars, might not be diſturbed by occaſion of the pretended Reformed Religion, as it had been during the Reigns of the Kings his Predeceſſors, had by his Edict given at Nantes, in the Month of April, 1598. Regulated the Conduct which was to be obſerved with Reſpect to thoſe of the ſaid Religion, the places where they might publickly exerciſe the ſame, appointed extraordinary Judges, to adminiſter Juſtice to them; and laſtly, alſo by ſeveral diſtinct Articles provided for every thing, which he judged needful for the maintenance of Peace and Tranquility in his Kingdom, and to diminiſh the Averſion which was between thoſe of the one and other Religion; and this, to the end that he might be in a better condition for the taking ſome effectual courſe (which he was reſolved to do) to reunite thoſe again to the Church, who upon ſo ſlight occaſions had withdrawn themſelves from it. And foraſmuch as this Intention of the King, our ſaid Grandfather, could not be effected, by reaſon of his ſuddain and precipitated Death; and that the Execution of the foreſaid Edict was interrupted during the Minority of the late King, Our moſt Honoured Lord and Father, of Glorious Memory, by reaſon of ſome new Enter-priſes of thoſe of the pretended Reformed Religion, whereby they gave occaſion for their being deprived of ſeveral Advantages which had been granted to them, by the foreſaid Edict: Notwithſtanding, the King, Our ſaid late Lord and Father, according to his wonted Clemency, granted them another Edict at Niſmes, in the Month of July 1629, by means of which the Peace and Quiet of the Kingdom being now again re-eſtabliſhed, the ſaid late King, being animated with the ſame Spirit and Zeal for Religion, as the King our ſaid Grandfather was, reſolved to make good uſe of this Tranquility, by endeavouring to put this pious deſign in Execution, but Wars abroad, coming on a few years after, ſo that from the Year 1635, to the Truce which was concluded with the Princes of Europe, in 1684. The Kingdom having been only for ſome ſhort Intervals altogether free from troubles, it was not poſſible to do any other thing for the advantage of Religion, ſave only to diminiſh the number of places permitted for the Exerciſe of the Pretended Reformed Religion, as well by the Interdiction of thoſe which were found erected in prejudice to the diſpoſal made in the ſaid Edict, as by ſuppreſſing the mix'd Chambers of Judicature, which were compoſed of an equal number of Papiſts and Proteſtants, the erecting of which was only done by Proviſion, and to ſerve the preſent Exigency.
Whereas therefore at length it hath pleaſed God to grant, that Our Subjects enjoying a perfect Peace, and We Our ſelves being no longer taken up with the cares of protecting them againſt our Enemies, are now in a condition to make good uſe of the ſaid Truce, which we have on purpoſe facilitated, in order to the applying our ſelves entirely in the ſearching out of means, which might ſucceſsfully effect and accompliſh the deſign of the Kings, our ſaid Grandfather and Father, and which alſo have been our intention ever ſince we came to the Crown; we ſee at preſent (not without a juſt acknowledgment of what we owe to God on that account) that our endeavours have attain'd the end we propoſed to Our ſelves, foraſmuch as the greater and better part of our Subjects of the ſaid Pretended Reformed Religion have already embraced the Catholick, and ſice by means thereof, the Execution of the Edict of Nantes, and of all other Ordinances in favour of the ſaid Pretended Reformed Religion is made uſeleſs, we judge that we can do nothing better towards the entire effacing of the Memory of thoſe Troubles, Confuſion and Miſchief, which the Progreſs of that falſe Religion, hath been the cauſe of in Our Kingdom, and which have given occaſion to the ſaid Edict, and to ſo many other Edicts and Declarations which went before it, or were made ſince with reference thereto, than by a total Revocation of the ſaid Edict of Nantes, and the perticular Articles and Conceſſions granted therein, and whatſoever elſe hath been Enacted ſince in favour of the ſaid Religion.
I.
We m…k… known, that we, for theſe and other Reaſons us thereto moving, and of u…certain Knowledg, full Power and Royal Authority, have by the preſent perpetual and irrevocable Edict, Suppreſsd and Annull'd, do ſuppreſs and annul the Edict of the King, our ſaid Grand father, given at Nantes in April, 1598 in its whole extent, together with the particular Arcicles ratified the Second of May, next following, and Letters Patent granted thereupon; as likewiſe the Edict given at Niſmes, in July 1629. declaring them null and void, as if they had never been Enacted, together with all the Conceſſions granted in them, as well as other Declarations, Edicts, and Arreſts, to thoſe of the Pretended Reformed Religion, of what Nature ſoever they may be, which ſhall all continue as if they never had been. And in purſuance hereof, we Will, and it is our Pleaſure, that all the Churches of thoſe of the Pretended Reformed Religion, ſcituate in our Kingdom Countries, Lands, and Dominions belonging to us, be forthwith demoliſhed.
II.
We forbid our Subjects of the Pretended Reformed Religion to Aſſemble themſelves, for time to come, in order to the Exerciſe of their Religion, in any Place or Houſe under what Pretext ſoever, whether the ſaid places have been granted by the Crown, or permitted by the Judges of particular Places; any Arreſts of our Council, for Authorizing and Eſtabliſhing of the ſaid places for Exerciſe, notwithſtanding.
III.
We likewiſe prohibit all Lords, of what condition ſoever they may be, to have any publick Exerciſe in their Houſes and Fiefs, of what quality ſoever the ſaid Fiefs may be, upon Penalty to all our ſaid Subjects, who ſhall have the ſaid Exerciſes performed in their Houſes or otherwiſe, of Confiſcation of Body and Goods.
IV.
We do ſtrictly Charge and Command all Miniſters of the ſaid Pretended Reformed Religion, who are not willing to be Converted, and to embrace the Catholick Apoſtolick and Roman Religion, to depart out of our Kingdom and Countries under our Obedience, fifteen days after the Publication hereof, ſo as not to continue there beyond the ſaid term, or within the ſame, to Preach, Exhort, or perform any other Miniſterial Function, upon pain of being ſent to the Galleys.
V.
Our Will and Pleaſure is, that thoſe Miniſters who ſhall be converted, do continue to enjoy, during their Lives, and their Widows after their deceaſe, ſo long as they continue ſo, the ſame Exemptions from Payments and Quartering of Souldiers, which they did enjoy during the time of their Exerciſe of the Miniſterial Function. Moreover we will cauſe to be paid to the ſaid Miniſters, during their Lives a Penſion, which by a third Part ſhall exceed the appointed Allowance to them as Miniſters; the half of which Penſion ſhall be continued to their Wives, after their Deceaſe, as long as they ſhall continue in the ſtate of Widdow hood.
VI.
And in caſe any of the ſaid Miniſters ſhall be willing to become Advocates, or to take the Degree of Doctors in Law, we will and Ʋnderſtand that they be diſpenſedwith, as to the three Years of Study, which are preſcribed by our Declarations, as requiſite, in order to the taking of the ſaid Degree, and that after they have paſs'd the ordinary Examinations, they be forthwith received as Doctors, paying only the Moy…ty of thoſe dues which are uſually paid upon that account in every Ʋniverſity.
VII.
We prohibit any particular Schools for inſtructing the Children of thoſe of the Pretended Reformed Religion, and in general all other things whatſoever, which may imp…rt a Conceſſion of what kind ſoever, in favour of the ſaid Religion.
VIII.
And as to the Children which ſhall for the future be born of thoſe of the ſaid Pretended Reformed Religion, Our will and Pleaſure is, that henceforward they be baptized by the Curates of our Pariſhes; ſtrictly charging their reſpective Fathers and Mothers to take care they be ſent to Church in order thereto, upon Forfeiture of 500 Livres or more, as it ſhall happen. Furthermore, Our will is, that the ſaid Children be afterwards educated and brought up in the Catholick, Apoſtolick and Roman Religion, and give an expreſs Charge to all Our Juſtices, to take care the ſame be performed accordingly.
IX.
And for a Mark of our Clemenctowards thoſe of our Subjects of the ſaid Pretended Reformed Religion, who have retired themſelves out of our Kingdom, Countries and Territories, before the Publication of this our preſent Edict, our will and meaning is, that in caſe they return thither again, within the time of four Months, from the time of the Publication hereof they may, and it ſhall be lawful for them, to Re-enter upon the Poſſeſſion of their Goods and Eſtates, and enjoy the ſame in like manner, as they might have done in caſe they had always continued upon the place. And on the contrary, that the Goods of all thoſe, who within the ſaid time of four Months, ſhall not return into our Kingdom, Countries or Territories, under our Obedience, which they have forſaken, remain and be Confiſcated in purſuance of our Declaration of the 20th. of Auguſt laſt.
X.
We moſt expreſly and ſtrictly forbid all our Subjects of the ſaid pretended Reformed Religion, them, their Wives or Children, to depart out of our ſaid Kingdom, Countries, or Territories under our Obedience, or to Tranſport thence their Goods or Effects, upon penalty of the Gally, for Men, and of Confiſcation of Body and Goods for Women.
XI.
Our Will and Meaning is, that the Declarations made againſt thoſe who ſhall relapſe, be Executed upon them according t… their Form and Tenor.
Moreover, thoſe of the ſaid Pretended Reformed Religion, in the meantime, till it ſhall pleaſe God to enlighten them as well as others, may abide in the ſeveral reſpective Cities and Places of our Kingdoms, Countries and Territories under our Obedience, and there continue their Commerce, and enjoy their Goods and Eſtates, without being any way moleſted upon account of the ſaid Pretended Reformed Religion, upon condition nevertheleſs, as aforementioned, that they do not uſe any publick Religious Exerciſe, nor aſſemble themſelves upon the account of Prayer or Worſhip of the ſaid Religion, of what kind ſoever the ſame may be, upon forfeiture above ſpecified of Body and Goods.
Accordingly, We Will and Command our Truſty and Beloved Counſellors, the People holding our Courts of Aids at Paris, Bayliffs, Chief Juſtices, Provoſts, and other our Juſtices and Officers to whom it appertains, and to their Lieutenants, that they cauſe to be Read, Publiſhed and Regiſtred, this Our preſent Edict in their Courts and Juriſdictions, even in vacation time, and the ſame keep punctually, without contravening or ſuffering the ſame to be contravened; for ſuch is Our Will and Pleaſure. And to the end to make it a thing firm and ſtable, we have cauſed our Seal to be put to the ſame.
Given at Fountainbleau in the Month of October, in the Year of Grace 1685, and of Our Reign the 43.
Sealed with the Great Seal of Green-Wax, upon a Red and Green ſtring of Silk. Signed LEWES.
This ſignifies the Lord Chancellors peruſal. VISA. Le Tellier.
REgiſtred and Publiſhed, the Kings Procurator or Attorney General, requiring it, in order to their being Executed according to Form and Tenor, and the Copies being Examined and Compared, ſent to the ſeveral Courts of Juſtice, Bailywicks, and Sheriffs Courts of each Deſtrict, to be there entred and Regiſtred in like manner, and charge given to the Deputies of the ſaid Attorney General, to take care to ſee the ſame Executed and put in Force, and to certifie the Court thereof.
At Paris in the Court of Vacations the 22d. of October, 1685. Signed De la Baune.