The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 21 (Tonneins) · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. A Memorial of our Grievances, and Petitions exhibited and debated in the National Synod of Tonneins, and judged meet to be preſented unto the Mixt Provincial Aſſemblies, and from them to be brought unto the National Political Aſſembly, and recommended to their conſideration by all the Provinces, and particularly to the ſpecial care of our General Deputies, till that Meeting.
1. THE firſt grievance complained of by the Province of Orleans was, that the Lord of Denonville having been fully juſtified by Decree and Proclamation of the Chamber of the Edict at Paris from all matters laid unto his charge; yet he was nevertheleſs deprived of his Office of Lieutenan unto the the Lord Duke of Sully in the City of Gergean. The Aſſembly enjoined all the Deputies to complain of this Act of Injuſtice unto the mixt Aſſemblies of the Provinces now at hand; and to ſee this their, complaint entred and regiſtred in the Memoirs which ſhall be preſented unto the ſaid General Aſſembly. And in the mean while the Lord our General Deputies are intreated to continue their purſuits and endeavours for reſtoring him unto his Office, and to renew their requeſt at Court for it, unleſs there be ſome other Government conferred upon him.
2. That change made in the City of Alez by Monſieur Riband a Popiſh Gentleman, reported in the name of the Province of Sevennes by Monſieur des Mareſts a Paſtor, as found to be exceeding prejudicial to our Rights and Priviledges, and to our cautionary Towns. And it was ordered that this ſhould be joined unto the former complaint.
3. Alſo that bold attempt of the Franciſcan Friars to join the new buildings of their Convent with the very Walls of Caſtel-jaloux, to the damage of that our Cautionary Town.
4. Item, That affair of the Church of Montlimard, who oppoſed the reception of the Friars Recollect into their Town; becauſe that in our Cautionary Town, nothing ſhould be changed, but all things ſhould continue as they were at firſt.
5. Alſo that affair concerning the ſetling and eſtabliſhment of the Church of Valence, near unto the City, which hath been hinder'd by dividing the Commiſſioners.
6. Item, the notorious Injuſtice uſed towards the Inhabitants of Landes in the Higher Languedoc, the Apoſtate Senerac being made their Judge, and having gotten a Commiſſion to bring at any time all his affairs before the Privy Council; by means whereof he tyrannizeth over all perſons, with whom he hath any Proceſſes of Law, or that ſhall have a Suit with him.
7. That affair of the Church of Pouſanges in Poictou, who have endeavoured to take off the Prohibition laid upon them for building their Temple, altho' they have an undoubted Right for ſo doing of above forty years ſtanding, and they have Preaching without any hinderance or denial in the Market-houſe.
8. The Suſpenſion of Monſieur de Valobſance, Counſellor in the Preſidial Court of Montpellier, becauſe he was of Counſel for the Province againſt them of Aigueſmortes, is another ;juſt grievance.
9. The Concern of the Son of Monſieur Ravy, put by from his Office of Lieutenant in the Company of Montpellier, although the Churches had a ſpecial Order for it under the late King's own Signet, and which he had enjoyed for divers years, is another grievance.
10. The grievances and troubles of Monſieur Cardett and other Gentlemen vexed by the Lady Counteſs of Auvergne, who hath, in direct oppoſition to the Edict by Letters of Evocation, removed their buſineſs from the Court of Caſtres to that of Paris.
11. The Complaints of thoſe of Lower Languedoc about the Government of Pecquaire, whereof Captain Gautier having been Governour by Commiſſion and Letters Patent, yet is now adjoyned unto that of Salines, which belongs unto the Governour of Aigueſmortes.
12. The Churches in the Principality of Bearn united with ours in Doctrine and Diſcipline, received and admitted heretofore by their Deputies into our General Aſſemblies, and into the laſt National Synod by their Deputies Dyſerotte and Naguett, reported their very uncertain eſtate, and the many dangers ſurrounding them, and wherewith they be menaced, by the unhappy diviſions in the Houſe of Benac, and others banded, againſt the Lord Duke de la Force, which will throw them into a very miſerable condition; eſpecially ſince Popiſh Prieſts and Eccleſiaſticks have full Liberty as they do to over-run their Countrey. This Aſſembly doth now more cordially than ever imbrace their Union and Communion, and deputeth from us the Sieurs de Vilarnou and de Chambaran unto the ſaid Lord's to exhort them unto concord ; who having returned, and given an account of their Commiſſion, reported the great difficulties they meet with to reconcile them, by reaſon of the obſtinacy of one of the Parties, and the ſtaggering condition of the ſaid Churches, which exceedingly need the Aſſiſtance of our's in France to be a buttreſs and ſupport unto them. It intreats therefore the General Deputies to have eſpecial and particular reſpect and care of their concerns, and to deal for them at the Council with the very ſelf-ſame affection and diligence, as for the Churches of France in all matters needful for them, particularly to get for them ſome effectual order to redreſs the grievances with which they be ſo very much burdened and afflicted. And this alſo ſhall be repreſented unto the Provinces, and by them it ſhall be carried unto the General Aſſembly, unto which alſo the Deputies of the Principality of Beans ſhall bring their Memoirs and Inſtructions as well about the affairs before-mentioned of the Lord Duke de la Force and Benac, (provided it be not ſince made up and compoſed,) as about all others tending to their preſervation.
13. The affair of Monſieur de Villemade about his penſion promiſed him out of the Privy Purſe in regard of his great ſufferings ſhall be once more recommended unto the next General Aſſembly.
14. The affair of the Sieurs de Labe Father and Son, who, contrary to the priviledge of their Profeſſion were both by an Order of Council deprived of their Appeal, and remanded over to the Parliament of Bourdeaux.
15. The Sieurs de la Combe and Bigot having been diſcharged from that Commiſſion given them at Privas, this Aſſembly gave order unto the Provincial Deputies to report the true eſtate of our matters againſt Monſieur Pallot, viz. That nothing elſe could be gotten beſides a ſorry anſwer unto a Petition preſented from us, that he might be compelled to make payment of the juſt debt owing by him unto our Churches upon the clearing up of his Account, amounting to 24900 l. Which yet hath been fruitleſs and ineffectual. And whereas the above named Commiſſioners had charged on him another greater debt of above 200000 l. The ſaid Pallot defended himſelf from all payments with this Evaſion, that either thoſe Moneys were diverted to other uſes, or they were Non-Valoirs, being never paid in unto him. And therefore altho the ſaid Commiſſioners Bigot and de la Combe have received the thanks of this Synod; yet they were ordered to put into the hands of our General Deputies all papers in their Cuſtody relating to this affair. And that for the future, the matter having been once laid open before the Provinces, it ſhall be recommended to a General Aſſembly to embrace the proſecution of it, and to follow their Majeſties with our moſt humble requeſts, that we may be paid the ſaid ſums according to the Intention of their warrants granted us at firſt, and other orders in purſuance of their firſt, truly and faithfully without any deductions for Non-Valoirs.
16 The Inhabitants alſo of the Bareny de Combata in Sevennes, who in ſeven Towns for the greateſt part of them being Proteſtants, are yet deprived of their Temples, and all exerciſe of the Reformed Religion, and conſtrained to travel many a long Journey, and expoſe themſelves to a world of inconveniences, that they may worſhip God according to his holy word, and all becauſe they have a Popiſh Landlord, who yet would not oppoſe the re-eſtabliſhment of their Churches, provided it were ordained by the ſupream Authority. And let it be particularly obſerved, that in one of the Towns of that Barony, called Vie there was a Church and Paſtor in the year 1561.
17. The other Provinces are exhorted to joyn with that of Dolphiny to obtain a ſufficient time for the poor Communalties and Villages in the Bailywick of Greſivaudan to recover their juſt rights from their wicked Popiſh debtors, and that all proceedings at law againſt them may ceaſe and be vacated, becauſe the Commiſſioners appointed to judge between them were not the one half Proteſtants as they ſhould have been, and becauſe that the Reſpit of three months allotted them to bring in their Appeal before the Chamber of the Edict at Grenoble was too ſhort, and could do them no ſervice: The Writ of Appeal not having paſt the Seal, till the time was lapſt, and the three months already expired. During which time the Syndick of the Communalties got a Writ of Forecluſion againſt the ſaid Creditors.
18. The affair of the Church of Monoſque and Tourves, who having got an Order of Council, that of Monoſques to build a Temple for the worſhip of God neat unto their place of abode, and that of Tourves within their own bounds, as being priviledged, becauſe a Bailywick, yet could never obtain unto this day, that thoſe orders ſhould be put in execution.
19. Laſtly there is recommended to them the affairs of the Churches of Antibe, Forqualq…ier, and Derbordes, which although they had proved inconteſtably that the worſhip of God according to our Reformed Religion was publickly in uſe and exereciſe among them in the year 1577. Yet notwithſtanding Judgment is ſtill ſuſpended to their very great prejudice.