The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 22 (2nd Vitré) · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Appeals.
1. AN Appeal being brought by the Church of St. Fulgent, from the Sentence given out againſt them, in the Provincial Synod of Poictou, held at Touars, which had ordained, that Monſieur de la Beguadiere, ſhould continue with the Church of Montague. This Aſſembly having ſeen the Memoirs of the ſaid Church of St. Fulgent, produced by the Provincial Deputies of Brittain, and heard the ſaid de la Begaudiere ſpeak for himſelf, judgeth that the Appeal ought not to be admitted, and confirmeth the Decree of the ſaid Provincial Synod of Touars, yet it doth alſo ordain, that the Province of Poictou ought to conſider the neceſſity of that Church of St. Fulgent, leſt it ſhould be at laſt diſſipated for want of a Paſtor.
2. The Church of Rochefoucault, Tonneins p. m. 8.appealing from a Decree of the Provincial Synod of Xaintonge, held at Rochel, which had ordained, that the Colledge there eſtabliſhed ſhould be transferr'd unto the Town of Pons, and the City and Church of St. John d' Angely appealing from the ſaid Ordinance, and demanding that the Colledge might be fixed with them. This Aſſembly judgeth that the ſaid Province ought not to have made the ſaid Tranſlation, and therefore confirmeth unto the Church of Rochefoucault the Colledge until the ſitting of the next National Synod, when, in caſe it ſhall appear, that the ſaid Colledge hath not been well-maintained, nor the youth duly educated and inſtructed; The ſaid Synod may remove it unto that place where they conceive it will be moſt beneficial to the Church and Province: and the Church of St. John d' Angely, are exhorted to erect of themſelves a Colledge, ſince God hath bleſſed them with means and ability for ſo doing, and the National Synod taking notice of their duty in this particular, ſhall give them ſuch Incouragement as in its wiſdom ſhall be judged needful.
3.Alez. Obſerv. upon this Synod. Monſieur Beauchamp Paſtor of the Church of Belin, appealed from the judgment of the Province of Brittain, and his Appeal was received, although his affair were of that kind, which might be decided finally by the Neighbour Province. This Synod therefore amending the Judgment of the aforeſaid Province, ordaineth, That Supplicatory Letters ſhall be written unto the Lord Duke of Rohan, that the Intendant of his Houſhold do perform the Agreement which was made with the ſaid Monſieur Beauchamp; and in caſe it be not done, that then the Province ſhall ſee him ſatisfied; becauſe that during theſe four years wherein the ſaid Sieur Beauchamp hath officiated as Miniſter in the Family of the ſaid Lord Duke, the Province received that portion of Moneys from the Kings Bounty, which belonged to the ſaid Monſieur Beauchamp.
This Mahaut afterward revolted.4. The Sieur Mahaut had his Appeal admitted againſt the Judgment of the Province of Brittain, although he was freed from it, and ſet in the Catalogue of Paſtors to be diſpoſed of and provided for by this National Synod; and in caſe before the breaking up of this Aſſembly he be not preſented unto a Church, he ſhall be wholly at his own Liberty, to diſpoſe of himſelf in any Province of this Kingdom, where God ſhall be pleaſed to call him. And the Lord of Candal is requeſted to retain in his hands a portion belonging unto Miniſters to be paid into that Province where ever he ſhall be imployed as a Paſtor. And for as much as the Province of Brittain hath received in his name the moneys granted us from his Majeſty's Bounty, they ſhall make him reſtitution, and reimburſe him all the arrears of his portion free of all Coſts, Taxes, and Charges whatſoever, deducting only what he hath received of that money from the time in which he quitted the Church of La Muſſaye until now.
5. The Church of St. Martyn appealed from a Decree of the Synod of Sevennes, which had ſeparated it from the Churches of Brenons and La Molouze. This Aſſembly approved of that their Decree, but yet injoineth the ſaid Province to take care that the Miniſtry of the Goſpel of Chriſt be conſtantly kept up in the Church of St. Martyn, and that they do give them all neceſſary ſupplies out of the monies of his Majeſties Bounty aſſigned unto the ſaid Province.
6. Monſieur Clemenceau Paſtor of the Church of Poictiers, appealing from the Synod of Poictou, which in prejudice to the Colloquy of Higher Poictou had ordered 50 l. to be taken out of the 150 Livers, aſſigned by the ſaid Colloquy to the Son of the ſaid Sieur Clemenceau, and given unto the Son of Monſieur de Faure, Paſtor of the Church of Aubenas: This Aſſembly ratifying the judgment of the ſaid Colloquy reverſeth that of the Synod, which is injoined out of their own ſtock, attributed to them, to raiſe fifty Livers for the young le Favre.
Tonneins Obſerv. 7. on the former Synod.7. The Church of Niort appealing from the Judgment of the Province of Poictou, which refuſed to allow them their charges which they had diſburſed in getting a ſupply during the abſence of Monſieur Chauffepied their Paſtor, who was ſent unto the laſt political Aſſembly. This Synod declares that this affair is of that kind which ought to be finally determined by a Neighbour Province: but yet for ſome weighty reaſons and motives it doth at preſent accept of their Appeal, and amending the Decree of that Provincial Synod, ordaineth that the Canon made in the National Synod of Tonneins be put in Execution; and whereas the ſaid Church of Niort have been at needleſs Expences in ſeeking Miniſters to ſupply them abroad, without the Province, all their Coſts and Charges ſhall be limited and reſtrained to the ſum of two hundred Livers, to be payed them out of the monies allotted unto the ſaid Province, nor ſhall Monſieur Chauffepied be at all obliged to make any reſtitution out of the monies given him for his pains and travel unto the ſaid General Aſſembly.
8. The Church of Chaſtelheraut appealing from a judgment of the Province of Poictou, their Appeal was admitted, notwithſtanding it had been decreed otherwiſe in former National Synods. Though ſtill the Provinces be exhorted to conform themſelves unto their Orders, of elſe they ſhall be remanded back re infectâ, who ever bring unto theſe Aſſemblies matters which may and ought to be judged in a Neighbour Province; and therefore amending the Sentence of the Synod of Poictou, it ordaineth, that whereas the Church of Chaſtelheraut had exhibited an hundred Livers towards the maintenance of a certain Fellow named Pichon, formerly a Franciſcan Fryar, the Province of Poictou ſhall reimburſe the ſaid Church the ſum of fifty Livers.
9. Monſieur Paul Bonnet formerly Paſtor in the Church of Saujon, Alez. Obſ. 17. on this Synod.appealing from the judgment of the Colloquy of the Iſles, and ſince from that of the Provincial Synod of Xaintonge, which had ratified the Sentence of the ſaid Colloquy, by vertue whereof he was ſuſpended the holy Miniſtry, until ſuch time as he had fully cleared himſelf from that crime whereof he was impeached and accuſed. This Aſſembly having heard the Deputies of that Province, and the Arguments and grounds of their proceedings againſt him, and the ſaid Bonnet ſpeak in his own defence; approved the Decrees both of the Synod and Colloquy, and ordained that his ſuſpenſion ſhould be continued until the next meeting of the Provincial Synod of Poictou, which will be about ſix months hence: and at preſent doth Commiſſionate the Sieurs Cheſneau Paſtor of the Church of S. Maixant, and Papin Paſtor of the Church of St. Hermin, to take with them each an Elder, either from their own or the Neighbour Churches at their own choice, and to paſs over unto thoſe places at the charges of the Province of Xaintonge, where the Crimes of which he ſtands accuſed, were committed, and they ſhall make ſtrict and particular inquiry into the truth of them, and make report thereof unto the ſaid Provincial Synod, who ſhall judge finally by authority from this Aſſembly of the whole affair, either by aggravating his Cenſure in Caſe he be found guilty, or by reſtoring the ſaid Bonnet, if innocent, unto the holy Miniſtry, which yet he ſhall never any more exerciſe within the ſaid Province of Xaintonge; and till this judgment be executed, the ſaid Bonnet ſhall be received into Communion with us at the Lord's Table, but in another Church than that of Saujon. And that portion of moneys given us by his Majeſty, and received under his name by the Province of Xaintonge, ſhall be detained by the Receiver of the ſaid Province, to be reſtored to him free of all Taxes and Coſts from the time of his deprival, in caſe he be declared innocent, abſolv'd, and juſtified; but and if he be found guilty, the ſaid Province ſhall be reſponſible for it in their accounts unto the next National Synod. And whereas the Church of Saujon demands reimburſement of coſts expended by them during Bonnets abſence, they be remanded back unto the ſaid Province of Poictou, who ſhall judge definitively herein, and the next Synod of Xaintonge ſhall come to an account with the Church of Saujon, and pay them all their charges which are in juſtice due unto them, without expecting the Declaration of that final Judgment, which was before mentioned.
10. The Church of Belin having appealed from a Decree of the Synod of Brittain, which had ordained the ſaid Church to reimburſe Monſieur de la Place Paſtor of the Church of Sion, a certain ſum of moneys owing by them unto Monſieur Aveline his Father-in-Law deceaſed: The whole buſineſs was diſmiſſed over to the Conſiſtory of this Church of Vitré, becauſe it was not of that nature or moment as to be brought hither, or determined by theſe Aſſemblies.
11. The Appeal of the Church of Beziers from a Decree of the Synod of Lower Languedoc, which had refuſed to give them two ſupernumerary portions, is rejected; becauſe the ſaid Church neither ſent any Memoirs about it, nor any one to report the true Cauſes of their ſaid Appeal.
12. The Appeal of the Church of Genouillac from a Judgment of the Synod of Lower Languedoc is alſo rejected and declared null, becauſe they ſent not any Memoir about it: and the Reverend and Learned Monſieur De Croy is confirmed in the Paſtoral Office of the Church of Beziers.
13. Whereas the Lord of Soubeyran, Conſul of the City of Aimargues, and certain Inhabitants of the ſaid City have appealed unto this preſent Aſſembly from the Synod of Lower Languedoc, which had confirmed Monſieur Boulet in the Paſtoral Office of their Church, and had refuſed to reſtore unto them Monſieur Laurent; neither of thoſe perſons having appeared for them, nor having ſent any Memoirs unto the National Synod, they were declared to be fallen from their Appeal, and to have loſt all benefit and advantage by it; and the Judgment of the Provincial Synod was now ratified, and the rather, becauſe the Elder of the ſaid Church yielded his conſent unto it in the name of the Conſiſtory, and farther declared, that the Miniſtry of the ſaid Monſieur Boulet was exceeding edifying and ſucceſsful, and very acceptable unto the whole Church. Wherefore the Colloquy of Niſmes is charged to purſue the oppoſers of Monſieur Boulet's Miniſtry and ſettlement there, with all Church-Cenſures.
14. The Church of Privas appealed from a Decree of the Synod of Vivaretz, Privas Art. 10. of Colledges.which had transferr'd their Colledge, ſetled in their Town, and confirmed by the National Synod there in the year 1612. unto the Churches of Aubenas and Annonay: but they not appearing about it, nor ſending any Memoirs unto this Aſſembly, the ſaid Appeal was laid by until the next National Synod.
15. Another Appeal of the ſame Church of Privas, which was brought in from a Judgment of the Synod of Vivaretz, that had injoined them to pay unto the Widow of Monſieur Valeton deceaſed, the remainder of his Wages due unto him, as alſo what he had disburſed out of his own pocket for their ſervice, was declared null, and the Judgment of that Synod ratified.
16. The Judgment of the Synod of Burgundy declaring, that the Church of Maſcon could not lay any claim of right unto the Miniſtry of Monſieur de la Coſte, Paſtor of the Church of Dijon, was approved, and the Appeal of the Church of Maſcon made void, and the ſaid Sieur de la Coſte is confirmed in his Miniſtry to the Church of Dijon.
17. Monſieur de St. Stephens preſented Memoirs from the Church of Cailla, appealing from a Decree of the Synod of Lower Languedoc, and offering ſeveral reaſons for their Appeal, demonſtrating the ſingular benefit their Church would receive by the Miniſtry of Monſieur de Gaſſaigne, and petitioned this Aſſembly to beſtow him upon them; and to remove the Sieur Terond unto the ſervice of ſome other Church. The Deputies of the ſaid Province having been heard ſpeaking for it; the Appeal of the Church of Cailla was judged not receivable, and Monſieur Terond was confirmed in his Miniſtry among them upon thoſe conditions expreſſed in their Synodical Decree, and the ſaid Judgment is the rather confirmed, becauſe the Church of Manacelles will not conſent that the ſaid de Gaiſſaigne their Paſtor ſhould be taken from them.
18. The Appeal of the Church de la Mote from the Judgment of the Province of Poictou was not received, becauſe the matter of it might be finally determined at home in their own Province, and for that the Church had not ſent any perſon nor Memoirs to maintain and proſecute this their Appeal.
19. Samuel du Freſnay, Student in Divinity, appealed from the Decree of the Synod of Normandy held at Falaiſe in Aprill ſixteen hundred and ſixteen, by which he was ſuſpended the Lord's Supper; and becauſe they had ordained his ſuſpenſion to be publiſhed unto the Congregation, and laſtly for that they had threatned him with Excommunication out of the Church, for Errors in point of Doctrine maintained by him quite contrary to his promiſe made of abjuring them, and that he would never any more vend and utter them, cither by word or writing. He appearing perſonally in this Aſſembly, was heard ſpeak for himſelf, as alſo the Deputies of the Province on behalf of their Synod: And this affair after a full hearing of both the Parties being found to be of very great Importance, the Sieurs Joſion, Montdenys, Courant, Chambrun, and Chamvernon, Paſtors, were Commiſſionated to examine the ſaid du Freſnay, and to inform him of the matters reported, and to bring in their report of the whole unto this Aſſembly. Since that, the ſaid Commiſſioners having inform'd us, that they had heard, and convinced him by the word of God, of Errors againſt the Article of Chriſt's laſt coming unto judgment, this Synod did give him another hearing, and convicted him of that, and divers other opinions, ſhaking the very foundation of our Chriſtian Doctrine, and he obſtinately perſiſting in thoſe his Errors, and refuſing to give glory unto God by abjuring of them: This Aſſembly approving all former actings and proceedings againſt him, and of that Sentence paſt upon him in the Synod of Normandy, and as yet reſpiting their own judgment concerning him, do give him the ſpace of four days ſeriouſly to conſider of thoſe Inſtructions which have been now afforded him: and that time expired, the ſaid Du Freſné preſented himſelf before us, and did by word of mouth, and under his own hand-writing declare, that he renounced all thoſe aforeſaid Erroneous Tenents aſſerted by him, and that he was very much diſpleaſed with himſelf to have believed and publiſhed them, and that he deſireth to live and die in the purity of God's holy word taught in the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom. Upon which Declaration the Synod praiſed God for his acceptance of them, and their poor indeavours, and received the ſaid du Freſné unto the Peace of the Church, and did immediately take off his Conſure, and ordered all his Writings, which were brought hither, together with his Retractation, ſhould be depoſited in the hands of Monſieur Rivet our Moderator and Paſtor of the Church of Touars; and though it doth not deprive him of his hopes to continue his ſtudies in Divinity, yet it doth not judge expedient that he be called out unto the Miniſtry till the ſitting of the next National Synod, in which he ſhall produce good and valuable Atteſtations from the places and Univerſities in which he ſhall make his abode, how much he hath profited by thoſe Inſtructions given him, and in caſe he ratify his preſent proteſtations made in this Aſſembly (who are Ear-Witneſſes of them) by his after actions and Converſation, then we do ordain, that out of the common Fund of the Churches moneys, the Lord du Candal, our Receivor General, ſhall put into the hands of the Conſiſtory of the Church of Saumur, the ſum of two hundred Livers, to defray his expences in that City, and for every year henceforward the ſum of one hundred and fifty Livers, until the ſitting of the next National Synod, and this for to ſupport and incourage him in his Studies, either at Geneva, Saumur, or any other of our Univerſities in this Kingdom.
20. The Appeal of Monſieur de Bedaride, from a Decree of the Provincial Synod of Dolphiny, is diſmiſſed over unto the next Synod of Lower Languedoc, unto which the Sieurs Bedaride, and Maurice, who was formerly Paſtor of the Church of Orange, and at preſent of that of Aiguieres in Provence, ſhall give their perſonal preſence, that they may be heard on thoſe matters they have to offer, and that Synod ſhall, by the Authority of this Aſſembly, make a final determination of that affair, as alſo of that Complaint of Monſieur Julian the Elder againſt Monſieur Maurice; and thoſe ſeveral Parties ſhall not be ſuffered in any wiſe to produce any Proceſſes but what are purely Eccleſiaſtical.
21. Maſter Paul Maurice Paſtor of the Church of Aiguieres in Provence, appealed from a Decree of the Synod of Dolphiny, which had diſannull'd the promiſe made by the Colloquy of Valentinois unto the ſaid Maurice, for receiving his Son into the Catalogue of Scholars, Penſioners in the ſaid Colloquy. This Aſſembly ordaineth that the Canon made by the Province of Dolphiny, about the reception of Scholars Penſioners, ſhall for the future be obſerved, and the Son of the ſaid Maurice ſhall have the reverſion of the next Penſion for a young Scholar, in whatſoever Colloquy of the ſaid Province it becomes Vacant.
22. The appeal of the Church of Breau and Aulais, from the Decree of the Provincial Synod of Sevennes, is declared null, and the judgment of the ſaid Synod is confirmed.
23. The Church of Quiſſac appealing from the Synod of Sevennes, their Appeal is declared null, becauſe they ſent no Memoirs concerning it unto this Aſſembly: and therefore the judicial Sentence of the ſaid Synod was ordered to be put in Execution.
24. The Church of Rochecouart was heard in their Appeal from the Decree of the Synod of Poictou, and the Deputies of that Church were told, that the Synodical Decree againſt them was confirmed, and the Paſtors of Rochebeaucourt and Vertueil, and Monſieur Peterin an Elder deputed unto this Aſſembly from the Province of Xaintonge, were ordered out of hand to go unto the ſaid Church of Rochecouart, and to uſe their beſt endeavour to appeaſe the differences in it, and to reunite its divided Members, and to deſire Monſieur Fourgaud, their Paſtor, to deveſt himſelf of the burden of his Paſtoral Office in it, we granting him, in conſideration of his great and continual Maladies, that he ſhall be Emeritus, and only preach unto them, when his own conveniencies and health may permit him.
25. That Appeal of the Church of Tours, from the judgment of the Province of Anjou, was diſmiſſed over to the Synod of Poictou, who ſhall put a final Period to it, by the Authority of this Aſſembly.
26. The Appeal of the Church of Ʋſez, from the judgment of the Synod of Lower Languedoc, is declared null, and the Miniſtry of Monſieur Fauchet is confirm'd in the Church and Univerſity of Niſmes.
27. The Church of Aulais appealed from a judgment of the Synod of Sevennes, and ſent Letters and Memoirs about it unto this Aſſembly, which accepted of their Appeal againſt the Decree of the ſaid Synod, and declared, That the Church of*Another Copy has B…ize, another B…ez, and another B…u…ezz. Brunize ſhall be for the future annext unto that of Aulais, according to their own deſire, and requeſt, unto this Aſſembly, by their Letters written to us.
28. Monſieur Banconis, Paſtor of the Church of Tonneins, appealed from the judgment of the Synod of Lower Guyenne, for that they had diſmiſſed Monſieur Marmett from being their Miniſter, and had fixed him in the Paſtoral Charge of the Church, gathered in the Houſe of that moſt Illuſtrious Prince the Lord Duke of Rohan. But this Aſſembly declared, that the Appeal ought not to be admitted by them, becauſe that very Synod hath full power finally to determine of this affair, and doth therefore ratify this Synodical Decree.
29. The Sieur Colinet, Paſtor of the Church of Paray, having appealed from the judgment of the Synod of Burgundy, which had ordained, that he and Monſieur Gravier his Collegue, ſhould ſerve the Church of Bourbon, their Appeal was declared null and void, becauſe he neither ſent Letters nor Memoirs about it unto this Aſſembly.
30. The Sieurs Charon, la Foſſe, and Gillet, appealing from the Synod of Lower Guyenne, for reſtoring Monſieur de Puch unto his Office of Elder in the Church of Bergerac, were never to be regarded in their Appeal; becauſe they had not ſent any Memoirs or Letters concerning it unto this Aſſembly.
31. The Church of Maringues appealed from the judgment of the Province of Burgundy, which had given Monſieur Cheſneau their Paſtor from them unto the Church of Soubize in Xaintonge; but they afterward diſclaimed and quitted their Appeal, inſiſting only to be reimburſt of their Charges expended by them in bringing the ſaid Cheſneau, and his Books, from Geneva to Maringues, and ſetling him among them; and alſo, that their other Expences in getting and ſetling among them Monſieur Tonnel inſtead of Monſieur Cheſneau, according as the Lord des Broſſes, Elder of the Church in Soubize, had offered, and ſtood bound for it unto the Synod of Burgundy, might be paid in unto them. This Aſſembly having ſeen the account of the ſaid Charges amounting to the ſum of two hundred and eight Livers, nineteen Sous; and that Article of the Synod of Burgundy relating to it, hath ordained, that there ſhall be preſently taken two hundred and eight Livers, nineteen Sous, out of the moneys belonging to the Province of Xaintonge, and put into the hands of the Deputies of Burgundy, who alſo on their part ſhall pay unto the ſaid Monſieur Cheſneau, the Arrears of his Salary due unto him, as appears by a Schedule now tendered by the Elders of the ſaid Church of Maringues, and ſince granted, by him, unto a certain particular Friend of his; and the Province of Xaintonge may redemand the ſaid ſum from the Church of Soubize.
32. The Appeal of Monſieur Rouſſell from the Sentence of the Synod of Dolphiny, held at Nions in April 1617. obliging the ſaid Rouſſell to live in that Province, was declared null, becauſe he had neither ſent any Letters or Memoires about it unto this Aſſembly.
33. The like Judgment was paſt upon the Appeal of Monſieur Videl, acting for the Sieur Bouyer, from a Decree of the ſame Synod.
34. The Church of Vitré appealed from a Judgment of the Province of Brittain, by which an hundred Livers were taken out of the four hundred granted to their College, and given to the maintenance of a ſmall School in the Church of Viellevigne. This Aſſembly ordaineth, that the ſole right of having a College ſhall belong to the Church of Vitré, and they ſhall be fully paid their four hundred Livers.Tonneins of Univerſ. Art. 11. And the Province ſhall out of the ſupernumerary Portions, attributed to it, aſſign an hundred Livers unto the Church of Viellevigne, and continue the payment thereof for the maintenance of a School there. And whereas the College of Vitré hath not had any Exhibition to this very day, this Aſſembly will paſs a ſpecial Order, which ſhall for the future be obſerved by the Province of Brittain, as to this concern.
35. The Sieur Soubyran, Conſul of the City of Aimargues, Above Art. 13.together with divers Inhabitants thereof, Appealed unto this Aſſembly by Letters and Memoires, which were delivered by the Sieur Margaret, for that the Synod of Lower Languedoc had confirmed Monſieur Boulet in the Miniſtry and Paſtoral Office of the ſaid Church of Aymargues; and required that Monſieur Laurent, who had been removed from them by the ſaid Synod might be reſtored: On the other ſide the Conſiſtory of the ſaid Church petitioned by Letters and Memoires ſent by the Sieur Taraſcon one of their Elders; that the Judgment of the ſaid Synod might be confirmed. After a ſerious Debate of the whole affair, and hearing the Deputies of Lower Languedoc; it was declared, that the Appeal of the Sieur Soubyran, and the other Syndics with him, could not be approved, and that the judgment of the Synod ſhould be fully executed, and the Miniſtry of Monſieur Laurent confirmed in the Church of Bernixy. And it being apparent by what hath been brought before this Aſſembly, that there be very great diviſions in the Church of Aymargues, the Aſſembly ordered the Sieurs Joſyon, Joly, and the Baron of Montbrun, and de la Viale, Deputies of the Higher Languedoc, as they return to their reſpective Churches to paſs over unto Aymargues, and to uſe their utmoſt care, diligence and prudence to heal their breaches, and to reunite the divided Members of that Church, and to procure and ſettle Peace in it, and to proſecute thoſe contumacious Perſons who rebel againſt the Government of our Churches, and of that particular Church of Aimargues, with all Eccleſiaſtical Cenſures.