The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, Introduction 2 · Section 29 – Section 31
SECT. XXIX.
But they did not ſtop here, they proceed farther, To deprive the Reformed of all Offices and Employments, and in general of all means of gaining a Livelyhood. An infinite number of Proteſtants being diſperſed in all parts of the Kingdom, it could not be but that many Families of them muſt ſubſiſt by ſerving the publick, either in Offices, Arts, Trades, or one Faculty or other, according to their Education and Callings. Henry the Fourth was ſo much convinced of the neceſſity and juſtice of this very thing, that he made it an expreſs Article, and perhaps the moſt diſtinct and formal one of all the reſt, which are contained in his Edict: and therefore the Perſecutors thought themſelves obliged to uſe their utmoſt endeavours to elude and evacuate it. Here then they began with Arts, and Trades; which under ſeveral pretences, they rendred almoſt inacceſſible unto the Proteſtants, by the many difficulties they met with in attaining to their Maſterſhip in them, and by the exceſſive expences they muſt be at to be received therein. For every Candidate (who would ſet up his Trade) was forced to this effect, to commence and carry on tedious Law-Suits, under the weight of which they ſunk, and were over-whelmed, they being in no wiſe able to hold out the proſecution of them. But this not being ſufficient enough to ruine them, out cometh a Declaration in the Year 1669. by which they be reduced to one third in thoſe Towns where the Proteſtants were the greateſt number of Inhabitants; and they were forbidden to receive any of the Religion into their company till this diminution was made. Thus at one ſtroke, one daſh of the King's Pen, all Pretenders are totally excluded.
Some time after they drive all the Reformed from the Conſulſhips; and other municipal Offices in Cities. Which was in effect to deprive them of all knowledge of their proper Affairs and Intereſts, and wholly to inveſt the Catholicks with them.
In 1680. The King iſſued out an Order, depriving them in general of all kind of Offices and Employs whatſoever from the greateſt to the meaneſt. They were rendred uncapable of ſerving in the Cuſtom houſes, in the Guards, Treaſury, or Poſt-Office, of being Meſſengers, Coach-men, or Waggoners, or any thing of this nature.
In the Year 1681. By a Decree of Council, all Notaries, Attorneys, Solicitors and Serjeants profeſſing the Reformed Religion were rendred utterly uncapable of theſe Imployments in any part of the Kingdom.
In the Year 1682. All Lords, Gentlemen of the Reformed Religion, were ordered to diſcharge their Officers and Servants of the ſaid Religion, and not to make uſe of them in any caſe; and this upon no other reaſon than this, becauſe they were Proteſtants.
In the Year 1683. All Officers belonging to the King's Houſhold, and thoſe of the Princes of the Blood, were alſo rendred uncapable of holding their Places. The Counſellors, and other Officers in the Courts of Aids, and Chambers of Accounts; and thoſe in County Courts, Bailywicks, in the Courts Royal, of the Admiralty, in the Provoſt's and Marſhals Court, in the Treaſury, Exciſe, and all Offices of the Toll, and ſuch like buſineſſes, were ordered to leave their Places, that the Catholicks might enjoy them.
In the Year 1684. All Secretaries belonging to the King, and great Officers of France, whether Real or Honorary ones, yea, and their very Widows, were deprived by a Revocation of all their Priviledges of what nature ſoever they were. They alſo deprived all thoſe that had purchaſed any Priviledges for exerciſing any Profeſſions, as Merchants, Surgeons, Apothecaries, Vintners, and all others without exception.
Yea, they proceeded to this exceſs, that they would not ſuffer any Midwives of the Reformed Religion to do their Office, and expreſly ordained for the future, That the Proteſtant Women when they were in Travel ſhould receive aſſiſtance from none but Roman Catholicks. It cannot be expreſs'd how many particular Perſons and Families they reduced every where by theſe ſtrange and unheard of methods to ruine and miſery.
SECT. XXX.
But becauſe there were yet many which could ſuſtain themſelves, other Methods of Oppreſſion muſt be invented. To this end they iſſued out an Edict from the Council by which the New Converts, as they call them, were diſcharged from paying any of their Debts for three Years.
This for the moſt part fell ſore and heavy upon the Reformed; who having had a more particular tie of intereſt and buſineſs with theſe pretended Converts, becauſe of their Communion in Religion, were reckoned their chiefeſt Creditors. By this Order they had found the Secret to recompence thoſe that changed, at the charge of thoſe who continued firm; and this they did likewiſe by another way. For they diſcharged the New Converts of all Debts, which thoſe of the Religion had contracted in Fellowſhip with them. So that the poor Proteſtants muſt pay all. Horrible Injuſtice! Cruel, helliſh Oppreſſion!
Add to this, The Proteſtants are prohibited to ſell, or alienate their Eſtates, on any pretence whatſoever, the King diſannulling and vacating all Contracts and other Acts relating to that Matter; if it did not appear, that after theſe Acts, they had ſtayed in the Kingdom a whole Year: ſo that the laſt Remedy of helping themſelves with their Eſtates in extream neceſſity was now wholly taken from them.
There remained yet a Sheet-Anchor for the poor Proteſtants, and that was all which was left them to ſave themſelves in this ſtorm, to retire into other Countreys, where they might get their living by their labours, ſince it was not permitted them in France. But the King by repeated Edicts forbad them to leave the Kingdom upon very ſevere Penalties. This rendred their caſe deſperate; for they ſaw themſelves reduced to that horrible neceſſity of being ſtarv'd to death, to die of famine.
And yet the cruelty of their Enemies did not ſtop here. For there remaining ſome gleanings in the Provinces, tho' very few, and thoſe as thin, lean and blaſted as the Ears of Corn in Pharaoh's Dream. The Intendants in their reſpective Diſtricts had expreſs order to load the Reformed with Taxes, which they did in this manner: Either by laying upon them the Tax of the new Catholicks, who were diſcharged thereof on favour of their converſion, or by laying exorbitant Taxes, which they call Duties; that is to ſay, He, who in the ordinary Roll was aſſeſſed at forty or fifty Livers, was charged by this Impoſition with ſeven or eight hundred. Thus had they nothing more left, for all was a Prey to the griping Covetouſneſs and brutiſh Cruelty of Inhumane Intendants. They levied their Taxes from them by the effectual quartering of Dragoons upon them, or by cloſe Impriſonment; from whence they were never freed, till ſuch time as they had paid down the utmoſt farthing.
SECT. XXXI.
Theſe were the two firſt Engines which the Popiſh Clergy uſed againſt the poor Reformed in that Realm. But now followeth a third; which we have termed Infractions of the Edict of Nantes, under pretence of Explication. Thoſe who would know their Number and Quality need only caſt their eyes upon the Books written and publiſhed on this occaſion by Father Meiſnier the Jeſuit, an Author famous for his Illuſions, and by one Baanard, a pitiful Officer in the Preſidial Court of Beziers in Languedoc. There you will meet with all the Windings and Turnings, the Shifts and Evaſions, which the ſillieſt and moſt unworthy Sophiſters could invent, whereby to elude the cleareſt Text of the Edict, and to corrupt and pervert its very heart, ſence, and ſincereſt meaning. And that I may avoid prolixity, I ſhall only produce a brief Account of ſome few particular Inſtances of their Troubles. As for example, Was there any thing more clear, evident, and unqueſtionable in the Edict than this, viz. That it was given with an intention to maintain thoſe of the Reformed Religion in all the Rights that Nature and Civil Society give to Men? Yet in 1681. there came out an Edict, that Children might at the age of ſeven Years abjure the Reformed Religion, and embrace the Catholick, under pretence forſooth, That the Edict did not preciſely mark, that at this age they ſhould continue at their Parents diſpoſal. Who ſees not, but that this was a meer Trick, ſeeing that at one hand the Edict forbad to take away Children by force from their Parents, or by Flatteries: and on the other hand, the Edict ſuppoſed and confirmed all the natural Rights, of which, without controverſie, this is one of the moſt inviolable. Was there ever a more notorious Infraction of the Edict than that, which forbad thoſe of the Reformed Religion, who had paſſed over to the Romiſh, to return unto that which they had quitted? becauſe forſooth, That the Edict did not, in expreſs formal terms, give them this Liberty. For when the Edict permitteth generally all the King's Subjects Liberty of Conſcience, and forbiddeth to perplex and trouble them, or to act and offer any thing contrary to this Liberty; who ſeeth not this exception touching the Pretended Relapſers, is ſo far from being an explication of the Edict, that it is a moſt notable Violation of it.
Unto this we may add the Charge given unto the Roman Catholicks not to change their Religion, and embrace the Reformed. For when the Edict giveth Liberty of Conſcience, it doth in plain terms grant it unto all Perſons whatſoever, who are, or ſhall be of the ſaid Religion. Yet if we believe the Clergy, this was not Harry the Fourth's meaning; for he intended that Grant only to thoſe who then, at that time when the Edict was made, profeſſed the ſaid Religion.