The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 26 (2nd Charenton) · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. A great Debate about incorporating the Churches of Bearn with thoſe of France, oppoſed by the Lord Commiſſioner.
Article 1. THE Province of Bearn having charged its Deputies to ſubmit it unto the Diſcipline of the Churches of this Kingdom, and to the Authority of our National Synods, as the reſt of the Provinces, but with theſe Conditions: Firſt, That they be not bound to ſend more than two Deputies unto our National Synods. Secondly, That Judicial Sentences paſt by and in the Province until now, ſhall not be revoked nor reverſed. Thirdly, That Paſtors ſerving in the ſaid Province, ſhall not be tranſlated into another Province. Fourthly, That the Appeals of private Perſons may not be received in theſe National Synods. The Synod abſolutely granting the two firſt Conditions, doth nevertheleſs exhort the ſaid Province to ſend equal number of Deputies with the other Provinces, unto the National Synod, whenas his Majeſty ſhall be pleaſed to permit one to be held in the Provinces bordering on that of Bearn: And as for the two other Conditions, provided that the ſaid Deputies ſhall promiſe, on behalf of their Province, to own the Authority of our National Synods, and to take out their Appeals in the Form ſpecified, Canon the 10th of the 8th Chapter of our Diſcipline, the Synod yieldeth unto their Demand, aſſuring them, that it will take a moſt particular Care of their Edification: and as it intendeth not to loſe its Right unto divers Paſtors born in the Provinces of the Higher and Lower Guyenne, who are now actually employed in that of Bearn; ſo alſo it will never uſe it to their evident Prejudice, but in every Matter, and eſpecially in that of removing Paſtors either from the Churches they are now ſerving, or from out of the Province, the National Synod will give full proof of their fraternal Charity and Affection.
Article 2. Upon this Debate, the Lord Galland, his Majeſty's Commiſſioner, remonſtrated; That the Conjunction of the Churches of Bearn with thoſe of this Kingdom, and particularly their Submiſſion unto the Diſcipline of the Reformed Churches of France, and the Power of appealing from Bearn unto the National Synods here, were Matters of that Nature, that they could not be done without the King's Permiſſion; becauſe ſuch Conjunctions depend upon Soveraign Authority; that the late King Henry the Fourth of happy Memory, had already determin'd this Queſtion, having in the Years 1602, and 1604, permitted the Churches of Bearn to aſſiſt at the National Synods of France, hereby to conſerve an Union in Doctrine: but he alſo decreed, that they ſhould bring in their Cahiers of Complaints diſtinct from thoſe of France. And in the Year 1615, whenas the Political Aſſembly of Grenoble demanded this Union, it was denied in that Anſwer given to the 22d and 23d Articles in theſe Words, That the late King did never permit nor approve of the Ʋnion of the pret. Reformed Churches of Bearn with thoſe of France, nor will his Majeſty now permit it, until ſuch time as the ſaid Principality ſhall be re-united and re-incorporated with the Crown of France. But yet in the mean while, the Deputies of Bearn may bring in their Petitions by themſelves, which ſhall be anſwered according to Reaſon. Againſt which Anſwer the Aſſembly of Rochel having took great Exceptions, and in a particular Article at the Conference of Loudun in the Year 1616, there was returned an Order little differing from the Cahier of Grenoble: ſo that the Land of Bearn not having ſince had any Permiſſion from the King to join it ſelf unto the Churches of France, it cannot be done, but muſt be confined to the plain and ſimple terms of Petition. Beſides, the Conſequences of this Union have been formerly reſented; for the Churches of Bearn, ſhrowded with the ſhadow and hope of a powerful Aſſiſtance, were tranſported to ſuch diſmal Exceſſes, as make a very mournful Hiſtory in that of our Times. And all Authors are agreed, that the Land of Bearn was originally a Member of the Kingdom of Navarre, lying on the other ſide of the Pyrenean Mountains, though ſubject to our Kings of the Merovingian Line; as is evident from Gregory of Tours, who relateth, that the Biſhops of the ſaid Territory came unto the Council of Agde in the Year 506, and to that of Maſcon in the Year 588. And the Lord of Bearn acknowledged the Kings and Kingdom of France for his ſupream Lord, and did Homage to them and to their Sovereign Authority. But in the Year 1512, Louis the twelfth, King of France, to make ſome Compenſation for, and to ſweeten the Loſs of the Kingdom of Navarre, uſurped by Ferdinand King of Arragon, granted unto John of Albret and Katharine of Navarre his Wife, that the Land of Bearn ſhould enjoy its Charters and Priviledg of Soveraignty, until ſuch times as it ſhould be otherwiſe determined by meet and competent Judges. And ſince that the Country of Bearn hath been accounted a Principality, diſtinct from the Kingdom, and independent without any reſervation. That in the Year 1571, Jane Queen of Navarre ſet up a Church-Diſcipline, whoſe Execution is limited within the Bounds of that Principality; and the Laws are all enacted and ſworn to by the States of the Country, and maintained to this very day, from the obſervation whereof the Subjects cannot withdraw themſelves, nor, without the permiſſion of their Prince, may they take upon them to conſtitute Judges in Church or State, much leſs to enlarge the Bounds of Appeals, whenas by the Laws of Bearn they are to be terminated by its Provincial Synods, and within the Country it ſelf; as is in like manner done in the City of Metz, and Principality of Sedan. And ſhould this Conjunction be admitted, Cauſes would be drawn out of the Province, which would be an Innovation of dangerous Conſequence to his Majeſty's Authority, and to this little Province, and contrary to its Union, which hath preſerved the Country in its Laws, Forts, Cuſtoms, and domeſtick Prerogatives. The Deputies of Bearn, to give ſome colour unto this Union, ſay, That this Union was permitted by the King, that it hath been exerciſed by his Majeſty ſince the uniting of Bearn with the Crown of France, that it was approved by the ſaid Lord Commiſſioner in the National Synod of Caſtres in the Year 1626. But here are divers Miſtakes. The Truth is, that Henry the Fourth of happy Memory, and the King now reigning moſt gloriouſly, have not permitted nor promiſed the Union of the ſaid Churches, nor was it permitted by the Cahier of the Year 1615. But the Anſwer unto the Union demanded, was deferred till after the Country was united with that of France: ſo that the victorious Arms of his Majeſty having ſubjected the Land of Bearn to his Obedience, and the Union of the Country made by his abſolute Authority, notwithſtanding all former Grants and Priviledges, the Subjects are bound to have recourſe anew unto his Majeſty. And although by the Cahiers of the Year 1615, the Union of the Churches was put off till the Union of the State; yet none may therefore aſſert, that becauſe the State is united with the Crown of France, the Union of the Churches muſt therefore of Right be made alſo; but that it may be obtained, there is need of a new Addreſs unto his Majeſty, that he would by his Sovereign Authority be pleaſed to enact ſuch Laws about it, as will be moſt agreeable to him: And the Synod wanting this Sanction of Royal Authority, the Union now deſired is null; nor can the ſaid Lord Deputies gather from any one act of his Majeſty, that he approveth of the Union of the ſaid Churches ſince the ſubmiſſion of Bearn. And if in any Cahiers preſented by the Churches of France ſince the Union of that Country, the Petitions of thoſe of Bearn have been made uſe of againſt the reſervation ſet down in the Cahier of 1615. This Error muſt not be drawn into practice, becauſe the Churches have not to this very day made any abſolute Declaration of Union; and ſuch important Actions require Conceſſions and ſolemn Declarations, and Preliminaries animated by Verifications in the Parliaments of Paris, and of Pau. Nor ought the preſence of the Deputies of Bearn, in the political Aſſemblies of this Kingdom, where they laid the firſt Foundations of their Attempt againſt his Majeſty's Authority, and which hath been ſince moſt exemplarily chaſtiſed, be made a Precedent; nor ought the appearance of the Miniſters of Bearn, in the National Synods of France, before and ſince the eſtabliſhment of Commiſſioners, who were impoſed in the Year 1623, be took as an advantage to them in any-wiſe, becauſe they appeared upon doubtful and uncertain Conditions, not as to the Point of Submiſſion to the Diſcipline of the Reformed Churches of France, or unto the National Synods, or for the drawing of Appeals without the Limits of that Principality: all which were contrary to the Laws made by Jane Queen of Navarre, but only to teſtily their Union in Doctrine, which is evident by peruſing the Acts of thoſe Synods. The firſt Synod unto which the Deputies of Bearn preſented themſelves, was that of Rochel in the Year 1607, and the Quality of the Times gave an occaſion for it: And as that Introduction was a meer Novelty, there being but one Miniſter ſent, ſo they were enjoined for the future to commiſſionate together with him an Elder. In the Year 1612, four Deputies aſſiſted in that of Privas; but this their Preſence was floating and wavering; nor had it any other end, than to teſtify their Conſent and Union in Doctrine, as his Majeſty had willed them ſo to do in the Year 1602, and 1604. They came alſo unto that of Tonneins, in the Year 1614, under the ſame Conditions; and they then had granted to them the priviledg of calling the next National Synod, which was a great expreſſion of Love unto that Principality, and an oblique Means to bind them more ſtrictly to the Diſcipline of France: And becauſe the Churches of Bearn would not ſubmit themſelves thereunto, they reſigned their right of Convocating the National Synod unto the Church of Vitré in Brittain, where alſo it conven'd accordingly in the Year 1617. And in the ſix and thirtieth Article of General Matters, there paſſed this Decree; This Aſſembly doth not conceive it meet, conſidering their preſent Circumſtances, that the Churches of Bearn ſhould ſubject themſelves to the Church-Diſcipline of this Kingdom, nor that they ſhould depend upon theſe National Synods: But nevertheleſs they ſhall give in their final Reſolutions, what they intend to do, unto the next National Synod; and in caſe they be of the ſame Mind then, as they are now, this Aſſembly declared, That their Deputies may have the priviledg of ſitting and voting in the National Synods of this Kingdom, upon this condition, that they ſhall firſt have leave given them, by the Provinces, to give in their Suffrages in ſuch Caſes as concern the Churches of this Kingdom; which Terms are totally contrary to the Pretenſions of the ſaid Deputies, and evidently prove, that their admiſſion into the Synod was wholly precarious, and only to teſtify their mutual Church-fellowſhip. And in the Synod of Alez, called in the Year 1620, whenas the Deputies of Bearn had remonſtrated, that they could not wholly ſubject themſelves to the Diſcipline of the Churches of France, becauſe of the preſent juncture of Affairs, they were admitted under that reſtriction of the Synod of Vitre, That they ſhall firſt have leave from the Provinces to vote, in certain Caſes, concerning the Churches of France; and this too with this Proviſo, that it ſhould only be till the next National Synod. An Argument unanſwerable of the Difference between the Church-Diſcipline of Bearn, and that of this Kingdom, although the Deputies, to ingratiate themſelves with this Synod, do urge, that they be both alike one and the ſame. Thus I have given you the true Hiſtory of this Union, till the Conqueſt and Submiſſion of Bearn; at which time, by ſpecial Letters-Patents, his Majeſty granted unto the ſaid Principality, that they ſhould be maintained, and live under their own particular Laws: Which Laws are partly made up of the Conſtitutions of the Lady Joan Queen of Navarre, who had enacted, That all Differences in Church-Matters ſhould be finally determined within the Province. Since the Submiſſion of Bearn, the Churches have lived under the ſame form, and never pretended to be united to thoſe of France, but by virtue of his Majeſty's Anſwer to the Cahier of the Year 1615, or ſome others of a later date: For in the Synod of Charenton, September the 2d, in the Year 1623, upon the appearance of the Deputy of Bearn, an Ordinance paſſed as formerly, That according to the Reſtrictions of former Synods, the Provinces have liberty to demand, that the Deputy of Bearn ſhall not have power of voting in ſome certain Caſes concerning the Churches of this Kingdom; and that before the Separation of this Synod, he ſhall produce the Reaſons for which they defer their plenary Submiſſion to the Church-Diſcipline of France: And this is another certain Mark of the Difference between the Diſcipline of France, and that of Bearn. In the laſt National Synod held at Caſtres, in the Year 1626, which was four Years after that of Charenton, becauſe in their Letters of Commiſſion there was wanting the Clauſe of Submiſſion required by the foregoing Synods, the Deputies of Bearn were told, in open Synod, that for this time they were admitted, but for the Conditions expreſſed in the Acts of the laſt National Synod, they ſhould not for the future have a conſultive Vote in the National Synods of this Kingdom, excepting only at the reading of the Confeſſion of Faith, in which they were united with the Churches of France. Until that time the Churches of Bearn neither pretended nor demanded Union with the Churches of France; nor till then did his Majeſty's Commiſſioners contend with them about it; but now whenas againſt ſo many preceding Inſtances to the contrary, they demand, without his Majeſty's permiſſion to be admitted, it cannot, it ought not to be granted to them.