The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 27 (Alençon) · Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII. A Copy of the Bill of Grievances preſented unto His Majeſty, by the Sieurs, Ferr and, Paſtor of the Church of Bourdeaux, Gigord, Paſtor of the Church of Montpellier, and De Ceriſy, an Elder Deputed by the National Synod of Alanſon, May the 7th. 1637. unto the King.
SIRE.
THe Deputies of Your Subjects of the Reformed Religion, Aſſembled by Your Majeſty's Permiſſion, in a National Synod at Alanſon, do moſt Humbly Petition, That according to Your wonted Goodneſs and Juſtice continued to them, You would be pleaſed to vouchſafe us the enjoyment of Your Edicts, and Declarations of Peace, which have to their very great prejudice been broken and violated in every Article, and particularly in divers places of Your Kingdom; nor can we get our Damages repaired, nor Your Edicts, or Declarations executed; although Your Majeſty had granted it for the greater part of them, in thoſe Anſwers made by Your Gracious Majeſty, unto our moſt Humble Bill of Grievances, which we tender'd to Your Majeſty in the year One Thouſand Six Hundred and Twenty Five.
1. And although that by the Edicts of Peace, and the Anſwers made by Your Majeſty unto our Bills of Grievances in the year 1625. You were pleaſed to Grant Your Petitioners, That the Exerciſe of our Religion ſhould be reſtored in all thoſe places in which it had been ſettled by the Edict of Nantes, and was in actual being in the year 1620. and that to this purpoſe, Commiſſioners had been appointed to ſee unto its performance; yet nevertheleſs, we could never get their Commiſſion executed, no not in thoſe places hereafter mentioned in our Bill of Grievances, tho' they were expreſſed by name in it, viz. Gergeau, Bourgueil, Surgeres, Le Poire, Lu…on, Beret, Coulorges, Les Reaux, St. Malxier, Belleville, Argenton, Beaumont, Letoure, Figeac, Cadenac, Creſſol, Foix, Beleſtat, Laſſegue, Lombais, Arligat, Senerat, Bouſſe, Villefort, Moulaur, Vandemian, Villeman, Pouſſan, Gignac, St. Paragoire, St. Gilles, Geneirac, Bagnals, Digne, Forqualquier, Monfort, Bourbon, L'auriac, and Autun; In all which places Your Majeſty is moſt humbly Petitioned, to cauſe that Your Will be punctually performed according to Your Anſwer made and declared upon our Bill of Grievances, and as it is alſo moſt expreſly and plainly Promiſed us by the 5th. and 6th. Articles of Your Edict at Niſmes, in the Month of July, 1629. Your Majeſty then Enacting a Speedy and Real Reſtitution of the Exerciſe of our Religion in thoſe places before-mentioned.
2. And whereas the Exerciſe of our Religion hath been removed by the Wickedneſs and Violence of thoſe Troubleſome times, which have interven'd ever ſince the year 1626, from divers other places, where it was formerly Eſtabliſhed, and that according to the Edicts, as at Virtuell, Teré, La Jarrie, Lalea, L'hommeau, Nievil, Marſilly, Rieux, Le Chaſteau St. Pié, St. Denis, Le Chaſteau D'Oleron, La Flotte, St. Martin, Ards, Loie, and other places of the Iſles of Oleron and Ré, Les Herbiers, Mountagu, La Chaume, Louzac, Mortaigne, Saujon, L'Iſle Bouchard, Le Croiſil, Mazin, Mont de Marſan, Saux in Condomois, Gavandan, Millanén Albret, St. Leger, St. Bazille, Coutras, Florenſac, Pamiers, Puymirol, Ribauté, Combas, Aubenas, Valz, Mirabel, Véllenefue of Berg, Dijon, Burg in Breſſe, Paray le Moineau, Corbigny, Navarreins, Benejat, and Oſſins; Your Majeſty is moſt Humbly Petitioned, to give Order, That the Exerciſe of our Religion may be reſtored immediately without delay, and that You would be pleaſed to prohibit all diſturbing of us Your Subjects, who do profeſs it, for the future.
3. And foraſmuch as it hath been a perpetual practice in our Churches, for divers Paſtors of this Your Kingdom to Exerciſe their Miniſtry, as ſtill they do, in ſeveral Neighbour places, where the free Exerciſe of our Religion hath been Eſtabliſhed by Your Edicts, and this by the Authority of Colloquies and Synods; and for ſome times of late, even in the very preſence of Commiſſioners nominated by Your Majeſty to aſſiſt perſonally at them, who never made any Oppoſition againſt it. We do moſt Humbly Petition Your Majeſty, That we may be left in the free Poſſeſſion of this our Practice, which was never forbidden by any Edicts of Your Majeſty's Royal Predeceſſors, nor of Your Own; and that all Prohibitions to the contrary may be revoked, whether made unto us by thoſe Commiſſioners, who have of late aſſiſted in our Provincial and National Synods, or Decreed in the late Extraordinary Seſſions by the new Judges, or by Your Majeſty's most Honourable Privy-Council, where none of our Religion could ever be admitted to Declare and Defend our Right.
4. And whereas Your Majeſty was pleaſed in conſideration of our Bill of Grievances preſented to Your Majeſty in the year 1625, to ordain that the Churches and the Yards (wherein we bury our Dead, which have been taken away from thoſe of our Religion in theſe following places, Lunel, Sommieres, Florenſac, Le Vigan, Mazillargues, Villemur, St. Antonia, and Puymirol) ſhould be reſtored, and that they ſhould be permitted to re-build their Temples in the ſame places, which had been accorded us by the Edict; none of which Ordinances of Your Majeſty, have been in the leaſt Executed; yea, ſince this, it hath ſo fallen out, that the Churches and Church-yards of Vitte Goudon, of Caſtres, St. Affrick, St. Gelais, Valz, Vallon, Aubenas, St. Estienne in Foreſt, Senes, and divers other places in Aunix, the Iſle of Ré, and Province of Burgundy, have been forcibly taken away and detained from us, and the Building of our Temples, at La Motte of Argues and Caumont, is quite obſtructed; we therefore do moſt humbly beſeech Your Majeſty to continue unto us that Royal Favour You had before Granted us by Your Edicts, and by Your Gracious Promiſe upon the Reading of our aforeſaid Bill of Grievances, and that You would according to it Ordain, that the aforeſaid Churches and Church-yards may be rendered and reſtored in all thoſe places beforementioned, and that Your Majeſty would be pleaſed to forbid all Troubling of us in the Re-buildng and Re-eſtabliſhing of them, and particularly at Aubenas, where the Inhabitants are conſtrained to bury their Dead in the wide Fields, and they will not ſuffer any more than three perſons to accompany the poor Corps unto that uncouth Grave neither.
5. Your moſt Humble Subjects of the Religion in the Town of Alanſon, according to the 9th. and 10th Articles of the Edict, and the Ordinance of your Commiſſioners Deputed for its Execution, ratified by Decree of the Council, July the 4th. 1603, having Built their Temple in the ſaid Town above Thirty years ago, are yet notwithſtanding, troubled and diſturbed, partly by the Clergy, and partly by the Roman Catholick Inhabitants there, who have cauſed them to be cited before the Lord Tierſaux, who forbids them to continue the Preaching of God's Holy Word in that Town, and the Suburbs thereof; as alſo, that they ſhall not bury their Dead in the Church-yard of St. Blazy, nor in the Suburbs of the ſaid Town; and although Your Majeſty was pleaſed at their earneſt Petition, to cauſe the ſaid Proſecution to ceaſe, by a Decree of Your Majeſty's moſt Honourable Privy-Council, Dated the 13th. of May laſt; yet notwithſtanding, they are again Proſecuted by a new Summons to appear before Your Privy-Council; from which appearance Your Majeſty is moſt Humbly Petitioned to diſcharge them, and to forbid all perſons for the future, to trouble or diſquiet them in the Poſſeſſion of their ſaid Temple, or place of Burying.
6. And whereas the Lords, Millette and de Broſſes, Commiſſioners appointed by Your Majeſty, for Executing the ſaid Edict in the Bailywick of Gex, had ordained places of Burial for thoſe of the ſaid Religion in that Bailywick, unto which Ordinance the Lord Biſhop of the Dioceſs, and the Roman Catholick Inhabitants there, did give their free and full Conſent, which alſo was confirmed by a Decree of Your Majeſty's Privy-Council, December the 13th. 1612. yet nevertheleſs, the Lord Machant, Intendant of Juſtice in the Province of Burgundy, without once hearing any of the Parties concerned, hath by his own private Orders of the 15th. of March, 1636. and by ſome others of another Date, not only Deprived them of the Burying-place, but alſo will not ſo much as allow thoſe of the Reformed Religion in that Bailywick, to ſhare in any of the Common Moneys or Hoſpitals thereof. Wherefore we moſt Humbly beſeech Your Majeſty to cauſe those Orders of the ſaid Lord Machant to ſurceaſe, and to be diſannull'd, and to Ordain, that Your aforeſaid Subjects in the Bailywick of Gex, may be ſupported in the Poſſeſſion of their Burying-place, and in the Ancient enjoyment of their Common Moneys, and Common Hoſpitals, and of all other Privileges contained in the Edict.
7. In divers places of Your Kingdom Your Subjects of the Reformed Religion, are forced and compelled to act many things contrary to the Liberty of their Conſciences, granted them by Your Edicts; particularly to hang out Tapiſtry before their Houſes, or to adorn them with ſome kind of Ornaments on ſome peculiar Holy Days, although the Third Article of the particular ones in the Edict of Nantes, doth only oblige them to ſuffer that it be done by others, and that too by the Authority of the Local Officers; nor are they bound to contribute any thing thereunto. However, your poor Subjects, for refuſing to do thus againſt their Conſciences, are condemned in very great Fines at Rennes and Vitre, by a Decree of the Parliament of Brittaine; and the ſame was lately Ordered in a Judicial Sentence given by the Privy-Council, and ſignified to the Attorney of the Exchequer at Claye. Wherefore Your Majeſty is moſt Humbly beſeeched to Maintain and Preſerve Your Subjects of our Religion in the Liberty of their Conſciences as to theſe matters, according to your Edicts, and to diſcharge them of all Fines and Sums of Money, to the payment whereof, they have been condemned on this account.
8. By the Second Article of particular matters of the Edict of Nantes, and by Your Majeſty's Anſwer to the Fourth Article of the Bill of Grievances Preſented to You by Your Subjects of the Reformed Religion, in July, 1625. it was expreſly declared, That none of them ſhould be compelled to contribute towards the Repair, or Building of Churches, Chappels, or Prieſts Houſes, nor to the buying of Coapes and Surplices, Ornaments of Maſs-Prieſts, Lights, Founding of Bells, Holy Bread, Rights of Fraternities, nor to the Rent of Houſes for Prieſts, or Religious perſons to dwell in, or ſuch like matters; yet notwithſtanding John Ozier of Harſleur, hath been Condemned by a Decree of the Parliament of Normandy, to pay unto a Fraternity: As alſo by another ſuch Decree of the Parliament of Bourdeaux, contrary to that of the Court of Agen, the Heirs of Charles Motty inhabiting in the City of Bourdeaux have been compelled to pay yearly Contributions unto the Fraternity of the Trade of the Deceaſed; And thoſe of the Church of St. Ambroiſe, to pay for the Rent of that Houſe, where the Divine Service after the Mode of the Romiſh Catholick Church is Solemnized, and thoſe of Souve and Peyrols in the Sevennes, by an Order only of the Praeſidial Court of Niſmes, and thoſe of Séynes in Provence, to the Building of the Vicaridge Houſes and Churches there. Your Majeſty is therefore moſt Humbly Petitioned, to Maintain and Preſerve Your Petitioners in. the Liberty of their Conſciences, and to Abrogate and Diſannul according to the Edicts, thoſe Condemnatory Decrees iſſued out againſt them on this account.
9. By the 18th. Article of the Edict of Nantes, all perſons, of whatſoever Quality they be, are forbidden to entice, or to take away by force, Children from their Parents, profeſſing our Religion, that they may be Baptized or Confirmed in the Romiſh Catholick Church, on pain of being puniſhed exemplarily. And yet notwithſtanding in divers quarters of your Kingdom Children are violently and by main force raviſh'd and taken away from their poor afflicted Parents, to be Baptized and Educated againſt their Wills in the Religion of the Romiſh Church; and particularly the Daughter of one Redon an Apothecary, living at Mayniers, and the Child of Giles Connan, being but two years and eight months old, was by the Nuns of Antrigues enticed away from her Mother, and by downright violence detained in their Nunnery, notwithſtanding all her cries and importunities to recover her. Wherefore Your Majeſty is moſt Humbly Petitioned, to cauſe that Your Subjects of the ſaid Reformed Religion, may enjoy the Liberty of their Conſciences with ſecurity, according as it hath been granted them even in this point by Your Edicts, and to cauſe the Violaters of them to be puniſhed according to Law.
10. By the 13th. Article of the Edict of Nantes, and by the 38 of particular Matters, the Profeſſors of our Religion are permitted to have publick Schools in thoſe Towns and Places where the Exerciſe of our Religion is allowed. Yet notwithſtanding, in divers places where their Schools and Colleges be eſtabliſhed according to theſe very Articles, of the Edict of Nantes, they be diſturbed in their Poſſeſſion of them, yea, notwithſtanding that Explication given of them by Your Majeſty, in Your Anſwer to our Bill of Complaint, Preſented to You by our Deputies, Approved and Accepted by Your Self, July the 13th. 1621, wherein Your Majeſty did expreſly declare, That by the Edict it is permitted to thoſe of the ſaid Religion, to eſtabliſh Colleges in thoſe Towns and Places where they enjoy the Exerciſe of their Religion; and Your Majeſty did Grant the very ſelf-ſame Privileges unto theſe our Colleges, which are enjoyed by the Colleges Erected, Received, and Approved in this Kingdom. Wherefore Your Majeſty is moſt Humbly Petitioned, to forbid all perſons whatſoever, the interrupting or diſturbing thoſe of our Religion in the Poſſeſſion and Enjoyment of thoſe Schools, Colleges, and Univerſities aforeſaid, which Your Majeſty had formerly Granted by Your Letters Patents, and Decrees of Council unto the Towns of Nerac and Coignac, and other places, notwithſtanding all Judgments, Orders, and Decrees, and other matters contrary thereunto. And Your Majeſty is moſt Humbly beſeeched, that they may be all Abrogated and Diſannull'd.
11. The Lords Carlincas and de Lagett, Commiſſioners Deputed by Your Majeſty, to divide the Colleges of Languedoc, which are of Royal Foundation, not being contented to have ſatisfied the Tenor of their Commiſſion, they would alſo take Cognizance of the Theological Univerſity of Niſmes, maintained by thoſe of the Reformed Religion: And it ſo happened, that the Lord of Carlincas a Roman Catholick, hath by a Decree of his own, interdicted it, without ſo much as hearing any of the Parties concerned; and on the contrary, the Lord of Lagett hath Judged and Decreed, That it ought to ſubſiſt according to the Edicts: All which Orders and Decrees having been ſent unto Your Majeſty's moſt Honourable Privy-Council; although we had not the leaſt notice, nor intimation of it, there is a Decree iſſued forth ſimply without any Reſtriction, confirming the Decree of the Lord Carlincas, to the Prejudice of that Liberty granted us by Your Edicts. Your Majeſty is moſt Humbly Petitioned to cauſe the ſaid Decree to be Vacated and Repealed, and in Favour of Your Subjects of the Reformed Religion at Niſmes, to Ordain, That their Theological Univerſity may ſtand upon the ſame Grounds with that of Montauban, both being of the ſame nature, and this according to a Decree of Your Council paſs'd on their behalf.
12. By Your Majeſty's Edicts, and as it is always practiſed in the Execution of them; yea, and by Your Anſwer to the Third Article of our Bill of Grievances preſented to Your Majeſty in July, 1625. all Profeſſors of our Religion; yea, and our Miniſters themſelves were allowed to dwell and inhabit in any part of your Kingdom. Yet notwithſtanding now-a-days, our Miniſters cannot be permitted to dwell in divers places, as in Aubenas, Mezin, Saux, Villefranque, Corbigny, and other places, from which our ſaid Miniſters have been driven away, which is contrary to your Edicts. Your Majeſty therefore is moſt Humbly Petitioned, to ordain according to your Edicts that our Miniſters aforesaid, and all others of our Religion may be ſuffered to dwell and inhabit freely and quietly in all places of Your Majeſty's Dominion.
13. And divers others, tho' not Miniſters, are, meerly out of hatred to their Religion, every day vexed and afflicted, as in Your Towns of Bourg, Aubenas, La Voute, Chaalons in Burgundy, and in ſundry other places, from whence poor Tradeſmen are partly by Threats and partly by actual Violence offered to them, driven away, directly contrary to the Authority and the very Letter, and plain words of Your Edicts. And Your Majeſty is moſt Humbly Requeſted to Order, That they may enjoy the benefit of them, and to enjoyn Magiſtrates and all other perſons, to obſerve on their behalf, the firſt of the Particular Articles of the Edict of Nantes.
14. By the 45. Article of Particular Matters in the Edict of Nantes, and by a Decree of your Council, Dated July the 17th, 1624. and by Your Majeſty's Anſwer to the Bill of Complaints of Your ſaid Subjects, July the 23d. 1621. and April the 12th. 1622. the Miniſters of our Religion were exempted from Watching, Warding, Rounds, Lodging of Souldiers, Aſſeſſing and Collecting of Taxes, and from payment of their Quota to them, or any other Impoſitions whatſoever on the account of their Houſhold Goods, Penſions, or Salaries. Yet notwithſtanding, in divers places of Your Kingdom, they be Aſſeſſed to Watch and Ward, to the Billetting of Souldiers, to pay Foreſt Money for their Lands there, although they have none at all in their hands, but Lett them out to Farmers, who pay thoſe very Taxes for them; yea, alſo in very many places they do compel them and extort from them round Sums for the Payment of Taxes due by the Pariſhes, and in caſe of Failure or Omiſſion, their Houſhold Goods are Diſtrain'd, and their Perſons Seized and Impriſoned, and amerced in great Fines; as particularly the Miniſter of Previlly hath been thus miſuſed. Your Majeſty is moſt Humbly Petitioned, to grant them the enjoyment of thoſe Immunities and Exemptions which have been accorded them by your Edicts, Declarations, and Anſwers to out Bills of Grievances, and to forbid all Perſons to trouble them; and that the Aſſeſſors, Collectors, and Receivers of Taxes may not extort from them any Payments, the Taxes only excepted for thoſe Immovables enjoyed by them.
15. And whereas there be yet detained many Captives in Your Galleys, who have been there many years, and for none other account than the paſt troubles, Your Majeſty is moſt Humbly Requeſted, to cauſe them to be ſet at Liberty, and to extend unto them the ſame Clemency Your Majeſty vouchſafed unto others in the year 1613, by Your Anſwer to the 5th. Article of our Bill of Grievances, which was then preſented by Your Subjects of the Reformed Religion, unto Your Majeſty.
16. By the 34. and 51. Articles of the ſaid Edict, it was Ordained, that the Courts of the Edict ſhould Judge Soveraignly, and without Appeal from them unto any other Court whatſoever, of all Proceſſes then in being, or that might be moved in time to come, and in which thoſe of our Religion are Parties; yea, and in what concerns the Execution, or Inexecution, or Infraction of the Edicts; yet notwithſtanding, ſundry Praeſidial Courts, as that of Bourg in Breſſe, and the Intendant of Juſtice there do every day attempt, and actually do give Judgment, without admitting of any Appeal from them; as alſo the Parliaments of Aix and Rennes, do Iſſue out their Decrees directly contrary to the Letter of the Edict, and in ſuch matters as the Cognizance whereof is interdicted them, and reſerved only to Your Mix'd Courts. Your Majeſty is moſt Humbly Requeſted, to Abrogate and Revoke all thoſe Judgments and Decrees ſo incompetently given forth by thoſe aforeſaid Praeſidial Courts, Intendants, and Parliaments, to the prejudice of Your Edicts, and particularly that Decree of the Parliament of Aix, againſt the Book written by Monſieur Gaillard, Intituled, Le Proſelite Evangelique, and againſt his Perſon, and to remand back the matters of Fact contained in them to the Courts of the Edict, who ought of right only to take Cognizance, and Judge of them, with a Prohibition unto all other Judges, nor to intermeddle with any matters properly belonging to your Majeſty's Courts of the Edicts.
17. Although that by the 17th. Article of the Edict of Nantes, Confirmed by all ſubſequent Edicts of your Majeſty, thoſe who do, or ſhall make Profeſſion of our Reformed Religion, are declared to be capable of Exerciſing all Trades, of Holding and Enjoying all Dignities, Offices, and Publick Employments whatſoever; yet nevertheleſs, they be Excluded in divers parts of your Kingdom, from all publick Charges, Offices, and Dignities, they cannot be received unto the Degree of Doctors, nor Incorporated into the Colleges of the Faculty of Phyſick, nor admitted to the Practice thereof, nor to be Maſters of thoſe Trades wherein they have ſerved their Apprenticeſhip; nor may they perform the Functions of thoſe very Offices whereunto they were Privileged by their Patents; Our Publick Notaries and Attorneys of Bailywicks, having been interdicted the Exerciſe of their Callings by a Decree of your Council, April 28. 1637. Wherefore your Majeſty is moſt Humbly Requeſted, that their Profeſſion of the Proteſtant Religion, may not be made a Crime, and that whilſt they adventure their Lives and Fortunes in your Majeſty's Service, equally with your other Subjects, they may not be deprived of the benefit of your Edicts: And we Humbly beſeech your Majeſty to Ordain, that they may be for the future, indifferently admitted unto all Charges, Dignities, and Maſterſhips of Trades, and that ſuch as have a Patent for them, may be maintained in the full and free enjoyment of their reſpective Functions, and that your Majeſty would be pleaſed to Abrogate and Revoke all Decrees and Judgments given to the contrary.
18. In the year 1617. by the Edict of Reſtauration, made in Favour of the Reformed Churches of Bearn, Confirmed by Your Warrant for the Peace of Monpellier, Your Majeſty was pleaſed to maintain thoſe Churches aforeſaid of Bearn, in the Liberty and full Enjoyment both of their Doctrine and Diſcipline, without Changing or Innovating of any Article or Canon in either of them; yet nevertheleſs, Your Court of Parliament of Navarre, in prejudice of their Liberty of Ordaining and Depoſing, of Continuing, or Removing their Paſtors from thoſe Churches unto others, where they be ſent by their Synods, doth forbid them to Proclame or Celebrate any Faſts without its permiſſion, or to make Appeals in matters purely Eccleſiaſtical elſewhere than unto the ſaid Parliament, or to Toll any Bell at any time for the Convocation of our Church Aſſemblies in that Province, as is evident from the Decrees of the ſaid Parliament. Wherefore Your Majeſty is moſt Humbly Requeſted to continue unto thoſe Churches their Liberty granted them in thoſe matters, and to forbid the ſaid Parliament of Navarre, from intermeddling with ſuch things for the ſuture; and that You would be pleaſed to Abrogate and Diſannul all thoſe Decrees which have been made on this occaſion.
19. Your Majeſty was pleaſed by all Your former Declarations made in favour of Your ſaid Subjects, to promiſe the continuance of that Bounty granted them by the late King Henry the Great, of Glorious and Immortal Memory, and divers times ſince Confirmed by Your Majeſty for the Maintenance of our Miniſters and Univerſities, which was in Compenſation of the Tythes paid by Your Subjects aforeſaid, unto the Popiſh Pariſh Curates. Yet nevertheleſs, for divers years laſt part, they have been totally deprived of this Liberality. And whereas ſeveral Aſſignments were made them for the former years, there is yet remaining due unto them a very conſiderable Sum: And although this Favour hath been again and again Promiſed, and was Granted to them in the year 1629. whenas the Towns of the Lower Languedoc ſubmitted themſelves to Your Majeſty's Authority, and the ſaid Promiſe was ſince confirmed by Your Majeſty's Anſwer at Montauban, to our Bill of Grievances we then tendered You; yet nevertheleſs, thoſe very Aſſignations given them for the year 1627. have been revoked, nor have there been any given them for the following years; therefore Your Majeſty is moſt Humbly intreated, in purſuance of Your Royal Promiſes, to continue unto Your Subjects aforeſaid, the enjoyments of thoſe former Favours and Liberalities, and to ordain, and cauſe them to be paid all Arrears due for the years paſt, and to continue them for the future.
The End of the Bill of Grievances.