The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 28 (3rd Charenton) · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. A Deputation from the Synod unto their Majeſties, and the Lords of the Privy Council.
7. THe Aſſembly Nominated the Sieurs Vincent and Chabrol Paſtors, and the Sieurs de Panieure and de Cleſles Elders, to wait immediately upon their Majeſties, and to lay at their Majeſties Feet our moſt humble Submiſſions and Thanks, and to deliver our Letters to the King, Queen Regent, the Duke of Orleans, to the Prince of Conde, to the Lord Cardinal Mazarin, to the Lord Chancellor, to the Lord Treaſurer, to Monſieur D'Emery Comptroller General, and to Monſieur de Vrilliere, Secretary of State, to whoſe Diviſion the Profeſſors of the Reformed Religion appertained.
A Copy of a Letter Written by the Synod unto the King.
Sire,
THis our Aſſembly was no ſooner formed, but we applied our Selves unto the Divine Majeſty for his Bleſſing upon it; and the Firſt Thought that came into our Souls was to acquit our Selves conſcientiouſly of our Duty to your Majeſty, who are the moſt Lively Portraiture of our God; and to this purpoſe, we immediately diſpatched the Sieurs Vincent and Chabrol Paſtors, de Panieure, and de Cleſles Elders, to lay at your Majeſties Feet our Homage and Submiſſions; as likewiſe to render to you our moſt Humble Thanks, for that ſingular favour we have received from your Majeſty, in granting us this Priviledge of Meeting together in this Synod, in which we labour Zealouſly to Serve our God, to Confirm and Strengthen our Selves in his Service; and in all Duty and Obedience to your Majeſty. And being ſo near your moſt Excellent Majeſty, and thoſe Glorious Intelligences which do inviron you, and well knowing that your Majeſties Eyes are upon us, and that we be equally under your Majeſties Inſpection and Power, we are incouraged to diſcharge our Selves worthily of our Duty, and to perſiſt in that Fidelity which is Natural and Hereditary to us, and ſhall be Entailed by us upon our Poſterity. But Sire, the principal end of our Deputing theſe Gentlemen unto your Majeſty, is to teſtify the Triumphant Joy of all our Churches, and that unſpeakable Satisfaction we feel in our Souls, to ſee your Majeſty advanced unto the Throne; a King whom with Multitudes of Prayers, reiterated with the greateſt Ardor and Importunity we had demanded of our God for many and many a Year together. We believe Sire, that God hath given you out of the Treaſures of his Mercy, out of the Riches of his Grace unto your France, to bring back unto us the Golden Age, and to be the Glorious Inſtrument of his Choiceſt and moſt Exquiſite Favours; becauſe that he Crowneth your firſt Entrance upon the Government with wonderful Succeſs, and unexpected Victories, which render your Majeſty formidable to your Enemies, and make your People to conſider you as a precious Bud of Infinite Proſperities, which the Providence of God hath kept in ſtore for poor France under your Government. We believe, Sire, that it will be very pleaſing to you, that we ſhould ſhare and participate with your other Subjects in thoſe Bleſſings which God diſpenſeth through your Hands, ſith that we labour, and ſhall by the moſt Signal Characters of Fidelity, always labour to render cur Selves worthy of them; and for that our Lives, Fortunes and Honours ſhall be all Sacrificed with the greateſt Chearfulneſs in your Majeſties Service, as often as we ſhall have the Honour of your Commands and Summons. 'Tis in this poſture Sire, that we deſire to Live and Die, being not only by our Birth and Obligations, but by our moſt Ardent Affections,
From Charenton, December 28th, 1644. Sire, Your Majeſties moſt Humble, moſt Obedient, and moſt Faithful Subjects and Servants, the Paſtors and Elders, Aſſembled by Permiſſion of your Majeſty in the National Synod at Charenton, and in the Name of them all.
Garriſſoles, Moderator,
Banage, Aſſeſſor,
Blondel, Scribe, and
Le Coq. Scribe.
A Copy of the Letter Written by the Synod, unto the Queen Regent.
Madam,
WE cannot but eſteem this Day, in which we lie proſtrate at your Feet, in the Perſons of our Deputies, as one of the moſt Happy Days of our Life. No ſooner had God intruſted your Majeſty with the Government of this Kingdom, but you may well remember how very diligent our Churches were to obtain this Honour, whereof we ſtand now Poſſeſſed, to ſignify in your Majeſties Preſence, that exceeding Joy with which we were tranſported, to ſee how the Providence of God was particularly concerned for the Weal of France; and that when we had ſo ſad an Occaſion of Weeping and Mourning at the Death of our late King of Glorious Memory, yet even then our Sorrows were Converted into Joys, for your Majeſties moſt Happy Exaltation unto the Regency, which hath made us almoſt forgetful of our Loſs, the Sun now ſhining forth with greater Brightneſs than ever. Only ſome croſs Accidents interpoſed, and deprived us of this Honour at that time; and it was, Madam, the Will of God, that before we appeared in your Majeſties Preſence, we ſhould joyn our then Hopes and Prejudices to thoſe Experiences we all now have of the Bleſſings of God upon your moſt prudent and proſperous Government; that ſo the Teſtimonies of our Joy might be the more Stately, and Expreſſed in Terms far more Magnificent: And that our Thankfulneſs might be Combined with our moſt Loyal, moſt Humble, and Dutiful Submiſſions: Therefore Madam, have we deputed unto your Majeſty the Sieurs Vincent and Chabrol Paſtors, and de Panieure, and de Cleſles Elders, to aſſure your Majeſty on behalf of all the Churches, of our deep Senſe and Gratitude for all your Majeſties Favours to us. You have, Madam, continued to us, his Majeſty's Favours, and thoſe of his Royal Predeceſſors; you have confirmed the Edicts granted us by your own Royal Declaration; and which is more, Madam, 'tis from your great Bounty, that we now have the Liberty and Priviledge of this Aſſembly, which we beſeech your Majeſty to repute as the moſt Ʋniform Meeting, and moſt Harmonious Concourſe of all the Hearts of your Subjects profeſſing The Reformed Religion for the Service of your Majeſties. We Madam, ſhall Love and Obey your Majesty Eternally, nor ſhall any one be your Rival or Competitor with you for our Affections; and we ſhall tranſmit this our Loyalty unto our Poſterity after us, as a moſt Eſſential part of our Religion. And we beſeech the Great God, by whom Kings Reign, and who hath hitherto cauſed the Lilies of your Crown to flouriſh ſo Gloriouſly, that he would, Madam, be pleaſed to preſerve you for the King our common Master, and the King for your Majeſty, and both of you a long time for France and our Churches, that ſo in the meeting and perpetual Conjunction of both thoſe Luminaries, this Kingdom may injoy the moſt Auſpicious and moſt Beneficial Influences. And that, Madam, your Regency may raiſe an Emulation in the moſt Accompliſh'd and Conſummate Monarchie's, and that hereafter it may he a Domestick Pattern unto our King, whereunto he may conform his Glorious Actions. Theſe Madam, are the Vows and moſt ardent Prayers of your Majeſt's,
From Charenton, December 28th, 1644. Moſt Humble, moſt Obedient, and moſt Faithful Subjects and Servants, the Paſtors and Elders Aſſembled by your Majeſties Permiſſion in the National Synod at Charenton, and for them all.
Garriſſoles, Moderator,
Banage, Aſſeſſor,
Blondel and
Le Coq. Scribes.