The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, Introduction 2 · Section 53
SECT. LIII.
As for the reſidue of the Proteſtants, whom the Violence of Perſecution, and the Cruel Uſages they endured, had neceſſitated to abandon their Eſtates, Families, Relations, and native Country, it is hardly to be imagined to what dangers they were expoſed. Never were Orders more rigorous and ſevere, nor more ſtrictly Executed than thoſe which were given out againſt them. They doubled the Guards at every Poſt, in all Cities, Towns, High-ways, Fords and Ferries. They covered the Country with Souldiers, they armed the very Peaſants, that they might ſtop the Reformed in their Travel, or kill them upon the ſpot. They forbad all Officers of the Cuſtoms to ſuffer any Goods, Moveables, Merchandiſes, or other Effects of theirs to paſs out of the Kingdom. They forgot nothing that might hinder the flight of theſe poor Perſecuted Creatures; inſomuch, that they interrupted all Commerce with the Neighbouring Nations. By this means they quickly filled all the Priſons in the Kingdom. For the terrour of the Dragoons, the horrour of ſeeing their Conſciences forced, and their Children to be taken away from them, and to be Educated in Anti-Chriſtian Superſtition, and damnable Idolatry, and of living for the future in a Land where there was neither Juſtice nor Humanity for them, obliged every one to think with himſelf, and conſult with others in whom they could confide, how to get out of France, and ſo they could but eſcape without polluting their Conſciences, many thouſands of them were ready to, and did actually leave their Worldly All behind them. As for the poor Priſoners, they have been ſince treated with unheard of Barbarities, ſhut up in Dungeons, loaden with Iron Chains, almoſt ſtarved with Hunger, and deprived of all Converſe, but that of their inhumane Perſecutors. Many were thruſt into their Monaſteries, where they were moſt cruelly diſciplin'd. A Lady of eminent Quality gave this Relator this Account, That when they had ſeized all her Eſtate, clapt her up in Priſon, Arraign'd and Condemn'd her to Death for Murdering five of her Children (becauſe ſhe had conveyed them away that they might not be trained up in Popery) they took her two youngeſt, one of five, and the other of two years, and put them into Nunneries. They could never get that of five to kiſs a Crucifix, or bow to their breaden God, though they kept her from meat and drink eight and forty hours, and having ſcourged the poor young Heretick unmercifully, they returned her, with her young Siſter, whom they had alſo tormented with Famine and Whipping, to the poor Mother, in whoſe Arms one of theſe Innocent Lambs died a few hours after.
That very day the Edict was publiſhed, the Attorney-General and ſome other Magiſtrates ſend for the Proteſtant Heads of Families (who lived in Paris) to appear before them: and when they came, they declared to them, That it was the King's abſolute Will and Pleaſure, that they ſhould change their Religion; that they were no better than the reſt of his Subjects; and that if they would not do it willingly, his Majeſty was reſolv'd to compel them to it.
At the ſame time, by Letters under the Privy-Seal, they baniſhed all the Elders of that Conſiſtory, together with ſome others, in whom they found more conſtancy and reſolution; and they diſperſed them into thoſe places which were remoteſt from all Commerce and Buſineſs, and have ſince uſed them with unparallel'd Cruelties.
When as the diligence of Mr. Attorney-General, and the City Magiſtrates ſucceeded not anſwerably to their deſires and expectations, Monſieur Seignelay, Secretary of State, would try what influence he had in his diviſion at Paris. Wherefore he gets together about an hundred or ſixſcore Merchants with ſome others, unto his Houſe, and having ſhut the doors, he forthwith preſents them a Form of Abjuration, commanding them in the King's Name to ſign it; declaring, that they ſhould not ſtir out of the doors till they had yielded a full obedience. The Contents of this Form were, That they did not only renounce the Hereſie of Calvin, and enter into the Catholick Church, but alſo, that they did it voluntarily, without any force or compulſion. This was done after a moſt imperious manner, and with the tone of authority: Yet notwithſtanding ſome had the courage to ſpeak, tho' they were ſoon cut ſhort with this reply, They were not called to diſpute, but to obey. So that they all ſigned before they went out.