The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 20 (Privas) · Chapter 8
CHAP.VIII. His Majeſties Proclamation of Pardon.
BEFORE we proceed unto General matters, we ſhall firſt exhibit his Majeſties Letters Pattents, concerning their Pardon, who have held Provincial Political Aſſemblies ſince that National one, which was convened at Saumur in the year, 1611.
LOUIS by the Grace of God King of France and Navarre, To our Beloved and Truſty Counſellors ſitting in our Court of Parliament and of the Edict, Greeting.
When God called us to the Government of this Kingdom, to Wear the Crown, and weild the Scepter of our Anceſtors, we took up a fixed reſolution to follow that form and order in management of State Affairs, which was Eſtabliſhed by the Deceaſed King our moſt Honoured Lord and Father, whom God abſolve; Believing that we could not better ſecure the Kingdom which he had left us, than by imitating his example, who had raiſed it from the deepeſt deſolation to the higheſt Pinnacle of Glory. And we have met with that ſucceſs and happineſs herein, that none of our Subjects have had any the leaſt occaſion to complain of us; For we have took ſuch an effectual courſe in the Adminiſtration of our Government, that we have given general ſatisfaction unto all Perſons whom God hath Subjected to us, and particularly unto thoſe of the Pretended Reformed Religion: for we have not only graciouſly anſwered their Petitions and Bills of Grievances, which they had preſented to us, but we have alſo ſent divers Perſons of Quality into all the Provinces of this Kingdom with Commiſſions and Authority to ſee the Edict of Nantes executed in all its Articles, and particular Orders, and other Priviledges Granted and Accorded in the Reign of our Deceaſed Lord and Father to them, and in all other caſes whatſoever in which it might be executed, that ſo by this means we might free them from all fears and apprehenſions of troubles; which have been formerly the grounds and pretences uſed by thoſe our ſaid Subjects for holding extraordinary Aſſemblies without our Royal Permiſſion, and would have made others of a different perſwaſion to ſuſpect and grow jealous of them. Wherefore we being moſt deſirous to provide againſt thoſe evils, and to preſerve that Peace, Union, and good correſpondence moſt Happily Eſtabliſhed and kept up by the Edict and its exact obſervation, we do by and with the Advice and Conſent, and in the preſence of the Queen Regent, our moſt Honoured Lady and Mother, and of the Princes of our Blood, and with the Princes and Officers of our Crown, and being fully aſſured of the good Will in general of our ſaid Subjects, of their zeal and fidelity to our ſervice, and deſigning to deal favourably with them, We have of our mere and ſpecial Grace, Plenary Power, and Royal Authority remitted and aboliſhed, we do remit and aboliſh by theſe Preſents their offence committed by them who have called, or aſſiſted in perſon at thoſe Aſſemblies aforeſaid, which have been held without our Permiſſion in ſundry Provinces of this Kingdom, and alſo of all matters fore-paſſed, or done in Conſequence of them, and we will that they be all fully acquitted, cleared, and diſcharged from them; and we expreſly forbid our Attorney general and his Subſtitutes in any wiſe to make any Inquiry, Suit, or Proſecution for them. Yet nevertheleſs that we may prevent for the future the Licentious calling of ſuch Aſſemblies forbidden by the Edicts, and ſpecial Orders made on theſe accounts by the Late King our moſt Honoured Lord and Father, in the Obedience of which 'tis our Will and Pleaſure that thoſe our ſaid Subjects ſhall continue, and in purſuance of the eighty ſecond Article of the Edict of Nantes, and of the Ordinance of the fifteenth of March, 1606. at alſo of that Anſwer given the nineteenth of Auguſt next following unto their Bill of Grievances preſented by the General Deputies of the ſaid Religion, the Extracts of which are faſtned unto theſe Preſents under the Seal of our Chancery, We have prohibited, and do prohibit and forbid all thoſe our ſaid Subjects of the ſaid Religion for the future to make any Congregations or Aſſemblies for treating or debating of holding any publick Aſſemblies, without having firſt got our Royal Licenſe and Permiſſion expreſly to this purpoſe, upon pain of being puniſhed at breakers of our Edicts, and Diſturbers of the publick Peace; However we do give them full Liberty of holding their Conſiſtories, Colloquies, and Provincial and National Synods, at hath been formerly granted to them, but with this condition, that they admit none other perſons into them but Miniſters and Elders to treat of their Doctrine and Church-Diſcipline, upon pain of loſing their Priviledge to hold theſe Aſſemblies, and on all Moderators of anſwering for it in their private and perſonal Capacities. And we do command that theſe our preſent Letters Pattents be read, and recorded, and that you cauſe thoſe our ſaid Subjects to enjoy the benefit of their contents, and farther that you ſee them exactly and punctually obſerved in the whole extent of your Juriſdiction, without permitting or ſuffering them in the leaſt to be tranſgreſſed. Moreover we command and enjoin all Governors and Lieutenant Generals, Particular Governors, and their Lieutenants in the Governments of our Provinces, and Cities of their Juriſdiction, and the Mayors, Bayliffs, Sheriffs, and Conſuls of them to ſee that they be very carefully kept and obſerved: And the firſt of our Beloved and Faithful Counſellors, and Maſter of the Ordinary Requeſts of our Houſhold, and Counſellors in our Court of Parliament in thoſe places, and others our Juſtices and Officers to make informations of thoſe tranſgreſſions aforeſaid, and to give us ſpeedy advice of it; and in the mean while to proceed againſt ſuch at ſhall be found Delinquents according to due courſe of Law, and the Tenour of our Edicts and Ordinances For ſuch is our Will and Pleaſure. Given at Paris the 24th day of April in the year of Grace, 1612. and of our Reign the Second.
Signed LOUIS, And a little Lower by the King in his Council. De Lomenie. And Sealed with Yellow Wax, the great Seal appendant at the bottom with a ſingle Thread.