The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 22 (2nd Vitré) · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. The King's Letter to the Synod.
Above Art. 5. after the Catalogue of Deputies.THE third of June, Meſſieurs Heſperien, and Bouteroue, Paſtors, and Balene and Mouſſac, Elders, deputed by this Aſſembly unto the King, returned hither, and notified unto us with how much kindneſs and favour they were received by his Majeſty, and having declared to him their Commiſſion, and delivered their Memoirs and Inſtructions, he heard, and anſwer'd them very graciouſly, as appears by his Majeſty's Letter brought with them unto this Aſſembly, and they had the thanks and applauſe of all the Deputies in it for their moſt affectionate care, faithfulneſs and diligence in the diſcharge of their Commiſſion. And becauſe it very much imported our Churches to be particularly informed of that good will and love his Majeſty bears them, that ſo they may be in an extraordinary manner ſtirred up to praiſe and bleſs the Lord for it, and own and acknowledge themſelves to be more ſtrictly obliged to fidelity and perſeverance in their obedience and ſubjection due unto his Majeſty, and to pray more heartily for the augmentation of his Majeſty's Proſperity and Grandeur: This Aſſembly ordained, that the Letter which it pleated his Majeſty to write us ſhould be tranſcribed, and Copies thereof ſent abroad among the Churches, which is here inſerted word for word in this preſent Article.
By the KING.
To our Dear and Well-beloved the Deputies of our Subjects of the pretended Reformed Religion aſſembled in their Synod at Vitré. DEar and Well-beloved,
we received your Letters of the one and twentieth day of this Month, by which we have ſenſible experience of your Zeal and Affection for our Service, and for that of the Common-weal; participating (as you have done) in the common joy of all our Subjects, for the Peace and Settlement of the Kingdom, which we have ſo happily procured for them, whereof we were alſo more particularly informed by your Deputies ſent unto us for this ſame purpoſe; from whom we have gladly received the freſh aſſurances and proteſtations made by you of perſevering in your Loyalty and Obedience to us, as you have done heretofore: and you may be very well aſſured, that we will be always careful to maintain and preſerve you in all your priviledges formerly granted to you. And we will give you all in general, and every one of you in particular, new tokens of our Love and good will upon all occaſions, which ſhall occur unto us.
Given at Paris, the 29th of May, 1617.
LOUYS.
Phelippeaux.
2. The Deputies of Xaintonge demanded a Decree,Nymes 11. that no Colloquy might hence forward ſeparate any particular Congregation which was annexed, to conjoin it unto another, without the previous advice and authority of a Provincial Synod. This Aſſembly finding their demand very Equitable, did Ordain, that this ſhould be an Univerſal Canon, binding all Colloquies and Churches.
3. Divers Perſons of Quality having moved it, that inaſmuch as our Mechanicks are obliged, by the Kings Edict, to forbear working on the Feſtivals of the Romiſh Church, over and beſides the Lord's day; It is left unto the prudence of Conſiſtories to Congregate the People, on ſuch Holy-Days, either to hear the word Preached, or to join in common publick Prayers, as they ſhall find to be moſt expedient.See Synod of Saumur. Art. 13. of. g. m. And whereas Complaints are made us, that in ſome Churches before Sermon they ſing part of the Pſalm, and reſerve the laſt Verſe for concluſion of the Exerciſe. This Aſſembly injoins all the Churches to ſing*This laſt Clauſe was raſed out in the ſeventh Obſ. of this Synod by that of Alez. out the whole pauſe, and to conform themſelves as much as may be to the ancient Order.
4. Monſieur de Bertreville, our General Deputy, came unto this Synod the ſixth day of June, and took his place in it according to the Canons of our National Synods, and had his Vote of deliberation and deciſion, and ſware, and ſubſcribed the Oath of Union of the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom.
5. The Lord of Bertreville, our General Deputy, declared to us,Tonneins g. m. 6. that the King's Letters Patents, though granted, for exempting our Miniſters from payment of Taxes, were not as yet verified, nor delivered into his hands, nor unto his Colleague the Lord of Maniald. This Aſſembly doth earneſtly intreat them to uſe all needful means to get them diſpatcht as ſoon as poſſible.
6. Whereas the National Synod of Tonneins had injoined all the Provinces to conſider of a Propoſal made by ſeveral great Perſons both at home and abroad,Tonneins g. m. 19. Alez. Obſ. 6. upon this Synod. touching the moſt proper means of entertaining a good Correſpondence with all Orthodox Churches, and to procure a good Union in Doctrine betwixt us and them, and to invite over, unto the ſame Communication, even thoſe that are of a different perſwaſion from us. All the Provinces declared what had been done by them as to this matter. This Aſſembly did thereupon judge expedient, that we ſhould make a little halt, till ſuch time as thoſe, who had firſt made theſe Overtures, did proſecute this affair with more vigour. And in the mean while, Monſieur Rivett, Paſtor of the Church of Touars, Chauves, Paſtor of the Church in Sommieres, Chamier, Paſtor and Profeſſor in the Church and Univerſity of Montalban, and du Moulin, Paſtor of the Church of Paris, are nominated a Committee, and to conſult of ſuch a project as will beſt conduce to the accompliſhing of this deſign. After which (in caſe they be ſummon'd and called forth unto this work) they ſhall all meet together at Saumur, and conjointly with the Lord du Pleſſis, and the Paſtors and Profeſſors of Divinity in that Church and Univerſity deliberate about it; and ſhall draw put a Plot of it, which ſhall be ſent into every Province, there to be peruſed and debated by their Synods, that ſo their Deputies may come prepared for it unto the next National Synod.
7. Whereas divers Provinces had charged their Deputies to demand of this Aſſembly a National Faſt to be celebrated in all the Churches of this Kingdom:Gergeau. g. m. 13. Now for that it hath pleaſed God to turn away his wrath from us, and to give us manifeſt tokens of his goodneſs, it was not judged expedient at this time to proclaim a General Faſt, but (according to the Canons of our National Synods) that Province whoſe right it is to Convene the next National Synod, is ordered to conſult with our Lords the General Deputies about it, who are intreated (that in caſe any emergent Providence doth ſummon the Churches to ſanctify an extraordinary Faſt) to confer with the Conſiſtory of Paris about it, and to acquaint the ſaid Province therewith, whoſe Synod being aſſembled, and reſolving on it, they ſhall give notice of the time for its Celebration unto all the other Provinces.3 Rochel g. m. 9. and in the Roll. See at the Concluſ. of Tonneins above Art. 3. after the Roll.
8. The Deputies of the Churches in the Principality of Bearn, gave in their reaſons, wherefore they had not accepted that priviledge of calling this preſent National Synod, which was at their requeſt granted them by the laſt held at Tonneins, and on thoſe terms and condition mentioned in the Article of the ſaid Synod. This Aſſembly did not now …dge it reaſonable that thoſe Churches ſhould be ſubject to the Diſcipline of our Churches in this Kingdom, or that for the preſent they ſhould immed…y depend on our National Synods.Privas p. m. 14. See the ſecond Synod of Charenton. 2 Obſ. upon the Acts of the former National Synod. 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 declareth, that their Deputies may have the priviledge of ſitting and voting in our National Synods, upon this Condition, that they ſhall firſt ask leave of the Provinces to give in their Suffrages in ſuch Caſes as concern the Churches of this Kingdom.
9. It was told in this Aſſembly how much the Church of Sancerre was oppreſſed by the Earl of Marans, one of whoſe men had but a few days ſince aſſaſſinated a very Eminent Member of that Church. It was immediately judged neceſſary to write unto his Majeſty about it, and that the Lord of Bertreville, our General Deputy, ſhould deliver with his own hands unto the King this our Letter, and moſt humbly Petition his Majeſty, that Sancerre may be kept up as one of our Cautionary Towns, by his ſupream Authority, and that the Inhabitants thereof may injoy peace and quietneſs, ſince it hath pleaſed God to give it unto the reſt of his Majeſty's Subjects, and our General Deputies ſhall be very urgent for it.
10. That Canon of our Church-Diſcipline binding Miniſters to a perſonal reſidence on their Churches ſhall be moſt exactly obſerved by all the Provinces.1 Paris 12. Montauban g. m. 10. Alez. Obſ. 8. on the Synod. And whereas this hath been broken by too many, and principally in the Higher Languedoc, divers of their Paſtors living at Montauban, and not with their flocks, every one of theſe are injoined to depart from thence with their Families unto thoſe places where their Churches are gathered, and this at the fartheſt within three months after that this Canon of the preſent Synod ſhall have been ſignified to them, and the Conſiſtory of the Church of Montauban is ordered to give notice thereof unto all theſe Non-Reſidents inhabiting their City. And in caſe they refuſe to yield obedience unto it, we declare them from this very inſtant ſuſpended the holy Miniſtry. And Colloquies and Synods ſhall immediately upon ſuch ſuſpenſion provide a ſupply of Paſtors for thoſe vacant Churches, who ſhall oblige themſelves perſonally to reſide among them. And the ſaid Conſiſtory of Montauban ſhall notify unto the Churches the ſuſpenſion of their Paſtors, and that they have full power to chuſe and call in any other according to the Canons of our Church-Diſcipline. And the next National Synod ſhall be informed by the Provinces of their duty in this particular.
11. To obviate the Complaint made by ſeveral Provinces, how that their Commiſſioners having received their moneys from the Lord of Candal, do keep it in their own hands longer than they ought, denying many times that they have received any from him: The ſaid Lord du Candal is deſired, that either himſelf, or his Commiſſioners would be pleaſed to ſend a Copy of their Receipts, as ſoon as they be given him or them, unto ſuch perſons in every Province as ſhall be named to him for this purpoſe. That ſo the Province may be certainly informed at what time, and to whom he paid in their moneys, and the poorer Churches may not be left unpaid and unprovided for divers Months together, as they have been by the wickedneſs of thoſe Receivers Commiſſionated by the Provinces upon the pretexts but now mentioned.
12. Foraſmuch as divers Deputies in this Aſſembly declared that they brought not with them moneys enough to defray their Charges during this Seſſion. The Deputy of the Lord du Candal being how in Town, was ordered to ſupply them, and that out of the Dividend belonging to their Provinces, for which ſums ſo received by them, they ſhall be accountable unto their reſpective Provinces.
13. Whereas we are at preſent neceſſitated to be at unuſual expences, in diſpatches, deputations, and extraordinary buſineſſes for the Churches, this Aſſembly requireth the Lord of Candal to pay in unto our Lords the General Deputies the ſum of four hundred Livers at one intire payment,Alez. Obſ. 15. on this Synod. it being to be diſpoſed by them as they ſhall have occaſion between this and the next National Synod.
14. Several Deputies informed this Aſſembly how they were charged by their Provinces to requeſt that ſome ſpeedy courſe might be took with the Sieur Pallott, Gap at the Roll. Privas g. m. 17. Alez. g. m. 4.to compel him to make Reſtitution of thoſe great ſums owing by him unto the Churches, according as it appears from the Accompts Examined by the Commiſſioners thereunto appointed. Farther, a certain Perſon offered himſelf to proſecute him at Law at his own charges, and to be accountable for the whole unto the next National Synod, and demanded none other recompence for his pains therein, than what the Synod ſhould freely give him, and that too according to the profit redounding by this his ſervice unto the Churches. The Aſſembly though it liked well of this offer, yet it gave Order to the Deputies of the Higher and Lower Languedoc, of Sevennes, of Dolphiny, of Burgundy, Vivaretz, Provence, and of the Iſle of France, in their way homeward to their reſpective Provinces, that they ſhould ſtep in at Paris, and aſſemble the Conſiſtory of that Church, and the Lords General Deputies, and confer all together of the beſt and moſt proper means whereby to induce the ſaid Palot to make payment of thoſe very great ſums, whether it were by perſwaſions uſed to him, or by accepting of ſuch a Compoſition as ſhall be offered by him, or by ſome others for him. And in caſe they cannot before their departure from Paris conclude the matter with him, through ſtraits of time; They ſhall give Letters of Attorney unto the ſaid Conſiſtory, and to the General Deputies, to treat with any perſon that ſhall make the moſt beneficial and advantagious offers for the Churches, according to the Articles and Agreements inſerted into their Letter of Attorney. And notice ſhall be given of what is done in this affair unto all the Provinces.
15. The Sieurs de la Nuſſe, Jolly, and Parris, Paſtors, and St. Lazare, De la Buiſſiere, and de la Baterne, are conſtituted a Committee to Audit the Accompts of our Colledges and Univerſities.
16. The Provincial Deputies of Dolphiny are charged to deſire the Lord Mareſchal of Leſdiguieres, to cauſe the Accompts of the Souldiers lying in Garriſon in the Cautionary Towns of that Province, to be diſpatcht out of hand unto the Lords General Deputies; who have never had any correſpondence with the ſaid Lord Mareſchal ſince they have been in office. But this preſent Article is raſed out of the original.