The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 24 (1st Charenton) · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. The Kings Firſt Commiſſioner, Deputies, and Synodical Officers.
THE Lord Auguſtus Galland Councellor of the King in His Council of Eſtate, and Attorney-General of the Kingdom of Navarre was Commiſſionated by His Majeſty to open this Synod by his Royal Authority, and to be preſent in all its Seſſions, as ſhall be afterwards Declared.
There appeared as Deputies for the Province of Normandy, Mr. Benjamin Baſnage Paſtor of the Church of Charenton, John Maximilian de Baux Lord de L' Angle Paſtor in the Church of Roan, John Lewis Muſtel, Eſq Lord of Boiſroger, Elder in the Church of Ponteau de Mer, and James de la Loys Elder of the Church of St. l o.
As for the Province of Orleans and Berry Mr. Simon Jurieux Paſtor of the Church of Chaſtillon on the Loir, James Imbert Durant Paſtor of the Church of Orleans, Elijah du Bois, Eſq Lord of Senelieres, Elder of the Church of Chaſteaudun, and John du Four, Counſellor to the King, and his Judge in the Seſſions of Blois, and Elder of the Church there.
For the Province of Anjou Mr. John Vigneux Paſtor of the Church of Mans, Iſaac le Pelletier Paſtor of the Church of Vandome, George Rabboteau Advocate and Elder in the Church of Pruilly, and Samuel Pruchieur Lord de la Meſnerie, and of the Waters and Foreſts in the Sheriffdom of Anjou, Elder of the Church of Bange.
For the Province of the Higher and Lower Poictou Mr. Iſaac Caville Paſtor of the Church of Cove, James Cottiby Paſtor of the Church of Poitiers, Claudius Gourjault, Eſq Lord of Venoars, Elder in the Church of …uſignun, and Michael des Roulins Eſq Lord of Bois St. Martyn, Elder in the Church of Mouſchamp.
For the Province of Xaintonge, Mr. William Rivett Lord of Chauvernown Paſtor of the Church of Taillebourg, Theodore de …ignon Judge Aſſiſtant in the Town of Rochefoucaut, and Elder of the Church there, and John Thomas Judge of Mirambeau Elder of the Church there, as for Michael le Blanc Paſtor of the Church of Rochell, and deputed at the ſame time together with the ſaid Lord of Chauvernown he fell ſick juſt as he came to Paris, and departed this Life on Wedneſday the Thirteenth of this inſtant September, and was buried the next day in the Church-yard of Charenton aforeſaid.
For the Province of the Lower Guyenne, Mr. John Alba Paſtor of the Church of Tonneins, James Berdolin Paſtor of the Church of Duras, Seigneron Buffoon formerly Lieutenant in the Seneſchally of Caſtlejaloux, Elder of the Church there, and Mathias Capduroy, Advocate in the Parliament of Bourdeaux, and Elder of that Church.
For the Province of Lower Languedoc Solomon Crubelier Paſtor of the Church of Vauvert, and John Faucheur Paſtor of the Church of Niſmes, and Profeſſor of Divinity in that Univerſity, James …eſquet Doctor of the Civil Law and Advocate, Elder in the Church of Montpellier, and … du Mas Doctor of the Civil Law and Advocate, Elder in the Church of Lunel, abſent, never came unto the Synod.
For the Province of Higher Languedoc and Guyenne, Mr. Peter Beraud Paſtor and Profeſſor of Divinity in the Church and Univerſity of Montauban, Peter Savoys Paſtor of the Church of Caſtres, John Mauzy, the Kings Attorney in the Judicature of Ville …ongue Elder in the Church of Puylaurens, and James Herauldy Doctor of the Civil Law, and Advocate, Elder in the Church of Figeac.
For the Province of Burgundy Mr. Iſaiah Bayly Paſtor of the Church of …ions, James Clerk Paſtor of the Church of Seſſy, Peter de L' Oriol, Eſq Lord of Zarlac Elder in the Church of Bourg, and Albert de Mars Eſq Lord of Balenes Elder in the Church of Maringues abſent, and did not come unto this Synod.
For the Province of Dolphiny, Mr. James de Chambrun Paſtor of the Church of Orange, Adrian Chamier Paſtor of the Church of Montlimart, Moſes du Port Eſq Captain and Conſtable of the Caſtle of Lamure Elder of the Church there, and Daniel Bois Advocate in the Parliament of Grenoble, and Elder of the Church in that City.
For the Province of Sevennes Mr. James Berlie Paſtor of the Church of Quiſſac, Paul Paulett Paſtor of the Church at Vazenobre. Andrew du Crois, Eſq Lord of Vazenobre and Elder of the Church of St. German and Calbergue, and Anthony Deſpeces Doctor of the Civil Law, and Advocate Elder in the Church of Alez.
For the Province of the Iſle of France, Mr. Samuel Durant, and Mr. John Meſtrezat Paſtors of the Church of Paris, Peter de Launay Counſellor and Secretary to the King, Elder of the ſaid Church, and James de Herouard, Eſq Lord of …oſſeuſe, Elder in the Church of Baillolett.
The Lord of Montmartyn Deputy General for the Reformed Churches in this Kingdom to His Majeſty, took his Place, and ſate perſonally in this Synod, according to the Canon of our Churches in this caſe provided.
Eight Dayes after the opening of the Synod there came and craved admiſſion into it, The Sieurs Bertrand d' Avignon Lord of Souvigne Paſtor of the Church of Rennes, and John de Gennes Lord of la Baſte Elder in the Church of Vitre, Deputies for the Province of Britain, and being demanded the reaſons of their delay, and late coming, they anſwered that it aroſe hence, that their Provincial Synod could not be held early enough, becauſe that His Majeſty having given Order to ſome particular Perſons to ſend an Officer who might aſſiſt in Perſon in it, they put off his Nomination and Commiſſion ſo long that they have loſt all this time, which Excuſes of theirs were accepted by the Aſſembly.
Twelve dayes after the Synod had ſate there came into it Mr. John D' Iſſerotte Paſtor of the Church of Moneings, Deputy for the Principality of Bearn, who declared that the Letters of Convocation unto this preſent Synod came not into their Province but very lately, ſo that they could not aſſemble their own Synod timely enough for the Deputies to meet at the opening of this Aſſembly, and that Mr. Samuel Campaigne Elder in the Church of Olleroon, who was deputed together with him, fell ſick juſt as they were beginning their Journey, ſo that he had not time to acquaint the other Perſon with it, who was ordered in caſe of ſuch an Accident to ſucceed him in this Office, and therefore he humbly requeſted this Synod to accept of theſe his Excuſes, which it alſo did, and gave him his priviledge of ſitting and voteing in it. But foraſmuch as in his Letters of Commiſſion the clauſe of ſubmiſſion was couched in thoſe very ſelf-ſame terms, and under thoſe conditions, wherewith the Deputies of the ſaid Principality had been hitherto admitted into theſe Aſſemblies, and that the Synod of Alez had ſuffered thoſe Conditions becauſe of the juncture of Affairs then, and by proviſion only until this preſent Synod; therefore this Aſſembly doth ordain in purſuance of the limitations and reſtrictions made in the foregoing National Synods the Provinces ſhall have full liberty to require that the ſaid Sieur D' Iſſerotte may not in ſome caſes concerning the Churches of this Kingdom not be permitted either his deliberative or deciſive Vote; and that before the breaking up of this Synod, he do produce the reaſons why the Churches in the Principality of Bearne have ſo long deferred their full and intire ſubjection to the Diſcipline of the Churches in France, and of which this Aſſembly will conſider and give judgment.
The Sixteenth day after the Synod had ſate there came unto it for the Province of Vivaretz Mr. Joſeph Villou Paſtor of the Church of Chambon, Solomon Faure Paſtor of the Church of Privas, Anthony Perrottin Advocate, Elder in the Church of Villeneuſve de Berg, and John Faure Lord of Champlas Elder in the Church of Tournon near Privas who related, that through the delays and difficulties cauſed by the Governours and Officers of His Majeſty their Provincial Synod could not meet but towards the end of August, which had exceedingly retarded and put back their Journey, ſo that they could not poſſibly come any ſooner unto this Aſſembly. Their Excuſes were admitted, and they were admoniſhed for the future to keep exactly to the forme preſcribed by the former National Synods in their Letters of Deputation, and to bring in Writing the Names of thoſe Perſons, who being Commiſſionated, could not come hither unto this Synod.
The One and Twentieth day after the Synod had firſt met and ſate there were Letters brought and read in full Aſſembly from the Province of Provence aſſembled in their Synod at Cabrieres on the Eight and Twentieth day of Auguſt laſt; By which they excuſe themſelves, and crave that they may be excuſed for not having ſent any Deputies unto this Aſſembly: But all their Excuſes were rejected, and the ſaid Province was cenſur'd for their neglect of this their Duty, they being able, if they had, been willing to have Commiſſionated ſome from out of their Body unto this Synod; and they were farther cenſured for that their Letters were full of blots and razures, and that the clauſe of ſubmiſſion unto the Votes and Canons thereof was not couched in ſuch full and Emphatical terms as the former National Synods had preſcribed.
Prayers having been offered up unto God, and all the Letters of Deputation read and examined, The Reverend Mr. Durant, Paſtor of the Church of Paris was nominated and choſen Moderator, Mr. Bayly Aſſeſſor, and Mr. Faucheur a Paſtor, and Mr. Launay an Elder to be Scribes.