The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 25 (Castres) · Chapter 1 – Chapter 2
CHAP. I.
AT the opening of this Synod there appeared the Lord Galland one of the Lords of His Majeſties Moſt Honourable Privy Council, and Council of State, and Attorney General for his Dominion of Navarre, as His Majeſties Commiſſioner, Deputed by His Majeſty unto this Aſſembly with this Letter following.
By the KING.
Dear and well beloved,
we being fully reſolved to keep and obſerve, and ſee that our Edicts and Declarations be inviolably kept and obſerved, and that you may injoy thoſe Favours and Priviledges, which are granted you by them, we have freely and willingly ſuffered you to meet together in this National Synod Convocated by you in our Town of Caſtres September next, where you ſhall only debate of ſuch Matters as concern the Diſcipline of your Religion; and have alſo at the ſame time made choice of our Truſty and Well-Beloved Counſellor the Lord Galland One of the Lords of our Privy Council, and Council of State, and Attorney General for our Dominion of Navarr to meet you from us and on our behalf in your ſaid Aſſembly, and to aſſiſt in perſon at all your Conſultations; and to give you plenary Aſſurance of our good and ſincere Intentions for your Peace and Comfort. Wherefore we will and require you to give him credit in all things; and to reſt aſſured, that as long as you contain your ſelves within the Bounds and Limits of your Fidelity and Obedience; which you owe unto us, we ſhall alwayes treat you as good and Loyal Subjects, and ſhall give you to reſent the Effects and Fruits of our Favour and good Will unto you on all occaſions that may occur, as the ſaid Lord of Galland ſhall in our Name more particularly informe you.
Given at Nantes this 24th. of July, 1626. Signed …eve…, and Lower, Phillippe…ux. And ſuperſcribed. To our dear and well-beloved the Deputies of the National Synod of the P. Reformed Churches called by our permiſſion unto the Town of Caſtres.
There appeared in the ſaid Aſſembly for the Province of Provence the Sieurs Paul Maurice Paſtor of the Church of Aiguieres, and James Franc Notary Publick, Elder of the Church of Lormarin.
For the Province of Vivaretz, Forreſt, and Vellay the Sieurs Alexander de Vinay Paſtor of the Church of Annonay, and Paul Accaurat Paſtor of the Church of Aubenas, and Daniel Arcajon the Kings Notary, and Elder in the ſaid Church of Aubenas, and Daniel Sabatier Elder in the Church of Villeneufve de Berg. Theſe Perſons were requeſted to ſee that for the future their Provincial Synod ſuffer not any Letters of Commiſſion or Memoirs which ſhall be brought before the National Synods by the Deputies of the ſaid Province, to be form'd out of their Synodical Aſſemblies, nor that they be ſubſcribed by any others beſides the Moderators, or Aſſeſſors, in caſe the Moderators of the ſaid Synods ſhall be choſen Deputies.
For the Province of Britain the Sieurs Andrew le Noir Lord of Beauchamp, Paſtor in the Church of Belin, and Philip de Vaſſant, Eſq Lord of Martimont, Elder in the Church of Roche Bernard.
For the Province of Sevennes, The Sieurs Nicolas le Blanc Paſtor of the Church of Barr, and Lawrens Aymard Paſtor of the Church of Lezan, together with Claudius de Gabriac Lord of Beaufort, Elder in the Church of Avez, and Charles de Calvet Lord of Aires Elder in the Church of St Privat.
For the Province of Dolphiny Denis Bouteroue Paſtor of the Church in Grenoble, and John Corel Paſtor of the Church of Ambrun, with David Chaluett Elder in the Church of Die, and Anthony Briſſett Elder in the Church of Montlimart.
For the Province of Burgundy, The Sieurs Peter Bollenatt Paſtor in the Church of Avalon, which meets for Religious Worſhip at Vaux. Alexander Rouph one of the Paſtors of the Church of Lions, together with Albert de Mars, Eſq Lord of Baleines Elder in the Church of Maringues, and Lazarus du Puy Counſellor for the King in the Preſidial Court of Berg in the Province of Breſſe, and Elder of the Church in the ſaid Town.
For the Province of Higher Languedoc, The Sieurs Peter Ollier Paſtor of the Church of Montauban, and Moſes de Baux Paſtor of the Church of Mazamet together with Mr. John de Portes Doctor of the Civil Law and Advocate in Parliament, Elder of the Church of Caſtres, and the Lord John Braſſar Doctor of the Civil Law, and Advocate in Parliament, Elder in the Church of Montauban, but he was detained by Sickneſs in the ſaid City, and whereas another was ſubſtituted in his place. He alſo came not for want of Notice given him.
For the Province of Lower Languedoc; The Sieurs John Chauve Paſtor of the Church of Sommieres, and Michael le …aucheur Paſtor of the Church of Montpellier, with Francis Petit Doctor of the Civil Law, and Advocate, Elder in the Church of Niſmes, and Theophilus Ranchin Secretary of the Kings Chamber, and Elder in the ſaid Church of Montpellier.
For the Province of Lower Guyenne, The Sieurs John Mizaubin Paſtor of the Church of Sainte Foy, and James du Fort Paſtor of La Baſtide in Armagnac, together with Mr. John Joan Lord of Loullan, Advocate in the Parliament of Bourdeaux, Elder in the Church of Duras, and Mr. Iſaack Grenouelleau Advocate alſo in the ſame Parliament and Elder of the Church of Caſtelſmoron in Albrett.
For the Province of Xaintonge the Sieurs John Conſtans Paſtor of the Church of Pons, and David Belot Paſtor of the Church de la Rochechalais, together with John Beſne Eſq Lord of Angoulins Elder in the Church of Rochell, and Elijah Marlat Advocate in the Parliament of Bourdeaux, and Elder of the Church of Mirambeau.
For the Province of Poictou, The Sieur Peter de la Vallade Paſtor of the Church of Fontenay la Conte, and Iſaac du Soul Paſtor of the Church of Luſignan, accompanied with Gilles Begaud Eſq Lord of La Begaudiere Elder in the Church of Montague, and James Coxdel Lord of Soignon, Elder in the Church of St. Maixant.
For the Province of Anjou the Sieurs Daniel Couppe Paſtor of Loudun, and Stephen le Bloy Paſtor of the Church of Angers, without any Elders, becauſe thoſe who were Commiſſionated fell ſick on their Journey; which Excuſe was admitted.
For the Province of Orleans and Berry, The Sieurs John Guerrin Paſtor of the Church of Baugency, and John Taby Paſtor of the Church of La Charite, accompanied with James Paſquier Counſellor and Comptroller for the King in the Town of Baugency, and Elder of the Church there, and Peter Longuet Advocate in the Parliament of Paris, and Elder in the Church of Iſſoudun.
For the Province of Normandy, The Sieur John Baunier Lord of La Freſnage Paſtor in the Church of Caen, and Peter Erondelle Paſtor in the Church of Roan, Accompanied with Peter du Pertuis, Eſq Lord of Eragny, Elder in the Church of Giſors, and Mr. Francis Quillel Lord of La Briere, Counſellor and Aſſeſſor in the Vi-County of Alenſon, and Elder of the Church gathered in that City.
For the Province of the Iſle of France, The Sieurs John Meſtrezat Paſtor of the Church of Paris, and David Blondell Paſtor of the Church of Houdan, Accompanied with John de Gravelle, Eſq Lord of Beauterne, Elder in the ſaid Church of Houdan, and Iſaack d' Huiſſeau Elder in the Church of Paris.
For the Province of Bearn, The Sieurs Peter Rivall, Paſtor of the Church of Nay, and John de Pommarede Advocate in the Parliament of Navarre Elder in the Church of Mourlans, who not having inſerted in their Letters of Deputation that clauſe of ſubmiſſion required by the former National Synods, were told that for this time they were born withal on thoſe Conditions expreſly mentioned in the Canons of the laſt National Synod, but for the future, they ſhould not be admitted into theſe Aſſemblies, nor have a conſultive Vote in them, excepting only when as the Confeſſion of our Faith ſhould be read, in which indeed and nothing elſe they retain Union with our Churches.
The Second of October the Lord of Montmartyn General-Deputy for the Churches of this Kingdom unto His Majeſty came into this Synod, and took his place, and voted in it according to the Canons of our Churches, and the uſual practiſe of former National Synods.
After Invocation of the Holy Name of God in Prayer, Monſieur Chauve was choſen Moderator, and Monſieur Bouteroue Aſſeſſor, and Meſſieurs Blondel and Petit Scribes.
CHAP. II. The Kings Writt for the Calling of the Synod, and ordering of Matters in it.
AS ſoon as the Synod was formed, and the Election of its Officers paſt the Lord Galland preſented His Majeſties Letters Patents, which being read, they were tranſcribed, and the Copy inſerted into the Acts of this Synod, the Tenour whereof was as followeth:
The Kings Letters Patents.
Louis by the Grace of God King of France and Navarre to our Beloved and Truſty Counſellor in our Councils of State and Privy Council and Attorney General for our Dominion of Navarre the Lord Galland, Greeting.
We having permitted according to our Edicts our Subjects profeſſing the P. Reformed Religion to convocate and keep a National Council in our City of Caſtres in the Province of Languedoc this next September, that they may as uſual take care about matters of Diſcipline appertaining unto their Religion, wherefore it being needful that there ſhould be preſent in the ſaid Council a Commiſſioner from us who might watch over our ſaid Subjects, that they do not treat of any other Affairs but ſuch as are allowed them by our Edicts, and knowing by paſt Experience that we could not pitch upon a more Worthy Perſon than your ſelf, of whoſe Fidelity and Affection to our Service, Sufficiency and Abilities, we are very well ſatisfied, and remembring your ſingular care and vigilancy manifeſted in the laſt National Synod held at Charenton by our ſaid Subjects in the MonethMonth of September, and Year of Our Lord One Thouſand Six Hundred and Twenty Three to the general contentment both of us and them alſo, For which cauſes we have Commiſſionated, Deputed and Ordained, and do Commiſſionate, Depute, and Ordain you by theſe preſents to go unto our ſaid City of Caſtres, and to ſit in the ſaid National Council in our ſtead and as our Repreſentative, and perſonally to be preſent at all their Conſultations and Reſolutions, and to ſee, uſe, and exerciſe our Authority that nothing be propoſed or debated, but what doth truly concern the Diſcipline of the Religion aforeſaid, according to the Tenour of our Edicts and Declarations, and particularly of thoſe made and publiſhed by us in September Sixteen Hundred Twenty Three, about their holding of Colloquies and Synods, and you ſhall look to it alſo that none of our Subjects do keep any private Conventicles in that our ſaid City. You ſhall alſo have a ſpecial care that nothing be moved or debated in the ſaid Council, but what may contribute to the benefit of our Service, and the upholding of our Authority, and preſervation of the Peace of our Kingdom. And in caſe there ſhould be any actings contrary hereunto we command you immediately to ſuppreſs them, and in our Name and Authority to Act, or to make ſuch interdictions and prohibitions as you ſhall judge needful; of which, as generally of all Matters tranſacted in the ſaid Council you ſhall form a good and ample verbal proceſs, That, it being brought unto us upon your return, we may adviſe of what ſhall be moſt expedient for our Service, and the Tranquillity of our Subjects. And for the doing hereof we impower you with full Authority, and give you our Commiſſion, and eſpecial Warrant by theſe preſents, For ſuch is our Will and Pleaſure.
Given at Nants, Another Copy has the Tenth day.this Twentieth day of July, in the Year of Grace One Thouſand Six Hundred, and Twenty Six, and of Our Reign the Seventeenth. Signed Louis. And a little lower, By the King. Philippeaux. And Sealed with Yellow Wax.