The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 25 (Castres) · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.Amore ample Declaration of the Kings Will upon ſeveral points demanded by the Deputies.
WHEN as the Letter of His Majeſty but now recited was read, My Lord Galland the Kings Commiſſioner, declared that for the reaſons given by His Majeſty unto the Deputies, and according to the import of the Articles anſwered by the Council, he could not conſent unto the return of Monſieur du Moulin, nor for divers Conſiderations noted in thoſe Articles now read could he at preſent give way for the meeting of a General Politick Aſſembly. His Majeſty reſerving the grant thereof when as there ſhall be need of it, and his Affairs of State may well ſuffer it. And as to the Election of Deputies, His Majeſty being not willing that the Affairs of his Subjects of the Reformed Religion ſhould be without Conduct and Order, had immediately upon the Death of the Lord Maniald one of the General Deputies, and from September laſt, Commiſſionated a Perſon of Honour, and qualified for the diſcharge of that Office to act concurrently with the Surviving Deputy the Lord of Montmartyn until ſuch time as it may be otherwiſe determined. And ſince by his Writt of the Tenth of October he had given Licence unto this Synod to proceed unto the Election of Six Perſons, well inclined unto his Service, and to the Publick, and having no dependance on any one but himſelf, out of which His Majeſty will prick two for the diſcharge of that Office, therefore he exhorts the Synod to proceed unto the Nomination, and to chooſe out Perſons qualified as before, and hath been uſually practiſed in ſuch caſes, and this ſhould be the rather done now, becauſe the preſent juncture of Affairs will not permit the calling of a Politick Aſſembly. Declaring that in caſe we neglect the ſaid Nomination; The Lord of Montmartyn, and the other Lord nominated by the King will lay down the management of thoſe Offices. It being unreaſonable that for want of General Deputies the common Affairs of His Majeſties Subjects profeſſing the Reformed Religion ſhould be abandoned and neglected. And the ſaid Lord Commiſſioner preſented His Majeſties Writt, the tenour whereof is as followeth,
This Tenth day of October, 1626 the King being at St. Germains in Laye, conſidering that the term of Three years for which the Lord of Montmartyn, and the Deceaſed Lord Maniald had been nominated to reſide and ſerve at Court, and to attend His Majeſty in the quality of General Deputies for His Subjects of the P. Reformed Religion is ſome while ſince expired, and that it ſo falls out that there muſt be a new Election of ſome other Deputies to ſucceed them in their Offices, and conſidering that this Election cannot be done more conveniently than in the Aſſembly and National Synod, which His Majeſty hath granted to be held by His ſaid Subjects in His City of Caſtres this laſt September, that ſo they might not be put to thoſe great Expences and Incommodities which might betide them in caſe another Aſſembly ſhould be called for this purpoſe, as alſo for that the Weal and Safety of the Kingdom will not at preſent comport with a Politick Aſſembly. His Majeſty upon theſe conſiderations, and for many other divers and good reaſons of great importance to his Service, and the Repoſe and Tranquillity of His Government doth grant that the Deputies in the National Synod in the preſence of the Lord Galland Counſellor to His Majeſty in his Council of State, and Commiſſioner unto the ſaid Synod ſhall conſult about the Election of Deputies to reſide and ſerve near His Majeſty inſtead of the Lords Montmartyn and Hardy one of His Secretaries, nominated by His Majeſty in his Writt of the Thirtieth of September laſt, and to offer unto him Six Perſons meet and qualified for the ſaid Imployment, whether they be Members of the ſaid Synod or not, provided they be ſuch as are Loyal, and well affected unto his Service, and to the publick Peace, and that have no dependance on any Perſon in the World beſides him, that ſo his Majeſty may prick two out of them, who may hold and diſcharge the ſaid Office of General Deputies. And in ſo doing the ſaid Lords of Montmartyn and Hardy our Secretary ſhall be deveſted of the ſaid Employment, they obſerving the forms as in ſuch caſes are uſual and accuſtomed. Provided alwayes that in the ſaid Aſſembly there be nothing elſe debated but the ſaid Election, and Matters relating to the Diſcipline of their Religion aforeſaid, according to the import of his Majeſties Edicts and Declarations. However this ſhall not be made a Precedent, his Majeſty reſerving to himſelf the power of permitting unto his ſaid Subjects of the P. Reformed Religion to hold a Politick Aſſembly when as in his wiſdom he ſhall judge it needful; and his Affairs of State can well comport with it. In teſtimony whereof I am commanded by his Majeſty to expedite this preſent Writt, which he was pleaſed to Sign with his own Hand, and is Counterſigned by me his Counſellor and Secretary of State, and of his Commands, and Exchequer. Signed in the Original, Louis, and a little lower, Philippeaux.