The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 25 (Castres) · Chapter 28
CHAP. XXVIII. Particular Matters.
1. SOME having very cunningly and maliciouſly robbed the Deputies of Lower Languedoc, of certain Papers quoted in an Inventory, which they had brought to this Council, giving an account of the Grounds and Reaſons of that Judgment paſſed by the Provincial Synod on George Arbault: the Council being well fatisfied of their Integrity and Fidelity, and particularly of Monſieur Petit's, with whom all thoſe Writings were depoſited, did think it needful to give them this Atteſtation, and fully to diſcharge them of all thoſe Papers which were delivered unto Monſieur Aymard, one of the Provincial Deputies for Sevennes, who will exhibit them upon all Occaſions, excepting thoſe relating to the Sieur Arbaut before-mentioned, which he received from the hands of the Sieurs Meſtrezat and du Puy, (who were commiſſionated by the Synod to peruſe them) he having given them a Receipt under his own Hand, which was delivered by him unto the aforeſaid Monſieur Aymard, together with thoſe Papers, and two Inventories ſubſcribed by the Sieurs du Cros and Petit.
2. In reading the Accuſation of the Sieur Arbaut, and ſome other Acts brought againſt him, the Colloquy of Anduze was ordered to inform themſelves of the Deportments of the Sieurs du Cros Paſtor of the Church at Blanſac, and of Raly Paſtor in the Church of St. John de Maruejoly, and to proceed againſt them: And the Commiſſioners deputed by the Province of Lower Languedoc, were ordered to deliver unto the ſaid Colloquy, the whole Relation of their Proceedings. And the ſaid Colloquy ſhould judg of thoſe Differences which are riſen up between the ſaid Arbaut, formerly a Miniſter, and the Colloquies of Montpellier and Ʋſez, all which ſhall be notified to them by their Scribe.
3. Monſieur Tourtelon, a Paſtor Emeritus, came unto the Synod, bitterly complaining of his great Poverty and Miſery, and petitioned for ſome Relief. Mr. Cooper was intreated to advance an hundred Franks before-hand unto this aged Gentleman, payable out of that Portion aſſigned to him; and which will become due out of the Dividend for the Province of Lower Languedoc, to whoſe Charity we do in an eſpecial manner recommend him.
4. There was again read the Petition of John le Febure, 1626. The 25th Synod.a Bookſeller in Geneva, reiterating his former Complaints unto divers of our National Synods, againſt Monſieur Manueill a Miniſter, ſomewhere ſerving in the Province of Bearn. After hearing the Allegations of the Deputies of that Province, on behalf of Manueill, the Synod not admitting their Excuſes, nor being able any longer to ſuffer that the Advice and Orders of our preceding Synods, and the Complaints of the ſaid Febure, and of the Church of Geneva, ſhould be ſo wretchedly ſlighted and deſpiſed; and that a Fellow, blaſted in his Reputation for an infamous Crime, from which he hath not acquitted, nor careth to acquit and clear himſelf, ſhould be continued in the Miniſtry in that Province; and that Provincial Synod to have no regard at all unto the Proceedings had againſt him by that famous City of Geneva, nor to take the leaſt care that the ſaid Manueill ſhould purge and juſtify himſelf from the Crime impoſed on him, that ſo the Scandal might be repaired, either by his compleat Abſolution and Diſcharge, or by an exemplary Puniſhment inflicted upon him for his ſaid Offence: A Decree paſt, That in caſe the Synod of the ſaid Province of Bearn did not give full Satisfaction unto the Requeſts of this, and of the former National Synods of our Churches, and produce undoubted Evidence thereof unto the next National Synod by valid Acts of their Duty and Obedience thereunto, that then their Deputies ſhould be utterly excluded theſe Synods; nor ſhould they have either admiſſion or ſeſſion, conſultive or deciſive Votes in them.
5. The Deputies of Bearn complaining, that the Parliament of their Province did, directly and openly, ſet themſelves againſt the Obſervation, of that Canon of our Diſcipline, which enjoined Conſiſtories to cenſure thoſe Parents, who ſent their Children unto Colledges governed by Popiſh Prieſts and Jeſuits. The Synod ordered that his Majeſty ſhould be moſt humbly petitioned by the Lord Mont-Martyn our General Deputy, That he would be pleaſed to leave unto the Churches, the free uſe and exerciſe of our Diſcipline, which hath been granted us by his Majeſty's Edicts. And the Paſtors of Bearn ſhould be exhorted to exerciſe the Diſcipline more ſtrictly and carefully than ever, becauſe it is founded upon the Word of God, and the Canons and Practice of God's ancient Church.
6. The Sieur Pontier, formerly Paſtor of the Church of St. Giles in the Province of Poictou, reported the many and great Damages he had ſuſtained ſince he was diſcharged the Service of that Church; and that he was totally deprived of his Portion, which would have otherwiſe accrued to him from the Monies of his Majeſty's Liberality. The Synod … That out of the Arrears due unto the Province of Poictou, the ſa… …eur Pontier ſhall receive what would have appertained to him of the Monies ſettled on the Church of St. Giles, until ſuch time as they be provided of another Paſtor. And ſome further care ſhall be taken for him in the Dividend of our Monies.
7. The Synod taking notice, that the Defects in the Call of Monſieur de Rié, proceeded not from himſelf, but from the Synod of Provence; and having ſeverely cenſured that Synod for their Contempt of the Canons of our Diſcipline in the Election and Ordination of Miniſters, decreed, That the ſaid Monſieur de Rié ſhall be recommended unto that Synod to provide a Church for him; and that a free Portion ſhall be allotted him out of the Dividend of the Churches of Provence; and that thirty Livers ſhall be paid him in ready Money by Monſieur Cooper, out of the Maſs of Monies belonging unto the Churches of that Province, and the Receiver of that Province ſhall allow it on accompt unto the Lord of Candal.
8. Whereas the Acts and Memoirs produced by Monſieur Courroy, Paſtor of the Church of St. Ambroiſe, and by his adverſe Party, have been, by the Committee that reported them, brought into the Synod, and are all tackt and bundled together; and that through incogitancy the ſaid Papers were delivered by Monſieur Blondell, one of our Scribes, unto the Deputies of the Town of St. Ambroiſe. The Synod ordaineth, That the Provincial Deputies of Burgundy, when-as they execute the Commiſſion given them, ſhall take cave that the Papers belonging unto the ſaid Monſieur Courroy, be faithfully reſtored to him; and in caſe thoſe who now poſſeſs them ſhall refuſe ſo to do, they ſhall be inforced to it by the rigour of Church-Cenſures.
9. Whereas the Parties are now agreed, that Clauſe in the Cenſure pronounced againſt the Province of Vivaretz, by the Colloquy of Valentinois, ſhall be razed out of the Act of the ſaid Colloquy.
10. Upon that Complaint of Monſieur de la Garie, Paſtor of the Church of Barbezieux, the Synod decreed, That the Province of Higher Languedoc ſhould pay him, out of their beſt and cleareſt Monies they ſhall receive from the Lord Candall, an hundred Livers, whereunto the Charges of his Journey were limited, upon condition that he do accompt, in the firſt place, for what he hath already received from the ſaid Province.
11. The Synod inclining to grant the Church of Rochel their Requeſt, who demanded, That Monſieur Vincent, Paſtor of the Church de L'Iſle Bouchard, might be ſettled among them, decreed, That notwithſtanding the Remonſtrances of the Provincial Deputies of Anjou, and their inſiſting on their and that Church's Intereſt in him, the ſaid Monſieur Vincent ſhall, from this preſent day, be reputed and owned as the peculiar Paſtor of Rochel; but with this Condition, that he ſhall continue the exerciſe of his Miniſtry for ſix Months longer in the Iſle of Bouchard: During which time the Province of Anjou ſhall do their beſt endeavour to get them ſupplied; and on the other hand, the ſaid Church ſhall compound with that of Rochel to reimburſe them of their Expence and Damages, by removal of their Miniſter from them.
12. The Provincial Deputies of Xaintonge petitioning, That the Church of Saveilles might he joined unto that of Villefaignan, and incorporated with the Colloquy of Augoulmois, becauſe of the preſent and preſſing Neceſſities of that Church. The Council remanded them back unto the Province of Poictou, which is intreated, out of Charity, to comply with this Requeſt of the Province of Xaintonge, that ſo by that conjunction, the Subſiſtence of the Church of Villefaignan may be the better ſtrengthned.
13. Monſieur d' Anglade, Paſtor of the Churches of Mouzie and Pomport, having writ Letters unto this Synod, in which he prayed paiment of ſome certain Charges due unto him, as he pretends, from the Univerſity of Niſmes; his Requeſt was rejected.
14. The Church of Auvergne do expreſs their Approbation and Conſent unto the next Synod of the Higher Languedoc; that the ſaid Synod may reunite all thoſe Churches into one Colloquy, and conjoin with them ſome of the neareſt Churches of St. Germain; in which caſe the Colloquy of Anvergne ſhall be annexed unto the Synod of Sevennes.
15. The Sieur d' Huyiſſeau requeſting, both for himſelf and the Sieur Guydon, who was commiſſionated, together with him, by the Synod of Vitrè, to proſecute the Sieur Palot, that the Synod would be pleaſed to take ſome care about the paiment of their Expences, and of the Sum of two thouſand Livers, which were granted them by the Synod of Alez. The Synod having not as yet been able to recover one Penny from the ſaid Palot, of thoſe vaſt Sums he owes the Churches; and there being not a Farthing paid of the twenty four thouſand Livers, out of which their two thouſand Livers were to have been given them, thoſe two Gentlemen, Mr. d' Huyſſeau and Guydon were deſired to have a little patience, and to reſt ſatisfied with this, that they were in the ſame Condition with all the Churches; and that if it ſhould pleaſe God at any time hereafter, as we truſt he will, to give us ſome Fruits of their Proſecutions, we would then make good our Promiſes: And they were farther aſſured, that in caſe, before the ſitting of the next National Synod, nothing was recovered of our Debts from the aforeſaid Palot, that yet notwithſtanding the ſaid Gentlemen ſhould have full Contentment given them out of the firſt Monies which the Lord of Candall payeth in unto the Churches: And whereas there is only two thouſand Livers demanded by them, this Council doth, for their patient Forbearance, engage to pay them the ſaid Sum, and Five hundred Livers more. Which the ſaid Sieur d' Huyſſeau did very kindly accept, both for himſelf and his abſent Colleague, Monſieur Guydon: And he alſo promiſed to yield up that Accompt, cleared and framed by him, of the Monies accompted for by the ſaid Palot, and not delivered into the Hands of the Lords Commiſſioners, that ſo we may have recourſe unto it, when need requires, in out proſecution of the ſaid Palot.
16. The Lord of Angoulin's requeſting, on behalf of the City of Rochel, that the Synod would be pleaſed to reimburſe the ſaid City the Sum of Two thouſand five hundred Livers, which were lent unto certain Deputies of the Provinces, aſſembled in the ſaid City, in the Year Sixteen hundred and ſeventeen. This Demand was diſmiſſed over to the next Politick Aſſembly, which his Majeſty ſhall be pleaſed to grant unto his Subjects of the Reformed Religion, that ſo the ſaid Aſſembly may take care about it, to whom it doth belong, becauſe the Monies of his Majeſty's Liberality, and which are at the diſpoſal of our National Synods, ought not to be diverted from that particular Uſe and Service, whereunto his Majeſty hath devoted them.
17. The Deputies of the Iſle of France, declaring how very uſeful unto the Churches, the worthy Labours of Monſieur Blondel, Paſtor of the Church of Howdan, might be; and the Synod being further informed of his rare Dexterity and Diligence in the Imployment of thoſe excellent Talents which the Lord hath concredited to him for the Edification of his Church, it decreed, That he ſhould be publickly commended and incouraged, and that the Lord of Candall ſhould pay him in preſently, as a Token of our great Eſteem and Value for him, a Thouſand Livers, to buy him Books; and that as ſoon as his Works ſhall be ready for the Preſs, the Synod will defray the Charges of their Impreſſion. And becauſe his great Excellency lieth in Church-Hiſtory and Antiquity, he is earneſtly deſired to follow his Genius, and to combate and refute the Adverſaries with that Weapon.
18. The Demand of Quentin Mareſchall, a Printer dwelling at Chaſtelheraut, is diſmiſſed over to the Province of Poictou, who ſhall take care of it, according to the Rules of Chriſtian Charity: And the ſaid Mareſchall is forbidden the troubling our National Synod any more with his little Buſineſſes.
19. The Synod, not abridging the Rights and Priviledges of any Province, doth permit that of Higher Languedoc to recal Monſieur Caſaux, a Paſtor lent unto the Church of Montagnac in the Lower Guyenne; and the Lower Guyenne may recal Monſieur Teſtard, at preſent Miniſter of the Church of Realmont, in the Province of Higher Languedoc, whenever the Neceſſity and Edification of the Church ſhall ſo require.
20. Monſieur Meſtrezat preſented Letters from the Lord de Launay, and requeſted, by word of Mouth, both for himſelf and his ſaid Colleague, that the Synod would be pleaſed to diſcharge them from that Commiſſion, which the National Synod of Charenton had intruſted them with. But this Synod not being in a capacity to alter the Decree of that Synod, did earneſtly intreat them both to continue in that Employment for the general good of the Churches.
21. Monſieur Tolozany, Paſtor of the Church of St. Antonine, relating the great Poverty of his Church and Family, and the extream Neceſſity whereunto he is reduced in his old Age. The Synod not being at preſent in a capacity to alter any thing in former Conſtitutions, for the Relief of our indigent Miniſters, doth ordain, that immediately three hundred Livers be given him to the eaſing of his Church, of which, in the Dividend that ſhall be made of the Monies granted us by his Majeſty, there ſhall be a particular care taken.
22. Letters from my Lady Marchioneſs of Bouillé, and from Monſieur du Mont, formerly Paſtor in the Church of Mimbre in the Territory of Maine, were read in open Synod: And Information being made of the notorious Crimes committed by the ſaid du Mont, the Province is ordered to proceed forthwith againſt him, and to depoſe him from his Office. And the ſaid Lady ſhall be adviſed of it by Letters from this Synod.
23. The Complaint of Monſieur Touſſain, a Paſtor Emeritus, in the Province of Dolphiny, was given unto the Province of Sevennes, who ſhould procure, by their beſt Skill and Power, the paiment of thoſe Arrears of Wages due unto the ſaid Touſſain by the Church of Marvejoils.
24. Monſieur*Anot…er Copy calleth him Benter. Brucet a Propoſan, being demanded by the Church of La Verdac to be their Paſtor, the Colloquy of Condommois is authorized to examine and ordain him.