The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 25 (Castres) · Chapter 31
CHAP. XXXI. Of Univerſities and Colledges.
1. THE Sieurs Roqués and Huglas, firſt and ſecond Conſuls of Montauban, Monſieur Weemes Principal of their Colledg, and the Deputies of the Province of Higher Languedoc, petitioned, That Mr. Charles, formerly Profeſſor of Divinity in the Univerſity of Ortez, and Principality of Bearn, might be removed thence, and preferr'd to the Church and Univerſity of Montauban. But there was great Oppoſition made unto it, becauſe of the preſent and preſſing Wants of the Churches of Bearn; and their mighty ſtruglings to preſerve their Univerſity, for which they had moſt humbly petitioned his Majeſty, and the Agreement paſt between them and the ſaid Mr. Charles. After the whole had been debated, the Synod judged, that they could not, by any Authority of their own, compel; nor in Reaſon or Conſcience ought they, by their Exhortations, to oblige thoſe Churches to diſcharge the aforeſaid Mr. Charles, and to beſtow him on the Church and Univerſity of Montauban. Yet notwithſtanding they acquainted the Deputies of thoſe Churches, that in caſe their Hopes and Endeavours ſhould be fruſtrated, they might then reſign up the ſaid Charles unto the Univerſity of Montauban, and oblige, both that City, and the Province of Higher Languedoc, by complying with their Deſires.
2. The Synod not judging it convenient to leſſen the number of our Univerſities, and wanting Means at preſent to provide for their Subſiſtence, being utterly diſabled from adding any thing unto them more than formerly, they decreed, That the Profeſſors of Montauban and Saumur ſhould receive out of the firſt Monies to be diſtributed among the Churches, the Arrears of the Years 1625, and 1626, without any diminution; and for the Years One thouſand ſix hundred and twenty one, and twenty two, a certain Sum out of that Stock and Fund which is in the diſpoſal of the Synod; and that ſuch of them as are Paſtors, and have no Sallery from their Churches, ſhall be paid that Portion which was allotted and ſettled on them, as upon the other Paſtors, but with this difference, that there ſhall be nothing deducted for Coſts or Taxes out of it.
3. This Synod having maturely conſidered the Reaſons inducing the laſt National Synod of Charenton to ſupreſs the Profeſſion of the Greek Tongue, in thoſe Univerſities which are maintained by our Churches; hath thought good once again to reſtore It, but with this Condition, that the Profeſſors ſhall explain unto their Scholars the moſt elegant Treatiſes of the Fathers. And whereas Mr. Weems, Principal at Montauban, hath craved leave, that at the ſame time he teacheth the Greek Tongue, he may alſo teach the Mathematicks and Metaphyſicks unto the Colledg; his Petition was diſmiſſed over to the Council of that Univerſity, who ſhould do therein as their Prudence ſhould direct them.
4. As for thoſe Demands made by Monſieur Petit, Profeſſor of Divinity at Niſmes, on behalf of that Univerſity, the Synod ordains; 1. That for the Years 1621, and 1622, the Profeſſors there muſt reſt ſatisfied with what they have already received, and patiently bear their part in the common Incommodities ſuffer'd by the Churches. And for the Years 1625, and 1626, they ſhall receive their full Sallaries out of the firſt and cleareſt Monies of his Majeſty's Liberality. 2. That thoſe of the aforeſaid Profeſſors, who have the grant of a free Portion, as the Sieurs Petit and Codour, ſhall receive it from the Hands of the Lord of Candall's Deputy in the Province of Lower Languedoc. 3. That the Sieur Codour, Profeſſor of the Hebrew Tongue, ſhall come down unto the ſame Terms with the Profeſſors of the ſaid Language in our other Univerſities; and he may not demand a greater Sallary than hath been granted and paid them until now.
5. All the Provinces are exhorted to examine in their Synods, Whether our Univerſities may not be removed from one place unto another? or, whether they may not be reduced to a leſſer Number than they are at preſent, that ſo the next National Synod may decree therein what will be moſt expedient for the whole Body of our Churches?
6. Such Paſtors as are employed in the Profeſſion of the Hebrew Tongue, ſhall, over and above their ordinary Stipend as Paſtors, receive alſo their Wages as Profeſſors. And as for Profeſſors of Divinity, who ſerve the Churches of our Univerſities, and receive ſome kind of Maintenance from them, becauſe of their ordinary Miniſtry among them, there ſhall be an half Portion granted to them, which they ſhall receive alſo, but with deduction of their Penſion promiſed them by their reſpective Churches.
7. Two hundred and ten Livers ſhall be the yearly Sallary of the Regents in the fifth and ſixth Glaſſes of the Colledg of Saumur.
8. The Synod gave leave unto the Province of Sevennes, to ſettle their Colledg in that Corporation, which would contribute moſt towards its Maintenance.
9. That the Right of our Churches may be preſerved, and our Univerſities in this Kingdom may be provided for; Letters were ordered to be written unto Dr. Andrew Rivet, to diſpoſe and perſwade him to ſerve as Profeſſor in one of our Univerſities; and the like Letters ſhall be written to the Lords Curators of the Univerſity of Leyden, to acquaint their Lordſhips with the Deſires of this Council, and intreat them to ſet Dr. Rivet at liberty: And the Church of Paris is charged to ſee thoſe Letters delivered into their Hands to whom they be directed, and to receive their Anſwer, and make Replies unto them as they judg meet.
10. That the Colledg in this City of Caſtres may be preſerved, the Council ordained, that the ſaid Colledg ſhall, until the next National Synod, enjoy the Sum of four hundred Livers yearly; which Monies were detained in the Hands of the Lord of Candall, out of the Monies given unto the Colledg of Bergeras, without any the leaſt prejudice unto the Grant formerly made unto the Province of Lower Guyenne, in favour of the Towns of Bergerac and Nerac.
11. The Univerſity of Niſmes having not brought in their Accompt of the Monies they had received and employed ſince the laſt National Synod, ſhall carry it unto the next Synod of Sevennes, which is ordered to audit and finiſh it up, by the Authority of this Aſſembly.
12. The Province of Higher Languedoc brought in their Accompts by the Hands of Monſieur Bardon, who was conſtituted Receiver for the ſaid Province, and Paymaster of the Univerſity of Montauban, for the Years 1619, 1620, 1623, and 1624, but gave no Accompt for the Years 1621, and 1622, nor of the Years 1625, and 1626, becauſe he had not received any thing in thoſe Years, by reaſon of the Troubles and Wars that were then in being: and it appears upon the cloſing up of his Accompt, that there is due unto him the Sum of two thouſand one hundred and fifty nine Livers, nineteen Sous and eight Deniers, proceeding in part from eight hundred and eleven Livers, paid by him unto the Profeſſors for their Wages in the Year 1621, and for another Disburſement paid unto the ſaid Profeſſors for their Wages in the Year 1625, and for ſeven hundred Livers paid in to Madamoyſelle Chamier for the Year of her Widowhood, for which Sum of two thouſand one hundred and fifty nine Livers, nineteen Sous, eight Deniers, there was a Fund ordered for his Reimburſment, viz. the very firſt Moneys that are to be diſtributed among the Churches: And the ſaid Accomptant, and all others alſo were injoined for the future not to make the Expences in their Accompts greater than their Receipt appointed them by the National Synods, on pain of Radiation.
13. The Province of Anjou having, in Obedience to the Decree of the Synod of Charenton, given in unto the Colloquy of Higher Poictou the Accompts of Moneys received for the Maintenance of their Univerſity at Saumur, three quarters of the Year 1620, and for the compleat Years 1621, 1623, and 1624, and for the firſt quarter of the Year 1625, it appeared by that Accompt, that they had paid five and twenty Livers, four Sous, and ſix Deniers more than they had received, and it appeared by the ſaid Accompt that they had received nothing for the whole Year 1622, and yet nevertheleſs they had disburſed for three quarters of the ſaid Year, as the Acquittances of that Disburſment did evidently prove, there being alſo no Moneys received for the Profeſſion of Divinity, which was then vacant. Wherefore the ſaid Accompt was allowed and approved, and the Cenſure againſt them in the Acts of the Synod of Charenton taken off, and the Sums detained from them by the Decree of that Synod were now again rendred to them.
14. The Province of Dolphiny having exhibited three Accompts of the Receipt and Disburſment for the Univerſity of Die, for three Years, beginning at the firſt Day of July, one thouſand ſix hundred and twenty three, and ending the firſt of July, 1626, the ſaid Accompt was allowed and approved.
15. The Province of the Iſle of France having brought in the Accompt tendred by them unto the Colloquy of Roven, for their Colledg-Moneys for ten Years, beginning at the Year 1613, and ending in the Year 1622, the Receipt amounted to four thouſand Livers, and their Disburſment to four thouſand ſeven hundred and four Livers, ſo that their Expence exceeded their Income full ſeven hundred and four Livers. This Synod could not give way that the ſaid over-plus Sum ſhould be placed to the Accompt, whereunto alſo the Deputies of the Provinces related their Conſent, and they were adviſed for the future not to let their Expence exceed the Funds ordained for the Maintenance of their Colledg, on pain of Radiation.
16. The Province of Xaintonge in Obedience to the National Synod of Charenton, having brought in an Accompt of their Disburſments for the Colledg of Rochefoucauld, in the Years 1621, 1622, 1623, and 1624; the ſaid Expence was found to amount unto one thouſand nine hundred fourſcore and nineteen Livers, ten Sous, without ever receiving ſo much as one Denier towards its Maintenance.
17. The Province of Orleans and Berry, having rendred the Accompt of their Colledg unto the Provincial Synod held at Chaſtillon upon Loir, for three quarters of the Year 1623. and the full Years 1624, 1625. and for three quarters of the Year 1626. their Disburſements amounted to three thouſand four hundred thirty and three Livers, nine Sous, and five Deniers; and their Receipt to two thouſand eight hundred Livers; ſo that there was due to them, ſix hundred and thirty three Livers, nine Sous. The ſaid Province was in joined for the future to look to it, that their Disburſments do not exceed the Funds allowed them by our National Synods, for the Maintenance of their Colledg.
18. The Province of Poictou having rendred their Accompt for their Colledg, which was heretofore at Niort, it appeared that their Receipt amounted to three hundred Livers, according to the Act of the National Synod of Charenton. And foraſmuch as their Deputies reported that his Majeſty had utterly ſuppreſſed their Colledg at Niort, and would not ſuffer it any where in that Province; it was decreed, That the ſaid Province ſhould be accomptable not only for the ſaid three hundred Livers, but alſo for what other Moneys they have received ſince the laſt National Synod.
19. The Province of Vivaretz having not been able to render an Accompt (as they were injoined by the laſt National Synod) of the Receipt and Disburſment for their Colledg at Privas, becauſe of the late Wars, by reaſon of which they never had ſo much as one Denier for fifteen Months; the ſaid Province was admoniſhed not to fail their bringing of it in unto the next National Synod.
20. The Province of Sevennes preſented their Accompt for the Colledg of Anduze, whoſe Expence amounted to three thouſand two hundred and two Livers, fifteen Sous, for its Maintenance in the Years 1621, 1622, 1623, 1624, 1625, and 1626. And the Deputies of the ſaid Province declared, That they had not received for all thoſe Years more than one hundred Livers.
21. The Province of Normandy brought in their Accompt, and it appears that from the firſt of July 1620, unto this Day, they had received for the Maintenance of their Colledg the Sum of one thouſand three hundred Livers, and that they have disburſed thirteen hundred twenty four Livers, ſix Sous, and ſix Deniers; and that therefore there is owing to them four and twenty Livers, ſix Sous, and ſix Deniers, which they declared they would not demand.
22. The Province of Burgundy not having brought in any Account nor Acquittances, notwithſtanding that Injunction laid upon them by the National Synod of Charenton, becauſe the Church of Pont du Vellay, in which their Colloquy doth aſſemble, neglected to yield Obedience unto two Provincial Synods, who treading in the Steps of the National Synod, had ordered that Church to do it, as was evident from the Acts of thoſe Synods. Beſides, the Deputies were ſo ſtraitned for want of time to come unto this Council, that they could not poſſibly inquire into this Omiſſion. Whereupon the ſaid Province was charged to bring in their ſaid Accompts ſhut up, and compleatly finiſhed, unto the next National Synod.
23. The Province of Brittain having not been able to ſet up again their Colledg in the Town of Vitré, until January laſt, nor to get one Penny of Moneys, beſides the four hundred Livers deſtinated at f…ſt for its Maintenance; they were ordered to bring in their Accompt unto the next National Synod, as alſo of what Moneys they may between this and that time receive towards its Subſiſtence.
24. The Province of Dolphiny brought in divers Acquittances for the Colledg ſettled at Ambrun, by which it doth appear, that they had diſburſed more than received: And therefore the Council approving their Account, exhorted the Church of Ambrun for the future to bring in their Accompt in due form unto their Provincial Synod, that they may tender it unto the National.
25. The Province of Lower Guyenne ſhall render an Accompt of the Moneys received and imployed for the Colledg of Bergerac, unto the next Provincial Synod of Xaintonge, which is ordered to audit, examine and finiſh it, and to make Report thereof unto the next National Synod.
26. The Deputies of the Province of Provence excuſing themſelves, that they had not brought in what was commanded them by the laſt National Synod, and grounding their Excuſes on the preciſe Command laid upon them by the Duke of Guiſe, to break up and be gone before they could diſpatch any Buſineſs. The Council did once more renew and ratify the former Decree of the Synod of Charenton, and enjoineth that Province of Provence to yield Obedience to it, on pain of forfeiting their Right unto a Colledg.
27. The Province of Lower Languedoc declared that they had no Accompts to bring in, becauſe they had only received fifty Livers; and yet notwithſtanding their want of his Majeſties Bounty, they had given their accuſtomed Sallaries unto the Regents in the Colledg of Beziers.
28. The Sieurs Roques and la Creſſe, firſt and ſecond Conſuls for the City of Montauban, petitioned the Council, that Monſieur Gariſſoles Paſtor of Puy-Laurens, might be Conferred upon the Univerſity, to ſerve them in the Quality of a ſecond Profeſſor of Theology; and the Deputies of that Province joined with them in their Petition: yet the Deputies of Puy-Laurens oppoſed themſelves againſt the Conſuls, and Mr. Gariſſoles deſired leave to continue in his preſent Station and Miniſtry. But the Council conſidering the Neceſſities of that Univerſity, granted the Petitioners their Requeſt, and ordered Mr. Gariſſoles to go unto that Univerſity, and to take upon him the Profeſſion of Divinity, immediately after the ſitting of the Provincial Synod of Higher Languedoc, who ſhall provide his Church of Puy-Laurens with an able Miniſter to their full Content; and the ſaid Mr. Gariſſoles ſhall from this Inſtant receive the Wages of a Profeſſor; and the Church of Puy-Laurens is intreated to eaſe him of his Labours in conſtant preaching to them, and to contribute as much as in them lieth unto his comfortable Subſiſtence.