The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 25 (Castres) · Chapter 4 – Chapter 9
CHAP. IV. The Councils Anſwer to it.
The Anſwer made unto what had been propoſed by the Kings Commiſſioner.WHereupon the Council having given thanks to Almighty God for inclining the Kings heart to favour our poor Churches, and to continue his protection to them, they did alſo render their moſt humble and unfeigned thanks unto His Majeſty, for thoſe moſt ſenſible Expreſſions of His Royal Favour unto His Subjects of the Reformed Religion, for giving us our Peace, and the accuſtomed Effects of His Goodneſs and Clemency: And that His Majeſty might have a manifeſt token and evidence of our Obedience unto his Commands, now ſignified to us, it was immediately and unanimouſly voted, that a Declaration ſhould be drawn up, as in Conſcience we were bound, to diſcharge our Holy Religion of all blame, and to teſtifie our fidelity and ſubmiſſion unto His Majeſty, from whoſe Authority, Clemency and Juſtice next and immediately after God, the Churches of France can only hope for ſupport, protection, and preſervation; being ready and willing to lay down in His Majeſties Service all that is dear unto us, even our very Lives and Fortunes, profeſſing and calling …od to witneſs, that this is the Doctrine taught by our Paſtors unto their Churches, agreeable to the word of God in the Holy Scriptures, and that Confeſſion of Faith, which is owned and embraced by all the Reformed Churches of France. And the very firſt Vote which paſt was this, that notwithſtanding there have been ever found among our People profeſſing the Reformed Religion the nobleſt Inſtances and Patterns of a true, great, and moſt Chriſtian patience under the worſt of uſages and oppreſſions in all places, and at all times ſuſtained by them, yet nevertheleſs all and ſingular the Conſiſtories of our Churches ſhall continue their Counſels and Exhortations to them of abounding in Chriſtian patience, equanimity and moderation, and to pay unto their Countreymen of the Romiſh Religion all Offices and Duties of Humanity, Civility and Charity according to the Word of God, and Intendment of His Majeſty, who alſo is moſt humbly petitioned to caſt His Royal Eyes of Compaſſion upon the deep Afflictions of His Proteſtant Subjects, who, though they have alwayes labour'd to gain and keep the love and friendſhip of their fellow-Citizens, and Countrey-men, are yet notwithſtanding in divers places of the Kingdom moleſted in their Perſons, diſturbed in the Exerciſe of their Religion, deprived of their Temples, yea, and ſee them demoliſhed before their Faces even ſince the peace, or elſe given away from them for dwelling houſes unto the Rom…ſh Prieſts and Eccleſiaſticks, and that they be diſpoſſeſſed of their Burying Places, and the Dead Bodies of very many Perſons digged up moſt ignominiouſly, that our Miniſters have been barbarouſly beaten, bruiſed, wounded, and driven away from their Churches, although they have been the moſt innocent and inoffenſive Perſons in the World, who neither injur'd the Publick in general, nor any one in particular, as our General Deputies ſhall more amply and at large make report hereof unto His Majeſty.
Moreover the Council doth farther declare, That as the Churches within the Kingdom have ever been united in the profeſſion of one and the ſame Faith and Acts of Love and Charity, becauſe they are part of the ſame Myſtical Body, whoſe Members have none other aim or end than with one heart to ſerve God and the King in peaceable Lives, and Liberty of Conſcience, ſo as for the Churches in other Nations, they never had, nor ever will have any Intelligence, Alliance, or Correſpondency with them than what ſhall be approved by God and His Majeſty, deſiring always to live in peace under the Wings of His protection.
Farther the Council proteſterh, that our Churches had never the leaſt intimation or knowledge that any of their Members profeſſing the Reformed Religion have tamper'd in any Plots or Treaſons with the Spaniard, or other Enemies of this Crown, and if it could be proved to them that there be ſuch as were ingaged in thoſe pernicious deſigns and practiſes, we would be the very firſt with heart and hand to ſubſcribe unto their Condemnation, and to abhor both them, their Complices and Adherents, as we now do from our very Souls profeſs our Abhorrency and Deteſtation both of them, their Doctrine, and practiſe, who having divers times attempted to Aſſaſſinate the Sacred Perſons of Kings, do to this very day uphold and mantain Intelligencies and Correſpondencies both at home and abroad within and without the Kingdom againſt their pretious Lives, and Imperial Crowns, Dignities, and Regal Authority.
As for that Canon paſt in the Synod of Realmont, and read now unto us, This Council cannot conceal its grief for the great wrong done unto that Synod, becauſe it was enforced by His Majeſties Commiſſioner then perſonally aſſiſting in it to frame an Act, which ſeems to take for granted that there were ſome Miniſters accuſed of holding Intelligence with the Spaniard the moſt implacable Enemy of France, and of our Churches, though in truth there was not ſo much as one found guilty of that Crime, and the Churches cannot but adore the goodneſs of God unto them, that after the moſt diligent and rigorous Inquiries made to this purpoſe, not one of our Paſtors could be impeached, and that the malitious and ſhameleſs Calumnies of our moſt invenim'd and inveterate Adverſaries could never faſten or prove their Accuſation upon any one particular Perſon of one Communion. The Event having at laſt demonſtrated that our Churches were condemned moſt unjuſtly, and cleared, and proclaimed innocent of all thoſe Accuſations before the whole World.
And as for the two following points, This Aſſembly is reſolved to give full contentment unto His Majeſty; And whereas our former National Synods have made a Canon about the firſt, ſo will this alſo be as careful to enact another: And the Acts of this Aſſembly ſhall anſwer for the ſecond, ſo that His Majeſty ſhall ever have Univerſal Obedience, Subjection, Fidelity, and moſt Faithful Service from our Churches, whereunto we are obliged by our Natural Duty, the Motions of our Conſcience, and the Ordinance of our God.
CHAP. V. The Kings Warrant for Choice of a New General Deputy.
THE Lord Commiſſioner Galland having been informed of the Death of the Lord Maniald, one of the General Deputies of our Churches unto His Majeſty, did on the Five and Twentieth day of September preſent unto this National Synod this following Warrant, diſpatched by Expreſs Order from His Majeſty.
This day the Three and Twentieth of Auguſt One Thouſand Six Hundred and Twenty Six, His Majeſty being at Nants, and conſidering that the term of Three vears was now expired, in which the Lords of Montmartyn and Maniald, who had been choſen General Deputies for His Subjects profeſſing the P. Reformed Religion, and in that Quality and Office to reſide and ſerve at Court, and to attend upon His Majeſty in all his Progreſs and Motions, and that there muſt be a new Election of ſome other Deputies to ſucceed them in their Office, and conſidering farther that this Election could not be more conveniently done than in a National Aſſembly and Council which His Majeſty hath permitted His ſaid Subjects of the Reformed Religion to hold in the City of Caſtres this September next enſuing, that ſo they may not be put to unneceſſary Expence and Trouble, as they would otherwiſe be, if they ſhould be forced to call another Aſſembly on this occaſion, His Majeſty for theſe conſiderations, and divers other good and important reaſons, relating unto his Service, the Repoſe and Tranquillity of his Government and Kingdom, hath granted Licenſe unto the Deputies which ſhall be preſent at the ſaid National Council to treat and chooſe new Deputies who may reſide and ſerve in that Quality near his Royal Perſon inſtead of the ſaid Lords of Montmartyn, and Maniald, and this in the preſence of the Lord Galland one of the Lords of our Council of State, and Commiſſioner unto the ſaid National Aſſembly, and to propoſe unto him Six Perſons, capable, faithful, and moſt affectionately inclin'd unto His Majeſties Service, and the Publick Peace, that out of them His Majeſty may prick two unto the ſaid Office of General Deputies, by means whereof thoſe aforeſaid Lords of Montmartyn and Manyald ſhall be diſcharged of their Imployment, obſerving the forms in ſuch caſes accuſtomed; provided alwayes that in the Aſſembly aforeſaid, there ſhall not be any other Matters debated or handled excepting what concern the Diſcipline of their Religion as has been determined by His Majeſties Edicts and Declarations. In teſtimony whereof His Majeſty hath commanded me to expedite this preſent Writt, Signed by His Own Royal Hand, and Counterſigned by me one of His Moſt Honourable Privy Council, and Secretary of State, and of his Commands. Signed Louis, and a little lower, Philippeaux.
CHAP. VI.
The Synods deliberation upon the Writt.THE Aſſembly conſulting upon His Majeſties Writt, and conſidering that it does not contain an Expreſs Command, but only a ſimple permiſſion to nominate General Deputies, and that it doth in ſuch a manner reſtrain the ſaid permiſſion, as that it leaveth unto this Aſſembly no liberty nor power at all of calling the ſaid Lord of Montmartyn to an Accompt, who hath from the firſt time of his Election unto this preſent day, exerciſed the ſaid General Deputation, much leſs to give Inſtructions unto ſuch as may be Elected unto the ſaid Office. Beſides that this Aſſembly durſt not adventure upon the ſaid Election without an open violation of His Majeſties Edicts, Letters Patents, and Sealed Letters, and of our uſual, and accuſtomed Order, and the Solemn Proteſtation of former Synods, who have expreſly declared, that they deſired and intended utterly to forbear all cogniſance of Affairs of this Nature. And farther that the Churches had been for a very long time together deprived of the Aſſiſtance of His Majeſties Bounty, and that it would be needful moſt humbly to petition him to order his Royal Promiſes to be obſerved, and entirely accompliſhed and fulfilled. For theſe Cauſes and Reaſons, and particularly that we might keep within the bounds of Order, and to the Ancient practice of the Churches, The Council judged it neceſſary to make a Deputation unto His Majeſty, and voted the Sieurs de Bouteroue and de Baleines to carry their moſt Humble Petitions unto His Majeſty, who were charged with Letters and Inſtructions unto His Majeſty, and to the Chief Miniſters of State.
CHAP. VII. A Copy of the Councils Letter ſent unto the King.
SIR,
The Synods Letter ſent unto the King.THE Sence and Experience we have of Your Majeſties Royal Bounty unto our Churches, and of their great Sufferings, notwithſtanding this your goodneſs, through the Non-Execution of your Edicts in the Provinces of your Kingdom, do compell us to depute unto Your Majeſty the Sieurs Bouteroue and de Baleines to lay at Your Majeſties feet, together with the ſincere proteſtations of our inviolable fidelity unto Your Majeſties Service, our moſt humble acknowledgments and thanks for your gracious favours, and our juſt and neceſſary requeſts for the relief and comforting of our poor Churches. We humbly truſt that Your Majeſty will be pleaſed to give them a favourable audience, and to grant us our moſt Humble Petitions, and to accept of the Devout and moſt hearty Prayers of many Thouſands of Godly Perſons for Your Majeſties Proſperity, who whilſt they lie groaning under the moſt inſupportable preſſures in the World do notwithſtanding live in a profound Obedience unto Your Majeſties Authority. And from the bottom of our Souls, and with the greateſt ardency imaginable we ſupplicate the Throne of Grace to bleſs and preſerve Your Majeſties Moſt Sacred Perſon, and to augment and continue the happyneſs of Your Majeſties Reign and Government, being alwayes, Moſt Dread Soveraign,
From Caſtres Septemb. 1626. Your moſt Humble, moſt Faithful, and moſt Obedient Subjects and Servants, The Paſtors and Elders of the Reformed Churches of France Aſſembled in their National Synod at Caſtres, and for them all,
Chauve Moderator,
Bouteroue Aſſeſſor,
Blondel and
Petit, Scribes.
CHAP. VIII.
THE Eight and Twentieth day of October, The Sieurs Bouteroue and de Baleines Deputies unto the King returned with Letters from His Majeſty, and the Lord d' Herbaut Secretary of State, and reported that they had a very favourable Reception from His Majeſty, and Miniſters of State, and that having preſented their Addreſs unto the Lords of His Majeſties moſt Honourable Privy Council, they had obtained a Command unto the Parliament of Thoulouſe to take away the Modifications put by the ſaid Parliament upon the laſt Edict of Peace, and were promiſed that Commiſſioners ſhould be ſent into the Provinces of Xaintonge, the Higher and Lower Languedoc, Rochell and the Land of Aunix to ſee that the Edict be duely executed. They were alſo aſſured that the Aſſignations formerly given unto the Lord of Candal ſhould be made good and valid; and that they had an order for twelve hundred Livres to defray the Charges of their Journey, beſides the Summ of Ten Thouſand Livres granted by His Majeſty unto this Council to pay their Charges. But as for the reſtoring of Monſieur du Moulin to the Church of Paris, and a Licenſe for holding of a General Aſſembly, His Majeſty was utterly averſe unto it, and would in no wiſe yield thereunto, and we ſhould know more of his mind upon this Article, and of his good intentions as to the nomination of our General Deputies by his Commiſſioner the Lord Galland. Thanks were given unto our good God that he had granted us to find favour with the King, and the Deputies alſo which were ſent unto His Majeſty had the thanks of the Council, and were commended for their Conduct and Dexterity, which was ſo acceptable unto the King, and Lords of His Majeſties Council, and approved by this Aſſembly.
A Copy of the Kings Letter unto this National Synod.
DEAR and Well-beloved,
we received the Letters by the Sieurs Bouteroue and de Baleines your Deputies, and underſtood from their Mouths and your Addreſs preſented to us, what they were ordered by you to declare unto us. Whereunto we have by word of Mouth and Writing given thoſe favourable Anſwers, which ſhall be related to you by thoſe your Deputies, to which we ſhall add with a willing mind the Effects or our Grace and Royal favour upon all occaſions that may occur for the Weal and General happyneſs of Our Subjects of your Religion, and of you all joyutly and ſeverally; as we alſo promiſe our ſelves that you will keep you within thoſe bounds of Fidelity and Obedience, which good and Loyal Subjects owe unto their King, and that you will verifie by your actions the words of your aforeſaid Deputies, as we exhort you ſo to do, and moreover to give credence unto the Lord Galland our Counſellor in our Council of State in all things whatſoever that he ſhall offer to you as from us.
Given at St. German in Laye this Fourteenth of October, 1626. Signed Louis, and a little lower Philippeaux. And the Superſcription was thus directed, To Our Dear and Well-Beloved the Deputies of the P. Reformed Religion Aſſembled by our Licenſe in a National Synod in our City of Caſtres.
CHAP. IX. A Copy of the Lord Herbaut's Letter unto this Council.
SIRS,
YOUR Deputies were favourably received by His Majeſty, and His Majeſty heard with very great ſatisfaction thoſe Aſſurances from their Mouths of your Fidelity and ſincere intentions to the Publick Peace and Tranquillity. When His Majeſty granted it unto you, it was with a full purpoſe inviolably to keep it with you, and farther to give you with the injoyment thereof all other matters accorded to you by his Edicts. What remains but that on your part, you contribute whatever His Majeſty might expect from your Prudence and Conduct, and to meaſure by what is paſt that the duration and firm ſettlement of your Repoſe doth principally depend on your Obedience, yielding unto his Majeſty what is due unto him, and is neceſſary for your well-being. And you may believe that in ſo doing his Gracious Favours will be multiplyed upon you dayly, and that I ſhall be ready to ſerve you in all good Offices with His Majeſty, that you may reſent the comfortable Effects thereof according as you have deſerved them. In the mean while, I reſt, Sirs,
Your moſt Humble and Affectionate Servant, Philippeaux. The Superſcription was, To my Lords, My Lords the Deputies Aſſembled by His Majeſties permiſſion in a National Synod at Caſtres.