The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 26 (2nd Charenton) · Chapter 33 – Chapter 35
CHAP. XXXIII. The Roll of Depoſed and Apoſtate Miniſters.
Article 1. JOſeph Aubury, formerly Paſtor in the Church of Coulonges, in the Colloquy of Gex, a Fellow of low Stature, long Viſage, his Eyes deep ſunk into his Head, of fierce Look, great Noſe, Cheſnut-colour'd Hair, his Legs and Feet crooked turn'd in, halting on both ſides, depoſed by the Province of Burgundy for Forgeries, Perjuries and other Scandals, aged about thirty eight Years.
Article 2. Anthony Dumont, formerly an Auguſtinian Friar, but ſince Miniſter at St. Aignan and Myntré, in the Land of Mayn, depoſed for divers Crimes by the Synod of Anjou, in the Year 1629, and is ſince turned Apoſtate; he is low of Stature, his Hair almoſt white, roving Eyes, high Eagle nos'd, ſhort Neck, ſhrub ſhoulder'd, haggardly, froward, and unſociable in his Diſcourſes.
Article 3. Andrew Peloquin, formerly Paſtor of the Churches of Houdan and Fontaines, in the County of Chartres, but now an Apoſtate; a ſhort Fellow, Cheſnut-colour'd Hair, little Eyes, and ſunk into his Head, flat Noſe, and a great fat Tongue, about eight and thirty Years of Age.
Article 4. — Tuſſan, formerly Miniſter at Manduel in the Colloquy of Niſmes, about fifty Years old, a Fellow low of Stature, Cheſnut-colour'd Hair, depoſed from the Miniſtry for his Contempt and total Deſertion of it, and for abandoning himſelf to baſe and moſt unworthy Occupations.
Article 5. Pompey de Romerville, formerly a Monk, but ſince Paſtor in the Church or Gontault in the Colloquy of Agenois, but now an Apoſtate, a middle-ſiz'd Olive-colour'd Fellow, disfigur'd with the ſmall Pox, having a Pearl in one of his Eyes, his Hair and Beard exceeding black, he hath loſt his Voice; after his Revolt he betook himſelf to ſell Wine by Retail in a Tavern; but not thriving at that Trade, he is now at preſent the third Regent in the Colledg of Bourdeaux.
Article 6. Jacob Chaſlier, formerly Paſtor in the Church of Queivas, a Fellow not only infected with Arminianiſm, but with divers other monſtruous Errors, which he hath indeavoured to diffuſe abroad clandeſtinely; and being upon the Point of Depoſal from the ſacred Miniſtry by the Colloquy of Ambrunois, he prevented the Sentence of the ſaid Colloquy, by telling them, that he quitted both his Robe and Religion; he is ſhort of Stature, but well compacted, Cheſnut-colour'd Hair, and ſtaring up like Hogs Briſtles, great Noſe and Eye-brows, his Eyes deep ſunk in, and looking down-ward, high Fore-head, large Shoulders, haſty in his Gate as if he were running, very rude in his Diſcourſe.
Article 7. David Bourgade, aged about fifty five Years, low of Stature, grayhair'd, great Eyes, a pur-blind ſquinting Fellow, great Noſe, and ſomewhat high, very violent, covetous, voluptuous, and undiſciplinable, formerly Paſtor in the Church of Carlat in the Colloquy of Foix, but ſince an Apoſtate.
Article 8. John Durant, alias D'avant, heretofore Miniſter of Araiqûſon in Bearn, being accuſed of the Crimes of Adultery, he turned Apoſtate; a middle-ſiz'd Fellow, having a plain long bald Head, pale of Colour, a ſtaggering trembling Voice, rotten Teeth, ready to laugh upon any occaſion, looking downward, black Hair waxing gray, diſorderly in his Carriage.
Article 9. Francis Langelot, ſometimes Miniſter of Audaulx in Bearn, but now an Apoſtate, low of Stature, flat and bald-headed, high Fore-head, great flat Noſe, a little Beard, and that mixt, white Teeth, Voice and Hands trembling, roaving wandring Eyes, and high look'd, great Neck, and hunch-back'd on one ſide, precipitant in his going.
Article 10. Theophilus Caſamajor, Miniſter of St. Gladie in the aforeſaid Province of Bearn; mean of Stature, little Head, few Teeth, hoarſe Voice and effeminate, his Beard red and mingled, ſad of Countenance, and ready on any occaſion to laugh, he is now an Apoſtate.
CHAP. XXXIV. An Act for calling the next National Synod.
11. THE next National Synod is aſſigned to the Town of Alanſon in the Province of Normandy, three Years hence, as was before appointed in the 7th Article of general Matters.
12. All theſe Acts above-mentioned were done and decreed at Charenton St. Maurice near Paris, by the Deputies of the Reformed Churches of France and Bearn, in the twenty ſixth National Synod of the ſaid Churches, aſſembled by his Majeſty's Permiſſion at Charenton aforeſaid, the ſecond time; and their firſt Seſſion was on New-year's-day, in the Year of our Lord one thouſand ſix hundred thirty one.
Signed in the Original,
Meſtrezat, Moderator.
Jamet, Aſſeſſor.
D. Blondel, Scribe.
Armet, Scribe.
Alſo by the Lord Galland, Commiſſioner for his Majeſty, and by all the Paſtors and Elders, Deputies for the Provinces unto the ſaid Synod.
CHAP. XXXV. Remarks upon the Deputies.
1. MR. John Meſtrezat, Moderator in this Synod, was born of an eminent Family in Geneva, which were originally ſeated at Verona, a great and ancient City in Italy, but forſaken by them for Religion. This famous Divine came young as a Traveller into France, about twenty two Years of Age, in the Quality of a Propoſan or Student of Divinity, to viſit the Proteſtant Univerſities; which having done, he came to Paris; and the Reformed Church there having heard him make a Propoſition, immediately demanded him for their Miniſter, unto which he conſented with this Proviſo, that they would let him reſide two Years at Saumur to compleat his Studies. And that term being expired, he returned back to Paris, and ſerved the Church of God there with a great deal of Pains and Fidelity forty two Years, and departed this Life in the Year 1657, being ſixty ſix Years old. He had a Conference with a Juſuit of great Reputation, call'd Regourd, by expreſs Order of the Court, and in its Preſence, to the Confuſion of the Jeſuit, and the great Advantage and Honour of our Holy Reformed Religion: I have ſeen a piece of his concerning the Church: what other Works were publiſhed by him, I am ſorry that I cannot inform my Reader of them.
2. Monſieur Michael le Faucheur was alſo born of godly Parents in the ſame City of Geneva, and recieved into the Holy Miniſtry in the Provincial Synod of Vivaretz, and preſented by that grave Aſſembly to the Paſtoral Office in the Church of Annonay, though he was then but eighteen Years of Age; and Annonay was a Church of no mean Conſideration; but what he wanted in Years, he made up in Merit. In the Year 1612, he was removed to the Church of Montpellier, in which he ſerved full twenty Years: He was one of the Scribes in the National Synod held the firſt time at Charenton, 1623. The Parliament of Tholouſe having made a Decree, that no Foreigner ſhould be a Miniſter, or preach within their Juriſdiction, in the Year 1632. he came to Paris, and ſollicited the Court for his Reſtoration: He had in that City a Brother very rich, and one who followed the Law. Whilſt he reſided here, the Univerſity of Lanſanna in Switzerland, earneſtly invited him to be Profeſſor of Theology in it, but he very civilly declined that Motion, though he was a moſt accompliſh'd Scholar and Divine. In the Year 1636, a Franciſcan Friar, who was the great Favourite of Cardinal Richelieu, and of his Cabinet-Council, meeting him in an Apothecary's Shop in St. James's Street, demanded his Name, and he telling him who he was, and the Reaſon for which he was driven away from Montpellier, he beſpoke him; Monſieur Faucheur, do you tarry here, and preach at Charenton, and I will ingage my Word for it, that the King ſhall never trouble you. He communicating this Relation to his Brother, his Brother communicated it unto the Elders of that Church, who diſcourſing with him, intreated him to preach the next Lord's Day in their Temple, which he did, to their and the Churches very great Satisfaction: And here he continued in their Service, preaching and diſpenſing the Word and Sacraments among them unto the Day of his Death.
3. Monſieur Amyraut, of him I ſhall ſpeak in the Catalogue of the Churches and Miniſters hung upon the File in the laſt National Synod, where my Reader will meet with a Multitude of Remarks upon the Paſtors that were then actually imployed in the Service of thoſe-once flouriſhing Churches.
The End of the Second Synod of Charenton.
THE Acts, Canons, Deciſions; and Decrees, OF THE Twenty ſeventh Synod OF The Reformed Churches OF FRANCE, Aſſembled under his Majeſty's Authority and Permiſſion, AT ALANSON, IN THE PROVINCE of NORMANDY, On Wedneſday the twenty ſeventh of May, and ended Thurſday the ninth of July.
In the Year of our Lord God, 1637.
Being the twenty eighth Year of the Reign of LOUIS XIII. King of FRANCE and NAVARRE.
The CONTENTS of the Synodical Acts, in ſeveral Chapters.
Chap. I. THE King's Writ for calling the Synod preſented by the Marqueſs of Clermont, General Deputy. Monſieur St. Mars Commiſſioner for the King. Names of the Deputies. Election of the Synodical Officers.
Chap. II. The King's Commiſſion to Monſieur St. Mars, to repreſent hit Royal Perſon in the Synod.
Chap. III. The Lord Commiſſioner's Speech, and a very long one, unto the Synod.
Chap. IV. The Synod's Replies and Anſwers unto the Contents of it.
Chap. V. Three Deputies ſent with a Letter from the Synod unto the King.
Chap. VI. A ſecond Letter to the King.
Chap. VII. Approbation and Confirmation of the Confeſſion of Faith.
Chap. VIII. Obſervations upon the Diſcipline.
Chap. IX. Obſervations on the laſt Nati… Synod
Chap. X. A peni…n… …, after t… Yo…s Depoſition and Pena…, i… at laſt reſtored to the Exerciſe of his Miniſterial Office.
Chap. XI. The Snappiſhneſs of the Commiſſioner, the Prudence and Patience of the Synod.
Chap. XII. A penitent Miniſter petitioning for Reſtoration unto his Miniſterial Office, refuſed; and why.
Chap. XIII. The Churches of …earn incorporated with the Reformed Churches of France.
Chap. XIV. Appeals. 3. A Lady appealeth. 4. Des Champs a factious Miniſter. 11. An Appeal about a Legacy.
Chap. XV. General Matters, 1. An Action indifferent, ſo left by the Synod. 4. Whether Slaves may be purchaſed. 5. No Miniſter to be ordained without a Title. 7. An Act for a National Faſt. 8. An Expedient to preſerve Peace among the Miniſters, Profeſſors, and Churches. 9. A Petition to the King oppoſed by the Commiſſioner. 10. A Letter from the King unto the Synod. The Synod's Letter to the King. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. A Determination of the Controverſies moved by Amyrald and Teſtard. 31. The Deputies in the Synod to receive an hundred Sous par diem. Sallary from their Provinces. 32. Profeſſors of Divinity deſigned.
Chap. XVI. 4, 5. Two poor Miniſters in great Wants. 7. An Expedient to compoſe Differences in a Church and Province▪ 9. The Caſe of La Milletier… the Reconciler. 11. Complaints of two Books, L'Antidote, and Les Ombres d'Arminius.
Chap. XVII. Of Ʋniverſities. Order taken for upholding and maintaining the Ʋ niverſities.
Chap. XVIII. Arrears of Monies due unto the Ʋniverſities.
Chap. XIX. Accompts of the Ʋniverſities.
Chap. XX. Lord of Candall's Accompts.
Chap. XXI. A Dividend of 16000 Livers.
Chap. XXII. Roll of depoſed and revolted Miniſters.
Chap. XXIII. Catalogue of the Churches and Miniſters.
Chap. XXIV. Monſieur Ferrand's Speech unto his Majeſty.
Chap. XXV. Inſtructions given unto Monſieur Ferrand, &c. deputed to the King.
Chap. XXVI. Monſieur Ferrand's Speech to Cardinal Richelieu.
Chap. XXVII. The Bill of Grievances. A Book ſtiled, Le Proſelyte Evangelique.
Chap. XXVIII. Letters from the Paſtors and Profeſſors of Geneva.
Chap. XXIX. Teſtimonials unto Dr. Rivet's Treatiſe againſt the Books of the Sieurs Amyraut and Teſtard.
Chap. XXX. Two Letters, one from Mr. du Moulin, another from Monſieur Diodati to the Synod.
The Synod of Alanſon.1637. The 27th Synod.
SYNOD XXVII. 1637.
In the Name of God. Amen.
Acts of the twenty ſeventh National Synod of the Reformed Churches of France, held in the Town of Alanſon in the Province of Normandy. It was opened by his Majeſty's Permiſſion, Wedneſday the 27th of May, and ended Thurſday the 9th of July, in the Year of our Lord God 1637, and the 18th Year of the Reign of our Dread Sovereign Louis the Thirteenth, King of France and Navarre.