The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 26 (2nd Charenton) · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. A Copy of the Cahier of our Complaints, and of the Infractions of his Majeſty's Edicts, preſented to his Majeſty from the Synod, by the Sieurs Amyraud and de Villars.
To the King.
SIRE,
YOUR moſt humble and moſt obedient Subjects of the Reformed Religion, aſſembled by your Majeſty's Permiſſion in the National Synod at Charenton, do freely acknowledg that we want both Conceptions and Expreſſions by which we may ſufficiently and worthily expreſs our juſt ſenſe and feeling of thoſe many and illuſtrious Teſtimonies of your Majeſty's Paternal Affection to us: and therefore we do pour out inceſſantly our moſt fervent and devouteſt Prayers unto the Throne of Grace, that the Lord our good God would be graciouſly pleaſed to preſerve your Majeſty's moſt Sacred Perſon, and the Tranquillity of your Dominions: And we do abſolutely conſecrate our Lives and Fortunes unto your Majeſty's Service, according to the Duty taught us by our moſt holy Religion, and our Birth, which is to expoſe them for the Honour of our Soveraign upon all Occaſions.
2. And foraſmuch as it hath pleaſed your Majeſty to confirm by divers Declarations thoſe Edicts made in our Favour, yea and to place them in the Rank and Claſſis of Fundamental Laws of your Kingdom, we moſt: humbly ſupplicate your Majeſty to ordain, that they may be as exactly obſerved, and punctually executed.
3. Particularly for what concerns the Eſtabliſhment of our Churches in thoſe Places, where hitherto we could never obtain that Benefit, notwithſtanding all our Care and Diligence to get it executed; and that thoſe which are deſolated, through the Infelicities of the late Troubles, and the Rigors of that Decree made in your Majeſty's Council, the laſt May, out of favour to the Lord Biſhop of Valence and his Complices, may be once again re-edified. For the Execution of ſuch Decrees cauſeth many thouſands of devout Souls, deprived of the Exerciſe of their Religion, to mourn and groan before God continually.
4. This Deſolation, Sire, is therefore the more worthy of your Royal Compaſſions, becauſe it is extream: for in Vivaretz there be nine and twenty Churches wholly deſtitute of all Religious Worſhip, and in Sevennes nineteen, and in the Land and Iſles of Ré and Olleron, there be twenty four, beſides thoſe which decay, through the many cunning Obſtructions brought againſt the rebuilding of the demoliſhed Temples in Xaintonge, Burgundy, Brittain, Berry, Normandy, Poitou, and the Lower Guyenne, whoſe Number indeed is not ſo great, but however their Damage is ineſtimable. And, Sire, all the Provinces demand no new Favour of your Majeſty, but only what hath been formerly granted them by your Edicts.
5. Therefore is it that your Majeſty is moſt humbly requeſted to revoke thoſe Decrees aforeſaid, and to ordain that nothing may be innovated againſt ancient Practice and Poſſeſſion, and that our Miniſters may preach in all Places where they ſhall be called, according to the Duties of their Office, and that they may ſerve in divers Churches at the ſame time, which ſhall be all eſtabliſhed or re-eſtabliſhed conformably to the Edicts and Declarations of your Majeſty.
6. And foraſmuch as very many Miniſters, in divers Provinces, particularly in that of Languedoc, are troubled, not for uttering any undutiful or diſreſpectful Words, but for Preaching (though with the greateſt Moderation, and according to that Liberty of Conſcience which is our Priviledg and Property) conformable to our Confeſſion of Faith, and the Diſcipline of our Churches; your Majeſty is therefore moſt humbly intreated, that all Proſecutions commenc'd againſt them may ceaſe, as having none other Foundation, than the groundleſs Paſſions of the Commiſſioners and Officers; and that upon this account your Attorney General may be ſilenced, and a Prohibition may be granted out againſt them from ever troubling any of our aforeſaid Miniſters in diſcharging the Duties of their Calling, and Exerciſe of our Diſcipline.
7. And foraſmuch as the Order and Diſcipline of our Churches cannot ſubſiſt without the being and ſitting of Colloquies and Synods, your Majeſty is moſt humbly requeſted to give leave, that our Colloquies and Provincial Synods may be aſſembled in the preſence of your Majeſty's Commiſſioners and Deputies, according to the ancient Order, becauſe the Governours of the Provinces do very much oppoſe the holding of them, and defer their Seſſions for a long time together, and have hindred divers Provinces from Synodical Aſſemblies three or four Years together.
8. Your Majeſty having formerly declared, with your own Mouth, whenas the National Synod was held laſt at Charenton, in the Year 1623, That it was your Pleaſure that thoſe Paſtors who were born in other Countries, not under your Majeſties Juriſdiction, ſhould continue in the Exerciſe of their Office in their reſpective Churches, without ever being diſquietted or moleſted: We moſt humbly beſeech your Majeſty, on their behalf, that you would be graciouſly pleaſed to grant them your Declaration to this Purpoſe; and alſo to gratify with the ſame Favour ſuch as have been received into the Sacred Miniſtry ſince the Year 1623, in the preſence of your Majeſty's Commiſſioners and Deputies.
9. And the Lord Galland having informed this Synod, that for the future your Majeſty intended to reſtrain this Favour, and only to vouchſafe it to your Majeſty's natural born Subjects, none others being to be received into the Miniſtry among us: We moſt humbly beſeech your Majeſty that this Reſtriction may be taken off, and that your Majeſty's wonted Favour may be continued to us in this Particular.
10. May it pleaſe your Majeſty alſo to repeal thoſe Prohibitions iſſued out againſt thoſe very worthy Miniſters of the Goſpel, Mr. Bouterove, Banage, and Beraud, forbidding their perſonal Preſence and Attendance in this Synod; and that with your Majeſty's Licenſe they may, having been duly choſen thereunto, come into it, and take their Place and Vote in it, according to their Deputations from their reſpective Provinces.
11. And whereas ſuch as make profeſſion of our Religion, are for the moſt part excluded and deprived of all Offices, Charges, and Publick Dignities, of being Doctors, and incorporated into the Colledges of Phyſicians, and of all Employments; yea, and are not ſo much as ſuffered to be Maſters in thoſe very Mechanical Arts and Trades in which they had been educated, and in which they had ſerved their Apprentiſhips; May it therefore pleaſe your Majeſty graciouſly to ordain, that they may be indifferently admitted unto thoſe aforeſaid Charges and Employments, with your other Subjects of the Romiſh Communion.
12. And whereas the Triumphs of your Victorious Arms do proclaim your Majeſty's Glory, We moſt humbly beſeech your Majeſty to augment your own Glory yet a great deal more, by extending your Clemency and Pardon unto thoſe many miſerable Perſons who have been detained, for a long time together, upon no other ſcore than that of the paſt Troubles, in Chains and Slavery aboard your Gallies; and to give forth your Royal Order and Command, that they may be delivered and enlarged.
13. It hath pleaſed your Majeſty in all thoſe Declarations made by you, in favour of your Subjects of the Reformed Religion, to promiſe the Continuance of that Bounty granted us by the late King Henry the Great of glorious Memory, and divers times ſince confirmed by your Majeſty, to contribute towards the Maintenance of our Paſtors and Univerſities, as a Compenſation for the Tithes paid by them unto the Curates. Yet nevertheleſs for ſeveral Years together we have been totally deprived of this Gratuity; and whereas divers Sums of Money had been aſſigned us for the former Years, there yet remains due and unpaid a very conſiderable Sum, amounting to ſix hundred twenty one thouſand, eight hundred and twelve Livers. And although we have been again and again promiſed this Grace and Favour, and particularly upon the Reduction of the Towns of Lower Languedoc, in the Year 1628, and afterward confi…med by your Majeſty's Anſwer to our Bill of Grievances at Montauban; Yet notwithſtanding, thoſe very Aſſignations given us in the Year 1627 have been revoked, and thoſe of the three next following Years 1628, 1629, and 1630, and for this preſent Year 1631, are not at all paid in unto us. Wherefore we moſt humbly beſeech your Majeſty, that according to your Royal Promiſes, they may be effectually continued to us, and that your poor Subjects of the Reformed Religion may enjoy theſe Gratuities, and be fully ſatisfied for all the Arrears.
14. And whereas your Majeſty was pleaſed, upon the reſtoring the Church-Lands in the Principality of Bearn, out of which our Miniſters received their Sallaries, to aſſign them a continual Stipend out of the Exchequer and Treaſury there, and this by the Edict of Reſtitution, which was followed by the Declaration made at Montpellier, when you gave Peace unto your Subjects; yet nevertheleſs, in prejudice of your Royal Words, without any Edict revoking that Aſſignation paſt in the making up the Accompts, and local Charges of the ſaid Principality, the Miniſters of the Goſpel there have been retrench'd from four hundred and fourſcore Livers, which they did each of them receive yearly, to two hundred and thirty four Livers only; yea, and this very laſt Year, four thouſand Livers more have been taken from them. Wherefore may it pleaſe your Majeſty, conformable to your Will declared in your Royal Edicts, to ſtop the courſe of ſuch Diminutions, and to reeſtabliſh the aforeſaid four thouſand Livers which have been retrenched, and to continue the paiment of their Sallaries unto the Miniſters, without ever ſuffering them to be diverted to any other Uſes, beſides thoſe to which they were deſigned and appointed in that firſt Inſtitution made by your Royal Bounty.
15. The Deputies who are now ſent unto the King, are expreſly charged moſt humbly to petition his Majeſty, that Silence may be impoſed on his Lieutenant General in the Parliament of Bourdeaux, who hath commenc'd a Suit againſt the Lord of Vandelincourt, Miniſter in the Church of Marennes, and his eldeſt Son, for that their Cauſe is depending in the Court of the Edict ſitting at Agen.