The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 27 (Alençon) · Chapter 24 – Chapter 25
CHAP. XXIV. The Speech made by Monſieur Ferrand, Paſtor of the Church of Bourdeaux, Deputed by the National Synod of the Reformed Churches of France, Aſſembled at Alanſon, the 27th. of May, 1637. unto His Majeſty.
SIRE,
IF the Rivers having their Source from the Ocean, do return again with their Tribute to it, 'tis much more Juſt and Reaſonable that Your moſt Humble and moſt Obedient Subjects, the Miniſters and Elders Aſſembled by Your Authority in a National Synod, ſhould come and render into Your Royal Boſom, the Profound Reſentments and Eternal Thankfulneſs of their Souls for thoſe numberleſs Favours they have received, and do ſtill enjoy by Your Majeſty's, moſt Gracious Protection, and Royal Liberality; which being ſuperadded to thoſe Duties of our Birth and Conſcience, do ſo bind us unto Subjection, Fidelity and Obedience to Your Commands, that no future Events can or will be able to diſſolye or cut them aſunder. Theſe, Sire, be the Loyal Proteſtations of thoſe that ſent us, who deſire nothing more, than to Engrave in the hearts of Your moſt Dutiful Subjects of our Religion, the Holy Maxims of an inviolable and Religious Obedience. For we, Sire, are thoſe very Perſons who Believe, and Teach, that the Royal Authority is not of Humane, but Divine Inſtitution, unto which every Soul ought to be Subjected; and we are thoſe who Believe and Teach the Sovereignty and Independency of Your Crown, which, reſembling thoſe higher Mountains, whoſe Lofty Heads being exalted above the middle Region of the Air, are never frighted with Thunders nor Lightnings. No, Sire, You hold it from God only, and it is ſolely depending on him, and You are next in Power unto him, the Sun of this Heaven, the Soul of this vaſt Body, the Heart of this Gallick Monarchy. Yea, Sire, once more, we be thoſe very Perſons, who next unto the Service of our God, have no greater Motive nor Principle, than the Conſervation and Augmentation of Your Majeſty's Grandeur; and theſe are our daily Vows and Prayers unto God, Your Majeſty being his moſt lively Image: And therefore, Sire, we are emboldned to hope for Freedom of Acceſs unto Your Majeſty, becauſe our God loveth to be importuned with our Supplications, and that Your Majeſty will not reject theſe moſt Humble Petitions which are laid at Your Majeſty's Feet, with all imaginable Reſpect by many thouſands of Souls, who deſire the Liberty of their Conſcience and Religion, for none other end, than that by ſerving God, they may alſo the ſelf-ſame inſtant demand of him in their Prayers for Your Majeſty, a moſt immovable Proſperity, a long Reign, a moſt Happy Life, a moſt Faithful Council, Victorious Triumphant Armies, and an innumerable People going and coming at the firſt beck and motion of Your Majeſty. Sire, This Liberty ſhall never be abuſed by Your moſt Humble Subjects of the Reformed Religion, unto Licentiouſneſs; no, Sire, they will imploy it as they have always done, in Prayers and Faſtings, when as the precious Life of Your moſt Sacred Majeſty, lay expoſed to all Hazards and Dangers (a Life upon which depends all the Lives of Your Kingdom) and You were Jeoparding it in the high places of the Field, to acquire unto Your Subjects a durable Repoſe and Tranquility. And foraſmuch as Your Majeſty's Sword is ever Glorious and Invincible againſt Strangers; May it pleaſe Your Majeſty to ſuffer us to form our Complaints againſt thoſe, who endeavour at home, in the very Bowels of France, to render Your Edicts Illuſory, and do blunt the Point, and dull the Edge of Your Laws relating to our Liberties and Subſiſtence, which are all founded upon the Obſervation of Your Edicts and Royal Commiſſions. The Adverſaries envying our Peace, have made an infinite number of Gaps and Breaches in them. Yet nevertheleſs, Sire, we perſwade our ſelves, that Your Edicts will remain Sacred and Inviolable, and that Your Powerful Hand will cauſe the words of Your Royal Mouth, to be exactly and punctually performed; becauſe you be the Judge and Father of Your People, and that in Your Sacred Perſon, Juſtice and Mercy ſhall Kiſs and Embrace each other; that ſo none may attempt to put aſunder what our God hath joyned together. This Hope repleniſheth our Hearts with Joy, and doth more ardently excite our Affections to pay unto Your Majeſty all the Duties of Subjection and Loyalty; and with inflamed Devotions we Addreſs our ſelves to the Divine Majeſty, that he would inlarge the Bounds of Your Empire, and accompliſh all the deſires of Your Royal Heart, as being,
Sire, of Your Majeſty, the moſt Humble, and the moſt Obedient Servants and Subjects, the Paſtors and Elders Aſſembled in the National Synod, by Your Gracious Permiſſion, at Alanſon, and in the Name of them all.
Baſnage, Moderator of the Synod.
D. Couppe, Aſſeſſor.
D. Blondel, Scribe, and
De Launay, Scribe.
CHAP. XXV. 2. Instructions given unto Monſieur Ferrand, Gigord, and Ceriſy, Deputed unto the King by the National Synod Aſſembled by His Majeſty's Permiſsion at Alanſon, 1637.
THe Sieurs, Ferrand, Gigord, and Ceriſy, Deputed by us unto the Court, immediately upon their Arrival, ſhall wait upon Monſieur de la Vrilliere Secretary of State, to whom they ſhall deliver our Letters, and aſſure him of our moſt humble Services; and ſhall intreat him that by his means, they may, as ſoon as poſſible, have the Honour of waiting upon, and Saluting His Majeſty, and Preſent Him with the Letters of this Aſſembly, and ſhall follow His Orders when, and after what manner they ought and may ſpeak unto the King, and to the Lord Cardinal, and to the Lord Chancellor. And having paid their Duties to the King, the Lord Cardinal, and to our Lord the Principal Miniſters of State, they ſhall give them to underſtand with what Reſpect and Thankful Acknowledgments we have received from the mouth of the Lord de St. Marc, His Majeſty's Commiſſioner in this Aſſembly, thoſe aſſurances given us in His Majeſty's Name for preſerving us the Privilege of His Edicts, and to continue to us His Royal Favours.
But they ſhall not conceal, that all the Members of this Aſſembly were exceedingly ſurprized and aſtoniſhed, that immediately after thoſe aforeſaid Aſſurances given us by the Lord Commiſſioner, he made ſuch Propoſals to them, as had no agreement at all with theſe Promiſes of His Majeſty's good Will unto us; as when He declared, That he was charged by the King, to forbid all Miniſters to ſerve their annexed Congregations, which tends to the utter Ruine of the far greateſt part of our Churches, and depriveth a vaſt multitude of the Profeſſors of our Religion of their Spiritual Conſolation.
As alſo when he propounded as from the King, That it was his Majeſty's deſire, That we ſhould ratiſie Baptiſm Adminiſtred by Midwifes, and others, who have no Call ſo to do, which is formally contrary to our Belief.
They ſhall alſo inſiſt on this, That His Majeſty be acquainted, and from their own Mouths, with that Rigorous Decree of the Council, concerning the hanging forth of Tapiſtry, and Adorning of our Houſes on that Feſtival which they call by the Name of The Holy. This being a matter directly contrary to the Edicts, made in our Favour.
They ſhall take care alſo, to Petition our Lord the Cardinal, and the Lords of the Council; and eſpecially the Lord de Buillon, That they would be pleaſed to ſupply this Aſſembly with Moneys for the defraying of our Charges and Expences, during the Seſſions thereof, as hath been always accuſtomed to be done by His Majeſty. And the rather, becauſe for a very long time, notwithſtanding His Majeſty's Promiſe, we have not received one Farthing of His Bounteous Liberality.
The Aſſembly leaveth it to the Prudence of theſe our ſaid Deputies, either to prolong or ſhorten their abode at Court, according to the Succeſs of their Negotiation; and they be ordered to acquaint us upon all occaſions, of what is neceſſary to be done by us.