The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 28 (3rd Charenton) · Chapter 16

The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France · 28 (3rd Charenton) · Chapter 16

p. 485CHAP. XVI. Of Univerſities.

ARTICLE 1. IT being evident, that through the ill-Will of divers Churches in the Lower Guyenne, the ſaid Province is indebted in very great Sums unto the Univerſity of Montauban, which hath been exceeding prejudicial to it; this Synod Ordaineth, that the Arrearages owing by the ſaid Province, and by all others, indebted to the ſaid Univerſity, ſhall be paid by equal Proportions, without any the leaſt abatement, within the ſpace of Six Years; and that in every Colloquy there ſhall be conſtituted a Receiver, to whoſe Hands the Quota aſſeſſed upon every particular Church, ſhall be directed, and from them unto the General Receiver for the Province, who ſhall deliver in the full and compleat Contribution of that Province, unto that Univerſity to which it was appointed. And all Paſtors and Elders ſhall put to their helping Hand, that the Canons and Decrees made on this occaſion, be punctually and faithfully executed in their Provinces. And the Contribution of particular Churches for our Univerſities ſhall be raiſed with as much exactneſs, care and Fidelity as for the Paſtors. And the Provincial Synods are charged to call every Church within their Diſtrict unto an Account how they have performed their Duty in this particular, and to puniſh all Paſtors and Elders, who ſhall be found to have been remiſs, negligent and careleſs herein, and to cenſure them even with ſuſpenſion from their Charges.

ARTICLE 2. The Univerſity of Montauban, having remonſtrated that the Province of Bearn hath been ſo far from paying the poor Sum of Fifty Livres of Annual Contribution, which they freely offered by their Deputies in the National Synod of Alanſon, for the Subſiſtence of the ſaid Univerſity, that they have in divers of their Synods ſince poſitively reſolved not to contribute ſo much as one Denier. The Sieur de la Fite was heard what he had to ſay in excuſe for his Province, it being a moſt notorious default, becauſe the Contribution which was offered by their Provincial Deputies, is ſo very inconſiderable, and eaſie to be paid; and that the refuſal of its payment will give an open Scandal to all the Churches. So that the Aſſembly judged that Province to have incurred the moſt grievous Cenſures; and that the ſaid Sieur de la Fite was conſequentially ill-grounded in his Excuſes. And farther Decreeth, that the Sum of Fifty Livres due for this preſent Year, without prejudicing of the time running on, ſhall be immediately paid down by the ſaid Sieur de la Fite, according to his Promiſe; and as for the Arrears owing by them, they p. 486ſhall be paid in by equal proportions within the prefixed term of Six Years. And in caſe that, or any other Province ſhould make default o… Payment, they ſhall be dealt withal as Deſertors of the Churches Union, and ſhall loſe their Priviledge of ſitting and voteing by their Deputies in our National Synods. And whereas the ſaid Sieur de la Fite did offer to lay down an Hundred Livres for the Two laſt Years, provided his Province might be fully diſcharged of all Arrears, it was utterly rejected.

ARTICLE 3. The Council of the Univerſity of Montauban, is it powered to take what they can conveniently ſpare out of the Minerval (the Entrance Mony) paid by Scholars unto their Regents, and to pay it in to the common Purſe, for defraying the Charges they muſt be neceſſarily at in recovering the Contributions due from the Neighbour Provinces: And 'tis recommended to the Care of the ſaid Council, that upon this Pretext, they do not ſurcharge the poor Scholars, nor abſolutely diſcharge the Provinces.

ARTICLE 4. Whereas the Province of higher Languedoc, hath choſen Monſieur Crumel a Paſtor in actual Service of the Church of Reniers and Courbaniers, to be Profeſſor of Philoſophy in the Univerſity of Montauban, and given in to this Aſſembly the Reaſons and Motives inducing their Synod unto that Choice; what they had done was Authorized and Approved.

ARTICLE 5. At the requeſt of the Province of Higher Languedoc, Monſieur Verdier is exhorted to fit and qualifie himſelf, together with thoſe other Miniſters nominated by the Synod of Alanſon, for the profeſſion of Theology.

ARTICLE 6. The Canon made in the Synod of Alanſon, concerning the Maintenance of our Univerſities, and beginning with thoſe Words, Although it be notorious, &c. ſhall be again read in all the Churches.

ARTICLE 7. To ſacilitate the payment of Arrerages due unto our Univerſities by the Province of Normandy; This Aſſembly Ordaineth, according to the Expedient propounded by them, that in the Lower Normandy there ſhall be eſtabliſhed One common Receiver, and Four particular Ones for its Four Colloquies, who ſhall deliver into the Hands of the common Receiver their reſpective Contributions; and he ſhall after ſend it to the Receiver General reſiding at Rouen, to whom ſhall be ſent the State of the Quota as it is aſſeſſed in every Provincial Synod, which ſhall ſerve for the regulating and clearing of his Accompts, and the Churches depending on them. That ſo all of them may in caſe of failure be reduced with more eaſe and commodiouſneſs unto their duty.

ARTICLE 8. This Aſſembly ratifying that injunction formerly laid upon our Profeſſors of Philoſophy, to lay by many needleſs queſtions of Natural Philoſophy in their handling of Meraphyſicks, doth alſo over and beſides it, Ordain, that they ſhall leave alſo thoſe Queſtions in Logick which are Superfluous, and inſtead of them, ſubjoyn unto it a ſhort Compend of Ethicks, that ſo their Scholars may be acquainted with the firſt Rudiments of Moral Philoſophy.

ARTICLE 9. Whereas there is the Sum of Three Thouſand Livres Ordained for the Yearly Maintenance of the Univerſity of Montauban, and when the Profeſſors have been paid their reſpective Sallaries, there will remain Four Hundred Livres in ſtock: This Aſſembly Ordaineth, that hereafter in all Dividends of the ſaid Monies, out of thoſe Four Hundred Livres remaining in ſtock, there ſhall be equally diſtributed among the Three Regents, who Inſtruct and Teach the Scholars of the p. 487Reformed Religion in the Colledge of Montauban, One Hundred and Fifty Livres; and to the Door-Keeper of the ſaid Colledge profeſſing the Reformed Religion, Fifty Livres. And as for the other Two Hundred Livres, the Sieurs, Garriſſoles and Charles, Profeſſors in Divinity, ſhall receive them Yearly by equal Portions, over and above their Wages aſſigned to them, as the Contributions of the Churches and Provinces ſhall come into their Hands: It being but juſt and reaſonable, that their continual Labours and Cares for the publick ſhould be recogniſed by this ſlender gratuity; nor will this in the leaſt prejudice the Regents or Door-Keepers, whoſe Vails and Emoluments will come in unto them from the Minerval Monies, by the Scholars paid at their Matriculation; as was before granted in another Article.

ARTICLE 10. Out of an old Sum of One Thouſand and Twenty Seven Livres of Arrears owing by the Province of Normandy, to the Univerſity of Montauban, the Sieur Harriſſoles Profeſſor in Divinity, ſhall receive by way of Advance, and without any prejudice to his Portion, owing to him out of the Sum of Three Thouſand Livers, in conſideration of his great Pains and Services performed by him for theſe Eighteen Months, ever ſince the Deceaſe of his Reverend Colleague Monſieur Beraud, until the Settlement of his Succeſſor Monſieur Charles, the Sum of Three Hundred Livres. And whereas that Province is indebted for thoſe Arrears aforeſaid, until the ſetling of the ſucceeding Profeſſor, it is obliged to make good payment of it in the manner before appointed, and particularly to ſee that the ſaid Monſieur Garriſſoles be fully content and ſatisfied; who only when all others for want of their Sallaries quitted their Employments, continued diligent in his ſtation, and followed hard the Duties of his Calling and Profeſſion.

ARTICLE 11. That all Complaints may be prevented about the Non-Execution of the Canons concerning the Promotion of Scholars; this Aſſembly leaveth it to the prudence of the Rectors and Councils of our Univerſities to judge of the proficiency made by them in their ſeveral Claſſes, and ſo either to advance them from the Lower to an Higher Degree, or to promote them unto the publick Lectures. Nor ſhall they ever uſe any Indulgence herein, but on ſpecial grounds, and for very good reaſon and conſideration.

ARTICLE 12. The Judgment of the Province of Anjou, in preferring the Profeſſors of Philoſophy before the Profeſſors of Eloquence is ratified and confirmed; and until ſuch time as the Provinces can make a Fund for the Maintenance of a Greek Profeſſor, this Aſſembly doth greatly approve, and joyfully embrace the offer of that Gentleman who promiſeth to exerciſe that Profeſſion freely, and without any Charge unto the Churches.

ARTICLE 13. The Paſtors of thoſe Towns and Cities in which our Univerſities are Erected, having been Incorporated by the Canons of the National Synod of Alez, in the Year 1620, into the Councils of thoſe Univerſities, ſhall be ordinarily and in their own perſons preſent at them, unleſs there be ſome lawful cauſe impeding them.

ARTICLE 14. According to the Received Cuſtom for divers Years in the Church of Saumur, our Propoſans ſhall come up unto the Lord's Table immediately after the Profeſſors, and ſhall precede all the Regents of the Claſſes.

ARTICLE 15. According to that Canon made at Alez, thoſe Paſtors in whoſe Churches our Univerſities are ſituated, ſhall in their turns preſide with the Profeſſors of Theology at all Propoſitions both French and Latin.

p. 488ARTICLE 16. At the Requeſt of the Univerſity of Saumur, the Province of Normandy ſhall bring before September next unto the Conſiſtory at Paris the Acquittances of thoſe Payments, which they pretend to have made unto the ſaid Univerſity, of the Sum of Six Hundred and Five and Twenty Livres, which the ſaid Province ſtood indebted to it for the Year 1637. on default whereof they ſhall be condemned to pay the ſaid Sum, as alſo the Sum of Nine and Forty Livres, which are owing by them upon another Account. And the Conſiſtory aforeſaid is fully empowered by this Aſſembly to judge finally, without any Appeal in this Caſe.

ARTICLE 17. His Excellency the Lord Mareſchal of Chaſtillon having writ unto this Aſſembly, and by his Letters given us to underſtand that he deſigned to ſet up again the Colledge of Chaſtillon in the ſame Eſtate in which it was in his Fathers Life, and the Sieur des Baraudieres Deputy for the Province of Berry, having offered for the Lady Mareſchal of Chaſtillon, according to that expreſs Order he had received from her, to contribute yearly the Sum of Five Hundred Livres towards maintenance of a Profeſſor in it: The Aſſembly Voted, That the ſaid Lord and Lady ſhould be moſt humbly thanked for their charitable Offers, and entreated to continue always their Kindneſſes unto the Churches; and in compliance with their laudable Deſigns, the Sieurs Drelincourt and Le Coq, Deputies of the Iſle of France, have aſſured this Aſſembly, that the Church of Paris will add Annually the Sum of Four Hundred Livres more, which they had not given hitherto, becauſe they waited for the ſitting of this Synod. And the Sieur de L'Angle, and the other Deputies of Normandy, did voluntarily offer in the Name of their Province, to contribute yearly the Sum of ſixty Livres. The Sieur de Croy and the other Deputies of Lower Languedoc have conſented to pay the like Sum of ſixty Livres. The Sieur Bollenat and his Colleague, Deputies for the Province of Burgundy, conſented alſo to make paying yearly the Sum of Fifty and Nine Livres, over and above the Sum of Four Hundred Livres aſſeſſed upon them in the foregoing Synods. And foraſmuch as theſe Contributions are not ſufficient, the Synod ordaineth, That the Churches of Rochel and Lions ſhall be intreated to contribute unto ſo good a Work, according to their Piety and Zeal for the Glory of God.

ARTICLE 18. The Church of Loudan petitioning this Aſſembly to be aſſiſted and enabled with ſome Supplies for the better Maintenance of their Colledge, and that they might be forgiven their Contribution, which they have hitherto payed into the Univerſity of Saumur, and that the ſaid Sum might be levied elſewhere: It was Decreed, That their Contribution ſhould be paid in as formerly unto the Univerſity of Saumur, and the Church of Loudan ſhould receive Yearly the Sum of Threeſcore and Ten Livres, to be paid in unto it by the Province of Brittaine, which is exhorted and intreated to enlarge their Charity as much as poſſible unto the ſaid Colledge of Loudan, and that they would not hereupon abate or defalk any thing of their wonted Contribution to the Univerſity of Saumur.

ARTICLE 19. The Provincial Deputies of Lower Languedoc having repreſented, that ſince the Death of Monſieur Petit, Paſtor and Profeſſor of Theology in the Univerſity of Niſms, that the Four Paſtors of that Church have read Lectures unto the Students, and kept up the other Exerciſes of Propoſitions and publick Diſputations; and that the Synod held at Montpellier in December laſt, had charged them to continue theſe Academical Exerciſes until ſuch time as this preſent National Synod ſhould by its Authority make other and farther Proviſion; and they did now petition, that ſome Perſons might be nominated and appointed to the Profeſſion p. 489of Theology and the Hebrew Tongue, or elſe to Authoriſe the Synod of that Province ſo to do. This Aſſembly confirming the ſaid Univerſity of Niſmes, and accepting the Offers of the Provinces of the Lower Languedoc and Sevennes, who have took upon them to bear the greateſt and principal part of its Charges and Maintenance, doth exhort the Sieur de Croy, on whom the whole Province of Lower Languedoc have caſt their Eyes, to fit and betake himſelf to the Exerciſe of the Profeſſion of Divinity, when-ever he ſhall be called to it by the Authority of that Provincial Synod, they ſtrictly obſerving all the Forms preſcribed by our Diſcipline.

ARTICLE 20. Approving that juſt Petition of the Provinces of Lower Languedoc and Sevennes for the re-eſtabliſhment of their common Colledge in ſuch a place as they ſhould agree unto, and conſerving to the Univerſity of Die its yearly Contribution from the Churches of Sevennes: This Aſſembly exhorteth the Provinces of Provence and Vivaretz, that becauſe the Neighbourhood of the Colledge of Sevennes muſt needs be exceeding profitable unto them, that they would be pleaſed to contribute, according as God ſhall have enabled them, towards its eſtabliſhment and maintenance; and the rather, for that they never did contribute any thing unto our Univerſities. Moreover it is ordained, that Letters ſhall be written unto the Conſiſtory of Marſeilles, intreating them to afford all the Fruits of their Charity that poſſibly they can unto this Colledge; and thoſe Offers made by the Sieur de Caille, who promiſed to contribute liberally unto it, were accepted; and he was entreated to get the Lord Marques of Senars, and the other Noblemen and Gentlemen of that Province to expreſs alſo on their parts then Kindneſs and Liberality.

ARTICLE 21. When as the Provincial Synod of Dolphiny ſhall have examined the Works of Mr. Rhodon Profeſſor of Philoſophy at Orange, and ſhall have conſidered of their Uſefulneſs, they may be licenſed for the Preſs, and publiſhed to the World.

ARTICLE 22. The Deputies of Dolphiny petitioned on behalf of the Univerſity of Die, that this Aſſembly would be pleaſed to ordain, that the Province of Guyenne do pay in unto the ſaid Univerſity the Sum of Three Thouſand Six Hundred and Ten Livres, Seven Sous, which they owed to it, and which the Synod of Alanſon had given as a Fund unto the ſaid Univerſity. The Deputies of Lower Guyenne were heard, who very much queſtioned the Truth of the ſaid Debt. This Synod diſmiſſed them both unto the Conſiſtory of Paris, who ſhall inſpect and reviſe thoſe Accompts within ſix Months, and that term being paſſed, they ſhall proceed to a final Judgment on thoſe Accompts and Papers brought in by the Deputies of Dolphiny; and till that final Sentence be given, the Province of Lower Guyenne ſhall pay what ſhall be found due on their part, according to that general Canon before eſtabliſhed for payment of Arrearages owing by the Province unto our Univerſities, that ſo theſe Sums thus payed in may be diſpoſed to the beſt advantage, according to the Intention of the National Synod of Alanſon.

ARTICLE 23. To finiſh that great Work of Monſieur Chamier Deceaſed, upon the Controverſies of Religion, the Sieurs Garriſſoles and Charles were choſen and appointed to write De Reali Praſentia & Tranſubſtantiatione, to handle the Queſtions De Eccleſia & Conſiliis; Monſieur Amyraut to treat De Manducationo Spirituali, & de Sacrificio Miſſa; Monſieur de la Place and the aforeſaid Sieur de Garriſſoles is entreated and exhorted to publiſh his Work de Chriſto Redemptore. And the Sieurs de Chanvernoun, Meſtrez…; da C…y, Aubertin and Daille are alſo deſired to print their p. 490Works, which they have undertook and performed for the common Edification of the Churches

ARTICLE 24. The Province of Normandy ſhall produce within ſix Months before the Conſiſtory of Paris thoſe Acquittances which they received from the Univerſity of Saumur for the Sum of Six Hundred and Five and Twenty Livers; and in caſe they omit the doing hereof, the ſaid Province ſhall be condemned, as it is from this very inſtant to make payment of it.

ARTICLE 30. A Dividend of the Sum of 15800 Livres, being the remainders of the Sum of 1600 Livres granted by his Majeſty unto this Synod, for defraying the Expences of Four and Fifty Deputies, who received each of them 292 l. 11 s. 6 d.

ARTICLE 31. The Two Hundred Livres, which remained to compleat the Sum of Sixteen Hundred, were employed in defraying the Charges of two Deputies, who were ſent unto Paris, about the Buſineſs of the Churches, and to attend ſome time at Court, that ſo in caſe they ſhould need thoſe Monies, they might, according as was before ordered, receive them. By reaſon of the dearneſs of Proviſions, the Journies of the Deputies were taxed at the deſire of ſeveral Provinces at the rate of Six Livres a Day.