The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 29 (Loudun) · Chapter 13 – Chapter 19

The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France · 29 (Loudun) · Chapter 13 – Chapter 19

p. 577CHAP. XIII. The Accompts of the Lord du Candal.

THE Lord of Candal, Counſellor to his Majeſty in his moſt Honourable Privy Council and Council of State, having preſented unto this Aſſembly the Account of Receipts and Disburſments done by the late Lord of Candal his deceaſed Father, and by himſelf ſince that given in unto the Deputies of the National Synod held by his Majeſty's permiſſion at Charenton, which was there cloſed and ſetled the 16th Day of February, 1645. And a Committee having been appointed to examin the ſaid Accounts, and brought in their Report unto this Aſſembly, it was obſerved that the ſaid Lord of Candal gave in no Account of the Arrears of Rent upon the Chamber of the City of Paris from the Quarter of April, 1651. unto this preſent Day; and that there is placed to Account of Receipt the bare Sum only of Three Hundred Fourſcore and Twelve Livres of Emoluments accrewing from the Commiſſion of Real Seiſures in the Sheriffs Court of Soiſſons, ſince the laſt foregoing Account: Nor alſo is there any thing charged to Account, as received from the Emoluments of another ſuch Office in the Preſidial Court of Chasteau Thierry, Noyon, Beauvais and Calais, altho it was evident by the former Accounts, that the ſaid Offices did yield yearly Profits: Nor is there any thing ſet down as received for thoſe of La Ferte Milon, Mouchi, Le Caſtel, Pierrefonds, Couſſy, Chaſtillon upon Marne, Neuilly, St. Frond, Surene, Eſtapes, Vertus, Bulloigne, Magny, Montmiral, Chaumont, and the Provoſtſhip of Augny, Chaalons, Epernay and Fiſmes; all which joyned to the former, make up the full Number of One and Twenty Offices, p. 578whoſe Revenue amounted to Threeſcore and Four Thouſand Six Hundred Livres: And the Mark of Gold Proviſions, and Seals, to Fifteen Hundred Seventy and Seven Livres, two Sous, and Six Deniers, which yield no Product nor Profit unto the Churches; inſomuch that it were far better to ſell and diſpoſe of them at any rate, tho much leſs than their yearly Value, than to keep them as now they are. For we have no account in whoſe Hands they are, nor who doth manage them, and receive the Profits of them in any of thoſe Preſidial Courts. Beſides, there was one thing more obſervable in the Accounts of the late Lord of Candal, that the Churches were indebted to him the Sum of Seven Thouſand Eight Hundred and Eighteen Livres, Four Deniers, comprizing therein Two Thouſand Five Hundred Seventy and Four Livres, Ten Sous for Intereſt. Moreover, in that former Account it was ſaid, that the late Lord of Candal ſtood obliged to bring in unto this Synod the Acquittances for the Colledges of Nerac, of Berry, of Rochefoucault, amounting to Three Thouſand Four Hundred Nine and Six Livres, which the ſaid Lord of Candal having not done, there muſt be deducted this Sum, together with its Intereſt, from that Day in which the ſaid Lord of Candal Deceaſed was ſaid to have paid it. And this was allowed in Disburſment. Nor may this be omitted, that the ſaid Deceaſed Lord of Candal had placed to the laſt account of Disburſments, and would have it allowed him, ſeveral Sums of which there was no clear Proof nor Evidences Moreover it was made appeat, that the ſaid Deceaſed Lord had depoſited in his Hands that Order granted by his Majeſty for Sixteen Thouſand Livres, to defray the Charges of the National Synod held at Alanſon in the Year 1637. of which he gave in no account unto the National Synod of Charenton, 1644. nor is there a tittle hereof mentioned in this preſent Account now brought in by the Lord of Candal his Son. The Aſſembly not having that Information, which of neceſſity it muſt have for the clearing up of theſe Articles, and ſo conſequentially not being able at preſent to examin and finiſh the ſaid Account, which is now preſented by the ſaid Lord of Candal, it doth commiſſionate and authorize the Sieur Loride des Galinieres, Advocate in his Majeſty's Privy Council and Council of State, and in the Parliament of Paris, for, and in its Name, and under the Orders of my Lord General Deputy of the Reformed Churches of France near his Majeſty, and with the Advice of the Conſiſtory of the Church of Paris, and of thoſe Paſtors of other Churches which may then be in the City of Paris, in caſe any one ſhall happen to be there whenas this Affair ſhall be negotiated to examin the Account preſented by the ſaid Lord of Candal, or any other Account which he ſhall bring in hereafter, and to debate and allow the Articles of the ſaid Account, and to give Acquittances for the Receits, Disburſments, and Reprizals in it. And to cauſe the ſaid Lord of Candal to reſign unto them the One and Twenty Letters of Proviſion for the Office of Commiſſioners of real Seizures in thoſe Courts before-mentioned, and to diſpoſe of them at any rate, whether in the Total, or in Parcels, and this to the uſe and profit of the Churches. The Monies of which Sale ſhall be received by him, who ſhall be appointed thereunto by my Lord the General Deputy, with the Advice and Conſent of the Conſiſtory of the Church of Paris, that ſo an Account may be given thereof unto the Churches. And until ſuch time as the ſaid Offices ſhall be ſold off, this Aſſembly doth authorize the ſaid Sieur Loride des Galinieres, under the Orders of the ſaid Lord General Deputy, by and with the Advice of the ſaid Conſiſtory of Paris, to conſtitute ſuch Perſons at they ſhall find able to manage the ſaid Offices in thoſe Courts aforeſaid, that ſo the yearly Profit of them may be received for the benefit p. 579of our Churches. And they ſhall make diligent Enquiry into the ſaid Courts, who hath laſt had the Management of thoſe Offices, and if there be in the Hands of the ſaid Officer any Emoluments accrewing from them, they ſhall be demanded from him. And whenas the Account brought in by the ſaid Lord of Candal ſhall have been examined and cloſed up, according to the Order before appointed, in caſe the ſaid Lord of Candal ſhall be found in Arrearages of Debt unto the Churches, the ſaid Sieur Loride is commiſſionated and empowred by Authority from this Aſſembly, according to the Orders and Advice before-mentioned, to proſecute the Lord of Candal for the payment of the ſaid Debt on account, and to take up from him into his own Hands that Contract of Rent-Charge upon the Chamber of Paris, and to receive all Arrears that are now due, or may hereafter happen to be due, and to give account thereof unto the Churches. And in caſe it ſhould be requiſite that the ſaid Lord of Candal ſhould make a Declaration in the Name of any particular Perſon for the Churches Profit, becauſe of the ſaid Rent, the ſaid Loride, under the Orders of my Lord General Deputy, ſhall conſult with the Conſiſtory of Paris, and put the ſaid Rent under his Name, if they think meet. But and if any thing ſhould become due unto the ſaid Lord of Candal, he ſhall be payed out of Monies coming in from the Sale of the Offices for Commiſſions of Fines and Seizures, and from the Rent iſſuing out of the Chamber of Paris, and this according to the value of Monies now current. And if, upon review of thoſe accounts aforeſaid, there ſhould happen to be any Conteſtation, that it may be compoſed, and quietly tranſacted, the ſaid Loride is commiſſionated and fully empowred by this Aſſembly, to give large and valid Acquittances and Releaſes; and in caſe of neceſſity, to proſecute the matter before the Judges in any Civil Court of Judicature, and to ſell and alienate the ſaid Offices, or to put in any one to execute them, as alſo to diſpoſe of the ſaid Rent-Charge on the Chamber of Paris, with all its Circumſtances and Dependencies, or to Mortgage the ſaid Rent, and the annual Income of the ſaid Sales. Always provided, and not otherwiſe, that he follow the Orders before preſcribed. And the ſaid Loride ſhall give advice hereof unto all the Provincial Synods, by Letters, which he ſhall ſend from time to time to one of the Principal Churches of the Province, that ſo they may be acquainted with the Succeſs and Iſſue of this Affair.

CHAP. XIV. An ACT for the Publick National Faſt, which is to be Celebrated the 25th Day of March, in the Year 16…0.

ALthough it hath pleaſed God to grace his Majeſty, our Sovereign Lord, with that Bleſſing, as to terminate a long and bloody War by a moſt glorious Peace, which hath been always his deſign and purpoſe, and that thereby is offered unto all his good Subjects an ample and general Occaſion of Joy and Thankfulneſs: Yet nevertheleſs we cannot but ſee with Grief and Horror, how that Atheiſm, Impiety, Blaſphemy, Ʋnrighteouſneſs. Debauchery, Ʋncleanneſs, and all other Sins both againſt the Firſt and Second Table of the Divine Law are daily multiplied, and march bare-fac'd, as if the Sons of Men would by their bold and preſumptuous Ʋngodlineſs, even brave, d…e and provoke the Juſtice of God, and kindle againſt themſelves the Fire p. 580of his moſt dreadful Wrath and Vengeance, ſo that we have too much cauſe of Fear, leſt the Benignity of God yielding unto his juſt Indignation by reaſon of the Impenitency of Sinners, he ſhould at laſt pour out the Vials of his Fury upon the Land, without ſparing of his poor Church, which tho ſeparated from the World by the Purity of its Profeſſion, is too often plunged in the Vices and Corruptions of that Age in which it liveth. Wherefore the National Synod of the Reformed Churches of France, aſſembled by his Majeſty's permiſſion in the Town of Loudun, knowing that there is none other way nor means to avert the Judgments of God, than by giving ſpeedy and evident Tokens of a moſt ſerious Repentance, of a moſt ſincere and extraordinary Humiliation, doth ordain a Solemn Faſt to be kept and obſerved in all the Churches of this Kingdom on Thurſday the 28th of March next coming, that Thanks may be rendred to Almighty God for the Peace, which himſelf the God of Peace hath vouchſafed us, and to obtain from his Divine Goodneſs, that it may be attended and followed with all kind of Benedictions, and that ardent Prayers may be offer'd up to God for the Health and Proſperity of his Majeſty's Sacred Perſon, who gave him in as a Return of Prayers unto his praying people, that the Lord would be pleaſed to crown his Enterprizes with Succeſs, to fulfil his Deſires, to augment the Glory of his Crown, and the Weal of his State and Government, and to wreſtle with God for the yearning Bowels of his Compaſſions upon us, which we have forfeited by the multitude and aggravations of our ſins, and importunately to beſeech him, that he would extinguiſh the Fire of his Indignation, which menaceth his poor Churches with the ſevereſt Chaſtiſements, hoping and believing that upon our ſincere Converſion to him, and deep Abaſement and Humiliation in Sackcloth and Aſhes before his moſt terrible Majeſty, he will return to us with his infinite Mercies, and for the ſake of his Dear Son, by whoſe Name we are called, to cauſe the Light of his Loving Countenance to ſhine upon his Church, and to receive us graciouſly, which will be our Salvation. And this Act ſhall be read and publiſhed in all the Churches, that all perſons in Communion with us may take notice of it.

CHAP. XV. A Dividend of the Sum of Sixteen Thouſand Livres granted by the King to the Deputies of the National Synod, of which every one ſhall receive Two Hundred Sixty and Two Livres.

CHAP. XVI. Tho Roll of Depoſed and Apoſtat Paſtors who have changed their Religion.

1. JOhn Cordeil, formerly Miniſter in the Church of Vertueil in Dolphiny, a Fellow low of Stature, great Head, and Bald before, his Hair mix'd with gray, great uplifted Eyes, high red-colour'd Viſage, a great ſhort Neck, Grave in his Going, but inclining to Stupidity, a loud and clear Voice, and dull Laughter.

2. Sebaſtian D'aubus, heretofore Miniſter of Commonde, and Profeſſor of Philoſophy at Montauban, about Six or Seven and Forty Years old, his Face is marked with little black Spots, his Hair black and curled, even to the Crown of his Head, a Fellow of mean Judgment.

3. Philip Codure, formerly Miniſter and Profeſſor at Niſmes, about Seventy Years old, or ſomewhat more, his Hair gray, tawny colour'd Face, high raiſed Eye-brows, his Eyes ſunk into his Head, a frowning ill-look'd Fellow, ſlow of Speech, dull and heavy in his Gate, groſs and tall of Stature.

4. John de la Porte, Paſtor of St. Andrews de Val borgne, in the Province of Sevennes, depoſed by the laſt Provincial Synod held at Alez, for Deſertion of his Church and Calling, Aged about Five and Twenty Years or thereabout, a middle ſize Fellow, pale white Face, and Cheſtnut-colour'd Hair.

5. Bordat, formerly Paſtor of the Church in the Iſland of Barrieres, and Province of Lower Guyenne, about Seventy Years of Age, the Mouſtaches of his Beard thick and truſſed up, low of Stature, and ſomewhat fat, a very red-favour'd Fellow.

6. Balde alias Bellecourt, Sixty Years old or more, a great and fat Fellow, born in the Province of Dolphiny, he was bred a Monk, renounced Popery and his Monaſtick Profeſſion; but is ſince returned with the Dog unto his Vomit; he is Grave in his Deportment, a Man of little Senſe or Reaſon.

7. William Martin, ſome time ſince Miniſter at Montoire, in the Province of Anjou, Aged about Forty, his Hair Flaxen, wide Mouth, a middle Stature Fellow. This Wretch like Judas, ſold his Chriſt and Goſpel for a ſorry Sum of Silver, and turn'd Papiſt at Tours, being bought out of his Religion for Eight Hundred Livres; and it is very much queſtioned whether he had half the Mony. There was a very Serious Letter written him immediately upon his Revolt by an Unknown Perſon, and which he himſelf Publiſhed, and I have here below ſubjoyned it for the Readers Information.

p. 582CHAP. XVII. An Act for Taxing the Expences of the Deputies, and for their Payment.

BY reaſon of the dear Rates and high Prices of Victuals, the Journeys of the Deputies are at the Requeſt of divers Provinces, Taxed at Six Livres a Day for each of them, which Sum ſhall be payed them reſpectively by the Churches out of the Tax for our Ʋniverſities, within Two Months after their Return: And in default of Payment, the Deputies of the Churches who ſhall not have gotten their part and portion, ſhall be deprived of their Conſultive Vote in the Provincial Synod; and Deduction ſhall be made of his Majeſties Liberality out of this Sum.

CHAP. XVIII. An Act for calling the next National Synod.

THE Right and Priviledge of calling the next National Synod, belongeth according to the Canons of our Diſcipline, unto the Province of Power Languedoc: And this Aſſembly Ordaineth, that with the good Pleaſure of his Majeſty it ſhall he convoked about Three Years hence in that Order preſcribed by our Diſcipline, and the Deputies ſhall meet from all the Provinces of this Kingdom, at the City of Niſmes.

CHAP. XIX. An Act for the validity of all Acts which ſhall be Delivered and Signed.

IT is Decreed, That as great Credit ſhall be given to thoſe Acts which are ſigned either by the Moderator or Aſſeſſor, or one of the Scribes of this Aſſembly, as if they had been Signed and Subſcribed by the Moderator, Aſſeſſor, both the Scribes, and all the Deputies conjoyntly.

The Sieurs Dize, Paſtor of the Church at Grenoble and De Foiſſac, Elder in the Church of Uſez, are nominated to wait upon his Majeſty, and to deliver the moſt humble Thanks of this Aſſembly to him, together with the Bill of our just Grievances and Petitions, and to aſſure his Majesty that we ſhall continue in his Majeſty's Service with an untainted and inviolable Fidelity.

Done and Decreed at Loudun, this Tenth Day of January, One Thouſand, Six Hundred and Sixty; Signed in the Original by

Daille, Moderator.

J. M. D'Angle, Aſſeſſor.

Scribes.

J. De Briſſac, Paſtor.

Loride des Galinieres,