The Acts of Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France, 29 (Loudun) · Chapter 5 – Chapter 6
CHAP. V. The Marqueſs of Ruvigny Sworn General Deputy.
1. THIS Aſſembly acknowleding the Kindneſs of his Majeſty, in chooſing the Lord Marqueſs of Ruvigny, to ſucceed in the place of the Marqueſs of Arzilliers Deceaſed, and to diſcharge the Office of General Deputy for the Churches of this Kingdom, 'till ſuch time as his Majeſty ſhould be pleaſed to grant Liberty for the Calling and Meeting of this Aſſembly, unto which his Majeſty permitteth the Nomination of ſuch Perſons as are to be preſented unto this important Charge; and the Lord Commiſſioner having told us from the King, that this Aſſembly had full Liberty to deliberate about what concern'd the Office of the ſaid Lord of Ruvigny, who preſented his Majeſties Writ for his Election and deſignation to it, offering to reſign up his Office unto this Aſſembly. Now after that he had received the Thanks of this Aſſembly for his great care and pains taken by him for the weal of the affairs of the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom; this Aſſembly believed, that they could not make a more advantagious Choice, than of the Perſon of the ſaid Lord of Ruvigny, who hath been already ſo very uſeful and helpful to them. Wherefore by a moſt unanimous Conſent of all the Deputies of this Synod, he was appointed; and they do appoint him to exerciſe the Office of General Deputy in the Reformed Churches of this Kingdom near his Majeſty. And this Aſſembly being well aſſured by the Lord Commiſſioner, that it would be acceptable to his Majeſty if he were confirmed in the ſaid Office, they adminiſtred unto him the Oath, which is requiſite and accuſtomed to be taken, and then granted him both his deliberative and deciſive Votes, as all his Predeceſſors before him, ever had in the ſaid Office; and his Writ was again returned to him, whoſe Tenour was as followeth.
2. THis Third Day of Auguſt, in the Year of our Lord, One Thouſand, Six Hundred, Fifty and Three, the King reſiding then in Paris, and being to provide a General Deputy for his Subjects of the Proteſtant Reformed Religion, that Office being lately void through the Death of the Lord Marqueſs of Arzilliers; after that his Majeſty had caſt his Eyes upon many of his Subjects, he judged that he could not better fill it up than with the Perſon of the Marqueſs of Ruvigny, Lieutenant General of his Armies, who is a Profeſſor of the ſaid Proteſtant Reformed Religion, and endowed with many good and laudable Qualities, and who hath given ſignal Teſtimonies of his Fidelity and Affection on divers Occaſions and of his Abilities and Capacity for his Majeſties Service; and his Majesty condeſcending to the moſt Humble Petition of his ſaid Subjects of the Proteſtant Reformed Religion, he hath choſen and appointed the ſaid Lord of Ruvigny to be the General Deputy of thoſe of the ſaid Proteſtant Reformed Religion, and is well pleaſed that he reſide near his Perſon, and follow his Court in the ſaid Quality, and to preſent unto his Majeſty their Petitions, Narrations, and moſt Humble Complaints, that ſo he may take ſuch courſe in it as he ſhall judge convenient for the Benefit of his Service, and the Relief and Satisfaction of his ſaid Subjects of the Proteſtant Reformed Religion: In teſtimony whereof his ſaid Majeſty hath commanded me to expedite this preſent Writ unto the ſaid Lord of Ruvigny, which he was pleaſed to ſign with his own Hands, and cauſed to be counterſigned by me his Counſellor and Secretary of State, and of his Commandments.
Signed LOƲIS. And a little Lower by the King, PHELIPPEAƲX.
3. The Aſſembly expounding the Act by which the Lord Marqueſs of Ruvigny was conſtituted General Deputy, declareth that their Intention is, that his Lordſhip ſhall give his Judgment in all Affairs whatſoever that ſhall be treated and debated in it, excepting thoſe in which he ſhall be perſonally and particularly concerned, or do relate unto his Office of General Deputy.
4. The Sieurs Eustache Paſtor, and de Mirabel, were ordered by this Aſſembly to go immediately to Court, and to proſtrate at his Majeſty's Feet our moſt Humble Duties, Submiſſions and Thanks; and they were intruſted with Letters unto his Majeſty, to the Queen, to his Eminency, to the Lord High Treaſurer, to the Lord of Ʋrillieres, Secretary of State, in whoſe Diviſion are thoſe of the Reformed Religion; and to my Lord of Herual, Controller General.
5. A Copy of the Synods Letter ſent unto the King.
Sire,
THE Wiſeſt of Kings to his Command of Fearing God, joyned that of Honouring the King; they be Two Duties inſeparably linked together. For Kings in this World do in ſome Senſe hold the very place of God, and are his moſt lively Portraitures in Earth, and the ſteps and degrees of their Thrones do not raiſe them above the Generality of Mankind, but to draw them nearer Heaven. Theſe Sire be the Fundamental Maxims of our Creed; which we learnt in our Infancy, and endeavour to practiſe during our whole Life, and to devolve as an Inheritance unto our Flocks; and thoſe Favours which your Majeſty vouchſafeth to pour down upon us every Day, do more abundantly augment our Obligations to you, among which, we count this the firſt and chiefeſt, that your Majeſty aſſureth us by the Mouth of the Lord Commiſſioner, of your Paternal Affection to your Subjects of the Reformed Religion; and that you deſign to continue the effects of your wonted kindneſs to us, as alſo this priviledge which you have granted us of Meeting together in this place, which being a moſt ſingular mark of your Goodneſs, we want Words great and emphatical enough, whereby to expreſs our reſentments and gratitude, and how deeply we ſtand ingaged by this new Favour to devote and conſecrate unto your Majeſties Service our Lives and Fortunes. And the rather, becauſe your Majesty hath ſuperadded another favour to your former, which is indeed inlinked with it, to wit, your gracious permiſſion of us to proceed to the Election of a General Deputy, according to the priviledg granted us by the Kings your Predeceſſors. But Sire, you having with your own Royal Hand, conferr'd upon us the Lord Marqueſs of Ruvigny, we were ſo well provided for, that we moſt humbly beſeech your Majeſty to continue him unto us in this Office. This is Sire, what the Sieurs Euſtache and de Mirabel, are charged to deliver unto your Majeſty, and whom pre have nominated to lay at your Feet our Homages, Submiſſions, and moſt, ſincere, proteſtations of our inviolable Fidelity; together with our continual Prayers unto the Throne of Grace for the Preſervation of your Majeſties moſt Sacred Perſon, for the Proſperity of this Kingdom, for the Eſtabliſhing of Peace, and for the happy accompliſhment of your Marriage, as being
Sire, Of your Majeſty, The moſt Humble, the moſt Obedient, and moſt Faithful Subjects and Servants, the Paſtors and Elders Aſſembled by your Majeſties Permiſſion in a National Synod at Loudun, and for all of them.
Moderator,
Daille,
Aſſeſſor,
J. M. de Langle,
Scribes.
John de Briſſac
Loride des Galinieres,
A Copy of the Letter written unto the Queen.
Madam,
WHen as during the King's Minority, the Supream Government of this Kingdom was put into your Hands, thoſe of our Religion who live diſperſed in all parts of the Kingdom, have received ſo many marks and Evidences of your Majesties Goodneſs and Protection, that the Remembrance thereof will be perpetually engraven upon our Hearts in the deepeſt ſenſe of gratitude and acknowledgments. And ſince his Majeſty our Sovereign Lord, was declared Major, of Years to Govern, and his Vertues have out-run his Years, your Majeſty, Madam, hath ſo aſſiſted him with your good Counſels, that we all know and confeſs, that you contributed moſt of all to maintain us in our Repoſe, and in the injoyment of thoſe Priviledges which were given us by the Edicts of our Princes. And now the late Grant of our Aſſembling in this National Synod is in part the fruit of thoſe good Inclinations your Majeſty hath for us, wherewith we are ſo deeply affected, that we cannot forbear the Expreſſions of our Thankfulneſs, And therefore, Madam, we have given in charge unto our Deputies, whom we have ſent unto the King, to wait alſo upon your Majeſty, and to aſſure you not only of your ſincere Dutifulneſs unto your Majeſty wit are here aſſembled, but alſo of all thoſe Perſons who have deputed us, and are repreſented by us; and that the remembrance of your Benefits ſhall never be blotted out of our Souls. And we moſt humbly Petition your Majeſty, that you will be pleaſed always to ingage us unto Thankfulneſs, by continuing to us the Fruits of your Royal Goodneſs, and that you would daign to inrich us with the occaſions of our inceſſant publiſhing your Praiſes; that as we now do, ſo we may always wreſtle with our God for the ſhowring down of his beſt Bleſſings from Heaven upon your Majeſty; and he will hear us, Madam, for we cry unto him daily, that you may have length of Days, an uninterrupted Proſperity, that your Glorious Deſigns of ſettling Peace in France, and a perpetual Peace between the Two Crowns, which have been ſo long at variance, may be at laſt atchieved. The great God, Madam, will bleſs your Care and Labours in getting a Spouſe for our King which may bri… … a Poſte… like unto that your Majeſty hath given unto the late King his Father, and which may be the genuine and worthy Offspring of ſo many Royal Monarchs, from whoſe Blood they be deſcended, and to whom the Empire of France and Spain may be ſubjected: And to ſay no more, Madam, our God will give your Majeſty to ſee, that by our inviolable Fidelity and Obedience unto your Commands, there are none among the Subjects of this moſt populous Kingdom, who are more than our ſelves,
Madam, Of your Majeſty, The moſt Humble, and the moſt Obedient Subjects and Servants, the Paſtors and Elders aſſembled in a National Synod of Loudun and in the Name of all.
Moderator.
Daille
Aſſeſſor.
J. M. de L'Angle
Scribes.
John de Briſſac
Lorile des Galinieres
A Copy of the Letter written unto his Eminency.
My Lord,
ALthough that next and after God it is of his Majeſty's Grace and Favour that we enjoy this Priviledg of meeting together in a National Synod, yet alſo are we principally obliged unto the Goodneſs of your Eminency, and to the Wiſdom of your Counſels. For beſides that this great Kingdom is governed by them, and that 'tis by the Cares of this important Miniſtry (committed by his Majeſty unto your Eminency) that our Churches do enjoy the Protection of his Edicts, as we have been informed by my Lord de Magdelaine his Majeſty's Commiſſioner in our Aſſembly, and by your Letters written to the Lord Marqueſs of Ruvigny our General Deputy, of your Eminency's moſt favourable Inclinations for us in this Occurrenc: Therefore, my Lord, no ſooner were we met together, but we poured out our Souls in the preſence of the Lord Jeſus our Saviour, and rendred him our moſt Solemn Sacrifice of Thanksgiving, that he had at length inclined his Majeſty's Heart to grant us what we had ſo ardently deſired; and our very next Thought was, to depute ſome of our Body unto his Majeſty with the moſt humble Thanks of our Hearts, and then alſo unto your Eminency, to teſtifie our Gratitude unto you. We have therefore, my Lord, given in charge to the Sieurs Euſtache and Mirabel, ſent by us unto Court, to throw themſelves in our stead at his Majeſty's Feet, to wait alſo upon your Eminency as from its, and to aſſure your Eminency, that all the Churches of this Kingdom, who have deputed us unto this Synod, will retain an everlaſting remembrance of this your Favour, together with in inviolable reſolution of giving you the undoubted Evidences of our Senſe and Reſentment of it by our uncorruptible Fidelity in his Majeſty's Service, and in a moſt reſpectful Obedience unto thoſe Orders we ſhall receive from him by the Mediation of your moſt excellent Miniſtry. Moreover we do hope, my Lord, that your Eminency will give a favourable Audience unto our Deputies in thoſe moſt humble Requeſts they have to tender to you for us, and that you would be pleaſed to obtain of his Majeſty, that we may ſenſibly feel the benign Influences of his Goodneſs and Royal Protection, and that you would daign always to accept thoſe Requeſts which ſhall be preſented to you by the Lord Marqueſs of Ruvigny, whom his Majeſty hath permitted, and his commendable Qualities and Services have obliged us to confirm in his Office of General Deputy; and that we may not be denied thoſe Gratifications which theſe our National Aſſemblies have always received from our Kings, and which even your Eminency its ſelf hath procured for us: All our Churches, my Lord, do expect and wait for this Fruit of your Eminency's great Goodneſs, and whatever ſhall be received by us, it ſhall be as a moſt refreſhing Shower, that ſhall cauſe our Hearts to fructifie more abundantly, yea, and the Hearts of all thoſe of our Religion in that Love and Affection which they have ever had, and which our Religion and our Intereſt inſpireth us to have above all other his Majeſty's Subjects for his Service, and to have the Praiſe of being true Frenchmen, firmly devoted to the Advancement of the State, and to that reſpect which all France oweth unto your Eminency. But whatever may be, my Lord, we invocate inceſſantly our common Redeemer, that he would preſerve your Eminency's Perſon in all Proſperity, and bleſs your Counſels given unto his Majeſty, and cauſe them for the future, as they have in times paſt, to ſucceed to the Advantage of the State, the Glory of his Majeſty, and the immortal Honour of your Eminency. Theſe are their Vows and Prayers, who will conſerve inviolably the Quality, which they have ever had to be, my Lord, of your Eminency,
The moſt Humble and moſt Obedient Servants, the Paſtors and Elders Aſſembled in a National Synod at Loudun, and for them all, Daille Moderator, &c.
6. The Sieurs Euſtache and Mirabel, who were Deputed from this Aſſembly unto his Majeſty, being returned from their Journey, gave an Account of their Deputation, and delivered Letters from the King, his Eminency, and the Lord de la Ʋrilliere unto this Aſſembly, and they received the Praiſe and Thanks of it for their Care and Labour.
A Copy of His Majeſty's Letter.
DEar and Well Beloved,
We were very glad at the Receipt of your Letters, dated the 18th Inſtant, and to hear from the Mouths of your Deputies the Sieurs Euſtache and de Mirabel, the Thanks you have rendred us for our permitting you to hold this National Synod in our Town of Loudun, and the Proteſtations of your inviolable Fidelity and Obedience to us, and being well ſatisfied therewith, we were willing to give you the knowledge of it by this our Letter, and to exhort you to perſiſt in your Godly Purpoſes and Duties, and to afford us upon all occaſions, which may offer themſelves for our Service, the Evidences of your good Conduct. And we farther aſſure you, that whilſt you continue your ſelves within the Bounds we require from your Synod, and upon all other Occurrences which you may meet withal, to maintain as much as in you lieth the publick Peace and Tranquility, you ſhall alſo receive from us all good and favourable Uſage, and we ſhall be delighted to protect you under the benefit of our Edicts, and of thoſe of our moſt Honoured Lord and Father the late King, as we have done until now, and as we ſhall yet again once more aſſure you more particularly, by your Deputies, whom we return unto you very much ſatisfied. In the mean while we do the more willingly allow the Continuation of the Lord Marqueſs of Ruvigny in the Office of General Deputy for your Churches near our ſelves, becauſe we are fully perſwaded that he will always acquit himſelf with Care and Faithfulneſs of that Employ.
Given at Tholouſe, the Tirteenth Day of November, One Thouſand Six Hundred Fifty and Nine. Signed LOƲIS. And a little Lower, PHELIPPEAƲX.
The Superſcription was, To our dear and well-beloved the Paſtors and Elders Deputed unto the Aſſembly of the National Synod of our Subjects of the Proteſtant Reformed Religion held at Loudun.
Copy of his Eminency's Letter.
Sirs,
YOur Deputies delivered me the Letter, which you took the pains to write me. I owe you Thanks for your Civilities, and the more, becauſe his Majeſty being perſwaded, as he is of your inviolable Fidelity, and of your Zeal for his Service, 'tis but needleſs and ſuperfluous to mention any good Offices for you with his Majeſty. I pray you to believe that I have a very great Eſteem for you, as you do deſerve it, being ſuch good Servants and Subjects of the King. I have nothing more, but to leave my ſelf to what ſhall be related of me by your own Deputies, and by the Diſpatches of the Lord de la Ʋrilliere.
I remain, Sirs, Your moſt Affectionate to do you Service, The Cardinal Mazarin.
The Sieur de la Morinaye was Deputed by this Aſſembly with Letters to my Lord Chancellor, and to my Lord de Bertueil Comptroler General of the Exchequer, and ordered to ride unto Paris, and there to take up the Sixteen Thouſand Livres Gratuity, which his Majeſty hath been pleaſed to beſtow upon this Aſſembly for defraying the Expences of it's Deputies, to which purpoſe the Orders of the Accomptants, and the Aſſignment of my Lord High Treaſurer was delivered into his Hands, which was under Signed by the Sieur Euſtache.
7. The Aſſembly conſidering that ſince the Death of the Sieur Bazin General Deputy of our Churches for the Third Eſtate unto the King, that there is no one to ſupply his Place, ſo that my Lord Marqueſs of Ruvigny, our General Deputy, is even born down with the Duties of his Office at Court, which is a very great Inconveniency to our Churches, it was decreed, That a moſt humble Petition ſhould be tender'd unto his Majeſty, that he would be pleaſed to put us again into the Poſſeſſion of this Priviledge: And the Aſſembly hoping that this their Petition would not be unacceptable unto his Majeſty, and my Lord Commiſſioner not in the leaſt oppoſing, it was reſolved, that we ſhould proceed immediately unto the Election of ſuch Perſons as ſhould be preſented unto his Majeſty, according to the uſual Forms. Which being done, it was found that the Sieurs Loride des Galinieres Advocate in the King's Council, and in Parliament, Jaſſaud Advocate in the mixt Court of Caſtres, and des Forges Le Coq Counſellor and Secretary to the King, had the Plurality of Votes. Whereupon it was decreed, that my Lord Marqueſs of Ruvigny ſhall be intreated to notifie it unto the King as ſoon as poſſible, together with the moſt humble Petition of this Aſſembly, that his Majeſty would be pleaſed to chuſe one out of theſe Three, according to Cuſtom, and to aſſign him the Salary, which his Majeſty and the Kings his Predeceſſors have given unto thoſe who have exerciſed the ſaid Office of General Deputy.
8. Letters being Addreſſed to this Aſſembly by the Paſtors and Profeſſors of Divinity in the Church and Univerſity of Geneva, and other Letters from the Paſtors and Profeſſors of Divinity in the Churches and Univerſities of the Cantons of Zurich, Berne, Baſil, and Schapheuſen, joyntly Signed by them, they were delivered unto my Lord Commiſſioner, who having firſt peruſed them, did afterwards order them to be communicated unto the Aſſembly, and to be read in it. The Contents of which were large Expreſſions of their Affections to the Peace of the Churches of this Kingdom, and their Joy at the Liberty, which it hath pleaſed the King to give us, and the Priviledge of Aſſembling in this Place, their Prayers for the Glory of his Majeſty, Proſperity of his Government, and the Bleſſings of God upon his Marriage. And my Lord Commiſſioner declaring, that he could not permit us to return any Anſwer to them, the whole Aſſembly ſubmitted its ſelf unto his Majeſty's Orders.
9. A Copy of another Letter written unto the King.
Sire,
HAving happily concluded the Synod, which your Majeſty was pleaſed by your Gracious Licenſe to permit us convocate in this Town, we have deputed the Sieure Dize a Paſtor, and de Foiſſac an Elder, to lay at your Majeſty's Feet our moſt humble Thanks, … from us unto your Majeſty, and our ſincereſt Proteſtations for continuance of our Obedience and Fidelity in your Service, who being the Pourtraiture of God, our Religion which commands us to fear him, doth alſo enjoyn us entirely to ſubmit our ſelves unto your Sovereign Authority. But over and above theſe Sentiments which Nature and our Religion have inſpired into us, thoſe Favours, Sire, which we daily receive from your Majeſty are ſo mighty that we are ſenſibly obliged and engaged with the greateſt Ardour and Pleaſure to devote unto your Service our Lives and Fortunes. It is true, Sire, that thoſe Edicts which the Kings your Predeceſſors were pleaſed to grant us, and your Royal Goodneſs to confirm unto us, are broken in all your Provinces. But, Sire, as we are fully aſſured of your Majeſty's good Intentions, ſo we aſcribe thoſe Infractions unto their particular Paſſion, who do hate us. And we moſt humbly petition your Majeſty to hear our Complaints preſented to you in this Bill of Grievances, which we preſume by our Deputies to tender to you, and hope your Majeſty will favour us with a gracious Anſwer, we knowing very well, that as your I hrone is glorious with an infinite number of Triumphs, ſo is it invironed with Juſtice and Equity: And theſe Verities, Sire, are the faireſt Flowers in your Crown, and render you the Father of that People, over whom you are the Sovereign, and give you a Nobler Dominion, and far more abſolute Empire in your Subjects Hearts, than that which you exerciſe over your Armies and Provinces, and theſe oblige all true Frenchmen to bleſs God for ſo juſt, and good, and glorious a Reign; and we more than others do bleſs his holy Name for it, beſeeching God in a more eſpecial manner with all the powers of our Souls to preſerve your Sacred Majeſty, to grant a happy Succeſs to all your Deſigns and Enterpriſes, and to maintain your Government in all Peace and Proſperity. Theſe Sire, are the moſt ardent Vows of thoſe who he in very Truth and Deed,
Of your Majeſty, Sire, The moſt Humble, the moſt Obedient, …nd moſt Faithful Subjects and Servants, the Paſtors and Elders aſſemble by your Majeſties Permiſſion in a National Synod, and for them all.
Daille, Moderator,
J. M. de Langle, Aſſeſſor,
Scribes.
Loride des Galinieres,
And De Briſſac,
A Copy of another Letter unto his Eminency.
My Lord,
WE acknowledg our great Debt unto your Eminency, for 'tis to your Counſels that we ſtand obliged for our aſſembling and holding of this Synod, and for the time allotted us for the regulating of our Affairs: We ſend the Sieurs Dize Paſtor, and de Foiſſac an Elder unto his Majesty, to preſent him our Bill of Grievances, and to render unto your Eminency, my Lord, our moſt Humble Thanks for your Favours. And we moſt humbly beſeech your Eminency to accept of our profound Reſpects, and thoſe Aſſurances we give you of our Thankfulneſs. We hope that your Eminency will continue unto us the effects of your Juſtice and Protection; and that we ſhall always have occaſion of publiſhing to the World your Goodneſs, and to beg of God in all our Prayers, that he would accumulate upon your Eminency his moſt precious Benedictions. We are
My Lord, Of your Eminency, The moſt Humble, and the moſt Obedient Servants, the Paſtors and Elders aſſembled by his Majeſty's Permiſſion in the National Synod of Loudun, and for them all.
Moderator.
Daille
Aſſeſſor.
J. M. de L'Angle
Scribes.
De Briſſac
Loride des Gali…es
CHAP. VI. Notes on the Confeſſion.
THE Confeſſion of Faith being Read, was ſigned by all the Deputies, who did for themſelves and their Provinces unanimouſly and ſolemnly proteſt, that they would perſevere in the inviolable Profeſſion of it till Death.