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A64290 The history of the negotiation of the ambassadors sent to the Duke of Savoy by the Protestant cantons of Switzerland concerning the Vaudois translated from the original copy printed in Switzerland.; Histoire l'ambassade envoyée en 1686 par les Suisses au duc de Savoye. English Teissier, Antoine, 1632-1715. 1690 (1690) Wing T621; ESTC R10139 48,318 70

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enduring Roman Catholicks amongst them Moreover That the Concessions granted to those of the Valleys had been juridically examin'd and that it was agreed that the Concessions and Favours a Prince grants to his Subjects may be revoked according to his pleasure That his Royal Highness did forbid the Inhabitants of the Valleys nothing but the Exercise of their Religion but that he did no ways intend to force their Consciences But the Ambassadors by their Reply told the Marquess of St. Thomas That how strong soever his Royal Highness's Reasons were to consent to his Edict of January last they could not prevail over those that did necessarily engage him to observe the promises given before this Edict That some considerations of State ought not to dispence a Prince from performing his Word principally if he be entred into this Engagement by the Mediation of another Sovereign and that whereas the Patents and Concessions granted to the Inhabitants of the Valleys had been acquired by the Intercession of several Kings Princes and States and in particular of their Excellencies the Protestant Cantons and confirmed by his Royal Highness he could allege nothing that might discharge him from the Obligation of seeing them punctually observed and the rather because these Patents have been enrolled by the Parliament of Savoy and that the only enrolling of the year 1620. had cost the Churches of the Valleys 6000 Crowns That in case some Changes happening in a State or several Reflections that could be made according to the Rules of Politicks were proper exceptions to elude the Observation of Treaties there would be no assurance in a Sovereign's Promise Faith and Honesty would be altogether banished ou● of their Commerce And since no body could be assured of the execution of those things which they had agreed upon there would be left no means to terminate Wars and to conclude Alliances That therefore the Concessions granted by the Predecessors of his Royal Highness to the Inhabitants of the Valleys did acquire them an uncontestable Right which they could not lose but by an enormous Crime and by a Rebellion against their lawful Sovereign and that far from being guilty of any want of their Duty they could produce a Letter of his Royal Highness's of the 2d of September 1684. which is an authentical and glorious proof of their Fidelity and an inviolable adherency which they had always shewed to their Prince's Interest That if in case after the publication of the last Edict some particular persons amongst them had taken up Arms they had not done it to make use of them against their Sovereign but only to defend themselves against those that abusing his Authority had undertaken to attacque and to insult them and that in case there had been some disorder committed those that were the Authors ought to be punished but that it ought not to be imputed to the whole Body of the Churches of the Valleys that were in no manner guilty of it That it could not be said that the Inhabitants of the Valleys had acquired no Right by the Grants of his Royal Highness's Predecessors and that they were not only some Favours and simple Tolerations it being notorious that they are Treaties made between the Prince and his Subjects and that these Treaties are perpetual and irrevocable and ought to be inviolably observed That the Prince was equally obliged to execute the promises he had made to his Subjects as those that regarded such persons that are in no manner under his Submission That such Obligations were grounded upon publick Faith and Honesty which ought to rule in all Treaties of Sovereigns without distinctions of those with which they did engage themselves That if it was allowable to fail in what they had solemnly promised to their people it would be impossible to terminate Affairs that should arise between them nor to appease these troubles that happen in their State and that two Parties should make War on one another would never end their quarrels but by the total Ruin of one of them They added to this That Sovereigns had reason to employ their utmost endeavours to unite their Subjects in the same Religion but that to compass it they ought not to violate Treaties which had been formerly made with them That all that was allow'd them in such a case was to employ Instruction and Exhortation and all the winning ways of sweetness that are effectual to make truth enter into the Souls of their People to chear their Understandings and to move them to embrace with good will the true Religion But that which deserved a particular consideration in this Encounter is That the Inhabitants of the Valleys did not hold by the Concessions of their Princes the liberty to exercise in publick their Religion because it was established in this Country above eight Ages ago and that they enjoy'd this Right long time before they were Subjects to his Royal Highness's Ancestors insomuch that having never been of the Religion of their Prince it could not be said that they had abandon'd it nor oblige them to return to it Besides that his Royal Highness's Predecessors who did grant leave to the Inhabitants of the Valleys to continue the exercise of their Religion were very sensible that Unity of Religion was not necessary to the Advantage and Security of the State for else they would have been very far from granting them so solemn Parents or from confirming them from time to time as they have done And indeed they had so much the less to fear from a diversity of Religion which is found in Piemont that those that were not of his Communion were shut up in a little corner of the Country that they were Men without Authority or Power and that had no design to extend their Doctrine to the other parts of his Countries That on the other hand he had reason to fear that his Example should be followed by the Protestant Princes and that in his imitation they did not use their Catholick Subjects in the same manner that he would use those of their Religion and that consequently the Interest of those of his own Party should hinder him from making use of force to oblige the Inhabitants of the Valleys to renounce their Faith That though it seemed his Royal Highness would not force them to embrace the Romish Religion in that he was satisfied to deprive them of the publick Exercise of their Religion leaving them as to the rest in a full Liberty of Conscience yet it was visible that they were not only obliged under rigorous Penalties to baptize their Children in the Catholick Churches and to bring them up in the Romish Religion which was as insupportable to them as if they were forced themselves to make profession of it But that moreover being hindred to pray to God according to their Faith their Consciences suffered as great torments and lay almost under as cruel constraints as if they were obliged by force to practice a Worship