incroach upon it by a thousand Attempts In the next place du Sault coming to the Merits of the Cause endeavour'd to prove that neither the Consistory nor Cameron had any Right to Excommunicate having neither Jurisdiction nor Orders And the better to inhance this gross pretension he added that the Liberty of Conscience which the Reform'd profess dispences every one of them from all Laws and Censures either of theirs or of the Roman Church and that their Discipline extended only on such as were willing to submit to it He added with the same Spirit that their Suspension was not the Suspension of a Sacrament because their Communion was not a Sacrament And whereas Auvergnat had acknowledg'd his Fault and submitted to the Consistory he affirm'd that his Submission did no wise prejudice St. Angel whose Suspension contain'd an intollerable Error being pronounc'd against a Man who had done no ill who had done nothing but what was good who had done nothing but what he was oblig'd to do in acquainting the Court with the Resolutions of the Consistory After which he cited the 35th of the particular Articles of the Edict and affirm'd as if he had never read it that the said Article allow'd Ministers to be Sued and Cited in Cases in which the King or State were concern'd From which he concluded that this was the Case since the Consistory proceeded against a Man and would Censure him for applying himself to the Court. In this he committed at least two Faults equally Gross and Malicious The one in corrupting the sence of the Article which mentions nothing of prosecuting the Members of a Consistory in cases in which the King or State are concern'd but exempts them from being call'd as Witnesses before Justice to depose what has been reveal'd in their Companies or Assemblies by scandalous Persons that are Summon'd there or by the Elders and others of which they are compos'd unless in Cases in which the King or State are concern'd The other in applying the said Article to St. Angel who had only drawn the said Censure upon himself by a spightful Calumnious Accusation which he had prefer'd to the Parliament against the Ministers tho not Ignorant at the same time that in case he had a just cause of Complaint against them and sufficient Reasons not to apply himself to the Assemblies and Synods he ought at least to have summon'd them before their proper Judges and to have made his Application to the Party-Chamber This may serve as an Example to show how disaffected Parliaments knew how to abuse the Edict And it is easie to Judge by their unjust Explications of it and their manner of applying it how they perform'd the Execution thereof It was upon these Foundations the Decree was given and that after the usual Informations Primrose and Cameron were Summon'd Personally and that for non-appearance the citation was converted to an Order for Imprisonment and that after the usual delays they were Cited to appear within the space of three days They were not Idle on their sides during these Rigorous proceedings But in Order to stop the Violence of a Parliament which the Reform'd were ever Jealous of they apply'd themselves to the King from whom they obtain'd a Decree with a Warrant to Summon St. Angel before the Council within the space of six Weeks injoyning the Ministers also to appear there together with a Suspension of all the Proceedings in the mean while As for St. Angel he got nothing by this extraordinary way of proceeding And while he Tormented the Ministers of Bourdeaux by Wranglings and Disputes which did not permit them to Publish his Suspension another Minister did it for them Hesperien came to Preach at Begle and publickly pronounc'd the said Censure In the mean time this Affair cool'd in the Council and time having freed the Ministers of this Trouble they continu'd their Functions in the Church of Bourdeaux from whence Cameron was remov'd about two years after to be Professor in Divinity at Saumur However the Parliament being dissatisfy'd at their not having been able to obtain their Ends of them in the preceding Affair omitted none of the occasions that offer'd themselves to Trouble them I will relate one Example of it and no more Thâ— following year some Persons accus'd of Pyracy being put into Prison were deny'd a removal to the Party-Chamber under pretence that the Privilege of the Edict did not extend to Pyrates Perhaps other Judges would have us'd them with less severity than that Parliament that had ever signaliz'd it self by Violences against the Reform'd who were look'd upon by them as Guilty and Convinc'd of what ever was laid to their Charge But the said Parliament retain'd their Cause and Condemn'd them to Death They submitted to it with so much Constancy and receiv'd it with such Signs of Christian Resignation that Cameron thought himself oblig'd to Honour their Memory with a short Relation of what past at their Death It was a kind of Reflexion upon the Parliament to Write a Book in Praise of Persons who were Condemn'd to a shameful Death by them Moreover there were some strokes in it which reflected directly upon them because the Reform'd thought that they had Violated their Privileges Therefore they reveng'd themselves upon the Work until an occasion offer'd it self to be Reveng'd on the Author and the Book was Condemn'd to be Burnt Publickly by the Hang-Man After the Prince of Conde had taken Arms the Court did not fail to Proclaim him a Rebel and to publish the usual Edicts in such Cases against him and his Adherents The Parliament of Paris to whom the said Declaration was sent refus'd to pass it by reason that the Prince had too many Friends in that Senat and that the Pretence of his Arms was grounded on the same Abuses that had occasion'd the Remonstrances of the Parliament which were so ill receiv'd So that after diverse Contestations the Plurality of Voices declar'd against the Verification of the said Declaration and a Decree was made upon that Subject by which the Court declar'd that they neither could nor ought to Register the same The Party which follow'd the inspiration of the Court and of the Favourites caus'd the Words nor ought to be omitted out of the Extracts of the Decree which were Publish'd And soon after it they had Credit enough to forge another Decree of Inrollment without any Exception which was found in the Register in the room of the first We may easily imagine that this bold Falsification of a Solemn Decree in a Case of such consequence was highly resented It created great disputes among the very Members of the Parliament who proceeded on both sides to invectives and Protestations The Prince resented it highly as he had reason to do and being at that time in a better Condition to speak than he had been at first he complain'd of it by a Declaration full of the Marks of his displeasure
Dean of the Colledge of Divinity hotly opposed what had been concluded concerning their use and stiffly maintain'd that they ought not to abateanace of what the Roman Church had once authorised tho own'd to be introduc'd at first by evil custom And so obstinately have the Clergy of our times adher'd to that Maxim that they never would consent to purchase the return of the Protestants to their Communion with the price of any of the least Abuses tolerated by the Roman Church And besides from the very beginning of that Conference there appear'd a certain presage That no good could be expected from it since the Clergy at Poissy about 11 days after the opening of their Assembly which was the 4th of September when the Parliament had referred to them the Jesuits Petition for leave to settle in France authorised them to fix in Paris upon conditions which that Society never observed And so that very Assembly from whom the World expected an equitable accommodation of differences in Religion effectually served for nothing else but to establish in the Kingdom the most mortal enemies of all equity and that have taken up ambition perfidiousness and cruelty for the chief maxims of their Politicks The Cardinal of Lorrain had shewn some little inclination to the Lutherans Opinion about the real presence and had order'd a Formulary to be drawn up that differ'd not from their principles Now whether he was really of that Opinion or only dissembled an inclination for it out of some politick consideration is not known But certain it is at least that he and the Duke his Brother made use of that Artifice effectually to hinder the Duke of Wirtemberg with whom they had an interview with Savern from confederating with the P. of Conde who sought his Alliance The K. of Navar likewise at the persuasion of the Tutor to his Natural Son had testified the same inclination but yet never stuck to any setled Opinion in Religion but continued wavering and doubtful in that matter to his dying day There hapned a great sedition that year at Paris where the Protestants were met for their Religious Exercises For the Catholicks having a Church hard by their Meeting were so malicious as to ring their Bells with more noise and much longer than ordinary purposely to disturb the Minister and his Auditors by their jangling upon which the Protestants sending 2 men unarmed civilly to intreat them to leave off that troublesome ringing The Catholicks were pleased to knock one of the messengers on the head but the other got away Upon that the people easily took fire on both sides and fell so fiercely together by the ears that the City Guards which were then employed to prevent such Accidents were not able to suppress them The Protestants over-powered their Adversaries in this Scuffle and the doors of the Church were broken open the Images battered to peices some Catholicks killed and some Priests put in prison But the Protestants were made to pay dearly for that advantage for the Parliament condemn'd them for it and â—â—â—â—ed up 2 or 3 of them and imprison'd their very Witnesses 〈◊〉 pâ—â—ting in their favour Which Example has been followed 〈◊〉 â—…nd the unhappy party always judged in theâ—…â—…been treated with the mostâ—…â—…amâ—… casion of the Massacre at Vassi which the Domestick Servants of the D. of Guise committed in their Mrs. presence killing about 60 persons and wounding above 200. For tho The Q. promised them Justice for it yet the K. of Navar whom the Triumvirs had wrought over to their Interests received Beza but very ill when he came to complain of it to him and the Duke of Guise and Marshal de St. Andre baffled all their Prosecutions for the punishment of the Criminals and the whole blame of the Massacre was at last thrown upon the pretended impatient humour of the Protestants And yet that action was a thing of no slight consequence because besides the cruelty of the Fact it was a Breach of the Edict of January which was the first that granted a free exercise of the Reformed Religion in publick and was drawn up with the approbation of an Assembly of the Notables or select Council of Nobility but notverified without great opposition especially at Paris where after several reiterated commands it was at last Registred with this provisional clause That it was done in consideration of the present conjuncture of Affairs without approving the new Religion and to remain in force no longer than the K. should order otherwise That Edict was an effect of the extraordinary favour the Admiral was then in with the Q. who highly caress'd him which gave so much jealousie to the Triumvirs that they retired from Court But that great Lord suffering his eyes to be dazled by the Artifices of the Queen discovered to her a little too much the strength of his Party by demanding of her the liberty of building Temples or Churches for 2150 Protestant Congregations For the Q. thereupon demanded to see a particular account of the number of each Congregation which he refufing as being sensible he had already been too open-hearted with her Ever after that she was shie of the Admiral as being unwilling to depend on him But the Triumvirs were not long absent from the Court but returning and restoring to the Parisians who where passionately affected to them their Arms again they reduced the Q. into such danger of losing her Authority that she was forced to have recourse to the Prince of Conde to deliver her out of their hands authorising him by pressing Letters wherein she recommended to him the K. the Kingdom and her self and complains That the Guises kept her in Captivity requiring him to take up Arms under the specious pretence of delivering the King and Queen But that Princess afterwards falling into the power of the Confederates and being constrain'd to disown the Commission she had given the Prince to take Arms he sent her Original Letters to those German Princes to whom he had a mind to justifie his Conduct which she took for so heinous an Affront that she would never pardon it to him However to hinder the people from joyning with the Prince another Edict was publisht in the King's Name to confirm the Edict of January which granted an Indemnity for all that was past and permission for the free publick Exercise of the Reformed Religion every where but in the City and Suburbs of Paris But the Prince baffled that Stratagem by publishing the Copy of a Treaty of Confederacy concluded between the Pope the King of Spain and the Guises against the Protestants which he had newly intercepted Not but that on that and all other like occasions there was always a considerable number of Protestants that suffer'd themselves to be deceived by those Illusory Edicts Nay and that there always was some of them that have been wheedled in to bear Arms too against
shall chuse swear to keep and observe our said Edict shall make them guard each other charging them respectively and by publick Act to answer for the Transgressions that shall be made to the said Edict in the said City by the Inhabitants thereof respectively or else to secure and deliver up the said Transgressors into the hands of Justice XLIII And to the end that our Justices and Officers as well as all other our Subjects may be clearly and with all certainty inform'd of our Will and Intention and to remove all Doubts and Ambiguities and Cavillings that might be made in relation to the precedent Edicts We have and do declare all other Edicts Letters Declarations Modifications Restrictions and Interpretations Decrees and Registers as well secret as all other Deliberations heretofore made in our Courts of Parliament and others that might hereafter be made to the prejudice of our said present Edict concerning the case of Religion and the Troubles occasion'd in this our Kingdom to be void and of no effect To all which and the Derogatories therein contained we have by this our Edict derogated and do derogate and from this very time as for then do cancel revoke and annul them Declaring expresly That it is our Pleasure that this our said Edict should be sure firm and inviolable kept and observed by our said Justices Officers and Subjects without respecting or having the least regard to whatever might be contrary and derogating to this XLIV And for the greater assurance of the maintenance and observation we desire of this it is our Will Command and Pleasure That all Governors of our Provinces our Lieutenant-Generals Bailiffs Seneschals and other ordinary Judges of the Cities of this our Kingdom immediately upon receit of this our said Edict shall swear The same to keep and observe cause to be kept and observ'd and maintain'd every one in their Precinct as also the Mayors Sheriffs Capitouls and other Officers Annual or Temporal as well the present after the reception of the said Edict as their Successors in taking the Oath they are used to take when they are admitted into the said Places and Offices of which Oaths publick Acts shall be expedited to all such as shall require it We also require our Trusty and Well-beloved the Persons holding our Courts of Parliament immediately upon receit of this present Edict to cease all their Proceedings and on pain of Nullity of the Acts they should pass otherwise to take the like Oath and to cause our said Edict to be Published and Registred in our said Courts according to the Form and Tenor thereof purely and plainly without any Modifications Restrictions Declaration or secret Register and without expecting any Mandamus or Order from us And our Attornies-General to require and pursue the immediate Publication thereof without any delay the which we will have perform'd in the Two Camps and Armies within six Days after the said Publication made in our Court of Parliament of Paris in order to send back the Strangers forthwith Injoyning likewise our Lieutenants-General and Governors speedily to Publish and to cause this our said Edict to be published by the Bailiffs Seneschals Mayors Sheriffs Capitouls and other ordinary Judges of the Cities of their said Government where-ever it will be necessary As also the same to keep observe and maintain every one in his Precinct in order to put a speedy stop to all Acts of Hostility and to all Impositions made or to be made upon the account of the said Troubles after the Publication of our present Edict Which from the Moment of the said Publication we declare liable to Punishment and Reparation viz. against such as shall use Arms Force and Violence in the Transgression and Infraction of this our present Edict hindering the Effect Execution or Injoyment thereof with Death without hope of Pardon or Remission And as for the other Infractions that shall not be made by way of Arms Force or Violence they shall be punish'd by other Corporal Inflictions as Banishments Amende Honourable and other Pecuniary Punishments according to the Nature and Exigency of the Offences at the Will and Pleasure of the Judges to whom we have assign'd the Cognizance thereof Ingaging their Honours and Consciences to proceed therein with all the Justice and Equality the Cause shall require without respect or exception of Persons or Religion Therefore we command the said Persons holding our Courts of Parliament Chambers of our Accounts Courts of Aids Bailifs Seneschals Provosts and other our Justices and Officers whom it may concern or their Lieutenants this our present Edict and Ordinance to cause to be Read Publish'd and Register'd in their Courts and Jurisdictions and the same to maintain keep and observe in all Points and all whom it may concern the same fully and peaceably to use and to enjoy ceasing and causing all Troubles and Hinderances thereunto contrary to cease For such is our pleasure In witness whereof we have sign'd these presents with our own hand and to the same to the end that it may be firm and lasting for ever we have caus'd our Seal to be affix'd Given at St. Germain en Lays in the Month of August in the Year of our Lord 1570. and of our Reign the Tenth Sign'd Charles And beneath it by the King being in his Council Sign'd De Neufville And on the side Visa and Seal'd with the great Seal with green Wax upon Knots of red and green Silk Read Publish'd and Registred at the request and desire of the King's Attorney-General at Paris in Parliament on the 11th of August 1570. Sign'd Tu Tillet Edict of Pacification made by King Henry the 3d in order to put an end to the Troubles of his Kingdom and to make all his Subjects thenceforward live in Peace and Quietness Vnion and Concord under his Obedience Read and Publish'd in the Court of Parliament the 8th of October 1577. HEnry by the Grace of God King of France and Poland to all present and to come Greeting God who is the Searcher of the hearts of Men and sees the bottom of their thoughts shall always be Judge for us that our Intention has never been other than to Reign according to his Holy Commandments and to govern our Subjects in all uprightness and Justice approving our self a Common Father to all who has no other end but their welfare and quiet In order thereunto we have always us'd our utmost endeavours to do whatever we judg'd most proper according to the occasions and times even with a design to establish a certain Peace in this our Kingdom and to provide against the Disorders and Abuses that have crept in to the same through the License of such long Troubles and to restore it to its Pristine Dignity and Splendor To which end we did convene our Estates General in our City of Blois where several things were treated of and particularly upon matter of Religion it being propos'd by some that one of the best Remedies
from them to require and prosecute forthwith without the least delay the said Proclamation Likewise enjoining the said Governours and Lieutenants-General of our said Provinces to cause it immediately to be published in their several Districts through all the places in which it is usual in those cases To cause it to be kept and observed without tarrying for the publication of out said Courts of Parliament to the end that no persons may plead ignorance And that all Acts of Hostility Raisings of Money Payments and Contributions due and drawing on Takings Demolishings Fortifying of Cities Places and Castles may the sooner cease on both sides Declaring all such raisings of Money Fortifications Demolishings Contributions Takings and Forcing of Goods and other Acts of Hostility that shall be made or done after the said Publication and Verification made by the said Governors and Lieutenants-General of our said Provinces liable to Restitution Punishment and Reparation To wit against such as shall make use of Arms Force and Violence to oppose our said Edict hindering the Effect and Execution thereof with Death without hopes of Pardon or Remission And as for other Oppositions that shall be made without Arms Force or Violence they shall be punished with other Corporal Inflictions as Banishments and the like according to the Nature and Exigency of the Offence which shall be left to the Arbitration and Moderation of the Judges to which we refer the taking the Cognizance thereof In this place charging their Honours and Consciences to proceed therein with the Justice and Equality that is requisite without any regard to the difference of Persons or Religion Therefore we charge and require the said Persons holding our said Courts of Parliament Chambers of Accounts or Exchequers Courts of Aids Bailiffs Seneschals Provosts and others our Justices and Officers whom it may concern or their Deputies to cause our present Edict and Ordinance to be Read Publish'd and Recorded in their Courts and Jurisdictions and the same to maintain keep and observe in every particular to the end that all those that are concern may fully and peaceably enjoy and use the Contents thereof ceasing and causing all Troubles and Hinderances to the contrary to cease For such is our Will and Pleasure In witness whereof we have sign'd these Presents with our own hand and to the end that it may be firm and lasting for ever we have caus'd our Seal to be affix'd to the same Given at Poictiers in the Month of September in the Year of our Lord 1577. and of our Reign the Fourth Sign'd Henry And Lower by the King be being in his Council Sign'd De Neufville And on the side Visa And Seal'd upon Knots of red and green Silk with green Wax with the Broad Seal Read Publish'd and Recorded Heard the same being requir'd and approv'd of by the King's Attorney-General at Paris in Parliament on the 8th of October in the year 1577. Sign'd De Hivez Read likewise Publish'd and Recorded in the Chamber of Accounts or Exchequer heard the same being requir'd and approv'd by the King's Attorney-General in the same on the 11th of October 1577. Sign'd Danes Read and Publish'd by Sound of Trumpet and Publick Cry through the Streets of the City of Paris Places and Parts appointed for Cries and Publication by me Paquier Rossignol his Majesty's Crier in the City Provostship and Vice County of Paris accompanied by Michel Noiret Sworn Trumpeter to the said Lord in the said Places and four other Trumpeters on the 8th of October 1577. Sign'd Rossignol Secret Articles of the 17th of September 1577. I. HIS Majesty to gratify the King of Navar shall allow him besides what is granted by the General Articles to the Sieurs high Justicers of the said Religion to cause Divine Service to be perform'd for all such as shall be willing to assist at it altho he be absent himself in the Houses belonging to him in the following places viz. in the Dutchy of Vendemois in the City of Mâ—ntoire II. His said Majesty shall likewise allow the Prince of Conde to have the said exercise perform'd in his house of la Ferte upon the River Loire and Anguien tho absent from thence himself III. Upon the Article which mentions Baliwicks has been declar'd and granted what follows First That under the Denomination of Ancient Bailiwicks his Majesty means such as were held under the Reign of the late King Henry for Bailiwicks Seneschalships and Governments referring directly and without Mediation to the Courts of Parliament Secondly That in Bailiwicks and Seneschalships in which those of the said Religion possess at this present two Cities or Towns belonging to his said Majesty or to Catholick Lords High Justicers in which they are allowed to continue the Exercise of their Religion no other Place shall be provided for them to perform the said Exercise in as in the other Bailiwicks of this Kingdom Thirdly That his Majesty shall only provide two Cities in the Government of Piccardy in the Suburbs of which those of the said Religion shall be allow'd the exercise of their said Religion for all the Bailiwicks Seneschalships and Governments belonging thereunto and in default of Cities they shall be allow'd two convenient Towns or Villages Fourthly In consideration of the large Extent of the Seneschalships of Provence and Poictou those of the said Religion are allow'd another City in every one of them in the Suburbs of which or in default of a City a convenient Town or Village they shall have the exercise of the said Religion besides those that shall be allow'd them by the said Article IV. It has also been agreed That no place shall be allow'd by virtue of the said Article on the Territories belonging in proper to the Queen Mother to his Majesty for the publick Exercise of the said Religion Nevertheless such Gentlemen as have high Judicatures or Fiefs de Haubert in the said Territories shall be free to enjoy and make use of the permission that shall be allow'd them by the Edict as elsewhere V. Neither shall any place be provided in the Bailiwick of Beaujolois belonging to the Duke of Montpencier but the said High Justicers shall enjoy the Privilege of the Edict there as elsewhere VI. A place shall be appointed for all the Isles of Marennes and another for the Isle of Oleron in which two places those of the said Religion shall be allow'd the exercise thereof for all such Inhabitants of the two Isles as shall desire to assist at it VII Provision shall also be made for the County of Messin and others that are under the King's Protection as it was done by the secret Articles made with the Edict of the Year 1570. VIII As for the Marriage of Priests and Religious Persons that have been contracted heretofore his Majesty for divers good Reasons and Considerations him thereunto moving will not allow them to be prosecuted or troubled for the same upon which subject silence shall be impos'd to his said
for the precedent Troubles was rais'd before the 24th of August 1572. and was taken from them and remitted and that his Majesty might by surprize have made a Gift of the said Money to some particular Persons It is his Majesty's Pleasure that those who have had the said Money on any account and under any pretence shall be oblig'd by lawful and reasonable means to restore the same And that whatever Receivers and others who have still Money of that kind in their hands shall also be oblig'd to deliver it forthwith into the hands of his Majesty's Receivers-General and that by Imprisoning of them if necessary Upon the account of which his said Majesty has and does discharge those of the said Religion of all Obligations and Promises made and given by them upon that account both to his said Majesty the Reisters and all others XLVI The said King of Navar and those of the said Religion having made Application to his said Majesty for the payment of the Reisters due to the said John Casimir his Colonels and Rent-masters His said Majesty has declar'd That he will endeavour to do it as soon as ever the necessity of his Affairs will permit him XLVII And as to the Six hundred thousand Livers which those of the said Religion say were allow'd them by the last Peace to impose upon and raise among themselves in order to pay some Sum due by them It has been granted them That in case they can produce the said permission and make it appear that nothing has been rais'd by them by Virtue thereof and that the Sums for which it had been granted are still due the said permission shall be confirm'd by his said Majesty XLVIII The Prince of Orange shall be restor'd to all the Lands Jurisdictions and Lordships he has in this said Kingdom and Territories under his said Majesty's Obedience In like manner shall be restor'd to him all Titles Instructions and other Papers concerning his Principality of Orange in case any have been taken and remov'd by the Governors and Lieutenants-General and others his said Majesty's Officers if what is aabovesaid has not been done already The present Articles have been made and granted by express Command from the King in his Majesty's Name and by his pleasure by the Duke of Montpensier and the Sieurs de Biron Descars S. Sulpice de la Mothe-Fenelon by vertue of the power given unto them by his said Majesty to conclude and agree about the pacification of the Troubles of this Kingdom on the one part And by the King of Navar the Prince of Conde and the Deputies of those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion the said King of Navar Prince of Conde and Deputies answering for all those of the Provinces of this Kingdom Countries Territories and Lordships under the obedience of his said Majesty who profess the said Religion and others who have been engag'd in their Party on the other Part. In Witness whereof the said Articles have been sign'd with their own hands in the City of Bergerac the 17th Day of September 1577. Thus sign'd in the Original Henry de Bourbon Lewis de Bourbon Biron Descars S. Sulpiae de la Mothe-Fenelon La Noue L. Dufaur Chancelor to the King of Navar S. Genis Chauvin Dufaur Clausone Deputy of Languedoc Morin Deputy of Guyenne Scorbion Deputy of Montauban Payan Deputy of Languedoc and according to his power Thore for the Isle of France De Signo Deputy of Dauphine Durand Deputy of Guienne Guyet and St. Beignon for Rochel Courtois Deputy of Vendomois Roux Deputy of Provence T. Davaux for La Rovergue Thus sign'd compar'd de Neufville and is written extracted from the Registers of Parliament Sign'd De Pontac Compar'd with the Manuscript which is in the King's Library by Me. Counsellor and Secretary of the King House and Crown of France and of its Exchequer of the Ancient College Sign'd Gon. The Articles of the Conference made at Nerac by the Queen Mother with the King of Navar and the Deputies of the Pretended Reform'd Religion IN order to facilitate the last Edict of pacification made in the month of September 1577. and to clear and resolve the Difficulties that have interpos'd and that might still retard the good Effect of the said Edict It has been resolv'd at the Request Supplication and Articles presented by those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion and agreed upon as followeth in the Conference held at Nerac in this present Month of February 1579. between the Queen Mother assisted by some Princes and Lords of the King's Privy-Council and the King of Navar also assisted by the Deputy of the Prince of Conde Lords and Gentlemen and the Deputies of those of the pretended Reform'd Religion I. That the High Justicers or those that hold full Fief d' Haubert either in Proper or Vse-Fruit in the whole Moietie or third shall be allow'd to continue the Exercise of the said pretended Reform'd Religion in the places by them nam'd for their principal abode although they and their Wives are absent from the same provided part of their Families remain in the said places and though the Right of Justice or full Fief d' Haubert be in Controversie yet the Exercise of the said Religion shall be continu'd there provided the above said persons are still in actual possession of the said Justice And as for the Publick Exercise of the said pretended Reform'd Religion in the places ordain'd by the King in case any of ihe said places prove inconvenient they petitioning the King to have it remov'd elsewhere his Majesty shall provide them another that shall be convenient for them II. That according to certain Letters-Patent granted by the King given at Paris on the 13th of Nov. 1677. conformably to the eleventh Article of what was agreed on at Bergerac on the 16th of September of the said year 1577. which through inadvertency had been omitted in the last Edict of pacification those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion are allow'd to buy build or construct places to perform the said Exercise of Religion in the Suburbs of Cities or in Towns and Villages that are or shall be allow'd them in every Baliwick and Seneschalship or Government and in the places where the Exercise of the said Religion is allow'd them by the Edict And such as shall be found in the said places that have been built by them shall be restor'd to them in the same condition they now are III. Those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion are allow'd to assemble before the Judge Royal and by his Authority to equal and raise among themselves such sums as shall be thought necessary to be employ'd for the maintenance of those who are employ'd to perform the Exercises of their said Religion of which an account shall be given to the said Judge-Royal for him to keep IV. That according to the 20th Article of the Edict of pacification the Judges and Magistrates of Cities shall forthwith provide convenient
should surpass two thirds according to the Ordinance the which in this respect is abrogated LI. All Propositions Deliberations and Resolutions relating to the Publick Peace and for the particular Estate and Policy of the Cities where the Party-Chambers shall reside shall be made in the said Chambers LII The Article of the Jurisdiction of the said Chambers ordain'd by the present Edict shall be follow'd and observ'd according to its Form and Tenor even in what relates to the Execution Omission or Infraction of our Edicts when those of the said Religion shall be Parties LIII The Subaltern Officers Royal or others the reception of which belongs to our Courts of Parliament if they be of the said pretended Reform'd Religion may be examin'd and receiv'd in the said Chambers viz. Those of the Jurisdiction of the Parliaments of Paris Normandy and Britany in the said Chambers of Paris those of Dauphine and Provence in the Chamber of Grenoble those of Burgundy in the said Chamber of Paris or of Dauphine at their choice those of the Jurisdiction of Thoulouse in the Chamber of Castres and those of the Parliament of Bourdeaux in the Chamber of Guienne and no other to oppose their receptions or make themselves Parties but our Attorneys General and their Substitutes and those placed in the said Offices Nevertheless the accustomed Oath shall by them be taken in the Courts of Parliament which shall not be allow'd to take cognizance of their reception and upon the refusal of the said Parliament the said Officers shall take the Oath in the said Chambers which being thus taken they shall be oblig'd to present the Act of their reception by a Messenger or Notary to the Registers of the said Courts of Parliament and to leave a compar'd Copy thereof with the said Registers who are enjoin'd to register the said Acts on pain of paying all the Charges Damages and Interests of the Parties and in case the Registers should refuse to do it it shall be sufficient for the said Officers to bring back the Act of the said Summons drawn by the said Messengers or Notaries and to cause the same to be recorded in the Registers of their said Jurisdictions there to be view'd when need shall require on pain of nullity of their Proceedings and Judgments And as for those Officers whose reception is not to be made in our said Parliaments in case those by whom it ought to be made should refuse to proceed to the said Examination and Reception the said Officers shall repair to the said Chambers where care shall be taken for their said reception LIV. The Officers of the said pretended Reform'd Religion who shall be chosen hereafter to serve in the Body of our said Court of Parliament Grand Council Chambers of Accounts Courts of Aids and in the Offices of the Treasurer-General of France and other Officers of the Exchequers shall be examin'd and receiv'd in the places where it was usually perform'd and in case of refusal or denial of Justice they shall be constituted in our Privy Council LV. The reception of our Officers made in the Chamber establish'd heretofore at Castres shall remain in force all Decrees and Ordinances thereunto contrary notwithstanding The reception of our Judges Councellors and other Officers of the said Religion made in our Privy-Councel or by Commissioners by us nominated upon the refusal of our Courts of Parliament of Aids and Chambers of Account shall also be as valid as if they had been made in the said Courts and Chambers and by other Judges to whom those Receptions appertain And their Salleries shall be allow'd by the Chambers of Accounts without difficulty and if any have been dismiss'd they shall be re-establish'd without any farther Mandamus than this present Edict and the said Officers shall not be oblig'd to show any other reception all Decrees given to the contrary notwithstanding the which shall remain void and of no effect LVI Until means be procur'd to defray the Expences of Justice of our said Chambers out of the Moneys of Fines and Conâ—iscations we will assign a valuable and sufficient Fund to discharge the said Expences which Money shall be return'd out of the Estates of the persons condemned LVII The Presidents and Councellors of the said Pretended Reform'd Religion heretofore receiv'd into our Courts of Parliament of Dauphine and in the Chamber of the Edict incorporated into the same shall continue and hold their Place and Order there Viz. The Presidents as they did and do enjoy them at present and the Councellors according to the Decrees and Patents they have obtain'd about it in our Privy Council LVIII We declare all Sentences Judgments Decrees Proceedings Seizures Sales and Orders made and given against those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion whether dead or alive since the Death of the late King Heury the 2d our most honour'd Lord and Father-in-Law by reason of the said Religion Tumults and Troubles happen'd since together with the execution of the said Judgments and Decrees from this present cancelled revoked and nullified and the same do cancel revoke and nullifie We order the same to be raz'd and wip'd out of the Records of the Registers of Courts as well Sovereign as Inferior As it is likewise our pleasure that all Marks Tracts and Monuments of the said Executions Books and Acts defamatory to their Persons Memory and Posterity shall be remov'd and defac'd And that the places in which have been made upon that account Demolishments or Razings shall be restor'd to the Owners in such a condition as they are the same to enjoy and to dispose of as they shall think fit And we have generally revok'd cancell'd and nullifi'd all Proceedings and Informations made for any Enterprises whatever Pretended Crimes of Leze-Majesty and others Notwithstanding which Proceedings Decrees and Judgments comprehending reunion incorporation and confiscation it is our pleasure that those of the said Religion and others who have been ingag'd in their Party and their Heirs shall re-enter into the real and actual possession of all and every their Estates LIX All Proceedings made Judgments and Decrees given during the Troubles against those of the said Religion who have born Arms or withdrawn themselves out of our Realm or within the same into Cities and Countries held by them upon another account than that of Religion and the Troubles together with all Nonsuits Prescriptions either Legal Conventional or Customary and Feodal Seizures befallen during the Troubles or by lawful Impediments proceeding from them the cognizance whereof shall remain in our Judges shall be esteâ—m'd as not perform'd granted or happen'd and such we have and do declare them to be and have and do annihilate them for all which the said Parties shall have no redress but they shall be restor'd to the same state in which they were before the said Decrees and Execution thereof notwithstanding and the possession they had formerly shall be restor'd to them in this respect What is above
which the principal Seats shall have been restored to his Majesty's Obedience by the said Duke of Joycuse in which the Edict of 77 shall take place Nevertheless his Majesty means that the said Exercise shall be continued in such places of the said Bayliwicks and Seneschalships where it was performed at the time of the said Reduction and that the Concession thereof in Houses of Fiefs shall remain in Force in the said Bayliwicks and Seneschalships according as it is specified by the said Edict XXV The Edict made for the Reduction of the City of Dijon shall be observed according to which no other Exercise of Religion shall be allowed in the said City than that of the Roman Catholick Apostolick Church nor yet within the Suburbs thereof nor within four Leagues round about it XXVI The Edict made for the Reduction of the Duke of Mayenne shall in like manner be observed according to which the Exercise of the Pretended Reformed Religion shall not be allowed in the City of Châlons nor within two Leagues round about Soissons during the term of six Years to begin from the month of January 1596. after which the Edict of Nantes shall be observed there as in the other parts of the Kingdom XXVII It shall be lawful for those of the said Religion of what Quality soever to inhabit and to have free Egress and Regress into the City of Lyons and other Towns and Places of the Government of Lyonnois all Prohibitions made to the contrary by the Syndics and Sheriffs of the said City of Lyons tho confirm'd by his Majesty notwithstanding XXVIII Only one place of Bayliwick shall be allow'd for the Exercise of the said Religion in the whole Seneschalship of Poitiers besides those where it is already establish'd and as to the Fiefs the Edict of Nantes shall be observed The said Exercise shall also be continued in the City of Chauvigny But it shall not be restored in the Cities of Agen and Perigueux altho it was allowed by the Edict of 77. XXIX Only two places of Bayliwicks shall be allow'd for the Exercise of the said Religion in all the Government of Picardy as abovesaid neither shall the said two places be allow'd within the Precincts of the Bayliwicks and Governments reserved by the Edicts made for the Reduction of Amiens Pâ—ronne and Abbeville Nevertheless the said Exercise shall be allowed in Houses of Fiefs throughout the whole Government of Picardy according to what is specified by the said Edict of Nantes XXX The Exercise of the said Religion shall not be allowed in the Cities and Suburbs of Sens and only one place of Bayliwick shall be granted in the whole Precinct of the Bayliwick but still without prejudice to the Permission granted for Houses of Fiefs which shall remain in Force according to the Edict of Nantes XXXI Neither shall the said Exercise be allowed in the City nor Suburbs of Nantes nor any place of Bayliwicks be granted for the said Exercise within three Leagues round about the said City Nevertheless it shall be allowed in Houses of Fiefs according to the said Edict of Nantes XXXII It is his said Majesty's Will and Pleasure that his said Edict of Nantes shall be observed from this very time in what relates to the Exercise of the said Religion in such places where by the Edicts and Agreements made for the Reduction of some Princes Lords Gentlemen and Catholick Cities it was prohibited only provisionally and until it was otherwise ordained And as for such where the said Prohibition is limitted to a certain time that time being expired it shall be no longer in Force XXXIII A Place shall be allowed to those of the said Religion for the City Provostship and Vice-Comty of Paris within five Leagues at farthest from the said City in which they shall be allowed the Exercise of the said Religion XXXIV In all such places where the Exercise of the said Religion shall be performed publickly it shall be lawful to assemble the People even by the sound of Bells and to perform all Acts and Functions belonging either to the Exercise of the said Religion or to the Regulation of their Discipline as to hold Consistories Conferences and Provincial and National Synods by his Majesty's leave XXXV The Ministers Elders and Deacons of the said Religion shall not be obliged to appear as Witnesses and to answer in Justice for things that shall have been revealed in their Consistories in the case of Censures unless it were about Matters relating to the King's Person or towards the Preservation of the State XXXVI Such of the said Religion as live in the Country shall be allow'd to assist at the Exercise thereof in the Cities and Suburbs and other places where it shall be publickly establish'd XXXVII Those of the said Religion shall not be allowed to keep publick Schools unless in such Towns and Places where the publick Exercise thereof is allowed And the Patents that have been granted them heretofore for the erecting and maintaining of Colleges shall be Verified if necessary and shall remain in full Force and Vigor XXXVIII It shall be lawful for Fathers professing the said Religion to provide such Educators for their Children as they shall think fit and to substitute one or several by Will or other Declaration pass'd before a Notary or written or sign'd by their own Hands the Laws received in this Kingdom Ordinances and Customs of Places remaining in full Force and Vertue as to the Gifts and Provisions of Tutors and Guardians XXXIX As for the Marriage of Priests and other Religious Persons that have been heretofore contracted his Majesty for divers good Considerations will not allow their being prosecuted or molested for the same upon which Subject silence shall be imposed to his Attornies General and other Officers Nevertheless his Majesty declares That the Children proceeding from the said Marriages shall only succeed to the Personal Estates and Acquisitions made by their Fathers and Mothers and in default of the said Children the nearest Relations at Law And the Wills Gifts and other Dispositions made or to be made by Persons of the said Quality of the said Personal Estates and Acquisitions by them made are hereby declared Good and Lawful Nevertheless his said Majesty will not allow that the said Persons having been admitted into Religious Orders should be capable of any direct or colateral Succession but only shall be allowed to take such Estates as shall be left them by Will or Gift or other Dispositions still excepting those of the said Direct and Colateral Successions And as to those who shall have taken Religious Orders before the Age mentioned by the Ordinances of Orleans or Blois shall be followed and observed in what relates to the said Succession the Tenor of the said Ordinances every one for the time they have been in Force XL. Neither will his said Majesty allow those of the said Religion who have heretofore or shall hereafter contract Marriages in the third or
order thereunto they settled the form of deputing to those particular Assemblies and of receiving the Votes there 〈…〉 they excluded from it all such as had no express Deptutations They allow'd the King's Officers and Magistrates to assist at the same provided they were deputed according to the form prescrib'd on condition that thy should make no distinct Body in the Assembly and that they should side either with the Nobility or with the Third Estate according to their quality The Presidentship of those Assemblies was alloted to the Gentry and finally they fix'd to five at most and to three at least the number of the Deputies every particular Assembly should send to the General Proceeding in the next place to the Functions of the Provincial Councils they charg'd them to send whatever advice they should receive to those to whom it should be necessary to Communicate them either within or out of the Province and in order to facilitate the said Communication they ordain'd a Fund for the Charges and that the Contiguous Provinces should take measures together before their breaking up to advise each other with more speed They authoris'd the Council that should receive the advice incase they were not able to perform it to call such persons â—…o their assistance as should be able to assist them according to the nature of the thing propos'd In some Important Cases they allow'd the Council to require at least three adjacent Provinces such as they should think fit to assist them with their advice and they order'd the Provinces so requir'd to send one or many Deputies in the place appointed to them to deliberate about the means to prosecute such affairs as should intervene in such a Province as if it were their own And supposing they could obtain no satisfaction it was left to their Prudence to give the Provinces notice of it and to invite them to joyn in order to make the said prosecution more effectually They grounded that order upon the duty of the General Union of the Churches which were oblig'd to interest themselves in their mutual affairs to the end that those that were abus'd and consequently more inclin'd to violent resolutions should be hinder'd by the Prudence of the others from proceeding to â—xtremities or seconded by them in order to obtain justice the sooner They order'd the said Councils moreover to mind the conâ—…ition of the Places of Suerty to depute persons of capacity to â—…isit the said places and to take a review of the Garrisons to be certain of the Religion of the Souldiers who by reason that it was necessary to reinforce the said Cities with men could not be Inhabitants either of the said Cities or Suburbs They exhorted the Governours to approve it and in order to â—…dress the abuses committed in time past as to the number and â—ayment of the Soldiers to be pleased to allow the regulations added by them viz. That the Governour should receive the third part of the sum appointed for the Garrison free from all Charges and that he should give an Acquittance for the remaining two to the person that should be nominated by the Council of the Province who should pay the soldiers with it and all other Charges relating to the Place and Garrison which were afterwards specifi'd That an estimate should be made of the real sum to which the extarordinary Charges might mount to reserve a Fund for it which should not exceed the third or forth part of the two thirds retain'd upon the whole sum That the Person imploy'd in order thereunto should give an account of his administration in the Council in presence of the Governour That incase the King should grant any sums for the Reparations and Fortifications of the said places the Governours should order how they should be imploy'd but that the Council should inspect the same and should have the direction of the disposal thereof making of Proclamations Adjudications c. and that incase a Fund were necessary for the said Reparation the direction thereof should be given to a person which should be nominated by the Council who should give an account of it in the Governours presence That without prejudice to the Officers appointed by the King the Governours should inspect the Magazines in order to keep the Corn Wines Provisions Powder and Matches and other Amunition liable to corruption in a good Condition They impower'd the same Councils to determin all Quarels Lawsuits and Animosities that might arise among the Reform'd of what quality soever To cause the settlements granted by the King to be observ'd incase any of the Governours of the said places should dye To maintain a good Correspondence with the Neighbouring Provinces by sending Deputies into their mutual Assemblies and as to a General Correspondence they were charg'd to maintain it with the General Assembly when in being and to apply themselves to the Deputys General after their Dissolution Moreover in order to preserve Union among all the Churches it was agreed upon that once a year at a certain time and place there should repair a Deputy of every Council as privately as possible could be and in such a conjuncture of affairs as it should be thought of most use and the chief reason of that enterview which was only to last for a few days was to give each other a mutual account of the state of their Provinces and to renew the Sentiment of their Common Interests The General Assembly at their breaking up was to nominate the Council which should appoint â—…e time and place for the first Enterview The Marshal Duke de Bouillon approv'd the said Regulation as well as the rest and sign'd it but he protested against the Ministers whom he would not allow to make a â—…ody a part and he writ the said Protestation when sign'd it La â—…otte Grimout Counsellor in the Parliament of Rouen was â—…e only person who imitated him His motive for it was 〈…〉 particular grudge for having receiv'd a Censure from the Assembly to which he did not doubt but the Ministers a â—…rt of people a little inclin'd to censure had contributed considerably But the Marshal's Motive was his being abandon'd by the Ministers who formerly us'd to follow â—…s advice almost Implicitly Some of them had said some â—…ings in their Sermons which he took to be design'd against him and notwithstanding du Plessis remonstrated to â—…m even after the Dissolution of the Assembly That the â—…d Protestation was not only useless but of ill consequence 〈…〉 still persisted in it and threatened that the thing should â—…t remain so The truth is that he excepted some Ministers who by reason of their mildness and capacity seem'd 〈…〉 him to deserve a Rank in the Assemblys This perhaps â—…as an effect of Resentment but that Resentment was so â—…ell suited to the Maxims of the Court where the Conâ—…toriats had been so long reputed the persons who were to be â—…ar'd in Assemblies That it look'd as
The Synod order'd the Deputies General to endeavour to repair that breach and to acquaint the Assembly with it incase they could not succeed in it But their diligence prov'd inefectual and the Reform'd never receiv'd full satisfaction upon that Subject The discharge granted by the King of the Penny per Liver out of the Money he had granted the Reform'd authorised the Synod to desire him also to discharge them of the 3600 Livers adjudged to the Churches of the Country of Gex The reason was that the said Sum was taken out of a Grant â—n which that Country had not been consider'd by reason that it was not under the Kings Dominion at the time of the Edict and that at time when the said augmentation was granted it had a Fund settled by the late King's Commissioners for the maintenance of its Ministers Moreover the said Sum was distributed by order from the Council which did not forget to do it in such a manner that divisions might â—rise about it The Synod of Bargundy of which that Bayliwick was a dependency had adjudg'd 60 Livers out of the Money design'd for that Cantoon for a College they design'd to errect at Gex and the Assembly had acquiâ—ss'd to it But the Inhabitants of the City being offended that so little was granted them apply'd themselves to â—e Council in which they obtain'd a Decree which adjudg'd them 250 Livers This was dangerous both as to the example which authoris'd the Malecontents to appeal â—om the Judgments given in the Ecclesiastical Assemblies â—o the Council and for the Consequence which submited â—â—e distribution which the Synods made of the said Grants â—o the review of the Council which was directly contrary â—o the Brief of 1598 which allow'd the Reform'd to dispose of them without giving any account of it Therefore the Synod took the thing to heart and censur'd the Reform'd of the City sensibly and threatned to proceed further against them incase they did not submit with obedience to their Synods We may gather from the Synod that there were Churches grounded on the disposition of the Edicts of which the settlement was nevertheless not as yet made by reason of the oppositions of the Catholicks whither it were upon the account of the Poverty of those that were to compose them or upon the account of the negligence of those that were to imploy themselves about it There were some of this kind in Auvergne and that of Issoire was of that number They had long pursued their affairs inefectually at Court but the Synod being inform'd with their deplorable Condition order'd the Deputies General to second their Petitions and to recommend them in their Name The Reform'd of the County of Avignon who two years before thought themselves strong enough to form a Province by themselves had strangly alter'd their Condition since They had been persecuted with so much violence that their Condition was worthy of Commiseration and the Synod which knew no other remedy was forc'd to beg of the King to turn their Mediator to obtain some ease for them The Synod made other liberal gifts to some particular persons Rivet had 600 Livers for some Works and Gigord Professor in Theology at Mompellier who had had a dispute at Court some years before with Cotton the Jesuit had 1850. The same Synod appointed places in every Province in order to establish Colleges of which some have subsisted 〈…〉 our days and tho they were sensible considering the small Fund they had to dispose of that there were too many Accademies in the Kingdom by reason that theâ— were too chargeable yet they preserv'd them for fear of prejudicing those places out of which they should remove them They gave the Churches of Bearn power to convene a National Synod in their Turn on condition that theâ— should submit to the Decisions of those that should be held in the Kingdom and that they should make their appealâ— there We have already seen by what happen'd in the Assembly of Saumur that the Court would not allow the Political Union of that Province with the rest of the Churches of the Kingdom But the said Province it self dreaded to be United too much with them in the exercise of their Discipline for fear of injuring the priviledges which the Churches injoy'd there independently from the Edict of Nantes and by â—…e of more ancient Titles Particularly they were â—aid lest in submitting the Churches of the Country to â—e decisions a of Synod held elsewhere it might serve as pretence against the Right they pretended that the General and Particular Cases of their Inhabitants could not 〈…〉 taken out of the hands of their natural Judges viz. 〈…〉 Council and their Estates There was something like â—…s relating to the City of Mets the Church of which â—…ly maintain'd a Communion of Doctrine with the others â—…t kept at a distance as to the rest for â—ear of prejudicing the Rights they injoy'd before the Edict from the very â—…e they submitted under the Protection of France The Oath of Union was renew'd in that Assembly with 〈…〉 usual Protestations of Obedience and Fidelity to the â—…ng The Empire of God remaining whole and every deputy promis'd to get it ratified in his Province Finally â—…e Synod writ to the King and Queen about the things â—…ey order'd the Deputies to sollicit This difference was â—…serv'd in the said Letters that the same things that were â—…ention'd in the King's Letter were some what more inlarg'd â—…on in the Queen's Among the Complaints they made them there was one in particular concerning an excess committed at Guise against the person of a Reform'd which the Lieutenant General was accus'd of having had a â—…nd in either by exciting the Authors of it directly or 〈…〉 conniving at them They demanded Justice about it 〈…〉 the end that the punishment of those that were guilty 〈…〉 it might put a stop to those Violences and show that â—…e Reform'd had a share in the King's protection as well 〈…〉 the rest They gave reasons in the same Letters for â—…e refusal that was made by the Churches to accept Grenoble for the place of their General Assembly and in order 〈…〉 obtain a more convenient place they alledg'd the example of the late King who always had a regard to the Petitions of the Reform'd as to the nomination of a place for â—…e like Convocations but that Negotiation was interrupted by Affairs of more Consequence The Queen who had promis'd to assemble the Esâ—… General only thought on means to amuse every body untill the King's Majority The affairs that occur'd 〈…〉 the Treaty of Menehould Ste. happen'd as apropos for her 〈…〉 if she had contrived them her self But she had yet a nothâ—â—â— design in her Head which was of greater conâ—â—quence She was very sensible that the Princes had desired an Assembly of the States in order to mortifie her â—â— the suppression of her Creatures
Enemy to the Reform'd maintain'd himself in a Fortify'd Castle of which the Reform'd had order'd the Demoâ—…tion by a Decree of the Council It is true that for fear he should obey they had given another which remov'd the Affair before the Commissioners and still left Desportes in Possession which occasion'd great Troubles in the Cevenes and the Gevaudan Antraguers against whom they made divers complaints kept his Governments in spight of them The free exercise of the Reform'd Religion was hinder'd in â—…ivers places particularly at Ruffec in Saintonge where it â—…ight to have been allowed according to all Rules The Marâ—…ioness de Ruffec alledg'd for her reason that it was done without her Consent As if that Consent had been necessary for â—…ose Places in which there was an evident Possession in the â—…rms of the Edicts The Duke de Vendome having taken Possession of the Castle of the City of his Name by an Agreement he had made with the Governor did not fail to demoâ—…sh the Temple the Reform'd had built at the foot of the said â—…lace He caus'd that Violence to be committed by his own â—…ivery Men without keeping the least measures of Honesty 〈◊〉 Formalities of Justice The Church of the said Place made complaints to him about it which were the better groundâ—… by reason that he had promis'd to leave all things in the â—…me Condition he had found them He seem'd to be inclin'd to make some reparation for that Enterprize though he reâ—…ly did not design it He declar'd that he could not suffer in 〈◊〉 place which he pretended to make part of his Basse-court the free exercise of a Religion contrary to his Besides he had 〈◊〉 mind to take the advantage of the Reform'd of Vendome who having been in possession of that Place from the very time of Queen Jane thought that no body would dispute a Right acquir'd by so long a Prescription For which reason they had forgot to take other Sureties from the late King besides the â—dict They were oblig'd to apply themselves to the King in order to obtain the restauration of their Temple Commissioners were sent on purpose to examine that Affair upon the very spot but they could not determine it without great difficulties The Catholicks were often ready to proceed to the utmost Violences and the Reform'd were not much wiâ—…er Finally the business was made up these being oblig'd to relinquish part of their Right to secure the rest the Exercise of their Religion was remov'd out of the City near one of the Gates by a solemn Ordinance and the King was at the Charge of building the Temple and of the price of the Ground on which it was built Nevertheless this show'd the Reform'd that the Court had no mind to favour them since that in doing them Justice even in the most reasonable things they still abated something of their Right The Parliament of Bourdeaux refus'd to remove Criminal Causes in which the Reform'd were concern'd to the Chamber of Nerac And in order to have a pretence to retain them they had the boldness to say that all the Crimes the Reform'd were accus'd of were so many Crimes of Treason by reason that they were of a Religion contrary to the State They were prosecuted in divers places for Crimes abolish'd by the Edicts and particularly by that of Blois The Jesuits increas'd in credit more and more and had not only obtain'd a Decree on the 15th of February which allow'd them to keep an open College at Paris for all sorts of Sciences without regard to the Decrees to the contrary made by the Parliament nor to the oppositions of the University But also caus'd a Decree of the Accademi'soâ—… Theology and Arts to be revers'd which declar'd that they would admit none to the Degrees or Privileges of Schollarship but such as had study'd in their Colleges or in those of the Accademies that were in Confederacy with them They endeavour'd also to slip into the Places of Surety Regoâ—rd being sent to Leitoure by the Bishop in the quality of a Preacher The King took it ill that the Consuls had given him a Summons to depart from thence alledging the quality of the place He wrote to the Inhabitants to order them to suffer the Jesuit to remain and to Preach there telling them that he hop'd that he would keep within the bounds of the Edicts A thousand Disputes were made about the Burial of the Reform'd The Countess de Roussi being Buried in the Quire near the Altar of the Parochial Church the Attorney General took the thing in hand for the Curate and declaring that the Church was Polluted by the Burial obtain'd a Decree of the Parliament at Paris which ordain'd an Information to be made against the said Contravention and that the Church should be reconcil'd if it had not been done already Which implies the removal of the Corps by which the said Church had been profan'd All these Complaints and many more being inserted in a long Cahier a Council was held on purpose at the Chancellors on the ninth of July in which 33 of these well express'd Articles were examin'd But instead of any effectual satisfaction they only obtain'd removals to the Chambers and ineffectual Letters to the Governors and Judges of the said places The Cahiers presented at the beginning of the Year had been answer'd in the same manner and were not dispatch'd until the 21th of February The Answers tho' favourable in appearance were only Evasions to free the Council of the Importunities of the Deputies General It is easie to judge of it by that which was written on the side of the 13th Article in which the Reform'd complain'd that the Ecclesiasticks of Languedoc su'd them for the Demolishing of Churches and Convents during the Troubles and Indicted them before the Parliament of Thoulouse where the said Causes were retain'd without any regard to the Removals desir'd by the Reform'd This was one of the Crimes that are always abolish'd by the Edicts of Peace and which are look'd upon as unavoidable Consequences of War the Necessities of which neither respect Palaces or Churches when they are places the Enemies may improve to their advantage The King's Answer was that he would not suffer any prosecution to be made upon the account of the Materials of the said Demolishments imploy'd to other uses during the Troubles and he revers'd all Decrees to the contrary This seem'd to be to the purpose nevertheless it did not put a stop to the Prosecutions and they were oblig'd to renew their Complaints The truth is that the form of the late King's Answers was partly the same But there was this essential difference between his and his Sons that the Fathers only serv'd as it were for Memoirs of the Commands he was to send into the Provinces to the Governors and other Officers of Justice Insomuch that the Answer had the force of a Law by an express order to
when so many noble Actions spoke in favour of the Reformed they should not only endeavour but accomplish their ruin That they should take a time to destroy 'em when they could neither accuse 'em of Rebellion nor look upon 'em as useless to the Kingdom Certainly no man would have imagin'd a hundred years ago that France would have expos'd her self in our Time by such a piece of Injustice as this to the reproach of all Europe At least people would suppose there might be some private reason to treat with so much inhumanity a number of poor Christians who by their quiet dispositions not to speak of their Services seem'd to merit quite the contrary 'T is not easily to be suspected that one man should exercise the fury of his hatred against another without having at least some specious pretence for it How then is it possible to believe that in France men should be transported to the extremities of rigour against a Million of innocent Persons for no other reason but meerly out of an ill grounded hatred Nevertheless this is all that can be said of the motives of the last Persecution Not only hatred but hatred without a cause without pretence without excuse inflam'd against a People without defence who sought to vanquish the aversion of their Enemies by their Patience and by their Services Doubtless therefore it is but justice truly and faithfully to inform Posterity that they be enabl'd to give a right Judgment upon an Event so little known and do the same Justice to the Authors of these Cruelties as we now do to those who have giv'n us a Model of what was formerly committed in the first Ages of Christianity as also under the Bloody Reign of Charles IX But besides the general Reason of preserving the remembrance of this Persecution there are two others which deserve to be considered The one is because that they who advised it have endeavour'd to anticipate Posterity upon this Subject by divers Artifices I know not how many Writers hir'd on purpose to disguise Affairs and to deprive Truth of her natural Weight and Matter have fill'd all Europe with their Pamphlets fitted out to make the World believe that they who suffer'd all the effects of Violence and Injustice should be one day lookt upon as Criminals to whom there was a great deal of Mercy shewn On the one side they set 'em out in most black and dreadful Colours They aggravate with an envenomed Eloquence what ever can be laid hold on for a pretence to accuse 'em and finding nothing in their Actions that may serve as a foundation to their Invectives they search for reasons in their Thoughts in their Desires in their Inclinations which they describe after a very detestable manner They attribute to 'em a troublesome turbulent unquiet spirit Commonwealth-Maxims an aversion to Monarchy a Heresie incompatible to the repose of Kingdoms and which infuses an ambitions daring Genius always in Action if it be not suppress'd by a greater Force But certainly this accusation has been loudly contradicted by the long Peace wherein the Reformed have liv'd And it would be a difficult thing for these Calumniators to tell us what became of this Seditious spirit for five and fifty years together how it came to lose the opportunity of a Minority and a Civil War without laying hold of the advantages of so convenient a season how it happenâ—d not to burst forth in a doleful Oppression of thirty years together There seems to be a great deal of rashness in an accusation of such Importance when there are no proofs of matter of Fact to make it out and that it is only supported by the Impudence of the Authors of it But this will not put a stop to those Writers who are sufficiently pai'd for venting their Impostures and can easily qualifie the Affront of a Lye publickly given 'em with the hopes of finding Credulous Readers who without putting themselves to the trouble of examining matters will pin their Belief upon the slieves of such extravagant Authors On the other side they extenuate the occasions of complaint which have been given to the Reformed for so many years together They talk of nothing but the soft and charitable means that have been us'd to reclaim 'em from their Errors of their Paternal cares and Spiritual Exhortations There is not the least Pamphlet that peeps abroad wherein the Author is not very double diligent to slip in a word and tell us how there could be nothing more Charitable or more Evangelick than the Expedients made use of for the Conversion of Hereticks This Falsehood is become one essential part of their Epistles Dedicatory It would look as if something were wanting if they did not croud in by head and shoulders some Elogy or other of that new sort of Tenderness and good Will which never make themselves known but by Condemnations Imprisonments Confiscations Banishments the Galleys Gibbets the Wheel and such like merciful Acts of Clemency and Mildness But in regard they dare not promise to themselves that all men will take these extraordinary Violences for marks of Charity they have bethought themselves of another course to satisfie those nice and difficult People who call Cruelty Cruelty and Injustice Injustice There are some Writers who have the knack of it to deny matters of Fact that are known all over Europe and to cry 'em down for Imposture tho they that carry'd upon their Bodies the marks of their sufferings made loud complaints in foreign Countries Those People have the Confidence to give the lye to the Eyes and Testimonies of all those that have seen and felt what has past As if there were not only a Million of People who are living proofs of it but an infinite number of publick Acts which all confirm what has fallen out Lastly that they may not omit any thing that lies in their power to disguise the Truth of things there are some Authors who have endeavour'd to make it out that all those Acts of Injustice Violence and Fraud which have been committed against the Reformed were the effects of an exemplary Justice If they have taken from 'em their publick Places of Exercise 't was done say they because those places were usurp'd if they have tormented 'em with a thousand vexatious Ordinances 't was only say they to retrench 'em of those priviledges which they took notwithstanding there was nothing in those Edicts which authoriz'd their enjoyment of ' em If they did inhumanely delude 'em by confirmations of the Edict and Promises to observe it which they violated in the most Essential Concessions 't was say they by interpretations of the true Sence which had been misunderstood If they tortur'd 'em by a thousand personal Processes and Suits by quartering of Soldiers upon 'em with Licence to live at Rack and Manger by divers Outrages and Punishments 't was say they because they had deserv'd it by doing those things that were forbid 'em by the last
alarmed at it And besides the Pulpits every where resounded with nothing but the praises of the King of Spain whom they extolled to the Skies as the great Extirpater of Hereticks and a Deputy of Burgundy in an Oration to the King passionately prest him â—o suffer but one Religion in his Kingdom Many Violences and Massacres were committed in divers places without any punishment inflicted on the Authors The concessions of the Edict were invalidated by distorted Interpretations which were renewed again in our Time The Ministers were forced to reside in the places where their Temples or Meeting places were and they were permitted to teach no Schools The exercise of the Protestant Religion was suspended in all places whither the Court hapned to pass The Priviledges of the Protestant Lords were clipt and none suffered to come to the Religious Exercises in their Houses but such as were their own Subjects or Vassals All Synodical Assemblies were forbidden No Money was suffered to be Levied for the Maintenance of their Ministers The Marriages of such who had been Priests Monks or Nuns were disanulled The Fortifications raised by the Protestants in the Time of the War were demolished and yet strong Cittadels built to awe those Towns that favoured them In a word nothing was omitted to induce them to believe that the Peace was granted them with no other design but to disarm and disunite them and especially to break the neck of those Alliances they had with Foreign Protestants All these violations of the Peace obliged the Prince of Conde to present a Memorial of Complaints to the King wherein among other things he reckons up no less than 130 murthers committed since the Peace for which he could obtain no Justice But yet all the Satisfaction he got from his Majesty was only a general Answer and civil words It 's true the K. made a Progress all over his Kingdom with all his Court but the Protestants were never the better for it and then it was the Court had an Interview with the D. of Alva at Bayonne where they learnt of him that fatal and bloody Apothegm which they afterwards so well improved in practice viz. That the Head of one Salmon is better than those of 50000 Frogs The Prince then but a child and much caress'd at that time by Q. Katharine being present at the Conference where this advice was given tho he was but young yet well apprehended its consequence and learnt thereby to keep himself upon his guard against that Princess after he had lost her favour Whilst those Intrigues were carrying on as there was yet no open War The Protestants were busy in confirming their Churches by convenient Regulations and held some Synods by the acts of which it appears that the custom of Annexes or Pluralities was already received among them because they had more Churches than Ministers tho in our time their Adversaries have been pleased to cavil with them upon that account as if the serving of several Churches by the same Minister had been a novelty among them The Catholicks on their side fortified themselves by Leagues and some private ones were concluded in several places and Monluâ— proposed to the K. to make one too with his Catholick Lords At the same time the Admiral was attacked by dangerous Calumnies and a wicked Villain that had attempted to Murther him thinking thereby to escape Punishment accused him of endeavouring to persuade him to Kill the Q. But the time being not yet seasonable to accept such black Impostures for good Evidence that Traytor was convinced of Forgery and broken upon the Wheel But because the Court had a mind to trick the Protestants they pretended to â—…oncile that Lord with the House of Guise And accordingly the accomodatiâ—… was made with all the cautions usually observ'd in a sincere Treaty But the â—…ng D. was not at the conclusion of it as designing by his absence to reserve â—…imself a Right to violate at pleasure the promises advanced by his Family â—…t for all that a thousand wrongs were continually done every where to the â—…restants for in places where they were weakest they were openly opprest and â—…ir complaints derided but where they were strong enough to make themâ—…es be fear'd the K's name and authority was made use of to stop their mouths 〈…〉 make them tamely suffer all the evils their enemies had a mind to inflict â—…n them And besides all this the March of the D. of Alva's Army which he â—…s leading towards the Netherlands where peoples Spirits were in a shrewd â—…ment still more Alarm'd the Protestants and made them apprehensive lest â—…er a colour of some other design the Court should make use of him to deâ—…y them All these considerations induced the Prince of Conde once more to â—…e up arms who attempted to selfe and carry away the Court then at Monceâ—… in which he narrowly miss'd succeeding and would certainly have effected â—…ad he not been timely hindred by the diligence of the Constable However 〈…〉 boldness of the attempt made such an Impression upon the K's Spirit that he â—…ld never pardon it to the Prince The most remarkable event in that War was â—…death of the Constable who was kill'd at the attack of Paris by the Forces of the â—…ce of Conde who with a handful of Men in the View of a Turkish Envoy who â—…eld the fight from the Walls resisted the whole effort of the Royal Army tho â—…t by all the people of that great City The War from thence spread it self 〈…〉 the Provinces whether both parties once more call'd in Foreigners to their asâ—…ce At last a Peace was clapt up whilst Chartres was besieged by which the Eâ—… of January was restored to the Protestants without restriction more out of deâ—… to make them send back their Foreign Aids than to restore Tranquillity to 〈…〉 State The most part of the Protestants were against this peace because they â—…tly enough judged it was granted them only for a decoy And the Prince himâ—… waâ— much afraid of it too and therefore made no hast to perform the Arâ—… of the Treaty that related to his own concerns and to say the truth the Caâ—…icks gave him but too much occasion of jealousie For there was much aâ—…o get the Edict verified by the Parliaments and that of Tholouse refus'd it till 〈…〉 4 Reiterated commands and before that too had the insolence to put Rapin to â—…h that was come thither from the Prince to press its Registring But the Courtâ—…t â—…t not there For they sent into the Provinces a form of an Oath in which under â—…ence of Allegiance the Protestants were to swear never to take Arms morâ— and â—…onfess themselves worthy of the most rigorous punishments if there should â—…pen any disturbance through their fault in the places where they liv'd That is they â—…e them thereby responsible for all accidents tho it were to their own wrong 〈…〉 they had
Laws wherein they are inserted more especially when those Laws proceeded from the pure and sole Free-will and Inclination of the Legislator without being admonish'd requir'd or sollicited to make ' em It might be said that when a Prince Promulgates a Law meerly because it is his Pleasure so to do the Benefit which he Grants his Subjects depending clearly upon himself may be confin'd to his Pleasure and endure no longer then he thinks it convenient But when those Laws have been sought for su'd for sollicited and obtain'd after long and mature Considerations after the Negotiations and Conferences of several Years if they have been Proclaim'd with the Title of Irrevocable they ought to be such effectually because 't is certain they were Requested and Granted under that Qualification Otherwise there would be nothing stable in the Concessions of Soveraigns nothing assur'd in the Condition of Subjects And in regard there are always several Families whose settlements are founded upon these Concessions they would be always in fear of approaching Ruin if they could not rely upon the Title of Irrecoverable which the Prince has stampt upon ' em All this ought also to be still more evident when the Concessions are just and profitable when they make for the Welfare and Advantage of any one without doing any Body an Injury When they are likewise in some measure due and necessary either because they who have obtain'd 'em have deserv'd 'em or for that without 'em they could not be assur'd either of their Repose or of their Lives But not to insist upon Words I have some other Reflexions upon the things themselves I say then that the Nature of the thing requires that Edicts should be irrevocable either when the matter which they contain is just in it self or when they supply the place and have the Force of a Sincere and Honest Treaty Both the one and the other is to be met with in the Edict of Nantes The matter which it ordains is a natural piece of Justice as I can make out by Reflexions different from those which I have already made All that it contains may be reduc'd to two Heads that is to say Liberty of Conscience and securing the Reformed in their Natural and Civil Rights Liberty of Conscience is a Piece of Justice so evident that in the very Bosom of the Roman Church it self which looks upon it as a part of her Duty to persecute others there are Doctors who do not hold it proper to make use of Extremities to constrain it At least it is certain that it ought not to be forc'd because it cannot be compell'd Whatever Violence may be offer'd to Men 't is impossible to force 'em not to think what they think or not to judge things Good or Evil according as they are represented by their Understanding and Knowledge The Conscience was made to depend upon God alone to whom all the Motions and Inclinations of it have a kind of Resemblance in the Nature and Constitution of it And is as it were a kind of substitute under the Eternal Justice to give an Account to God of the Heart of Man but never gives it to any but God himself So that at the same time that you extort from a Man by Violence an outward Approbation of things which the Conscience condemns it protests in secret against what the Lips are forc'd to utter and even during the Torment it self or in the rude Hands of Armed Souldiers preserves the Liberty both of seeing and judging that a Man is compell'd to Sin when he is made to do that which his Conscience cannot approve Now therefore 't is the highest Piece of Injustice to go about to bereave a Man of that which constraint it self and utmost violence cannot force from him neither can such a Compulsion produce any other then one of these two Effects Either he must be made Guilty of abominable Hypocrisie by compelling him to declare a Veneration for what he abhors or else he must be condemn'd to Tortures and Cruelties of which there is to be no end but with his vanquish'd Constancy or his Life There are some things so Sacred in the Rights of Conscience that God himself to whom alone it is only subject would never assume to violate and therefore he so wisely manages the Operations and Victorie of his Grace in the Conversion of Souls that he never Offers Violence to that Liberty Whence it follows that Men who have no Jurisdiction over it cannot go about to force it but they must commit a most Apparent Act of Injustice But there arises from hence a second consequence that since it is so unjust a thing to compel the Conscience 't is but justice on the other side to allow it all the Priviledges that belong to it If then the Concessions grounded upon this Justice are to be Eternal and Unalterable like that Justice which gives 'em their Authority there can be never any Edicts that more deserve to be exempt from Revocation then those that secure the Conscience that Liberty which Nature gives it and which discharges it from all constraint 'T is the very same thing with Edicts that are Granted for the Preservation of Subjects and which secure their persons their Fortunes and their Rights Certainly never any people when they first embody under certain Forms of Government pretended either to give or suffer others to assume an Authority to destroy ' em Surely they never renounc'd that Independency wherein they are Born every one singly in respect of others but only because they found more safety in their Uniting for the common defence or in the Protection of the Stranger Nothing can recompence 'em for that Subjection which takes from 'em one part of their Liberty but their Assurance of preserving by that petty damage all the rest of their Priviledges 'T is therefore the Natural Duty of Sovereigns to secure 'em alike to all to whom they belong because they are advanc'd to Sovereign Power to be their Conservators and for that the Preservation of their Subjects is the principal Obligation of their Crown Their Authority is the Image of Providence that Governs only to preserve There is nothing but our Rebellion either as God's Creatures that causes us to forfeit the preserving Aid of Providence or as Subjects that deprives 'em of their share of the Publick protection But as for Subjects Peaceable Obedient Faithful and the most recommendable by their Merits and their Services it cannot be imagin'd why leave should be given to bereave 'em of the Priviledges that preserve 'em or that a Sovereign who is oblig'd by his Character to uphold 'em could ever revoke Edicts that were so necessary for their Defence Either they must take from those that live under the benefit of the Edicts the Quality of Subjects with which they were born and of which they carry the Essential Mark in their Obedience or else they ought to have left 'em as
his Precinct the Exercis of the Religion they call Reform'd as long as they reside there and in their absence their Wives or Children whom they shall answer for and they shall be oblig'd to name the said Houses to our Bailiffs and Seneschals before they shall enjoy the benefit thereof They shall also enjoy the same in their other Houses of High Jurisdiction or of the said Fief de Haubert as long as they shall be actually there and no otherwise the whole as well for themselves as their Families Subjects and others who shall be willing to go there VI. In Houses of Fief where the said Reform'd shall have no High Jurisdiction and Fief de Haubert they shall only be allow'd the said Exercise of Religion for their Families Yet in case any of their Friends should chance to come there to the number of Ten or some Christning happen in haste the Company not exceeding the said Number of Ten they shall not be prosecuted or troubled for the same VII And to gratifie our most dear and most beloved Aunt the Queen of Navar we have allow'd her besides what has been above granted to the said Lord's High Justicers over and above in every one of her Dutchys d' Albert County's d' Armagnac Foix Biggore in a House belonging to her in which she shall have High-Jurisdiction which House shall be by us chosen and nominated there to have the said Exercise perform'd for all such as shall desire to assist thereat even in her absence VIII Those of the said Religion shall also be allow'd the Exercise thereof in the following Places viz. For the Government of the Isle of France in the Subburbs of Clermont and Beauvoisâ—s and in those of Crâ—spi in Laonnois For the Government of Champagne and Brie besides Vezelai which they possess at this time in the Subburbs of Villenece For the Government of Burgundy in the Subburbs of Arnai-le-Due and in those of Mailli la ville For the Government of Picardy in the Subburbs of Mondidier and in those of Riblemont For the Government of Normandy in the Subburbs of Ponteau de Mer and in those of Carentan For the Government of Lyonnois in the Subburbs of Charlieu and in those of St. Geni de Laval For the Government of Bretagne in the Subburbs of Becherel and in those of Kerhez For the Government of Dauphine in the Subburbs of Crest and in those of Chorges For the Government of Provence in the Subburbs of Merindol and in those of Forcalquier For the Government of Languedoc besides Aubenas which they are in possession of in the Subburbs of Montaignac for the Government of Guienne at Bergerac besides S. Sever which they are also in possession of And for that of Orleans Le Maine and the Country of Chartrain besides Sencerre which they have in the Town of Mailli IX Moreover We have also granted them to continue the exercise of the said Religion in all the Cities in which it shall be publickly perform'd on the first Day of this present Month of August X. Forbidding them most expressly to make any Exercise of the said Religion either as to the Ministry Regulation Discipline or publick intiitution of Children or others in any Places besides those above granted and allow'd XI Neither shall any exercise of the said Pretended Reform'd Religion be perform'd in our Court or within two Leagues round about it XII Neither do we allow the Exercise of the said Religion within the City Provostship and Vicecomty of Paris nor within Ten Leagues of the said City which ten Leagues we have and do limit to the following Places viz. Senlis and the Suburbs Meaux and the Suburbs Melun and the Subburbs a League beyond Chartres under Mount-le-Heri Dourdan and the Suburbs Rembouillet Houdan and the Suburbs a long League beyond Melun Vigni Meru S. Leu de Serens in all which abovesaid places we do not allow any exercise of the said Religion Nevertheless those of the said Religion shall not be disturb'd in their Houses provided they behave themselves as abovesaid XIII We do enjoin our Bailiffs Seneschals or ordinary Judges each in their Precincts to appoint Places for them of their own either such as they have heretofore acquir'd or such as they shall purchase there to bury their Dead and that at the time of their decease one of the House or Family shall go to acquaint the Captain of the Watch therewith who shall send for the Grave-Digger of the Parish and order him to go with such a number of Serjeants of the Watch as he shall think fit to allow to accompany him and to prevent Scandal to remove the Corps in the Night and so carry it to the place appointed for that purpose only allowing Ten persons to accompany it And in such Towns as have no Captain of the Watch the Judges of the Place shall appoint some other Ministers of Justice XIV Those of the said Religion shall not be allow'd to marry in such degrees of Consanguinity or Affinity as are prohibited by the Laws receiv'd in this Kingdom XV. All Scholars the sick and Poor shall be receiv'd in the Vniversities Schools Hospitals c without difference or distinction upon the account of Religion XVI And to the end that no question may be made of the good Intention of our said Aunt the Queen of Navar of our most dear and most beloved Brother and Cousins the Princes of Navar and of Conde Father and Son we have said and declar'd do say and declare That we hold and repute them our good Relations faithful Subjects and Servants XVII As also all Lords Knights Gentlemen Officers and other Inhabitants of the Cities Corporations Villages and Hamlets and other Places of our said Kingdom and Territories under our Obedience who have follow'd and assisted them in any part whatever for our good loyal Subjects and Servants XVIII And likewise the Duke of Deux-Ponts and his Children the P. of Orange Count Ludovic and his Brothers Count Wolrat of Mansfeld and other Foreign Lords who have aided and assisted them for our good Neighbours Relations and Friends XIX And our said Aunt as well as our said Brother and Cousin Lords Gentlemen Officers Corporations of Cities Communities and others who have aided and assisted them their Heirs and Successors shall remain acquitted and discharged as we do acquit and discharge them by these presents for all Sums of Money by them or their Order taken and rais'd out of our Offices of Receit and Treasures whatever Sums they may amount to as well as out of Cities Communities or from particular persons Rents Revenues Plate Sale of Goods both Ecclesiastical and others Forests belonging to us or others Fines Booties Ransoms or other kind of Sums taken by them upon the account of the present as well as precedent Wars Neither shall they or those by them appointed for the raising of the said Sums or those that have given and furnish'd the same be any ways troubled or called to
an account for the same either now or hereafter and both they and the said Clarks shall be discharg'd for all the Management and Administration thereof only producing for a full discharge Acquittances from our said Aunt or from our said Brother and Cousin or from those that shall have been appointed by them for the examination and passing of the same They shall also be acquitted and discharged for all Acts of Hostility Levies Marching of Soldiers Coining Casting and Taking of Artilleries and Ammunitions either out of our Magazines or from particular persons making of Powder and Saltpeter Taking Fortifying Dismantling and Demolishing of Cities and Towns Enterprizes upon the same Burning and Demolishing of Temples and Houses Establishing of Courts of Justice Judgments and Executions by them Voyages Intelligences Treaties Negotiations and Contracts made with all Foreign Princes and Communities introducing of the said Strangers into the Cities and other parts of our Kingdom And generally For all that has been done manag'd and negotiated during and since the present first and second Troubles tho neither particularly express'd nor specified XX. And those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion shall depart and desist from all Associations they have made either at home or abroad and henceforward shall raise no Money without our Leave or list any Men neither shall they hold Congregations or Assemblies otherwise than abovesaid and without Arms all which we prohibit and forbid them on pain of being rigorously punish'd as Contemners and Infractors of our Commands and Ordinances XXI All Places Cities and Provinces shall remain and enjoy the same Privileges Immunities Liberties Franchises Jurisdictions and Seats of Justice they had before the Troubles XXII And to remove all Cause of Complaint for the future we have declar'd and do declare Those of the said Religion capable to hold and exercise all Estates Dignities and Publick Employments both Seignorial and of the Cities belonging to this Kingdom and to be admitted and receiv'd without distinction into all Councils Deliberations Assemblies Estates and Functions depending on the things abovesaid without being any ways rejected or hindred from enjoying the same immediately after the Publication of this present Edict XXIII Neither shall the said of the Pretended Reform'd Religion be overcharg'd or burthen'd with any ordinary or extraordinary Taxes more than the Catholicks and according to their Estates and Substance Moreover in consideration of the great Charges those of the said Religion take upon themselves they shall be free from all other Taxations the Cities shall impose for the Expences past but they shall contribute to all such as shall be impos'd by us as also for the future to all those of Cities like the Catholicks XXIV All Prisoners that are detain'd either by the Authority of Justice or otherwise even in the Gallies on the account of the present Troubles shall be released and put at liberty on both sides without paying any Ransom But yet the Ransoms that have been paid already shall not be re-demanded or recovered of those that have receiv'd them XXV And as to the Differences that might arise upon the account of the foresaid Sales of Lands or other Immovables Bonds or Mortgages given on the account of the said Ransoms as also for all other Disputes belonging to the case of Arms that might occur the Parties concern'd shall repair to our said most Dear and most Beloved Brother the Duke of Anjou to summon the Marshals of France and he shall decide and determine the same XXVI We Order and it is our Will and Pleasure that all those of the said Religion as well in general as in particular shall be restor'd preserv'd maintain'd and kept under our Protection and Authority into all and every their Estates Rights and Actions Honours estates Places Pensions and Dignities of what quality soever they be except the Bayliffs and Seneschals of the long Gown and their Lieutenant-Generals in the room of which others have been plac'd by us during the present War to whom Assignations shall be given to reimburse them of the true value of their said Offices out of the clearest Money of our Revenue unless they had rather be Counsellors in our Courts of Parliament within their Precinct or of the Great Council at our Choice in which case they shall only be reimburs'd of the Overplus of the Value thereof in case it fall out so as they shall also pay the Surplus if their Offices were of less Value XXVII The Moveables that shall be found in being not having been taken by way of Hostility shall be restor'd to the Owners however returning the Purchasers the Price they have been sold at by Authority of Justice or by other Commission or publick Order as well belonging to Catholicks as to those of the said Religion And for the Performance of the same the Detainers of the said Moveables shall be constrained to make immediate restitution thereof without delay all oppositions or exceptions notwithstanding and to return and restore them to the Owners for the Price they have cost them XXVIII And as for the Fruits or Revenues of the Immoveables every one shall re-enter into his house and shall reciprocally enjoy the Income of the gathering of the present year All Seizures or oppositions made to the contrary during the Troubles notwithstanding As also every one shall enjoy the Arrears of Rent that shall not have been taken by us or our Order Permission or Ordinance from us or our Justice XXIX Also the Forces and Garisons that are or shall be in Houses Places Cities and Castles belonging to our said Subjects of whatever Religion shall immediately retire out of the same after the Publication of the present Edict to leave them the free and intire Possession thereof as they enjoy'd it before their being dispossess'd XXX It is also our Will and Pleasure That our Dear and Well-beloved Cousins the Prince of Orange and Count Ludowic of Nassau his Brother shall be actually restor'd and re-establish'd into all the Lands Lordships and Jurisdictions they have in our said Kingdoms and Territories under our Obedience as also to the Principality of Orange the Rights Titles Papers Informations and Dependancies of the same taken by our Lieutenant-Generals and other Ministers by us employed to that end the which shall be to said Prince of Orange and the Count his Brother restor'd in the same condition they enjoyed them before the Troubles and shall enjoy the same henceforward according to the Letters Patent Decrees and Declarations granted by the late King Henry of most laudable Memory our most Honoured Lord and Father whom God absolve and other Kings our Predecessors as they did before the Troubles XXXI We also Will and Require That all Titles Papers Instructions and Informations that have been taken shall be restored and returned on both sides to the true owners XXXII And in order to extinguish and lay aside as much as can be the Remembrance of all Troubles and Divisions past we have declar'd and
said Religion in our Court and Attendance nor within Ten Leagues about it nor in our Lands and Countries beyond the Mounts nor also in our City Provostship and Vice-County of Paris nor within Ten Leagues round about the same the which Ten Leagues we have limited and do limit to the following Places Meaux and the Suburbs Meulun and the Suburbs a League beyond Charters under Mont-le-hery Dourdan and the Suburbs Rambouillet Houdan and the Suburbs a long League beyond Meulun Vigni Meru and S. Leu de Saraus In all which places we do not allow any exercise of the said Religion Nevertheless those of the said Religion living in the said Lands and Countries beyond the Mounts and in our said City Provostship and Vice-County of Paris extended as abovesaid shall neither be disturb'd in their Houses nor constrain'd to do any thing on the account of Religion contrary to their Consciences provided always they behave themselves according to the Rules prescrib'd in our present Edict XI We do injoyn all Preachers Readers and others who speak in Publick not to use any Words Discourses and Expressions tending to excite the People to Sedition but on the contrary to content and behave themselves modestly saying nothing but what may tend to the Instruction and Edification of the Hearers and to maintain the Peace and Tranquility by us establish'd in our said Kingdom on the pains mention'd in our precedent Edicts Commanding our Attornies General and other our Officers most expresly to see the same perform'd XII Those of the said Religion shall no wise be constrain'd neither shall they remain bound upon the account of the Abjurations Promises and Oaths heretofore made or taken by them or security by them given upon the account of the said Religion and shall never be molested or troubled for the same in any kind whatever XIII They shall be oblig'd to keep and observe the Festivals established in the Catholick Apostolick and Roman Church Neither shall they be allow'd on such days to Labour Work Sell or expose Goods to sale in open Shop Neither shall the Shambles be open'd on such days in which the use of Flesh is forbidden XIV No Books shall be allow'd to be sold in our Kingdom Countries Territories and Lordship under our Obedience without being first examin'd by our Officers residing there and such as are written in Relation to the said pretended Reform'd Religion by the Chambers hereafter by us ordain'd in every Parliament to judge of the Causes and Differences of those of the said Religion Prohibiting most expresly the Impression Publication and Sale of all Defamatory Books Libels and Writings on the pains contain'd in our Ordinances â—njoyning all our Judes and Officers to have an eye upon the same XV. We also order That no Difference or Distinction shall be made upon the account of Religion To receive Scholars to be instructed in the Universities Colleges and Schools And the Sick and Poor into the Hospitals c. and publick Alms. XVI Those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion shall be obliged to observe the Laws of the Catholick Apostolick Roman Church receiv'd in this our Kingdom in respect to Marriages contracted or to be contracted as to the Degrees of Consanguinity and Affinity to avoid the Debates and Suits that might be thereby occasion'd to the ruin of most of the best Families of the same and the dissolution of the Bonds of Friendship that are acquir'd by Marriage and alliance among our Subjects XVII Those of the said Religion shall be oblig'd to pay the Rights of Entrance as is usual for the Places and Offices they shall be admitted into without being oblig'd to assist at any Ceremonies contrary to their said Religion And being called to their Oath they shall only be oblig'd to hold up their Hand to swear and promise to God that they will speak the Truth without being bound to take a dispensation of the Oath by them taken in passing the Contracts and Bonds XIX It is also our Will and Pleasure that all those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion and others who have been ingag'd in their Party of what Degree Quality or Condition soever shall be bound and constrain'd by all due and reasonable Ways and under the Penalties contain'd in our precedent Edicts made upon this Subject to pay and acquit the Tithes due to Curates and other Ecclesiasticks and to all others to whom they may belong according to the Use and Custom of Places XIX And in order the better to reunite the Wills of our Subjects which is our Intention and to remove all cause of complaint for the future we do declare all those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion and others our aforesaid Subjects that have been ingag'd in their Party Capable to hold and exercise all Estates Dignities Offices and Publick Employments whatever Royalties and Lordships and such as belong to the Cities of our said Kingdoms Countries Territories and Lordships under our Obedience and to be admitted and receiv'd into the same without distinction and without being oblig'd to take any Oath or lie under any Obligation but well and faithfully to discharge their Employments Dignities Places and Offices and to observe the Ordinances And when any vacancie of the Employments Places and Offices within our disposal shall happen they shall be by us reimplac'd without distinction of Religion by able persons as we shall think proper for the good of our Service We also allow those of the said Religion to be admitted and received in all Councils Deliberations Assemblies and Functions depending on the abovesaid things and that they shall neither be rejected or debar'd the enjoyment thereof on the account of the said Religion XX. We also order that for the interring of the Dead of those of the said Religion within all the Cities and places of this Realm our Officers and Magistrates shall speedily provide a convenient Place in every place for that end The which we enjoin our said Officers to do and to take care that no Scandals may be committed at the said Burials XXI And to the end that Justice may be done and ministred to all our Subjects without partiality hatred or favour which is one of the principal means to maintain them in peace and concord We have and do ordain that in every one of our Courts of Parliament of Paris Roan Dijon and Rennes there shall be a Chamber establish'd compos'd for that of the Parliament of Paris of a President and 16 Councellors For that of Roan of a President and twelve Councellors and for those of Dijon and Rennes of one President and ten Councellors Which said Presidents and Councellors shall be selected and taken by us out of the number of those of the said Courts XXII And as for the Courts of Parliament of Bourdeaux Grenoble and Aix a Chamber shall also be establish'd in every one of them compos'd of two Presidents the one a Catholick and the other of the said pretended Reform'd Religion
and 12 Councellors of which eight shall be Catholicks and the other four of the said Religion Which Catholick Presidents and Councellors shall be by us selected and nominated out of the number of the Presidents and Councellors of the said Courts And as to those of the said Religion such shall be employ'd as shall be found at this very time in possession of the said Offices in the said Courts And in such places where their number shall not be sufficient we shall erect other Offices as much as shall be necessary to accomplish the aforesaid number with the same Salleries Honours Authorities and Prerogatives as the others of our said Courts for persons of the said Religion XXIII A Chamber shall also be establish'd for the Jurisdiction of our Court of Parliament of Thoulouse compos'd as the others of two Presidents the one a Catholick and the other of the said Religion and of twelve Councellors eight Catholicks and the other four of the said Religion Which Catholicks shall be by us chosen out of our other Courts of Parliament and out of the Great Council And as for those of the said Religion such shall be employ'd there as shall be found still at this present time provided with Offices in the said Parliament of Thoulouse besides which a sufficient number shall be created to supply the said Chamber as is above said for the others Which Chamber being thus compos'd shall by us be sent into the City of And as for that of Dauphine it shall sit six Months in our City of Grenoble and the other six Months in such another City as we shall hereafter order XXIV The said Chambers compos'd as abovesaid and establish'd in all our said Parliaments shall take cognisance and judge sovereignly and definitively by Decree exclusively to all others of Suits and Differences mov'd or to be mov'd In which Suits those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion and others that have been ingag'd in their Party shall be Principals or Warrantees either Plaintiffs or Defendants in all Causes Civil or Criminal whether the said Processes be by Writ or Verbal Appeals in case the said Parties like it so and one of them requires it before any Plea in the Cause in respect to Suits to be commenc'd XXV It is also our Pleasure by way of Care and Circumspection until we have otherwise ordain'd it that in all Processes mov'd or to be mov'd in which those of the said Religion shall stand as Plaintiffs or Defendants Principals or Warrantees in Civil Causes in which our Officers of Presidial Seats have power to judge Sovereignly and definitively they shall be allow'd to demand that two of those of the Chamber where the said Cause is to be try'd shall abstain from the Judgment of the same Who without alledging any cause shall be oblig'd to abstain in this case Notwithstanding the Ordinance by which the Judges cannot be excepted against without a just cause besides their still retaining the Refusals of Right against the others And in Criminal matters in which they also judge Sovereignly the accus'd of the said Religion shall be allow'd to demand that three of the Judges may abstain from the Judgment of their process without shewing cause And the Provosts of the Marshals of France Vice-Bailiffs Vice-Seneschals Lieutenants of the Short Robe and other Officers of the like Quality shall judge according to the Ordinances and Rules heretofore given in respect to Vagabonds And as for Housholders charg'd and accus'd of Provostal or Criminal cases if they be of the said Religion they shall be allow'd to demand that three of the Presidial Judges before whom the said Cases are to be try'd by the Statutes may abstain from the Judgment of their Process And they shall be oblig'd to abstain from the same without shewing cause except when in the Chamber of the said Presidial Seats where the said Processes are to be judg'd there be to the number of Two in Civil Cases and Three in Criminal matters of the said Religion In which Case it shall not be allow'd to refuse without shewing cause But yet we do not mean that the said Presidial Tribunals Provosts Marshals Vice-Bailiffs and Vice-Seneschals by vertue hereof should take cognisance of the Troubles past XXVI It is farther our Will and Pleasure that our most Dearly Beloved Brother the King of Navar our most Dearly Beloved Cousin the Prince of Conde as well as all other Lords Knights Gentlemen and others of what Quality and Condition soever of the said Religion and others that have been ingag'd in their Party shall be restor'd and effectually preserv'd in the possession of their Governments Places Estates and Royal Offices which they enjoy'd before the 24th of August 1572. the said to hold and to use in the said form and manner as other Governors and Officers of this our same Kingdom without being oblig'd to take new Letters Patents all Decrees and Judgments given against them and Letters Patent obtain'd by others for the said Employments notwithstanding As also that they shall re-enter inpossession of all and singular their Estates Rights Names Dues and Actions all Judgments and Sentences given upon the account of the said Troubles notwithstanding The which Decrees Judgments Letters Patent and all that may have follow'd we have to that end declar'd and do declare null and of no effect and value XXVII Not intending however that those of the said Religion and others that have been ingag'd in their Party who have resign'd their Employments and Offices by vertue of our Letters Patent or of the Late King our most honour'd Lord and Brother whom God absolve should recover the same and re-enter into the possession thereof reserving to them however all Actions against the Possessors and Titularies of the said Offices for the payment of the price agreed on between them upon the account of the said Resignations And as for those who have been constrain'd by particular persons by Fact and Force to resign their said Employments and Offices we do permit them and their Heirs to sue for the same by Law in a civil manner both against those that have us'd the said Force and against their Heirs and Successors XXVIII And as for those of the said Religion and others who have been ingag'd in their Party and had the grant of the said Offices before the 24th of August 1572. and were not yet receiv'd into the same It is our will and pleasure that they be receiv'd into the said Employments and that all necessary Patents be expedited them to that End XXIX It is also our will and pleasure That in case any Commanderships of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem belonging to those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion and others who have been ingag'd in their Party shall be found seiz'd by Authority of Justice or otherwise barely upon the account and pretence of the Troubles and they any wise dispossess'd of the same they shall be immediately restor'd to the said Commanders
execution thereof and the possession of the same shall be restor'd to them as they had it on the said 24th of August 1572. What is above written shall also hold good for others who have been ingag'd in the Party of those of the said Religion since the last taking up of Arms or that have absented from our said Kingdom upon the account of the Troubles and for the Minor Children of those of the Quality abovesaid who died during the said Troubles Restoring the Parties to the same Condition in which they were before without paying Charges or being oblig'd to consign the Fines XXXIX All Prisoners that are detain'd whether by Authority of Justice or otherwise even upon the Gallies on the account of the present or precedent Troubles shall be freed and set at liberty on both sides without paying any Ransom Cancelling and anulling all past Obligations on that subject discharging the securities thereof inhibiting and forbiding most expresly all such in whose keeping the said Prisoners are to use any force or violence against them to abuse or misuse them any wise in their Persons on pain of being severely punish'd and chastis'd However not meaning that the Ransoms that have already been disburs'd and paid by those who were Prisoners of War only should be redemanded of those that have receiv'd them And as to what relates to the Differences concerning the said Ransoms of those that have been made Prisoners on both sides during the said Troubles the Cognizance and Judgment thereof is reserv'd as we do reserve it to us and to our Person forbidding the Parties to sue for the same any where but before us And all our Officers and Magistrates to take the least cognizance thereof XL. And as to what has been done or taken without hostility or in an hostile manner contrary to the publick or particular Regulations of the Chiefs and of the Communalties and Provinces that had a Command it shall be lawful to fue for it according to the common Practice of the Law XLI It is also our Will and Pleasure that all Crimes and Offences committed between persons of the same Party in times of Troubles Truces and Suspensions of Arms shall be punish'd unless in Actions commanded by the Chiefs of either part according to the Necessity Law and Order of War And as for all Raisings and Exactions of Money bearing of Arms and other Warlike Exploits done by private Authority and without being warranted so to do the persons having so done shall be prosecuted according to Law XLII The Goods that shall be found in being and that shall have been taken by way of hostility shall be restor'd to the Right Owners in case they be and are found to be at the time of the publication of the present Edict in the possession of those that have taken them or of their Heirs without paying any thing for the Restitution thereof And where the said Goods shall have been sold or alienated by Authority of Justice or by Commission or Publick Order belonging either to Catholicks or to those of the said Religion they shall have leave to redeem them returning the price thereof to the purchasers declaring that what was committed at Paris and elsewhere on the 24th of August 1572. and the following Days in consequence of that was no Act of Hostility XLIII As to what relates to the Fruits of the Immoveables every one shall retake possession of his Houses and Estates and shall reciprocally enjoy the fruits or products of the present Year that shall not have been taken or gather'd on the 17th Day of this present Month of September Even the Ecclesiasticks All Seizures and hinderances made to the contrary during the said present and precedent Troubles notwithstanding As also every one shall enjoy the Arrears of the Rents that shall not have been taken by us or by our Orders and permissions or by order of Justice or by command of our said Brother and Cousin the King of Navar and Prince of Conde or by others authoris'd by them XLIV All Titles Papers Listructions and Informations that have been taken shall be return'd on both sides to the right owners altho the said Papers or the Castles and Houses in which they were kept have been taken and seiz'd either by our special Commissions or by order of the Governors and Lieutenants-General of our Provinces or by the authority of the Chiefs of the other Party or under any pretence whatever XLV Those of the said Religion shall not be overcharg'd for the future nor oppress'd with any ordinary or extraordinary Charges more than the Catholicks and according to the proportion of their Estates and Substance and it shall be lawful for such as shall think themselves overburthen'd to seek for a Redress before the Judges to whom those Matters shall be referr'd And all our Subjects of what Religion or Quality soever shall be indifferently discharg'd of the Charges that have been impos'd on both sides on those who were absent and did not enjoy their Estates by reason of the Troubles but still without restitution of the Fruits that shall have been imploy'd for the payment of the said Charges XLVI Neither shall those of the said Religion and others who have been ingag'd in their Party nor the Catholicks who inhabited in the Cities and places by them detain'd and occupy'd and who have paid Contritributions to them be liable to be sued for the payment of the Taxes Subsidies Grants Increases Assesments Wastes Reparations and other Impositions and Subsidies accruing and impos'd since the 24th of August 1572. until now either by our Orders or by the advice and deliberations of the Governors and Estates of the Provinces Courts of Parliament and others which we have and do discharge them of commanding the Treasurers of France Generals of our Revenues Receivers General and Particular their Clerks and Deputies and other Intendants and Commissioners of our said Revenues neither to sue molest or disquiet them for the same directly or indirectly in any wise whatever XLVII The Forces and Garisons that are or shall be in Houses Places Cities and Castles belonging to our Subjects shall march out of them immediately after the publication of the present Edict and leave the free and absolute enjoyment thereof to the true owners as they enjoy'd them formerly notwithstanding all the pretensions of right that might be alledg'd by those that detain them which pretensions they shall be free to prosecute according to the Common Course of Law after having quitted the said possession which we will have effected especially in respect to the Benefices the Titularies shall have been dispossess'd of XLVIII Free Commerce and Passage shall be restor'd through all the Cities Towns Villages Bridges and Passages of our Kingdom Countries Lands and Lordships under our command and protection both by Sea and Land Rivers and Fresh-waters as they were before the present and precedent Troubles and all new Tolls and Subsidies impos'd by any Authority but our own
during the said Troubles shall be remov'd XLIX All Places Cities and Provinces of our said Kingdom Territories Lands and Lordships under our Obedience shall use and enjoy the same Priviledges Immunities Liberties Franchises Fairs Markets Jurisdictions and Seats of Justice as they did before the present and precedent Troubles all Letters to the contrary and the removing of any of the said Tribunals notwithstanding provided those things have only been done upon the account of the Troubles the which Tribunals shall be restor'd and re establish'd into the Cities and Places where they were before L. In such Cities as have been dismantled during the pass'd and present Troubles it shall be lawful for the Inhabitants to rebuild and repair the Ruins and Dismantlings of the same with our leave at their own cost and charges LI. Such of the said pretended Reform'd Religion and others who have been ingag'd in their Party which had taken to Farm before the present Troubles any Registries or other Demean and Rights to us belonging which they have not been able to enjoy by reason of the said Troubles shall remain discharg'd as we do hereby discharge them of what they have not receiv'd of the said Farms since the 24th of August 1572. as also of what they have paid without fraud in places not belonging to the Receipt of our Revenues all Obligations pass'd by them upon the same notwithstanding LII And to the end that no body may doubt of the good Intention of our said Brother the King of Navar and of our said Cousin the Prince of Conde We have said and declar'd do say and declare that we hold and repute them our good Kinsmen faithful Subjects and Servants LIII As also all the Lords Knights Gentlemen Officers and other Inhabitants of Cities Corporations Villages and other places of our said Kingdom and Countries under our command who have follow'd succour'd and favour'd them in any part whatever for our good and loyal Subjects declaring all Decrees Informations and proceedings made and given against them upon the account of the said Troubles void and of no effect as things never done nor happen'd willing the same to be raz'd out of the Registers of the Chief Clerk's Offices both of our Courts of Parliament and other Jurisdictions where they have been recorded LIV. We also declare that we hold and repute our Cousin Duke John Cazimir for our good Neighbour Kinsman and Friend LV. We do also acquit and discharge our said Brother and Cousin the King of Navar and Prince of Conde as well as all the Lords Knights Gentlemen Officers Corporations of Cities and Communities and all others that have abetted and succour'd them their Heirs and Successors for all Sums taken and rais'd by them or their Orders out of our Offices of Receipt and Revenues to whatever sum or sums they may amount as well as out of Cities Corporations and from particular persons Rents Revenues Plate Sales of Estates Goods both Ecclesiastical and others Forests belonging to us or others Fines Booties Ransoms or other Sums taken by them upon the account of the present and precedent Troubles and that neither they nor any that have been employ'd by them for the raising of the said Sums or that have given and furnish'd them by their Ordinances shall any wise be liable to be call'd to an account for the same either at present or for the future And that both they and their Clerks shall remain acquitted for all the management and Administration of the said Sums only producing for a full Discharge within four Months after the publication of our present Edict given in our Court of Parliament at Paris acquittances duly expedited by our said Brother and Cousin the King of Navar and Prince of Conde or by such as shall have been by them committed for the audit and closing of their Accounts or from the Corporations of the Cities that have been employ'd and intrusted during the said Troubles They shall also remain acquitted and discharg'd for all Acts of Hostility Levies and marching of Soldiers Coining and Rating of Species made according to the order of the said Chiefs Casting and taking of Artillery and Stores both out of our Magazine and from particular persons making of Powder and Saltpeter taking fortifying dismantling and demolishing of Cities Castles Towns Enterprises upon the same Burning and demolishing of Churches and Houses establishing of Courts of Justice Judgments and Executions of the same either in Civil or Criminal Causes Civil Government and Regulations made among themselves Voyages Intelligences Negotiations Treaties and Contracts made with all Foreign Princes and Communities introducing of the said Strangers into the Cities and other parts of this our Kingdom and generally for all that has been done manag'd and negotiated during the present or past troubles since the Death of our late Lord and Father by those of the pretended Reform'd Religion and others that have been engag'd in their Party although it be not particularly express'd and specifi'd LVI And those of the said Religion and others that have adhered to them shall give over and desist from this time forward from all Practices Leagues and Intelligences they hold out of our said Kingdom as also all other our Subjects that might have held any And all Leagues Associations Fellowships contracted or to be contracted under any pretence whatever to the prejudice of our present Edict shall be cancell'd and annul'd as we do cancel and annul them forbidding our Subjects most expresly to make any Assessments or raise Money without our leave Fortifications listing of men Congregations and Assemblies other than such as are allow'd them by our said present Edict and without Arms Which we do prohibit and forbid them on pain of severe punishment as contemners and infracters of our Commands and Orders LVII All Prizes taken both by Sea and Land by vertue of the Licenses and Warrants given which have been judg'd by the Judges of the Admiralty and other Commissioners deputed to that end by those of the said Religion shall remain dormant under the benefit of our present Edict for which no prosecution shall be made neither shall the Captains their Securities and the said Judges Officers and others be call'd to an account for the same nor molested in any kind whatever All Letters of Mark and Seisures depending and not judg'd notwithstanding of which we will have them absolutely discharg'd and releas'd LVIII It is also our will and pleasure That the Children of such as have retir'd out of our said Kingdom since the Death of the late King Henry our most honour'd Lord and Father upon the account of Religion and the Troubles altho the said Children are born out of our said Kingdom shall be acknowledg'd as true Natives of France and actual Inhabitants thereof and such we have and do declare them to be without their being oblig'd to take any Letters of Naturalization or other provisions from us besides the present Edict All Ordinances thereunto
contrary notwithstanding the which we have and do derogate from LIX We also order that immediately after the publication of this our Edict all Forces and Armies both by Sea and Land shall disband and retire Those of the said Religion and such as have been ingag'd in their Party shall be oblig'd to remove all Garisons out of the Cities Places Castles and Houses they are possess'd of belonging either to us to the Clergy or other private persons to quit restore and surrender them in full liberty as they were in full peace before the present and precedent Troubles ¶ Nevertheless whereas several private persons have receiv'd and suffer'd during the Troubles so many Injuries and Damages in their Estates and Persons that it will be difficult for them to lose the remembrance thereof so soon as it should be requisite for the execution of our Intentions we being desirous to avoid all inconveniencies that might arise from thence until the Heart-burnings and Animosities are allay'd have thought fit to give in keeping to those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion for the time and Term of six years the Cities following viz. In Languedoc those of Montpelier and Aiguesmortes In Dauphine Nyons and Serre City and Castle In Provence Seine La Grandtour and the Circuit thereof In Gulenne Perigueux La Reolle and the Mas of Verdun which Cities our said Brother and Cousin the King of Navar and Prince of Conde and twenty Gentlemen of the said Religion or others that have been engag'd in their Party who shall be by us nominated Besides such as shall be committed for the Guard of the said Cities and Castles shall swear and promise one and for the whole for themselves and for those of the said Religion and others of their Party well and faithfully for us to keep them and at the expiration of the aforesaid Term of Six Years to reckon from the day and date of the present Edict to redeliver them into the hands of such as shall be by us deputed in the same condition they now are in without the least Innovation or Alteration and without the least delay or difficulty upon any pretence whatever at the end of which Term the exercise of the said Religion shall be continu'd there as while in their Possession Nevertheless it is our Will and Pleasure That in them all Clergy-men shall freely return perform Divine Service in all Liberty and enjoy their Estates and likewise all the Catholick Inhabitants of the said Cities The which Clergy-men and other Inhabitants our said Brother and Cousin and other Lords together with the Governors of the said Cities and Garisons shall take into their Protection and Safeguard to the end that they may not be disturbed in the said Divine Service molested nor disquieted in their Persons and in the enjoyment of their Estates but on the contrary restor'd and re-established into the full Possession of the same Willing moreover that our Judges shall be also re-establish'd into the said Cities and the exercise of Justice restor'd as it us'd to be before LX. Forbidding strictly all our Subjects of what Quality or Condition soever to form any Enterprizes or private Conspiracies to surprize the said Cities given in keeping to those of the said Religion or to take or seize any other Cities Castles and Places of our said Kingdom and Territories thereunto belonging on pain of being punish'd and chastis'd as Infractors of the Peace and Disturbers of the Publick Quiet LXI No Governors or Garisons shall be put by us into the Cities at present in Possession of those of the said Religion which are to be quitted by them unless they have always had such and even in the Reign of the late King Henry our said Lord and Father Likewise desiring to ease our Subjects in all our Cities as much as in us lies it is our Will and Pleasure That the Governors Captains and Soldiers that have been put in Garison there shall be remov'd out of the same excepting out of such as are Frontiers of our said Kingdom which are fit to be kept there for the Defence and Safety thereof Neither shall any other Garisons be kept in the Cities Castles Houses and Estates belonging particularly to our Subjects than such as us'd to be kept there in time of Peace LXII And to the end that our Justices Officers and other our Subjects may be clearly and with all certainty inform'd of our Will and Intention and to remove all Ambiguities and Doubts that might arise on the account of the precedent Edicts by reason of the diversity of the same we have and do hereby declare all other Precedent Edicts secret Articles Letters Declarations Modifications Requisitions Restrictions Interpretations Decrees Registers as well such as are secret as other Deliberations by us made in our Courts of Parliament and elsewhere concerning the Case of Religion and the Troubles happen'd in our said Kingdom to be void and of no effect and value To which and to the derogatories therein contain'd we have by this our Edict derogated and do derogate and from this time as well as then cancel revoke and annual the same declaring expresly That this our Edict shall be firm and inviolable kept and observed by our said Justicers and Officers as well as by our other Subjects without minding or regarding whatever may be contrary or derogating to the same LXIII And for the better Assurance of the maintaining and observation we desire to have of the same it is our Will and Pleasure That all our Governours and Lieutenant-Generals of our Provinces Bailiffs Seneschals and other common Judges of the Cities of this our said Kingdom immediately upon receit of this our said Edict shall swear to cause it to be observed in their several Precincts as also the Mayors Sheriffs Capitouls Consuls and Jurats of Cities Annual or Perpetual Enjoining also our said Bailiffs Seneschals or their Lieutenants or other Judges to swear the chief Inhabitants of the said Cities of either Religion to the keeping and maintaining of the present Edict immediately after the Publication of the same putting all the Inhabitants of the said Cities under our Protection and Safeguard to guard each other charging them respectively and by Publick Acts to be responsible for the opposition that shall be made to our said Edict in the said Cities by the Inhabitants thereof or to represent and deliver the said Opposers into the hands of Justice LXIV We also charge our Trusty and Well-beloved the Members of our Courts of Parliament immediately upon receit of the present Edict to forbear all manner of Proceedings on pain of Nullity of the Acts they should otherwise pass and to take the Oath above-mention'd to cause our said Edict to be Publish'd and Recorded in our said Courts according to the Form and Tenor thereof purely and barely without using any other Modifications Restrictions Declarations or secret Registers and without staying for any other Order or Command from us and our Attorneys-General
Attorney-Generals and other Officers His Majesty declaring however that the Children proceeding from the said Marriages shall only succeed to the Movables Acquisitions and Purchas'd Estates of their Fathers and Mothers not willing that the said Profess'd Religious Persons should be capable of a direct or collateral Succession Neither will his Majesty allow that those of the said Religion having heretofore contracted Marriages in the third or fourth degree should be molested for the same or the Validity thereof call'd to question nor likewise the Succession taken from or disputed against the Children born or to be born descending from the said Marriages And in order to judge of the Validity of the said Marriages made and contracted by those of the said Religion and to decide whether they are lawful or not if the person of the said Religion is Defendant in that case the Judges Royal shall take cognizance of the Fact of the said Marriage and he being Plaintiff and the Defendant a Catholick the Cognizance thereof shall belong to the Official and Ecclesiastical Judge for which Letters-Patent shall be granted by his said Majesty to be verified in his Courts of Parliament IX And as to Marriages already treated of either of second or others among those of the said Religion those that shall have contracted Marriages in such a degree in that kind applying themselves to his Majesty such Letters-Patent shall be granted them as shall be necessary to hinder them or their Children from being prosecuted or molested for the same X. Upon what has been granted by the General Articles That in each of the Parliaments of Paris Roaâ— Dijon and Rennes a Chamber shall be establish'd compos'd of a President and a certain number of Counsellors taken and chosen out of the said Courts it has been thought fit and agreed upon in order to remove all cause of Jealousy from those of the said Religion and therein to gratifie the most humble Petition they have made to his Majesty about it That the Presidents and Counsellors shall be chosen by his said Majesty upon the Register of the Officers of the said Parliaments among the most equitable most peaceable and most moderate the List whereof shall be communicated to the Deputies of the said King of Navarre and to those of the said Religion who shall be near his Majesty before their being ordain'd to serve in the said Chambers and that in case they shall suspect any of them it shall be lawful for them to acquaint his Majesty therewith who shall chuse others in their stead XI The same shall be observ'd in the Election of the Catholick Officers that are to serve in the Chambers that shall be establish'd in the Countries of Guienne Languedoc Dauphine and Provence XII As to what relates to the Election of those of the said Religion for the Offices of Presidents and Counsellors that shall be erected by the said Edict to serve in the said Chambers it has been agreed That it shall be made by his Majesty upon the Attestation of the said King of Navarre for the first time and without taking any Money for the same and that upon any Vacation his said Majesty shall provide other capable persons in their room being of the said Religion XIII And whereas those of the said Religion have alledg'd several reasons for which they suspect those of the Court of Parliament of Roan which made them very solicitous to have a Chamber establish'd there as in the Parliaments of Bourdeaux Thoulouse and Dauphine in order not to make that Parliament differ from those of Paris Dijon and Rennes it has been granted to those of the said Religion having any Suits depending in the said Parliament in case they will not receive those of the Chamber that shall be erected there for Judges to apply themselves to his said Majesty and Letters of Transferation shall be allow'd them by him in the Chamber of the Parliament of Paris ordain'd for the Administration of Justice to those of the said Religion or to the Great Council for Processes mov'd or to be mov'd before any Plea in the Cause bringing good and due Attestations along with them of their being of the said pretended Reform'd Religion XIV His said Majesty also wills and means That the said Chambers compos'd and establish'd in the said Parliaments for the distribution of Justice to those of the said Religion shall be reunited and incorporated in the said Parliaments when need shall require and when the Causes which have mov'd his said Majesty to establish them shall cease and shall no longer subsist among his subjects XV. To those ends the Presidents and Counsellors who shall be invested with the Offices newly created into the said Chambers shall be nam'd Presidents and Counsellors of the Courts of Parliament each in that into which they shall be establish'd and reckon'd in the number of the Presidents and Counsellors of the said Courts and shall enjoy the same Salaries Authorities Prerogatives as the Presidents and Counsellors of the other Courts XVI The Examination of which Presidents and Counsellors newly chosen shall be made by his Majesty's Privy Council or by the said Chambers each one within its Precinct when there shall be a sufficient Number of them and yet the accustom'd Oath shall be taken by them in the Courts where the said Chambers shall be establish'd except those of the said Chamber of Languedoc who shall take it before the Lord Chancellor or in the said Chamber when it shall be establish'd XVII In the said Chamber of Languedoc there shall be two Substitutes of his Majesties Attorny and Advocate The Attorney's shall be a Catholick and the other of the aforesaid Religion who shall have sufficient Salaries from his said Majesty XVIII There shall also be two Committees of the Parliament of Thoulouse the one Civil the other Criminal which the Registers shall be responsible for XIX Moreover some Messengers shall be appointed who shall be taken out of the said Court or elsewhere according to the King's pleasure as many as shall be necessary for the Service of the said Chamber XX. The Session of which shall be appointed by his Majesty and remov'd to such Cities and Parts of the said Country of Languedoc as his said Majesty shall think fit for the convenience of his Subjects XXI Whereas those of the said Religion have made complaints that from the Publication of the Edict made in the year 1572. to the day of the Publication of this that shall be now there have been several Prescriptions Nonsuits or Judgments given against those of the said Religion in places where the Suits have neither been heard nor defended and that tho they have desired a removal to the Party-Chambers it has been denied them It is granted them that in case they can give sufficient proof of the same they shall be receiv'd in their first Condition again XXII Likewise upon the Remonstrances that have been made by the King of Navar and the Prince
of Conde that they are sued by several of those who during the Troubles have bought Temporal Estates belonging to the Church requesting that no Actions may be allow'd the Purchasers against them or any of those who by their Command have made the Contracts of the said Sales It is granted to them in his said Majesties Name that all necessary Letters Patent to discharge and indemnify them for the said Sales shall be particularly expedited for them on condition that the money shall be reimburs'd as it is specifi'd in the General Articles of the Edict XXIII His Majesty shall promise and swear to observe and maintain the Edict that shall be made upon the said General Articles and to let those of the said Religion and others that have been ingag'd in their Party injoy the benefit of the same He shall also oblige the Queen his Mother and the Duke of Anjou his Brother to promise and swear to keep and observe the said Edict XXIV The same shall be done by the King of Navar and the Prince of Conde XXV All which Promises and Oaths shall be made in writing sign'd by the Hands and seal'd with the Arms of those that shall make them the which shall be reciprocally put and deliver'd into the hands of his Majesty and of the said King of Navar or such as shall be by them deputed to receive them XXVI The said King of Navar shall be allow'd after the Conclusion of the Peace to send to the Queen of England and to Duke John Casimir to acquaint them therewith and Passes and Convoys shall be given by his Majesty to those that shall be sent thither by the King of Navar. XXVII All such of the said Religion as are still in possession of Benifices shall be oblig'd to resign them within the space of Six Months to Catholicks and those who have promises of Pensions upon the said Benefices dated before the 24th of August 1572. shall be henceforward paid for the same and the payment of the said Pensions continued and those who owe the said Pensions shall be oblig'd to pay the Arrears in case any are due provided they have actually injoy'd the Fruits of the said Benefices excepting the Arrears due in the time of the Troubles XXVIII And as for those who are not of the said Religion yet have follow'd them during the time of the Troubles they shall re-enter into the same Possession and Injoyment of their Benefices as they had before the 24th of August 1572. And those who by private Authority without order or gift from his Majesty have enjoy'd and receiv'd the Fruits of the said Benefices belonging to the abovemention'd shall be oblig'd to return it to them and to resettle them into the same XXIX Upon the Request of those of the said Religion and others who have been ingag'd in their Party to annihilate all the Bonds Notes and Promises made by them together with all Judgments given upon the same against them upon the account of the Imployments Places and Offices resign'd unto them before the last Troubles or since for which they have not been able to obtain Letters Patents by reason of the said Troubles the which said Imployments and Offices have in the mean while been granted to others they also requesting the reimbursement of the Money paid by them for the same either into his Majesty's Exchequer or to the Resigners It has been declar'd That upon their giving his Majesty an account of the particulars of the Cases in question his said Majesty will remedy the same and cause Justice to be done unto them XXX The Officers of Justice shall also decide the particular Debate and Request of the Parties about the Annihilation desir'd by those of the said Religion and others who have been ingag'd in their Party of the Leases made by them of their Estates and Inheritances since the said 24th of August in order to re-enter into the Premises returning the Fines by them receiv'd XXXI His Majesty's Officers in the City of Rochel the Mayor Sheriffs Consuls Common-Council and other Inhabitants of the said City shall be continu'd and maintain'd in their Ancient Rights and Priviledges and shall neither be prosecuted molested or troubled for their Orders Decrees Imprisonments both within and without the City the Execution of their Judgments afterwards as well upon the account of some pretended Enterprizes attempted against the said City in December 1573. as by a Ship call'd the Swallow and the Execution of the Judgments given against those that were on Board of her or for any other Acts whatever of all which they shall be absolutely discharg'd They shall have no other Governor but the Seneschal neither shall any Garison be put into the said City and Government Neither shall any be put into the Cities and Places belonging to the Government of Languedoc except such as had Garisons in the time of the late King Henry XXXII His Majesty shall confirm the Declaration granted by the late King to the Inhabitants of Pamiers professing the said Religion for the Annihilation of the Decrees given for some Excesses committed in the said City in the Month of June 1566. and the said Declaration shall be presented to that end to his said Majesty XXXIII The keeping of Eight hundred men to be paid by his said Majesty has been granted to the said King of Navar and others of the said Religion to put into the Cities that are allow'd them for their safety in which his said Majesty shall not be allow'd to put any Governor or other Garison And he shall also Charge the Governors and Lieutenant-Generals of his Provinces that whenever they shall pass through the same to visit them they shall avoid all occasion of dispute with those of the said Religion XXXIV The said King of Navarre shall present unto his said Majesty those he shall design to employ for the guarding of the said Cities the which shall be employ'd there accordingly by him And in case any of the said persons so employ'd should behave themselves insolently there and abuse their said Office not observing the said Edict of Pacification the said King of Navarre shall be obliged to turn them out and to present others to his said Majesty to be put in their place XXXV The City of St. John d' Angeli shall be left to the Prince of Condé for his Abode during the Time and Term of Six Years until he may effectually enjoy his Government of Picardy in which his Majesty will have him continued XXXVI The said Prince shall promise unto his said Majesty well and faithfully to keep the said City of St. John and at the end of the time abovesaid the same to redeliver together with the Castle into the hands of the person deputed by his Majesty to that end in the same condition it now is without any innovation or alteration and without the least delay or difficulty upon any account whatever Moreover it is his Majesty's Will and Pleasure
without paying any Ransom And all Acts of Hostility and other Transgressions of the Edict in general shall cease according to the Commissions that have been issu'd out to that end which shall be sent every where in the Governments of Guyenne Languedoc and other Provinces when it shall be necessary XVII It has also been agreed by the said Lady Queen Mother to his Majesty the King of Navar and all the above-mentiond that all the Cities and Places kept by those of the said Religion shall be restor'd in the Governments of Guyenne and Languedoc at the time declar'd by the preceding Article And the Edict of pacification shall be put entirely in execution in the same as also and by the same means in the other Cities where the Catholicks are more numerous neither Parties being allow'd to put Garisons into them And thus the Inhabitants of the same of both Religions shall remain under the special safeguard of the King our Sovereign Lord it being forbidden on pain of Death to wrong them or to undertake any thing against the Liberty and Safety of the said Cities Nevertheless for surety of what is above written and for an assurance of the execution of the said Edict the King leaves and gives in keeping to the said King of Navar the following Cities In the Government of Guyenne Bazas Puymerol and Figeac until the last Day of August next ensuing and no longer And in the Government of Languedoc Ravel Briateste Aleth Santei Agreve Baiz sur Baiz Baignols Alletz Lunel Sommieres Aymargues and Gignac until the first Day of October also next ensuing and no longer On condition and no otherwise that they shall make no Fortifications there nor demolish Churches and other places nor act any thing else contrary to the Edict XVIII That the Ecclesiasticks and other Catholick Inhabitants shall be receiv'd again into the said Cities without any difficulty and shall fully injoy all their Estates and the Fruits or the Revenues of the same That they shall perform Divine Service in the same according to the use of the Catholick Church That Justice shall also be freely administred there That the King's Money as well ordinary as extraordinary shall be rais'd and receiv'd there And that the Edict shall be intirely kept and observ'd there And the same shall be done according to the said Edict in relation to those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion in the other Cities where the Catholicks are more in number It is also resolv'd That the Magistrates and Officers of the Cities shall take care to see it perform'd on pain of being suspended of their Officers for the first times and on forfeit of them for the second XIX That the said Cities during the time heretofore declar'd shall be govern'd by Persons of Integrity Lovers of the Peace and Publick Good who shall be nominated by the King of Navar and approv'd by the said Lady Queen Mother to the King who shall engage and be bound with Six in the chief and Four in the other of the said Towns the same well to preserve in their Obedience to the King and to cause the Edict to be well maintain'd and what has been now resolv'd between the said Lady Queen Mother to the King and the said King of Navar to maintain all the Inhabitants thereof in Safety according to the said Edict and namely to restore the said Cities viz. those of the Government of Guyenne on the First day of September next coming and those of the Government of Languedoc on the First day of October also next coming into the Hands of the Person the King shall be pleas'd to Depute to go to the said Cities to see them forthwith-restor'd in the Condition set down in the said Edict of Pacification without putting any Governor or Garison into the same and without removing the Ammunitions and Artillery that is in the said Cities belonging either to the King or to the Communalties of the said Cities XX. The said King of Navar has also remitted the Mur de Barais to the said Lady Queen who upon his Nomination has agreed to Trust the keeping thereof to Monsieur d'Arpajon to have it in Charge until the said First day of August next At which time the said Monsieur d'Arpagon shall be oblig'd to Surrender it into the hands of the Commissary who shall repair to the other Cities to leave them in the Condition mention'd by the Edict as the other Fourteen Cities aforemention'd XXI And to avoid all manner of Burthening and Oppressing of the Inhabitants of the said Cities and Adjacent Parts the said Lady has and does promise to the said King of Navar and to the said of the pretended Reform'd Religion to furnish Thirty six thousand Livers Tournois which shall be deliver'd into the hands of those the sail King of Navar shall nominate at the beginning of every one of the said Months pro Rata and by equal Portions according to the Division they shall make of it XXII And therefore it has been expresly resolv'd That the said of the pretended Reform'd Religion those who shall Command in the said Cities and those who shall be committed for the Guard thereof shall not be allow'd to Quarter in the Houses of Catholicks as least as few as possible can be neither shall they raise or exact any thing from the Inhabitants thereof or others nor from the Adjacent Places under any colour and pretence whatsoever without the Kings leave The Consuls of the said Cities shall be oblig'd during the said Term of Six Months to furnish the Candles for the Guard and the Wood for Corps de Guard which cannot amount to much considering the Summer season Allowing them however â—at the first Sessions to impose and raise upon the Diocesses and Seneschalships the Sums to which the said Candles and Wood shall amount without consequence And as for the Garisons lying at present in the Cities of the said Country of Languedoc held by those of the said Religion they are allow'd to raise if it has not been done already what is barely necessary for their Maintenance until the last day of March next and no more In order to which they shall give the Commissaries who are now going to put an end to all Acts of Hostility the true estimate of what the Payment of the said Garisons will amount to And the said Estimate shall be drawn without Fraud upon the old Roles In which shall not be included in the upper Country of Languedoc Dornhe S. Germa Pechaudie Pierreficte Carlus Frigerolles Myeules and Postrims which shall be speedily dismantled and quitted And to that end those who detain them shall forthwith deliver them into the hands of those who are sent to cause the Acts of Hostility to cease if they design to injoy the benefit of the General Pardon granted to those who have been Infractors of the Edict of Pacification since the Publication thereof And in case they do not obey what is abovesaid they shall be
depriv'd of the benefit of the said Pardon and punish'd like Disturbers of the Common Peace without hope of any Favour And a Nomination shall also be made to the Executors of the Edict both in Guienne and in Lower Languedoc of the Cities Towns and Castles it will be fit to dismantle according to the Advice of the Inhabitants of the Country of both Religions and what the King shall afterwards be pleas'd to order upon the said Advice without including the Places belonging to private Lords And as for the Vpper Languedoc according as abovesaid the said Executors shall consult whether there are any Places of those that are possess'd by the Catholicks requisite and fit to be dismantled according as abovesaid to the Advice of those of the Country of both Religions and also according to what the King shall be pleas'd to order about it XXIII And for a good firm true and sincere Assurance of what is abovemention'd the said King of Navar together with the Prince of Conde and Twenty of the Principal Gentlemen of the said Pretended Reform'd Religion such as the Queen Mother shall be pleas'd to nominate together with the Deputies that are here in the Name of the Provinces that have sent them besides those who are to Command in the said Cities that are left in their hands for the said Six Months shall promise and swear upon their Faith and Honour and ingage their Estates to cause all the Garisons to march out of the said Fourteen Cities and Citadels thereof and to deliver the said Cities and Citadels without delay excuse evasion or any other pretence whatever on the abovesaid 1st days of September and October next coming into the hands of the abovesaid Commissary to leave them in the Condition specifi'd by the said Edict of Pacification as is aforesaid XXIV It has been resolv'd That in case any Attempt should be made on either side to the prejudice of the last Edict of Pacification and of all that is abovesaid The Complaint and Prosecution thereof shall be made before the King's Governours and Lieutenants-General and by way of Justice in the Courts of Parliament or Chambers Establish'd in regard of both according to the Edict And what shall be ordain'd by them shall forthwith be put in execution at farthest within a Month after it by the diligence of the King's Council in relation to the Judgements that shall intervene without using any Connivence or Dissimulation And the said Governors and Lieutenants-General are expresly order'd together with the Bailiffs and Seneschals to further give Aid and Comfort and to employ all the King's Forces for the execution of what shall have been advis'd and order'd for the reparation of the said Attempt Thus the Attempts on either side shall neither be taken or reputed as Infractions of the Edict in respect to the King and the King of Navar the General of the Catholicks and the General of those of the said Religion It being his Majesty's true and firm Intention at the request of the said King of Navar to have them immediately redress'd and the Guilty severely and exemplarily punish'd XXV And to that end the Gentlemen and Inhabitants of the Towns of both Religions shall be obliged to accompany the Governors and the King's Lieutenants-General to aid them with their Persons and Means if necessary and requir'd so to do in order forthwith to repair the said Attempts The said Governors and Lieutenants-General together with the Bailiffs and Seneschals shall be oblig'd to apply themselves about it without delay or excuse and to use their utmost Endeavours and Diligence for the Reparation of the said Attempts and to punish the Guilty according to the Pains specifi'd in the Edict Moreover it has been resolv'd That such as shall make any Attempts upon Cities Places or Castles or that shall Abet Assist or Favour them or give them Counsel or that shall commit any Attempt against and to the prejudice of the Edict and all that is abovesaid Also such as shall refuse to obey or shall oppose themselves or by others directly or indirectly the Effect and Execution of the said Edict of Pacification and of all that is abovesaid are from this moment declar'd guilty of High-Treason both they and their Posterity Infamous and for ever incapable of injoying any Honours Imployments Dignities and Successions and liable to all the Punishments inflicted by the Law against those that are guilty of High-Treason in the highest degree His Majesty declaring moreover That he will grant no Pardon for it forbidding his Secretaries to sign them and his Chancellor or Lord-Keeper to pass them And the Courts of Parliament to respect them for the future whatever express or reiterated Commands they might receive about it XXVI It has also been resolv'd That the Lords deputed for the Execution of the said Edict of Pacification together with the Secret Articles made at the time of the said last Edict of Pacification and of all that is abovesaid proceeding to the said Execution shall restore the Houses and Castles of the said King of Navar as they pass along the Seneschalships where the said Castles and Houses of the said King of Navar are Situate which shall be left without Garisons on either part and put into the Condition mention'd by the Edict of Pacification and according to the Ancient Priviledges XXVII That all that is above specifi'd and what is contain'd in the last Edict of Pacification shall be inviolably kept and observ'd on both sides under the Penalties set down in the said Edict That the Courts of Parliament and Chambers ordain'd for Justice according to this said Edict the Chambers of Accounts Courts of Aids Bailiffs Seneschals Provosts and all other Officers to whom it may concern shall cause to Register the Letters-Patent that shall be issued out for all that is abovesaid and the Contents thereof to follow keep and observe in every particular according to their Form and Tenor. And the Governours and Lietenants-General of all the Provinces of this Kingdom shall be injoyn'd in the mean time forthwith to publish every one within his District the said Letters-Patent to the end that no body may pretend to plead ignorance and the Contents of the same also inviolably to keep and observe under the Penalties specifi'd by the said last Edict of Pacification and others here above declar'd Done at Nerac on the last day of February 1579. Thus Sign'd Katherine Henry Bouchart Deputy from the Prince of Conde Biron Joyeuse Jansac Pybrac de la Mothe Fenelon Clairmont Duranti Turrenne Guitry Du Faur Chancellor to the King of Navar Scorbiac deputed by the Generality of Bourdeaux Yolet and de Vaux Deputies for Rovergue The King having seen and maturely consider'd word by word the intire Contents of these present Articles agree on in the Conference which the Queen his Mother has held at Nerac with the King of Navar and the Deputies of those of the pretended Reform'd Religion who were assembled there
to facilitate the Execution of the last Edict of Pacification The said Articles agreed on and sign'd on both sides at the said place of Nerac on the last day of the Month of February last past His Majesty has approv'd confirm'd and ratify'd the same wills and requires that they shall be put in execution according to their Form and Tenor and to that end that the Letters-Patent and all necessary Dispatches of the same shall be forthwith made and sent Done at Paris on the 14th Day of March 1519. Sign'd Henry And lower De Neufville The King's Edict about the Pacification of the Troubles containing a Confirmation Amplification and Declaration as well of the precedent Edicts made upon the same Subjecct even in the Year 1577. as of the Articles agreed on at the Conference held at Nerac publish'd at Paris in Parliament on the 26th of January 1577. HEnry by the Grace of God King of France and Poland to all those present and hereafter to come Greeting Notwithstanding that since the Agreement and publication of our Edict of pacification made in the year 1577. we have us'd our utmost endeavours for the putting of the same in execution and to oblige our Subjects to follow and observe it even so far as to put the Queen our most honour'd Lady and Mother to the trouble of repairing to the principal Provinces of our Kingdom to remedy and provide against according to her usual prudence the Difficulties and Obstacles which depriv'd our said Subjects of the benefit of our said Edict whereupon follow'd the Articles of the Conferance at Nerac between the said Lady accompany'd with some of the principal Princes of our Blood and Lords of our Privy-Council and our most Dear and most Beloved Brother the King of Navar assisted by the Deputies of our Subjects who profess the pretended Reform'd Religion Yet not having been able to our great regret to avoid the Troubles being renew'd in our Kingdom we have endeavour'd and us'd all the most proper and most agreeable means we have been able to devise to extinguish them and to deliver our said Subjects from the evils of War having to that end by our Letters Patent impow'd our most Dear and most Beloved only Brother the Duke of Anjou to cause our said Edict of pacification to be entirely executed together with the Articles of the said Conference of Nerac Who being since according to our Intention gone into our Country and Dutchy of Guyenne and there having upon the said Subject conferr'd at large with our said Brother the King of Navar and the Deputies of our said Subjects of the said pretended Reform'd Religion there conven'd and assembled The Articles annex'd to these Presents under the Counter Seal of our Chancery were there propos'd Which said Articles being sent to us by our said Brother we having examin'd and consider'd the same out of a singular desire to banish out of our Kingdom the Impieties Extortions and other Accidents occasion'd by the said Troubles to re-establish the Honour and Service of God make way for Justice and to relieve our poor people Have out of our own Inclination full Power and Authority Royal approv'd and ratify'd the said Articles The same do approve and ratifie by these Presents sign'd by our own Hand And it is our will and pleasure that the same shall be follow'd kept executed and inviolably observ'd according to their Form and Tenor in the same manner as our said Edict of pacification Therefore we command and require our Trusty and well-beloved the Persons holding our Courts of Parliament Chambers of our Accounts Courts of our Aids Bailiffs Seneschals Provosts and other our Justices and Officers to whom it may concern or their Lieutenants to cause the said Articles hereunto as aforesaid annex'd to be read publish'd register'd kept executed and inviolably observ'd in the same manner as our said Edict of Pacification and the Articles granted in the said Conference of Nerac making all those that are concern'd fully and peaceably enjoy and receive the benefit of what is contain'd therein putting a stop to all Troubles and Impediments to the contrary For such is our pleasure and to the end that it may be firm and lasting for ever we have caus'd our Seal to be affix'd to these Presents Given at Blois in the Month of December in the Year of our Lord 1580. and of our Reign the 7th Sign'd Henry And upon the Fold by the King Pinart And seal'd upon Knots of Red and Green Silk with the Great Seal and Green Wax And it is also written upon the Fold of the said Letters Visa Articles propounded and set forth in the Assembly and Conference held at Flex near the City of Sainte-Foy between the Duke of Anjou the King 's only Brother by vertue of the power given unto him by his Majesty and the King of Navar assisted by the Deputies of those of the pretended Reform'd Religion he answering for all the King's Subjects of the said Religion to be presented to his Majesty to be by him if such be his pleasure granted and approv'd And in so doing to put an end to the Troubles and Disorders happen'd in this Kindom since the last Edict of Pacification made in the Month of September 1577. and the Conference held at Nerac on the last day of February 1579. and to restore the King's Subjects in Peace and Vnion under his Obedience and so to provide by a good and speedy execution that henceforward nothing may happen among them to the prejudice of the said Pacification Article I. THAT the said last Edict of Pacification and secret and particular Articles granted with the same together with the Articles of the aforesaid Conference held at Nerac shall be really and in effect observ'd and put in execution in all and every particular which shall hold and stand good not only for the things happen'd during the preceding Troubles but also for such as shall or have happen'd from the time of the said Conference until now and that all the King's Subjects of both Religions shall enjoy the benefit of the Declarations Grants Discharges and General Pardons contain'd in the said Articles Edicts and Conferences for what has been done and committed taken and rais'd on either side during the present Troubles and upon the account thereof as they should have done for what had happen'd during the precedent Troubles excepting what is expresly derogated by the present Articles II. The Articles of the said Edict concerning the re establishment of the Catholick Apostolick and Roman Religion for the celebration of Divine Service in such places where it has been discontinu'd together with the enjoyment and gathering of the Tythes Fruits and Ecclesiastical Revenues shall be entirely executed follow'd and observ'd and those who shall transgress the same shall be rigorously punish'd III. In putting the 1st 2d and 11th Articles of the Edict in execution the King's Attorneys General shall be enjoin'd as well as their Substitutes in
Bayliwicks Seneschalships and other Royal Jurisdictions to inform against and make prosecution in the King's Name against all such who shall move Seditions c. and in publick shall utter Scandalous Expressions or any wise transgress the said Edicts Articles and Conferences in order to have them punish'd according to the Penalties inflicted by the same The which being omitted the said Attorneys and Substitutes shall be responsible for the said Infractions in their own particular Names and depriv'd of their Places without ever being restor'd or re-establish'd to the same And the Bishops and other Ecclesiasticks shall be requir'd to keep and to oblige the Preachers instituted by them to keep and observe the Contents of the said Articles and his Majesty commands the same most expresly to all others who speak in publick on the Penalties contain'd in the Edict IV. In consequence of the 4th 9th and 13th Articles of the said Edict all those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion of what condition or quality soeverare allow'd to be and safely to inhabit in all the Cities and pars of this Kingdom without being disturb'd or prosecuted upon the account of the said Religion under any pretence whatever they behaving themselves according as it is order'd by the aforesaid Articles of the said Edict They shall not be oblig'd to hang and adorn the Front of their Houses on the Festival Days on which it is order'd but only shall suffer them to be hung and adorn'd by the Authority of the Officers who belong to those places Neither shall they be oblig'd to contribute towards the Charges for the Reparations of Churches or to admit Exhortations when sick or at the point of Death either by Condemnation of Justice or otherwise from any but those of the said Religion V. The 1st Article of the Conference shall hold and remain in force altho the King's Atorny-General be a Party against the High-Justicers who were in actual possession of the said Justice at the time of the publication of the said Edict VI. In executing the 8 Article of the said Edict those of the said Religion shall nominate unto the King four or five places in every Bayliwick or Seneschalship of the Quality mention'd by the Edict to the end that being inform'd of the convenience or inconvenience thereof his Majesty may chuse one of them there to establish the Exercise of their said Religion or they not proving convenient to provide another for them within a month after the said Nomination which shall be as convenient for them as can be and according to the Tenor of the Edict VII And as to the Burying places of those of the said Religion the Officers belonging to those parts shall be oblig'd within a Fortnight after their being requir'd so to do to provide them convenient places for the said Interments without delays on the penalty of Five Hundred Crowns in their proper and private Names VIII Letters Patent shall be pass'd directed to the Courts of Parliament for the registring and observing of the secret and particular Articles made with the said Edict And as for Marriages and the Differences that shall arise upon the same the Judges Ecclesiastical and Royal together with the aforesaid Chambers shall take cognizance of the same respectively according to the said Articles IX The Taxes and Impositions that shall be laid upon those of the said Religion according as it is express'd in the 3d Article of the said Conference shall be executed all Oppositions or Appeals whatever notwithstanding X. Those of the said Religion shall be allow'd the Exercise thereof in the Cities and places in which it was perform'd on the 17th of September 1577. according to the 7th Article of the said Edict XI The King shall send a Chamber of Justice in the County and Dutchy of Guyenne consisting of two Presidents 14 Councellors a King's Attorney and Advocate persons of worth lovers of peace of Integrity and proper Abilities which shall be chosen by his Majesty and taken out of the Parliaments of this Kingdom and Great Council the List of which shall be communicated to the King of Navar to the end that any of them being suspected Persons it may be lawful to acquaint his Majesty therewith who shall elect others in their room The said Presidents and Counsellors thus ordain'd shall take cognizance of and judge all Causes Processes Differences and Transgressions of the Edict of Pacification the Cognizance and Jurisdiction of which has been by the said Edict referr'd to the Chamber compos'd by the same They shall serve two whole Years in the said Country and shall remove their place and Sessions through the Seneschalships of the same every six Months in order to purge the Provinces and to administer Justice to every one upon the spot Nevertheless it has been agreed that by the establishment of the said Chamber those of the said pretended reform'd Religion shall not be depriv'd of the priviledge and benefit which is granted them by the said Edict by the establishment of the Tripartite Chamber ordain'd by the same The Presidents and Councellors of which being of the said Religion shall remain united and incorporate in the Court of the Parliament of Bourdeaux according to their erection there to serve to hold a Rank and sit from the very day they have been receiv'd there and shall enjoy all the Honours Authorities Preheminences Rights Profits and Prerogatives as the other Presidents and Counsellors of the said Court. And as for the Provinces of Languedoc and Dauphine the Chambers that have been appointed for them by the Edict shall be establish'd and constituted there according as it is specifi'd in the same and by the Articles of the said Conference of Nerac And the next sitting of that of Languedoc shall be in the City of And that of Dauphine shall be establish'd according to what has been heretofore ordain'd XII The said Presidents Counsellors and Officers of the said Chamber shall be oblig'd to repair forthwith to the places appointed for their Sessions there to exercise their Office on pain of losing their said Offices and to serve actually and reside in the said Chambers without departing or absenting from thence without leave registred from the said Chambers which shall be judge in the Assembly upon the Causes of the Ordinance And the said Catholick Presidents Counsellors and Officers shall be continu'd there as long as can be and as the King shall judge it necessary for his Service and for the Publick Good And in licensing the one others shall be put in their places before their departure XIII All Sovereign and other Courts of this Kingdom are forbidden to take cognizance and judge Processes either civil or criminal in which those of the said Religion are concern'd until the Day on which the said Chambers shall sit or afterwards on pain of nullity Charges Damages and interest of the Parties unless they shall proceed voluntarily in the said Courts according to the 26 Article of the
said Edict and the 6th and 7th of the said Conference XIV The King shall provide valuable assignations to furnish towards the charges of Justice of the said Chambers and shall reimburse himself upon the Estates of the Condemn'd XV. The King shall as soon as possible can be make a Regulation between the said Courts of Parliament and the said Chambers according to the Edict and the 5th Article of the said Conference and consult some Presidents and Counsellors of the said Parliaments and Chambers about it Which said Regulation shall be kept and observ'd without regard to those that have preceded it XVI Neither shall the said Courts of Parliament or other Sovereign and Inferior Courts take cognizance of what shall be depending and introduc'd into the said Chambers which they ought to determine according to the Edict on pain of nullity of the Proceedings XVII In such Chambers where there shall be Judges of both Religions the proportion of Judges and Judgments shall be observ'd according to their establishment unless the Parties consent to the contrary XVIII The Recusations or Refusals propos'd against the Presidents and Counsellors of the said Chambers of Guyenne and Languedoc and Dauphine shall be allow'd to the number of six to which number the Parties shall be restrain'd otherwise they shall go forward without any regard to the said Refusals XIX The Presidents and Counsellors of the said Chambers shall hold no private Councils out of their Assembly in which also the Propositions Deliberations and Resolutions relating to the Publick Good shall be made as well as those relating to the particular State and Policy of the said Cities where the said Chambers shall be XX. All the Judges to whom the Execution of Decrees and other Commissions of the said Chambers shall be directed together with all Messengers and Serjeants shall be oblig'd to put them in execution And the said Messengers and Serjeants shall serve all Warrants throughout the Kingdom without requiring Placet Visa nor Pareatis on pain of being suspended and of paying the lost Damages and Interests of the Parties of which the Cognisance shall appertain to the said Chambers 21. No Evocation or removal of Causes the tryal of which is refer'd to the said Chambers shall be allow'd unless in the case of the Ordinances the return whereof shall be made to the nearest Chamber establish'd according to the Edict And upon the Revocation of the Removal and the annihilation of the Proceedings made upon the same Justice shall be done by the King at the request of the Parties and the issues of Suits of the said Chambers shall be try'd in the next Chamber observing the proportion and form of the said Chambers whence the Processes proceed XXII The Subaltern Officers of the Provinces of Guyenne Languedoc and Dauphine the reception of which belongs to the Courts of Parliament if they be of the said pretended Reform'd Religion may be examin'd and receiv'd in the Chamber of the Edict and none but the King's Attorneys General and those plac'd in the said Offices shall be allow'd to oppose and make themselves Parties against their reception And upon the refusal of the said Parliaments the Officers shall take the said Oaths in the said Chambers XXIII Such of the said Religion as have resign'd their Places and Offices out of fear of the Troubles since the 24th of August 1572. to whom by reason thereof some Promises have been made The said Promises being verified by them Provision shall be made for them by Law according to reason XXIV The 46th Article of the said Edict shall be intirely executed and shall be of force for the discharge of Arrears and Contributions and all other Sums impos'd during the Troubles XXV All Deliberations made in the Courts of Parliament Letters Remonstrances and other things contrary to the said Edict of Pacification and Conference shall be raz'd out of the Registers XXVI The Processes of Vagabonds shall be tried by Presidial Judges Provost Marshal and Vice-Seneschals according to the 25d Article of the said Edict and the 8th of the said Conference And as for the Housholders in the Provinces of Guienne Languedoc and Dauphine the Substitutes of the King's Attorneys General in the said Chambers shall at the request of the said Housholders cause the Inditements and Informrtions made against them to be brought into the same to know and determine whether the Cases are liable to Provost Courts or not that afterwards according to the nature of the Crimes they may be return'd by the said Chambers to be try'd by the ordinary Judges or by the Provostal Judges as they shall find it reasonable And the said Presidial Judges Provosts Marshal and Vice-Seneschals shall be oblig'd to respect obey and fulfil the Commands they shall receive from the said Chambers as they use to do those of the said Parliaments on pain of forfeiture of their Places XXVII The Ruins and dismantlings of all Cities that have been demolish'd during the Troubles may be by the King's leave rebuilt â—nd repair'd by the Inhabitants at their own charge and expence according to the Fiftieth Article of the Edict XXVIII The like Discharges and Pardons shall be granted in respect to the things done and happen'd on both sides since the said Conference until now as are contain'd in the said Edict in the 55th Article all Proceedings Sentences and Decrees and whatever has follow'd thereupon notwithstanding which shall be declar'd null and os no effect as things never happen'd derogating in respect to that to what is contain'd in the 25th Article of the said Conference the which notwithstanding shall remain in full force and vertue for the future In which Pardons shall be included the taking of Bazaz and Langon The first taken during the War in the Year 1576 and the other after the said Conference of Nerac and what has insued thereupon all Judgments and Decrees to the contrary notwithstanding XXIX After the publications of the said Edict in that part where the said Duke of Anjou shall be all Forces and Armies on both sides shall separate and retire and after their being retir'd that is after the French Forces are disbanded and dismissed and the Foreigners gone out of the Government of Guienne in order to march out of the Kingdom ¶ After the Cities hereafter mention'd shall be deliver'd into the hands of the said Duke of Anjou the said King of Navar and those of the said Religion and others who have been ingag'd in their Party shall be oblig'd to deliver into the hands of the said Duke of Anjou the Cities of Mande Cahors Monsegus S. Million and Mont aigu Which Mont-aigu shall be dismantled as soon as it is delivered to the said Duke of Anjou XXX Immediately after the delivery of the said Cities the said Duke of Anjou shall cause to be deliver'd unto the said King of Navar the Houses Cities and Castles belonging unto him which he shall leave in the condition ordain'd by the Edict and
of before their building upon them or the true estimation of them by the judgment of experienc'd men always reserving to the said Owners and Possessors a remedy against whomsoever it shall concern XVII We forbid all Preachers and Lecturers and others who speak in publick to use any Words Speeches or Discourse that may tend to excite the People to Sedition but on the contrary we have and do injoin them to contain and behave themselves modestly and to utter nothing but what may tend to the instruction and edification of the Auditors and to maintain the Peace and Tranquility by us establish'd in our said Kingdom on the Penalties specify'd in the precedent Edicts Injoining most expresly our Attornies General and their Substitutes to inform out of their Office against such as shall transgress the same on pain of answering for it in their proper and peculiar Persons and Forfeitures of their Offices XVIII We also forbid all our Subjects of what Quality and Condition soever to take away by force or induction against the Will of their Parents the Children of those of the said Religion to Baptise or confirm them in the Catholick Apostolick Roman Church The same Prohibitions are made to those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion the whole on pain of exemplary Punishment XIX Those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion shall be no wise constrain'd nor remain bound by reason of the Abjurations Promises and Oaths they have heretofore made or Cautions by them given upon the account of the said Religion neither shall they be any-wise troubl'd or molested for the same XX. They shall also be bound to observe all Festivals ordain'd in the Catholick Apostolick and Roman Church neither shall they work or sell in open Shops on the said days neither shall Handicrafts men work out of their Shops or in close Houses or Chambers on the said Festival days and other prohibited days in any Profession the noise whereof may be heard without by Neighbours or persons passing along which nevertheless shall only be sought after by Officers of Justice XXI The Books touching the said pretended Reform'd Religion shall neither be printed nor sold publickly unless in such Cities and Places in which the Publick Exercise of the said Religion is allow'd And as for other Books which shall be printed in other places they shall be seen and examin'd both by our Officers and Divines as it is specefy'd by our Ordinances We forbid most expresly the Impression publication and sale of all Defamatory Books Libels and Pamphlets under the Penalties contain'd in our Ordinances Injoining all our Judges and Officers to keep a strict hand over it XXII We ordain that no difference or distinction shall be made on the account of the said Religion for the receiving of Scholars to be instructed in Universities Colledges and Schools and the Sick and Poor in Hospitals and Publick Alms. XXIII Those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion shall be oblig'd to keep the Laws of the Catholick Apostolick and Roman Church receiv'd in this our Kingdom in respect to Marriages contracted or to be contracted as to the degrees of Consanguinity and Affinity XXIV Those of the said Religion shall also pay the Fees of Entrance as is customary for the Places and Offices they shall be provided with without being oblig'd to assist at any Ceremonies contrary to their said Religion And being call'd to their Oath they shall only be oblig'd to hold up their hand swear and promise to God that they will speak the truth Neither shall they be oblig'd to take a dispensation for the Oath by them taken at the passing of the Contracts and Obligations XXV It is our Will and Pleasure that all those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion and others who have been ingag'd in their Party of what State Quality or Condition soever shall be oblig'd and constrain'd by fair and reasonable means and under the Penalties contain'd in the Edicts upon that subject to pay and acquit the Tythes of Curates and other Ecclesiasticks and to all other to whom they shall belong according to the use and custom of the places XXVI The Disinheritations or Privations either by disposing among the Living or by way of Testament made only out of hatred or upon the account of Religion shall neither be valable for the time past or time to come among our Subjects XXVII In order the better to reunite the Wills of our Subjects according to our Intention and to remove all Complaints for the future We do declare all those who do or shall profess the said pretended Reform'd Religion capable of holding or performing all Estates Dignities Offices and publick Places whatever either Royal Signorial or of the Cities of our Kingdom Countries Territories and Lordships under our Obedience all Oaths to the contrary notwithstanding and to be indifferently received into the same and our Courts of Parliament and other Judges shall only make inquiry and inform themselves about the Life and Conversation Religion and honest Conversation of those who are or shall be provided with Offices as well of the one as of the other Religion without exacting any other Oath from them but well and faithfully to serve the King in the discharge of their Offices and to observe the Ordinances as it has been observ'd at all times And in case any Vacancy shall happen of the said Estates Places and Offices as for those that shall be in our gift they shall be dispos'd of indifferently and without distinction to capable Persons as things that concern the union of our subjects We intend also that those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion shall be admitted and receiv'd into all Councils Deliberations Assemblies and Functions depending on the abovesaid Matters and that they shall not be ejected or hinder'd from enjoying them upon the account of the said Religion XXVIII We order for interring of the Dead of those of the said Religion within all the Cities and parts of our Kingdom that in each place a convenient place shall be provided for them forthwith by our Officers and Magistrates and by the Commissioners who shall be by us deputed for the putting of this present Edict in execution And such Church-yards as they had heretofore which they have been depriv'd of by reason of the Troubles shall be restor'd to them except they be at present built upon in which case others shall be provided for them at free cost XXIX We most expresly enjoin our Officers to take care that no Scandal be committed at the said Interments and they shall be bound within a Fortnight after request made to provide commodious places for the said Burials of those of the said Religion without the least protraction or delays under penalty of 500 Crowns to be sess'd on their proper Names and Persons The said Officers and others are also forbidden to exact any thing for the conveyance of the said Dead Bodies on pain of Extortion XXX To the end that Justice may be
done and ministred to our Subjects without partiality hatred or favour which is one of the principal means to keep peace and concord among them we have and do ordain that a Chamber shall be establish'd in our Court of Parliament of Paris consisting of a President and 16 Councellors of the said Parliament the which shall be called and entitled The Chamber of the Edict which shall not only judge the Causes and Processes of those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion within the Jurisdiction of the said Court but also those of the Jurisdiction of the Parliaments of Normandy and Britany according to the Jurisdiction hereafter conferr'd upon it by this present Edict and that until a Chamber be establish'd in each of the said Parliaments to minister Justice upon the place We also ordain that the four Offices of Councellors in our said Parliament of Paris remaining of the last election by us made shall be forthwith bestowed on four of those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion fitly qualify'd and capable to serve in the said Parliament who shall be distributed viz. The first shall be receiv'd into the Chamber of the Edict and the other three in order as they shall be receiv'd into three of the Chambers of the Inquests Moreover the two first Offices of * Laiz Councellors that shall become vacant by Death shall also be given to two of those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion and the persons thus receiv'd shall be distributed into the two other Chambers of Inquests XXXI Besides the Chamber heretofore establish'd at Castres for the Jurisdiction of our Court of Parliament of Thoulouse which shall be continu'd in the state it now stands we have for the same considerations ordain'd and do ordain that in each of our Courts of Parliament of Grenoble and Bourdeaux shall also be establish'd a Chamber consisting of two Presidents the one Catholick and the other of the said pretended Reform'd Religion and of twelve Councellors six of which shall be Catholicks and the other six of the said Religion which Catholick Presidents and Councellors shall be by us selected and chosen out of the body of our said Courts And as to those of the said Religion a new Creation shall be made of a President and six Councellors for the Parliament of Bourdeaux and of a President and three Councellors for that of Grenoble the which with the three Councellors of the said Religion that are at present of the said Parliament shall be employ'd in the said Chamber of Dauphine And the said Offices of new creation shall be allow'd the same Salleries Honours Authorities and Preheminencies as the others of the said Courts And the said Sessions of the said Chamber of Bourdeaux shall be held at Bourdeaux or at Nerac and that of Dauphine at Grenoble XXXII The said Chamber of Dauphine shall determine the Causes of those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion of the Jurisdiction of our Parliament of Provence without being oblig'd to take Letters of Summons or other Citations any where but in our Chancery of Dauphine Neither shall those of the said Religion of Normandy or Britany be oblig'd to take out Summons or other Citations any where but in our Chancery of Paris XXXIII Our Subjects of the said Religion of the Parliament of Burgundy shall have the choice and election to plead in the Chamber ordain'd in the Parliament of Paris or in that of Dauphine neither shall they be oblig'd to take out Letters of Summons or any other Citations but in the said Chanceries of Paris and of Dauphine according to their own choice XXXIV All the said Chambers compos'd as abovesaid shall determine and judge in sovereignty by Sentence Definitive by Decrees excluding all others of Suits and Differences mov'd and to be mov'd in which those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion are concern'd as Principals or Warranties either as Plaintiffs or Defendants in all matters as well Civil as Criminal whether the said Processes be by Writ or Verbal Appeal if the said Parties like it so and one of them requires it before any Plea in the Cause in relation to Suits to be mov'd always excepting all matters of Benefices and the Possessors of Tythes not enfeoff'd Ecclesiastical Patronages and Causes wherein the Demean of the Church shall be concern'd which shall all be try'd and judg'd in the Courts of Parliament and the said Chambers of the Edict shall not be allow'd to take cognizance of the same It is also our Will and Pleasure that in order to judge and decide Criminal Causes that shall happen among the said Ecclesiasticks and those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion if the Ecclesistick is Defendant the Judgment of the Criminal Cause shall belong to our Sovereign Courts exclusively to the said Chambers and the Ecclesiastick being Plaintiff and he of the said Religion Defendant the Cognizance and Judgment of the Criminal Cause shall belong by Appeal and in last reference to the said Establish'd Chambers The said Chambers also in Vacation-times shall determine of Matters referr'd by the Edicts and Ordinances to the Chambers establish'd in times of Vacation each one in their Jurisdiction XXXV The Chambers of Grenoble shall from this present be united and incorporated to the Body of the said Court of Parliament and the Presidents and Councillors of the said pretended Reform'd Religion entitled Presidents and Councellors of the said Court and held in the number and rank of them To this end they shall be first dispos'd of in the other Chambers and then call'd and drawn out of them to be employ'd and to serve in that which we institute a-new yet they shall assist and have a Voice and Session in all the Deliberations that shall be made when the Chambers are assembled and shall enjoy the same Sallaries Authorities and Preheminencies as the othe Presidents and Councellors do XXXVI It is also our Will and Pleasure that the said Chambers of Castres and Bourdeaux shall be reunited and incorporated into the said Parliaments in the same manner as the others when it shall be needful and the Causes that have mov'd us to establish them shall cease and subsist no longer among our Subjects And therefore the Presidents and Councellors of the said Chambers being of the same Religion shall be call'd and held for Presidents and Counsellors of the said Courts XXXVII There shall be also newly created and erected in the Chamber ordain'd for the Parliament of Bourdeaux two Substitutes of our Attorney and Advocate General of which the Attorney's Substitutes shall be a Catholick and the other of the said Religion who shall be invested with the said Offices with competent Pensions XXXVIII All the said Substitutes shall take no other quality than that of Substitutes and when the Chambers ordain'd for the Parliaments of Bourdeaux and Thoulouse shall be united and incorporated into the said Parliaments the said Substitutes shall be provided with Councellors Places in the same XXXIX The Expeditions of the
Provosts Marshals or their Lieutenants the said Provosts or their Lieutenants being Catholicks shall be oblig'd to call to the Proceedings of such a matter an Assistant of the said Religion who shall also assist at the Tryal of the competency of the Indictment and at the Judgment definitive of the matter which Competency shall only be try'd at the next Presidial Tribunal in open Assembly by the chief Officers of the said Court being actually there on pain of Nullity unless the Persons accus'd desire to have the said Competency try'd in the Chambers ordain'd by the present Edict In which case in respect to the Housholders of the Provinces of Guyenne Languedoc Provence and Dauphine the Substitutes of our Attornys-General in the said Chambers shall at the request of the said Housholders cause the said Charges and Informations against them to be brought before them to know and determine whether the Causes are liable to Provosts-Courts or not in order according to the nature of the Crimes to be return'd by the said Chambers to the Ordinary Judge or else to be try'd by the Provostal Judges according as they shall judge it reasonable and suitable to the Contents of this our present Edict And all the said Presidial-Judges Provosts-Marshals Vice-Bailiffs Vice-Seneschals and others who judge definitively shall be oblig'd respectively to obey and observe the Commands they shall receive from the said Chambers as they use to respect the Orders of the said Parliaments on forfeiture of their Places LXVIII The Publications of Sale and Seizures Outcries and Vendition of Inheritances by the * Spear in pursuance of a Decree shall be perform'd at the usual Places and Houses if possible according to our Ordinances or else in publick Market-places in case there be any Market-places in the Place where the said Inheritances are seated and where there are none it shall be done in the next Market-place within the Precinct of the Session where the Adjudication is to be made and the Paper of notice shall be fasten'd on a Post in the said Market and at the entrance of the Auditories or Sessions-house of the said Place and in so doing the said Publications shall be good and valid and they shall proceed to the passing of the Order for the Sale of the Goods without minding the Nulities that might be alledg'd in that respect LXIX All Titles Papers Instruments and Informations that have been taken shall be restor'd on both sides to the owners altho the said Papers or the Castles or Houses in which they were kept were taken and seiz'd either by Special Commissions from the late King our most honour'd Lord and Father-in-Law or from Us or by the Command of the Governors and Lieutenants-General of our Provinces or by the Authority of the Chiefs of the other side or under any other pretence whatever LXX The Children of such as have withdrawn themselves out of our Kingdom since the Death of the late King Henry II. our most honour'd Lord and Father-in-Law on the account of Religion and the Troubles tho the said Children be born out of this Kingdom shall be held for true French-men and Natives and as such we have and do declare them to be without their being oblig'd to take Letters of Naturalization or other Warrants from us but the present Edicts All Ordinances thereunto contrary notwithstanding to which we have and do derogate upon condition that the said Children born in Foreign Countrys shall be oblig'd within Ten Years after the said Publication of these presents to come and Reside in this Kingdom LXXI Those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion and others who have been ingag'd in their Party who shall have taken to Farm before the Troubles any Offices or other Demeans Customs Foreign Impositions or other Duties to us belonging the which they have not been able to injoy by reason of the Troubles shall remain discharg'd as we do hereby discharge them of what they have not receiv'd of the said Farms or what they have paid without fraud any where out of our Exchequer All Obligations enter'd into by them upon this account notwithstanding LXXII All Places Cities and Provinces of our Kingdom Countries Lands and Lordships under our Obedience shall have and injoy the same Priviledges Immunities Liberties Franchises Fairs Markets Jurisdictions and Seats of Justice as they did before the Troubles begun in the Month of March 1585. And others preceding all Letters Patents thereunto contrary and the Translation of some of the said Seats notwithstanding provided it was only done upon the account of the Troubles which Seats shall be re-establish'd in the Cities and Places where they were before LXXIII In case there be yet any Prisoners detain'd by Authority of Justice or otherwise even in the Gallies by reason of the Troubles or of the said Religion they shall be set at Liberty LXXIV Those of the said Religion shall not hereafter be surcharg'd or oppress'd with any ordinary or extraodinary Imposition more than the Catholicks and according to the proportion of their Estates and Substance and the Parties that think themselves overburthen'd may have recourse and shall be redressed by the Judges appointed for that Subject And all our Subjects whether Catholicks or of the said pretended Reform'd Religion shall be equally discharg'd of all Charges that have been impos'd on both sides during the Troubles on those that were of a contrary Party and not consenting as also of Debts created and not paid Expences made without their Approbation but yet there shall be no returns made of the Fruits that shall have been imploy'd for the payment of the said Charges LXXV Neither do we allow that those of the said Religion and others who have been ingag'd in their Party nor the Catholicks who dwell in the Cities Towns and Places held and detain'd by them and who have contributed to them should be prosecuted for the payment of Taxes Aids Grants Increase Assesments Wasts and Reparations and other Impositions and Subsidies due and impos'd during the Troubles happen'd before and since our coming to the Crown either by Edicts Orders from the late Kings our Predecessors or by Advice and Deliberation of the Governors and Estates of the Provinces Courts of Parliament and others whereof we have and do discharge them forbiding our Treasurers-General of France and of our Exchequers Receivers-General and Particular their Clerks Intermedlers and other Intendants and Commissaries of our Exchequer to prosecute molest or trouble them for the same directly or indirectly in any way whatever LXXVI All Commanders Lords Knights Gentlemen Officers Corporations of Cities Towns and Commonalties and all others who have aided and assisted them their Widows Heirs and Successors shall be acquitted and discharg'd of all Sums that have been taken and rais'd by them or their Orders as well belonging to the Crown to whatever Sums they may amount as out of Cities Towns and Commonalties and from particular Persons Rents Revenues Plate Sale of Moveables belonging to Ecclesiasticks
and others High Forests belonging to the Demeasne or to other Persons Fines Booties Ransoms or Sums of other natures by them taken by reason of the Troubles begun in March 1585. and other precedent Troubles until our coming to the Crown for which neither they nor those by them imploy'd for the raising of the said Sums or such as have given or furnish'd them by their Order shall be any wise prosecuted either for the time being or to come and both they and their Committees or Clarks shall remain acquitted and discharg'd for all the Management and Administration of the said Money bringing in for a full discharge within four Months after the Publication of the present Edict made in our Court of Parliament of Paris Acquittances duly expedited by the Chiefs of the said Religion or from those who were imploy'd by them for the Audit and clearing of Accounts or from the Commonalties of Cities which had Authority and Command during the said Troubles They shall in like manner remain acquitted and discharg'd of all Acts of Hostility Levies and Conduct of Soldiers Coining and Rating of Money done by order of the said Chiefs Casting and Taking of Artillery and Munitions Making of Powder and Salt-peter the Taking Fortifying Difmantling and Demolishing of Cities Castles Towns and Villages Enterprizes upon the same the Burning and Demolishing of Churches and Houses Establishing of Courts of Justice Judgments and Executions from the same whether in matters Civil or Criminal of any Policy or Government establish'd among them of Voyages and Intelligences Negotiations Treaties and Contracts made with all Foreign Princes and Commonalties and the Introduction of the said Foreigners into the Cities and other Places of our Kingdom and generally of all that has been done or negotiated during the said Troubles since the Death of the late King Henry II. our most honour'd Lord and Brother-in-Law by those of the said Religion and others who have been ingag'd in their Party tho it be not particularly specifi'd nor express'd LXXVII Those of the said Religion shall also be discharg'd for all General and Provincial Assemblies made and held by them both at Nantes and elsewhere since until this present time likewise for the Councils by them Establish'd and Ordain'd in the Provinces Deliberations Ordinances and Regulations made by the said Assemblies and Councils Establishment and Augmentation of Garisons Assembling of Soldiers Raising and Taking of Money either from the Receivers-General or from particular Persons Collectors of Parishes or others in any kind whatever seizing of Salt Continuation or new Erection of Impositions and Tolls and Receipts of the same even at Royan and upon the Rivers Charante Garonne Rone and Dordogne equiping of Ships and Sea-Fights and all Accidents and Excesses occasion'd by obliging People to pay the said Impositions Tolls and other Monies Fortifications of Cities Castles and Places Impositions of Money and Labour Receipts of the said Money turning out of our Receivers and Farmers and other Officers establishing of others in their Room and for all Unions Dispatches and Negotiations made either within or without the Kingdom And generally for all that has been done deliberated written and ordain'd by the said Assemblies and Councils for which neither those who have given their Advice Sign'd Executed and caus'd the said Ordinances Regulations and Deliberations to be sign'd and executed shall neither be prosecuted or troubled nor their Widows Heirs or Successors either at present or for the future altho the Particulars are not specifi'd here And upon the whole perpetual silence shall be impos'd to our Attorneys-General and their Substitutes and to all such as could have any pretence to it in any kind or manner whatever all Sentences Judgments Informations and Proceedings to the contrary notwithstanding LXXVIII Moreover we Approve Confirm and Authorize the Accounts that have been heard allow'd and examin'd by the Deputies of the said Assembly And order the same together with the Acquittances and Fragments that have been return'd by the Accountants to be carried into our Chamber of Accounts at Paris within three Months after the Publication of the present Edict and deliver'd into the hands of our Attorney-General to be deliver'd to the Keeper of the Books and Registers of our Chamber there to be view'd as often as shall be necessary neither shall the said Accounts be examin'd anew or the Accountants be oblig'd to appear or to correct any thing unless in the case of Omissions of Receipts or false Acquittances Imposing silence to our Attorney-General to whatever else might be thought defective or the Formalities omitted Forbidding those that keep our Courts of Accounts either at Paris or in other Provinces where they are establish'd to take any cognizance thereof in any kind whatever LXXIX As for the Accounts that have not been deliver'd yet they shall be heard pass'd and examind ' by Commissioners appointed by us who shall without difficulty pass and allow all the Accounts paid by the said Accountants by virtue of the Ordinances of the said Assembly or others who were in Power LXXX All Collectors Receivers Farmers and others shall be well and duly discharg'd for all the Sums by them paid to the Committees of the said Assembly whatever nature they were of until the last day of this Month. We order the whole to be pass'd and allow'd in the Accounts that shall be given thereof in our Chambers of Accounts meerly by virtue of the Acquittances they shall bring along with them and in case any should be expedited or deliver'd hereafter they shall be void and those who shall accept or diliver them shall be Fin'd as Falsificators And in case any of the Accounts already deliver'd should be blotted or raz'd and excepted against we do in that respect remove the said Scruples and allow the said Accounts to be good by virtue of these Presents and there shall be no need for all that is abovesaid of any particular Letters nor any thing else for all which the Extract of the present Article will suffice LXXXI The Governors Captains Consuls and other Persons imploy'd for the Collection of the Money to pay the Garisons of the Places held by those of the said Religion to whom our Receivers and Collectors of Parishes shall have furnish'd by way of Loan upon their Notes and Bonds either by force or to obey the Commands made to them by the Treasurers-General such Sums of Money as were necessary to pay off the said Garisons to the value of what was specifi'd in the settlement we caus'd to be made in the beginning of the Year 1596 and the Additions that have been since by us granted are hereby acquitted and discharg'd of what has been paid for the abovesaid use altho it is not expresly mention'd in the said Notes and Bonds the which shall be restor'd to them as annihilated And in order thereunto the Treasurers-General in every Generality shall order the particular Receivers of our Tailles to give the said Collectors their
well secret as other Deliberations heretofore by us or by the Kings our Predecessors made in our Courts of Parliament or elsewhere relating to the case of the said Religion and the troubles happen'd in our said Kingdom to be null and of no effect to all which and the Derogatories therein contain'd we have by this our Edict derogated and do derogate from this time forward as well as for that time do cancel revoke and annul them Declaring expresly that we will have this our Edict to be firm and inviolable kept and observ'd as well by our said Justicers Officers as by other Subjects without any regard to any thing that might be contrary or derogating to it XCII And for the better assurance of the maintenance and observance we desire to have thereof we will and ordain and it is our pleasure that all the Governors and Lieutenants General of our Provinces Bayliffs Seneschals and other Judges in ordinary of the Cities of this our Kingdom immediately after the receipts of this our Edict shall swear to have it kept and observ'd every one in their several Precincts as also the Mayors Sheriffs Capitouls Consuls and Jurats of Cities annual and perpetual enjoining also our said Bayliffs Seneschals or their Lieutenants and other Judges to make the principal Inhabitants of the said Cities of both Religions swear to observe and maintain the same immediately after the publication thereof Putting all those of the Cities under our protection and under the guard of one another charging them respectively and by publick Acts to answer at the Civil Law for the transgressions that shall be made of this our said Edicts in the said Cities by the Inhabitants thereof or to represent and deliver the said Infractors into the hands of Justice We command our Trusty and Well Beloved the Persons holding our Courts of Parliament Chambers of Accounts and Courts of Aids immediately upon receipt of the present Edict to put a stop to all their proceedings on pain of nullity of all the Acts they should pass and to take the Oath abovemention'd and this our Edict to publish and register in our said Courts according to the form and tenor thereof exactly as it is without any Modification Restrictions secret Registers or Declarations and without expecting any farther order or command from us and our Attorneys General to require and prosecute the said immediate Publication thereof We also order our said persons holding our said Courts of Parliament Chambers of our Accounts and Courts of Aids Bayliffs Seneschals Provosts and others our Justicers and Officers to whom it may belong and to their Lieutenants to cause this our present Edict and Ordinance to be read publish'd and register'd in their Courts and Jurisdictions and the same to maintain keep and observe in every particular and to make all such whom it may concern enjoy and use the benefit thereof putting a stop to all Troubles and Hinderances thereunto contrary For such is our pleasure For witness whereof we have sign'd these Presents with our own hand and to the same in order to its being firm and lasting for ever we have caus'd our Seal to be affix'd Given at Nantes in the Month of April in the Year of our Lord 1598. and of our Reign the Ninth Sign'd Henry And underneath By the King being in his Council Forget And on the side Visa And seal'd with the Great Seal of Green Wax upon Knots of Red and Green Silk Read publish'd and register'd heard with the approbation of the King's Attorney General at Paris in Parliament on the 25th of February 1599. Sign'd Voysin Read publish'd and register'd in the Chamber of Accounts hear'd and approv'd by the King's-Attorney General on the last day of March 1599. Sign'd De la Fontaine Read publish'd and registred heard and approv'd by the King's Attorny General at Paris in the Court of Aids the 30th of April 1599. Sign'd Bernard Particular Articles extracted from the General ones that have been granted by the King to those of the Pretended Reform'd Religion the which His Majesty would not have comprehended into the said General Articles nor in the Edict that has been made and drawn upon the same given at Nantes in the Month of April last and yet nevertherless His Majesty has granted that they shall be fully accomplish'd and observ'd in the same manner as the Contents of the said Edict To which end they shall be Registred in his Courts of Parliament and elsewhere where it shall be necessary and all necessary Declarations and Letters Patent to that end shall be forthwith expedited I. THe 6th Article of the said Edict about Liberty of Conscience and leave for all his Majesties Subjects to live and inhabit in this Kingdom and Countries under his Obedience shall remain in force and shall be observ'd according to the Form and Tenor thereof Even for Ministers and Teachers and all others that are or shall turn of the said Religion whether actual Inhabitants or others behaving themselves in all other things conformably to what is specifi'd by the said Edict II. Those of the said Religion shall not be oblig'd to contribute towards the Reparations and Building of Churches Chappels Parsonages nor towards the buying of Sacerdotal Ornaments Lights Casting of Bells Holy Bread Rights of Fraternity and other like things unless oblig'd thereunto by Foundations Gifts or other Dispositions made by them or their Predecessors 3. Neither shall they be oblig'd to hang and adorn the Front of their Houses on Festival-days on which it is order'd but only to suffer them to be hung and adorn'd by the Authority of the Magistrates without contributing any thing towards it IV. Neither shall those of the said Religion be oblig'd to receive Exhortations being Sick or near Death either by Condemnation of Justice or otherwise from any but those of the said Religion and their Ministers shall be allow'd to Visit and Comfort them without any disturbance And as for such as shall be condemn'd by Justice it shall also be lawful for the said Ministers to visit and prepare them for Death without making Publick Prayers unless in such Places as are allow'd by the said Edict for the said Publick Exercise V. It shall be lawful for those of the said Religion to perform the Publick Exercise thereof at Pimpoul and for Diepe in the Suburb du Paulet and the said Places of Pimpoul and du Paulet shall be ordain'd for Places of Baliwicks The said Exercise shall be continued at Sancerre as it is at present The said free and publick Exercise shall also be re-establish'd in the City of Montagnac in Languedoc VI. In respect to the Article which relates to Bailiwicks it has been declar'd and granted as followeth First For the Establishing of the Exercise of the said Religion in the two Places granted in every Baliwick Seneschalship and Government those of the said Religion shall nominate Two Cities in the Suburbs of which the said Exercise shall be establish'd by the
fourth Degree to be prosecuted or molested for the same neither shall the Validity of the said Marriages be questioned nor the Succession taken from or disputed against the Children born or to be born of the same And as to the Marriages that might already be contracted in the second Degree or from the second to the third between those of the said Religion the said Persons applying themselves to his said Majesty such Letters Patent as shall be necessary shall be granted them to the end that they may neither be prosecuted nor molested for the same nor the Succession disputed with their Children XLI The Validity and Lawfulness of the said Marriages thus made and contracted shall be Judg'd the Defendant being of the said Religion before the Judge Royal but in case of his being Plaintiff and the Defendant a Catholick the Cognizance thereof shall belong to the Official and Ecclesiastical Judge and both Parties being of the said Religion the Case shall be try'd before the Judges Royal His Majesty willing that the said Marriages and the Differences arising from the same should be judg'd respectively by the Judges Ecclesiastical and Royal and by the Chambers establish'd by his Edicts XLII The Gifts and Legacies made or to be made whether by Will in case of death or among the living for the maintenance of Ministers Doctors Scholars and Poor of the said pretended Reform'd Religion and upon other pious Accounts shall be of full force and power all Judgments and Decrees to the contraty notwithstanding but yet without prejudice to his Majesty's Rights and others in case the said Legacies and gifts should fall into â—ortmain And all necessary Actions and Prosecutions for the recovery of the said Legacies Pious Gifts and other Rights of all kinds shall be allow'd to be made by Attorny in the name of the Body and Community of those of the said Religion who shall be concern'd and in case it happens that any of the said Gifts and Legacies have been heretofore dispos'd of otherwise than is specifi'd by the said Article no other restitution shall be demanded but what shall be found in being XLIII His said Majesty permits those of the said Religion to assemble before the Judge Royal and by his Authority to equal and raise among themselves such Sums as shall be judg'd necessary to be imploy'd towards the Charges of their Synods and for the maintenance of those who are imploy'd for the exercise of their said Religion of which the true estimate shall be given to the said Judge Royal to be kept by him The Copy of which shall be sent every six months by the said Judges Royal to his Majesty or to his Chancellor and the said Taxes and Impositions shall be liable to execution all Oppositions or Appeals to the contrary notwithstanding XLIV The Ministers of the said Religion shall be exempted from Watching and from Quartering of Soldiers assessing and collecting of Tailles or Subsidies as also from Wardships and Guardianships and Commissions for the keeping of Estates seiz'd by Authority of Justice XLV Those of the said Religion shall be neither prosecuted nor disturbed for the Burials heretofore made by them in the Church-yards of the said Catholicks in any place or City whatever and his Majesty shall order his Officers to take care of the same As to the City of Paris over and above the two Church-yards those of the same Religion possess there already viz. that of Trinity and that of St. Germans a third convenient place shall be allow'd them for the said Interments in the Suburbs of St. Honore or St. Denis XLVI The Catholick Presidents and Counsellors that shall serve in the Chamber ordain'd in the Parliament of Paris shall be chosen by his Majesty upon the Roll of the Officers of the Parliament XLVII The Counsellors of the said pretended Reform'd Religion who shall serve in the said Chamber shall assist if they think fit at such Processes as shall be decided by Commissioners and shall have a deliberative voice in the same but shall have no share of the Consign'd Money unless they ought to assist at them by the order and prerogative of their reception XLVIII The Senior President of the Party-Chambers shall preside at the Audience and in his absence the second and the distribution of Suits shall be made by the two Presidents jointly or alternately monthly or weekly XLIX A vacation of Offices happening in possession of or to be possess'd by those of the said Religion in the said Chambers of the Edict they shall be given to capable Persons having Attestations from the Synod or Assembly to which they do belong of their being of the said Religion and Persons of Integrity L. The Pardon granted to those of the said pretended Reform'd Religion by the 74th Article of the said Edict shall stand good for the taking of the Money belonging to the Crown either by breaking of Coffers or otherwise even in respect to that as was rais'd upon the River Charante though assign'd to particular persons LI. The 49th of the Secret Articles made in the Year 1577. concerning the City and Archbishoprick of Avignon and County thereof together with the Treaty made at Nimes shall be observ'd according to their Form and Tenor and no Letters of Mart shall be granted by virtue of the said Articles and Treaty unless by Letters-Patent from the King under the Great Seal Nevertheless such as shall be desirous to obtain the same shall be allow'd by virtue of this present Article without any other Commission to make their application to the Judges Royal who shall examine the Transgressions Denial of Justice and Iniquity of the Judgments propos'd by those who shall be desirous to obtain the said Letters and shall send the same together with their Opinions seal'd up close to his Majesty in order to his ordering the said matter according to reason LII His Majesty grants and wills that Nicholas Grimoult shall be re-establish'd and maintain'd in the Title and Possession of the Offices of Ancient Lieutenant General Civil and Lieutenant-General Criminal in the Bailywike of Aleneon notwithstanding the Resignation by him made to John Marguerite his Reception and the Patent obtain'd by William Barnard of the Office of Lieutenant-General Civil and Criminal in the tribunal of Exmes The Decrees given against the said Marguerit Resignee during the Troubles in the Privy Council in the Year 1586 1587 and 1588. by which Nicholas Barbier is setled in the Rights and Prerogatives of Ancient Lieutenant-General in the said Bailywike and the said Bernard in the Office of Lieutenant at Exmes the which his Majesty has nullify'd and all others hereunto contrary Moreover his Majesty for certain good Considerations has granted and ordain'd That the said Grimoult shall within the space of three months re-imburse the said Barbier of the Money by him furnish'd or disburs'd for the said Office of Lieutenant-General Civil and Criminal in the Vice-county of Alencon and 50 Crowns for the
allow'd them out oâ— the 15000 Crowns of augmentation might be assign'd to theâ— upon other Funds and that something more might be allow'd to them to build their Temples The success of the Solicitations which the Deputies oâ— the particular Assemblies had made at Court had been â—â— unfortunate that in order no longer to offend the Court which took no delight in being troubled with Deputies the Synod resolv'd for the future to imploy the Deputies General to the end that their representations being deliver'd to the King by Persons that were agreable to him they might obtain more favourable answers Therefore they charg'd them with a large Cahier and with the Solicitation of such things as they should have demanded at another time by a particular Deputation It is observable that the number of the Reform'd was so considerable at that time in the County of Avignon that they esteem'd themselves strong enough to form a Province a part They desir'd three things of the Synod To be receiv'd in the communion of the Churches of France To make a particular Province without being mixt with those that were adjacent and to be assisted with some Sums â—â— Money to make the said Establishment The Synod â—nted them the first Article referr'd the second to a political Assembly and excused themselves upon the third â—t but that the Synod had some Money good out of the preceeding years but they design'd it for other uses They â—â—ok several Sums out of it to gratifie private persons Among the rest Thomson Minister of La Chataigneraye had a â—ompence given him of three hundred Livers for the Book â—â— which he had given the Title of The Chace of the Roman â—ast and Vignier had a gratification of two thousand Livers for the Theatre of Antichrist which he had writen by â—â—mmand of the National Synod of Rochel This may â—ve to show that the Synod had not alter'd their Sentiments â—ut the matter of Antichrist Soon after the breaking up of the Synod the Court being â—ss'd on several sides to revoke the Declaration which â— made so much noise and being moreover disturb'd aâ—t the troubles that were forming in Saintonge and at Roâ—l which might be attended with ill consequences put â—â— a new Declaration which under pretence of removing Scandal which the preceding had occasion'd did notwithstanding confirm it It suppo'd that the preceding had â—y been granted at the request of some particular Perâ—s who were afraid of being prosecuted for having assisted Assemblies which had been held without leave and for haâ—g been guilty of some suspicious actions as Listing of â—n which had given them some disquiet by reason that â—â—e of them had been inform'd against in the Chambers â—he Edict But whereas some People look'd upon that â—don not so much as a remedy for the fears of those who wisely think they stood in need of it as a desire to lay a â—mish upon the general the King was willing to remove all â—nner of pretence from the disaffected and to satisfie the â—d Subjects who joyn'd the Zeal of their Religion to â—ir obedience and only desir'd to enjoy the benifit of the Edicts in Peace He said that the number of those was much the greatest and comprehended those in it who haâ— most power to help to maintain publick Tranquility Therefore he declar'd by way of Esclaircissement upon the Declation of the 24th of April That he was very well satisfi'd with the Reform'd in general and that for that reason he did forget the faults of particular persons which shoulâ— no wise reflect upon them for the future provided that theâ— kept within the bounds of their Allegiance and of the observation of the Edicts This new Declaration was dated Jully the 11th It waâ— drawn in Terms which at the bottom signifi'd nothing and which showing that the first had been publish'd upon certain informations made on purpose to serve for a pretence to the Act of Grace they had a mind to give reduce it to a particular Pardon in which the generality seem'd noâ— to be concern'd But at the bottom the King not naâ—ing those he was satisfi'd with nor those of whom he conplain'd it remain'd still uncertain and undecided to whom thâ— said Pardon did belong which many and even the greateâ— number of those that had assisted in the Assemblies woulâ— not accept of and consequently they had as much reason to complain of the second Declaration as of the first Moreover the Assemblies remain'd still under condemnation as unlawful and consequently prohibited for the future Therefore that expedient prov'd inefectual and lest the Evil might go farther they were forc'd once more to takâ— it in hand again I have observ'd that the Synod had indeavour'd to grounâ— the right of Particular Assemblies upon the Court 's having receiv'd their Cahiers and given favourable answers to the same The truth is nevertheless as I have said it elsewhere that the Deputies were dismiss'd in a kind of insulting manner and that they had not the satisfaction to bring back those answers They were made to the Cahiers as presented by the Deputies General without looking upon theâ— coming from particular Provinces Three Cahiers were â—us answer'd on the 17th of April The first contain'd several Articles extracted out of the Cahier of Saumur There â—as one among the rest relating to little Schools whereby â—e King was desir'd to remove the restriction of the number mention'd in the Answer to the 18th Article of the Cahierâ—â— â—â— Saumur and that the said Article should no wise prejudice the concession of the Edict which allow'd Reform'd Schollars to be receiv'd without distinction into the publick Colleges There was another which desir'd that the Reform'd Associates which were deprived of a deliberative â—oice by the Answer to the 34th might have it in Judgments in those places where the Reform'd were the strongest they â—ow'd it without contestation to the Catholick Associates â—â—e King did grant the last and as to the preceeding he reverâ—d the restriction in relation to such places in which the Exerâ—e of the Reform'd Religion was allow'd in the Subburbs proâ—ed they were Children belonging to the Town or Subburbs â—â—d he allow'ed the said Schools in the Town it self but he only â—ow'd the Children of the places adjacent to be sent to School â—he Suburbs and he also confirm'd the privilege of sending children to publick Colleges as it was allowed by the Edict The second relating to the Administration of Justice was answer'd the same day and among other things the King confirm'd the preceding Settlements which render'd the chambers of the Edict Judges of their own Jurisdiction and power but he added a word to it which opened a way to â—â—ve the said Concession reducing it to the Settlements made and observ'd So that under colour of granting all he granted nothing since the Reform'd had no need of a new â—â—w for such places in which the old ones were
to the Bishop's triumph But the â—…rse part of it was the example It was no novelty to 〈◊〉 a Corps taken out of the Ground either by the violence the Clergy or by the ordinance of some Country Judge â—…t the thing was done here by a man who had the â—…ality of Commissioner for the Execution of the Edict that his Example had the force of a Law and might authorise all the other Judges to do the like Moreover was apparent that the Instructions of those new Commissioners were very different from those which Henry the 〈◊〉 had given to the Commissioners in 1600. Those had â—…ders to explain the difficulties which might Intervene in the execution of the Edict in favour of the Reform'd at these new Commissioners by a different method were â—…ly rigorous Judges against the Reform'd and all their faâ—…ur was bestowed on the Catholicks The Reform'd Inhabitants of la Tierache in the Bayliwick Soissons were treated a little more favourably They â—…mplain'd that they were oblig'd to repair to very distant â—…ces in order to perform the publick exercise of their â—…ligion in so much that they were in danger of falling to the hands of the Spanish Garrisons who treated them Hereticks This oblig'd them to present a Petition to the â—…ng to obtain leave to Assemble in a nearer and safer â—…ace They propos'd Gerci where the Fief did not allow them to meet above thirty at a time by reason that the Lord â—…ereof had only mean and low Justice there the high Justice â—…longing to the King They obtain'd as a special favour â—…thout consequence or example the Power of Assembling â—…ere as they might have done at a Lord high Justicer on conâ—…tion that incase the House of Greci should fall into the hands 〈◊〉 a Catholick the said exercise should cease there or that a Reform'd Gentleman coming to possess a House 〈…〉 the Quality requir'd by the Edict in the Neighbourhoâ—… thereof it should be transferr'd there and the Bâ—… granted in favour of Gerci should remain void It 〈…〉 dated April the 28th and was Registr'd at Laon. It â—…pears by this Brief that the Court had not as yet bethougâ—… it self of the Cavils they have rais'd of late years agaiâ—… the Lords Justicers That there was no doubt of their â—…ving the privilege to receive at the exercises of Religiâ—… that were perform'd at their houses all those who repaiâ—… thither whether Vassals Inhabitants or others That 〈…〉 said exercise might be establish'd in Fiefs or Justices neâ—… acquir'd which the Lords were not in Possession of at 〈…〉 time of the Edict of Nantes and it might also be concludâ—… that it was not thought certain that in case a Fief in which 〈…〉 said exercise of the Reform'd Religion was establish'd shoâ—… fall into the hands of a Catholick the said exercise was to 〈…〉 by Right since that in order to hinder its being continu'd 〈…〉 Gerci in such a Case it was thought necessary to express pâ—…sitively that it should not be allow'd But after all these Particulars it is necessary to relateâ—… more general Affair which having lasted untill the folloâ—…ing year without any bodys being able to put a stop 〈…〉 it had like to have reduc'd the whole Kingdom to Conâ—…fusion The Division which broke out at Saumur haviâ—… made a particular breach between the Dukes de Roâ—… and de Bouillon the last not being able to conceal his jâ—…lousie at the growing Credit of the other and the Dâ—… de Rohan imputing the ill success of the Affairs of the Assem bly to the Duke de Bouillon The Duke de Rohan had 〈…〉 greatest number of the Reform'd on his side but 〈…〉 quality of those who adher'd to the Marshal de Bouillâ—… render'd his Party considerable the more by reason tâ—… he was favour'd by the Court which made use of him 〈…〉 keep up a Division among the Reform'd Many had sided wâ—… him for sordid self-interested reasons which the possessiâ—… or hope of a Pension inclin'd to great complaisances â—… â—…e were others whose simplicity and credulity ingag'd them â—…cently to take the same Party by reason that they look'd â—…n it as the most lawful and safest for their Conscience 〈…〉 grand reason the others made use of to dazle them 〈…〉 the specious name of Peace and the incumbent duty of â—…ying the higher powers not only upon the account of anger 〈…〉 also for Conscience sake The Court kept men in pay to â—…ach that Gospel and while they made barefac'd enterâ—…es and did secretly prepare machines which were neâ—…ary in order to oppress the Reform'd they endeavour'd â—…ersuade them by those they had corrupted that they â—…e oblig'd not to oppose them â—…t is almost incredible how many people were caught â—…hose Snares imagining that that Apostolick Doctrine â—…y allow'd honest people Sighs and Patience and that they â—…ate it who take measures to prevent the Injustices Vioâ—…ces and Treacheries of those who are in Authority 〈…〉 this is the way by which the freest Natives suffer themâ—…es to be made Slaves and that Soveraigns improving â—…r credulity easily impose upon them It is an Illusion â—…ch reigns among men in all the relations they have toâ—…her that notwithstanding they are grounded upon â—…ain mutual duties which maintain or destroy each oâ—…r reciprocally the one imagin that tho they violate that â—…t of the duty which they are oblig'd to the others are neâ—…theless oblig'd to observe that part which relates to them â—…ligiously It is particulary the opinion of those who â—…d the Rank of Superiors who when they take the least â—…e to afford their Inferiors either the Protection or Justice â—…t is due to them pretend that they are nevertheless â—…ig'd to pay them Submission and Obedience and how â—…n soever that pretention may be yet there are always â—…ople who rack their Wit to find out specious reasons 〈…〉 maintain it and Tender Consciences that are persuaded 〈…〉 those reasons particularly when those who design 〈…〉 make an ill use of those maxims joyn some appearance 〈…〉 advantage to those reasons it is difficult to believe what an Empire they get over simple Souls They faâ—… that the Cause of their Benefactors becomes the Cause 〈…〉 God That all the measures taken for self preservation becomâ—… so many Crimes That oppress'd Subjects can have no 〈…〉 dress but the hopes of a better time And that God 〈…〉 reward their simplicity when they suffer themselves to bâ—… destroy'd by vertue of Passive-Obedience Therefore the Court took great care to persuade all thâ—… they found inclin'd that way that it is an Evangelical Doctrine and to give ademonstrative force by small gratifications to those reasons wherewith they did second it Whereupon I can not forbear admiring the confidence which Polititians often repose in the simplicity of other men to whom they endeavour to perswade that Religion and Conscience obliâ—… them to submit to those that oppress them and to the Fâ—…ters which they
Assembly were held 〈…〉 would relapse into greater and worse fewds than â—…re Du Plessis caus'd it to be adjourn'd untill the 20th 〈…〉 October and having imploy'd that time to negotiate 〈…〉 accomodation at Court he got it to be put of for a â—…th longer by the Mediation of the Deputies â—…eral Rochel had had its share of the Troubles and about 〈…〉 same time that the Duke of Rohan conven'd the five â—…vinces there broke out a Sedition there the conseâ—…nces of which were to be fear'd The Queen had endeavour'd to interpose her Authority in the Election 〈…〉 the Mayor of that City and to make her self Miâ—…s of it as she had endeavour'd to do at St. John The â—…nity of Mayor of Rochel was very considerable he 〈…〉 Governor of it by his place and had almost an abâ—…te Power there both as to the Military and Civil Government So that incase the Court could have gain'd 〈…〉 one point of having the Election of the Mayor at â—…r disposal they might easily have secur'd that place â—…hout besieging it But the City having the power to â—…e their Chief themselves carefully preserv'd that â—riviledge and would nowise suffer the Brigues of the â—…urt to incroach upon that important liberty Thereâ—…e the Queen succeeded yet less in it than at St. John 〈…〉 the last Mayor was Elected according to the usual â—… notwithstanding all her endeavours to the contrary 〈…〉 tho the said City preserv'd their Rights they remembred still that the Queen had endeavour'd to Invade â—…m which appear'd in the affair I am going to relate 〈…〉 Coudray Counsellor in the Parliament of Paris was 〈…〉 one of the Sheriffs of Rochel but he was suspected of â—…ing with the Court His behaviour in the Election of the Mayor had increas'd those jealousies and it was thought â—…t he had been the bearer of the Queens orders which tended to Violate the usual forms He came to Râ—… every year in the Vacations under pretence of his Dâ—… mestick Affairs but it was thought that the Coâ—… gave him secret orders He came some days 〈…〉 year sooner than he us'd to do and tho he neâ—… us'd to come before the Parliament was broken up he caâ—â— to Rochel before it that time He had brought diâ—… Commissions relating to Justice even in such places 〈…〉 were not under the jurisdiction of the Parliament Insomuch that in order to Authorise him in such places 〈…〉 which the jurisdiction of that Court did not extend 〈…〉 Queen had made him intendent of Justice and that 〈…〉 the Title of his Commission But lest the Gates of Râ—… should be shut against him the Court had not given 〈…〉 the quality of Intendent of the Polity by reason that 〈…〉 Rochelois who were sole Masters of their City would not hâ—… allow'd him to take that Title far from suffering him 〈…〉 exert the authority of it He made no use of that pretended Intendence of Justice he was invested with and declar'd that he would not take the advantage of it whâ—… perswaded them that the said Commission cover'd other 〈…〉 signs that it only serv'd to Authorise him as bearer of Royal Commission and that it was left to his discreâ—… to use it or not according as he should think â—it He 〈…〉 covered only a Credential Letter for Rochel which gave 〈…〉 assuranoes of her Majesties good Intention But it 〈…〉 thought that he was only sent to divide Rochel if he coâ—… from the rest of the Churches which design had a doâ—… prospect the one to oppress the Duke de Rohan who coâ—… not defend himself unless Rochel assisted him the other 〈…〉 deprive Rochel of the advantage of the General Unâ—… when ever it should be attack'd in particular Moreover it was thought that he brought Instructions to dissipated Assembly which it was very well known at Court tâ—… Duke de Rohan was meditating They knew that it 〈…〉 become General incase the Deputys of the Circles shoâ—… think fit for the common good to invite the Depâ—… â—… the other Provinces at it and they were sencible that 〈…〉 Duke would use his utmost endeavours to renew all 〈…〉 propositions of that of Saumur there Du Coudray was 〈…〉 accus'd of writing to the Queen in termes which seem'd 〈…〉 intimate that the Inhabitants of Rochel were not well â—in'd He seldom convers'd with any of the Inhabitants 〈…〉 such as the rest had no good opinion of and the first 〈…〉 visited him at his arrival was one Le Vacher a man â—…y much suspected and not belov'd by the people especially since that in a certain dispute with the Citizens 〈…〉 had the insolence to threaten them that he would 〈…〉 them to Paris with a Rope about their Necks which 〈…〉 them a great deal of reason to believe that he relyed 〈…〉 the favour of the Court since otherwise it would â—…e been a ridiculous threathing in the mouth of a priâ—… Inhabitant of Rochel These reasons whether true or likely to mistrust him exâ—… so furious a Sedition against him that the Magistrates â—…t not at first appear before the Mutiniers to oppose â—…r Violence They took up Arms made Barricado's â—…he avenues and Du Coudray was forc'd to lye conceal'd â—…fear This began on the 5th of September but the first 〈…〉 being stopt of it self the Sedition broke out again â—…he 12th with such terrible threatnings against those 〈…〉 were suspected that Du Coudray desir'd to go out of 〈…〉 Town for his safety whither he really thought himâ—…n danger or whether he had a mind to take an occasion 〈…〉 thence to aggravate the Relations and Complaints he 〈…〉 accus'd of sending to Court against Rochel In order to â—…ove him from thence the Mayor accompany'd with some â—…ldiers attended him to the City Gates Yet tho the â—…yor was very much respected by the Rochelois the Peoâ—… being in a rage forgot their respect on that occasion 〈…〉 upon him and his Men and pursued Du Coudray with â—…s and injurious Words The Mayor was slightly woundâ—… but Du Coudray receiv'd no hurt and when that obâ—… of the Peoples jealousies and rage was remov'd they easily sily return'd to their former Duty A large account 〈…〉 the said Sedition was sent to the Council lest Du Coudray should represent it yet in a more odious manner All 〈…〉 motives of the People were represented in it as well as 〈…〉 the progress of their violence but Du Coudray was repuâ—… the occasion of the evil and the whole ended with proâ—…ses of Fidelity and obedience This affair being ended Rochel consented to receive the Assembly tho they were unresolv'd about it at first 〈…〉 they only began their Session there on the 20th of November by reason that powerful endeavours were us'd 〈…〉 two Months time to find out the means to come to an 〈…〉 commodation Du Plessis oblig'd the Duke de Rohan to 〈…〉 his propositions He made them like a man that â—eaâ—… nothing and who thought himself capable to inspire 〈…〉
great â—â—nsequence as if the welfare of the State had depended â—â—on it Notwithstanding those earnest entreaties about â—â—e affair of Milhau and the Kings Answer which is said 〈…〉 be That he thought himself as much oblig'd to reâ—â—nge the Stabbing of his God as the Parricide of his Faâ—â—er the Clergy did not obtain the Vengeance they deâ—… The reason of it is that the Reform'd likewise brought â—…complaint to Court of a greater violence committed â—â—ainst them in those very parts soon after the sedition at â—â—ilhau They had built a Temple at Belestat where they had â—…right to perform the exercise of their Religion by the â—…icts The Catholicks pull'd it down and not being conâ—â—ted with that they acted great Violences against the â—â—form'd that liv'd there who were Plunder'd Beaten â—ounded and very Barbarously us'd It look'd as if the â—â—tholicks had done this upon the account of Reprisals and 〈…〉 be reveng'd of the violences that had been committed 〈…〉 Milhau by those of Bellestat The King receiving the â—â—mplaints of both sides much about the same time it was â—â—fficult to do Justice to the one without doing it also to â—â—e other So that the best expedient the Court could â—â—ink on to avoid greater inconveniences was to satisfie â—â—e Parties with general promises and to refer them to â—â—dges that might take a particular cognisance of their â—â—mplaints It remain'd in agitation till towards the latter â—â—d of the year In the mean time the Clergy had compos'd their Caâ—… which contain'd upwards of 300 Articles among which thosâ— that did not relate to their own Grandeur tended only â—â— preserve to the Queen the Authority of the Government which she was very jealous of or to betray the interesâ—… of the State and to incroach upon the Edicts under whiâ—â— the Reform'd were maintain'd Such were upwards of 6 Articles which directly or indirectly tended to disturb theâ— in the possession of their Liberties To that end they desir'd the Restoration of the Roman Religion in all plaâ—â— under the King's dominion particularly in Bearn and into all the Places newly re-united to the Crown The Condemnation of Books and Discourses that were injurioâ—â— to the Pope lately Printed The Revocation of Pensioâ— given upon Benifices to persons that were not qualifieâ— for them specifying among the reasons of Incapacity the Pretended Reform'd Religion Prohibitions to the Parliamenâ— to meddle with the observation of Festivals The Exemptioâ— of Imprisonment for Ecclesiasticks and leave for Bishops â—â— condemn to the Gally's Leave to apply themselves to thâ— next Judge Royal for the execution of Ecclesiastical Sentences incase the ordinary Judge were of the Pretendeâ— Religion a great extention of the Rights of Tithâ—â— Besides this there were complaints that the Kings Officeâ— or those of the Pretended Religion hinder'd the Bishops from rebuilding their Churches and their Houses Other Articles desir'd that such Monks as should be met oâ—â— of their Habit and Convent without Letters of Obeâ—â—ence should be chastis'd as Apostates which related directly to the Monks that imbrac'd the Reform'd Religion That the Jesuits might be re-united to the University 〈…〉 Paris That the King would be pleas'd to judge their Caâ—ses himself and to take them under his protection That the Printers might be reduc'd to a certain number in every City and that they should print no Books without the Diocesian's Liscence That all Books from abroad should be prohibited unless they had the same approbation Thâ—â— the Marriages with Spain might be accomplished â—hat the King should take back again the Towns of â—â—stage given by the Treaty of Ste Menehould That â—â—e Principality of Bearn and the rest of the Kingdom of â—…var should be re-united to the Crown That all the â—â—urch Lands there should be restor'd to the Ecclesiasticks â—…thout allowing them to be imployed for the use of the â—â—form'd which was stiled a prophane use That a Party â—â—amber should be establish'd at Pau That the Reform'dâ—â—dges â—â—dges there should not be allow'd to take Cognisance 〈…〉 Ecclesiastical Causes That Militrary Offices and such 〈…〉 related to Justice should be given to Catholicks That 〈…〉 Edict of Settlement should be made between the Cathoâ—…ks and the Reform'd That the Garrisons should be reâ—…v'd out of such Towns as were not seated on the â—…ntiers That Article did not relate to the Places of Sureâ—… which another spoke of directly and desn'd the King 〈…〉 take them again but this has contributed considerably 〈…〉 enslave the Kingdom by reason that it serv'd for an â—â—erture to disarm all those that were able to desend â—…ir Liberty The next desir'd the Prohibition of all sorâ—…gn Correspondencies Others propos'd the restoring to the Ecclesiasticks their â—…uses and Castles within the space of three Months 〈…〉 oblige those that were order'd to prove their being â—â—form'd meaning the Catholicks that imbrac'd the Reâ—â—â—m'd Religion to make their Declaration before the â—ge Royal six Months before their being allow'd to â—ove their Causes to the Chambers of the Edict That â—e was sufficient to ruin them in the Parliaments Others â—…ir'd that all the Causes in which Ecclesiasticks were â—…cern'd might be remov'd before the Parliaments Presidials â—…d other Catholick Judges and that the Chambers should 〈…〉 be allowd ' to receive their Appeals Thirty two others followed these which were diâ—…tly against the Reform'd The first of them was to â—…press the exercise of their Religion That in the mean time they should be reduc'd to the Concessions of the late King and that all they had obtain'd during the minority should be revok'd The others imported that they should restore the Churches to the Catholiks That they should not be allow'd to Bury their Dead in the ancient Church-yards or in the Churches and that the Catholicks should be allow'd to oppose it by force of Arms That they should be forc'd to restore the Church-yards they had shar'd with the Catholicks That they should be forbidden to write against the Sacraments of the Roman Church and against the Authority of the Pope on paâ—… of rigorous punishments That the Ministers should nâ—… be allowed to go into the Hospitals even to comfort thâ—… Sick That Masters should be oblig'd to suffer their Servants to perform the rites of their Religion and to allow the Curates to visit them when sick That the exercise of the P. R. R. should be prohibitted in Lands that were held in homage of the Church That the Catholicks turâ—… Protestants should not injoy the exemption of contributing towards the building of Churches c. Untill a year aâ—… their signification of their profession in the Register Office That their Temples should be a thousand Steps disâ—… from the Churches at least That the Patronages of the Reform'd should be transferr'd to their nearest Catholiâ—… Relations or in default of any to the Ordinary That 〈…〉 prohibition should be made on pain of corporal punishments to impose upon the Catholicks the Sums rais'd
the Assembly Generals of the Circles Seal of the Assembly The Peaceable among the Reform'd are disarm'd Which causes a great Desertion Treachery against du Plessis to get Saumur out of his Hands The Court amuses him with Promises even in Writing He is upbraided by the Assembly Declaration of the King against the Cities of Rochel and St. John de Angeli which obliges the Reform'd to renounce the Party of the Assembly in Writing Interested Cowardise of the Governors of the Cities of Surety The King Dismantles the Fortifications of the Towns that are deliver'd up to him Apology of the Assembly Invective against the Jesuit Arnoux Relation of what pass'd since the Assembly of Loudun Relalation of the Stratagems of the Court Why the Assemblies refus'd to break up before their Cahiers were answer'd A violent Answer in the King's Name Kidnapping of Children The Reform'd excluded from all manner of Favours The The Catholicks are excus'd from giving Church-Yards at their own Cost in lieu of the old ones which they took again Writing of Tilenus against the Assembly of Rochel Siege and Reduction of St. John de Angeli Declaration from the King which Abolishes the Priviledges of that City WHile the Churches of Bearn were expos'd to the Violences I have mention'd heretofore the Inhabitants of Montauban thought that they should serve their Brethren by Frightning the Catholicks with Reprisals So that one day after a long Deliberation upon the News of the Cruelties exerted at Navarreins they seiz'd upon all the Ecclesiasticks and kept them a little above Twenty four Hours Prisoners in the Bishop's House At the same time they gave Notice to the other Inhabitants that were at Thoulouse or in the Country to retire into the City lest the Catholicks should also use Reprisals upon them The very next day those Prisoners were let out again and only had the City for Prison with Leave publickly to perform all the Exercises of their Religion in the Church of St. Lewis where they us'd to perform them But whatever Assurance and Liberty was given them they refus'd upon vain Pretences to continue their Functions to the end that the News of Divine Service being interrupted at Montauban being carry'd to Court might render the Conduct of the Inhabitants the more Criminal Soon after it they were allow'd to go out of the City taking Leave of the Consuls but no manner of Outrage was offer'd to their Persons during the Process of that Affair The Consuls writ to Masuier first President in the Parliament of Thoulouse to acquaint him with their Reasons They told him that the cruel Execution of Navarreins having strangely mov'd the People they had secur'd the Ecclesiasticks only to save them from their first Fury But the Ecclesiasticks gave a different Account of it and made it pass for a very heinous Attempt They also writ to Masuier as soon as they were at Liberty and though their Letters only contain'd the same Facts which the Consuls own'd yet they made them seem to be very Guilty The Truth is that there happen'd some Transactions very like those in the County of Foix where the Reform'd of Saverdun of Cazeres and of Pamiers seiz'd upon the Catholicks and upon some Houses seated upon the Passages and search'd some Travellers suspecting that they carry'd Advices or Orders against their Safety They also endeavour'd but in vain to surprise a strong House belonging to the Bishop of Pamiers Those Proceedings did not please every body and the abridg'd Assembly which was at Montauban was against confining the Ecclesiasticks closer than within the Walls of the City But the Spirit of Reprisals was predominant in the People of those Parts and even at Castres they threatned the Counsellors of Thoulouse who serv'd in the Party-Chamber to use them according as the Reform'd should be us'd elsewhere by the Catholiks Masuier being inform'd with all this writ a very violent Letter to the King about it He was one of the most violent Persecutors in the World and according to the Character another President of the same Parliament has given of him the greatest Villain that ever was at the Head of an Authoriz'd Society He was a Man without the least Politeness a down right Barbarian in his Temper in his Language and in his Manners He was Covetous even to a degree of Infamy and Cruel to the utmost He neither understood Justice or Equity in point of Religion It is reported of him that being ingag'd in a Treaty made with some Persons about the Creation of several new Offices he had the Confidence to come into the Parliament to preside at the Decree of Verification of the same The Attorney General knowing that he had a Share in the Treaty recus'd him and his Recusation was allow'd of Masuier was Censur'd in a full Parliament for his ill Conduct and the said Censure was enter'd into the Register The Prince of Conde who was at Thoulouse at that time about the same Affair and who being as Covetous as Masuier was suspected of being Concern'd in it as well as he came the next day to the Parliament and had much ado to cause the said Censure to be taken out of the Register but he had not Credit enough to blot it out of Peoples Minds and an undeniable Witness has preserv'd the History of it The same Author speaking of the Zeal of that unworthy Man against the Reform'd says that he would have been praise-worthy had he been more moderate He was belov'd at Court by reason that he was a Slave to all the Orders that came from thence and that he knew no Rule of Justice beyond a Signet Letter but he was hated by the People The very Inhabitants of Thoulouse Conspir'd against his Life and upwards of Four thousand Billets were dropt up and down the said City against him one day in which they threatned him with the utmost Extremities Had he been to be try'd for any Crime though there had not been sufficient Proofs against him the Hatred of all those that knew him would have been sufficient to supply the Insufficiency of the Proofs The Reform'd have often had the Comfort to see that their greatest Enemies were Men of that Character Masuier therefore writ to the King as if the Ecclesiasticks had only been seiz'd at Montauban in order to Massacre them at the first News of any Ill Treatment acted any where else against the Reform'd He gather'd all the Reports the Catholicks spread up and down and grounded Designs of the whole Party upon the least Word that fell from any overraâ—n Person He endeavoured to persuade that there were some peaceable Persons in Montauban who did condemn those Proceedings but in order to lay the Blame upon the Generality he said that they were at the Disposition of the Factious He affirm'd that the Enterprize upon Navaâ—… had been resolv'd at Milhau and he even proceeded so far as to specifie the day on which
whence they could not â—ee themselves till after several years Patience under another â—eign But the most heavy Persecution of the Reformed this â—ear was that of the Extraordinary Sessions in Poitou which â—et on purpose to vex 'em and whose Jurisdiction extended â—â—o Angoâ—mois Aunix Anjou Le Maine La Touraine Le Liâ—… and Perigood This Grand Sessions was an Assembly consisting of Commissioners chosen out of one or several Parlaments which were sent into those Provinces where any public Disorder were pretended to have bin committed which could not be supprest by the Proceedings of Ordinary Justice So that they were like those Itinerary Parlaments which formerly went from place to place to Administer Justice when Necessity chiefly requir'd it These Grand Sessions were won to be a Terror to persons in Power who had opprest the people without fear of punishment So that when this Grand Session approach'd any Provinces all Offenders against whom nobody durst open their mouths before began to quake for feâ— of the Punishments which they deserv'd But this Year the Grand Sessions did no harm to nor terrify'd any body but the Reformed And the manner of their pronouncing Sentence was enough to put those poor Creatures in fear of being loâ—â— past all Redemption But in regard that in the main theâ— Decrees made more noise then they did mischief and the reâ— of the Provinces being exempted from this Storm it may â— thought that the Cardinal sought rather to shew his Grandeâ—â— and his Power then the effect of his Rigour to stop the moutâ— of those that accus'd him of favouring Heretics This Assembly sat down at Poitiers the 4th of September and that of the Audiences the 11th of the same Month and under pretence of punishing Offences that were not pardon'd by the Edict and after which no Inquisition had bin made by reason of the Troubles they put all the Churches of those Provinces in fear of the loss of their Exercises After they had ordain'd the inferiour Judges to give Information of all the Violences Rebellions Usurpations of Cures and Priories to Decree Seize and make all requisite Pursuits and Inquiries eveâ— to the Definitive Sentence exclusively the Grand Assizes began to issue forth Sentences more decisive There was one of the 6th of September which contain'd Nine principal Articles The first forbid the Reformed for the future to Bury iâ— Catholic Church-yards under the Penalty of a 1000 Livres and to have the Corps's digg'd up agen The second ordain'd that the Catholic Service should be re-establish'd in Churches which had bin in the possession of the Reformed The third forbid Tolling to Church with the Bells that belong'd to the Catholics The fourth took from 'em the Priviledge of having Schools in places where they had not leave to erect 'em by verifi'd Letters-Patents The fifth to oblige the Reformed Lords of Mannors to make choice in which of their Feiffs they intended to settle their Habitation and consequently the Right of Exercise The sixth ordain'd that they should surcease their Exercises in places where the Lords should become Catholics â—â—â— that they should not perform 'em within the Feiffs of Catholics but with their consent By the seventh they were to demolish all Churches built in Church-yards or near to Churches where the Catholic Service might be interrupted â—â— also all those that had bin built since the Edict without permisson verifi'd The eighth forbid Preaching in the Houses and Habitations of Ecclesiastics and the close of that Article â—â—tended the Prohibition to Halls and Public Places The ninth â—ondemn'd the Reformed to refrain from the word Church then they spoke of themselves and to call their Doctrine by the â—ame of the Pretended Reformed Religion under the Forfeiture â—â—â—â—â— Livres This Article principally concern'd Treaties of Marriage where the Persons covenanting call'd themselves Memoâ—rs of the Church belonging to the Places of their Abode This Nicety went a great way But I have known Catholic Notaries whose Zeal was so scrupulous that when the rough Draught of the Contract was brought to 'em which began A Treaty of Marriage which by the good Pleasure of God will be Solemnizâ— c. would needs have the words By the good Pleasure of â—â—â— blotted out as doing Heresie too much Honour This Decree was properly the substance of all the rest that â—ere made by the Grand Assizes There was nothing to be â—en but the taking away of Church-yards Exercises forbid â—reaching silenc'd Churches pull'd down and incommodious and vexatious Regulations Upon the 20th of September a Decree â—as set forth which oblig'd the Reformed both Men and Women to get out of the way upon Tingling of the Bell when they met the Romish Sacrament in the Streets or if they could 〈…〉 to put themselves into a Posture of Respect and in regard â—hâ— Women had no Hats to pull off they would needs enforce them to kneel like the Catholics and for the Men tho this Regulation were renew'd almost every year neither getting out of the way nor pulling off their Hats would serve their turns when they fell into the Hands of the Populacy The same Regulation was confirm'd by another Decree dated Nov. 24. The 26th of October came forth a Decree which order'd the Church of St. Maixant to be Demolish'd The Archbishop of Tours who was Abbot of that Place made a Latin Speech to the Grand Assizes which savonr'd very strong of the Colledge but the Cause of an Archbishop against the Reformed was too Specious to require much Pleading Nevertheless Omer Talon the Son of James Talon Advocate General in the Parlament of Paris who had the same Employment in the Grand Assizes pleaded strongly for the Archbishop He affirm'd openly that the Reformed were suffer'd only by Toleration and Connivance as men suffer a Thing which they had rather be without From which dangerous Principle he drew a Consequence much worse That what concern'd the Religion oâ— the Reformed was not to be reckon'd among Things favourable for which the Terms of the Law are wont to be favourably interpreted but that in their Cases the Rigor of Expression was to be observ'd The nothing could be said more contrary to the Intention of the Act and the Repeated Promises of Lewis XIII but chiefly of Hen. IV. who had declar'd more then once that Ambiguous Expressions ought to be favourably explain'd Besides Talon sought for the Interpretation of the Edict in the preceding Edicts which was very strange in a man that made a profession of Honesty as he did and who was too clear-sighted not to understand that there was nothing more Unjust or more Imprudent then to fetch from Laws revok'd the Explanation of a New Law which Repeals ' em 'T was either a great piece of Injustice or a manifest Absurdity to seek for the Sense of a new Edict in those that preceded Besides that they must have bin in some measure conformable to the New one or
Parlaments whereas formerly they were restrain'd to ten To which end all Patents requisite shall be dispatch'd XXI That at the request of the Chamber of Castres which is compos'd of a President and Eight Catholick Counsellors and as many of the Religion it would please his Majesty to create de novo two Offices of Counsellors to serve in the Chamber of Nerac where there are but six Counsellors of the same Religion Which is the Cause that by reason of present Refusals there is not a sufficient Number of Judges in the said Chamber And for the said two Offices to provide two Persons gratis at the Nomination of the Churches The XXXI Article of the Edict shall be observ'd But nothing can be changed in the last Establishment of the said Chambers And as to the Election and Nomination of those that are to serve his Majesty will provide with such Consideration that they shall have no occasion to complain XXII And considering the great Animosities of the Parlament of Tholouse and Bourdeaux which have chiefly appear'd since the fatal Accident of the Death of the King deceas'd by the great Number of Divisions of Voices that happen in the Chambers of Castres and Nerac which proceeds from hence that the said Courts send to his Majesty the Nomination of the Catholick Counsellors which are to serve in the said Chambers and Employ the most passionate in the said Courts 't is desired that each of the said Chambers may supply the Number of the Counsellors of the Grand Council and the Surplusage of the said Courts of Parlaments of Tholouse and Bourdeaux who may be chosen by your Majesty upon the Register of the said Courts as was practis'd upon the first establishment of the Chamber of Justice in Languedoc in 1579. and not upon the Nomination which is made by the said Parlaments Satisfaction has been given to the Contents of this Article by the Answer to the IV. of the Articles presented by those of the Religion in the Dauphirate in August last and because the Parlament of Grenoble has refus'd to obey it Letters of command shall be sent to cause 'em to verifie it XXIII That in Conformity to what has been granted to the Chambers of the Edict in the Parlaments of Paris Tholouse and Bourdeaux it would please his Majesty to create de novo an Office of Substitute to the Advocate General of the Parliament of Grenoble to serve in the Chamber and take his Conclusions as well at the Hearing as in Process by writing and to provide one of the Religion Gratis at the Nomination of the Churches under the Jurisdiction of the said Chamber The Deceas'd King being engag'd â—â— Promise not to make any new Creation even in the said Province â—â—ere is no Reason for granting the present Article XXIV And that all the Officers of the said Miparty Chamber may be according to the Intention of the Edict and practice of the other Chambers may it please his Majesty to create de novo two Offices of Secretaries and an Usher in the said Parlament of Grenoble to serve in the said Chamber and to provide Persons of the said Religion Gratis at the Nomination of the said Churches Such course shall be taken that there shall be no occasion for Complaint XXV For the same Reason in regard the two Commissioners of the Registry of the Chamber of Castres are Catholicks that upon the Death or Resignation of one of the said Officers one of the said Religion may supply his Room The XLVI Article of the Edict shall be observ'd and the Vshers and Serjeants shall be enjoin'd to execute all Decrees Commissions and Orders issu'd out of the said Chambers of the Edict and of Grenoble in all places where need shall require upon Pain of being suspended from their Employments and forc'd to pay the Expences Dammages and Interest of the Plaintiffs in the Suits XXVI And for as much as to the prejudice of the LXVII Article of Particulars and the Provision made in consequence of it by Answers to several Writings the Courts of Parlament in Provence Burgundy and Britany make daily Decrees against the Ushers who within their Jurisdictions execute the Decrees of the Chambers of the Edict of Paris and Grenoble so that for that Reason the Royal Serjeants settled in the said Provinces refuse to put the said Decrees in Execution therefore may his Majesty be pleas'd to create de novo two Offices of Serjeants Royal in every Bailiwick and Seneschalship within the Jurisdiction of the said Provinces to be suppli'd by Persons of the said Religion The Catholicks and those of the Religion shall be indifferently receiv'd into the said Offices and as to those places where there are none at present command shall be sent to those that Officiate to receive all Contracts Wills and other Acts which they shall be requir'd to do by those of the said Religion XXVII And for Remedy of the Inconvenience which they of the Religion daily suffer both at Paris and other Places where there are no Royal Notaries to receive Contracts Wills and other Voluntary Acts may it please his Majesty to create de novo in every City two Offices of Royal Notaries and to supply the Places with those of the said Religion The Regulation made at Blois in 1599. shall be observ'd XXVIII That Attestations sent by the Ministers and Elders to justifie themselves in the Chambers of the Edict shall not be oppos'd nor rejected unless it be upon a challenge or exception against the Signing tho' the said Attestations are not made before a Publick Notary and Judges Royal. T is for the King in his Council to appoint Judges Nevertheless his Majesty Grants that in Case of Division of Voices the Chamber where the Process was divided shall Order the Parties to repair to the next Chamber without Addressing to his Majesty But his Pleasure is that in other Things the Orders be observ'd XXIX And to obviate long and troublesom Suits which the Parties are constrain'd to undergo through the Regulations of the Judges of his Majesties Council in the Business of Parentage Recusations and things of the like Nature that the Chambers of the Edict might send to the next Court or where both Parties shall agree the Processes wherein the Presidents or Counsellours in the Causes or their Kindred within the Degree and Number of the Ordinance are either Principal Parties or Garanties as also the Division of Voices happening in the said Chambers which ought to be referr'd to the next Chamber according to the XLVII of the Particular Articles Granted for the time to come and necessary Declarations shall be expedited for that Purpose XXX That in the Explanation of the LIX Article of the Edict the Chamber of the Edict of Normandy be enjoyn'd to set forth by way of long Prescription the Time elaps'd from July 1585. till the Month of February 1599. as is practis'd in other Chambers of the Kingdom The Regulation as to Six Months
left us then by imitating his Example who had rais'd it from extream Desolation to the Highest Pitch of Splendour Wherein we have so happily succeeded that no occasion of complaint has presented it self to us for which we have not provided as well to the Content of our Subjects as it was possible for us to do and particularly those of the pretended Reformed Religion as well by the Answers which we have order'd to be given to their Remonstrances which they have presented to us as by sending Persons of Quality into all the Provinces of this Kingdom with Commission and Power to see executed the Edict of Nantes the Private Articles Regulations and other Conâ—essions granted during the Reign of our Deceased Lord and Father â—s to whatever yet remain'd farther to be executed And by this means to remove all Apprehensions under pretence of which any of our said Subjects of the pretended Reformed Religion were Licenc'd to hold extraordinary Assemblies without our Permission which would have rais'd Fears and Jealousies in others against which we are willing to provide for the maintaining of Peace Union and a right Understanding happily settl'd among 'em and preserv'd by the said Edict and the exact Observation thereof with the Advice and in the Presence of the Queen Regent our thrice honoured Lady and Mother the Princes of the Blood other Princes and Officers of the Crown being fully inform'd and assur'd of the good in general of our said Subjects their Zeal and Fidelity in their Obedience towards us and desiring also that they should be favourably us'd have of our special Grace and Favour full Power and Royal Authority remitted and abolish'd and by these Presents do remit and abolish the Offence by them committed who call'd and were present at the same Assemblies held without our Permission in any of the Provinces of this our Kingom as also whatever past before and since We will that they be wholly and fully discharg'd of the same and we expresly forbid our Advocate General or his Substitutes to make any Inquisition or Prosecution after the same Nevertheless to the end we may take care that no Assemblies for the Future be so licentiously call'd as being expresly prohibited by our Edicts and the Regulations upon these Matters by the Deceased King our thrice Honoured Lord and Father to which it is ouâ— Pleasure that all our said Subjects should conform themselves according to the 82d Article of the Edict of Nantes and the ordinary Article of the 16. of March 1606. together with the Answer made the 19 of August ensuing to the Paper presented by the General Deputies of those of the said Religion the extracts of which are hereunto annex'd under the Seal of our Chancery have made and do make Inhibitions and Prohibitions to all our Subjects of the said Religion for the Future to summon any Congregations or Assemblies to Consult or Treat therein of any Politick Affairs without express leave first from us obtain'd upon Pain of being punish'd as breakers of the Edicts and disturbers of the Publick Peace Granting 'em nevertheless full Liberty to call and hold Provincial and National Colloquies and Synods according to what has been formerly granted 'em yet so as not to admit into 'em any other Persons then the Ministers and Elders there to Treat of their Doctrine and Ecclesiastical Discipline only upon Pain of Forfeiting the Priviledges of holding those Assemblies and answering for it by their Moderators in their proper Persons and Names So we send to you that you cause these Presents to be Read and Register'd and that all our said Subjects may enjoy the Benefit of what is contain'd therein and farther that you cause these our said Present Letters to be exactly perform'd and observ'd through the full extent of your Jurisdictions without permitting or suffering any Breach or Infringement thereof Farther we command and enjoyn the Governours and our Lieutenant Generals particular Governours and Lieutenants in the Government of the Provinces and Cities within the extent of your Jurisdiction their Mayors Jurats Sheriffs and Consuls to take special care of the same And to the first of our faithful and beloved Counsellours the Master of the ordinary Requests of our Houshold Counsellours of our said Court of Parliament residing upon the Places and others our Justices and Officers with the soonest to inform and give us notice of all the said Breaches and in the mean time to proceed against the Offenders by the usual Ways and according to the Tenour of the Edicts and Ordinances For such is our Will and Pleasure Given at Paris April 24. 1612. and in the second Year of our Reigns LOVIS And lower by the King being in Council De Lomenie Seal'd with the Great Seal of Yellow Wax upon a single Label Register'd Heard and the Kings Advocate moving for it without the Approbation of the Cognisance attributed to the Masters of the Requests of the Houshold that are not within the Terms of the Ordinances At Paris in Parlament May 25. 1612. Sign'd Voisin A Declaration of the King in Favour of those of the Pretended Reformed Religion confirming the Preceding Declaration of April 24. Given at Paris July 11. 1612. and veriâ—ia August 8. LEWIS by the Grace of God King of France and Navarr to all our Beloved and Faithful Counsellours holding our Court of Parlament at Paris Greeting Thoô we have sufficiently made known by our Letters Patents of the 13th of April last past what our Intention was toward the generality of our Subjects of the pretended Reformed Religion of whose Affection and Fidelity we have always had an entire Assurance And thô the Pardon and Amnesty contain'd in our said Letters Patents were not sent but at the Instance and Supplication of some particular Persons of the said Religion who fear'd to be prosecuted for that contrary to the Edicts and Ordinances they met in Assemblies held contrary to our Permission and other Acts since committed and among others the Listing of Souldiers without our Authority to free 'em from Suspition and the Trouble they were in upon that occasion there being some amongst 'em against whom Informations have been exhibited in some Chambers of the Edict nevertheless we are given to understand that this Favour has been taken by some of the Religion for a desire to lay some blemish upon the Generality of 'em and not for a Gracious Remedy ordain'd for particular Persons who prudently Judg'd how much they stood in need of it For these Reasons with the Advice of the Queen Regent our thrice Honoured Lady and Mother the Princes of our Blood other Peers and Officers of the Crown and Principal Members of our Council being desirous to take away all pretence from all Persons whatever who may have any evil Intention and to satisfie our good Subjects of the Reformed Religion who adding to their Zeal for their Religion that Obedience which is due to us have no other aim or design then to enjoy in â—eare
Counsellors c. That these presents may be read publish'd and register'd c. And that our Subjects of the pretended Reformed Religion may enjoy the Benefit of the Contents fully and peaceably without suffering the least Injury Trouble or Impeachment to be offer'd ' em For such is our Pleasure In Witness c. Given at Amboise May 24th 1619. and 10th of our Reign Sign'd LEWIS And below By the King De Lomenie Seal'd c. Register'd upon the Motion of the Kings Attorney General At Paris in Parlament July 15th 1619. Sign'd Gallart A Declaration of the King against those of the Assembly at Loudun together with a Confirmation of the Preceding Edicts of Pacification Given at Paris February 26. 1620. and Publish'd in Parlament February 27. the said Year LEWIS by the Grace of God King of France and Navarr To all c. As we have always held it for an assured Foundation of the publick Tranquility of this Kingdom to maintain and preserve our Subjects as well the Catholicks as those of the pretended Reformed Religion in good Peace Union and Concord one with another under the Benefit of the Edicts and Declarations made and set forth to that purpose by the Deceased King our thrice honour'd Lord and Father whom God absolve So we have had a particular care in causing 'em to be exactly observ'd and that they of the said Religion may enjoy the Favours and Concessions which were granted 'em by the same Which also we have not only maintain'd and preserv'd but also out of our special Grace and Favour have much augmented and enlarg'd And to be the more particularly satisfi'd of any Faileurs in the Observance of the said Edicts and Declarations which might be commitâ—ed and to give out said Subjects of the pretended Reformed Religion the means to inform us of 'em in imitation of the Deceased King our thrice honoured Lord and Father we have agreed that they shall have near oâ—â— Person and in our Train certain Deputies who may inform us of 'em and exhibit their Remonstrances to us and our Council as they shall judge requisite to be provided against and remedi'd at their Instance and Solicitation and to the end those Deputies may be made choice of and appointed when they have a design to change 'em we have for that reason given 'em leave to hold Provincial and General Assemblies when they shall give us to understand that they have occasion for ' em And altho' the Principal cause for which we have given 'em leave to hold those Assemblies has bin for the Choice and Nomination of the said Deputies we have nevertheless thought good that the Complaints which our Subjects of the said Religion of every Province may make of the said Breaches and Violations shall be exhibited to the said Assemblies for them to send their Deputies to present their Papers and Remonstrances to us For this reason it is and upon this only Consideration that we permitted our Subjects of the said pretended Reformed Religion by our Brevet May 23th to hold a General Assembly the 26th of September ensuing in our City of Loudun in which we were in hopes that according to what is express'd by the said Brevet they would have begun to have proceeded to the Choice and Nomination of Deputies which they would have had to succeed to those that resided in our Train in whose hands they would have entrusted the Papers of Complaints and Remonstrances which they had to present to us to the end they might solicit our Answer and take care of putting in Execution what should be by us ordain'd But instead of so doing they would needs send to us certain of their Number with a first Paper containing some principal Heads to which they besought our answer and to cause to be executed what we thought convenient till they had compil'd their other Papers which as they said they were preparing to exhibit to us Upon which we gave 'em to understand that when all their demands should be reduc'd into one Paper and that they should present 'em to us all at once and according to the usual Method and Forms we would receive 'em and give a favourable Answer and in such sort that they should find by the Effects our good will towards 'em And tho' they were also oblig'd to cause the said Paper to be presented to us by such as should be made choice of among them to reside near our Person and then to break up as it was the Practice while the deceased King liv'd of the Assemblies of Chatellerant and Gergeau and that it is still observ'd by all the Assemblies of what Quality soever they be that are held in this Kingdom Nevertheless we were willing to doe 'em that favour for once not to draw it into President as to receive the said Papers from the hands of those who did present 'em to us on their behalf Which being reported to the said Assembly after several Contests and Delays at length they sent us other Deputies with the General Papers of their Complaints and Remonstrances whom we kindly receiv'd giving 'em assurance that we wou'd labour to return 'em a speedy answer and by which they should not only receive the Justice which they demanded but also as much as they could expect from our Grace and Favour Which we gave 'em in charge to report back to their said Assembly being also farther commanded to tell them in our Name that since they had presented all their Papers and that their longer sitting together was to no purpose but was prejudicial to our authority and gave scandal to our Subjects our Pleasure was that they should proceed with the soonest to the Nomination of their Deputies that were to reside near our Person and then break up Which done we promis'd to deliver into the hands of the said Deputies the Answers which we should make to the said Papers and within a Month after to proceed to the Execution of those things that should be agreed upon But instead of receiving this with that respect and reverence which is due to us they reply'd that the said Assembly was resolv'd to sit still and not to stir till they had the Answer that was to be made to their Papers and that they saw the performance of it For which tho' we had just occasion to be offended as being an Answer far remote from the Duty which Subjects owe their King Nevertheless we contented our selves with laying before 'em the Fault which they committed and exhorting them to demean themselves with that Obedience which became ' em And however to the end the said Assembly might be expresly inform'd of our Intentions we resolv'd to send to 'em the Sieurs Le Maine Counsellour in our Council of State and Gentleman of our Chamber and Marescot one of our Secretaries to the end that after they had confirm'd to 'em the Assurances of our good will toward 'em in that particular they might lay upon 'em the
according to the usual Forms and as the Franchises and Liberties of the City require III. That in Conformity to the Private Brief which it pleas'd your Majesty to grant that City that there may be no Innovation introduc'd into your said City of Mompelier more especially in that which concerns the Consulships â— Consequently that Reparation may be made for the Innovation in the Marine Consulship considering the Obedience that has been pay'd your Majesty in demolishing the Fortifications for the Effect of which the Inhabitants are continually at Work with great Cost Care and Diligence After his Majesty has heard the Report of the Commissioners sent to the said City of Rochel he will consider of the Contents of this Present Article IV. Also Sir for the removing all cause of Distrust and Fear your Subjects of the Religion having fulfill'd your Majesties Pleasure touching the Levelling of the Forts of Oleron and Ré may it please your Majesty to Order that the Fort built before your City of Rochel may be demolish'd as your Majesty was pleas'd to Promise The King will order the Prisoners of War at present detain'd in his Gallies to be releas'd And for those that are accus'd of particular Crimes let 'em provide for themselves by the Methods of Justice V. And as Mercy is all from God whose Image Sir you are may it please your Majesty â—â—â—ou are plentifully endu'd with that Vertue to grant your Compâ—ssion to a great number of Persons of all Ages detain'd either by the late Wars or for the sake of Religion in your Gallies Naked and under insupportable Severity and hard Usage to that purpose ordering 'em their Pardon and their Liberty as also to those other Prisoners for Accusations and Prosecutions occasion'â— by the late Times and Commotions whether Condemn'd or not Which Favour Pardon and Liberty is granted 'em by the and seventy third Article of the Edict which you were pleas'd to confirm to us To the sixth and seventh Articles the King's Affairs not permitting him to provide for the Petitioners for what is past His Majesty for the Future will deliver to the said Candal good and valuable Assignations for the Relief and Payment of the said Ministers As also for payment of the Pensions contain'd in a small Roll which he will cause to be drawn up VI. Your Majesty by your Letters Declaratory April 24. 1621. were willing that your Subjects who continu'd in their Obedience should enjoy the Favours and Concessions to them granted as well by your Majesty as by the Deceased K. Henry the Great of Glorious Memory nevertheless in the last year 1622. they were utterly depriv'd of the Money which you were accustom'd every year to distribute among 'em by the Sieur du Candal Commissionated for that purpose By which means particularly their Poor Churches are so necessitated that they are constrain'd to have recourse to your Majesty and to supplicate as they do most humbly that you will be pleas'd to order Funds to the said Candal for the said Year at least for the Payment of the Ministers of the Province who remain'd in their Obedience and who are forc'd to borrow Money to buy Victuals and supply their other Necessities  VII In like manner we most humbly implore your Majesty that as you have been pleas'd to grant to all your said Subjects it may please you to ordain that the said Candal may be suppli'd with good and valuable Assignations for the Payment and Relief of their Ministers during the present Year as likewise for the Parties of the Petty Rolls which he shall be pleas'd to draw up and for Payment of the Places which you were pleas'd to leave in their Custody which Assignations may be pay'd without Deductions as it has pleas'd his said Majesty and the Deceased King to grant 'em by the Briefs which formerly were dispatch'd in their behalf The said Candal presenting a Petition to the Council shall be taken care of VIII And for as much as out of the Assignations that have been order'd the said Candal for the Years 1620. and 1621. there are still due very great and considerable Summs which the Receivers and Farmers upon which the said Assignations are charg'd detain in their Hands your Majesty is most humbly supplicated to ordain that all necessary Injunctions may be deliver'd him to the end the Residue may be pay'd The King will provide for the Future for the Contents of this Article according as is above said IX The Churches of the Bailiwick of Gex having enjoy'd the Salary of the Ministers upon the Ecclesiastical Revenues of the said Bailiwick as upon the Money of the Princes that possess'd it till the Year 1601. and after that for several Years under the Deceased King Henry the Great till it pleas'd your Majesty by a decree of your Council dated December 5. 1612. upon his depriving 'em of the said Ecclesiastical Fund to ordain 'em the summ of 3600. Livres in lieu of the said Revenues and to charge the said summ of 3600. Livres upon the 45000. Livres of Augmentation granted to those of the Religion which Money was pay'd 'em by the said Candal till October 1621. May it please your Majesty to let 'em enjoy the Effect of the said Order and Reassignation and to that purpose to grant necessary Assignations to the said Candal as well for Payment of the Arrears as of what shall become due for the Future His Majesty referrs the Restoration of their Church to the Care and Diligence of the Petitioners X. May it please your Majesty to shew your Liberality and to provide a Fund sufficient for your Subjects professing the Religion in your City of Paris toward the Repair and resettling of their Church and other structures in the place of their Exercise burnt demolish'd and the Materials for the most part carri'd away and all this by a Popular Tumult that happen'd in the Year 1621. notwithstanding that your Subjects remain'd in their Obedience and were consequently under your Majesties Protection and Safeguard The Deputies Commissionated for the Province of Tourain shall provide the Petitioners a Convenient Place for the Exercise of the Pretended Reformed Religion As for the Re-establishment and Repair of their Church his Majesty refers it to the Care and Industry of the Petitioners XI And dealing in the same manner with your Subjects of the said Profession in your City of Tours may it please your Majesty to supply 'em with the summs which your Majesty had granted 'em for the same Reason and for the Repair of their Church the Place and Room of which 't is hop'd your Majesty will continue to 'em as having been adjudg'd to 'em by the Commissioners after a Hearing between them and the Bodies of the Clergy the Court of Justice and the Town House As also for that the said Place and Ground was purchas'd built and Peaceably enjoy'd till the Commotion in 1621. maintain'd in the said Possession not only by the Edict of 1598.
but also by those of 1610. and 1612. and more especially by your last Declaration Besides which Right the approach of your Castle of Plessis usually granted to the People of Tours would be a Security to ' em The Commissioners sent into Bress shall take care of this Article so far as shall be agreeable to Reason XII The same Supplication is made to your Majesty for the Repair of the Church of Burgh upon the Ruins and Place where those of the Religion possess'd it by the Sentence and Decrees of the Commissioners in the enjoyment of which they are now disturb'd To the XIII XIV XV. Articles the Commissioners are enjoin'd to take care of the Petitioners demands according to the Tenour of the Edicts and the said Declaration XIII It is remonstrated to your Majesty that the Inhabitants professing the Religion in the City of Villemur are molested in the Liberty of their Consciences depriv'd of all Exercises of Piety refus'd Publick Employments and very much overburthen'd by the Garrison Those of Fontenai Le Comte expell'd interdicted Preaching and Prayers their Pastor not being permitted to re-enter nor can they have their Church restor'd 'em thô almost ruin'd not so much as for the Burial of their dead suff'ring on the other side all Excesses of Charges and Free Quarters upon the complaints sent to your Council Therefore Sir may it please Ye to deliver 'em from their Oppressions and by permitting 'em to enjoy the Fruits of the Peace to order the Re-establishment of their Religion their Churches and Ministers the Security of their Burials and whatever Relief your Justice can afford their Grievances  XIV That you would likewise be pleas'd to order the Restoration of their Exercise at Lusson where it is deni'd to those of the said Religion contrary to the Publication of your Declaration thô they carri'd themselves obediently and that the said Exercise has been continu'd there for these fifty Years together even during all the time of the late Wars and Government of des Roches Baritault XV. Those of the Religion are likewise hinder'd their said Exercise at Talmont the Canon having been levell'd against 'em while assembl'd to hear the Word of God As also at Surgeres the Lady of the Place forbidding any Preaching there tho' it had been allow'd 'em during all the late Troubles Also at Baignols at St. Giles's in Languedoc at Figeac in Quercy Puymirols and at Vic in Armagnac from whence Mr. Testas the Minister is fled not daring to return nor being able to abide in safety in the Place Whereby your Declaration being violated may it please your Majesty to command the Restoration of the said Places and the said Testas As also for the Church of Quilleboeuf and the Pastour of it pursuant to the Re-establishment of it a long time since The XVI Article shall be communicated to the Maior and Sheriffs of Poitiers to be by them heard and taken care of XVI And for as much as the Catholicks of your City of Poitiers have impos'd upon those of the Religion the Summ of 1200. Livres for the Guard that had been maintain'd during these Troubles into which they would not admit any of those of the Reformed Religion may it please your Majesty that they may be discharg'd from it as from an unreasonable Imposition The King will carefully accomplish and observe what has been granted â—â— those of the Pretended Reformed Religion of Bearn by the said Bnief â—â— October the last XVII They likewise supplicate your Majesty that the Edict of Compensation touching the Churches of your Royalty of Bearn may be punctually effected as you were pleas'd to grant by your Brevet given at Mompelier And that the Exercise of the Religion and the Minister may be restor'd in your City of Navarreins That in Consideration of the Resignation of other Churches they of the Religion may be maintain'd in the Possession of the Churches Bells and Church-yards which were granted 'em by the Commissioners or by the Parlament upon their Report And that the Colledges and Academies may be restor'd and payment made of the Salaries that belong to ' em His Majesty intends that the Chamber of the Edict of Languedoc which remains only to be resettl'd shall speedily be restor'd to Castres according to the said Declaration XVIII And because Justice is that which most imports your Authority and the Preservation of the Peace may it please your Majesty to Order a speedy Restoration of the Party Chambers in Places and Cities where they were wont to be And in the mean time may the Courts of Parlament be forbid to take Cognizance and Judge of the Causes of those of the said Religion and that the Appeals by them brought before the Judges Prothonotaries or the Commissioners executing Decrees and Sentences may have the same Effect as if they were remov'd by Letters Royal according to the XLIII Article of the Edict and VI. of the Conference of Nerac Granted XIX By the sixth Article of the Edict and II. of Particulars and other Answers made to our Papers they of the Religion find themselves justly discharg'd from Contributing toward the Repairing and Building of Churches and their Dependencies as things contrary to their Conscience Nevertheless the Catholick Inhabitants of Arnai le Duc solicit in your Council a Permission to impose in general upon the Corporation and as well upon themselves as upon those of the Religion the Summ of six thousand Livres to build a Church for the Capuchins which would neither be reasonable nor conformable to the Edicts Therefore may it please your Majesty to declare Acquit and Exempted all your Subjects of the Religion from Payments and Contributions of the like Nature and that the abovenamed II. Article of Particulars may be put in Execution The said Deputed Commissioners in the said Places are enjoin'd to take care of the Contents of this Article XX. 'T is notorious that during these last Troubles they of the Religion have suffer'd many Violences through the Insolence of the People their Adversaries As in the City of Romorantin where they twice burnt the Meeting-House wherein they perform'd their Exercise in the Suburbs of the said City But what is more strange that since the Peace which it has pleas'd your Majesty to grant your said Subjects the Church which was long since built in your City of Gergeau has been quite thrown to the Ground and the Ruins of it remov'd by which means they of the Religion have been depriv'd of their Exercise Wherefore they most humbly beseech your Majesty that amends may be made for this Notorious Breach of your Edicts and Declarations and to order that the said Church may be rebuilt and the Exercise resettl'd at Gergeau as also that of Romorantin His Majesty will write to the Duke of Espernon Governour and Lieutenant General of Guyenne to see that the Inhabitants of the said Cities of Bergerac and St. Foy be eas'd and favourably us'd upon all occasions
without our leave or the Orders of our Admiral in contempt of our Laws and the secret Practises and Correspondencies held with Forreigners To all which we have been much troubl'd to give Credit considering the good and favourable usage our said Subjects of the Pretended Reformed receiv'd And when we understood that the Sieur de Soubise we the Head of his Faction he who has tri'd the Force of our Authority and the softness of our Clemency upon several occasions this was the reason that we were willing to wink at his first Practises and Proceedings in hopes that by our Patience we might reduce him to his Duty But our goodness and forbearance having augmented the Audaciousness of the said Soubise we understand that within these few days he has put to Sea with some Vessels having Souldiers aboard that he has robb'd our Merchants Ships made attempts upon some of our Islands and principal Places and upon the Vessels that were in the Roads and Harbours belonging to 'em and in these Actions committed several Enormities Violences and Acts of Hostility against our Subjects Now in regard that all these Enterprizes and Attempts of the said Soubise discover to our great sorrow an evident and manifest Rebellion against our Authority and a design lay'd betwixt him and some particular Adherents to disturb the general Peace and Tranquility of the Kingdom without any lawful reason or cause on the other side we are extreamly well satisfy'd to understand from our dear and well beloved Cousin the Duke of Tremouille and the Sieurs de la Force and Chatillon and other Persons of Quality as also from the General Deputies of our Subjects of the Pretended Reformed Religion refiding near our Person as also by the Deputies of the Pretended Relion at Charenton and those of our Cities of Rockele Nimes Vsez as also to see by an Act in writing which the said general Deputies have presented us with express injuctions from our dear and well-beloved Inhabitants of our City of Moniaban how much they renounce and disown his Actions as unworthy of that Fidelity and Affection which true French-men owe their Soveraign considering they can tend to nothing else but the subversion of this State and their own Ruin Whereupon being desirous to make known what our good Intentions are the Protection which we are willing to grant to the Faithful and Obedient and the Rigor which we intend to use toward Rebels if they persevere in their Contumacy We make known that for these Causes and other weighty Considerations us thereunto moving with the Advice of the Queen c. and of our certain knowledge full Power and Royal Authority we have said and declar'd and say and declare by these Presents Sign'd with our hand and it is our Will and Pleasure that all our Subjects of the Pretended Reformed Religion who shall continue in that Fidelity and Obedience which they owe us without adhering to any Factions and Conspiracies against the Kingdom shall fully and Peaceably enjoy in freedom and safety the Exercise of their Religion together with all the Favours to them granted by the Edicts and Declarations made in their Favour as well by the Deceased King c. as by our selves which we resolve to have inviolably kept and observ'd according to their Form and Tenour putting all our said Subjects together with their Goods and Families under our special Protection and Favour And as for the said Soubise and others who are enter'd into open Rebellion against us having attempted to disturb the Tranqaility of our Kingdom we have hereby declar'd and declare all those that shall adhere to and Favour him directly or indirectly of what Quality or condition soever they be and who shall hold Intelligence Association or Corespondence with 'em both disobedient and Guilty of High Treason As also we declare the Inhabitants of our Cities that shall Countenance or adhere to the Rebellion and Disobedience of the above nam'd or shall give 'em any Harbour Retreat or Quarter among 'em or shall suffer 'em or assist 'em in any sort or manner whatever guilty of the same Crimes and to have forfeited all their Rights Franchises Immunities and Priviledges granted either by the King our Predecessors or by our selves And for that our Intention is always to prefer Clemency before the Rigour of Justice and to afford 'em the Means and Leisure to acknowledge their Faults before they althogether plunge themselves in Faction and revolt we say and declare that if within one Month from the day of the publication of these presents in Parlament the said Soubise or any others who have been guilty of the Actions above express'd shall return to their Duty lay down their Arms disband their Souldiers which they have muster'd together and submit themseves entirely to the Obedience which they owe us we have and shall from this present Time and for the Future forgiven pardon'd and obliterated forgive pardon and obliterate by these Presents all Acts and attempts which they may have made or design'd in this last Insurrection and taking of Arms contrary to our Authority and Service without any enquiries or prosecutions either now or hereafter in any sort or manner whatever as having pardon'd and restor'd 'em to their former Condition and to all Honours Priviledges and Immunities which were granted 'em by Us or our Predecessors under the Exact Observation of our Edicts But if after that time expir'd they persist in their Rebellion and Disobedience our Pleasure is that they be proceeded against with all the Rigour of our Laws by Imprisonment of their Persons Seizure of their Estates demolishing their Houses and other usual Courses in such Cases and that they lose the Benefit of our Edicts and Appeals to the Chambers So we command c. In Testimony c Given at Paris January 25. 1625 and fifteenth of our Reign Sign'd LEWIS And Below by the King De Lomenie Read Publish'd and Register'd c. At Paris in Parlament February 18. 1625. Du Tillet A Writing giv'n by the English Embassadours to the Deputies of the Churches to make the King of Great Britain Guarranty of the Peace in 1626. WE Henry Rich Baron of Kensington Earl of Holland Captain of the King of Great Brittan's Guards Knight of the Order of the Garter and one of his Majesties Privy Council And Dudley Charlton Knight one of his Majesties Privy Council and Vice Chamberlain of the Houshold To all c. Whereas the Sieurs de-Mommartin and de Maniald General Deputies of the Reformed Churches of France and other Particular Deputies from the Dukes of Soubise and Rohan as also others from several Cities and Provinces which joyn'd in Arms with the said Lords have made a Peace with the most Christian King by our Advice and Intercessions agreed and consented to by the King their Soveraign and for that the said Deputies have releas'd many things which they thought of great Moment for their security and altogether Conformable to their Edicts and
but desire also their Conversion for which we continually offer up our Prayers to God For which Reason we exhort all our said Subjects of the Pretended Reformed Religion to lay aside all Passion that they may be capable of receiving the Light of Heaven and be fitted to return to the Bosom of the Church in which for these eleven hundred Years together the Kings our Predecessours have liv'd without Change or Interruption Not being able in any thing whatever to give them a greater Testimony of our Paternal Affection then to admonish them to observe the same way to Salvation which we observe and follow our selves III. We ordain that all the Parishes of the said Countrey be provided with good sufficient and capable Curates by those to whom the Patronage of the same belongs and that things be so order'd that they have all a sufficient revenue to maintain 'em with Reputation in the Discharge of their Functions as is set down in our Ordinances of January last or other means more commodious as shall be adjudg'd proper by the Commissioners by Us deputed to that end IV. We have forgiven pardon'd and buri'd in Oblivion and do forgive pardon and bury in Oblivion to the said Duke of Rohan and to all the Inhabitants of the said Cities and Places as also to those of the Flat Countries who adher'd to 'em all things past from July 21. 1627. to the Day of the Publication in every Seneschalship of the Articles of Grace which we granted 'em the 27th of June last We have discharg'd 'em and do discharge 'em of all Acts of Hostility raising of Arms hiring of Souldiers enterprises as well by Sea as Land General and Particular Assemblies more especially the Assembly of Nimes seizure of Ecclesiastical Rents Royal or Private Money Coining of Money of what Alloy or Stamp soever Printed Libels Popular Tumults and Commotions Riots Violences Enterprizes upon the two Cities of St. Amant and Chasteaux du Seigneur the taking of Chasteau St. Stephen Vaâ— Franchesque and Florac Also the Murders and other Accidents iâ—ppening at the taking of St. Gerâ—â—ter and Castres in January lasâ— Also the Inhabitants of Vsez for the Murder of the Sieur du Flos And the Consuls of the said Place for the Decrees put forth against 'em by the Parlament of Tholouse and Chamber of the Edict at Beziers Also the Sieurs Daâ—bais Jacques Genvier Paul Saucier and Andrew Pelissier For the Nomination and Designation made of their Persons to be Consuls of Nimes in 1627. and their executing the Office during that Year Together with all the Consuls and Political Counsellours and the Prothonotary of the Consular House for the Prosecution against 'em by reason of the said Consulship of Nimes as well in our Council as in the said Court of Parlament Chamber of the Edict and Court of Aids at Mompellier Also the Inhabitants of Anduze for the Murder of the Sieur de Mantaille and the Condemnations of the said Consuls and particular Inhabitants of the said City during these Troubles The Inhabitants of Millaud for what was done against the Sieur de Roquefavas and discharge 'em of the Restitution of 4000. Livers taken from the Jacobins The Sieur de 〈◊〉 for encouraging the Inhabitants of Alets in their Breach of 〈◊〉 Conducts Impositions and raising of Money establishment of Courts of Justice Officers and Counsellours through the Provinces and executing of Sentences past in those Courts in Matters Civil and Criminal and Regulations of Municipal Constitutions and their executing their Offices in the said Cities when they were in Rebellion together with the Advocates that practis'd in their Employments before the said Judges Officers and Counsellours set up in the said Cities Also those who had no permission from Us to reside and practise in the said Cities during the said Time All Voyages to and Intelligences Negotiations Treaties Contracts held and made with the English by the said Cities and Inhabitants and by the said Duke of Rohan and Sieur de Soubize as well with the said English as with the King of Spain and Duke of Savoy and Letters written to the Protestant Cantons of Switzerland Also the Sieurs Clausel and Du Cross who were employ'd thither Sales of moveable Goods whether Ecclesiastical or others cutting down of high Trees Demesne Woods or others Taking of Booties Ransoms or any other sort of Money by them taken by reason of the said Troubles melting of Artillery seizing of Ammunition Dismantling and Demolishing of Cities Castles and Towns Also the taking of Mervez Aymargues and other Burnings of Churches and Houses by Order and Authority of the said Duke of Rohan and from all Criminal Prosecutions by Reason of the same not being prejudicial to the Civil Interests of the said Religious Ecclesiasticks in respect of which they shall apply themselves for Justice to the Chamber of the Edict We discharge 'em also from all Leases and Farms of all Ecclesiastical Benefices and Estates of which the said Ecclesiasticks were depriv'd by the Chieftains who had the General Command Our Pleasure in like manner is that they enjoy the full Contents of the Preceding Amnesties and of all that has been acted and negotiated since the abovemention'd Time notwithstanding all Proceedings at Law Decrees and Sentences issu'd out against 'em in the mean time even the Decrees themselves of the Parlament of Tholouse and Bourdeaux and Chamber of Beziers and others against the said Duke of Rohan to whom we will that all his Honours and Dignities which he enjoy'd before shall be preserv'd prohibiting all Prosecutions in the Cases aforesaid In respect of which we impose perpetual silence upon all our Advocates General and their Substitutes excepting always those execrable Cases reserv'd and excepted by the Edict of Nantes and others subsequent of the Civil Interest by Reason of the Fact committed at Vozenobre and Tournac and of the moveables which shall be found in specie tak'n from those who were under Obedience to the King V. And in pursuance of our Intentions to maintain all our Subjects professing the Pretended Reformed Religion in the free Exercise of the said Religion and in the Enjoyment of the Edicts to them granted Our farther Pleasure is that they enjoy the Benefits of the said Edict of Nantes and other Edicts Articles and Declarations register'd in our Parlaments and that in pursuance of the same they have the free Exercise of the said Religion in all Places where it has been allow'd ' em VI. That all Churches and Church-yards that have been taken from 'em or demolish'd shall be restor'd 'em with Liberty to repair 'em if there be any necessity and that they deem it convenient VII We ordain that all the Fortifications of the said Cities shall be raz'd and demolish'd only the enclosure of the Walls within the space of three Months by the sedulity of the Inhabitants In whom we more especially confiding forbear to secure the said Cities either with Garrisons or Cittadels The
said Cities also shall be demolish'd by the Management and Orders of the Commissioners by Us deputed and according to the Orders and Instructions which we shall give 'em And in the mean while for the greater Security the Hostages sent by the said City shall remain in such Places as we shall appoint till the said Fortifications shall be fully demolish'd VIII Our farther Will and Pleasure is that all the aforesaid Professours c. shall be restor'd and resettl'd in all their Estates and Goods Moveable and Immoveable Accompts and Actions notwithstanding all Condemnations Grants Confiscations and Reprisals made or decreed excepting the Fruits and Revenues of their Goods the moveables which shall not be found in specie Woods cut down and Debts which have been receiv'd till this present time actually and without fraud after judicial Prosecutions and Constraints Nevertheless our Pleasure is that the Preceding Declarations given upon the Fact of the said Reprisals till the present Commotions Peremptory Decrees and Proceedings and Agreements made upon them shall take place and be executed notwithstanding all Decrees to the contrary Our Will also is that the Heirs of the Deceas'd Sieur de Mormoirac shall be restor'd to their Goods IX We permit the Professours c. to re-enter their Houses and to rebaild 'em if there be occasion and as being our good and faithful Subjects we permit 'em to reside and inhabit in such Cities and Places of our Kingdom as they shall see convenient except in the Islands of Ré and Oleron Rochel and Privas We also permit the Inhabitants of Pamiers who were not in the said City at the Time when it was taken to return and enjoy all their Goods after they have submitted themselves and taken the Oath of Fidelity before such Persons whom we shall appoint X. Our Officers residing in the said City who have not pay'd the Annual Duty shall be admitted to pay it within two Months as well for what is past as for the present Years And as for such as are Deceas'd having pay'd the said Annual Right the Offices which they held shall be preserv'd to their Widows and Heirs And as for those Officers whose Offices we have supply'd by Reason of the Troubles they shall be continu'd in their said Offices notwithstanding the Patents given to others and their being settl'd therein Our Pleasure also is that the Officers of particular Lords who were admitted upon dear Purchases and put out by Reason of the said Troubles shall be restor'd to their Employments XI All the abovemention'd shall be discharg'd and we hereby discharge 'em of all Contributions Quartering of Souldiers as well in the preceding as present troubles Also the said Communities and particular Members thereof are discharg'd from all Obligations to indemnifie and save harmless all Reparations of Damages which may be pretended against 'em by Reason of Imprisonments Executions and Expulsions out of the said Cities by order of the said Duke of Rohan or the Councils of the said Cities or any others by him set up as well during the present as preceding Troubles And as for Taxes and other Money laid upon the Countrey in Case the Summs fall short for want of Payment by the abovemention'd the Receivers of the said Countreys shall not prosecute the abovemention'd Reserving nevertheless a Power to prosecute the Syndic of the Countrey to the end the Abatement may be laid upon the Generality of the Province XII In like manner we discharge the Consuls and Private Persons who oblig'd themselves during the troubles of the Years 1621. 1622. and 1626. and in the present Commotions for the Affairs of the City to pay the said Obligations notwithstanding all Clauses inserted in the Agreements Saving to the Creditors the Power of prosecuting the Consuls of the Pretended Reformed Religion who shall be in Office who shall be liable to Condemnation and to pay their shares of the Summs XIII They shall be also discharg'd from prosecuting the Catholick Inhabitants and others for the remainders from them due for the rates of the preceding Years notwithstanding the discharges they had obtain'd by our Letters Patents as by the Decrees of the Court of Aids at Mompellier As also from all that remains to be pay'd of Taxes and Impositions assess'd upon any of 'em the Catholicks being exempted by the Orders of the Governours of the Provinces or others our Commanders in Chief during the preceding and present Troubles XIV The Inhabitants of Castres also shall be discharg'd from Restitution of whatever they took by force of Arms in Opposition to our Service XV. The charges which shall be laid upon the said Cities shall be equally born by all the Inhabitants of the same according to the Custom at all times usual Only that the Debts contracted by the Catholick Inhabitants shall be born by themselves alone and those contracted by those of the Pretended Reformed Religion by themselves XVI Sentences past by those who have been Commission'd for the Administration of Justice in the said Cities whether in Civil or Criminal Matters shall take place excepting Appeals to the said Chambers in Cases which have not been adjudg'd by the Provosts or at a Council of War XVII The Order observ'd in the said Cities as well touching the Câ—â—sâ—â—ship as the Municipal Government and the Meeting of the said Consuls and City Councils shall be kept and observ'd as before the Troubles XVIII The Assemblies of State in the Countrey of Foix shall be held after the accustom'd Manner and all the Cities shall be summon'd that were usually present XIX The Consuls Receivers Collectors and Commissaries that manag'd the Publick Money during the Preceding and Present Troubles shall be acquitted and discharg'd they bringing into the Chambers the Accounts which they have given of it nor shall the Chambers pretend to any Fees nor to require a review of the said Accompts And as for the Inhabitants of Nimes who pretend themselves not oblig'd to carry in their Accompts into the said Chambers our Will is that the ancient Custom shall be observ'd XX. The Seats of Judicature Audits of Receipts and other Offices remov'd by Reason of the present Troubles shall be restor'd and settl d in the Places where they were before Also the Election newly created to be settl'd at Montauban but remov'd to the City of Moissac by reason of the Troubles shall be return'd to Montauban after the Fortifications are demolish'd XXI Also the Chamber of the Edict now sitting at Beziers shall be restor'd to the City of Castres after the Fortifications are demolish'd and shall remain in the said City according to the Edict of Nantes notwithstanding our Ordinance of January last and the Decree of the Parlament of Tholouse upon the 111th Article thereof Which Chamber his Majesty will have maintain'd in all things allow'd it by the Edicts and Regulations XXII All these Graces and Concessions it is our Will and Pleasure that the abovemention'd enjoy that were in Arms upon the twenty
Names of Pretended Reform'd Religion Complaints concerning the Commissioners Resolution no longer to send particular Deputations to the Court Force of the Reform'd in the County of Avignon Gratification New Declarations upon the preceeding Which gives no satisfaction Cahiers answer'd * Petitions or Addresses * Injunction Enterprises of the Parliaments upon the Jurisdiction of the Chambers Severity of the Chambers of the Edict The Corps of a Reform'd Gentleman taken out of the ground again by the order of a Commissioner Favours granted to the Reformed of la Tierache Division of the Duke de Rohan and the Marshal de Bouillon and the sequel Abuse the Deputies which injoyn obedience The Court makes use of the Doctrine of Patience Ministers Pentioners Wiles and Injustices of the Court. Enterprise upon St. John d'Angely The Duke of Rohan prevents it notwithstanding orders from the Court to the contrary The Queen is offended and things seem to incline to a War * Speaker of the Commons Apperance of accommodation Vnder which the Troubles continue Endeavours us'd to involve du Plessis in the same Who remain in quiet Assembly of the Circle at Rochel Prospect of Reconciliation among the great ones Sedition at Rochel It s origina â— And its violence Negotiations for an accomodation High pretentions of the Duke de Rohan The Queen consents to it only preserving some appearences for her self The Duke beiâ—â— exasperated by new inâ—uries refuses â—â— accept them The Assembly meets at Rochel And charge the Deputies General with new Articles Resolution taken at Court Chevauchee But ill perform'd New Declaration Remarks upon those frequent Edists The Circle Assembles again Rochel seperates from the rest Which puts an end to the troubles Verbal promise to tolerate Provincial Councils Declaration of the Marriages resolv'd upon with Spain What offends the true French men 1613. Ferrier abandons the Ministry Is receiv'd Counsellor at Nimes And is Excommunicated Diligence of the Consuls to save Ferrier Writing on both sides Appollogies of Ferrier And his end Reconcilement of the Duke de Rohan and the Marshal de Bouillon Attempts of the Sheriffs of Saumur * Petitions or Addresses 1614. Equity of the Chamber of the Edict of Paris Rights of the Bishop of Mompellier upon the Vniversity Discontents of the Princes The Duke of Rohan enters into it Artifices of the Marshal de Bouillon Retreat and Manifesto of the Princes Their precipitation is blam'd 〈…〉 A Peace is made Injury done to the Prince of Conde at Poitiers Cities of Surety opened to the King National Synod The King of England's Letters Council of the Lower Guyenne Mutual Subordination of the Assemblies Brief of leave for a General Assembly Letters from the Lords Pecuniary Affairs * Taxes Exemption of Tailles for the Ministers Places of Surety Berger a Reformed Counsellor at Paris turns Roman Catholick Reformed of Gex Churches nâ—â—t as eâ— settled Condition of the Reform'd in the County of Avignon Liberality's of the Synod Colleges Bearn â—â—ents Oath of Vnion Letters to the King and Queen The Queen prepares to Assemble the Estates General Declaration the King 's Majoritty Overture of the States * The Commons The Clergy and Nobility unite against the third Estaete Reform'd in the States Independency of Kings Whose Cause is betra'yd by the Clergy and by the Court it self Passion of the Clergy Harangue of Cardinal du Perron Why the Heriticks are tollerated Distinctions of the Cardinal His Conclusion * Peâ—ion or Address 1615. Reflections * House of Commons The third Estate Persists Character of Miron President of the Chamber of that Order The Court silences the Third Estate Illusive Decree of the Clergy And their shameful Prevarications Inequality of the Prince of Conde Preseverence of the Clergy in that Doctrine Sedition at Milhau The Bishop of Lucons Speech * Petition or Address Sedition of Belestat Cah er of the Clergy Leave Permission Continuation of the Cahier Articles propos'd aâ—â—ect â—…â—aâ—nst the Reform'd * Chief Justices Sequel of the said Articles * Places in which the Reform'd were allowed to perform the publick exercise of their Religion Conclusion of the Câ—…her Propositions disliked by the Nobility Declaration of the King Which does not Cure the Evil. New intrigues To which they ingage the People * Petition and Addresses The Parliament And the Reform'd Why Solicet to â—…ain another plaâ—â— instead of Grenoble And obtain Gergeau Which they are not satisfyed with And desire Grenoble again And the Court Consents to it Assembly of the Clergy â—…ur of the â—… And of the Prince of Conde The Prince of Conde invites the Assembly of Grenoble to joyn with him Diversity of Opinions The Kings Progress The General Assembly â—â—nds Deputies to the King â— Pâ—… The Deputies are adjourn'd to Poitiers The Queen gets to her Journeys end without Opposition Particular Petition of the Assembly * Petitions or Remonstrances * In which the Judges were half Catholicks and half Protestants * Oblats or Secular Monks General Petition * The Commons * Answers Petition * Petitions The Answers of the Court give no satisfaction They amuse the Deputies * Petitions The Deputies Communicate their fâ—aâ—s to the Assembly * Petitions or Addresses Lâ—â—â—â—guires keeps a great Awe over tâ—â—â— The Assembly removes to Nimes Against his Will The Assembly mistrust the Lords Lesdiguieres and Chatillon are ingag'd in the interest of the Court. The Duke of Candale Embraces the Reform'd Religion His Levity The Reform'd are hated by the Favourites The Duke d Epernon hates them Mortally The Treaty of Union between the Assembly and the Prince of Conde Which revives the Princes Party Letters Declaration which confirms the â—â—dâ—cts After a very Argumental Preface Effect of the Declaration The Reform'd dâ—â—arm'd at Bourdeaux The Consistory discontinues the Publick Exercise of their Religion Two Advocates declare it to the Parliament 1616. The Parliament ordains the Continuation of the Exercise of the Reform'd Religion The Consistory cites both the Advocates after the Conclusion of the Peace They appeal to the Parliament * A Chamber composed of Catholick and Protestant Judges The Consistory suspends them publickly from the Communion A severe Decree The Advocate-General Passion The Ministers disown the things alledg'd by the Advocate-General Absurdities * Chambres Miparties in which the Judges were half Catholicks and half Protestants Ridiculous Pretensions * Cene. A continuation of the ill Will of the Parliament * Chamber-Mipartie in which the Judges are part Catholics and part Protestants A False Decree of Inrollment of a Declaration against the Prince Propositions of peace * Petitions oâ— Addresses 1615. The Lower Languedoc remains peaceable The King of England offers his Mediation for a peace The Council of France refuses the said Mediation 1616. Conference and Peace of Loudun The removal of the General Assembly to Rochel The Assembly sends Deputies to Loudun Disingenuity of the Court. The Assembly is almost compell'd to accept a Peace Edict of Blois * Remonstrances and