The history of the famous Edict of Nantes containing an account of all the persecutions that have been in France from its first publication to this present time : faithfully extracted from all the publick and private memoirs, that could possibly be procured / printed first in French, by the authority of the states of Holland and West-Friezland, and now translated into English.

THis last day of April. 1598, the King being at Nantes, and being very desirous to afford all manner of Satisfaction to his Subjects of the Pretended Reformed Religion, upon the Petitions and Requests he has received from them, about such things as they think necessary for the Liberty of their Consciences, and for the Security of their Persons, Fortunes and Estates. And his Ma∣jesty being convinced of their Fide∣lity, and sincere Affection for his Service; as also for divers other Im∣portant Considerations relating to the Quiet and Welfare of this State, him thereunto moving; his said Ma∣jesty, besides what is contained in the Edict he has lately resolved to make, and is to be published for the Regulation of what relates to them, has granted and promised them, that all the Places, Towns and Castles they held until the end of August last past, in which Garisons are to be kept, by the Settlement that shall be made about it, and sign'd by his Majesty, shall remain in their keep∣ing under the Authority and Obe∣dience of his said Majesty for the term of eight Years, to begin from the day of the Publication of the said Edict. And as for the others which they hold, in which there is to be no Garisons, there shall be no Alteration or Innovation made. Ne∣vertheless his said Majesty does not mean that the Cities and Castles of Vendome and Pontorson should be com∣prised in the number of the said Places left in keeping to those of the said Religion. Neither shall the City, Castle and Citadel of Aubenay be comprised in the said number, which his Majesty will dispose of at his own pleasure, and tho it were into the hands of one of the said Religion, it shall be no President for the future, like the other Cities that are granted unto them. And as for Chauvigny, it shall be restored to the Bishop of Poitiers Lord of the said Place, and the new Fortifications made there ras'd and demolish'd. And for the maintaining of the Gar∣risons that shall be kept into the said Towns, Places and Castles, his said Majesty has granted them the Sum of 180000 Crowns, without including those of the Province of Dauphine into the said number, for which other provision shall be made besides the said sum of 180000 Crowns yearly. And his said Majesty promises and assures them, that he will give them good and valuable Assignations for the same upon the clearest part of his Revenue, in such Places where the said Garisons shall be established. And in case the said Revenues should not be suffi∣cient, the remainder shall be paid them out of the nearest places of Receipt; neither shall the said Re∣venues be imploy'd to any other use, until the said Sum is intirely fur∣nished and acquitted. Moreover his said Majesty has promised and gran∣ted them, that he will call, at the making and establishing of the Settle∣ments of the said Garisons, some Persons of the said Religion, to take their Advice, and hear their Remon∣strances about it; which shall be done, as much as possible can be, to their Satisfaction. And in case, during the said term of eight Years, there should happen any Necessity

to alter any thing about the said Settlement; whether it shall be thought fit by his Majesty, or at their request, it shall be done in the said manner, as it shall be resolved upon the first time. And as to the Garisons of Dauphine, his Majesty shall take the advice of the Sieur de Lesdiguieres about the Settlement thereof. And in case of Vacancies of some Governours and Captains of the said Places, his Majesty also promises and grants to them, That he will put none into their room, but such as shall be of the said Pre∣tended Reformed Religion, having Attestations fromt the Assembly where they reside, of their being of the said Religion, and Persons of Inte∣grity. And it shall be sufficient for the Person who shall be invested of the same, upon the Breef that shall have been expedited about it, before his receiving his Letters-Patent, to produce the Attestation of the said Assembly as abovesaid; the which those of the said Assembly shall be oblig'd to give him speedily with∣out delays; or in case of refusal, shall acquaint his Majesty with the reasons them thereunto moving. And the said term of eight Years being expired, altho he shall then be ac∣quitted of his Promise in relation to the said Cities: Nevertheless he has moreover granted and promised them, that in case he shall think fit, after the said time to keep Garisons in the same, or to leave a Governor to command there, he will not dis∣possess the Person then being in Possession of the same, to put ano∣ther in his room. He also declares, That it is his Intention, both during the said eight Years, as well as after it, to gratifie those of the said Reli∣gion, and to give them a share of the Imployments, Governments, and other Honours, he shall have to dis∣pose of, Indifferently and without any Exception, according to the Quality and Merit of the Persons, as among his other Catholick Sub∣jects: Yet nevertheless without be∣ing obliged for the future, particu∣larly to bestow the Cities and Places thus committed to them there into Command, to Persons of the said Religion. Moreover his said Ma∣jesty has also granted unto them, That those that have been imploy'd by those of the said Religion for the keeping of the Stores, Ammunition, Powder, and Cannons of the said Cities, and such as shall be left in keeping to them shall be continued in the said Imployments, taking Com∣missions from the Master of the Ordnance, and Commissary General of the Provisions. Which Commis∣sions shall be expedited Gratis, they delivering unto them a particular account of the said Magazines, Am∣munition, Powder and Cannon, sign'd in due form; yet they shall not be allowed to pretend to any Immunities or Privileges upon the account of the said Commissions. Nevertheless they shall be imploy'd upon the Settlement that shall be made about the said Garisons, and shall receive their Sallaries out of the Sums above granted by his Ma∣jesty, for the maintenance of their Garisons, for which his Majesty's other Revenues shall no-wise be charged. And whereas those of the said Religion, have intreated his

Majesty to acquaint them with what he has been pleased to order about the Exercise of the same in the City of Mets, by reason that it is not sufficiently explained, and comprised in his Edict and secret Articles; his Majesty declares, That he has ordered Letters-Patent to be drawn, by which it is declared, That the Temple heretofore built in the said City by the Inhabitants thereof, shall be restored unto them, to make use of the Materials, and to dispose of them as they shall think fit; but they shall not be allowed to preach in it, nor perform any Exercise of their Religion: Nevertheless a con∣venient Place shall be provided for them within the Enclosure of the said City, where they shall be al∣lowed to perform the said Exercise publickly, without any necessity of expressing it by his Edict. His Ma∣jesty also grants, that notwithstand∣ing the Prohibition made of the Exercise of the said Religion at the Court, and Dependence thereof; the Dukes, Peers of France, Officers of the Crown, Marquesses, Counts, Governors and Lieutenants General, Marshals de Camp, and Captains of his said Majesty's Guards, who shall be in his Attendance, shall not be molested for what they shall do within their Houses, provided it be only for their own particular Fami∣lies, their Doors being shut, with∣out singing of Psalms with a loud Voice, or doing any thing that might discover it to be a Publick Exercise of the said Religion; and in case his said Majesty shall remain above three Days in any Town or Place where the said Exercise is allowed, the said time being expired, the said Exercise shall be continued as before his arrival. His said Majesty also declares, That by reason of the present State of his Affairs, he has not been able at present to include the Countries on the other side of the Mounts Bresse and Barcelona, in the Permission by him granted for the Exercise of the said Pretended Reformed Religion. Nevertheless his Majesty promises, That when his said Countries shall be reduced under his Obedience, he will use his Subjects inhabiting in the same, in relation to Religion, and other Points granted by his Edict, like his other Subjects, notwithstanding what is contained in the said Edicts; and in the mean time they shall be maintained in the same condition they are in at present. His Majesty also grants, That those of the Pre∣tended Reformed Religion, that are to be provided with Offices of Pre∣sidents and Counsellors created to serve in the Chambers, ordained a-new by his Edict, shall be invested with the said Offices Gratis, and without paying any Fees for the first time, upon the Roll that shall be pre∣sented to his Majesty by the Deputies of the Assembly of Chatelleraud; as also the Substitutes of the Attornies and Advocates General erected by the said Edict in the Chamber of Bordeaux: And in case of an Incor∣poration of the said Chamber of Bor∣deaux, and that of Thoulouse, into the said Parliaments, the said Substitutes shall be provided with Counsellors places in the same also Gratis. His Majesty will also bestow on Monsieur Francis Pitou the Office of Substitute

to the Attorney General in the Court of Parliament of Paris; and to that end a new Erection shall be made of the said Office; and after the Decease of the said Poitou, it shall be given to a Person of the said Pretended Re∣formed Religion. And in case of Vacation by Death of two Offices of Masters of Request of the King's Hostel, his Majesty shall bestow them on Persons of the said Pretended Reformed Religion, such as his Ma∣jesty shall judge fit and capable for the good of his Service; they paying the usual Price of the Sale of the said Offices. And in the mean time two Masters of Request shall be appointed in every Quarter to make report of the Petitions of those of the said Reli∣gion. Moreover his Majesty permits the Deputies of the said Religion assembled in the said City of Cha∣telleraud, to remain in a body to the number of Ten in the City of Sau∣mur, to prosecute the Execution of his Edict, until his said Edict is verified in his Court of Parliament of Paris; notwithstanding their being injoyn'd by the said Edicts to sepa∣rate immediately: Yet nevertheless without their being allowed to make any new Demands in the name of the said Assembly, or to meddle with any thing besides the said Exe∣cution, Deputation, and dispatch of the Commissionaries who shall be or∣dained to that end. And his Majesty has given them his Faith and Word for all that is above-written by this present Breef, which he has been pleased to Sign with his own Hand, and to have it Counter-sign'd by Us his Secretaries of State, Willing the said Breef to be of the same Force and Value to them, as if the Con∣tents thereof were included in an Edict verified in his Courts of Parlia∣ment; those of the said Religion be∣ing satisfied out of consideration for the good of his Service, and the State of his Affairs, not to press him to put this Ordinance in any other more Authentick Form, being so Confident of his Majesty's Word and Goodness, that they assure themselves, that he will make them enjoy the same fully: Having to that end or∣dered all necessary Expeditions and Dispatches for the Execution of what is above-written, to be forthwith ex∣pedited.

Thus Sign'd,

Henry.

And lower,

Forget.