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.

A Declaration of the King against the Sieur De Soubise, and other Adherents to the Party of the English. Con∣firming the Edicts of Pacification, in favour of those who should continue in their Duty and Allegiance. Given at Villeroy, August 5. 1627. and Publish'd in Parlament the twelfth of the same Month.

LEwis, by the Grace of God, King of France and Navarr. To all, &c. Since it has pleas'd God to call us to the Government of this State, our Conduct has made it manifest, with how much Care we have labour'd to pre∣serve the Publick Peace and Tran∣quility, either in observing and preserving a sound Amity, good

understanding and correspondence between this Kingdom and For∣reign Princes, either by employ∣ing, as we have done several times in divers parts, and upon various occasions, our Royal Me∣diation to lay asleep and extin∣guish the Contentions and Diffe∣rences arisen between the said Princes; or by giving Assistance and Protection to our Ancient Confederates, when we thought it necessary to re-establish or main∣tain 'em in those Rights and Pro∣perties that appertain'd to 'em, in order by that means to stop the ill Consequences of those Troubles which the Innovations happ'ning in their Dominions might produce. Wherein if our Intentions were lookt upon as good and sincere, we also judge, those which we have had, being grounded upon the same Considerations of the Publick Tranquility, and of the Establishment of the Repose of our Kingdom, in contracting se∣veral Great Alliances by the Mar∣riage of our dearest Sisters, are wor∣thy of a higher applause. But we cannot but observe, without a most just Resentment, that the last which we have made with Eng∣land, has not hitherto had that good success, which we expected from it: But that instead of knit∣ting faster, as we promis'd to our selves, the knot of that ancient Amity, which has long continu'd between the two Crowns, it should so fall out, that the notorious Breaches on the Part of England, of the Articles of Marriage of our Dearest Sister with the King of Great Britain, the English should come to invade us, and Land in the Isle of Re with a numerous Fleet and Army without any cause, any Ground, any Pretence or De∣claration. And in regard we see, that in order to second their un∣just Designs, they have already treated with some of our Subjects, have sent the Sieur De Soubise in∣to our City of Rochel, to perswade the Inhabitants to join with their Party, and that they continue the same Artifices and Practices with others of our Subjects of the Pre∣tended Reformed Religion, to draw and engage 'em under seve∣ral. Pretences and vain Hopes to unite their Arms with theirs (tho' we are willing to believe, that our said Subjects will have so much Constancy and Judgment, as not to suffer themselves to be deceiv'd by such sort of Artifices; and for that considering that they peace∣fully enjoy the full Liberty of the Exercise of their Religion, the Be∣nefit of our Edicts, and whatever else has been promis'd by Us, they will conclude that this enterprise of the English, has no aim or end, that really tends to the good of their Religion, but that it is a vo∣luntary Invasion of our Domini∣ons, in Enmity to our Crown, and the Honour of the Nation▪ in the Defence of which, all true French Men, as well Catholicks as those of the Pretended Refor∣med Religion, are equally oblig'd to venture their Lives and For∣tunes;) Nevertheless, that our said Subjects may be rightly in∣form'd of our Intentions upon the

present Occurrences, and that they may not be circumvented by the Artifices that are made use of to with-draw 'em from their na∣tural Duty, We declare that for these Causes, and other weighty Considerations Us thereunto mov∣ing, We have with the Advice of the Queen, our thrice Honour'd Lady and Mother, our most Dear and most Beloved only Brother the Duke of Orleance, the Prin∣ces, &c. said and declar'd, and do say and declare, by these Presents, the Sieur de Soubise, and those of our Subjects, of what Quality or Condition soever they be, who shall adhere to or join with the English, or shall favour or assist 'em directly or indirectly, or that shall keep Intelligence, Association, and Correspondence with 'em in any sort or manner whatever, or shall otherwise depart from that Obedience which they owe us, Rebels, Traitors, and Perfidious to their King, Desertors of their Countrey, Guilty of High Trea∣son in the highest Degree: And as such we declare their Goods, as well Moveable as Immoveable, their Offices and Employments, Forfeited and Confiscated to our self; and all the Inhabitants of our Cities, who shall adhere to the Enterprizes, Rebellion and Disobedience of the above named, or who shall afford 'em Entrance, Passage, Retreat or Quartering, or shall aid 'em with Arms, Vi∣ctuals, Ammunition, or any other necessaries, guilty of the same Crimes, and under the Forfeiture of all Decrees, Honours, Privi∣ledges, Franchises, Immunities and Rights, which may have been granted to 'em, either by the Kings our Predecessors, or by our Selves, past all Hopes of being e∣ver regain'd. It being our Will and Pleasure, that they be pro∣ceeded against, with the utmost Severity of the Law, by Impri∣sonment of their Person, Seizure of their Estates, Demolishing their Houses, Cutting down their Woods, and that they shall lose the Benefit of our Edicts, and of all Appeals to our Chambers, crea∣ted by the same; Unless within eight days after the Publication of this Declaration upon the Coasts of Poitou, Saintonge and Aunix, they do quit their Rebellion, and make their Appearance before our Officers of the Cities of Sain∣tes Niort, Fontenay, Brouage, and others more remote, with the usu∣al Submissions, and that the Cities make their Declarations such as are requir'd in the like Cases at the same time. And whereas we have found, during the late Trou∣bles, that some of our Subjects of the said Pretended Reformed Re∣ligion, siding with the Rebels, were wont to send their Children, or else permit 'em to go and bear Arms together with 'em, they themselves staying at home to a∣void the Rigour of our Prosecuti∣ons; 'Tis our Pleasure, that for the Remedy of such abuses, that the Fathers or Masters of Houses and Families, shall be held and re∣puted to adhere to the Enemies Party, and that they shall suffer Corporal Punishment, together

with all the Penalties mention'd in these presents, if their Chil∣dren or other Relations, usually abiding in their Houses, and ha∣ving no other habitation then that of their Fathers, or Kindred, shall be found siding with the Ene∣my, in actual Arms. Unless the said Parents or Masters of Hou∣ses or Families, actually serve us in our Armies or other where, and make it so much their en∣deavour to regain their Children or Kindred out of the Enemies service, as to convince us that 'twas no Fault of theirs. And as for all our other Subjects of the Pretended Reformed Religi∣on, that shall continue in their O∣bedience and Fidelity to us, with∣out adhering to the Enemies De∣signs, and other Practices, Factions and Conspiracies against us, our Authority, Service and Repose of this Kingdom, our Pleasure is, that they shall freely enjoy the Liberty of their Exercise, and all Favours and Concessions to them granted by the Deceased King and our selves; which it is our full meaning and Intent to preserve inviolably; putting all our said Sub∣jects of our said Pretended Refor∣med Religion, their Families and Estates, so long as they remain within the Bounds of their Duty, under our special saseguard and Protection. So we command, &c. In Testimony whereof, &c.

Gi∣ven at Villeroy, August 5. 1627. and 18th. of our Reign.

Sign'd Lewis,

And below, By the King.

De Lomenie.

Read, Publish'd and Register'd, &c. At Paris, in Parlament, August 12. 1627.

Du Tillet.