The bloudy Babylon: or, A collection of some particulars concerning the persecution raging in France against the Protestants from the peace of Reswick, to the martyrdom of the Reverend Monsieur Brousson, inclusively. In a letter to a lord.

My LORD,

THE last time I had the Honour to pay my Duty to your Lordship, you were pleased to give your Opinion concerning the True Relation of what has been transacted in behalf of those of the Reformed Religion, during the Treaty of Peace at Reswick, with an account of the present Persecution in France, lately publish'd. Your Lordship approved the Design of the Au∣thor in the First Letter, viz. to relate with what Warmth and Vigour the Protestant Plenipotentiaries had laboured to procure some Ease to the Distressed Reformed; it being absolutely necessary This Nation should have a right Information in that Matter, since the Protestants in general had been in the dark till now, and were apt to suspect that They had been wanting in their Endeavours to obtain any Benefit for them by that Peace, which was designed for the Repose of all Europe: But that by the peru∣sal of this Relation, it would appear that their Sollicitations would not have proved ineffectual, could the French Court have been prevail'd upon, or Bigoted Popery persuaded to a Compliance with the Dictates either of Humanity or Christianity.

As for his Second Letter, which contains a Tragical Description of the Persecution Raging in France since the Peace, your Lordship, who knows the Truth of the several Particulars there mentioned, as well as the Impudence of the Papists, who make it their Business every-where to give out, That there is no such thing as a Persecution, did very well apply the way of the Spiritual Babylon, to that of the Adulterous Woman spoken of, Prov. 30. 20. She eateth, and wipeth her Mouth, and faith, I have done no Wickedness. The Church of Rome vents her Fury, by inflicting the most exquisite Torments upon the True Pro∣testants in France; and yet in England, Holland, &c. saith, I have done no such thing. To which your Lordship added, That it might be ser∣viceable to the Publick, to see a Collection of all the Declarations, De∣crees, and Orders of the French Court, issued out against the Prote∣stants, together with some Particulars concerning the severe Execution of

them; but such as should be certain, as to Matter of Fact, that is related either by Eye-witnesses, or by Persons of undoubted Credit, and publish'd without any Discourse or Reflection upon it; and that such a Book would contribute very much to give the World a true Idea of the miserable Condition of the Reformed in France, and to encrease that Fellow-feeling all the Protestants should have to one another, and to the shaming (if possible) the Papists out of their usual Trick of Murther∣ing, Hanging, Breaking upon the Wheel in one Place, and stoutly denying it in another.

Your Desire, my Lord, is to me a Command, and I heartily wish, for the sake of our distressed Brethren, I could not satisfie your Lordship in this particular so much as I can. There is no difficulty in performing the Task; and therefore I shall in the first place give an Account at large of all the Declarations and Decrees lately issued out against Them; and in the next, bring in some unquestionable Instances with what Eagerness and Severity they have been Executed, as well as those which have been already seen but at different times, as also such as never appeared till now to the Publick View; that by the full Prospect of them all together, any Judicious or indifferent Person may be convinced of the Cruel Persecution now in France, and pity the sad Case of the Reformed there, as well as abhor the Barbarity of the Papists.