The French king's decree against Protestants, prohibiting them the exercise of their religion, &c. to which is added a brief and true account of the cruel persecution and inhumane oppressions of those of the reformed religion to make them abjure and apostatize : together with the form of abjuration the revolting Protestants are to subscribe and swear to, and a declaration of his Electoral Highness of Brandenburgh ... : also a letter from Father La Chese ... to Father Petre ... / newly translated from the French.

A short Account of the Violent Proceedings, and unheard of Cruelties, which have been Exercised upon those of Montau∣ban, and which continue to be put in Practice in other Places, against those of the Reformed Religion in France, for to make them Renounce their Religion.

ON Saturday the 18/••th of August, 1685. the Intendant of the Up∣per Guienne, who Resides at Montauban, having Summoned the Principal Protestants of the said City to come before him, repre∣sented unto them, That they could not be ignorant, that the Absolute Will and Pleasure of the King was, to Tolerate but One Religion in his Kingdom, viz. The Roman Catholick Religion; and therefore wished them readily to comply with the same: And in order there∣to, advised them to Assemble themselves, and consider what Resolution they would take. To this Resolution some answer'd, That there was no need of their Assembling themselves upon that Ac∣count; for a smuch as every one of them in particular, were to Try and Examine themselves, and be alwaies in a readiness to give a reason of the Faith which was in them.

The next Day the Intendant again commanded them to Meet to∣gether in the Town House, which, he ordered, should be left free for them from Noon till Six of the Clock in the Evening: Where meeting accordingly, they Unanimously resolved as they had Lived, so to persist till Death in their Religion: Which Resolution of theirs there were some Deputed by them to declare to the Intendant; who presenting themselves before him, he who was appointed Spokes∣man, began to Address himself to the Intendant in these Words: My Lord, We are not unacquainted, how we are menaced with the grea∣test Violence.—Hold there, said the Intendant (interrupting him) No Violence. After this the Protestant continued; But whatever Force or Violence may be put upon us,—Here the Intendant inter∣rupting him again, said, I forbid you to use any such Words: Upon which Second Interruption, he contented himself to assure him in few Words, That they were all resolved to Live and Die in their Reli∣gion.

The Day after, the Battalion of La Ferre, consisting of 16 Com∣panies entred the City, and were followed by many more. The

testants all this while dreaming of no other Design they had against them, but that of ruining their Estates, and Impoverishing them, had already taken some Measures how to bear the said Tryal; they had made a Common Purse, for the Relief of such who should be most burthen'd with Quartering; and were come to a Resolution to possess what they had in Common: But, Alas! how far these poor Souls were mistaken in their Accounts, and how different the Treat∣ment they received from the Dragoons was, from what they had ex∣pected, I shall now Relate to you.

First therefore, in order to their Executing the Design and Pro∣ject they had formed against them, they made the Souldiers take up their Quarters in one certain place of the City; but withal, appoint∣ed several Corp de Guards to cut off the Communication which One part of the City might have with the Other, and possess'd themselves of the Gates, that none might make their Escape. Things being thus ordered, the Troopers Souldiers and Dragoons began to practise all manner of Hostilities, and Cruelties, wherewith the Devil can Inspire the most In human and Reprobate Minds: They mar••'d and defac'd their Houshold▪ stuff, broke their Looking-Glasses, and other like Utensils and Ornaments; they let their Wine run about their Cellars, cast abroad and spoil'd their Corn, and other Alimentary Provisions: And as for those things which they could not break and dash to pieces, as the Furniture of Beds, Hangings, Tapistry, Lin∣nen, Wearing Apparel, Plate, and Things of the like Nature; these they carried to the Market-place, where the Jesuits bought them of the Souldiers, and encouraged Roman Catholicks to do the like. They did not stick to Sell the very Houses of such, who were most resolute and constant in their Profession. It is supposed, ac∣cording to a Moderate Calculation, that in the time of four or five daies, the Protestants of that City were the poorer by a Million of Money, than they were before the entring of these Missionaries. There were Souldiers, who demanded Four hundred Crowns apiece of their Hosts for spending-Money; and many Protestants were forced to pay down Ten Pistols to each Souldier, upon the some Account.

In the mean time, the outrages they committed upon their Persons were most detestable and Barbarous; I shall only here set down some few, of which I have been particularly inform'd. A certain Taylor called Bearnois, was bound and drag'd by the Souldiers to the Corp de Guard, where they Boxed and Buffetted him all Night, all which

blows and Indignities he suffered with the greatest constancy Imagi∣nable. The Troopers who Quartered with Monsieur Solignac made his Dining Room a Stable for their Horses, tho the Furniture of it was Valued at 10000 Livres, and forc'd him to turn the Broach till his Arm was near burnt, by their continual casting of Wood upon the Fire. A Passenger as he went through the said City saw some Souldiers beating a poor Man even to Death, for to force him to go to Mass, whilst the constant Martyr to his last Breath, cryed, He would never do it, and only requested they would Dispatch and make an end of him. The Barons of Caussade and De la Motte, whose Constancy and Piety might have inspired Courage and Resolution to the rest of the Citizens, were sent away to Cahors. Monsieur D' Alliez, one of the prime Gentlemen of Montanban, being a Vene∣rable Old Man, found so ill▪ Treatment at their hands, as it's thought he will scarcely escape with Life. Monsieur▪ De Garrison, who was one of the most considerable Men of that City, and an intimate Friend of the Intendant, went and cast himself at his Feet, imploring his Protection, and conjuring him to rid him of his Souldiers, that he might have no force put upon his Conscience; adding, That in Recompence of the Favour he beg'd of him, He would willingly give him all he had, which was to the Value of about a Million of Livres; but by all his Entreaties and Proffers, he could not in the least pre∣vail with the Intendant; who gave order, that for a Terror to the meaner sort, he should be worse used than the rest, by dragging him along the Streets.

The Method they most commonly made use of, for to make them Abjure their Religion, and which could not be the product of any thing but Hell, was this; Some of the most strong and vigorous Souldiers, took their Hosts, or other persons of the House, and walk'd them up and down in some Chamber, continually tickling them and tossing them like a Ball from one to another, without giving them the least Intermission, and keeping them in this condition for three daies and nights together, without Meat, Drink, or Sleep: When they were so wearied and fainting, that they could no longer stand upon their Legs, they laid them on a Bed, continuing as before to Tickle and Torment them; after some time, when they thought them somewhat recovered, they made them rise, and walked them up and down as before, sometimes Tickling, and other times Lashing them with Rods, to keep them from Sleeping. As soon as one Par∣ty

of these Barbarous Tormenters were tyred and wearied out, they were Relieved by others of their Companions, who coming fresh to the Work, with greater Vigour and Violence reiterated the same Course. By this Infernal Invention (which they had formerly made use of, with success; in Bearn and other places many went Dictracted, and others became Mopish and Stupid, and remain so.

Those who made their Escape, were fain to abandon their Estates, yea, their Wives, Children, and Aged Relations, to the Mercy of these Barbarous, and more than Savage Troops. The same Cruel∣ties were acted at Negreplisse, a City near to Montauban; where these Bloody Emissaries committed unparallel'd Outrages. Isaac Favin, a Citizen of that Place, was hung up by his Arm-pits, and tormented a whole Night, by pinching and tearing off his Flesh with Pincers; though by all this they were not able to shake his Con∣stancy in the least. The Wife of one Rouffion, a Joyner, being vio∣lently dragg'd by the Souldiers along the Streets, for to force her to hear Mass, dyed of this cruel and inhumane Treatment, as soon as she reach'd the Church Porch.

Amongst other their Devilish Inventions, this was one: They made a great Fire round about a Boy of about Ten Years of Age; who continually, with Hands and Eyes lifted up to Heaven, cryed, My God, help me; and when they saw the Lad resolved to Dye so, ra∣ther than renounce his Religion, they snatch'd him from the Fire, when he was at the very point of being Burnt. The Cities of Caus∣sade, Realville, St. Anthonin, and other Towns and Places in the Up∣per Guinne, met with the same Entertainment, as well as Bergerac, and many other Places of Perigord, and of the Lower Guinne; which had a like share of these cruel and inhumane Usages.

The forementioned Troops marched at last to Castres, to commit the same Insolencies and Barbarities there also: And it is not to be doubted, but that they will continue, and carry on the same course of Cruelties, where ever they go; if God, in Pity and Compassion to his People, do not restrain them.

It is to be feared, (for it seems but too probable) that this dreadful Persecution in conjunction with those Artifices the Papists make use of to disguise their Religion, and to perswade Protestants, that they shall be suffered to Worship God as formerly, will make many to comply with them, or at least make their Mouths give their Hearts the Lye, in hopes of being by this means put into a condition to make

their escapes, and returning to that Profession, which their weakness hath made them deny.

But, Alas! this is not all; for those poor Wretches, whom by these Devilish ways of theirs, they have made to Blaspheme and Abjure their Religion, as if this were not enough, must now become the Per∣secutors and Tormentors of their own Wives and Children, for to oblige and force them to Renounce also; for they are threatned, that if within three days time they do not make their whole Family Re∣cant in like manner, those rough Apostles (the Dragoons) shall be fain to take further pains with them, in order to the perfecting of their Conversion. And who after all this can have the least doubt, but that these unhappy Dragoons are the very Emissaries of Hell, whose very last Efforts and Death struglings these seem to be?

This Relation hath given a short view of some of those Sufferings, the Reformed have undergone, but not of all: It is certain, that in divers places they have tryed to wear out their Patience, and over∣come their Constancy by applying Red-hot Irons to the Hands and Feet of Men, and to the Breasts of Women. At Nantes they hung up several Women and Maids by their Feet, and others by their Arm-pits, and that stark Naked, thus exposing them to publick View, which assuredly is the most cruel and exquisite Suffering can befall that Sex; because in this case their Shamefac'dness and Modesty is most sensibly touched, which is the most tender part of their Soul. They have bound Mothers that gave Suck unto Posts, and let their little Infants lye Languishing in their sight, without being suffered to Suckle them for several days, and all this while left them crying, moaning, and gasping for Life, and even Dying for Hunger & Thirst, that by this means they might Vanquish the Constancy of their Ten∣der-hearted Mothers, Swearing to them they would never permit they should give them Suck till they promised to Renounce their Pro∣fession of the Gospel. They have taken Children of Four or Five Years of Age, and kept them from Meat and Drink for some time, and when they have heen ready to faint away and give up the Ghost, they have brought them before their Parents, and horribly Asseve∣rated, that except they would Turn, they must prepare themselves to see their Children Languish and Dye in their presence. Some they have bound before a great Fire, and being half Roasted, have after let them go: They beat Men and Women outragiously; they drag them along the Streets, and Torment them day and night.

The ordinary way they took, was to give them no rest; for the Souldiers do continually Relieve one another for to Drag, Beat, Torment and Toss up and down these Miserable Wretches, with∣out Intermission. If it happen that any by their Patience and Con∣stancy do stand it out, and Triumph over all the Rage and Fury of those Dragoons, they go to their Commander and acquaint him, they have done all they could, but yet without the desired success; who in a Barbarous and Surly Tone, answers them; You must re∣turn upon them, and do worse than you have done; the King Com∣mands it; either they must Turn, or I must Burst and Perish in the At∣tempt. These are the pleasant Flowry Paths, by which the Papists allure Protestants to return to the Bosome of their Church.

But some it may be will object; You make a great noise about a small matter, all Protestants have not been exposed to these Cruel∣ties, but only some few obstinate Persons: Well, I will suppose so, but yet the Horror of those Torments Inflicted on some, hath so fill'd the Imagination of these Miserable Wretches, that the very thoughts of them hath made them comply; it is indeed a Weak∣ness of which we are ashamed for their sakes, and from whence we hope God will raise them again, in his due time; yet thus much we may alledge for their excuse, that never was any Persecution, upon pretence of Religion, carried on to that pitch, and with that Politick Malice and Cruelty that this hath been; and therefore, of all those which ever the Church of Christ groan'd under, none can can be compar'd with it. True indeed it is, that in former Ages it hath been common to Burn the Faithful under the Name of Here∣ticks; but how few were there exposed to that cruel kind of Death, in comparison of those who escaped the Executioners hands? But, behold here a great People at once Oppress'd, Destroy'd, and Ruin'd by a vast Army of prodigious Butchers, and few or none escaping. Former, yea late times have given us some Instances of Massacres; but these were only violent Tempests, and sudden Hurricanes, which lasted but a Night, or, at the most, a few daies, and they who suf∣fered in them were soon out of their pains, and the far greater num∣ber escaped the dint of them: but how much more dreadful is the present condition of the Protestants in France? And to the end we may take a true view and right measures of it, let us consider, that nothing can be conceived more terrible, than a State of War; but what War to be compared with This? They see a whole Army of

Butcherly Cannibals entring their Houses, Bateering, Breaking, Burn∣ing, and Destroying whatever comes to hand; Swearing, Cursing and Blaspheming like Devils; beating to excess, offering all man∣ner of Indignities and Violence; diverting themselves, and striving to out-vy each other in inventing New Methods of Pain and Tor∣ment; not to be appeased with Money, or good Chear; foaming and roaring like Ravenous raging Lyons; and presenting Death, at every moment; and that which is worse than all this, driving People to Distraction, and senseless Stupidity, by those Devilish Inventions we have given you an Instance of in the Relation of Mentauban.

Moreover, This Persecution hath one Characteristical Note more; which, without any Exaggeration, will give it the Precedence in History for Cruelty, above all those which the Church of God ever suffered under Nero, Maximinus, or Dieclesian; which is, The severe Prohibition of departing the Kingdom, upon pain of Confiscation of Goods, of the Gally, of the Lash, and perpetual Imprisonment. All the Sea-Ports are kept with that Exactness, as if it were to hinder the Escape of Traytors, and common Enemies: All the Prisons of Sea-Port-Towns are cramm'd with these miserable Fugitives, Men Women, Boys, and Girls; who there are Condemned to the worst of Punishments, for having had a desire to save themselves from this dreadful Persecution, and deluging Calamity. This is the Thing which is unparallel'd; and of which we find no Instance: This is that Superlative Excess of Cruelty, which we shall not find in the List of all the Violent and Bloody Proceedings of the Duke of Al∣va: He Massacred, he Beheaded, he Butchered; but at least, he did not Prohibit those that could, to make their Escape. In the last Hungarian Persecution, nothing was required of the Protestants, but only that their Ministers should Banish themselves, and Aban∣don and Renounce the Conduct of their Flocks; and because they were unwilling to obey these Orders, therefore it is they have Groan'd under so long, and so Terrible a Persecution, as they have done, But this Hungarian Persecution is not to be compared with that we are speaking of; for the Fury of that Tempest dis∣charged it self upon the Ministers only; no Armies were Im∣ploy'd, to force the People to change their Religion, by a thousand several waies of Torment; much less did it ever enter the Thoughts of the Emperors Councel, to shut up all the Protestants in Hungary, in order to the destroying of all those who would not abjure their

Religion; which yet is the very condition of so many wretched Per∣sons in France, who beg it as the highest Favour at the Hands of their Merciless Enemies, to have Leave to go and beg their Bread in a Foreign Country; being willing to leave their Goods, and all other outward Conveniencies, behind them, for to lead a poor, mi∣serable, languishing Life in any Place, where only they may be suf∣fered to Dye in their Religion. And is it not from all this most ••••∣parent, that those Monsters who have inspired the King with th•••••• Designs, have refin'd the Mystery of Persecuting to the utmost, and advanc'd it to its highest pitch of Perfection?

O Great God! who from thy Heavenly Throne doest behold all the Outrages done to thy People, haste Thee to help us! Great God, whose Compassions are Infinite, suffer thy Self to be touched with our extream Desolation! If Men be Insensible of the Calamities we suffer, if they be deaf to our Cries, not regarding our Grones and Supplications; yet let thy Bowels, O Lord, be moved, and affect Thee in our behalf. Glorious God, for whose Names sake we suffer all these things, who knowest our Innocence and Weakness, as well as the Fury and Rage of our Adversa∣ries, the small Support and Help we find in the World: Behold, we perish, if thy Pity doth not rouze Thee up for our Relief. It is Thou art our Rock, our God, our Father, our Deliverer: We do not place our Confi∣dence in any, but Thee alone: Let us not be confounded, because we put our Trust in Thee. Haste Thee to our Help; make no long tarrying, O Lord, our God, and our Redeemer!