Synodicon in Gallia reformata, or, The acts, decisions, decrees, and canons of those famous national councils of the reformed churches in France being I. a most faithful and impartial history of the rise, growth, perfection and decay of the reformation in that kingdom, with its fatal catastrophe upon the revocation of the Edict of Nants in the year 1685 : II. the confession of faith and discipline of those churches : III. a collection of speeches, letters, sacred politicks, cases of conscience, and controversies in divinity, determined and resolved by those grave assemblies : IV. many excellent expedients for preventing and healing schisms in the churches and for re-uniting the dismembred body of divided Protestants : V. the laws, government, and maintenance of their colleges, universities and ministers, together with their exercise of discipline upon delinquent ministers and church-members : VI. a record of very many illustrious events of divine providence relating to those churches : the whole collected and composed out of original manuscript acts of those renowned synods : a work never be extant in any language.

CHAP. XXII. Of UNIVERSITIES and COLLEDGES.

1 A Motion was made about reducing the Number of our Universities unto two, and this by several Provinces, that so they might be the better furnished with Professors. After it had been debated the Synod came to this Resolution, that for the present nothing should be either in∣novated or altered either as to Number or Place, but as they were so they should continue fixed at Saumur, Montauban. and Nismes.

2. Professors who have served in our Universities this present year 1623. shall be payd their Sallaries as heretofore.

3. This Assembly considering the Poverty of our Churches, and how necessary it is for us to be good Husbands of His Majesties Liberality, ordaineth that for the future the Professors place in Greek shall be sup∣pressed, as being superfluous and of small profit.

4. Whereas formerly the Office of Principal in our Universities was di∣stinct from all other Offices, It shall be for the future supprest, and the su∣perintendency of the Principal over the Colledge shall be conferred upon some one of the Professors or Pastors according as the University Council

shall think fittest, and he shall also receive the Summ of One Hundred Livres yearly, and his Lodgings in the Colledge.

5. No Wages shall be given in our Universities unto a Printer.

6. The Door-keeper and Bedell's Office may be united in one, and he shall have but sixty Livres yearly.

7. To the University of Nismes shall be given for the future the Summ of Eighteen Hundred Livres, viz. for two Professors in Divinity each Se∣ven hundred Livres, and to the Hebrew Professor four hundred only.

8. Monsieur Codur who is at present Professor of Hebrew in the Univer∣sity of Nismes shall have our hearty thanks for his great pains taken hi∣therto in his Office, and shall be preferred unto the Church of Bernix to be their Pastor, or to any other, as the Colloquy or Provincial Synod shall judge convenient. And besides the Portion appropriated unto that Church wherein he may officiate, there shall be continued to him that Portion granted him by this until the sitting of the next National Synod. And whereas Mr. Petit was formerly Professor of the Greek, he shall be henceforward Professor of the Hebrew Tongue in that University.

9. There shall be given to the University of Montauban the Summ of Three Thousand Four Hundred and Fifty Livres, To each of the two Professors in Divinity the Summ of Seven Hundred Livres, To each of the Two Professors in Philosophy Four Hundred Livres, Besides Eight Hundred and Fifty Livres more are ordered unto the said University until the next National Synod, and no longer; nor shall this be drawn in con∣sequence, as a president for time to come.

10. For the University of Saumur there shall be delivered out the Summ of Four Thousand one Hundred Livres, viz. for two Professors in Divinity to each Seven Hundred Livres, for one Professor in Hebrew Four Hundred Livres, for two Professors in Philosophy to each of them Four Hundred Livres, for the Principal of the Colledge One Hundred Livres, for the Re∣gent of the first Classis Four Hundred Livres, for the Regent of the Second Three Hundred Livres, for the Regent of the Third Two Hundred and Fifty Livres, for him in the Fourth Two Hundred and Ten Livres, for him in the Fifth Nine Score Livres, and for the Bedell and Door-keeper Sixty Livres.

11. And forasmuch as in each of our Universities there is at present but one Professor in Divinity, This Assembly decreeth that the Summ of Two Thousand One Hundred Livres for the Three vacant Pro∣fessions shall be detained in the hands of the Lord du Candal from out of the Second and Third Quarters of the year 1624, to be distributed among those Professors who shall be established. And in case the said Offices should not be provided for, or some one of them should remain vacant, The said Lord du Candal shall distribute that Summ detained in his hands among the Churches.

12. The Orders to be expedited for paying the Sallaries of our Professors and Regents shall be Given and Signed by the Rector and University Council, and shall have this clause expresly inserted in them that the said Regent and Professors were all of them in actual Service.

13. This Synod also desirous to make some Canon that may be observed about admission of Students in Theology, who are to be maintained by the Provinces, it doth therefore decree that for the future, the Provinces shall take special care in the choice of Scholars whose Exhibitions are to be payd

them by the Colloquies, because they are hereafter to serve in the Sacred Ministry, above all looking to their Lives and Conversations, to their Capacities and Understandings, and to their Natural Gifts and Parts, and strictly to examine the Attestations of Consistories and Colledges, in which they have been conversant: And they shall not admit any into this number but such as have finished their Course in Philosophy, and who shall prove it by producing their Letters of Mastership in the Arts, or some other equivalent Testimonials, nor shall they receive any with∣out good and valid securities for restitution of the Summs received in case of Apostacy, and diversion or promotion to another Calling, besides that of the Ministry. And that we may proceed in the said Choice with the more and greater Caution, and that Persons of mean hopes may not be nominated, the said Scholars shall not only be examined by the Colloquies who present them, but also by the Provincial Synod. And that they may be retained within the bounds of their Duty, the Colloquies or Provinces who send them unto the Universities to be their Seminary and Nurslings, shall inform the University-Councils, and the Council of the Schools of them, that they watch over them continually, and take a most especial and signal care of them above all others, and not to give them at any time leave to wander or travel abroad, or to remove elsewhere without having first consulted their Colloquies. And the Professors shall be obliged to examine them yearly twice at least, and give faithful notice unto their respective Colloquies of their Conver∣sation and Studies, and Ministers Children shall be preferred above all others, caeteris paribus.

14. The Province of Anjou presented the Account of the University of Saumur for Three Quarters of the year, 1620. for the whole year 1621, and for Three quarters of the year 1623. But forasmuch as they did not bring with them any Acquittances or Evidences to justifie the said Accompt. This Assembly being thereby disabled from examining and concluding it, hath dismissed it over to the Colloquy of Higher Poictou, which shall audit it, and give in an Accompt thereof unto the next National Synod. In the mean while whereas in the disburse∣ment of the said Accompt there appears in divers Articles a Notorious diversion and Abuse and Alienation of the said Monies, This Assem∣bly ordereth that the Summs imployed in the said Accompt for the Printers Wages, the Tax imposed on some of the Regents, for a Gal∣lery in the Temple, for repairing one of the Professors Lodgings shall be immediately razed out, and detained from the said Province of Anjou, saving alwayes unto them a full power of re-demanding those Moneys from such as had ordered their disbursements, whosoever they were.

15. The Province of Orleans and Berry brought in the Accompt of their Colledge settled at Chastillon upon the Loir for the years 1621, 1622, and until the 12th, of May 1623. which was allowed and appro∣ved. And the Province of the Isle of France may lend them Four Hun∣dred Livres out of their Colledge-Moneys, until such time as they can fix on a convenient place where to Erect it.

16. The Province of Poictou brought in the Accompt of the Col∣ledge of Niort for the years 1620, and 1621, and by a stop put on the said Account in the Province, the said Colledge stood indebted the Summ of three hundred Livres, which were never distributed, because that Colledge was supprest by Order of His Majesty; for which three hun∣dred Livres that Province must hereafter be accountable.

17. The Province of Lower Guyenne did not bring in any Accompt for the Colledge of Bergerac since the Moneth of March 1620, because His Majesty had given express order, that they should not have a Penny payd them.

18. The Province of Xaintonge brought in their Accompt for the Colledge of Rochefoucault for the year 1620, which was not approved. And whereas the said Province complained that they received nothing for the years 1621, and 1622, though yet they maintained their Col∣ledge all that time. This Assembly ordaineth the said Province to ten∣der unto the next National Synod an Accompt of their disbursements in those years, who shall give them something in consideration thereof.

19. The Province of Sevennes rendred no Accompt for the Colledge settled at Anduze by the National Synod of Alez, because they never received a farthing token since its Erection. And whereas they now require to be reimbursed all their Costs and Expences ever since the E∣stablishing of their Colledge, This Assembly ordaineth them to bring in their Accompt unto the next National Synod, who will do for them as is meet.

20. The Province of Britain presented their Accompt for the Col∣ledge Erected at Vitre ever since the Synod of Alez unto this time, and makes Receipt both of Four Hundred Livres given it by that National Synod, as also of two hundred Livres more which the said Province was bound to furnish yearly towards the maintenance of the said Col∣ledge, and the said Accompt was approved and allowed.

21. The Province of Vivaretz brought in no Accompt for the Col∣ledge setled at Privas by the Synod of Alez, because they received just no∣thing although they bore the Charges of its Establishment and Mainte∣nance; for the Re-imbursement or which Summs they requesting some speedy and careful course might be taken, they were dismissed over to the next National Synod, who would do for them as was meet and convenient.

22. The Province of the Isle of France presented an Accompt which had been tendred the last March unto their Synod for ten years begin∣ning in 1613, and ended the last December, 1622. But inasmuch as they produced neither Evidences and Acquittances to clear and justifie the disbursements in that Accompt, as they were injoyned by the last Na∣tional Synod: The Commissioners could not proceed to examine and close it. This Assembly judgeth the said Province of the Isle of France to have incurr'd a severe Censure for despising the threats of the last National Synod, and for not perfecting their Accompt of Moneys gi∣ven towards the maintenance of their Colledge: And commands them immediately after the meeting of their next Provincial Synod to bring in their Accompt unto the Colloquy of Roan, which by Authority from this Assembly shall examine it, and make report thereof unto the next National Synod, on pain of losing their Right and Title unto a Colledge.

23. The Province of Dolphiny brought in their Accompt for the University of Dye, which was allowed and approved.

24. The same Province also brought in their Accompt for the Col∣ledge settled at Ambrun, and produced several Acquittances, by which it appeared their disbursements on it were far more than the Moneys given by the National Synod for it. This Assembly approving of the said Accompts, exhorts the City of Ambrun to carry their Acquittan∣ces

unto the Provincial, that so the Provincial may bring them unto the National Synod.

25. This Assembly rejected the Excuses made by the Province of Normandy for not bringing in their Accompts of their Colledge, and they be charged to be more careful for the future, and not fail to bring in their Accompt unto the next National Synod, both for what is past and will ensue till that time.

26. The Province of Lower Languedoc declared that they could not give an Accompt for their Colledge at Beziers because since the sitting of the National Synod at Alez, they never received a Denier towards it.

27. The Province of Burgundy presented their Accompt for the Col∣ledge setled at Pont de Velle, but having brought no Acquittances, they were ordered to carry them back with them; and to tender them in due and better forme unto the next National Synod.

28. The same Province also brought in their Accompt for the Col∣ledge of Gex for the years 1617, 1618, 1619, 1620, and 1621, which was allowed and approved, and there was granted an Augmentation of an Hundred Livres more unto the said Colledge.

29, There was no Accompt brought in by the Province of Provence, though they had been expresly obliged to it by the last National Synod of Alez. Wherefore they be injoyned to produce it unto the next National Synod on pain of forfeiting their Right unto a Colledge. And the Deputies of Dolphiny and Lower Languedoc, as they have been by a former Decree of this present National Assembly injoyned, shall go in Person unto the Synod of that Province, and particularly inform themselves of the State of the said Colledge, and whether that Pro∣vince hath discharged their Duty with reference to it or no.