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.

SECT. XXIV.

Let the Protestants prove the Witnesses which swear against them to be suborned, to have sworn falsly, yea, though they proved Perjury upon them, they are either not punished at all, or else their punishments be so slight and trifling, that instead of terrifying, they do embolden these mali∣cious Villains to do the more mischief. I shall produce a few Instances.

The Priest of Eymet in Guienne accused very many of the Inhabitants of that place for profaning the holy Mysteries of the Church of Rome. The Judges examining this matter found his Accusation to be false, a most ma∣licious and mischievous Calumny; which though it tended to the destru∣ction of so many Innocent Persons, of their Lives, and Estates, yet he escaped without punishment.

The Priest of Chastelheraut accused a poor harmless Damsel for speaking disrespectfully of the King. For this she was in danger of having her Tongue cut out, and being whipped by the Common Hangman. But though the Judges discovered this Priest to be a Villain, an impudent, bloody, false Accuser, yet no punishment was inflicted on him.

Monsieur de la Touche was accused by the Abbot of La Chappelle before the Parliament at Rennes, to have taken a Chalice out of a Church; for this supposed Crime he was, by Order of that Parliament, burnt alive. But

though since this horrible Execution his Innocency hath appeared, and he was found guiltless of the fact, the real Offender having confessed, when and how he stole it, for which he suffered condign punishment; yet they have done nothing to repair the injury done unto the name and memory of the Innocent Sieur de la Touche, but declared, That because he was an He∣retick, he deserved to be burnt to ashes, as he was.

Monsieur Robineau, Pastor of the Church in Pausange, was also falsly ac∣cused by an Augustinian Fryar, and a base Curate, to have Preached Sedition, and for this pretended Crime only, he was kept many Months in the Prison at Poictiers: and though at last his Accusers were convicted of Falshood▪ Calumny, and Perjury, yet he could never get any satisfaction for his great Sufferings.

Monsieur Borie, Pastor of the Church in Turenne, for Preaching that none but Jesus Christ was born without sin, was accused of blaspheming the blessed Virgin, and yet this very Doctrine is that of the Dominican Fry∣ars. However this Godly Minister is handled most unmercifully, he is thrown into a deep Dungeon, bound with Iron Chains, menaced with Death, and treated after a most inhumane manner for a whole year, and at last by an Order of the Parliament of Bourdeaux, he was banished for ever the Land of his Nativity.

A Priest of Niort was Convicted before the King and Council for falsify∣ing an Order to demolish the Protestant Church in that Town, which was intended against the Church of Mer: Never was there a more bold attempt before his Majesty and the Privy-Council: Yet instead of punishing him according to his Deserts, they turned the whole fact into a piece of Raillery and Laughter.