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. VI. A Copy of the Cahier of our Complaints, and of the Infractions of his Majesty's Edicts, presented to his Majesty from the Synod, by the Sieurs Amyraud and de Villars.

To the King.

SIRE,

YOUR most humble and most obedient Subjects of the Reformed Re∣ligion, assembled by your Majesty's Permission in the National Sy∣nod at Charenton, do freely acknowledg that we want both Conceptions and Expressions by which we may sufficiently and worthily express our just sense and feeling of those many and illustrious Testimonies of your Ma∣jesty's Paternal Affection to us: and therefore we do pour out incessantly our most fervent and devoutest Prayers unto the Throne of Grace, that the Lord our good God would be graciously pleased to preserve your Ma∣jesty's most Sacred Person, and the Tranquillity of your Dominions: And we do absolutely consecrate our Lives and Fortunes unto your Ma∣jesty's Service, according to the Duty taught us by our most holy Religi∣on, and our Birth, which is to expose them for the Honour of our Sove∣raign upon all Occasions.

2. And forasmuch as it hath pleased your Majesty to confirm by divers Declarations those Edicts made in our Favour, yea and to place them in the Rank and Classis of Fundamental Laws of your Kingdom, we most: humbly supplicate your Majesty to ordain, that they may be as exactly ob∣served, and punctually executed.

3. Particularly for what concerns the Establishment of our Churches in those Places, where hitherto we could never obtain that Benefit, not∣withstanding all our Care and Diligence to get it executed; and that those which are desolated, through the Infelicities of the late Troubles, and the Rigors of that Decree made in your Majesty's Council, the last May, out of favour to the Lord Bishop of Valence and his Complices, may be once again re-edified. For the Execution of such Decrees cau∣seth many thousands of devout Souls, deprived of the Exercise of their Religion, to mourn and groan before God continually.

4. This Desolation, Sire, is therefore the more worthy of your Royal Compassions, because it is extream: for in Vivaretz there be nine and twenty Churches wholly destitute of all Religious Worship, and in Se∣vennes nineteen, and in the Land and Isles of Ré and Olleron, there be twenty four, besides those which decay, through the many cunning Ob∣structions brought against the rebuilding of the demolished Temples in Xaintonge, Burgundy, Brittain, Berry, Normandy, Poitou, and the Low∣er Guyenne, whose Number indeed is not so great, but however their Damage is inestimable. And, Sire, all the Provinces demand no new Favour of your Majesty, but only what hath been formerly granted them by your Edicts.

5. Therefore is it that your Majesty is most humbly requested to revoke those Decrees aforesaid, and to ordain that nothing may be innovated against ancient Practice and Possession, and that our Ministers may preach in all Places where they shall be called, according to the Duties of their Office, and that they may serve in divers Churches at the same time, which shall be all established or re-established conformably to the Edicts and Declarations of your Majesty.

6. And forasmuch as very many Ministers, in divers Provinces, par∣ticularly in that of Languedoc, are troubled, not for uttering any undutiful or disrespectful Words, but for Preaching (though with the greatest Mo∣deration, and according to that Liberty of Conscience which is our Priviledg and Property) conformable to our Confession of Faith, and the Discipline of our Churches; your Majesty is therefore most hum∣bly intreated, that all Prosecutions commenc'd against them may cease, as having none other Foundation, than the groundless Passions of the Commissioners and Officers; and that upon this account your Attorney General may be silenced, and a Prohibition may be granted out against them from ever troubling any of our aforesaid Ministers in discharging the Duties of their Calling, and Exercise of our Discipline.

7. And forasmuch as the Order and Discipline of our Churches can∣not subsist without the being and sitting of Colloquies and Synods, your Majesty is most humbly requested to give leave, that our Colloquies and Provincial Synods may be assembled in the presence of your Majesty's Commissioners and Deputies, according to the ancient Order, because the Governours of the Provinces do very much oppose the holding of them, and defer their Sessions for a long time together, and have hindred divers Provinces from Synodical Assemblies three or four Years together.

8. Your Majesty having formerly declared, with your own Mouth, whenas the National Synod was held last at Charenton, in the Year 1623, That it was your Pleasure that those Pastors who were born in other Countries, not under your Majesties Jurisdiction, should continue in the Exercise of their Office in their respective Churches, without ever being disquietted or molested: We most humbly beseech your Majesty, on their behalf, that you would be graciously pleased to grant them your Declaration to this Purpose; and also to gratify with the same Fa∣vour such as have been received into the Sacred Ministry since the Year 1623, in the presence of your Majesty's Commissioners and Depu∣ties.

9. And the Lord Galland having informed this Synod, that for the fu∣ture your Majesty intended to restrain this Favour, and only to vouch∣safe it to your Majesty's natural born Subjects, none others being to be received into the Ministry among us: We most humbly beseech your Majesty that this Restriction may be taken off, and that your Majesty's wonted Favour may be continued to us in this Particular.

10. May it please your Majesty also to repeal those Prohibitions issued out against those very worthy Ministers of the Gospel, Mr. Bouterove, Banage, and Beraud, forbidding their personal Presence and Attendance in this Synod; and that with your Majesty's License they may, having been duly chosen thereunto, come into it, and take their Place and Vote in it, according to their Deputations from their respective Provinces.

11. And whereas such as make profession of our Religion, are for the most part excluded and deprived of all Offices, Charges, and Publick Digni∣ties, of being Doctors, and incorporated into the Colledges of Physici∣ans, and of all Employments; yea, and are not so much as suffered to be Masters in those very Mechanical Arts and Trades in which they had been educated, and in which they had served their Apprentiships; May it therefore please your Majesty graciously to ordain, that they may be in∣differently admitted unto those aforesaid Charges and Employments, with your other Subjects of the Romish Communion.

12. And whereas the Triumphs of your Victorious Arms do pro∣claim your Majesty's Glory, We most humbly beseech your Majesty to augment your own Glory yet a great deal more, by extending your Cle∣mency

and Pardon unto those many miserable Persons who have been detained, for a long time together, upon no other score than that of the past Troubles, in Chains and Slavery aboard your Gallies; and to give forth your Royal Order and Command, that they may be delivered and enlarged.

13. It hath pleased your Majesty in all those Declarations made by you, in favour of your Subjects of the Reformed Religion, to promise the Continuance of that Bounty granted us by the late King Henry the Great of glorious Memory, and divers times since confirmed by your Majesty, to contribute towards the Maintenance of our Pastors and Universities, as a Compensation for the Tithes paid by them unto the Curates. Yet nevertheless for several Years together we have been totally deprived of this Gratuity; and whereas divers Sums of Money had been assigned us for the former Years, there yet remains due and unpaid a very considera∣ble Sum, amounting to six hundred twenty one thousand, eight hundred and twelve Livers. And although we have been again and again pro∣mised this Grace and Favour, and particularly upon the Reduction of the Towns of Lower Languedoc, in the Year 1628, and afterward con∣fi••med by your Majesty's Answer to our Bill of Grievances at Montauban; Yet notwithstanding, those very Assignations given us in the Year 1627 have been revoked, and those of the three next following Years 1628, 1629, and 1630, and for this present Year 1631, are not at all paid in unto us. Wherefore we most humbly beseech your Majesty, that ac∣cording to your Royal Promises, they may be effectually continued to us, and that your poor Subjects of the Reformed Religion may enjoy these Gratuities, and be fully satisfied for all the Arrears.

14. And whereas your Majesty was pleased, upon the restoring the Church-Lands in the Principality of Bearn, out of which our Ministers received their Sallaries, to assign them a continual Stipend out of the Ex∣chequer and Treasury there, and this by the Edict of Restitution, which was followed by the Declaration made at Montpellier, when you gave Peace unto your Subjects; yet nevertheless, in prejudice of your Royal Words, without any Edict revoking that Assignation past in the making up the Accompts, and local Charges of the said Principality, the Mini∣sters of the Gospel there have been retrench'd from four hundred and fourscore Livers, which they did each of them receive yearly, to two hundred and thirty four Livers only; yea, and this very last Year, four thousand Livers more have been taken from them. Wherefore may it please your Majesty, conformable to your Will declared in your Royal Edicts, to stop the course of such Diminutions, and to reestablish the afore∣said four thousand Livers which have been retrenched, and to continue the paiment of their Sallaries unto the Ministers, without ever suffering them to be diverted to any other Uses, besides those to which they were designed and appointed in that first Institution made by your Royal Bounty.

15. The Deputies who are now sent unto the King, are expresly char∣ged most humbly to petition his Majesty, that Silence may be imposed on his Lieutenant General in the Parliament of Bourdeaux, who hath commenc'd a Suit against the Lord of Vandelincourt, Minister in the Church of Marennes, and his eldest Son, for that their Cause is depend∣ing in the Court of the Edict sitting at Agen.