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. V. Deputies sent with a Letter unto the King.

24. THere were chosen, by Plurality of Voices in the Assembly, the Sieurs Ferrand, Gigord and Cerizy, to carry unto his Majesty the most humble Thanks and Petitions of the Churches, who were fur∣nished with their Instructions and Letters unto his Majesty, and to our Lords the Ministers of State.

25. A Copy of the first Letter written by the Synod unto the King.

SIRE,

THE Great God, whose lively Image you are, accepting indifferently and irrespectively the Prayers and Homages of all his Creatures, we believed that your Majesty would not he displeased with our Boldness in laying ours at your Feet, your Majesty having granted us the Priviledge of assembling our selves in this Place. And 'tis to acquit our selves of this necessary Duty, Sire, that we have sent the Sieurs Ferrand, Gigord and Cerizy, unto your Majesty, most humbly petitioning, that your Majesty would daign to behold them with the Eye of your Favour, and to hear with your wonted Benignity from their Mouths, the Protestations of our Fidelity, and our just Supplications and Requests for the continuance and confirmation of that Liberty granted us by your Majesty's Edicts: That being delivered from all Fear, we may live

quietly under the Shadow of your Goodness and Power, having none other Care than continually to call upon God our Maker for the Health of your Majesty's Sacred Person, and his Divine Benediction upon your Royal Family, the Pro∣sperity of your Estate, and the Glory of your Crown; yielding joyfully and un∣weariedly unto your Majesty that most humble Obedience and Subjection, which is the bounden Duty,

From Alanson, this fourth of June, 1637.

SIRE,

Of your most humble, and most obedient, and most faithful Subjects and Servants, The Ministers and Elders assembled by your Permission in the National Synod at Alan∣son, and in the Name of them all, by

• Basnage, Moderator of the Synod.
• D. Coupe, Assessor.
• D. Blondel, Scribe.
• De Launay, Scribe.

26. The Provinces having intrusted their Deputies with divers Me∣moirs concerning the Violations of the Edict, to be tendred unto his Ma∣jesty; as they began to read them, the Lord Commissioner remonstrated, That it was his Majesty's Will and Pleasure, that in his Presence none other Matters, saying what related unto the Exercise of the Church-Discipline, should be debated; and that the Title of the said Cahier or Memoirs should be thus qualified, The Cahier and Memoirs of the Pre∣tended Reformed Religion. Whereupon, the Assembly requested his Lord∣ship to consider, that it was never in their Minds or Intentions to treat of Political Affairs, or any State-matters, but only to make a plain and naked Report and Presentment of our Complaints, none of which need to fall under Deliberation, all and every of them being most apparently and un∣deniably true, just, and expresly grounded on his Majesty's Edict. Besides, his Majesty never took it in any sort ill, that we should address unto him our most humble Remonstrances for repairing the Violations of his Edicts, nor that his Subjects, speaking according to their Consciences, should, contrary thereunto, stile and qualify themselves of the pretended Refor∣med Religion.

27. The Lord Commissioner making report, that by his Instructions he was charged to acquaint the Synod, That in case they would agree with him about two Persons meet and fit to exercise the general Deputa∣tion for the Weal and Service of the Churches, his Majesty would approve of them, but if not, that then the Lord Marquess of Clermont should be continued in the Functions of the said Office, and another from out of the third Estate should be chosen and joined with him. The Assembly nominated out of every Province, one Deputy, to confer with the said Lord Commissioner about this Matter: and these Deputies accorded with his Lordship, that the said Lord Marquess of Clermont and the Lord Mar∣baut should be the Persons, whose Names should be immediately present∣ed unto his Majesty, most humbly also requesting his Majesty to allow and approve of this their Election. And to this purpose there was this following Letter written unto the King.