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. I. 1. Monsieur Drelincourt Pastor of the Church of Paris, opened the Sessions with Prayer, and then the Lord Marquis of Clermont, General Deputy, Presented the Writ given forth by His Majesty's Command for calling the Synod. The Tenour of which is as followeth.

THis day being the Twelfth of February, 1644. The King being then at Paris, upon the most humble Petition of his Subjects of the pretended Reformed Religion, to permit them the Calling and Hold∣ing of a National Synod, there having been none since that of Alanson, in the year 1637. His Majesty by the advice of the Queen-Regent, His most Honoured Lady and Mother, desiring to Gratifie and Treat Favour∣ably His said Subjects, hath permitted, and doth permit them the Con∣vocation of a National Synod in December next at Charenton, but with this Condition, that they Treat in it of none other matters, but of those which be allowed them by Their Majesties Edicts; and that the Commis∣sioner, whom His Majesty shall please to appoint, be Personally present in the said Synod, as hath been accustomed. In Witness whereof, His Majesty hath Commanded me to Issue out this present Writ, which he hath Signed with His own Hand, and caused to be Counter-signed by me His Councellor, and Secretary of State, and of His Commands.

Signed in the Original, LOƲIS: And a little lower, Phelippeaux.

2. There met in the said Assembly with Letters of Commission, which were read by my Lord le Coq, Elder in the Church of Paris, sitting at the Table together with another Elder, the Sieur Caillard (who were both Chosen by Common Suffrages unto this Office) these Persons hereafter named.

• Article 1. For the Province of Anjou. Monsieur Isaac Pelletier, Pastor of the Church of Vandome, and Stephen le Vacher, Pastor of l' Isle Bouchard, to∣gether with the Sieurs George Raboteau, and Joseph Roisay, Advocates and Elders in the Church of Previlly.
• Article 2. For the Province of the Isle of France, Monsieur David Blondel, Minister of God's Holy Word, and formerly Pastor of the Church of Houdan, but now residing in Paris, by express Order of his Provinci∣nal Synod, and of this Assembly, and Charles Drelincourt, Pastor of the Church of Paris, and Theodorus le Coq, Elder of the said Church. He was alone, because the Lord had called home unto himself the Sieur John Bazin, Elder of the said Church, who was joyned in Commission with him.
• Article 3. For the Province of Normandy, the Sieurs Benjamin Basnage, Pastor of the Church of Ste. Mere Eglise, John Maximilian de L'Angle, Pastor of the Church of Rovan, Daniel Guesdon, Elder of the same Church, and Isaac Caillard, Elder in the Church of Alanson.
• Article 4. For the Province of Dolphiny, the Sieurs Francis Murat (another Copy calls him de Maras) Pastor of the Church of Grenoble, Simon Coin, Pastor of the Church of Bessey, Peter du ClogEsq Lord of Chastillon and du Serres, Elder in the Church of Veyne, and David Albert, Elder in the Church of Brian••on.
• Article 5. For the Province of Sévennes, the Sieurs Nicholas Blane, Pastor of the Church of Sumaine, Anthony Button, Pastor of the Church of Alez, the Noble John de Bringniere, Lord de la Roque, Elder in the Church of la Salle, and David Rouviere, Doctor of Physick, Elder of the Church of Alez.
• Article 6. For the Province of Bearn, the Sieurs John de la Fitte, Pastor of the Church of Pau, and the Noble Alexander de la Fibre, Baron of Riquam, and Lord of Cadellon, Elder in the Church of Couches.
• Article 7. For the Province of Lower Guyenne, the Sieurs James Privas, Pastor of the Church of Ste. Foy, Simon de Goyon, Pastor of the Church of Bour∣deaux, the Sieurs de Cazes and de Sauvage, tho' they were Deputed by their Synod, appeared not, the Cognisance whereof was remanded back unto that Province.
• Article 8. For the Province of Xaintonge, the Sieurs Philip Vincent, Pastor of the Church of Rochel, Theophilus Rossel, Pastor of the Church of Xaintes, Stephen Soulard, Advocate in the Parliament of Bourdeaux, Elder in the Church of Xaintes, and Daniel Texeron, Lord of Cresper, Counsellor nominated by His Majesty for the Circuit of St. John d' Angeley, and Elder of the Church in that Town.
• Article 9. For the Province of Vivaretz, the Sieurs Alexander de Vinay, Pastor of the Church of Annonay, Paul Annard, (another Copy calls him Ac∣caurat) Pastor of the Church gathered near Privas, James GautierEsq Lord of Gourdanel, Elder in the Church of Beaulieu, and Abraham Ho∣mel, Elder of the Church of Soyon.
• Article 10. For the Province of Berry, the Sieurs John Taby, Pastor of the Church of la Charité, Daniel Jurieu, Pastor of the Church of Mer, Hen∣ry de ChartresEsq Lord of Clebes, Elder in the Church of Marchenoir, and Simon Milhommeau, Lord of Barandieres, Bayliff of Chastillon upon the Loin, and Elder of the Church in that Town.
• ...

• ... Article 11. For the Province of Poictou, the Sieurs James Cottiby, Pastor of the Church of Poictiers, John Chabrol, Pastor of the Church of Touars, Sir Charies Gourjaut Knight, Lord of Panieure, Elder in the Church of Mougon, and Peter Pesseurs, Attorney Fiscal of the Dutchy of Touars, and Elder of the Church in that City.
• Article 12. For the Province of Bretaign, the Sieurs John Boucherean, Lord of La Masche, Pastor of the Church in Nantes, and Samuel de GoullainesEsq Lord of the Landoviniere, Elder in the Church of Viellevigne.
• Article 13. For the Province of Higher Guyenne and Higher Languedoc, the Sieurs Anthony Garrissoles, Pastor of the Church of Montauban, and Pro∣fessor of Divinity in that University, Peter Ollier, Pastor of the said Church, Substituted in the place of Monsieur John Grasset, Pastor of the Church of Viane, who was hindered by reason of Sickness, Anthony Li∣gonuiere, Councellor and Secretary to the King, Elder in the Church of Castres, and John Darassus, Councellor for the King in the presidial Court of Montauban, and Elder of the said Church.
• Article 14. For the Province of Lower Languedoc, the Sieurs John de Croy, Pastor of the Church of Beziers, Abraham de Lare, Pastor of the Church of Cauvisson, the Noble Mark Dardouin, Lord of la Caumette, Elder of the Church of Nismes, and the Noble. James de Brueis, Lord of Bourdie, Elder in the Church of Blanzac.
• Article 15. For the Province of Burgundy, the Sieurs Peter Bollenat, Pastor of the Church Assembling at Vau; Salomon Roy, Advocate in the Parliament of Dijon, and Elder of the Church of Bussy, and Francis Armet, Advo∣cate in Parliament, and Elder of the Church of Loches, the Sieur John Viridet, was hindered by a very sore Sickness from coming unto the Synod.
• Article 16. For the Province of Provence, the Sieurs Francis Vallanson, Pastor of the Church de la Coste, and the Noble John de Castellane, Lord of Caillez, and Rigan, Elder in the Church of Manosques.

3. The Sieurs Drelincourt Pastor, and le Coq, Elder of the Church of Paris, were chosen together with the Sieur Caillard, Elder of the Church of Alanson, and the Lord Deputy-General to gather the Suffrages of the Deputies in this Assembly, which were taken in written Billets by each of them, for Electing the Moderator, Assessor, and Scribes, which was done Successively, those Officers being Chosen one after another, and by plurality of Billets, Monsieur Garrissoles was chosen Moderator, Monsieur Basnage Assessor, and Monsieur Blondel, and Monsieur le Coq Scribes, and took their Seats in Order as they were Chosen.