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. The Return of the Deputies with the Kings Answer.

8. ON Thursday the Fifth of January, the Sieurs Vincent, Chabrol, de Panieure, and de Clesses, returned unto the Synod with Letters from his Majesty, and acquainted us with that favourable Audience and Reception they had from the King, the Queen Regent, his Royal High∣ness the Duke of Orleans, the Lord Cardinal, the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Treasurer, the Comptroller, and from the Secretary de la Ʋril∣liere. Which obliged all the Churches to bless God for the good Success of their Deputation, and seemeth to promise us a speedy Redress of our Grievances; yet nevertheless, according to our Bounden Duty, all the Churches are enjoyned to offer up their most Ardent Prayers unto God for their Majesties Preservation in Health and Life; for his Royal High∣ness the Duke of Orleans; and for our Lords the Ministers of State. And whereas the said Deputies had not the Honour of Waiting upon the Prince, he being then out of Town, the Synod ordred them im∣mediately to return to Paris, as soon as they had News of his Arrival, and to deliver him his Letters; and to assure his Highness that our Churches were his most Humble Servants.

A Copy of the King's Letter unto the Synod.

By the King.

Dear and Well-beloved,

9. WE have Received your Letters of the Eight and Twentieth Day of the last Month, and understand by them to our great Contentment, and by your Deputies, the Good and Sincere Intentions of your Assembly, (held by our Permission at Charenton,) to continue in that inviolable Fide∣lity and Obedience to us, which is your indispensable Duty; the which hath given all desirable Satisfaction, both to us, and to our most Honoured Lady and Mother, the Queen Regent: Wherefore we were willing you should be in∣formed by this our Letter; and we exhort you to persist in this your Resolu∣tion; and that you would upon all Occasions, render us the undeniable To∣kens of it by your good Conduct, and by your strict Observance of those

Orders we have prescribed you, about the holding if your National Synod, and on all other occurrences whatsoever, which may offer themselves for up∣holding the publicly Tranquillity of this Kingdom. And thus performing your Duty to us, as we trust you will, you may be assured, that you shall receive from our Bounty, and from that of our most Honoured Lady and Mother the Queen Regent, all sort of Protection, and favourable Entertainment, and shall be supported and preserved under the benefit of our Edicts; your Enjoy∣ment of which, in all Liberty and Safety, under our Reign, as during that of our most Honoured Lord and Father the late King, will be a singular Plea∣sure and Delight unto us: Of which your Deputies who are now returning to you from us, will give you a more full and particular Knowledge.

Given at Paris, thisFourth Day of January, 1645.

Signed in the Original, Louis. And a little lower, Phelippeaux.

The Superscription was, To our Dear and Well-beloved, the Pa∣stor's and Elders, Deputies of the pretended Reformed Religion, Assembled by our Permission in a National Synod at Charenton.

10. On Tuesday the Tenth Day of January, the Assembly being in∣formed that his Highness the Prince was arrived, immediately dispatch∣ed the Sieurs Vincent, Chabrol, Panieure, and de Clesle unto Paris, and to pay their Reverence unto his Highness; who returning the next day, made Report how Kindly they were received by his Highness; who graciously Offered his best Services for the Maintenance of the Edict made in favour of the Churches; which was a most particular Joy unto the whole Assem∣bly, and obliging us to Hope well from the Favour of that great Lord.

11. The Letters written by the Pastors and Professors of Geneva, from their Church and University, to Congratulate the good effects of the last National Synod, and the Convocation of this now Sitting; as also another particular, one from Monsieur Diodati, about the Edition of his French Translation of the Holy Bible; and one from Dr. Andrew Rivet, Pastor and Professor of Divinity at Leyden, then residing at the Hague, in the Court of his Highness the Prince of Orange, and from the Three Professors of Divinity, in the aforesaid University of Leyden, concerning the Conformity of Doctrin, Taught and Professed in the Churches of the Low Countries, to and with that Preached and Confessed in the Churches of this Kingdom, were all delivered unto the Lord Com∣missioner Sealed, who having first Opened and Perused them, permit∣ted the Reading of them; but then immediately retained the Originals to be sent unto the King, and in his Name declared, that it was his Majesties Will and Pleasure, that no Answer should be returned unto them by the Synod; which was Obeyed accordingly.

12. The Lord Marquess of Clermont having exercised the Office of Ge∣neral Deputy for the Churches ever since the Year 1627, did now Pe∣tition his Majesty to be Discharged by reason of his Indisposition, and his Majesty having granted him his Request, and appointed the Lord Baron of Argiliers to Succeed him, and Ordered the Lord Commissio∣ner to acquaint the Synod with it, and with his gracious Intentions for the Weal of the Churches. The Synod was filled with great Joy, for that his Majesty had Committed this Important Trust of our General Deputy, unto so well an accomplish'd Person, whose Noble Birth, Ver∣tue and Piety, did every way qualify him for it. But it having been

ever since the Year 1631. customary for the Churches to present Six Persons unto the Ring, Three out of the Nobility, and Three others of the Commonalty, out of which number his Majesty might prick and chuse any Two, who were best pleasing to him; and that now this Of∣fice of Solliciting at Court the Affairs of our poor Churches is devolved upon one Person only, who may be disabled from attending it by Sick∣nest, or some other Accidents, which may intervene and hinder it; the Assembly yielding a profound Deference, a most entire Submission and Obedience unto his Majesty's declared Will and Pleasure, did yet notwith∣standing most humbly Petition his Majesty to grant us the Restitution of our ancient Practice, approved by the Kings his Predecessors, that ano∣ther Person from among the Commons might be constituted in case of the Lord Baron of Argilier's Sickness, or of any other Impediment that might happen on his Part, to take the care of, and sollicit the Affairs of our Churches.

13. As the Synod was drawing up a Bill of the Churches Grievances, and particularly of the Infractions of the Edict in all the Provinces, both before and since its Convocation, the Lord Commissioner informed them, That though it was his Majesty's Pleasure this Assembly should not in the least deliberate of any State-matters publickly, yet he would not hinder them from drawing up such a Bill, by a select Committee chosen thereunto, who might do it in private, out of the Memoirs with which the respective Deputies were charged by their Provincial Synods at their Departure, or that since their Arrival at this Town, they might have received either from the Churches, or from particular Persons, who were concerned, and had notified those Wrongs that were done them by Letters. Whereupon the Synod did plenarily submit unto this Order prescribed them by the Lord Commissioner.

14. The Lord Commissioner acquainting the Synod, how that the Lord de la Vrilliere, Principal Secretary of State, had assured him, that the Decree for remanding all Causes concerning the Professors of our Religion unto the Courts of the Edict was dispatched, and that a Fund of 16000 Livres for defraying the Expences of this Assembly was also assigned, he had the most humble and hearty Thanks of the Assem∣bly rendred to him; and he was farther intreated to continue more and more to do all good Offices unto the Churches, and to get expedited a Decree of Supersedeas, which may stop the Violence of our Ill-Wishers, and may secure us some Repose, till such time as his Lordship the General Deputy do take into his Hands the management of our Affairs, which was readily granted by the Lord Commissioner.

15. The Sieurs de L' Angle and Cottiby Pastors were joyned in Commissi∣on with the Sieurs de Morande and Pellue, to present unto their Majesties the Bills of our Churches Grievances; and they had Letters also to the King, and the Queen Regent, to my Lord the Duke of Orleans, to my Lord Chancellor, to my Lord High Treasurer, and to my Lord Emery Comptroller General, and to the Lord de la Ʋrilliere Secretary of State.

And this Committee are ordered to give the most hearty Thanks of all the Churches unto the Lord Marquiss of Clemont, and to assure him of our perpetual Gratitude, arid that we shall always remember the great Care and Pains he took for us during his Office of General Deputy, and that we will never be wanting in our Prayers unto God for him, and his best Blessings upon him. And the said Committee were ordered to re∣ceive the Sum of 1600 Livres assigned by his Majesty for the defraying our Synodical Charges.

After that this Committee shall have paid their Duties in the Name of this whole Assembly to both their Majesties, and their most Honou∣rable Privy Council, the Sieurs of Morande and Pellue shall remain at Paris, waiting the coming of the Lord General Deputy, and Salute his Lordship from the Assembly, and consign unto him the Conduct of our Affairs; and in the mean while they shall employ themselves wholly in solliciting the speedy Dispatch of those which are most urgent, and ad∣mit of no Delay. And in case his Lordship our General Deputy do not come to Paris within a Fortnight, they shall tarry there till he do. And it being in no wise just or equitable that they should lie there upon their own Charges, the Assembly granteth, that out of the Sum of 1600 Li∣vres assigned by his Majesty for defraying of out Expences, they shall draw out for their own Service the Sum of Two Hundred Livres, but with this Proviso, That in case the Lord General Deputy shall come to Town within the Fortnight, that then they pay in the said Two Hun∣dred Livres to the Consistory of the Church of Paris, who are to dis∣pose of it towards the Redemption of our poor Captives in Barbary; and in case they should be necessitated to sojourn there any longer time than the Fortnight, the Remainder of the Monies allowed them for their Expences, in their Hands, shall be conscientiously restored by them.

16. The Lord Marquis of Clermont, who was intrusted with those Assignations made unto our Churches out of certain Offices belonging to the Commissioners of real Seisures, having brought them by Mr. Cooper unto this Assembly, an Order passed, that the Sieurs de L' Angle and Cottiby, Joynt Deputies, with the Sieurs Morande and Pellue, or any of them, who should remain at Paris to receive the Lord General Deputy, should remit them into his Hands, and intreat his Lordship to deal in them, and compound on such Terms, as he, together with the Consi∣story of Paris, shall judge to be least disadvantagious unto the Churches.

Moreover the foresaid Committee are empowred by this Synod to give whatever Acquittances or Discharges may be meet and necessary on those Accompts, which were formerly brought in by the Lord of Candall, whether arising from the Debets of Acquittances, which may or shall be produced, or from those of Commissioners for real Seisures, which were used in Reprisal, and left in the Hands of the Lord Mar∣quis of Clermont. And as for what is clearly owing unto the said Lord of Candall upon his last Accompt, in case Satisfaction may be given him out of any other part of Reprisal, the said Committee are ordered and empowred to see it done.

The Lord General Deputy upon his Arrival shall, according to Order and Custom, take the usual Oath, which shall be administred to him by the Consistory of the Church of Paris.