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. LIII.

As for the residue of the Protestants, whom the Violence of Persecution, and the Cruel Usages they endured, had necessitated to abandon their E∣states, Families, Relations, and native Country, it is hardly to be imagi∣ned to what dangers they were exposed. Never were Orders more rigorous and severe, nor more strictly Executed than those which were given out against them. They doubled the Guards at every Post, in all Cities, Towns, High-ways, Fords and Ferries. They covered the Country with Souldi∣ers, they armed the very Peasants, that they might stop the Reformed in their Travel, or kill them upon the spot. They forbad all Officers of the Customs to suffer any Goods, Moveables, Merchandises, or other Effects of theirs to pass out of the Kingdom. They forgot nothing that might hinder the flight of these poor Persecuted Creatures; insomuch, that they interrupted all Commerce with the Neighbouring Nations. By this means they quickly filled all the Prisons in the Kingdom. For the terrour of the Dragoons, the horrour of seeing their Consciences forced, and their Chil∣dren to be taken away from them, and to be Educated in Anti-Christian Superstition, and damnable Idolatry, and of living for the future in a Land where there was neither Justice nor Humanity for them, obliged every one to think with himself, and consult with others in whom they could confide, how to get out of France, and so they could but escape without polluting their Consciences, many thousands of them were ready to, and did actually leave their Worldly All behind them. As for the poor Pri∣soners, they have been since treated with unheard of Barbarities, shut up in Dungeons, loaden with Iron Chains, almost starved with Hunger, and deprived of all Converse, but that of their inhumane Persecutors. Many were thrust into their Monasteries, where they were most cruelly disci∣plin'd. A Lady of eminent Quality gave this Relator this Account, That when they had seized all her Estate, clapt her up in Prison, Arraign'd and Condemn'd her to Death for Murdering five of her Children (because she had conveyed them away that they might not be trained up in Popery) they took her two youngest, one of five, and the other of two years, and put them into Nunneries. They could never get that of five to kiss a Crucifix, or bow to their breaden God, though they kept her from meat and drink eight and forty hours, and having scourged the poor young He∣retick unmercifully, they returned her, with her young Sister, whom they had also tormented with Famine and Whipping, to the poor Mother, in whose Arms one of these Innocent Lambs died a few hours after.

That very day the Edict was published, the Attorney-General and some other Magistrates send for the Protestant Heads of Families (who lived in Paris) to appear before them: and when they came, they declared to them, That it was the King's absolute Will and Pleasure, that they should change their Religion; that they were no better than the rest of his Sub∣jects; and that if they would not do it willingly, his Majesty was resolv'd to compel them to it.

At the same time, by Letters under the Privy-Seal, they banished all the Elders of that Consistory, together with some others, in whom they found more constancy and resolution; and they dispersed them into those places which were remotest from all Commerce and Business, and have since used them with unparallel'd Cruelties.

When as the diligence of Mr. Attorney-General, and the City Magi∣strates succeeded not answerably to their desires and expectations, Mon∣sieur Seignelay, Secretary of State, would try what influence he had in his division at Paris. Wherefore he gets together about an hundred or sixscore Merchants with some others, unto his House, and having shut the doors, he forthwith presents them a Form of Abjuration, commanding them in the King's Name to sign it; declaring, that they should not stir out of the doors till they had yielded a full obedience. The Contents of this Form were, That they did not only renounce the Heresie of Calvin, and enter into the Catholick Church, but also, that they did it voluntarily, without any force or compulsion. This was done after a most imperious manner, and with the tone of authority: Yet notwithstanding some had the courage to speak, tho' they were soon cut short with this reply, They were not called to dispute, but to obey. So that they all signed before they went out.