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. II.

AS soon as the Officers of the Synod were nominated and seated, the Lord de Magdelaine, Counsellor to his Majesty in his Court of Parliament at Paris, and Deputed by his Majesty, to sit as his Com∣missioner in this Assembly, deliver'd the King's Letters patents for his Commission; which being Read, they were Transcribed and Inserted into the Body of the Acts of this Synod, whose Form and Tenor was as followeth.

Copy of his Majesties Letters Patents given to the Lord Com∣missioner.

LOƲIS by the Grace of God, King of France and of Navar,

To our Trusty and Beloved Consellor in our Courts of Parliament of Paris, the Lord of Magdelaine, Greeting.

We have permitted our Subjects of the Protestant Religion, to hold in our Town of Loudun, on the Tenth Day of November next a National Synod, composed of all the Deputies of the Provinces of our Kingdom, for to treat of matters concerning their Re∣ligion; and being to choose a Person fitly qualified, and of known Loyalty and Fidelity to us to assist in it, and as our Commissioner to represent our Person in the said Assembly; we well knowing those Services which you have rendered us in sundry Honourable Imployments, wherein we had Commissio∣nated you, and which you have most worthily Discharged. We have there∣fore judged, that we could not make a better choice than of your self, being well assured that you will continue to us the Proofs and Evidences of your Affection to our Service. For these causes, we have Commissionated and Deputed, and we do now Commissionate and Depute you the said Lord of Magdelaine by these Presents, signed with our Hand, to pass over unto our Town of Loudun, and in our place and stead to assist in the Synod there Convocated, that you may then and there propound and answer all those things which we have given you in Commandment, according to those Memoirs and Instructions we have delivered to you. And you are to take special care, that no other matters be there proposed nor debated, but such as ought of right to be treated of in those Assemblies, and which are permitted by our Edicts; and in case they should enterprise any thing to the contrary, you shall hinder it, and by Interposing of out Authority suppress it; or you shall speedily ad∣vise us of it, that we may by such courses as in our Wisdom we shall judge most fit, obviate and prevent it. And for so doing, we give you power, commission and special command by these Presents; for such is our Plea∣sure.

Given at Bourdeaux, this Sixth day of September, in the Year One Thousand, Six Hundred, Fifty and Nine; and of our Reign the Seventeenth.

Signed

LOƲIS.

And a little Lower,

PHELIPPEAƲX.

And Sealed at the lower end, with the Great Seal and Yellow Wax.