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. A Memorial to be presented unto the States of FRANCE.

MEMORANDUM,

WHenas the States of France shall be assembled at the Day appointed, there shall be this propounded unto the King's Majesty, to the Queen Mother, and to the Princes of the Bloud, That they cannot be in a Capacity to satisfie the Requests tendered by the King of Navar at Orleance, till such time as there be a lawful Counsel established for his Majesty: Because there will o∣therwise be no Security for the performance of any Contracts and Ordinances that may pass between the King and his Subjects, or between the Subjects themselves, as hath been at all times done, and by those of the last Assembly, who declar∣ed, That none could be his Majesty's Privy-Counsellors, nor in his Council of State for any of his Affairs, unless they had been appointed and approved ac∣cording to Law. For the Powers of those in being expired at the Death of the late King, so that they are now only in the nature of a Committee, nor can they be reckoned among those Counsellors, whose Commission is irrevocable, as is theirs who are Counsellors in Soveraign Courts, and such like invested with ordinary Jurisdiction: And at present his Majesty hath no Will in Law, being a Minor, nor hath his Majesty constituted them of his Council; nor hath the Queen Mo∣ther any Power to make them such. Wherefore none other but the States of the Kingdom can nominate unto the Princes of the Bloud, those Persons whom they judge sit to be Counsellors of State: nor do the said States hereby in the least design or intend to revoke the Power and Authority of their Highnesses the Princes of the Bloud; but only they desire this, That they would be pleas∣ed

to take their Advice in providing fit and worthy Persons, Persons of Quali¦ty and Honour, to take upon them, as Privy-Counsellors, the Management of the Affairs of this Kingdom, who shall be recommended to them, and chosen from a∣mong the Nobility and Lawyers. Nor do the said Estates intend to propose or answer any thing till such time as the said Council be thus constituted by the Wisdom of their Highnesses the Princes of the Bloud, and be confirmed accord∣ing to Law. And they do protest, That if any thing be attempted, or ordain∣ed by any others, that they will Appeal from them unto the next Assembly of the States, which shall be lawfully called, of the Nullity of their Powers and Actings. And farther, they do require, That the Lord High Chancellor, L'Hospital, do forbear acting in his Office as Chancellor, because he hath not been nominated and recommended by the Estates, nor thereupon chosen and appointed by their High∣nesses the Princes of the Bloud.

Notes

• Extract out of the C. of the Fr. Ch. of L.