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.

DECREE the First.

THE Question moved is, Who are those Persons, that cannot Marry without Leave first had and obtained?

ANSWER.

• Article I. All young Persons, who were never Married, be they Sons or Daughters, and whose Parents are yet alive cannot dispose of them∣selves, nor contract Marriage without the Consent of their said Parents, unless they have attained their due Age in Law, to wit, the Son that of Twenty Years, and the Daughter Eighteen, and then they are dutifully to demand it in their own Persons, or by others, that they may be Married: But, and if their Parents should slight, and make no account of their Re∣quest, they may lawfully Marry without their Authority.
• Article II. And this Self-same Rule shall be observed, with Reference to Pupils and Orphans, who are under the Authority of their Trustees and Guardians. Nor may Mothers, nor the Guardians themselves of their own heads dispose of their Children or Pupils (committed to their Charge and Trust) in Mar∣riage, without calling in some of their Parents or Kindred, in case they have any.
• Article III. In case two young Persons should foolishly and rashly of their own Wills, without consulting Parents, or Guardians contract Marriage toge∣ther, let them be punished or chastised, and let this Marriage at the Request of Parents or Guardians be rescinded.
• Article IV. And in case they have been inticed and decoy'd by any Man or Wo∣man into this Marriage, let these Cheats be prosecuted by the nearest Pa∣rents or Guardians of these Orphan-Pupils, and forced to confess their Crime publickly in a Court of Justice, and to ask pardon of the Judge, and be punished by fasting three whole Days, having given them but a little Bread and Water.
• Article V. And let those Witnesses who were present at the making of such a Marriage, be punished likewise with fasting one whole Day, and nothing al∣lowed them for their Nourishment.
• Article VI. Let no Promises be made by young Persons that were never Married but Conditionally, and let there be Two Witnesses present at them, or else they shall be null and void.
• ...

• ... Article VII. In case that Children should Marry without their Parents Consent, when they be come to Age allowed them by Law, as in the first Article, let the Magistrate take Cognisance of the Matter, and if it was lawfully done by them, by reason of the Supine negligence, or over rigorous Severi∣ty of their Parents, then let those very Parents be compelled to give them a Portion or to settle them in such a Way and Condition to live in the World, as if they had given their plenary Consent unto the Marriage of their Children.
• Article VIII. Let not Parents constrain their Children to Marry against their Wills and Consent: And in case either a Son or Daughter should refuse the Party offered them by their Father, let their refusal be expressed with all modesty and filial Reverence. And let them not be punished for this their Refusal. And the same Course shall be observed as to Minors under Guardians.
• Article IX. Let not Parents or Guardians be allowed to contract their Children, or Orphans in Marriage till such time as they become in Age, and capable to confirm it. Nevertheless if it so fall out, that a Child having refused to Marry a Person chosen by his Father, should a while after Marry another, who is not so much to his Profit and Advantage, let not the Father, for such a Rebellion against, and Contempt of him, be obliged during Life to give or allow him one Farthing.