LETTERS PATENTS MADE BY THE FRENCH KING, DECLARING his intent touching those of the Reformed Religion.
Published in Roane in the Court of Parliament the seuenth day of Iune, An. 1621.
With two Letters of the Assembly at Rochell vnto the Duke de Lesdiguieres.
PRINTED MDCXXI.
Letters Pattents made by the French King, declaring his intent touching those of the reformed Religion. Published in Roane in the Court of Parliament the 7 day of Iune, An. 1621.
THe Kings Letters Patents dated in Niort the 27 day of May last past, touching the protection of his subiects professing the reformed Religiō, that shall continue in obedience and subiection vnto his Edicts, and obseruing those points that are therein contained, against the inhabitants and others, of what state and condition soeuer they be, dwelling, retiring, or withdrawne for refuge in the townes of Rochell and S. Iohn d'Angely, and all others that fauour them, directly or indirectly, as the said Letters Pattents more at large declare, bêing iudicially read, published and heard, by the Kings Attourney generall in his conclusions. The said Court hath ordained and ordaineth, that vpon the backe side of the said Letters pattents shal be set read, published, registred and heard, at the request of the Kings Attourney Generall, and order taken that the copies of the same in print shall be sent not onely to the generall Courts, but also to euery particular Bailiwicks and Vice-counties of resort, there also to be read, published and registred in euery place of iurisdiction, and kept and obserued according to the forme and tenour thereof, enioyning all Iudges and substitutes of the said Attourney Generall, euery one in particular to put their helping hands for and vnto the obseruation, and punishment of the contradictors thereof, vpon paine to answer the same personally; and to aduertise the said Court what diligence they haue vsed therein, as well touching the publication, as the execution of the said Letters pattents within the space of a moneth next ensuing, according to the order therein taken by this Court this present day. The contents of the said Letters pattents being as followeth. [Page]
LOVIS by the grace of God King of France and Nauarre, To all men whom these presents shall come to be seene or read, greeting. The desire that we haue alwaies had to preserue publicke peace and tranquillitie among our subiects, and to impeach those euils and desolations which leuying of armes ordinarily bringeth with it, as also those oppressions and calamities that our people thereby receiue, hath moued vs diuers moneths together patiently to tollerate and suffer the excesses, disobediences and rebellions that haue bin committed in diuers Townes of our Realme by some of our subiects making profession of the reformed Religion, specially in Rochell, Montaban and others, wherein there hath bin, and as yet are holden vnlawfull assemblies, which are rather employed to forme and erect popular estates & commonwealths, then to containe themselues within the limits of that obedience vnto vs whereunto they are naturally bound: hauing caused a Seale to be grauen, and vnder the same, and the hands of the principall persons of the said assemblies, they haue made diuers ordinances, decrees, messages, and commissions, containing power vnto particular assemblies, to command in prouinces and townes, to leuie the moneys of our farmes and receits, to leuie men, armes and mony, to melt and cast cannons, to send messages to forreine realmes and prouinces, and other such like actions, which sufficiently make an apparence of a greater rebellion and open rising against our authoritie; whereof being informed and truly certified in the moneth of April last; and knowing that they embolden themselues to enter into these disorders because of the little suretie that they say they haue of their persons and libertie of their consciences, by our declaration made and bearing date the 24. of the said moneth of April, desiring to giue them all assurances of our good inclinations towards those that shall continue in their duties, and receiuing them into our particular protection and sauegard: we declared and made knowne, that the voyage which we pretended to make[Page]into those quarters, was (by our approching to those places where the said insolencies are committed) there to establish and make our authoritie to appeare; to the confusion of those that shall be found culpable, rather then to vse any other greater rigour; nor yet to shew that power which God hath giuen vnto vs for the punishment of such insolencies: but they are so farre from looking into their owne imperfections, and reducing themselues vnto that whereunto they are obliged, that the greatest part of them continuing in their bad pretences, openly run into rebellion, and commit all sorts of hostilitie against those that will not ioyne with them: openly publishing that they acknowledge no other head then the assembly that is in Rochell, which hath caused diuers souldiers leuied by the said commissions to gather together in Saint Iohn de Angely, that make shew to withstand our entrance therein by force of arms, which enforceth vs (perceiuing also that the same disorder hath followed in diuers other Townes of our Realme) to make preparation to punish the offenders according to their merits and deserts, and to that effect together with the ordinarie course of iustice, to vse the meanes that God hath giuen vs for the maintenance of our authoritie: And to the end that all our subiects, and specially those that make profession of the reformed Religion may not be abused by false pretences, wherewith the said assembly serue themselues, to diuert and turne them from their duties, and that both the one and the other may be informed of our intents and wils touching the same. We by the aduice of the Princes, Dukes, Pe [...]res, Officers of our Crowne, and the principall persons of our Councell, haue made knowne and declared, make known and declare by these presents, that concerning our said Letters pattents bearing date the 24 of April last, we haue taken and receiued, and take and receiue into our protection and speciall sauegard all our subiects of the said reformed Religion, of what qualitie or condition soeuer they be, that shall continue and remaine in our obedience[Page]and vnder the obseruation of our Edicts, which we will also cause to be diligently and carefully obserued in fauor of them: but perceiuing the manifest rebellions that are committed in our Towne of Rochell, not onely by the assembly which is alwayes continued contrary to our expresse prohibitions, but also by the whole body of the said Towne, Burgesses and inhabitants thereof, as also that which is done in our Towne of Saint Iohn d'Angely, and the acts of hostillitie which they dayly commit against our person. Wee haue declared, and by these presents declare, all the inhabitants and other persons, of what estate and qualities soeuer they be, which at this present dwell, are retired and refuged within the townes of Rochell and Saint Iohn d'Angely, and all others that fauour them directly or indirectly, or that shall haue accesse vnto, intelligence, association and correspondence with them, or that shall allow in any sort whatsoeuer of the said assembly in Rochell, or the other assemblies, circuites, counsels of prouinces, or other congregations that haue correspondence with that of Rochell, and that are holden without our expresse permission; relapsed and fallen into disobedience, and guiltie of high treason, and as such their lands and goods to be forfet and confiscated vnto vs: willing that processe should be made against them, according to the rigour of our lawes and ordinances, by the seisures of their persons, inuentories of their goods, and other wayes ordinary and accustomed, vsed in such cases. Declaring also our said Townes of Saint Iohn d'Angely and Rochell, and all others their adherents, and which with them shall take part in the said crimes and disobediences, to be depriued of, and to haue forfeited all their rights, priuiledges, franchises, and other benefits that haue bin giuen and granted vnto them by the Kings our predecessors, and by vs. And to the end that wee may discerne and know the good from the bad, we will that all our subiects making profession of the said reformed Religion, as well Gentlemen and officers, as others of what qualitie or condition[Page]soeuer they be, and also the townes and commonalties of the said qualitie, shall make declaration, in the Presidents Courts, Bailiwicks, and stuardships of their resorts, of their good intents touching our seruice; and that in the same they shall renounce and disauow, as also protest, not to adhere in any maner to the said assembly of Rochell, nor to any other assemblies, counsels, of prouinces, circuites, resorts, and others, which (as it is said) haue bin and are holden without our expresse permission; and that with vs they will oppose themselues against all the resolutions that therein may haue bin taken, whereof they shall haue testimonies from the said Courts, &c. necessary and fit for their discharges. As also we expresly prohibite all Gentlemen and others, not to permit their children, seruants, nor others depending on them, to go into the said townes, nor to lend them any comfort or assistance whatsoeuer, nor yet to lodge or receine into their houses those that shall go thither or conuerse with them in any manner whatsoeuer, vpon paine to be holden culpable of the same crime. Most expresly willing and charging all Bailies, Stuards, Prouost Marshals, Iudges, and their Lieutenants, Deputie Stuards, Prouost Marshals of our cousins the Constable, and Marshals of France, and all other our Officers to whom it may appertaine, exactly and carefully to proceed against the persons and goods of those that shall haue incurred the said crime; and to our Attourneys Generall and their substitutes, vpon the said processesses to make diligent and requisite enquiries, such as are to be done by them, without respect of any safegard or other assurances, that they may obtaine from vs, by false suggestions or otherwise, if the said sauegards be not made by Letters Patents sealed with our great Seale; and that in the same it be expresly set downe that we haue giuen them licence to go into, or frequent the said rebellious townes. We also will and require our louing and faithfull Counsellours that sit in our Courts of Parliament, and chambers of Edicts, to cause these our present Letters pattents to be read, published,[Page]and registred in euery place, and the contents thereof to be exactly kept and obserued according to the forme and tenour thereof: enioyning our Attourneys Generall and their substitutes to be carefull thereof, and to make all processes and pursuites necessary and requisite touching the same, for such is our will and pleasure. In witnesse whereof, we haue caused our Seale to be set hereunto.
And sealed with the great Seale in yellow waxe. And further, on the back side is written,
Read, published, registred, and heard at the instance and request of the Kings Attourney Generall, to be executed, kept and obserued according to the forme and tenour. By force of the decree contained in the register of this day.
EXTRACTED OVT OF THE REGISTER of the Court of Parliament.
THe Court of the Chambers being assembled, hauing seene the Kings Letters patents dated in Niort the 27 of May last, as well for the protection and safegard of all his subiects of the reformed Religion, that shall continue in, and containe themselues vnder his obedience, and the obseruation of his Edicts, making profession thereof as his said Letters patents specifie and declare, against the inhabitants and other persons of what estate and qualitie soeuer they be, that dwell, continue, retire, and are resuged in the Townes of Rochell and Saint Iohn d'Angely, and all others that fauour them directly or indirectly, and the conclusions of the Kings Attourney Generall being[Page]considered. The said Court, the Chambers being assembled, hath and doth ordaine that the said Letters patents shall be read, published and registred, that the contents thereof may be executed, kept and obserued according to their forme and tenour, without any attribution neuerthelesse of any iurisdiction and knowledge in that respect to the Prouosts Generall, their Lieutenants or Vicebailies; vnlesse it be onely for the execution of the said decrees & reasons, the prisoners being caried and committed to the ordinary prisons of the said places, and their processe made, and iudged by the said ordinary Regall Iudges, and by appeale in the said Court, and vpon expresse charge, that the declarations mentioned by the said Letters patents shall by them of the said reformed Religion be made, as well by the maisters of housholds, their children, retinue and seruants, aboue 16. yeares of age, as also by widowes and women, that is such as reside and dwell in the townes and suburbes of the same within eight dayes after the publication of the said Letters patents; and those that dwell in the countrey, or are absent from the said townes, within fifteene dayes after the said publication, vpon the paines and penalties containedin the said Letters patents; which declarations shall be made before the Bailies or their Deputies in the open Court, according to the forme thereof printed, and which shall be sent by the said Court, to be deliuered freely without any fees paying to those that shall make the same declaration, as well by the Indges and Clarkes vpon paine of punishment.
THis day [...] the [...] day of [...] 1621. hath appeared before vs, [...] appearing, [...] dwelling in the Parish of [...] aged [...] yeares, or thereabouts, making profession of the reformed Religion, who[Page]to fulfill the Kings Letters patents made at Niort the seuen and twentieth day of May last past, hath declared, sworne and promised to continue, liue and die in the fidelitie and obedience which hee oweth vnto the King; To renounce, disauouch and protest, not to adhere in any manner vnto the assembly of Rochell, neither vnto any other assemblies, counsels of Prouinces, resorts, circuites and others, that are holden, hold, and shall be holden without the expresse commission of the King, but rather with his Maiestie to oppose himselfe against all the resolutions that therein may, haue bin, and are taken. In witnesse whereof, the said [...] hath signed vnto the Clerkes Register; and whereupon we haue deliuered vnto him this present writing signed by vs and one of the ordinary Clerkes of this Bailiwicke,
The day and yeare abouesaid.
Letters sent by those of the reformed Religion, assembled together in Rochell.
To the Duke de Lesdiguieres.
MAy it please your Honour, wee haue refrained from answering vnto the two first letters, which it pleased you to write vnto vs, for an answer vnto our former, staying till the Gentleman that wee sent vnto you, had more particularly reported vnto vs your opinion touching the state of our present affaires, as he hath done, hauing at large declared vnto vs your aduice and good intent to aide our Churches, to recouer that peace, suretie and contentment which wee seeke for, from the bountie of our King, when you shall haue meanes to speak vnto his Maiestie, to whom (as you haue certified vnto vs) you intend to ride. This your Honours good affection, whereof without doubt we assure our selues, moueth vs vnto those most humble thankes which we are bound to yeeld vnto you, and augmenteth our desire (together with these presents) to satisfie your two first letters, as the necessitie of our entire iustification, which your desire to know, requireth at our hands, hoping that your Honour hauing reiected all doubts and scruples which seeme to hold you at a stay touching the pursuite of our conuocation and staying in this place, as we may easily do it, you will easily thinke it fit to ioyne your good will with our submissions, for obtaining the fruites and effects of our most humble requests and supplications to his Maiestie; and by that meanes bereaue our enemies of their triumphs which they make against vs, vpon the doubt which you seeme to make of the euidence of our good meanings by your first letter, which to that effect they haue published. Whereupon we beseech your Honour to be pleased, for the resoluing of all these difficulties, that we may put you in mind, that the resolution that we then made of our seperation at London, to reassemble againe vpon default of [Page]performance of such things as were promised vnto vs, was grounded vpon the promise which was giuen to you and to Monsieur de Chastillon, by my Lord the Prince, and the Duke de Luynes, in the Kings name, and by you vnto vs; which our Churches hauing faithfully obserued, vpon that condition confirmed their Deputies in all Prouinces, or substituted others to meete here if occasion fell out. It is needlesse to produce other proofes, or to rehearse our registers to put you in minde, that as then those promises were made vnto vs, vpon condition to reassemble together if they were not performed within the time prefixed: seeing that your Honour is the most sufficient wi [...]nesse that wee may or can produce, which acknowledge and once againe confirme the truth thereof by your second letter dated the 22 of February last, where you writ vnto vs in proper termes, that the same that was granted vnto vs then vpon the seperation at Loudun (vpon promise to reassemble) hath bin entirely executed, whereof we will hereafter speake, hauing first manifested this permission which you deferre to be made euident, and which we esteeme ought to be thought and iudged auailable and sufficient without contradiction, and to the contentment of those that are most scrupulous; if we adde thereunto, that besides the interuention of my said Lord the Prince, and of my Lord the Duke de Luynes, of whom the eminent qualitie in the one, and the great fauour of the other, can permit no shadow of disauouching, our good intents haue bin much more setled vpon the expresse word spoken from the mouth of his sacred Maiestie, whereof you are an vnreproueable witnes, when you told vs by your first letter bearing date the first of the said Moneth, in these words, saying that the same which your Honour had promised vnto vs in his Maiesties name, was confirmed at Fontainebleau by his Royall mouth to the Deputies of the assembly at Loudun, at such time as they certified him of the separation. We thinke it had not bin lawfull for vs to desire or to imagine any other permission[Page]more auailable or firmer assurance, then the sacred word of the King. Inke and paper cannot conferre any weight nor authoritie to the Kings words. And certainly we would haue iudged our selues to be vnworthy of the fauour of our King, and iniurious to his authoritie, if we had required that permission vnder a greater securitie then his Maiesties word. VVhereupon we beseech your Honor to pardon vs, if we tell you, that then we asked no note in writing, and that it was not denied vnto vs. To the contrary it is true, that when we were pressed to separate our selues, we were offered a note in writing to reassemble if iustice were not done vnto vs. And many times by diuers of the principal, this speech was confirmed in open Counsell to our Deputies, that they did not doubt but that we would reassemble together. But we that feare nothing more then those paines, and such encounters which our enemies alwayes imagine and deuise to do mischiefe vnto vs, at that time desired and insisted to receiue some reall contentment vpon our complaints, thereby to assure the astonishment and the perplexities of our brethren, and to restraine the insolencie of our enemies, by such testimonies of our protection and of the Kings good will towards vs, that we might come thither no more, nor fall againe into such labyrinths. But all our instances could preuaile nothing, and we were constrained to content our selues with those promises; from whence our enemies by their secret reaches knew well how to draw those inconueniences and mischiefes which we foresee and too well apprehend. Seeing then that the assurance and permission of our reassembling was such, what need was there (as your Honour saith) that our generall Deputies should renew their instance to the King, to permit vs to do it? It had bin a meanes to call in question an assured promise, and thereby to preiudice our selues. For we feare not to tell you that which cannot be concealed from you, that our enemies haue by many experiences made vs feele, that as often and whensoeuer those things that are most assured[Page]vnto vs either by Edicts or by other grants from the King, fall in question, they haue that power to cause that to be withdrawne that was granted vnto vs, and to cause vs to lose that right which we had obtained. VVe could shew an infinite number of complaints vpon this subiect, and how that diuers articles concerning the strengthening of things to vs formerly granted, and afterward infringed, we haue receiued answers directly contrary vnto the precedent grants, and such as wholy annihilated them. Then who doubts not, but that the same power of our enemies, which at this day worketh the deniall of those things that were promised vnto vs, would not also haue caused all the requests of our Deputies to be reiected. Hauing thus iustified vnto your Honour our said permission, and consequently the equitie of our proceeding authorized by the same; it resteth onely plainly to shew you the occasions, condition and necessitie of our reassembling, and to haue recourse vnto our complaints. The circumstances of the time, and of that which hath bin omitted or committed contrary to the promises, shall suffice therein. Your Honor remembreth, and your letter mentioneth the same, that the King promised vs that within sixe moneths from the day of our separation, he would cause Leytoure to be restored, admit the Counsellours of the Religion into the Parliament of Paris, giue a writing touching the guarding of the places of securitie; that the states thereof should be deliuered vnto vs; that our requests should be fauourably answered, and the answers thereunto duly and truly executed. And touching the affaires of Bearn, that within seuen moneths the Deputies of the country should be heard touching that which they would shew vnto his Maiestie. Our separation was made vpon the 13 of April the last yeare, the six moneths from the same day fell vpon the 13 of October following: and in all that time nothing of those things that were promised was executed, but onely the deliuery of the writing touching the guard of the places, what instance and pursuite soeuer our Deputies generall[Page]could make. In the same time the King went to Bearn, during the delay obtained for our remonstrances, and they being not vnderstood, nor once hearkned vnto; not onely the commission to the contrary hath bin executed, but which is more, our Churches haue lost all the securitie and libertie which they had enioyed in that country [...] many yeares together, and in an instant followed the beginning of all those dangerous consequences which we doubted from the beginning of the decree of the contrary commission. Vpon that time the sixe moneths being past, this griefe hapned, and none of the rest redressed; our assembly vpon the 25 of Nouember. And if since that the towne of Leytoure hath bin remitted into the hands of a Gentleman of the Religion, could the healing of that old sore so long time suffered, after the feeling of a much greater griefe, be a sufficient meanes to stay our humble complaints, touching the same and all the rest. We were already assembled, and our most humble complaints presented vnto his Maiestie, when the two Counsellors were admitted, but vpon a worse condition then all the former refusals, which bereaue vs of the libertie which the King granteth vnto vs by his Edicts, to enter indifferently in the office, in such manner, that the same griefe is so far from being redressed, that it is rather increased by that meanes. These therefore, and it please your Honor, were the occasions of our reassembling, which yet continueth. The miserable estate of Bearn, the deniall of the state of the places of securitie in Dauphinois, which is openly maintained, (contrary to the promise made vnto you, and which you here confirmed vnto vs by your letters) was neuer granted vnto vs. To the contrary whereof, your Honor knows, that particularly from anno 1616. at the conference of Loudun, it was particularly vnto vs, and since that by the last promises confirmed vnto your self. As also, besides the publike testimonies which you giue vs here, you may call to minde, that you haue confirmed the same to diuers men in particular, telling them of the absolute necessitie that[Page]we haue to pursue the same. Then followeth the contradiction made against the 27. article of the Edict, touching our admission into offices. The fauourable answers denied to our propositions; and the sending of Committees into the Prouinces neglected. And lastly the troupes and garrisons left in the country of Bearn, Guyenne and Poictou, which giue an alarme and a iust distrust vnto our Churches. These are the principall heads of our complaints; it is not the number, but the weightinesse of them which maketh them important. As also, that those few articles, for the reparation whereof we haue hoped to receiue some assurance of the Kings good will, from the which our enemies by all meanes seeke to estrange vs, ought not to be made a consequence against vs; but on the contrary, our obedience ought thereby to be more manifest, that wee contented our selues with that remedie, to strengthen our patience, besides all so many other infractions that continually hurt our libertie, which the King hath granted vnto vs. And by the same reason, our cause ought at this day to be more fauoured, and our equitie more manifested, if vpon the not executing of so few articles, contrary to the faithfull promises made vnto vs, (whereby our condition being also much impeached) we haue had our recourse to the fauour of our King, by our most humble declarations, in that state wherein he hath permitted vs to reassemble, to present the same xnto him. Whereupon we are not able to expresse the intollerable griefe that we feele, when in regard of these proceedings which we haue followed by lawfull meanes of the respect and reuerence that is due vnto his Maiestie, we perceiue our selues to be condemned by the subtill practises of our enemies, which slander vs to wrong the Kings authoritie; thereby to kindle his wrath and indignation against vs, seeking to reduce vs to that point, either to incurre the effect of his displeasure by open warre, wherewith we are threatned; or for to shun the same we should keepe silence in our iust complaints and endure all the wrongs and mischiefes which daily are throwne[Page]vpon vs. So that from henceforth, men will acknowledge no other obedience in vs, but that we should with patience suffer all the mischiefes that they would do vnto vs, without permission to complaine thereof: and our griefes and preuentions made against the falsities and threatnings of our enemies, shall be imputed to disobedience, and a capitall crime. VVill not your Honour iudge, that there is a meane to be vsed in these things? but rather acknowledging as it seemes vnto you, that the permission which hath bin giuen vnto vs by his Maiestie to reassemble, and the importance of the wrongs, either not redressed, but rather increased, purge our assembly of the blame to be vnlawfull, or done without authoritie; we hope that you will thinke it more reasonable to employ that good affection which it pleaseth you to promise vs, and that authoritie and credit which the greatnesse and innumerable number of so commendable seruices haue gotten you with his Maiestie, to make him to vnderstand the sinceritie of our intents, and the necessitie of our iust complaints rather then to seeke our separation before some contentment be giuen vnto our Churches; whose disquietnesse makes vs the more carefull to persist in procuring their consolation. VVhich to attaine, we haue sought to enter into those wayes of respect which we beare vnto our King, that might cleare vs of that imputation which our enemies seeke to imprint in him towards vs. To that end hauing desired our generall Deputies, being by them certified of the continuall refusall which is made to heare them in our names, to represent our iust demands in their owne, and the names of all our Churches. VVherein we perswade our selues that your Honour approuing our proceeding, and therein fauouring our said generall Deputies, you wil also iudge that with most iust reason we haue giuen them to vnderstand vpon the proposition, where by their last dispatch, we haue bin certified what is done at the Court, that is, (not to giue vs any contentment, and to binde vs to a separation, vpon a pardon to be giuen vs) that our[Page]consciences and the care of the honour and good of our Churches, will neuer permit vs to consent vnto such a thing, that with it would draw not onely a great opproby vpon our Religion, but also procure the totall ruine of our affaires. VVhereupon we haue bin desirous to informe your Honour of our opinions and resolutions, to the end that it might please you, according to the fauour which you promise vnto vs, rather to signifie vnto his Maiestie, that when his Royall bountie shall think it good to grant those fauours which our Churches require of him in all humilitie, (thereby to quench in so many peoples mindes the distrusts which the mischiefes that we endure, and the continuall threatnings of our enemies haue imprinted therein) it will be a meanes more and more to confirme his authoritie, and make it the same which the incomparable wisedome of his father the late King deceased, alwayes maintained, grounding the peace and tranquillitie of his estate vpon the maintenance of his Edicts. Vnder the force whereof, we desire not any further libertie then onely to continue the obedience that wee haue alwayes yeelded without reproch vnto our Kings That (and it please your Honour) is the good which we beseech you to contribute vnto the present estate of our affaires, as we haue diuers times humbly required the rest of the great personages to do the like, and then specially when for the preuention of the ruine of all our affaires by the diuision which we perceiued men went about to sow betweene them and vs, we besought them not to hearken vnto a conference propounded vnto them, tending from henceforth to annihilate and make fruitlesse all the pursuites that wee take in hand, by the order established betweene vs by the Kings permission; and which is more, to lay on them and all of vs the burthen of refusals or of deceits, such as wherewith our euill willers delude the promises which the King hath made vnto vs. Which we esteeming it to be no lesse preiudiciall to themselues then to the generalitie of our Churches, we are perswaded that we are bound in conscience[Page]to beseech you ill, not to giue way thereunto. Which we desire your Honour also to accept of, and not to be a meanes of excluding that good and aduantage which your authoritie and fauour, ioyning with our iust requests, may procure vnto vs. For we do not desire, neither haue we any other intent in the discharging of the offices giuen vnto vs, but as much as possible we may, to strengthen the band of our vnion between all the members of our body, and specially those of your rank and qualitie, and which is more considerable. So farre off are we from seeking any wayes or meanes to ouerthrow our selues, by making a separation betweene you and vs, that to the contrary, since we haue bin here, we haue had nothing in more nor greater recommendation then to re-vnite the particulars and the generall, by a coniunction of interest, and one self same affection towards the aduancement of the glory of God and the good of our Churches, vnder the obedience of his Maiestie. VVherein we are bound to render thankes vnto God, that not onely the townes' and commonalties of our Religion, but also all those that hold a greater ranke among vs, haue made knowne the most particular assurances of their constancie in our vnion: as your Honour also, by the protestation which you haue made vnto vs of the same, and of the continuance of your seruices towards the Church of God, in the profession of our Religion, hath done. VVhereupon we must tell you, that the slanders impudently published by those that hate your vertue, because of your profession, could neuer shake nor diminish our perswasions therein. And in that confidence, and vpon the singular assurances that Monsieur de Bonnet hath giuen vs of your good affection to procure (by the Kings fauour) some contentment to our Churches in these occurrents. We beseech your Honour once againe to contribute your good will therein, in such manner, that dispersing that imputation which our enemies maliciously lay on vs to contradict the Kings authoritie, our sincere intents being knowne, our Churches by our sure and honorable returne[Page]vnto them, may vpon their most important complaints receiue that good which they so long time haue hoped, and promised vnto them, being so necessarie for our conseruation and tranquillitie. And that so the peace of the State being fully confirmed, according to our desires, and that of all good French men, we may see the arbiterment of Christendome in the hands of our King. And your Honour, by his commandement, in many of his best subiects by your victorious hands, make the terror of his name and of his forces, strike into his enemies hearts, who with great desire now more then euer they did, seeke to imbase the authoritie and the dignitie of this monarchie, which for the good thereof and of the Church is therein reserued. God increase your yeares, and his graces in you, to whom we alwayes remaine your Honours most humble and most affectionate seruants. The Deputies of the Reformed Churches in France, and the soueraigntie of Bearn assembled in Rochell.
- De la Cressonniere, President.
- Rosell, Lieutenant.
- De la Piterne, Secretarie.
- De la Tour, Secretarie.
The second Letter written by the Assembly in Rochell, to the Duke de Desdiguieres, dated the second of April, 1621.
THe Letter which it pleased your Honour to write vnto vs, we haue receiued by Monsieur de la Roche, who withall hath particularly aduertised vs of your intent. We perswade our selues that you would not haue sent this message, nor giuen vs that advice, if you had receiued our last Letter, which contained the reasonable grounds of our assembling, together with the iustnesse and necessitie of our subsistance, and thereby you would haue perceiued that we reiect formalities, and by onely cleauing vnto the speciall end of our vocation, which is to redresse the euils that our Churches endure, haue giuen commission to our generall Deputies in their owne name, and those of our said Churches to pursue the iustnesse of our demands, as you may more at large vnderstand the same from them by word of mouth. As by all these proceedings we iustifie our necessary resolutions vnto your Honour; so it hath bin a most great displeasure vnto vs to vnderstand your contrary feelings thereof, which serue to no other end but to increase our iust distrusts, and to strengthen the euill will of those that are the hinderances of the effects of our lawfull proceedings. For to this separation of our assemblies, of late time, all the practises of our adversaries specially tend; which ought so much the more to be suspitious to all the members of our Churches, that they would bring vs thereunto by such wayes as reduce our affaires into desolation, and our bodies into opprobrie. For that by abandoning the meanes of our securitie, which[Page]so many yeares wee haue sought with so great care and paines, we shall cast our Churches into new labyrinths, whereby they should be reduced into despaire, and would not omit any manner of remedy to withdraw themselues from an vniust persecution. We know how much we are to attribute vnto the advice which commeth from your Honors great experience; but may it please you to remember that which hath ensued contrary to your and our intents, of your entermise of Loudun, and into how many bad termes our light credit hath reduced vs, with so great apparence to meete with no better in time to come, if we should commit the like errors. To the end that you may beare with vs, if the great hurt which that blow gaue vnto our conservation, maketh vs incapable of the separation which you require of vs, so instantly, with your advice ioyning the reproches of disobedience, and the threatnings of hard vsage; which things we esteeme not strange in the enemies of our profession, who with drawing from vs his Maiesties good inclinations, take pleasure in slanders and violences, and whom we know are sufficiently animated not to desist from the desolation of the Churches in Bearn. But when those that are so much bound to the tranquillitie of the house of God, wherein they had their being, & ought to leaue an honorable and profitable memorie of them to their posteritie, lift vp their armes against our innocencie. It is an affliction much greater vnto vs then we speake of. For touching the accusations wherewith we are charged, we expect no greater testimonie of the perpetuall obedience of vs and our fathers, their that of your Honors owne knowledge, who haue so often found, that we were never so instantly accused of disobedience, but onely with an intent to withdraw those advantages from vs, which reason, equitie, and the promises of our Kings made indubitable. These devices being not vnknowne vnto you, we expect better things from your Honour, conformable to the common profession[Page]which you haue of vs; being on your part, not onely bound thereunto by expresse words, which to vs ought to be a publicke faith, and consequently inviolable, but by the serious remembrance of the ranke and authoritie whereunto God hath raised you, by the singular blessing which he hath bestowed vpon you, causing it to increase together with your yeares, in diuers manner, by the knowledge of his truth, which is none of the least honours you shall carrie with you from hence, by the holy communion that you haue so long time had with the Church of God: by this meanes you shall haue this testimonie in your conscience, to haue employed Gods talents to the profit of his Church: whereupon we tell your Honor, that it much importeth the honour of your profession, to consider how you put your hand to these affaires, which as [...]is pr [...] are exposed to the open view of all Christendome, as a fit meanes which God putteth into your hands to a duance his glorie, and in good time to bring our Churches into an assured estate. If it will please you to ioyne your credit and fauour to the iust proceedings of our general Deputies, which will leaue you an honorable mark, and make you liue alwayes in the memorie of men. And although some considerations of the world may moue you to be indifferent touching our ruine, (which we expect not from you) neuerthelesse we will not distrust in Gods protection, hoping that he will touch the heart of our King, by the admirable meanes of his prouidence, in his time to effect a full contentment to his people; whom we beseech to make you fully to vnderstand the malice of our enemies, the importance of our mischiefes, the sinceritie of our proceedings, and the equitie of our demands touching the oppression of the afflicted; that being moved with Christian compassion, you may make that power and credit which he hath given you available, in your days to see the prosperitie of the Church and the state. These are the humble requests which we have alreadie made vnto[Page]you by our last letters, and which now wee re-iterate, most carnestly beseeching you to be assured, that both generally and p [...]cularly we are your Honors
- De la Cressonniere, President,
- Rossell, Lieutenant.
- De la Piterne, Secretarie.
- De la Tour. Secretarie.