CHARLES by the grace of God King of Fraunce, to all presente or to come greeting. Oure intente hath al­wayes bene and is, after the exam­ple of our predecessors, to rule and S. Barthol­mew. 24. of August. 1572. gouerne our Realme, and to receiue of our subiectes the obeysance to vs due, rather by gentle and louing ma­ner, than by force. Wherefore our most deare and welbeloued brother the King of Polonia, hauing full vn­derstanding of our wil and pleasure, hath (following the commaunde­ment and speciall power that wee haue sente him for that purpose) ap­pointed and deputed certaine of the chiefe personages of our priuie coū ­sel being with him, to heare and vn­derstande [Page] the complaintes, griefes, and supplications of the Maior, shi­riffes, & Councellers, dwellers and inhabitantes of our Towne of Ro­chell, Gentlemen and others that are there abyding. And for as much as it is so, that nowe in the ende our most deare brother the sayd King of Polonia, according to our pleasure & good will, hath (by the aduise of our most deare and welbeloued brethren the duke of Alencon and king of Na­uarre, and our moste deare and wel­beloued Cousins the Prince of Con­de, and Prince Dauphin: the Dukes of Longueville, of Guise, Neuers, and of Vzes: the Lords of Montluc, Coūt of Rhetz, of Biron, of Villequier, of the Chappell Aux Vrsins, of Losses, of Vauguyon, of S. Supplice, of Mali­corne, of Suze, y^e Grādprior of Cham­paigne, and other great and notable personages beeing with him) made agreement with the sayde inhabi­tantes [Page] of Rochell, Gentlemen and others retyred thither, vppon the pointes and Articles that shall bee hereafter specified, as wel for them­selues, as for the inhabitantes of our Towns of Moūtauban, and Nis­mes, the Gentlemen and others re­tired into them, and others our sub­iectes, for whome they haue made sute.

We let you vnderstande that, con­sidering we can not doe better than to follow the counsell which is giuē vs by our sayde brethren, Princes and Lordes afore saide, who for the zeale they haue to the honor of God, with the experience they haue in many things, and the affection they beare towardes the well ordering of our affayres, haue more know­ledge than any other in those mat­ters, what is meete and necessarie for the profit and commoditie of our Realme. We by the aduice & coun­sell [Page] of the Queene our most honora­ble Ladie and mother, of our moste deare and welbeloued Cousins the Cardinals of Lorain, and of Guise: of our most deare & faithful Chaun­cellour: of the Lordes of Moruillier of Lanssac, of Limoges: of the presi­dents, first of Thou, and Seguier, the Lorde of Foix, the president Hanne­quin, the Lords of Cheuerny, of Mā ­de and of Roessi, all Counsellers of our said priuie Councel for the mat­ters and causes beforesaide, and for other good and great cōsiderations therunto specially mouing vs) haue saide, declared, decreed and ordey­ned, and do say, declare, decree, and ordeine, by this our present Edict, & our wyll and pleasure is as follo­weth.

I. First, that the remembrance of all things that haue hapned by occasi­on of the troubles and stirres in our [Page] sayde Realme, since the 24. of Au­gust last paste, shall remaine wholly quenched and appeased as thinges that hadde neuer happened: neyther shall it be lawfull or permitted to a­ny of our atturneys generall, or any other person either publique or pri­uate, in what tyme soeuer or for what occasion soeuer it be, to make any mention there, nor any proces or sute therevpon in any Courte or iurisdiction.

II. Forbidding also all our Subiects of what estate or quallitie soeuer they bee, that they renewe not the memorie thereof, nor to contend, nor to reuile, nor prouoke eyther other by reproching them with thinges that be past, in disputing, rehersing, quarelling or doing outrage or of­fence one to an other, in word or in deede, but to forbeare, and to liue peacibly togither as brethrē, frends [Page] and fellowe Citizens, vpon paine to them that shall doe the contrarie, to be punished as brekers of the peace, and disturbers of the cōmon quiet.

III. We ordeine, that the Catholike and Romishe Religion bee set vp a­gaine, and established in all places & quarters of this our Realme and countrey vnder our obedience, wher the exercise of the same hath bene left off, and that it may be freely and peasibly exercised without any trou­ble or let, vpon the paines aforesaid: and that all those whiche during these present warres, haue entred vpon houses, goodes and reuenues belonging to the Churchmen and other catholiques, and such as hold and occupie the same, shall leaue vn­to them the full possession and pea­sible enioying therof, in al freedome and safetie.

[Page] IIII. And for to giue occasion to our subiectes, abyding and inhabiting in our said Towns of Rochell, Mon­tauban, and Nismes, to liue and re­maine in reste, wee haue permitted, and doe permit to them, the free ex­ercise of the Religion, called re­formed, within the saide Townes, the same too cause too bee exercised within their owne houses, or place to them appertaining (excepte al­wayes publique places) for them, their families and others that will be there present.

V. And to alothers of the said religiō (called reformed) which haue conti­nued therein vntill this present; we do permit to retire into their houses where they maye bee, and remaine throughout all other partes of our Realme, to go and come, and to liue in all libertie of conscience: And to [Page] the Gentlemen and others, hauing high Iustice, which in like manner haue hytherto remayned till this present in the said Religion, bering Armes with the saide inhabitants, in the saide Townes, since the saide 24. of August last paste, wee doe also permit to liue in the same libertie of conscience in their houses, and there onely to baptize and marrie after their accustomed maner, not hauing any assembly (besides the kinred, Godfathers and Godmothers) a­boue the number of tenne persons, and that not within our Court, nor within two leagues about thesame, nor in the Towne, Prouostship and Vicountie of Paris, nor within tenne Leagues about the same Towne.

VI. We charge our Baylifes, Sene­shalles, ordinarie Iudges, or other Substitutes, each one in his liber­tie or iurisdiction, to prouide for the [Page] buriall of the deade bodies of them of the saide Religion (called refor­med) in the most commodious man­ner they can, and without offence.

VII. If any of the saide Religion haue bene constrained to make promis & bonde, & to giue assurance to change their Religion: we haue discharged the same, and declare the same to be adnulled, & of none effect or value.

VIII. The Schollers, sickmen, and poore, of what religion soeuer they be, shall be indifferently receiued in­to the vniuersities, cōmon scholes, hospitals, houses for sicke persons, and Almes houses.

IX. We do permit to al our Subiects being of the said religion, that they may sell or alienate theyr goodes, and goe freely with all their money and other moueables, whither it [Page] shall seeme them good, or to enioye the commoditie and benefite there­of, in what place soeuer they shall resort vnto, be it within or without the Realme, so that it bee not in the lands of such Princes, with whom we may haue warres.

X. Our sayde Subiectes of Rochell, Mountaban and Nismes, and other before named, shall remaine quit & discharged of all summes of money, goods, debtes, arrerages of rentes, profits and reuenues of ecclesiasti­call persons, and others which they shall sufficiently make apparant to haue bene by them taken or leuied, since the saide. 24. of August, so that neyther they nor their committies, nor those that haue furnished them with any thing, or delyuered the same vnto them, shall any wayes be charged nor condemned therfore at this present, nor for the time paste, [Page] nor at any time hereafter.

XI. Likewise they shall remayne ac­quitted and discharged of all Artes of hostilitie, leuying and conducting of men of warre, coyning of money, casting and taking of ordinance and munitions, making of powder and Saltpeter, Prizes, Fortifications or enterprises vpon Townes, pul­ling downe of Churches, houses or other places, prizes of Ships, Gal­leyes and goodes vpon the Sea, establishmēt of Iustice, and Iudge­ments, and the executions thereof, as well in cases ciuill as criminall, voyages, intelligences, treaties, & dealings had for their ayde and con­seruation, and generally of all that hath by them beene done, wrought or committed to that effect, as well wythin as wythout our Realme, since the saide. 24. of August, as wel as if the same were particularly ex­pressed [Page] and specifyed, so that for none of the thinges before named or others past and done, shall be impu­ted to them or to their posteritie any crime of rebellion, disobedience or Treason.

XII. We do declare, that we holde and repute all those aforenamed for our good, loyall and faythfull subiectes and seruantes, so that they doe [...] sweare vnto vs all obeysance and fi­delitie, and doe leaue off and desist wholly from al such associations as they haue wythin or wythout our Realme, and that they do not here­after make any gatherings of mo­ney without our permission, nor en­rolmentes of men, congregations, or assemblies, other than those whi­che are aboue to them permitted, & that without Armes, vpon paine to be rigorously punished, as con­temners of our commaundementes [Page] and ordinances.

XIII. All prisoners taken in warre, or others that bee holden in prysons, galleyes, or elsewhere, for the cause of religion, and by occasion of these present troubles, shall be enlarged and sette at libertie without pay­ing of ransome, not meaning heere­by, that the ransomes which are al­readie payde, may bee asked againe of those that haue receiued them.

XIIII. Those of the sayde religion shall not bee ouercharged, or burdened with any charges ordinarie or ex­traordinarie more than the Catho­liques.

XV. We haue declared and do declare, all defaults, sentences, iudgements arrestes, processes, seysures, sales, and decrees made and giuen against those of the Religion called refor­med, [Page] which bee or haue bene within the saide Townes of Rochell, Moū ­tauban, and Nismes, since the sayde 24. of August last paste, whiche haue beene giuen without hearing the parties, or their Proctors by them appoynted, since the sayde 24. of August last paste, also the execution of the same, as well in cases ciuil as criminall, shall bee voyde, reuoked, and adnulled. And the Processes shall remaine in the same estate as they were before, and the foresayde persons shal enter again vpon their temporall goodes, what so euer sey­zures, sales, and iudgementes haue beene made by vs or otherwayes, without making any recompence for the same.

XVI. And touching heires, widowes, and other hauing any right or title from such of the sayde Religion, as are deceassed wythin the sayde [Page] Towns, that haue bin there or born Armes for them, in what parte of our realme soeuer it be since the said 24. of August, we permit to them to reenter into the possession and en­ioying of the goodes left by the said persons deceassed, and we do main­taine them in their good fame and reputation.

XVII. All officers of the sayd townes of Rochel, Mountauban, and Nismes, as well pertayning to the Crowne as others, of what religion soeuer they be, that haue bene put out therof by reason of the same religion, and of these present troubles, shall be set a­gaine in their estates, charges and offices: and other officers of other Townes and places shall obserue our declarations therevpon made and published.

XVIII. And to the ende that Iustice bee [Page] ministred without any suspition to our subiects of the said townes, and others that be retyred into thē since the sayde 24. of August, we haue or­deyned and do ordeine, and our will and pleasure is, that all proces and differences moued, or to bee moued betwene the parties of contrarie re­ligion, as well on the part of the de­maundant, as the defendant, what matter so euer it be, ciuill, or crimi­nall, shall be heard at the first instāce before our Baylifes, Seneshals, & other our ordinarie Iudges, accor­ding to our ordinances. And where any appeale shall happen in any our Courtes of Parliament, there shall be prouided for them by vs onely, within the space of one yeare, (ac­compting from the daye of the publication of these presents,) Iud­ges vnsuspected, such as shal seeme best to vs (except always the court of Parliamēt of Tholouse) in respect [Page] of those of Mountauban: and in the meane time they shall not bee con­strained to appeare personally.

XIX. And for as much as many parti­cular persons haue receiued and suf­fered so many iniuries & domages, both in their goods and persons, as hardly they can forgette the remem­brance of the same, so sone as were requisite for the execution of our in­tent, we willing to auoyde all incō ­ueniences, and to giue some meane for those that might be in some fear, that vpon their return to their hou­ses they should not be at rest, til such rancour & enmitie might bee assua­ged, haue graunted and do graunte to them of the saide Townes of Ro­chel, Mountauban, and Nismes, that they shall enioy their Priuileges both auncient and lately graunted, and their authorities of iurisdictiō and other rightes, in whiche they [Page] shal be mainteyned and preserued, wythout hauing anye Garrison, neyther shall bee made there any Castles, Fortes, or Citadels, with­out the consent of the inhabitantes of the same Townes. Who for a de­monstration and suretie of their o­beysance, obseruation and maintey­ning of our will and intention, shall delyuer for the space of two yeares, foure of the principal Burgeses and inhabitantes of eache of the sayde Townes, beeing of the sayde Reli­gion called reformed, the which shal bee by vs chosen out of those that they shall name vnto vs, and those to be changed euery three moneths, or in suche other time as shall seeme good vnto vs, and they shall bee put in such Townes and places as shall please vs to appoynte within fiftie myles off at the farthest from the said Townes, except in our townes of Paris and Tholouse And to the end [Page] there be no occasion of complainte or suspition, we will sette in the sayde Townes for gouernors, good men and well affectioned to our seruice, suche as shall bee vnsuspected, wil­ling neuerthelesse, that the keeping of their Towns, Towers and For­tresses, shall remaine in the handes of the sayde inhabitants, according to their auncient Priuileges.

XX. We will likewise, that inconti­nent after the publication of oure present Edicte made in our Campe and Armie, Armes shall be altoge­ther generally layde downe, the whiche shall remaine onely in our handes, and in our moste deare and most welbeloued brothers the King of Polonia. Wee doe ordeine that the forces as well by lande as by Sea, shall bee withdrawne from before the sayd Towns, the Fortes made as well of the one parte as of the o­ther, [Page] shal be raced and ouerthrown: the free traffique and passages shal be open againe in all the Townes, Borrowes and Villages, Bridges and passages of our sayde Realme: the Forces and Garrisons whiche haue ben placed by occasion of these present troubles (since the sayde 24. of Auguste) in Townes and other places, houses and Castels, apper­teining to our subiectes of what re­ligion so euer they bee, shall departe incontinent, to leaue vnto them free and entire enioying as they had be­fore they were dispossessed of them.

XXI. Such moueables as shal remain in their nature, and which haue ben taken by waye of hostilitie since the sayde 24. of August last past, shall be restored to them to whome they be­long, so alway that they pay to the buyers the price of such as haue ben solde by authoritie of Iustice or by [Page] other commission and publique com­maundement. And for the execution of the aforesaide, the withholders of the sayde moueable goodes shall be constrayned and subiect to restore them incontinent and without de­lay, notwithstanding all obiections or exceptions, to yelde and restore them to the owners, for the price which they payde.

XXII. And as touching the profites of vnmoueable goodes, as well eache man shal enter again into his house and shall enioye on. eache parte the fruites of the collection of this pre­sent yeare, notwithstanding all sea­sures and lettes made to the contra­rie, since the sayde 24 of August, as also euery one shal enioy the arrera­ges of the sayd rentes, that haue not ben taken vp by vs or by our cōman­dement, or the permission and ordi­nance of vs or of our Iustice.

[Page] XXIII. Like-wise that al titles, writings, instructions and euidences whyche haue bene taken away, shall be ren­dred and restored on eyther parte, to those to whome they belong.

XXIIII. We also ordeine that those of the sayde Religion shal be subiect to the politike lawes of our Realme, that is to saye, the Halydayes shall bee kept, and they of the sayde Religion shall not worke, sell, or make any shewe on the sayd dayes with open shop: and on fasting dayes in which the vse of fleshe is forbidden by the Catholike and Romishe Churche, the Butcheries shall not be open.

XXV. And to preuent all doings to the contrarie that may happen in many of our tomus: The Bayliffes, Se­neshals, or their Lieutenants, shall cause the principall inhabitantes of [Page] the sayd Townes to sweare to the mayntenaunce and obseruation of this our pesent Edicte, and the one side mutually to giue assurance to the other, and to binde themselues interchangeably, and by publique Acte, to answere to such disobedien­ces as shall bee committed agaynst the sayde Edicte within the sayde Townes, by the inhabitants of the same, or at the least, to bring forthe and delyuer the offenders into the handes of the Iustice.

We also charge al our welbeloued and faythfull people holding oure Courtes of Parliament, Chambers of our accomptes, Courtes of As­sistāce, Bayliffes, Seneshals, Pro­uostes, and other our Iustices and officers to whom it shall appertaine or their Lieutenantes, that they cause this our present Edict & Ordi­nance to be read, publyshed, and re­gistred in their Courts & Iurisdic­tions, [Page] and to keepe, maynteine, and inuiolably to obserue the same in all pointes: and that all those to whom it shall appertaine, may enioy, and fully and peasibly vse the content thereof. Ceassing and causing to bet ceassed all troubles and empeach­mentes to the contrarie, for such is our pleasure. In witnesse heereof, we haue signed these presents with our own hand, and to the end it may remaine a thing sure and stable for euer, we haue to the same caused to be set our Seale.