The French King's declaration, that the children of those of the pretended reformed religion may change their religion at the age of seven years with a prohibition that those of the said religion may not send their children to be bred in forreign countries : registred in Parliament the 8th day of July new stile, 1681. and printed at Paris. — Declaration du Roy, portant que les enfant de la religion pretendue reformée pourront se convetir à l'âge de sept ans. English

The French King's declaration, that the children of those of the pretended reformed religion may change their religion at the age of seven years with a prohibition that those of the said religion may not send their children to be bred in forreign countries : registred in Parliament the 8th day of July new stile, 1681. and printed at Paris. — Declaration du Roy, portant que les enfant de la religion pretendue reformée pourront se convetir à l'âge de sept ans. English

Table of contents

The French King's DECLARATION, That the CHILDREN of thoſe of the Pretended Reformed Religion may change their Religion at the age of Seven years: with a Prohibition that thoſe of the ſaid Religion may not ſend their CHILDREN to be bred in Forreign Countries.

An Order of the Council of State.

Some Particulars extracted out of a Letter of the 29th of June.

§

The French King's DECLARATION, That the CHILDREN of thoſe of the Pretended Reformed Religion may change their Religion at the age of Seven years: with a Prohibition that thoſe of the ſaid Religion may not ſend their CHILDREN to be bred in Forreign Countries.

[Page]

Regiſtred in Parliament the 8th of July New Stile, 1681. and Printed at Paris.

LEwis by the grace of God King of France and of Navarre:

To all thoſe that ſhall ſee theſe preſent Letters, greeting.

The great ſucceſſes which it hath pleaſed God to give to the ſpiritual excitations, and the other reaſonable means which We have hitherto uſed for the Converſion of Our Subjects of the pretended Reformed Religion, do oblige Us to ſecond the motions which God has given to many of Our ſaid Subjects to acknowledge the errour wherein they were born; We therefore have reſolved to Repeal ſome things in Our Declaration of the firſt of February, 1669. by which the Children of that Religion were in ſome ſort hindred to convert themſelves to the Catholick Apoſtolick and Roman Religion after the age of Seven years (in which they are capable of reaſon and choice, in a matter ſo important to them as is that of their Salvation) till the Males were of the age of Fourteen years, and Females of the age of Twelve; though in the Edict of Nantes, and in the other Edicts made in favour of the pretended Reformed Religion, there is no ſuch proviſion made. And this being a thing of which it is neceſſary for Us to take care, For theſe Reaſons, and for other Conſiderations moving Us thereunto, We have ſaid and declared, and do ſay and declare by theſe Preſents ſigned with Our Hand, And it is Our Will and Pleaſure, that Our ſaid Subjects of the pretended Reformed Religion, both Males and Females, having attained to the age of Seven years, may lawfully embrace the Catholick Apoſtolick and Ronan Religion. And to that effect they ſhall be admitted to make abjuration of the pretended Reformed Religion, ſo as that their Fathers or Mothers may not give any hindrance to it upon any pretence whatſoever. And to that effect, We repeal ſo much as concerns this point in Our ſaid Declaration of the firſt of February, 1669. Beſides, We Will that the ſaid Children that ſhall be converted after the age of Seven years compleat, ſhall enjoy the effect of Our Declaration of the Fourteenth of October, 1665. And that according to it, it ſhall be left to their choice, after their Converſion, either to return to live and be bred up in the ſame houſe with their Fathers and Mothers, or to go elſewhere; and to demand of them a Penſion for their Subſiſtence proportionably to their condition and abilities; which Penſion their ſaid Fathers and Mothers ſhall be bound to pay to their Children quarterly: And in caſe they ſhall refuſe to do it, Our Will is, that they ſhall be compelled to it by all due and reaſonable ways. And We being informed that many of Our Subjects of the ſaid pretended Reformed Religion, have ſent their Children to be bred in Forrein Countries, by which they may receive Maximes contrary to the State, and the Fidelity which they owe Us by their birth, We do require them moſt expreſly to recal them without delay under the following pains, that thoſe who have Eſtates in Lands ſhall forfeit their whole Revenue during the firſt year, and a moity of their ſaid Revenue during all that time that they ſhall keep their Children in forrein Countries. And for thoſe who have no Eſtates in Lands, they ſhall be obliged to recal their ſaid Children under the pain of a Fine, which ſhall be determined proportionably to their Goods and Abilities. And they ſhall be obliged to make payments of their ſaid Revenues and Fines every year, till they have recalled their Children. We prohibit Our Subjects of the ſaid pretended Reformed Religion to ſend for the future their Children into forrein Countries, to be educated in them, before they are Sixteen years old, without Our expreſs leave, under the pains above-mentioned. We do alſo Give in Charge to our beloved and faithful Counſellors that conſtitute Our Court of Parliament of Paris, that they make theſe Preſents to be read, publiſhed, regiſtred, and executed according to their Form and Tenour, without ſuffering them to be contravened in any ſort or manner whatſoever: for ſuch is Our pleaſure. In witneſs whereof, We have put Our Seal to theſe Preſents.

Given at Verſailles the 17th of June, in the year of Lord 1681. and the 39th year of Our Reign.

Signed LEWIS.

In the Counterpart, by the King Colbert. And ſealed with the Great Seal in yellow Wax.

Read, Publiſhed, and Regiſtred at the inſtance of the King's Attorney-General, that they might be executed according to their Form and Tenour, according to the Judgement made the ſaid day at Paris in the Parliament the 8th of July 1681.

Signed James.

An Order of the Council of State.

THe King being informed in Council of the progreſs made in the Catholick Religion in many places of the Lower Poictou, and that ſeveral of the Inhabitants that were ſeduced by errour do reunite themſelves to the Church. And His Majeſty likewiſe conſidering that the chief motive of the Edict of Grace, granted by the late King of glorious Memory, in the year 1629. to his Subjects of the pretended Reformed Religion, was to deface the memory of what was paſt, in hopes that his ſaid Subjects, deveſting themſelves of all paſſions, might be more capable to receive the light of the Goſpel, and to re-enter into the true Faith in which this Kingdom had continued above 1200. years. And whereas the Miniſters of the pretended Reformed Religion, do endeavour by all ſorts of Artifices to obſtruct ſo good a work, which is contrary to his Majeſties intentions; He having thereupon conſidered the Edict of 1629. together with the whole affair, His Majeſty in Council does moſt expreſly forbid all Miniſters, Elders, or others of his Subjects, profeſſing the ſaid pretended Reformed Religion, to uſe any Menaces, Intimidations, Artifices, or any fact whatſoever to hinder the Converſion of thoſe of the pretended Reformed Religion. And forbids all Miniſters and Elders to enter their houſes either by day or by night, except it be to viſit the Sick, and do other functions of their Miniſtry, under the pain of Corporal puniſhment. And His Majeſty ordains that he be informed of the violations of the ſaid Edicts, and of this preſent Order, by the diligent care of his Attorneys; and that proceſs be made againſt the guilty who ſhall violate the ſame, by the Judges to whom the Cognizance of it ought to belong.

Given at St. Clou the 19th of April, 1681.

Signed le Tellier.

Some Particulars extracted out of a Letter of the 29th of June.

WHile our Enemies are every where pulling down our Churches, they procure an Edict, that our Miniſters may not viſit us in our houſes; and ſo they intend to take from us the exerciſe of our Religion both in private and publick. I need not acquaint you with the slight pretences that ſerve to procure a condemnation of our Churches; how weak ſoever it is in Law, and how weakly ſoever it is proved, yet every thing alleadged againſt us is ſufficient. Every complaint made of our Miniſters is believed. We have no more any humane confidence to depend upon: We are impriſoned, and kept there without any thing objected to us. Our Enemies will not be ſo kind as to make us feel all their rage at once, and make us die a ſingle death, but intend to famiſh us, and make us die of hunger; and that not onely of the Word of the Lord, by depriving us of our Churches and Paſtors, but even of our daily bread. In all theſe our ſufferings, we cannot be accuſed of one act of rage againſt our Enemies, or of diſloyalty to our King. And now our miſeries encreaſe upon us, for an Edict is coming out, that our Children at Seven years old may change their Religion. We know what will follow upon us; and that our buſie Enemies will be every where tempting our little ones; ſo that we dare no more reprove or chaſtize them for their faults, leſt we thereby drive them to renounce our holy Faith at an age in which they cannot diſtinguiſh truth from falſhood, nor good from evil. We have nothing left us but to fly to God by Faſting, Mourning, and Prayer; and who knows if he will turn theſe evils from us? In which we humbly beg the aſſiſtance of all our Brethrens Prayers.

§

Printed at London for Andrew Forreſter in Kings ſtreet Weſtminſter. 1681.

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Title statement

The French King's declaration, that the children of those of the pretended reformed religion may change their religion at the age of seven years with a prohibition that those of the said religion may not send their children to be bred in forreign countries : registred in Parliament the 8th day of July new stile, 1681. and printed at Paris.Declaration du Roy, portant que les enfant de la religion pretendue reformée pourront se convetir à l'âge de sept ans. English

France. Sovereign (1643-1715 : Louis XIV)

Edition statement

1681

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Text Creation Partnership,

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Date

2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A49219

ID [STC]

Wing L3116

ID [STC]

ESTC R10009

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

13546474

ID [OCLC]

ocm 13546474

ID [VID]

100143

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A49219)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 100143)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 464:21)

Source

— The French King's declaration, that the children of those of the pretended reformed religion may change their religion at the age of seven years with a prohibition that those of the said religion may not send their children to be bred in forreign countries : registred in Parliament the 8th day of July new stile, 1681. and printed at Paris., Declaration du Roy, portant que les enfant de la religion pretendue reformée pourront se convetir à l'âge de sept ans. English, France. Sovereign (1643-1715 : Louis XIV).

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1 sheet ([1] p.)

for Andrew Forrester ...,. Printed at London :: 1681.. (Caption title.) (Reproduction of original in Huntington Library.)

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