The 4. of November.
THE PEACE OF FRANCE. OR THE EDICT, WITH THE Articles of Peace, granted by the French King vnto his Subiects of the Reformed Religion.
For the establishing of a firme and generall Peace throughout the whole Kingdome of FRANCE.
Given at his Campe before Mompellier the nineteenth day of October. 1622.
¶ Faithfully Translated out of the French Copie.
LONDON, Printed by I.D. for Nathaniel Newbery, and are to be sold at his Shop vnder S. Peters Church in Cornehill, and in Popes-head Alley at the Starte. 1622.
THE PEACE OF FRANCE, OR THE EDICT, WITH THE Articles of Peace; granted by the French King, vnto his Subiects of the Reformed Religion.
LEWIS, by the Grace of God, King of France and Navare. To all those which shal see these presents Greeting. As a Christian & Godly Prince which feareth God, ought to abhorre the effusion or shedding of the blood of man, who is created in the Image of God: So is hee likewise bound and tyed not onely to shunne the occasions of Civill and Domesticke warre, for to reunite his Subiects, and to make them liue vnder the Lawes of [...] [Page 4] Religion, haue afterwards gotten better inspirations, and acknowledged their faults, and haue taken their Refuge to Our Clemencie and Bountie, by their most humble Petitions, which they haue sent vnto Vs by expresse Deputies, desiring Vs to graunt them pardon, and to abolish the memorie of all things past, and to receiue & hold them hereafter as Our other loyall Subiects, in Our favour and countenance. Wee inclining alwayes rather to Clemencie and Mercifulnesse, then to goe on with rigour, and Our iust Armes; Notwithstanding, that Wee haue advanced much by the same, and were likely to get more.
And having regard vnto their submissions and duties, and being desirous to settle the Peace in Our Kingdome, and to revnite all our Subiects in Amitie and Concord amongst themselues, and to cause a generall and vniforme Obeysance to Vs, and for other weightie reasons and considerations moving Vs therevnto. With the advise of the Princes, Dukes, Peeres, Officers of Our Crowne, and the principall Councellers [Page 5] of Our State. We haue sayd, ordayned, and declared, We say, ordayne, and declare by these Presents, signed by Our owne hand.
We will and are pleased;
I.
THat the Edict of Nantes, the Declarations, and secret Articles which are Registred in Our Courts of Parliament, shall be kept in good fayth to Our Subiects of the Pretended Reformed Religion in all poynts, as they haue well and duely enioyed the same in the time of the late King Our most honoured and renowned Lord and Father (whom God absolue) and likewise since Our comming to the Crowne, vntill these troubles happened.
II.
THat the exercise of the Catholike Apostolike, and Romaine Religion shall be settled & established in all places and quarters within this Kingdome, and the Countries vnder Our obeysance, where it hath ceased, and be there freely and peaceably continued without any trouble, forbidding [...]
authoritie, and shall willingly open the gates vnto Vs, shall enioy the contents of this Declaration.
VI.
VVE expresly forbid herewithall Our Subiects of the pretended reformed Religion all kind of generall and particular Assemblies, circuits, Counsels, lesser Synods and all other of what qualitie soever they may be, vpon paine of high Treason, vnlesse thay haue an expresse permission of vs: being onely permitted vnto them the meetings at their Consistories, Colloquies, and Synods, for meere Ecclesiasticall affayres, expresly prohibiting them to treate of any politike affayres, vpon the penaltie aforesayd.
VII.
OVr aforesaid Subiects of the pretended Reformed Religion, shall be discharged of all acts of Hostilitie, of all generall and particular Assemblies, circuits, and of all other things generally, being contained in the Articles 76. & 77. of our Edict of Nantes, since the first of Ianuary. 1621. vntill this present: therein not comprehending the execrable [Page 9] cases which are specified, and declared in the 86. Article of the sayd Edict, of which the Iudges may determine as the matter shall require if any complaine.
VIII.
ANd concerning that which is happened at the Towne of Privas, We will it to be abolished particularly to the Inhabitants of the sayd place, and likewise to the Lord of Brison.
IX.
ANd for those which are accomptable, & other Officers touching the dealings of their charges, the Articles 78. and 79. of the sayd Edict of Nantes, shall bee entierly kept and observed.
X.
ANd particularly concerning the Iudgements, & Sentences given against those of the sayd Religion which haue borne Armes, they shall be discharged thereof according to the Articles 58. & 59. and 60. of of the sayd Edict. So likewise Wee haue strengthened & confirmed, We strengthen and confirme the Iudgements given by the Councells and Iudges, established by the [...]
to be made in what maner soever. We charge Our Procurators or Atturnies Generall, and their Substitutes to set hand thereunto and to vse to the same effect all their best endevours and aydes required vnto the same. For such is Our pleasure. In witnesse whereof, We haue caused Our Seale to be affixed on these presents. Given in the Campe before Mompellier, the nineteene day of October, in the yeare of Grace 1622. and of Our Raigne the thirteene.
LOVIS par la grace de Dieu Roy de France et de Nauarre. A tous ceux qui ces presentes lettres verront, Salut. Comme tout Prince Chrestien et craignant Dieu doit auoir en horreur l'effusiō du sang de l'homme crèe a l'image du tout puissant, aussi est il tenu et obligè non seulement d'euiter les occasions de guerre ciuile et domestique pour revnir et faire viuxe ses subiects sous les loix de l'Estat en bonne concorde et obeissance; la mesme bontè Diuine qui a cognu nostre coeur, depuis quil luy à pleu nous appeller au regime et gouuernement de ceste monarchie Francoise, est Iuge de nostre interieur: Et chacun sçait aussi que nos armes ont esté autant iustes que forcèes et necessaires pour le soustien et defence de nostre Authoritè; soit contre ceux qui du commencement sous diuers pretextes empruntes, ont excitè le trouble durant nostre minoritè, ou depuis contre nos subiects saisans profession de la Religion Pretendue Reformeè, abuses et surpris de l'artifice d'aucuns d'iceux, qui ont cuidè profiter autant de lour simplicitè, que de la diuision publique de nostre Royaume; ores que nostre intention n'ait iamais estè autre (a l'exemple des Roys nos predicesseurs d'heureuse memoire) que de les maintenir en bonne paix et vnion dans le deuoir et obeissance qui nous est deüe sous le benefice de nos Edits, et de les traicter comme nos bons et fidelles subiects, quand
3.
Comme aussi l'exercice de la Religion pretendue Reformée sera restabli aux lieux ou il estoit suiuant nostre Edit, declarations et concessions: et les sieges de Iustice, burauex de recepte, et officiers de finances seront restablis en mesme estat es villes ou ils estoyent establis auant ces derniers mouuemens: hormis la chambre de Nerac qui sera establis en tel lieu que nous auiserons bon estre; apres auoir entendu les remonstrances des Deputes de nostre prouince de Guyenne.
4.
Voulons aussi que toutes fortifications nouuelles, des villes places chasteaux et forteresses tenues par nos dits subiects de la Religion pretendue Reformèe, et specialement celles qui ont esté faites en l'Isle de Rè et Oleron soyent entierement demolies et raçees, demeurans les antiennes, les murailles, tours, portaux, losses et contrescarpes en leur estat: auec defence a toutes lesdittes villes de plus fortifier de nouueau: et que pour leffect desdites demolitions, l'ostages des principaux habitans desdites villes, seront mis es mains de ceux qui nous plaira d'ordonnér pour lexecution du dit raçement.
5.
Afin que les Officiers de nostre couronne ou autres commissaires deputes puissent faire executer le contenu cydessus suiuant les instructions qui leur en seront données, entendons que toutes les villes de ladite Religion pretendue Reformèe qui dans quinze iours apres la publicatiō des presentes se soumettront a nostre obeissance, et nous ouuriront volontairement les portes, ioüissent du contenu de la presente declaration:
6.
Defendons tresexpressement a nosdits subiects de la Religion pretendue Reformée toutes sortes d'Assembleés generales et particulieres, cercles, conseils, abredges de Synodes, et toutes autres de quelques qualites quelles puissent estre, a peine de crime de leze maieste, s'ls n'ont expresse permission de nous: ains seulement leur sont permises les assembleés des Consistoires, Colloques, Synodes, pour pures affaires Ecclesiastiques, auec inhibitions tresexpresses, dy traiter d'aucune affaire politique, sur les peines que dessus.
7.
Demeureront aussi nosdits subiects de la Religion pretendue Reformeé, decharges de tous actes d'hostilite, de toutes assemblées generales et particulieres, cercles, abredges, et de toutes autres choses generalement quelconques contenues es Articles 76. et 77.
executer it content [...] do [...]nons mandemen [...] [...] les geus tenans nos cours de [...] l'Edit, Baillifs, Seneschaux, ou leues [...] touts autres nos [...]ciers et officers [...] des, queces pre [...] ils facent [...] [...]trer chacun en d [...] soy, et le con [...] [...] der et obseruer inuiolablement [...] teneur sans y contreuenir [...]y souffriry est [...] [...] enaucune maniere. Enjoig [...] [...] generaux et leurs substituts [...] faire pour cest effect toute [...] instances [...] requisitions necessaires, [...]ar tel est nostre [...] tesmoigne dequoy nous auous fair met [...]re nostre [...] ces presentes. Donne au camp de Mompell [...] 19 iour d'Octobre l'an de grace 1622. et nostre [...] le 13.