Page:Protestant Exiles from France Agnew vol 2.djvu/34

 The peroration of the original contained more details, and the protestation was ambassadorial both in form and in tone, thus:—

“But in the meanwhile, and till it shall please God in his mercy to bring that happy event to pass, lest we should be wanting to the justice of our cause, we desire that this Account, which contains our Just Complaints, may serve for a Protestation before heaven and earth against all the violences we have suffered in the Kingdom of France. Against all the arrests, declarations, edicts, regulations, and all other ordinances of what nature soever, which our enemies have caused to be published to the prejudice of the Edict of Nantes. Against all sort of Acts, signatures, or verbal declarations expressing an abjuration of our — and the profession of the Romish — religion, which fear, torture, and a superior power have extorted from us or from our brethren. Against the plunder that has been already, or shall hereafter be, committed of our goods, houses, effects, debts, trusts, rents, lands, inheritances, and revenues, common or private, either by way of confiscation or by any other way whatsoever, as unjust, treacherous, and violent, committed only by a superior power in full peace, contrary both to reason and the laws of nature and the rights of all society, and injurious to all mankind. But especially we protest against the edict of the 18th of October 1685, containing the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, as a manifest abuse of the King’s justice, authority, and royal power, since the Edict of Nantes was in itself inviolable and irrevocable, above the reach of any human power, designed for a standing agreement and concordat between the Roman Catholics and us, and a fundamental law of the realm, which no authority on earth has power to infringe or annul. We protest likewise against all the consequences which may follow such a revocation, against the extinction of the exercise of our religion throughout the whole Kingdom of France, against all the ignominies and cruelties committed upon dead bodies by depriving them of Christian burial and exposing them in the fields to be devoured by ravenous beasts, or dragging them ignominiously through the streets upon hurdles — against the taking away children by force, and the orders given to fathers and mothers to cause them to be baptised and educated by Romish priests. But above all, we protest against that impious and abominable position, which is now-a-days made the general rule in France, by which religion is made to depend on the pleasure and despotic power of a mortal prince, and perseverance in the faith branded with the names of Rebellion and Treason — which is to make of a man a god, and tends to the introducing and authorising of Atheism and Idolatry. We protest moreover against all manner of violent and inhuman detaining of our brethren in France, whether in prisons, gallies, or monasteries, or any other confinements, to hinder them from leaving the kingdom, and going to see in foreign countries that liberty of conscience they cannot enjoy in their own — which is the utmost pitch of brutish cruelty and hellish iniquity. Lastly, we protest against whatsoever we may of right protest against, and declare that such is our meaning that things not expressed be comprehended under those that are here expressed. We most humbly supplicate all Kings, Princes, Sovereign Lords, States and Nations, and generally all persons of what condition soever, to be graciously pleased that these our lawful and indispensable protestations, which in the simplicity and sincerity of our hearts we are obliged to make and do make accordingly, may serve, before God and before them, as a standing testimony for us and our posterity, for the preservation of our rights and for the discharge of our consciences.”

Cotemporary news and reflections concerning this book are worth quoting. John Evelyn wrote as to 5th May 1686:— “This day was burnt in the Old Exchange, by the common hangman, a translation of a book written by the famous Monsieur Claude, relating only matters of fact concerning the horrid massacres and barbarous proceedings of the French King against his Protestant subjects, without any refutation of any facts therein; so mighty a power and ascendant here had the French Ambassador, who was doubtless in great indignation at the pious and truly generous charity of all the nation for the relief of those miserable sufferers who came over for shelter.” Sir John Kramston (in his Autobiography, Camden Society imprint, page 228), writes:— “The French King, having taken away all the edicts of his predecessors giving liberty to those subjects of different religion (called commonly Hugonets), required all to conform to the Roman Catholic religion by a certain day, and having pulled down their churches, enforcing many to mass, banishing the ministers and compelling the laity to conform, many got away, leaving behind them their estates. At first he let some go on those terms, which afterwards he refused; and if he took them flying, he sent them to the gallics, and used unheard-of cruelties, so that thousands got away into Switzerland, the Low Countries, and into England. Some having escaped thus, a narrative or history of the persecution was writ and printed, both in French and English, which the French Ambassador complained of to the King and Council, and obtained an order for burning a copy both of the French and English, which was done on Friday, the 8th of May 1686, at the Exchange in London, by the hangman; yet had his Majesty granted a Brief and great collections made for relief of such French Protestants as fled hither (for religion) for protection.” 