YOur most humble Subjects and servants the Deputies assembled in the Nationall Synod at Charenton , acknowledging with thankfulnesse , the freedome and liberty which they doe injoy by your Maiesties gracious permission : Come now in our persons to bend their knees and humbly to bow themselves before your Majesty , to doe you homage and reverence . With all the sensiblenesse of your favour , and so much thankfulnesse as the spirit of man is capable of . O Soveraigne they cannot but admire the providence of God , who hath bent and inclined your Royall heart towards them , & also towards those which they have sent from all parts of your Kingdome , and your Majesties clemencie , who hath pursued and followed these kinde and favourable inclinations , after so many and lamentable desolations , granting them the gracious sight of the favourable face of their Soveraigne , and being present to the eyes of all France , to treate upon matters concerning their Religion , and to care the most humble supplications which they make to your Maiesty . This favour , Deare Soveraigne , they are more sensible of , than they can sufficiently meditate on , or verbally expresse . Yea , the same gracious favour , hath reduced us unto those duties , which both Nature and Conscience hath so strictly tyed us , and which devoir and obedience is so particularly recommended unto us , by the same Religion which we professe and teach : namely , to worship your Maj. as being the lively Image of God amongst us . And to keepe your Commandement ( after those in Theology ) inviolable , and with all obedience and conscience , to depend wholly on your authority , and to have no other but your fatherly care and providence , for our defence and protection . As likewise to pray God from the intimate and sincere desires of our hearts , for the conservation and prosperity of your sacred person , the peace and greatnesse of your state , the glory of your Crowne and name , and the happy and good successe of all your magnanimous enterprizes ; and to exhort and instigate all your Subiects , which are of the same profession with us , freely to spend their lives , and spill their bloud for the service of your Maj. upon all occasions . To this end , we come to request your Maj. to assure your selfe that they all have a Cordiall devotion , and entyre resolution to this effect .

But , O Soveraigne , as your goodnesse & clemency doth excite & strengthen in us these good intentions , and motions , so likewise doth the same yeeld the boldnesse to complain before your gracious Maj. in all profound humility , that these good effects of your Maj gracious pleasure towards us , are in divers places hindered and stayed by evil oppositions . For notwithstanding your Maj. hath by solemne declarations from time to time confirmed his Edicts for the freedome and liberty of the exercise of our Religion , neverthelesse within this 3. yeares the same liberty hath utterly beene taken away , beyond the former disputations , In Xaintonge in 24. places , in Sevennes in 19. In lower Languedocke in 20. in Vivarets in 29. and likewise in many places more , which as yet have not obtained their reestablishment . As for the remainder of our Churches , in the use of the benefits of your Edicts , a great part of the same will utterly be lost in a moment , if those arrests given in your Maj. owne Councell , for the prohibiting of Ministers to preach in places remote from their owne habitations and abode , be put in execution .

In the yeare 1623. we were forbidden by your Maiesty from thence forward to receive any Ministers that were strangers borne . Vnto which we have with great respect and submission willingly obeyed . But now this prohibition , as by your Maj. Commissaries extended even to those places which are within your Maj. own protection . Which formerly hath not beene so , and which unto us seemes a very strange restraint of our ancient liberties , and unto those Countries , a testimony of the diminution of your Maj. good will towards them .

But O Soveraigne , here is that which is worse , namely that notwithstanding by your Maj. owne Edicts , liberty be granted unto us , to preach the doctrine of our beliefe , neverthelesse many of our Ministers are extreamly prosecuted by Proctors generall , in the Parliament of Toulouse and Bordeaux , and especially for this cause , namely for preaching that which by your Maj. permission , and your predecessor before you , long since , hath beene preached publikely in your Kingdome .

Neither are the Ministers only those that doe tast of , & are experienced with the malice borne to our Religion , but all the rest are equally sensible thereof . For so far is it from thence , that any of our Religion is admitted vnto any eminent charge within your Parliaments , that the very meane Proctors are quite rejected . Yea in the inferior places , the very Sergeants are repulsed . In the Vniversities the Dignity & title of a Dr. is refused , be it either to those that desire to proceed in Physick or other profession . In your common Cities and Townes , freedome is denyed unto them in the meanest and poorest Mechanich Trades . Notwithstanding that your Maj. Edicts in these things , afford all your subjects an equall condition .

As for the liberty which it hath pleased your Majesty to use towards us a long time , and the continuation of the which , we have alwayes hoped for , and especially we expected as much at Castres , as also verified to us by many grants which have so favourably accompanied your Maj. mercifull grace towards us ; there have many yeares passed in the which we have seene no effects at all of the same . Thus is the testimony of your Maj. gracious favour and good will toward , cut off and obscured . And so presently we are deprived of that just and reasonable recompence , which was granted unto us ( by your late Father of glorious and immortall memory ) for the tythes which we doe pay unto the Clergy .

And whereas our Synods are so conducent and profitable for our subsistence , and notwithstanding the same , be so openly tolerated by your Majesties owne Edicts , neverthelesse , we doe meet with abundance of opposition and contradiction . The Lords , the Governours of your Provinces , eyther refusing , or otherwise delaying the nomination of the Commissaries .

As for that Synod Naitonal which now by your Gracious permission we are assembled at , give us leave to tell you , O Soveraigne , that after wee had waited 5. yeares , the same was interdicted and prohibited to M. Basnage , M. Bouterove , and Berault , who were deputed and thereunto , and who should neyther have voyce nor agreement there , but onely for your Maj. service . Lastly , ( which indeed we cannot speake or expresse without feare and trembling , & which we hope will move your compassion ) your Maj. hath granted a free pardon to so many others , yet above 2. hundred Protestants at this day , remaining in Gallyes and other flaveries , are kept in that miserable , ignominious , and wofull suffering . O lamenaable mishap , which returnes us backe to the wounds and suffering , for the cause of our Profession , and which will not yeeld unto our posterity the just cause of acknowledging those royall vertues in your Maj. but will diminish the splendor of the glory of your Maj. clemency .

Wherefore ( deare Soveraigne ) we doe must humbly intreat and supplicate your Maj. by the Authority which your lawes ought to have amongst all your Subjects , by the constancy and firmenesse of your Royall word , by the equity and Iustice which hath procured you a title more glorious than that of Alexander , or Caesar , by the Debonarith and meeknesse , which is as it were naturall to your Maj. and in the which are ingraven all the good actions of Princes , by your liberality ; a vertue so worthy of a great King , and by the tendernesse of your compassions , in the which humaine Nature doth approach unto Divine , more than in any thing , that you would be pleased for the restauration of the poore dispersed Churches , to regrant the ancient vigour unto your Edicts , to revoke the stayes and obstacles and arrests , which teare and rent them in pieces . To permit that we may receive into our Ministery , those who are borne in the Soveraignties and Common-weales of your Maj. protection , to cause all prosecutions of your Proctors , generall to cease against us , and to impose silence upon them , to open againe unto us the entrance into our Trades and functions . And if so far we may finde grace in the face of your Maj to grant unto us ( in publike charges and dignities ) assignations and assurance for what is past , and order for the time to come , to ease by your authority , the stay and detainement of our Synods , Provincionall , and Nationall , to restore vnto those aboue mentioned , the place which their Deputation gave them , to give Charge and command , that the chaynes and shackles of those miserable Caitiffes which in so long space haue had no comfort or hope heretofore , but onely in the very thought and meditation of your Majesties clemency . And if it shall please your Maj. to receive our most humble request , and grant them , and give vs the assurance of the same , by causing favourably and promptly answer to be given by the Lords of your Councell , to the end that with great contentment wee may carry backe with vs satisfaction to all those who have sent vs , and may disperse the Ioy thereof into all the Provinces of your Majesties Kingdome : Besides the acclamation of so many thousands which expect so good tydings , and the delight which will returne backe to your Majesties owne heart . For having imitated God himselfe , who delights in the exercise of Iustice and Mercy , to whomsoever hee is pleased to retaine ; your Majest . shall receive for recompence , the abundant benedictions from Heaven , which wee will draw downe vpon your head by our ardent vowes , and assiduall prayers . For as concerning the Affection which wee ought to have vnto your Majesties service , although indeed by your Beneficence , you might augment and redouble our Obligations , yet wee dare boldly and humbly protest , that the same is come to that point . ( O Soveraigne ) that henceforward it is almost impossible that the same should be increased .

And although heretofore wee have not in obedience beene inferiour to the best of your Maiesties Subiects , yet in time to come wee will surpasse and abound more and more , to which end wee will adde all our endevours .