The order followed to demolish unceasingly all the churches of the said
religion situated in the kingdom. It was forbidden to assemble for the
exercise of the said religion, in any place, private house or tenement,
under penalty of confiscation of body and goods. All ministers of the said
religion who would not be converted were enjoined to leave the kingdom in a
fortnight, and divers favors were granted to those who should be converted.
Private schools for instruction of children in the said religion were
interdicted. Children who should be born to those of the said religion
should for the future be baptized by the parish curates, under penalty of a
fine of five hundred livres, and still more, if there were occasion, to
be paid by the parents, and the children should then be brought up in the
Catholic religion. A delay of four months was granted to fugitive Reformers
to leave the kingdom and recover possession of their property; this delay
passed, the property should remain confiscated. It was forbidden anew to
Reformers to leave the kingdom, under penalty of the galleys for men,
and confiscation of body and goods for women. The declarations against
backsliders were confirmed.
A last article, probably obtained by the representations of the Colberts,
declared that the Reformers, "till it should please God to enlighten them
like others, should be permitted to dwell in the kingdom, in strict loyalty
to the King, to continue there their commerce and enjoy their goods,
without being molested or hindered under pretext of the said religion."
The Edict of Revocation was sent in haste to the governors and intendants,
without waiting for it to be registered, which took place in the Parliament
of Paris, October 22d. The intendants were instructed not to allow the
ministers who should abandon the country to dispose of their real estate,
or to take with them their children above seven years of age: a monstrous
dismemberment of the family wrought by an arbitrary will that recognized
neither natural nor civil rights! The King recommended a milder course
toward noblemen, merchants, and manufacturers; he did not desire that
obstinacy should be shown "in compelling them to be converted immediately
without exception" "by any considerable violence."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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