A True and Perfect Relation of the New Invented Way OF Persecuting the Protestants in FRANCE.  
TOGETHER With the Manner, Time and Place, when and where it first begun to Act: As also an Exact Account after what manner it is pursued contrary to the Privileges granted to them by King Henry the 4th. Lewis the 13th. and this King now Reigning; viz.  
BY the Edict of Nantz, on the 6th general Article, and the first particular Act, Liberty of Conscience, without Let or Molestation, is there most expressly promised to all Protestants that were then, or should be hereafter; and by the 7 h general Act is granted full Exercise of the Protestant Religion, and to several Noblemen Liberty to Preach in their houses, and to have Churches in their Burroughs. By the 37th Article it is said, That all the Protestants shall enjoy all Offices and Honours in all places of the King's Territories; and that they shall be no more charged nor oppressed with Impositions ordinary or extraordinary, than the Catholics; and in order thereunto it is said in the 30,31, and 57 Acts, that the Protestants shall assist as Judges in the Parliaments, & Chambers as Demy-parties; that is to say, half Papist, and half Protestants to Judge, without Appeal, of all Differences that they might have with their fellow-subjects. Lewis the 13th confirmed it by his Declaration of the 22th of May 1610. This King hath also assured all Europe, by several Authentic Declarations, that he would maintain the Edict of Nants, according to the desire of his Grandfather, who had made it an irrevocable Law, in regard of the faithful Service they did tender to the Crown, having testified an inviolable Loyalty to him in all his troubles, it is notorious to all the world, that they have freely spent their Lives and Fortunes to defend him, and have continued the same for this King against the Prince of Conde, and all his Enemies. Notwithstanding all that, the said King hath taken away all the Civil Offices from the Protestants, by a Declaration of the 6th of November 1679. and of the 23d of August 1680. The 20th of November 1679. it is ordered by a Declaration, That there shall be no Synod without the King's leave, and without a Papist Commissary. March 1679. The 13th day a Declaration forbidding them that are turned Papists ever to turn Protestants again, upon Confiscation of their Estates, and other Penalties. 1680. June 25. Another Declaration, forbidding Papists to turn Protestants 1680. August the 27th. Another Declaration forbidding Protestants to have any Concern in His Majesty's Farms, or any other Offices. 1680. Novemb. 18. The King hath Ordered, that Accounts should be given of the Money that hath been gathered in the Protestant Churches, since the year 1670. they not knowing his design. At the same time another Declaration which saith, That any Protestant that will turn Papist, shall not be compelled to pay any Debts during three years; which is for ever; nor shall they have any increase in their Taxes. 1680. Decemb. 2. Another Declaration which order the Justices to visit the Sick; and the said Justices turn all the people out of their houses, and say what they please to the Sick, and so report that he will die a Catholic; and if he dieth, they take their Children, and their Estates; so bring them up as they please. 1681; April 11. A Gratification is published for them that will turn Papists, saying, They shall have no Charge of Soldiers during two years, nor pay any Contribution. 1681. May 3. It is forbidden by another Declaration, to all Protest. Tradesmen, to take any Apprentice Protestant nor Papist. 1681. July 8. A Declaration that giveth leave to all Children seven years old, to turn Papists against their Parents will. 1681. July 4. An Order to proceed against the Ministers, which did not give a right Explication to the King's Declaration of the 19th of May last. Several Colleges have been abolished; and it is not suffered to have any Schoolmasters, but where there is Churches, and but one in every place. 1681. July 9 The King did order there should be no more Academy at Sedan. 1680. Feb. 20. The Protestant Midwives are forbidden to make use any more of their Employments. 1681. Novemb. 4. A Declaration by which it is ordered, That whereas several Churches have been demolished, and several Ministers of those places have gone to other Churches to Preach, His Majesty, to lessen the number, hath declared, That Synods should not send any such Ministers to Preach; and that there should be no more Ministers in the Churches that remain, than there was before the Last Synod.  
AT Poitiers, the Chief City of Poicton, several Priests and other Persons were appointed to go to several Protestants houses to offer them Corn and Money if they were willing to go to Mass: some did accept of it, others did not; according to their bargain they were paid, and so turned Papists: this continued about 3 weeks; then they set out Proclamations that such People that would go to Mass, might come to such places, there they should be very well entertained with money. Several People did scorn their proffers, others did lay hold of them; this lasted 3 weeks more, and the People that employed themselves about such work, had a Crown for their pains, of as many Persons as they got.  
In April the Bishop of Poitiers took a Journey through all his Diocese, and in every place he went, caused all the people that were Protestants too come to him, telling them that the King's intent was to have all his Subjects Papists, their best was to do it in time, and that he had order to give them money. I shall here mark the answer of a Country sellow, called Peter Fovet of Kovures, who said, truly my Lord, when I go to a market to Exchange a Horse, if I give Boot, it is because I would have a  than mine; therefore I think my Religion better than yours, because you give money to Boot. However, many did take money and left their Religion; the said Bishop using many words and promises to them, beside the money he gave. About the Latter end of May the Intendant of that Province took a Journey in most places where there were Protestants. He did send for the people, as the Bishop had done before, but was very harsh to them, saying, they must go to Mass, if they did not, their houses should be well furnished with Soldiers: some did scorn his proffers and threats, others did turn. At the beginning of June there went a Company of Troupers to a place called Melle; they all Lodged at the Protestants houses, and utterly ruined them, causing the Inhabitants to find abundance of provisions more than they needed, making great spoil with Dogs and Horses and Money every morning, some 20, 30, 40, Livres of their Landlord; they had Featherbeds and clean Linen carried into stables to lay their Horses upon. At the same time a Company of Troupers went to a great Burrough called Exondun, acting the same thing: some changed, others absented themselves. At the same time they went to a place called Eschiré, the Lord of that place is a Protestant, Monsieur De La Tailléé: They did proceed as in the places aforesaid; the people did submit as long as they had moneys in hopes it would not last long. But being no more able to entertain them at such Rates, some did forsake their houses, others did turn; then they took to Ride up and down in every Village, thereabouts, in several Protestant houses acting the same. The Lord of Baisragen gave a visit to the Intendant, making complaints of the Soldier's misbehaviours; his Answer was to him, That his Burrow should have a share; the said Lord told him, none should Lodge there without the King's special order; the Intendant obtained the same, and withal, to take him Prisoner, which was Executed and he was carried to Bourdeaux in Charteau Trumpette, where he is, still and the Soldiers did utterly ruin the Place; then they went to Cherneux, and St. Gallais, the Lords of them places are Papists, and there acted as before in Protestant houses only. They went also to St. Maxire to Villiers, to Mursay, and to a place called Bennet, six miles distant from Niort, drawing towards Low Poicton; there the People after great sufferings, fled into the Fields, and hid themselves night and day; the Soldiers having notice of it by some Papist, hunted them poor People with Dogs, misused them, and brought them to their houses again; some did turn, others resisted. In July they went to St. Elemoy to Panpron, to Sansay, to Bagneau, and Chenay, there acting the same things. They were also at a considerable Town called Lusignan, there dealing as wickedly as in other places; then they came round about St. Maixant, in all the Burroughs joining the Gates, acting the same Cruelties, but went not into the Town. They went also at Aigonnay and Chefboutowne, and other places which I name not here. Several Gentlemen were appointed to go to Paris, to acquaint the King of those wicked proceed, (the Marquis of Venours and his Son, who have been great sufferers for speaking the truth to the King: the rest of the Deputies were sent to the Marquis of Rivigny, not being admitted to speak to the King.) The Governor of Poicton called the Duke La Vien Villes, was ordered to go in his Government, and there to hear the Complaints of all them that were molested; upon that the said Protestants did rejoice at the Governors' Arrival. Several Complaints made to him, his Answer was, he could not believe there was so much mischief done, and that in few days he would see Mon. Marilac Intendant; when they had spoken together, the Intendant did send eight Soldiers where there was but four before, and so jested, and asked if they had not good Justice of the Governor.  
In July the Bishop of Lucon gave the Governor a Visit; after that the Governor did send his Guards, seven, or eight at a time in a house, dealing as wickedly with the People in the Low Poicton as the Dragoons had done in other places; this lasted about a month, than the Bishop of Lucon had a Jubilee, he employed himself to draw the People to him. After that the Soldiers did return again to Bennet, they finding neither Money nor Victuals in the Houses of the People that was returned; they thinking the business over (the Soldiers misused them, and caused many to turn;) the Soldier finding nothing to feed themselves at the Houses of them that persisted did repair to the Chief Commanders to acquaint them of the same, desiring other Quarters; their answer was, That as long as there was any Movables in their Houses, they should have no other quarters, but should sell it all fo● their subsistence. At a place called Champdenie, a Market-town, many Families did forsake their houses, and carried away the best goods they had, having notice the Soldiers were to come there; whereupon the Intendant did proclaim, That all the Inhabitants of that Province, that had absented themselves for fear of lodging Soldiers, should forthwith return to their houses upon the Penalty of five hundred Livres; but very few did obey.  
In August the Soldiers had Liberty to go where they pleased, except in the Cities, and had no other Orders but a Bill from the Priests of every Parish; in which was written, such a man is an Huguenot, and so there lodged at discretion, that did occasion many Labouring men to fly, and several did forsake their Corn in the Fields, which never was cut down, but destroyed. They did take some Peasant's, and burned their wooden Shoes, their feet being therein. James Panon did suffer this, and did not change his Religion. The Officers that are committed for the Taxes, called Elus, went about in every Parish to take a Lift of what Protestants remained; also an account of what means they had, to the end and purpose, as I shall tell hereafter in the New Way of Persecuting.  
In September the Soldiers went to Partenay, and the neighbouring Places; and because the People began to run away at their coming, they went no more in the day, but in the night, and so did Catch the People in their houses, and keep them in torments until they Changed, or made their Escape. In the same month went a Company to a place called La Motte; the Lord of it is called Count Parabelle, a Papist; they surprised the Protestants in their houses; that place was thought full of Religious people, and that would sooner have lost their Estates, than their Religion, but it proved otherwise; they stood but three days, except twenty that absented themselves: They did also great Cruelties at Coulonge; then the Soldiers took their March, where they had been before to see if any were returned, and so continued their wickedness, which occasioned many to turn and them that would not, did forsake the Kingdom.  
The Priests all the Kingdom over, did forbid the People to buy any Goods of the Protestants; so that if any was sold, it was by stealth; laying upon the Buyers a great Charge, saying, These People have no Religion, their Means are their Gods; to save them they will turn to us; and the want of Money will keep them here; but if they have Money, they will return into the Heretics Country; and you that buy such Goods must needs be damned, and suffer double pains, because you are a help or instrument to convey those People from the true Faith; upon that all manner of Goods were cheap; but several of them did buy secretly such Goods as they did forbid others to buy. The Magistrates of every place did also forbid to buy any thing of the Protestants upon great penalties. From Niort a great Town in the said Province, several Gentlemen, Women, and Children shipped themselves upon the River of Maran; the Magistrates of that place having notice of the same, Commanded some Soldiers to follow them, and they were taken at a place called LaRouseille, & plundered; they did undress the Women & Children, & found Gold hid in their young Babes clouts, and elsewhere, amounting to considerable Sums, and carried them back at Niort, the Men put in Prison, the Women and Children at the Hospital: Complaint being made to the Intendant, he ordered, that if they would not turn, they should remain there until they had spent their money at the rate of six pence per day for every Person, at several places the Soldiers made people sit up night and day, without sleeping, taking by turn, drinking, and eating, making the People of the House continually to wait upon them, and so caused the death of many. They have carried old People in sheets to Church, & there made them say that they were Roman Catholics, & if they recanted, to be hanged, as Apostates. They have beaten many, & drawn about the streets by the hair: If a Papist oweth to a Protestant moneys upon a petition, supposing the Protestant intends to withdraw himself, the Papist shall obtain daley at his pleasure, A very great volume might be made of all their Cruelties; the People being thus perplexed, begun in July to draw towards Rochel, to seek a retreat into the Protestant Princes Countries, in England chief, under the Right Defender of the Faith. The People were suffered at first to ship themselves with what Goods they had to carry; it lasted so until September, than they did hinder them to carry any thing, the Customers were forbidden to clear any manner of Householdstuff; but the People were suffered to go in quiet, provided they carried nothing, not so much as a Bed or Covering; that lasted until the middle of Octob. Then one Mr. Thomas Tailor of Southampton was stopped within the Digue at Rochel, with 200 Passengers, pretending to confiscate his Ship, by reason of his Shipping of them; the Ship was brought in the Harbour, and a Messenger sent to the Intendant of Rochefort, which did nothing in it, but said he would write to Court; in the mean time a Merchant of Rochel arrested the Goods that were aboard, belonging to one Mr. Mesuire Frighter, to which he was indebted, but the said Tailor hath since been absolutely cleared of his pretended Crime.  

The New Way of Persecution.  
THE Officers for the Taxes called Elus, having informed the Intendant of every man's faculty, he at his discretion layeth Taxes upon the Protestants; several that have not three hundred Livres per annum, are Taxed at a thousand Livres; and the whole Taxes of a Town are jointly and severally upon the Inhabitants, so that they may take one man for the whole payment, and let him recover it when he can, and that in regard of Protestants only. They have imprisoned several Ministers.  
They take review of all the process that hath been made within this 25 years, and if they find any considerable, wherein a Protestant hath had the best of it, they recall it, and say, there was a mistake, and that it must be Examined anew by the Intendant, and so cast the poor Protestant, unless he will turn Papist. By a Proclamation set forth by the Intendant of Rochefort, it was said that no ships should undertake to transport any of the King's Subjects, upon Penalty of 3000 Livres, and Officers set out to lay hold of all the Protestants that had left their houses, calling them deserters, and several hundred taken prisoners, which after many Sufferings have been let out; but having their liberty, they did their endeavour to ship themselves, which several have done in the night. The second of December there was a Scotch ship that took in about 100 passengers; at the last Boats coming off from a place called Point of Minisme near the Digue at Rochel, there came several armed men who Commanded the boat to return one the shore, and bring the people again, upon denial they did discharge their muskets and shot one man thorough the body, belonging to Mr. Martin (sloop) of La Flatte● and wounded another in the head, belonging to St. Martin's in the Isle of Re. Those wicked Papists are so malicious, and inhuman, that they are not contented withal the suffering; that they have had in France, they follow them in England; they have acted, and do act every day many unhandsome tricks, and strive to put it upon them, that they may be odious to the People of England, to draw back their Charity from them▪ Therefore it is no wonder at the People's coming so poor into this Country; considering how they are persecuted; the Trade's men will soon be able to get their living, but men that lived by their Estates, that had Lands, and Houses, to farm to Tenants cannot bring them, and many that Traded, and had considerable Sums of Money due by them that are ruined, will be the greater Sufferers, unless some care be taken to procure them some employment. It is the Condition of him that giveth this Relation; for the severity of that Government makes poor at best, and so together with the Priest Menaces for none to buy, and the Persecution so violent, no Protestants can bring any thing away.    

Published by Richard Janaway. 1682.