THE FRENCH KING'S DECLARATION MADE IN FAVOUR OF THE PRINCES, Dukes, Peers, Officers of the Crown, Lords, Gentlemen, and others, who had withdrawn themselves from his Majesty.  
PUBLISHED IN PARLIAMENT the twelfth of May, 1617.  
Translated out of the French Copy.  BY WISDOM PEACE BY PEACE PLENTY 
LONDON Printed by Felix Kyngston for William Arondell, at the Angel in Paul's Churchyard. 1617.   

THE FRENCH KING'S DECLARATION MADE IN FAVOUR OF the Princes, Dukes, Peers, Officers of the Crown, Lords, Gentlemen, and others who had withdrawn themselves from his Majesty.  
Published in Parliament the 12. of May▪ 1617.  
LEWIS, By the grace of God, King of France and Navarre, to all present, and to come, greeting. Our commandment (since the death of the Marshal d' Ancre) having been so readily obeyed, by the Princes, Dukes, Peers, Officers of our Crown, Lords, Gentlemen, Officers of our sovereign Courts, and all such as were their followers, against whom we had decreed our Letters Patents, of the months of januarie, and February last, doth sufficiently testify unto us, that the only desire of their conservation, and to withstand their apparent ruin, which was plotted by the insolent, violent, and pernicious designs of the said Martial d' Ancre, had constrained them to withdraw themselves from us, and to purchase their security by Arms, though unlawful; for as much as the said Marshal made use of my forces to oppress them, contrary to my intention. But as it concerned our Dignity, to decree our letters of declaration against them, when as they exploited actions contrary to their duty, where they should have expected our justice. Now that we are assured of their fidelity, and that they have declared unto us, that the mere necessity of their conservation, was the motive to associate themselves, only to oppose against the violences of the said Marshal; and that we have been by them sufficiently informed of their good intentions towards us, and our Kingdoms; and of the desire which they have to spend their lives to augment the greatness thereof, and to maintain us & our authority, & that they are very sorry and displeased with themselves, for having levied men of war, taken and detained our moneys, imposed contributions on our people, and caused our subjects (like toilsome drudges) to fortify such places as were by them held, which they have protested unto us they never would have undertaken, much less have caused strangers to enter our Realms, if they had not been thereunto constrained, to avoid the utter ruin and desolation of them and their families. We, of our clemency and Royal bounty, are moved to deal favourably with them; to pardon such defaults and oversights, which might have been committed in the premises, and to re-establish them in the charges, honours, and dignities, which they heretofore possessed; seeing withal, this may be a means to fortify our Kingdoms, with a necessary peace, of good men so much desired. Having therefore deliberated of these affairs in our Counsel, some of the Princes of our blood being present, with other Princes, Dukes, Peers, Officers of our Crown, and the chiefest of our said Counsel; we give all men to understand, that by the advice of our Counsel aforesaid, and our own certain knowledge, full power, and Royal authority, we have pronounced and declared; and by these presents signed with our hand, do pronounce and declare, that we hold the said Princes, Dukes, Peers, Officers of our Crown, and all those which have assisted them, for our good and loyal subjects and servants: we will and ordain, that the memory of all that hath passed in these last troubles for the causes afore specified, and also concerning the said levy of Arms, and acts of Hostility, to remain utterly extinct and abolished, as we do by these presents aforesaid extinguish and abolish them; provided always, that they do hereafter contain themselves within the limits of the respect and duty which they own unto us, and shall yield that obedience unto our commandments which they are bound unto. And that from this present time they renounce all leagues and associations, which might by them be made, between themselves, and other of our subjects, or strangers, as well within the Realm, as without, and of what condition soever they be; and shall generally perform the duties of good and faithful subjects and servants, whereunto they are obliged by their births: the premises considered, we have re-established, and do re-establish them into all and singular their goods, movables, and immovables, honours, dignities, charges, estates, offices and pensions, whereof we give them full and entire repossession; and to this end have we revoked and taken away all attachments thereupon made. We will and ordain, that they enjoy our favours, graces, benefices, honours, and governments, and that they exercise their charges and offices, even as they formerly did, so that hereafter they may not be molested nor troubled in any form or fashion whatsoever. Thereupon imposing silence on all our attorneys General, their substitutes present and to come, and to all others: All declarations, interdictions, and other Letters Patents, which have been by us heretofore decreed and published in our Courts of Parliament, to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding; which we have revoked, and do revoke, have declared, and do declare void and of no effect and value, as also all which hath been done in the execution thereof; the which to that effect, of our especial grace, we will cause to be taken away, and put out of the Registers of our Courts of Parliament. Moreover, we hold those released and discharged, whom they had appointed for the managing of our treasure, with others from whom they might have exacted, and suddenly compelled to bring in their moneys: provided that within six weeks after the Publication of these presents, they deliver into our Chamber of Accounts, the copy of their bills of receipts, sealed and signed by one of the said Princes and Dukes; likewise of the woods which they might have felled, and carried out of our forests. We will also, that our edicts and declarations heretofore made, for the pacification of the troubles of our Realm; namely, that of Blois, at the issue and sequel of the treaty of Lodune, be inviolably executed, kept, and justly observed, according to their form and tenure. And that under the authority and benefit of the same, all our subjects, as well Catholic, as those of the pretended reformed Religion, may hereafter live in good peace, union, & correspondence, under our obedience, without upbraiding one the other with any imputation of those things that are done and passed. Also we give commission to our trusty & beloved Counsellors, holding our Courts of Parliament, Chambers of our accounts, Bailiffs, Seneschalles, judges, or their substitutes, and to all our other justices and Officers, to whom it may, or shall appertain, each one for himself to give credit to these presents, and cause them to be read, published, kept and observed, according to their form and tenure: And to the end they may be for ever firm and stable, we have caused to these presents to be set our seal; for such is our pleasure. Given at Bois de Vincennes, in the month of May, in the year of grace, 1617. and of our Reign the seventh.  
Signed, LEWIS. And on the fold in the bottom by the King, DE LOMENIE. And on the side is written, VISA. And sealed with the great Seal of green wax, on labels of red and green silk.   

Read, published, registered, and heard, and that at the request of the King's Attorney general, who ordaineth, that colationed copies shall be sent to the Bayliwiks and Seneschallships, to be there read, published, & registered, through the diligence of the said Attorney general, his Substitutes, who shall certify the doing hereof within the month, on pain to answer it at their peril. At Paris in the Court of Parliament, the twelfth of May, one thousand, six hundred and seventeen.  
Signed, DV TILLET.  
FINIS.