The French King's New DECLARATION, Published at
Paris, the 26th of this Instant
September, 1699.
Our last
French Mail brings the following Advices.
I Have frequently given you an Account, That the Persecution rages in this Kingdom more and more, and to confirm the same, have sent you His Majesty's Declaration, signed Yesterday in Parliament, by which you may perceive, That whereas some of th Judges did formerly take Occasion, from some Expressions in former Declarations, to suspend forfeiting the Estates of those who have left the Kingdom, it is not now in their Power to shew so much Mercy, and at the same time you will be satisfied, That I did not misinform you, when I said, That all the Methods hitherto taken, have not been able to suppress the Reformed Religion here, nor to hinder the Subjects of both Religions, to leave this miserable Kingdom in great Numbers. The Declaration is to the Effect following:
—By our Declarations and Edicts of August, 1699. and May and July 1682. we forbad our Subjects to depart out of the Kingdom, in order to settle in Foreign Countries, on pain of Confiscation of Body and Estate; which by our Declaration of May 1685. we commuted into that of the Gallies for ever: And by our Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, in October 1685. we particularly forbad our Subjects of the pretended Reformed Religion, to go out of our Dominions, with their Wives and Children, on pain of the Men's being sent to the Gallies, and the Womens being confiscated in Body and Estate: And being inform'd, that notwithstanding all this, many of our Subjects, who had converted themselves to the Catholick, Apostolick and Roman Religion, returning to their former Errors, had retired into Foreign Countries, where they might enjoy the unhappy Liberty of the Exercise and Profession of it, we did by our Declaration of May 1686. order, That those who attempted to leave the Kingdom, should be seized on the Frontiers, the Men sent to the Gallies for ever, and the Women shut up during their Lives, in such Places as our Judges shall think me [...]t, and their Estates confiscated to ou [...] Use, even in those Countries where Confiscation was not practised; and that those also who assisted them in their Escape, directly or indirectly; should incur the same Penalties.
And, in fine, by our Declaration of February last, we ordered, That all the Edicts, &c. before-mentioned should be put in Execution, and renewed our Prohibitions against the New Converts going out of the Kingdom, on the Penalties before specified. And tho' there was much greater Reason, that same Penalties should take place against those who had sconsummated their disobedience by their actual going out of the Kingdom, in contempt of our so often repeated Prohibitions.
Yet being informed, That some of our Judges and Officers doubted whether it were our Intention, that such Persons should be condemned, according to the Penaltes of our said Declarations, because in our Declaration of the 11th of February last, we had not expresly ordered it; and that in our Edict of Decemb. 1698. we had ordered, that the Estates left by such of our Subjects, should belong to those that ought to succeed them, in case of Natural Death. And though by attending to our Declaration of the 11th of February last, they might have been satisfied of that Matter, we have nevertheless thought fit to explain our Meaning, for the removing all doubts concerning that Affair, and for the cutting off at the same time all hopes from the New Converts of enjoying any part of their Estates, by means of their Children or next Relations, who should have succeeded them as in case of Death, after their having left the Kingdom: We do by these Presents, signed by our own Hand, Declare, Ordain and Will, That all the Declarations and Edicts before-mentioned, be put in Execution, according to their Form and Tenor: And that Process be compleated against all our Subjects of the pretended Reformed Religion: And New Converts, who leave or attempt to leave the Kingdom without our Permission, viz. That the Men be sent to the Gallies for ever, the Women shut up during Life, and their Estates confiscated to our Use: And in case their Estates lie in those particular Seignieuries, where [Page] Confiscation has no Place, that the Criminals be fin'd in half the value of their Estates for our Use. And [...] O [...]d [...]in an [...] Will, That those who contribute, directly or Indirectly, to their escape, be punished in the same Manne [...].
a [...]d Registred in Parliament, Sep. 25. 1699.
Yesterday also there was registred in Parliament a Declaration by his Majesty; ‘For Regulating the Traffick of Corn in the Kingdom. In the Preface it takes notice, That the dearth of Corn had not so much proceeded from bad Harvests, as from the Covetousness of some Persons, who, tho' they were not Corn-Merchants by profession, had nevertheless warm'd themselves into that Trade; and their chief End being to make Profit to themselves by the Necessity of the Publick, they concurr'd together to lay up hidden Magazines, whi [...]h occasioning a Scarcity and Dearth, gave them an Opportunity to sell the Corn at a much higher Rate than they bought it. That his Majesty would have remedied that disorder sooner, but that he staid for a more convenient Season, and better Harvest than the last; and having Advice that the Harvest had been good this Year in most of the Provinces, he judged it time to redress that Disorder, which is so much contrary to good Manners and prejudicial to the Publick. And therefore he commands all those who trade in Corn, to take Licenses from the Officers of Justice, and the Oaths appointed for that End, and to register the same: And that none other presume to Trade therein, on pain of forfeiting the Corn, and being fined in 500 Livres, and declar'd uncapable of following, that Traffick any more. Half the Corn is to be given the Informer. All Labourers, Gentlemen, Officers, and those concern'd in the Revenue, are forbid meddling with this Commerce, on pain of 2000 Livres Fine and bodily Punishment; half the Fine to be given [...]o th [...] Informer: And the Officers who g [...]v [...] Lic [...]nses to such are to lose their Places. No Corn-Merchents are to contract any Society with o [...]her Corn Me [...]chant [...], on the same P [...]nalties. And all [...]argains made this Harvest for Corn upon the Ground are declar'd Null, and the like in time to come, under the Penalty of confiscating the Corn, a Fine of 3000 Livres, losing their Advance Money, and being rendred uncapable of that Trade for the future.’
Yesterday likewise an Arrest of the Council of State was Registred in the Court of the Mint, for raising the Value of the Species, viz. The Species of the first Reform, the Crown at 67 Sous, the Louis▪ Or at 12 Livers 15 Sous, throughout the K [...]ngdom of France. In the new Conqu [...]sts, the Flanders Pieces of 4 Livres, not reform'd to 4 Livres 6 Sous.
The Speices not reform'd and cried down, and those of the first Reform in the Mints, and Offices of Receipt for the King, the Crown at 69 Sous, the Louis'd Or at 13 Liv. 5 s and the Pieces of 4 Livres, at 4 Livres 10 Sous.
The Reals of Weight, except those of Peru and Chapelet, at 66 Sous, and in the Officers of Recepts at 68 Sous.
The Spanish-Pistoles, of weight at 12 l. 5 s. and in the Officers of Receipt at 13 l. 5 s.
In the Mint, the Mark of Reals at 30 Livres 10 Sous, and of Pistoles at 480 Livres. And that Materials of Silver and Gold may be augmented according to the Valuation of the Spices, the Mark of fine Silver, or of 12 Deniers, is to be 33 Livres 10 Sous; and the Mark of fine Gold, or of 24 Carats, at 502 Livres 10 Sous.
Done in the Council of State at Fountainbleau, September 22. 1699.