A Full ACCOUNT OF The Barbarous and Unhumane Uſages OF The French Proteſtants IN FRANCE:

HAgue, Decemb. 16. Our laſt Letters from Paris ſay, That ſome days ago, one of the largeſt Stage Coaches in that City, attended by eight Archers, went to the Baſtile, to bring thence 8 or 10 Perſons who were detain'd there on the Account of the Proteſtant Religion, in order to tranſport them to the Frontiers, but whether they are to be ſent out of the Kingdom, or not, is not ſaid. The new Converts would be well ſatisfied, if they might have the ſame Treatment; eſpecially, ſince the Judgment given a­gainſt ſome of their Bretheren, by the Intendant of Poitou, ac­cording to which ſome of them have been executed, and others ſent to the Gallies; and there are, moreover, ſome Regiments of Dragoons ſent into that Countrey, to be Quartered upon the new Converts. Several Letters have been writ upon that Subject by the new Converts, to ſhew that they are more worthy of Compaſſion, than of the Severity of the Judges, ſeeing they are accuſed of no other Crime but that of their Religion, which was formerly al­lowed in the Kingdom, tho' now forbidden; and, as to which, it is not in their own Power to change their opinion, or neglect their Duty. Thoſe Letters contain in ſubſtance: That their Con­dition is very deplorable, by reaſon of thoſe Fears and Doubts, with which they are conſtantly perplex'd, amidſt a Clergy who never ſuffer them to be at reſt: They are not ſatisfied with having oblig'd them to take upon themſelves the Title••Roman Catholicks contrary to their will, but they will have them to perform all that's incombent upon ſuch, to aſſiſt at a Service and partake of a Com­munion, which they are perſwaded in their Conſciences is contrary to Divine Inſtitution, which they ought rather to obey than that of Men. That is to ſay they would have them either to be ac­counted Diſſemblers or Sacrilegious. They ſay they muſt go to be inſtructed; which they would do with all their Hearts, provi­ded they were allowed freedom to debate when they are not con­vinc'd; but Inſtead of that as ſoon as they open their Mouth they are Branded as Opiniators. It's their ſubmiſſion and their Convi­ction, that they deſire; tho they cannot ſubmit with a relucting Conſcience. If they aſſemble to pray to God, and to com­fort one another, they are accounted Criminals; and if they of­fer to leave the Kingdom, that they may enjoy that liberty, they are reputed equally culpable. Theſe are the Precipices on all ſides, from which they cannot deliver themſelves, but by renouncing ei­ther their Conſciences, or their Lives. In ſuch an extream Perplexity, thoſe poor People are ſolicitouſly Inquiſitive, to know whether it be the King's pleaſure, that they ſhould reap ſuch bitter Fruits from a Peace, which they have ſo much defired. They cannot be con­vinc'd, that Royal Goodneſs can allow ſuch Violences; and they are perſwaded that if the is Humble Complaints could but meet with a free acceſs to His Majeſty's Throne, he would be moved with Compaſſion towards them, and receive their Defences; which are the ſame with thoſe of the Primitive Chriſtians, in that excel­lent Apology of Tertullian. Their meetings were accounted fac­tious, as if when they met to worſhip God, they had violated the Emperors Command: And they defended themſelves by this Grand Principle: That Religion could not be forc'd; and that Divine ſervice was a pure Act of the Will. We aſſemble, ſay they, to Pray to God, to read the Holy Scriptures, which neuriſh our Faith, raiſe our Hopes, and ſtrengthen our Confidence in God. Male­factors tremble when they are ſurpriſed, and deny all when they are accuſed; but Chriſtians are not aſham'd when it is diſcover'd what they are; and they repent of nothing elſe, but that they did not ſooner, obey the Commandments of Jeſus Chriſt. They would force a Chriſtian to deny what he is, to the End that he may be ab­ſolv'd; which is, in truth, to betray the Holineſs of〈◊〉•aws, &c. Several Cavaliers have been diſgraced of late for interceeding with the King for the Proteſtants: And ſome ſay, That His Majeſty be­ing diſpleaſed at the Parliament of Paris, for having revok'd the Sentences of Death given againſt ſeveral of the new, Converts in the Country, had thereupon Ordered that they ſhould Appeal no more to that Court.