Page:Memoirs of a Huguenot Family.djvu/488

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MEMOIRS OF A HUGUENOT FAMILY.

in conformity with the necessities, usages and laws of war. For raising and exacting money, bearing arms and other warlike operations on private account, without authority, they shall be liable to prosecution according to law.

88th.—The cities, dismantled during the troubles, may be rebuilt and repaired from the ruins, at the expense of the inhabitants, and the (octroi) toll formerly levied upon provisions for this purpose may be continued.

89th.—It is our order, desire and pleasure, that all Lords, Knights, Nobles, and others of whatsoever rank and condition of the said pretended Reformed Religion and their party, be restored to, and effectually replaced in the full enjoyment of every and all their property, privileges, names, rights, and offices, notwithstanding judgments to the contrary procured during the troubles. "We do declare all such decrees, seizures and judgments null and void.

90th.—Where those of the said pretended Reformed Religion, have become possessed of real estate belonging to the Church, in any other way than by grants from the deceased Kings our Predecessors, the title shall not stand good, but the Clergy shall be reinstated immediately and without delay, and be protected in the possession and actual enjoyment of the property alienated, without being obliged to defray the amount for which it was sold; and this notwithstanding deeds of sale, which we break and declare void; without however depriving the purchasers of the right to look for redress from the Chiefs, under whose authority the said property was sold. Nevertheless for the reimbursement of that which was truly and honestly paid, we shall execute Letters Patent giving permission to those of said religion, to claim upon them the amount of said sales, without allowing said purchasers to make any claim for damages from the loss of possession, but merely to content themselves with being repaid the sum actually paid by them for the property. If the property should have been bought at some unjust price below its value, a deduction of profits made from it must be allowed.

91st.—To the end that all Magistrates, Officers, and the rest of our subjects may perfectly understand our wishes and intentions, and that no ambiguity may arise from conflicting articles contained in former Edicts, we have declared, and we do now declare, to be null and void all former Edicts, Secret Articles, Letters, Declarations, Modifications, Restrictions, Explanations, Decrees and Re-