NANTES, EDICT or. the name given to the famous decree published in that city by Henri IV. of France, April 13, 1598. which secured to the PrOtestant portion of his sub jects freedom of religion. Among its more important provisions were—liberty to cele brate worship wherever Protestant communities already existed; to establish new churches, except in Paris and the surrounding district, and in the royal residences; and to maintain universities, or theological colleges, of which they had four, those at Mon tauban, Stunner, Montpelier, and Sedan; adnerents of the reformed faith were also to be eligible to all civil offices and dignities; but, on the other hand, they were not allowed to print books on the tenets of their religion, except in those places where it existed; and they were obliged to outwardly celebrate the festivals of the Catholic church, and to pay tithes to the Catholic priesthood. From this period, the Reformers or Huguenots (who then counted 760 churches) bad a legal existence in France, but gradually their political strength was crushed by the mighty genius of Richelieu—who, however, never dreamed of interfering with their liberty of worship. Neither did his successors, Maze
rin and Colbert; but under the influence of a '' penitence," as corrupt and sensual as the sins which occasioned it, Louis XIV., after a series of detestable Dragonnades (q.v.), signed a decree for the revocation of the edict, Oct. 18, 1685. The result of this des potic act was that, rather than conform to the established religion, 400,000 Protestants —among the most industrious, the most intelligent, and the most religious of the nation —quitted France. and took refuge in Great Britain, Holland, Prussia, Switzerland, and America. The loss to France was immense; the gain to other countries, no less. Com posed largely of merchants, manufacturers, and skilled artisans, they carried with them their knowledge, taste, and aptitude for business. From them England, in particular, learned the art of manufacturing silk, crystal glasses, and the more delicate kinds of jewelry.