intlirCitpofMrtogDrk LIBRARY TAIiE OF THE HrCJIJEIVOTS, OR MEMOIRS OF A FRENCH REFUGEE FAMILY. TRANSLATED AND COMPILED FROM THE ORICrlNAL MANUSCRIPTS OP JAMES FONTAINE, BY ONE OF HIS DESCENDANTS. WITH AN INTRODUCTION, BY F. L. HAWKS, D. D. Shewing to the generations to come the praises of the Lord, and his gtrennh, that thoy should mai August, 1st. 1838. 4 CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Reasons for writing these memoirs — Noble origin of our fami- ly — John de la Fontaine born — Obtains a commission in the household of Francis I. — Embraces Protestantism — Per- secution of Protestants — January Edict — John de la Fon- taine resigns his commission — His assassination — Flight of his three sons — Arrival at Rochelle — Charitable reception — Marriage of James de la Fontaine — Attempt to poison him — Application for pardon to Henry IV. . . 13 CHAPTER II. James Fontaine — Fond of study — Travels as tutor to a young nobleman — Called to the churches of Vaux and Royan — Mar- ries an English lady — Second marriage — His personal ap- pearance — Habits — Labors in the ministry — Capuchins and Jesuits come to hear him preach — Summoned to appear be- fore the governor for preaching on the ruins of the Church — A second summons — Anticipation of future persecution — Death. ..... 25 CHAPTER III. My birth — Lameness — Imitation of my fathers prayers — Me- ditations upon the heavenly bodies — Sent to school — Dis- gusted with study — Letter to sister — Mr. de la Bussiere — Admirable preceptor — Eccentric man — Enter college — Take degree of Master of Arts. — My mother's death — Divi- sion of property. . . . . . 32 CHAPTER IV. Study with Mr. Forestier — His persecutions — His wife's firm- ness — Retiim home — Pray with neighbours — Leave the neighbourhood at Easter — Poor people assemble in ^le I X CONTENTS. woods — A spy watches them — Warrajils issued — A maaon taken up — He recants — His repentance — My return home- Warrant against me — Determine to remain and wait the ia- sue — Grand Provost and archers appear — Conducted to pri. son — Obtain permission to pray night and raoniing in prison. ...... 40 CHAPTER V. Provost and archers make another tour — Firmness of the poor country people — Twenty brought to prison— Supplied with necessaries by Protestants of Saiutcs— Attempt to sliake their faith — Precautioii in anticipation of separation — In- dictment against me — Confrontation — Recollement — Ex amination of witnesses — Agoust — Two criminals — Gaol- er — Gaoler's wife — Apply to the seneschal for enlagement — Accusation of King's advocate — Placed in a dungeon Removed to the Town Hall— Proposal to regain freedom by bribery. ..... 55 CHAPTER VI. Trial before the Presidency — A digression — My defence- Angry discussion .nth tlic President — Query — My reply- Sentence. • • . . 71 CHAPTER VII. Appeal lo Parliament — Copy of factum — President's observa tion upon it — Sentence reversed — Register refuses copy of the decree — Apply for redress — Return home. . 80 CHAPTER VIII. Persecution of 1685— Meeting of ministers and elders— My opinion opposed to the majority— Meeting of Protestanta at Royan — Mr. Certani dissuades numbers from emigration Interview with him — Gloomy forebodings — Departure of many persons— Dragoons appear — Leave home — Visit CONTENTS. XI sisters Traverse the country Place betrothed in safety. ...... 90 CHAPTER IX. Revocation of Edict of Nantes — Preparations for flight — Dif- ficulties and dangers — Land in England — Cheap bread — Speculate in grain — Cruelty of a ship Captain. . 105 CHAPTER X. Singular proposal from a lady — Marriage — Mode of living — Remove to Bridgwater — Assistance from Committee — Why discontinued — Application for relief— Unkind treatment — Receive Holy Orders — Attempt to recover property in France. ..... 121 CHAPTER XI. Remove to Taunton — Keep a shop — Manufactory — Very prosperous — Summoned before the Mayor — Defence — Re- corder's speech — Discharge. . . . 137 CHAPTER XII. Revolution of 1688 — Landing of the Dutch — Unexpected visi- tor — Soldiers billeted upon me — Retire from business — En. deavour to make calimancoes — Profit upon them — Instruct a crippled weaver — Secret discovered — Visit Dublin and Cork — Shipwreck — Place sons in Holland — Increase of family. . . . • • • 148 CHAPTER XIII. Arrival at Cork — Enter upon pastoral duties — Manufacto- ry — Great happiness — Dissension in the church — Resigna- tion — Copy of certificate — Remarkable warning by a dream — Visit fishing stations — Death of Aaron — Turn fish- erman — Remove to Bear Haven — Loss of the Robert — Bad season — Trading voyage — Success in fishiaig — Loss by xli ' CONTENTS. mismanagement of partners— Troublesome Irish neigh- bours 1^^ CHAPTER XIV. Attacked by a French Privateer— Defence— Letter to the Duke of Ormond — Ammunition furnished by government- Build a small fort — Visit Dublin — London — Obtain a pen- sion — Copy of warrant — Return home. . 191 CHAPTER XV. Attacked by a second Privateer — Outhouses fired — Breach in the wall — Wounded — Surrender — Carried away as a pri- soner — Expostulate with captain — Ransomed — Peter left as a hostage — His deportment. , . . 210 CHAPTER XVL Affidavit before Magistrates— Retaliation on French pri- soners — Removal to Dublin — Hire a haunted house — Claim compensation from the county of Cork — Disturbance in haunted house— School — Education of chiMren — Peter goes to Collctre — John obtains a commission in the army — ^Nloses O and Francis enter college — IMoscs studies law — Emigration to America— Marriage of children— My wife's death- Failure of health — Conclusion. • • 233 TALE OF THE HUGUENOTS. CHAPTER I. Reasons for writing these memoirs — Noble origin of our family — Jj'm de la Fontaine born — Obtains a commission in the household of Francis I. — Embraces Protestantism — Perse- cution of Protestants — Juanary Edict — ^John de la Fontaine resigns his commission — His assassination — Flight of his three sons — Arrival at Rochclle — Charitable reception — . Marriage of James de la Fontaine — Attempt to poison him — ^Application for pardon to Henry IV. M}'^ dear children, Having observed the deep interest you have taken in all that has befallen your ancestors, when I have related their adventures to you, i am induced to write down their history for your use, to the end that the pious examples of those from whom we derive our origin may not be lost to you, or those who succeed you. 2 14 A TALE OF I trust that it may be the means of engaging ;'ou to dtdicate yourselves wholly and unreservedly to the service of that God whom they worshipped at the risk of their lives, and to be stedfast in the profession of that pure faith for which they suffered the severest hardships with unshaken constancy. And also that you may admire the watchful and wonderful provi- dences of God exerted in supporting and preserving them through every trial. Indeed, without looking beyond the compass of your own memories, you may recall numberless instances of the providential care of that same God " whose hand is not short- ened." For my own part, I trust that the making of this retrospect may be attended with great benefit, bring- ing before me the frailties and sins of each age and condition of my past life, and making me humble my- self before the throne of grace, and with trembling pray for pardon through the mediation of my Blessed Saviour : and by the assistance of the Holy Spirit, I may hope for more watchfulness and circumspec- tion for the time to come. And when I review the uncommon, innumerable, and unmerited mercies I have received through the whole course of my life, I hope my gratitude will be increased towards my Al- mighty benefactor, and surely I shall be encouraged to put niy whole trust in him for the future. If I THE HUGUENOTS. 15 owe such a debt of gratitude for the things of this life, its comforts and conveniences, how incalculably great must it be for his mercy to mj'^ immortal soul, shedding the blood of his only begotten Son for my redemption. Oh my God ! I entreat thee to con- tinue thy goodness during the few days that may yet remain to me, and at last receive my sou3. Amen. Before proceeding to the history, I should mention that our name was originally De la Fontaine, and net Fontaine. My father, from motives of humility, was the first to cut off the De la, an indication of nobili- ty ; my older brothers wished to resume it, but he would not consent, having a large family and little property ; for you must know that in France no one of noble family can engage in trade or the mechanic arts without forfeiting his claim to nobility. The father of my great-grandfather, who was a nobleman, could not bear the thought of bringing up his children without employment, according to the usual custom, and therefore placed his son in the King's service. It is with this John De la Fontaine that I com- mence these annals, he being the first of whom I have any accurate knowledge. He was born in the province of Maine, about the 16 A TALE OF year 1500, and as soon as he was old enough to bear arms, his father procured him a commission in what was then called " Lcs ordonnances du Roi" in the household of Francis I. It was in the tenth or twelfth year of this monarch's reign that he entered his service, and he conducted himself so honourably and uprightly, that even after his father and himself had embraced Protestantism at its first preaching in 1535, he remained in the same situation, and con- tinued thcro during the reigns of Henry II., Francis II., and until the second year of Charles IX. He married, and had at least four sons, when he retired from a service in which he had remained so long, only as a sort cf safe-guai^d from persecution. The king's officers were protected by right of their office ; and our ancestor, it would appear, v.cs much be- loved by all his juniors in the service, which made the Roman Catholic party afraid to meddle with him, though at the same time they thirsted for his blood, not only on account of his examplary piety, but of the exercise of a power his office conferred upon him, and which he had freely used, of assisting the poor Protestants, many of whom he had shielded from persecution. From the year 1534 to April 1598, when Henry IV. granted the edict of Nantes, the professors of the TUE HUGUENOTS. 17 pure faith were continually subjected to every va- riety of injustice and cruelty, as you have read in the history of France.'^ * Open hostilities were occasioned by an event wliich oc- curred at the little town of Vassy, in Champagne, in the year 1562. The Protestants were engaged in prayer outside the walls, in conformity with the king's edict, when the Duke of Guise approached. Some of his suite insulted the worshippers, and from insults they proceeded to blows, and the Duke him- self was accidentally wounded in the cheek. The sight of his blood enraged his followers, and a general massacre of the inhabitants of Vassy ensued ; the report of this roused the su£. fering Huguenots throughout the kingdom, and a savage and bloody war followed, during which, Anthony of Bourbon, king of Navarre fell fighting in the Catholic ranks, leaving a son eight years old, tlic future Henry IV., that great supporter of the Protestant cause. The constable Montmorency was taken prisoner, and the Duke of Guise slain ; thus the Catholics were without a leader. The Prince of Conde being also a prisoner, and the Protestant Coligny the only chief remaining on either side, an accommodation appeared indispensable, and in March, 15G3 an edict was granted which allowed the Huguenots to worship within the towns they were possessed of up to that day. This permission led some of the Bishops and other clergy who had embraced Protestantism, to celebrate divine worship in the cathedrals, according to the rites of the Re- formed Church ; such an extension of the meaning of the edict had never been contemplated, and it was soon modified by a declaration that ancient cathedrals should in no case bo used as Protestant churches. 2* 18 A TALE OF These persecutions wero carried on with some of the forms of law, but the gallows were erected and the fires were kindled, not to support the law, but in Another edict was passed very shortly, which imposed greater restrictions, and the Huguenots, finding that they were likely to lose hy edicts all that they had wrested from the king by the sword, prepared to take up arms agaui, and in 1567 another struggle commenced, which, with a very short interval of peace, lasted until 1570, when a treaty was concluded upon terms so favourable to the Huguenots as to ex- cite some suspicion in their minds that all was not right. They were to have liberty of conscience, and their worship was allowed in all the towns they had held during the war, and they were permitted to retain and garrison Rochclle, Montauban, Cognac, and La Charite, as guaranties for the observance of the treaty. All had now the appearance of peace, but it was the delu- sive calm which precedes a storm ; vengeance was preparing, and the massacre of St.l3artholomew's day followed, with all its horrors, which are too well known to need repetition. Tho number of Huguenots slaughtered, has been estimated at 50,000, those who survived were for a moment paralysed by the blow, and the Catholics themselves seemed stupified v.ith shaTne and remcrse. Charles was as one struck by avenging retribution, he became restless, sullen, and dejected, and la- boured under a slow fever to the day of his death. He tried to excuse his perfidy on the plea of its having been necessary for self-preservation, and he sent instructions to liis ambassa- dor in England to give such an explanation to queen Eliza- beth. Hume speaking of this interview, says, " Nothing THE HUGUENOTS. 19 order to extinguish, if possible, the very name of Pro- testant. The means adopted, howevei, had frequent- could be more awful and affecting than his audience. A raelanchcly sorrow sat on every face : silence as i-n the dead of night, reigned through all the chambers of the royal apart- ment ; the courtiers and ladies clad in deep mourning were ranged on each side, and allowed him to pass without afford- ing him one salute or favourable look, till he was admitted to the queen herself." The lives of the young Prince of Conde and Henry of Na- varre had been spared, on condition of becoming Catholics, a condition to which they merely pretended to accede, as both attempted to escape from Paris immediately afterwaKis ; Con- de alone was successful, and placed himself at the head of the Huguenots ; and this sect which Charles had hoped to exter- minate at one blow soon mustered an army of 18,000 men, and they had kept possession of Rochelle and Montauban, be- sides many castles, fortresses, and smaller towns. Thus Charles, and Cath? .xie bis mother, gained nothing by their infamous treachery, but a character for perfidy and cruelty which has been unequalled in the annals of history. After the death of Charles IX. the condition of the Hugue- nots was ever changing ; they were frequently in the field, and when successful obtained favourable edicts, which were broken as soon as they laid down their arms, and then they would resume them, and fight until their success gained fresh concessions. In 1576 the Catholic League was formed, having for its main object the exclusion from the throne of France of Henry 20 A TALE OF ly an opposite effect, and increased the followers of the true fiiith. The martyrs by their constancy, proved, in many cases, the instruments which God made use of to open the eyes of the papists, and it was no uncommon occurrence to see those who had aided in the destruction of others rush to the same martyrdom themselves. In some provinces, the Protestants irritated be- yond endurance took up arms, not against their monarch, but their persecutors ; and this led to an Edict of Pacification, granted on the 17th of Janua- of Narvarre, who was next heir to Henry III., the reigning monarch. War was carried on between the League and the Huguenots until 1594, five years after the death of Henr)' III. when Henry IV. from motives of policy united himself to the Catholic Church, and was thereupon generally recognised as Uie legitimate monarch. He still felt favourably disposed to- wards his old friends, and in 1598 gi anted the celebrated edict of Nantes, which allowed them to worship in freedom in all towns where their creed was the prevailing one. Tliey were to pay the regular tithe to the established Church, but were permitted to raise money for their own clergy, and to hold meetings of their representatives for church-government. In all law-suits Protestants were to have the privilege of one half the judges being of their own faith, and several towns were left in their possession for a limited time as a surety. The parliament objected to registering this edict, but the king was resolute, and fmally overcame their obstinacy. THE HUGUENOTS. 21 ry 1582, commonly called the January Edict,* Charles IX. being yet in his minority. The Pro- testants believing this to be in good faith very gener- ally laid down their arms ; and John De la Fontaine resigned his commission, seeing himself now protect- ed by law in the exercise of his religion, he felt that he had no more occasion for his military profession than for a buckler in time of profound peace. He made a great mistake in arriving at this conclusion ; the change was decidedly for the worse ; whereas, heretofore proceedings had been open, and with a shadow of justice founded upon the king's procla- mation against Heretics, now all was secret, no use was made of judge or prison, every miserable wretch who pleased, became at once judge and executioner. Armed miscreants broke into the houses of the Pro- testants at midnight, committing robbery and mur- der, and they were encouraged in their atrocities by priests, monks, and bigots, who made them much the same promise that the Sanhedrin of Jerusalem did to the city watch. " If this comes to the governor's ears, we will persuade him and secure you." No enquiry or examination was ever made into these * The famous January edict granted tolerance to the Huguenots so far as to permit them to assemble outside the walls of towns. 22 A TALE OP acts, and thus the Protestants were affain oblljrcd to resort to arms to repel nocturnal insult, and guard against treachery. Some of the sworn enemies of God and his Gospel who had long watched John De la Fontaine, and conceived a deep hatred against him, thought the time had now arrived, (he having laid down his com- mission,) when they might safely put him out of the way ; and such a man being got rid of, that it would be comparatively easy to disperse the rest of the con- gregation to which he belonged. it was in the year 1563 that some of these ruffians were despatched from the city of Le Mans in search of him ; and in the night time, when he least expect- ed such a fate, he was dragged out of doors and his throat cut ; his wife, within a few week* of her con- fineraent, had followed him, hoping by her entreaties to save his life, but she shared the same fate, as did also a valet, who strove to assist his master. Oh my children ! let us never forget that the blood of martyrs flows in our veins ! And God in his infinite mercy grant that the remembrance may enliven our faith, so that we prove not unworthy scions from so noble a stock. The goodness of God, whose providence generally bestows especial favours upon the children of those who freely ehed their blood in his service, pre- THE HUGUENOTS. 23 served the lives of three sons of these glorious Diartyrs. James De la Fontaine, my grandfather, then about thirteen or fourteen years old, with Abraham, two years his junior, and another brother still younger, fled from the bloody scene, full of horror and conster- nation, without a guide save the providence of God, and no aim but to get as far as possible from the barbarians, who had in one moment deprived them of both father and mother. They did not stop until they reached Rochelle, then a very safe place for Pro- testants, containing as it did, within its walls, many faithful servants of the living God. These poor lads were actually begging their bread when they arrived there, and were v/ithout any recommendation but their appearance. They were fair and handsome, as I have been told ; and appeared to have had good breeding. Some of the inhabitants were moved v/ith compassion, and gave them food and shelter for the little services they were capable of performing. A charitable shoemaker, who feared God and was in easy circumstances, received James into his house, and into his affections also, and taught him his trade. This you will observe was no time for pride, or to stand upon titles to nobility, but rather to return thanks to God who had given him the power to earn liis bread by the labor of his hands. It was not long 24 A TALE OP before he was in receipt of sufficient wages to sup- port his younger brothers. They all three lived poorly enough, until James reached manhood ; he then entered upon commercial pursuits, and his career afterwards was comparatively prosperous. In the year 1603 he married, and had two daughters and one son, (my father,) who was named James, after himself. lie married again, but had no addition to his family ; and better would it have been for him had he remained a widower, for his last wife attempted to poison him, and though unsuccessful, medical aid being promptly obtained, the affair became too no- torious to be hushed up, and she was carried to pri- son, tried, and condemned to death. It so happened that Henry IV. was then at Rochellc, and application was made to him for a pardon ; he said, before he granted it, he must see the husband she had been so anxious to get rid of, (I suppose to judge from his appearance whether there was any excuse for her,) and when my grandfather appeared before him, he cried out, " Let her be hanged, let her be hanged, ventre saint gris !* he is the handsomest man in my kingdom." I have seen his picture, and it certainly did represent him as a handsome man. He died in the year 1633, and left his family some 9000 livres. • The accxistomed oath of Henry IV. THE HUGUENOTS. ^ CHAPTER II. James Fontaine — Fond of study — Travels as tutor to a young nobleman — Called to the churches of Vaux and Royan — Marries an English lady — Second marriage — His personal appearances— Habits — Labors in the ministry — Capucliins and Jesuits come to hear him preach — Summoned to appear before the governor for preaching on the ruins of the church — A second summons — Anticipation of future persecution — Death. I NOW proceed to my own father, who at an early age discovered great aptitude for study, and a very serious turn of mind. He was fortunate in gaining the friendship of Mr. Merlin, a minister at Rochelle, and this worthy servant of God assisted him greatly in his education, and recommended him as tutor to a near relation of the Countess of Royan, in which station he accompanied his pupil to the College of Saumur, and while superintending his studies there, completed his own preparation for the ministry. Before entering on the sacred office, he travelled with this youth through various countries, and thus had the opportunity of acquiring several foreign lan- guages in perfection. They made a long stay in London, and there my father fell in love with a very beautiful girl of the name of Thompson. She was of 3 2C A TALE OF good family, well educated, spoke the French Ian- guage with fluency, and played well on the spir.ette. They exchanged vows and portraits, and he returned to France with his young lord. No sooner had he arrived than he received a call from the united churches of Vaux and Royan, and he was settled there by the authority of the synod ; and from the very first he was most tenderly beloved by his charge. At the end of a j^ear, he asked and ob- tained permission to go to London, to fetch her who had all this time held his heart captive, and who was herself faithfully waiting for him. They were mar- ried in the year 1628, my father being about twenty, five years of age. They lived together twelve years, and had several children. In about a year after her death, my father mar- ried my mother, Mary Chaillon, of Rue au Roy, a village about a mile and a half distant from the town of Pons, in Saintonge. She was a handsome bru- nette, twelve years younger than her husband, and had a fortune of four thousand francs. During the life of his first wife, my father had lived in a small, inconvenient, ready-furnished house in the borough of Vaux. After his second marriage, he was per- suaded by my mother to purchase a pretty little es- tate called Jenouille, and the manor of JafTe near to it ; he added some commodious apartments to THE HUGUENOTS. _ 27 the house, and made it a very comfortable and desira- ble residence. I was the youngest child of my pa- rents, and have but little personal recollection of my father, being only eight years old when he died. He was a man of fine figure, clear complexion, pure red and white, and of so dignified a deportment that he commanded the respect of all with whom he carrte in contact. He was remarkably abstemious, living chiofl}'^ upon milk and vegetables until the decline of life, when, by the advice of his physician, he went upon a more generous diet. He absented himself on festive occasions, but never failed to visit every fa- mily in his flock twice a year. The sick and afflicted were attended to as soon as their affliction was made known to him. When it was understood that he was praying with the sick, crovv'ds would flock to hear him, filling the house ; for you must know that in that district all were Protestants, save four or five families. He was most zealous and aflcctionate, and employed all his knowledge, his talents, and his stu- dies in the service of God, and it was most gratify- ing to him to find his labors thus appreciated by his flock. He had great learning, quick and ready wit, clear and sonorous voice, natural and agreeable ac- tion, and he always made use of the most chaste and elegant language ; and genuine humility crowning 28 A. TALE OF the whole, gave such a charm to his discourses that he delighted all who heard him. I must mention an instance illustrative of his ia- cility in preaching. On the afternoon of a commu- nion Sunday, just after reading his text, which had been selected with reference to the services of the morning, he perceived some Capuchins and Jesuits entering the church ; he paused — and addressing himself to his own people, he said, that the text he had at first taken was intended for the edification of those who, hv the grace of God, were already well informed in the pure religion, but as these people were still in ignorance and superstition, he felt it a duty to leave the ninety and nine sheep, and endeavor to bring back the lost sheep to the fold. He then opened his Bible, and read a controversial text, and treated the subject witli so much force and perspicuity, that the fathers were obliged to confess, on going out, that they never heard error (as they called it) so well defended. When there was any diflference between pastor and flock, he was usually the person appointed by the synod to go and endeavour to heal the breach, and he was almost always successful, softening the hearts, and drawing tears from the eyes, of his auditors. He was invited to take charge of the church at THE HUGITENOTS. 29 Rochelle, where the minister's salary was just twice as large as that which he received. He refused, for he had not the heart to abandon a flock by whom he was so tenderly beloved. I have mentioned that he was pastor of the united churches of Vaux and Royan ; and at the commence- ment of his ministry he preached in one church in the morning, and the other in the afternoon alter- nately, the distance between them being two short miles. After a time the church at Royan was pulled down, in conformity with an order in council, and my father persisted in preaching on the ruins. The governor was enraged when he heard of it, and sum- moned him to appear before him. My father defended himself on the plea of ancient privileges and liber- ties ; to which the governor made answer, that he ki.ew of no privilege or liberty to which a subject was entitled but such as had been granted to him by the king, the council, or the ancient laws, and that he had ascertained that this church had been erected without permission, (which was very true,) and therefore as its building had been an act of usurpa- tion, its demolition could not be regarded as an ar- bitrary stretch of power, and surely there was no great hardship in his followers at Royan having the trouble to walk over to Vaux to hear him. This was unanswerable, so of course he had to acquiesce. 30 A. TALE OF Soon after this, there was another order in council forbidding Protestant ministers to appear in their clerical robes in the streets ; my father felt this as an indisrnitv, and continued wearinj; liis as hereto- fore. For this offence lie was summoned a second time to appear before the governor. He went in his gown, and it so happened that the governor's wife was present at the examination, and she was so for- cibly touched with the dignity ind eloqunnce of his defence, that she persuaded her husband to permit him to continue wearing a garb to wliich he did so inut'i honor. Little vexatious trials of this sort perpetually oc- curring, led him to believe that a more serious per- secution was not far distant, and he exerted all his energies to prepare his flock beforehand, that they might not f lil when tlie day of trial should co.ne. His instructions were most assuredly accompanied by the blessing of God, for, though his death took place full eighteen years before the great persecution, yet the influence he had exerted over his people lived after him, and there were very few parishes in whirh so large a prooortion of the inhabitants left their homes as in Vaux and Royan, and I have reason to believe that oftljose who remained behind, many wor- shipped God in sincerity around their family altars, according to the true faith. ) i THE HUGUENOTS. 31 My father was as skilful in the ruling of his own household as of the church over which God had placed liim. His favorite recreation was gardening, and it was in coming out of his garden in the year 1666 that he was seized with a fit of apoplexy, which proved fatal. You may well imagine how deeply and sin- cerely he was regretted by all, but I think to myself, thou'^h at the time unconscious of my loss, it was the most serious. Had it pleased the Almighty to prolong his days, what a guide and instructor he would have been to my youth ! 32 A TALE OF CHAPTER III. My birlh — Lameness — Imitation of my father's prayers — Me- ditations upon the heavenly bodies — Sent to school — Dis- gusted with study — Letter to sister — Mr. Dc la Bussiere — Admirable preceptor — Eccentric man — Enter college — Take degree of master of arts — My mother's death — Divi- sion of property. I HAVE now arrived at the history of my own life, which I shall give more in detail, as being more im- mediately interesting to you than those which have preceded it ; and you will find a tissue of adventures, checquered with extremes of prosperity and adver- sity, but amidst all its varied joys and sorrows you cannot fail to discern the hand of Almighty God, whose good providence may be distinctly traced, watching over me and making all things work toge- ther for my ultimate advantage. I was born at Jenouille, on the 7th April. 1658. The first disaster which befell me proceeded from the carelessness of my nurse ; she trusted me to her daughter, a young and giddy girl, who played with me, tossing me in the air and catching me in her arms, until at last she missed, and I fell to the ground and broke my leg. The nurse, afraid to inform my parents, took me to an ignoramus of a surgeon* who THE HUGUENOTS. 33 pronounced that no harm had been done. The re- sult to me has been lameness for life, my right leg being shorter, thinner, and much weaker than the other. I inherited something of the fanriily beauty of face, and was of a very lively and inventive turn. Whsn only four years old, I was so taken with my father's reading of the Scriptures, and praying with the family, that I had a fancy to imitate him, and calling together the servants and my sisters, I made them kneel down while I prayed. They gave my father such an account that he had a curiosity to be present also ; I would not proceed unless he knelt down with the rest ; and my mother has since told me that he was much affected by the earnestness of my manner, and discovering, as he thought, the germ of future talent and piety, he himself prayed heartily to God to preserve and bless one who evinced a zeal so unusual among children. I was younger by seven years than any of my brothers and sisters, and this circumstance occasioned my being left much to my- self, and I used to reflect a great deal ; and some of my meditations in childhood being a little remarka- ble, I will not pass them by. You must bear in mind that my knowledge was derived from no book save the Holy Scriptures, which I heard my father read daily. I beheld the glorious sun arise each morning to renew our joys and pleasures, and every night 34 A TALE OF tliousands of stars enamelled the vault above our heads ; I algo noticed another bcautiliil luminary, which day b} day decreased, and again returned to its first glory by the same degrees. Now I knew from the Scriptures that God inhabited a light which no man could approach unto ; and that he dwelt in the third heaven, to which St. Paul had been caught up. I concluded thence that his dwelling place was above the sun, moon, and stars, and that in order to hold him and the celestial court, consisting, as I un- derstood, of an infinite number of angels and jjlorified ' DO saints, I imagined the floor of the third heaven must be of a solid and opaque substance, and the dwelling place of God all resplendent with the light that his glory diffused around him. I concluded that what we saw of the sun, (beauteous as it is) was but a hole in the ceiling of the second and floor of the third heaven, ^vhich illuminated us with a faint gleam of that light which shone fully u[)on the angels and saints. As to the stars, they were only so many gimblet holes in that part which was opposite to the sun and most distant from the throne of God. The moon, too, I supposed to be a hole nearly as large as the sun, but situated, like the stars, away from the immediate presence of God. As to her changes, they gave me no trouble, for taking the liJ of a pot and sliding it over the top produced exactly the same THE HUGUENOTS. 35 varied form, and I left the angels of God to aiide the round cover over the round hole of the moon accord- ino^ as they were bidden. IV^y only difficulty was to find out how the heavens could turn round without shaking the foundations or pillars upon which David said the earth rested. But if my reason proved un. equal to the solution, my faith made up all deficien. cies, being confident that to Him who made all things out of nothing, it could not be difficult. In cloudy weather I prayed earnestly to God to lift up his foot from the round hole which gave us light. I was sent from time to time to divers schools, and at seventeen years of age I had committed to memory vast quantities of Latin, but memory was the only talent that had been cultivated, my understanding and reasoning powers had been suffered to slumber. I became perfectly disgusted with study, and forming about this time an intimacy with a druggist's ap- prentice, I thought it would be a delightful thing if I could persuade my mother to let me throw aside my books and turn shop-boy. But how to set about it I did not know, for I had been dedicated to the minis- try from my birth, and I well knew it would almost break my mother's heart if I were to give it up. I at last resolved to make my sister Ann (the only one unmarried) my confidante. I wrote her a long letter 36 A TALE OF enlarging upon the length of time I had studied, the little progress I had made, and the poor hopes I had of doing any better in future. I told her I had the greatest reverence for the ministerial office, and looked upon it as the most honorable of all employ- ments, but then, if it was an undertaking beyond my strength, the requisite gifts being deficient, it would only be wasting time and money for me to persevere. After dwelling at length on my incapacity, I wound up by disclosing my secret wish to go into a drug- gist's shop, and I begged of her to toll it to my mo- ther, as a suggestion of her own, on some very fa- vorable occasion, and by no means to show the letter to her. Notwithstanding all my precaution, my sister felt it to be her duty to make my communica- tion public, and a family council was held as to what was to be done, and it was unanimously decided that the very ingenuity of my arguments to prove inca- pacity went to establish the fact of its being inclina- tion, and not talent, that was wanting. My mother took it to heart so much, that she absolutely fell sick; but she was determined to keep me at study for some time longer, at any rate. Soon after this struggle for liberty, I was for the first time placed under a tutor who had th"j art of drawing forth any talent tliat I might possess. Mi. De la Bussiere was a THE HUGUENOTS. 37 Protestant layman, and very eccentric. He was an excellent Latin and Greek scholar, a pretty poet and a good physician ; he was as obstinate as a mule ; he drank to excess, but did not commence his potations until the labors of the day were ended. He had ten or twelve pupils, but no boarders ; for he and his wife had only one small apartment, which served as kit- chen, bedroom, and study. He wore a little cloak, once black, now of a reddish brown, threadbare, and always covered with dust. He never used a razor, but when his beard became inconveniently long, he cut it off with scissors. Their slovenly apartment did not contain such a thing as a looking-glass. In short, he was, what in England they call, a mere scholar ; he had learning, and nothing else. I began to study under him upon an entirely different plan, and in a short time his explanations and exercises brought into play the stores that memory had laid up, and I was astonished to find that I had accu- mulated such a mass of materials without knowing how to make use of them until now. We had no holyday except Sunday, and on Monday morning we were required to give a full account of the ser- mon we had heard on the preceding day. I remained three years with him, and when we parted, both he and I were satisfied with the progress I had made. 4 38 . A TALE or He certainly understood human nature, and had the art of guiding others in a remarkable degree. A single word of reproof from him was more grievous to me than the severest punishments inflicted by former preceptors. My next step was to the college of Guienne, and there great mortification awaited me. Latin was the only language made use of, and I had never been accustomed to speak it, (though I was familiar with all the best Latin authors) and I found it impossible to follow the Lecturers. I did not allow myself to l>c discouraged, but hired the assistance of a private tutor for the hours of relaxation, and by this means, I was soon able to keep pace witli the Professors ; and I may say with truth, that during the two years I remained at college, I spent sixteen hours out of every twcnty-tbur in study. At the age of twenty- two I took my degree of Master of Arts, and of four- teen who passed at the same time, I stood second on the list. Thus, with five years of hard study, I made up in some degree for the previous nine years of negligence. About this time my dear mother ended her life of piety and usefulness. In France, by law a man is not of age until he has completed his twenty-fifth year, but my brothers, dislildng the trouble of managicg my property, made THE HUGUENOTS. 39 me of age, or free, immediately after my mother's de- cease. My brothers and sisters were all married, and had long ago received the greater part of their portions, so that in making the final division of pro- perty, the estates of Jenouille and Jaffe fell to my share. 40 A TALE OF CHAPTER IV. Study with Mr. Forcsticr — His persecutions — His wife's firm- ness — Return home — Pray with neighbours — Leave the nciglibourhood at Easter — Poor people assemble in tlie woods — A spy watches them — Warrants issued — A mason taken up — He recants — His repentance — My return home — Warrant against me — Determine to remain and wait the issue — Grand Provost and Archers appear — Conducted to prison — Obtain permission to pray night and morning in prison. Having made all necessary arrangements for the management of my property. I went to my brother- in-law Mr. Forestier who was a ministv r at St. Mesme in Anguomois to prosecute my theological studies, for I liad now no other wish than to devote to the glo- ry of God all the talents he had bestowed upon me. While I was at Mr. Forestier's, a complaint was made that he had received a papist into the commu- nion of the Protestant Church, contrary to the King's edict. Upon this accusation, he was taken to prison on horseback with his legs tied under the horse's bel- ly. If you had but seen the papists of Augouleme collected on the road, in such numbers that I may say they were literally piled up, and they were uttering the most horrid maledictions and throwing stones at THE HUGUENOTS. 41 him and at us who accompanied him to the prison door ; I say, if you had seen them, you would have supposed the prisoner had murdered his father, com- mitted violence on his mother, or attempted the life of the King. Oh my God ! to what a horrid pitch of barbarity does the blind zeal of superstition and idolatry carry mankind ! My sister was throughout her trials resigned to His will, who she felt assured, in His infinite wisdom, or- dered all for the best. After a tedious imprisonment Mr. Forestier appealed to the parliament* of Paris, and was acquitted. The Church of St. Mesme be- ing condemned, he was removed by order of the Sy- nod to Coses in Saintonge, and though it is rather anticipating events, I think I had better finish at once the history of his labours in the ministry, be- fore returning to my own life. The church at Coses having been condemned, the papists in the neighbor- hood wished to put a stop to divine worship there, even before the day appointed for its destruction ar- rived, and to accomplish this end, they made some * There were ten Parliaments in the Kingdom of France, they were superior courts of judicature, to which appeal was made from the decision of inferior tribunals. They had no legislative function but that of registering and publishing the Royal Decrees, to which they very rarely raised any objection. 4* 42 A TALE OP frivolous complaint of Protestants who had recanted having been seen there, and procured a warrant to arrest Mr. Forcstier upon this charge. A friend travelled all night from Saintes in order to give him timely notice of the steps that had been taken, and arrived at Coses just as he was ready to go to church on Sunday morning, and tried in vain to per suade him to conceal himself. My sister was appealed to, expecting she would aid in dissuading her husband from going to church ; so far from it, she replied with a calm and decided tone ; " It is Mr. Forestier's duty to preach to his tlock, and it is for God to do as seemeth him good." Mr. Forestier turned round triumphantly and said "You see we have no Eve here Sir," and immediately proceeded to church with his family. He preached with his accustomed energy, there was not the slight- est visible trace of agitation, and as he descended from the pulpit he was seized by the Archers, taken to the prison of Saintes and thence transferred to tl^at of La Reolle, where the parliament of Bourdeaux then held its sittings. His life was preserved through many dangers by the God whom he served so faith- fully, and at last he left France with his wife and younger children, in conformity with the King's Declaration. It is difficult which to admire most, the husband THE HUGUENOTS. 43 or the wife, the faith of both shone so triumphantly on these trying occasions, and I can assure you (for I was much with her) that my sister's firmness did not proceed from any deficiency of sensibihty ; there was no apathy about her. I have known few persons who had stronger affections, but her love for her hus- band and children was subordinate to her love of God, and when his glory was in question, nothing was too dear to her. Happy couple ! their treasure was laid up in heaven, and they could well afford to despise this present life and its enjoyments. I now return to my own history. I went to Saintes to reside, in order to have the assistance of two able and pious ministers, Mr. Mainard, and Mr. Borillak, in pursuing my theological studies. After a while they also were cast into prison, and I returned home. My brother Peter had been the minister of my fa- ther's parish ever since his death, and about this time, he was seized under a ' lettre de cachet,' and confined in the Castle of Oleron ; the church at Vaux was levelled with the ground, and most of the churches in our Province shared the same fate ; thus my neighbors could not reach a place of wor- ship without great fatigue ; and feeling compassion for them as sheep without a shepherd, I felt myself called upon to invite them to join me in my family 44 A TALE OF devotions. The number who came soon increased to one hundred and fifty, and I then recommended them not to come daily as heretofore. I could pre- pare mvself more suitably to expound the Scriptures, and preach for them, if our meetings did not take place more than two or three times a week. And I suggested to them, that if each family only came once a week, and thus all took their turns, that our meetings being less numerous, would be less likely to attract attention. I also frequently changed our days of assembling, giving previous notice to the peo- pie, and we continued this endearing intercourse un- interruptedly during the whole winter. AH who at- tended were personally known to me, and to each other, and all were equally interested in keeping the secret, and my house standing entirely alone was also a very favourable circumstance for us. A rumour prevailed that there were meetings in our parish, and that I was the preacher, but we had no traitor in our ranks, and the papists were unable to discover any thing with sufficient certainty to make a handle of. Some of my friends advised me to cease before we were discovered, but I believed myself to be in the path of duty, and was determined to per- severe. Our holy intercourse continued without any drawback till Palm Sunday 1684. I then advised my people to go to some of the few remaining churches THE HUGUENOTS. 45 in order to receive the communion with their brethren, and I myself went to the other side of the Province, and received the communion both on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, and remained from home until ten or twelve days after Easter. On Palm Sunday some of the neighbours came to my house as usual, and not finding me there, they retir- ed to the wood behind my house, and one of their number, a mason by trade, who read very well, offi- ciated as their pastor. He read several chapters from the Bible, the prayers of the church, and a ser- mon, and they sang Psalms. This meeting having been open, it was noised abroad, and on Holy Thurs- day, from seven to eight hundred persons assembled on the same spot, the mason again the pastor ; and on Easter day the number increased to a thousand. A miserable pettifogging Attorney, named Agoust, who had already abjured his religion, lived wiltiin four hundred paces of a high road by which many of the people returned home from the meeting, and thinking to ingratiate himself with those in power, he sat at his window to watch them returning, but it was impossible for him to recognise individuals at that distance, the services having continued till af- ter dusk ; nevertheless, he made out a list of sixty nanles, putting down som3 who were, and some who were not there, and Mr. Mouillere and I were at the 46 A TALE or head. He knew pretty v.'cll who would be hkely to attend such a meeting, and that was about as much as he really did know. On the deposition of this single witness (a man of indiflerent character at best) before the Seneschal of Saintes, warrants were issued against us. Two or three days before my re- turn home, the Grand Provost and his Archers Were sent in search of us. I was absent ; the country peo- ple, having iiad timely notice, had hidden themselves in the woods, and at^er scouring the country over the archers found no one but the poor mason who had officiated. Ilim tlicy took, fastened him to a horse's tail, and drajjfjed him to Saintes a distance ' DO of fifteen miles. They threatened him in all kinds of ways, and assured him he would be hanged as soon as they reached the Capital. It was late when they arrived, too late, they told him, for him to be hang- ed that night, and that one solitary chance for life yet remained to him, and that was, to recant without de- lay, for if he once got within the walls of the prison, a hundred religions would not save him from death. They said all that was required of him was to re- nounce the errors of Calvin, and surely he might do that with a clear conscience, for if Calvin had errors, they ought to be renounced, and if he had none, then nothing was renounced. Thjy did not neglect to set before him the forlorn condition in which his wife THE HUGUENOTS 47 and children would be placed by his death ; and the poor fellov/, what with their threats and their spe- cious arguments, having no one at hand to strength- en him, yielded to the temptation, and abjured the er- rors of Calvin. He was rewarded bv being; set at liberty immediately. As soon as I returned home, he came to me, crying like a child, he threw himself on his knees before me, and entreated that I would pray to God for his soul, which he had damned by his own weakness. He related the whole story to me, and told me the torments he had endured ever since and that it was impossible for him to sleep. He viewed his crime with so much abhorrence, and was in such a state of despair, that I saw at once that my duty was not to reprove but rather to try to lead him to the true source for consolation, and I endeav- oured to convince him that God's mercy was still open to him. I drew a parallel between him and St. Peter, whom he had imitated, as well in his bitter tears, as in his fall. He once more abjured his ab- juration, and asked forgiveness of every one he met for the scandal he had brought upon their holy re- ligion ; and I do believe that all who witnessed the remorse of this unhappy man, were by it strengthen- ed in their own faith. God, who can bring good out of evil, shewed them by this sad example that man, with all his cruelties, can inflict no such pain, 48 A TALE OF as God causes to the consciences of those who deny him before men. I w.is very sorry that I had not been on the spot to have accompanied the poor man, and to have tried to strengthen him; and understanding that there was a warrant out against me, I rode over to Saintes to ascertain the fact. T waited upon the Lieutenant General, or Seneschal of the Presidency of Saintes, and he had the malice to deny that there was any such warrant out, though he himself had issued it: but he thought that being led to prison by the Grand Provost, and made a public spectacle of, would serve to intimidate me. I saw into the matter, and re- turned quietly home. During the week I remained there, I was constantly employed, exhorting my neicrhbours and trying to strengthen their faith, and when I heard that the Provost and Archers were within two leagues of us, I sent messengers into the villatres to ffive them time to hide themselves, but I had determined myself not to shrink from the danger whatever it might be. I made all ready in the even- ing, expecting them early next day ; I gave full di- rections to my servants, I made up a bundle contain- ing what I should require in the prison, and I pray- ed most fervently to God for his grace to support me in the step I was about to take, and which I be- lieved I was undertaking for his glory. Some of THE HUGUENOTS. 49 my friends came to mc, and offered mo the use of their houses as an asylum, but I refused, saying that I had induced these poor people to jeopard their lives for our holy religion, and that, having been their guide when there was no danger, if I were now to flee, I should consider myself like the shepherd v/ho fled at the sight of the wolf, because he was an hire- ling. Example, I told them, was more powerful than precept, and that if I were absent, and my poor neighbours abjured their faith for want of a leader to countenance and support them, I should for ever feel that the sin rested on my shoulder. My mind was v/onder fully calm, and I slept so soundly that I was only wakened by the noise of the Provost and his Archers knocking at the gate, at break of day. I started suddenly out of my sleep, felt a vague sort of alarm, and trembling from head to foot, and being but half awake, the idea crossed my mind of defend- ing myself with fire-arms which I had in my room. Presently I realized more fully my situation, and calling to mind the resolves of the night before, I fell down upon my knees and prayed for Divine as- sistance, which appeared to be vouchsafed to me, for I felt almost immediately tranquillized, and I heard with displeasure that my servants were denying that I was in the house. I put my head out of the win- dow, and told them I had made ready for them over- 5 50 A TALE or night, upon which they retreated a Httle, evidently tliinking the preparation I spoke of was defensive ; indeed, I heard the Provost order his Archeri to be on their guard, for I should probably fire upon them. I told him he was mistaken, and that if he would wait patiently until I was dressed, I would accom- pany him. As soon as I was ready, I opened the door and showed the bundle I had prepared the night before. The Provost gave me some exhortations about what he considered my duty, namely, to make a recantation in conformity to the King's order. He then left me in charge of two of his Archers, and proceeded with the rest in search of the other per- sons against whom he had warrants. They scoured tlie country without finding any of my accomplices in prayer. One poor ploughman was taken up, who felt somewhat embarrassed at suffering persecu- tion without the consolation of having deserved it. He was sent forward to the place of rendezvous with an Archer for his guard, who was one of that tribe of booted Missionaries, wh^ by oaths, threats and cruelties, strove to make converts to his religion. Hearing that no more prisoners were likely to be brought in, we continued our way, and my com- panion was greatly comforted by having (at my earnest solicitation) the rope, which tied him to the horse's tail, left long enough for him to walk by my THE HUGUENOTS. 51 side. When we were approaching the Capital, the Archars told me, with a delicacy rather unusual, tliat the}^ had positive orders to tye my legs together un- der the horse, but that if I would drop my cloak down so low as to hide my legs altogether, they would dispense with it. We entered the town of Saintes at 5 o'clock in the afternoon of a day near the end of April 1684, and we formed a spectacle to a crowd composed of two very different classes. The one clapped their hands, jumped for joy, and cri- ed out in loud tones, " Hang them ! Hang them !" The other stood aloof and wept. My companion was sadly overcome, but I tried to encourage him, speak- ing kindly to him, and pressing his hand, which M'hen the papists observed, they redoubled their me- naces. The principal Protestants in the place made me a visit of condolence in the prison that very night. I thanked them for their sympathy^ and told them they would soon have an opportunity of evin- cing it by acts, for I felt assured that my poor neigh- hours would ere long be my companions in prison, and they would then be called upon to contribute to their support. After they had left me, I made a bar- gain with the gaoler to pay him so much a day for a bed for myself, and for the use of his own private apartment. Now my principal reason for coming to 52 A TALE OF prison (whicli I could easily have avoided by flight) was to prevent any of my followers, who might hereafter be seized, from changing their religion, and as it would be highly dangerous to speak to them of religion, I determined, without loss of time, to make the only arrangement by which I could hope to be useful to them, and that was, to obtain permis- 6lo« to pray aloud night and morning in the prison, an und-.Ttaking which hitherto no minister had at- tempted, so far as I knew. After tupper, conversing with the gaoler, I told him tJicre was one thing I wished to mention to him, namely, that it was my practice to pray aloud to God iiiglit and morning, and that it had become so habit, ual to me, and was so necessary to my peace of mind, that if I were debarred from it, he would finJ me un. happy and morose, and an uncomfortable inmate for him ; but that wishing to siiew him all due respect, I had no idea of annoying him by prayin^r in our joint apartment, and if he had no objection, I would choose as my altar the corner of the common prison behind the door of our room. He replied rather joc- ularly that he was like the devil not so black as he appeared to be, and that all my holy water would not make him drop the keys out of his hand. " Very well," said I, ' I am glad we agree so well, you may keep THE HUGUENOTS. 53 the key of the prison, .ind I will endeavour to obtain that of eternal happiness.' I went directly to the corner I had named, and kneeling down, I began to pray aloud, without calling any one to join me ; but my companion threw himself on his knees at my side, as did also another poor Protestant who was im- prisoned for debt. My prayer was chiefly compos- ed of thanksgiving, that among so many faithful servants of God, he had been pleased to select me to suffer persecution for the truth of his Gospel, soli- citing his grace to enable me to do my duty in this new sphere. I did not forget to make mention of the choice of Moses rather to suffer persecution with the people of God than to sit upon the throne of Pharaoh, and also the zealous protestations of St. Paul, that neither death nor life, nor principalities, nor powers, should be able to separate him from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. I prayed also for the King, that God would be pleased to put it into his heart to examine the pure faith against which he issued so many edicts, and that he might be changed from its persecutor into its nurse and father. The following morning I went to prayer in the same cor- ner ; and continued daily night and morning, and my poor ploughman became confirmed in his faith, and felt so bold that the promises and threats of the 5* 54 A TALE OF Papists no longer disturbed him. The gaoler and his wife being accustomed to deal with haughty turbulent spirits, looked upon me as disordered in my intellects when they found I considered it a privilege to be im- prisoned. THE HUGUENOTS. 55 CHAPTER V. Provost and Archers make another tour — Firmness of the poor country people — Twenty brought to prison — Supplied with necessaries by Protestants of Saintes — Attempt to bL^^KC their faith — Precaution in anticipation of separa- tion — Indictment against me — Confrontation — RecoUe- ment — Examination of witnesses — Agoust — Two crimi- nals — Gaoler — Gaoler's wife — Application to the Seneschal for enlargement — Accusation of King's advocate — Placed in a dungeon — Removed to Town Hall — Proposal to re- gain freedom by bribery. When I had been in prison about ten days, the Pro- vost and his Archers jet out upon another circuit, and my idea was correct that the country people would no longer flee. They had warning time enough for the timid to retreat to the woods, but more than one hundred and fifty persons met the Provost, and ac- costed him with the utmost intrepidity, saying: "We have all attended these holy meetings and prayed to God in the woods, and we are ready to justify our conduct." The number who came forward being much greater than those against whom he had war- rants, an examination commenced, and those whose names were not on the list were put on one side ; after this was done, the remainder was still too large, 56 A TALE OF (the prisons being already filled with Papists who "were committd for real crimes,) and the Provost Su.id he would only take twenty. A holy strife then arose anionjist these followers of the Lord as to who should be of the number. The Archers were thunderstruck at the scene they beheld. " What are you about ?" said they. " Do you tet no value upon life ? What fury urges you to the gallows ? Think for a mo- ment of your wives and children ! what will become of them ?" They tried every expedient to intimi- date them, and swore by all that was sacred that they would only leave the prison for the rack, the gibbet, or at any rate the galleys. Tiiey adduced numerous instances of such and such persons, who, for similar ofTences, had been hangod, broken on the Avheel, 6uC, &c. These words acted upon them like wind upon fire, the more furious and violent were the Archers, the more wai the zeal of the people kindled. At length, by a refinement of cruelty, the Provost determined to leave behind those most anxious to go, and to select those to take with him who appeared least eager. They were bound together two and two a^ dogs are coupled fcr hunting, and fastened to the horses' tails. Triese poor countrymen betrayed no appre- hension, they bade adieu to their wives and children with dry eyes, and the wives themselves, having put THE UUGUENOTS. 57 their hands to the plough, saw their husbands depart without a murmur, trusting in Him who has promis ed to be a husband to the widow, and a father to the fatherless. It was certainly not more than half an hour after their arrival at the prison,when ten beds with all com- pletc and an abundant supper were sent to them ; and it deserves to be recorded, that during the whole time of their imprisonment the good Protestants of Saintes took care to supply them with every necessa- ry, and the manna was not more abundant in the wilderness than food in the prison. Their beds were placed on one side of the large room, apart from the Papists. In the evening I went to prayer as usual, they all knelt around me, and God who has promised his assistance to all who ask in faith, did indeed answer our prayers, for we ex- perienced a holy joy and peace, which cannot be understood by any who have not tasted for them- selves. From time to time attempts were made to undermine the faith of these poor people, and induce them to recant, and doctrinal arguments were brought forward which they were unable to answer. I dared not instruct them openly, or even converse with them upon religious subjects, but they would speak among themselves of these difficulties, and as I was walking up and down the large room, I listen. 58 A TALE OF ed to what they were saying, and when the hour of prayer returned, I availed myself of what I had overheard, and I would put up a petition, that if the enemies of tiie Lord should ask me such and such questions, or make use of such and such arguments, I might receive the Holy Spirit, and be enabled to answer for the faith that was in me in such and such a manner ; and thus I contrived to prepare them for the Bishop's chaplain who visited them daily. During three weeks the Bishop and many other Papists were unceasing in their endeavours to cause some of these poor people to fall, but thanks be to God, it was all in vain. At length they found out the secret of our strength, and that prayer was the invincible armour of our faith ; and so they deter- mined to remove me, thinking that when the poor countrymen were left to themselves, they might work upon their fears as successfully as they had done upon the mason. I had foreseen this step, and taken precautions accordingly, recommending them to continue praying aloud, one for the rest ; and if he also were taken away, another to take the place, so lone: as even two should be left. For their further encouragement, I told them, that by this expedient it was not improbable that we might be placed to- gether again. THE HUGUENOTS. 59 The King's Solicitor had prepared an indictment^ consisting of three charges. 1st. I had taught in the prison, and prevented my companions changing their religion. 2nd. I had given offence to the Catholics who were in prison. 3d. I had interrupted the Priest in his celebration of Divine worship. I have forgotten to mention that there was a small chapel attached to the prison, where the Priest said Mass every morning, and I had selected the same time for our devotions, because the Papists were then generally absent. Two of the witnesses against me, whose ears had been offended by the Holy name of God being pro- nounccd within their hearing, were men who had waylaid a neighbour on the highway, murdered him and mangled his body, for which crime they were afterwards broken on the wheel. Oh ! how infamous for a Huguenot to attempt to pray to God in the presence of such worthy Catholics, and wound their delicate consciences with his fanatical discourse. Great God ! what times ! Before I was removed, they brought me into Court for examination, and they began first with the of- fence for which I was originally committed to pri- son. 60 A TALE OF • On these occasions, the accused is permitted to ask the witnesses as many questions as he pleases, in the presence of the Seneschal or President, and the Reg- ister ; and he has the right to have such answers as he considers favourable to him committed to writing. This is called 'confrontation.' The President on be- half of the King cross-examines both the accused and the witnesses, and has all the answers recorded that he considers of sufficient importance. This is call- ed 'recoUement.' And upon this ' confrontation' and ♦ recollement' all the instructions for the prosecution turn. Tlioy are read by judges to the number of twelve or fifteen, who are lawyers of course, and arc called counsellors. At the time of judging, the witnesses are not brouglit to the bar as in England, but the ' confron- tation' and ' recollement' only are produced ; and as each witness has been separately examined, without knowing what any other has said, it is a good way of eliciting the truth. It is all important, you must perceive, for the accused to be on the alert to discov- er, if possible, any falsehood in the witnesses. The only witness against me was Agoust, who had made oath to seeing me on Easter Day, among the poor people returning from the meeting in the woods. He was, as I have already said, a pettifogging attor- THE HUGUENOTS. 61 ney, and consequently, well qualified to support false- hood without contradicting himself. Truth in the end generally triumphs over falsehood, and so it was on this occasion, for I extracted from him at different times, and amidst a host of useless questions, the following replies : — 1st. That the time he saw me was in the dusk of the evening. 2nd. That he was standing at his window. 3rd. That I was in Mr. Mouillere's meadow. 4th. That the distance was about a musket shot from where he was standing. 5th. That it was not in my way home from the woods. You will readily conclude that I only obtained these answers at long intervals, putting many irre- levant questions to him in the mean time, in order to make him lose sight of the inconsistency of his pre- sent replies with those already recorded. The President was out of all patience with me, for consuming his time in asking so many foolish questions. As Agoust had been a Protestant, and had turned Papist to retain his office as attorney, I endeavoured to trouble his conscience, and putting together the above named answer, I said to him ; " Miserable wretch that you are, was it not enough that you should deny your baptism and your religion 6 62 A TALE OF but you must also employ false testimony to tempt those whom God supports by his grace. Now ; look at your statements and give the glory to God. You were at your window in the dusk of the evening, and you recognised me at the distance of a musket shot. What sort of eyes do you pretend to liave ?" He was much confused at this, and said, " At any rate I thought it was you." " Write that," said I to the Register. Tlie President, seeing hi^ prey about to escape him, got into a violent passion, and reproached me with abusing the witness. "You have perplexed and confused him," said be. " Wiiat" said I " are you sorry that I have forced truth from his lips ? I looked up to you as my judge, but I now see reason to fear you as my persecutor." I requested the Register several times to write down the last most decisive answer, but he looked for permission to the President, who shook his head. I then insisted that he should write down that the wit- ness no longer said he had seen me, but only that he thought he had seen me. The President v.'ished to dictate it in modified terms, but I declared that if it were not written down verbatim, nothing should induce me to sign my con- frontation, and finally he yielded ; I believe, from the THE HUGUENOTS. 63 fear he entertained of my protesting against his pro- ceedings, which would have been to his great disho- nour. The first blow avoided ; you shall now see how I got clear of the dreadful accusation of having pray- ed to my God in prison. The two witnesses after- wards broken on the wheel were first examined. One of them had been brought up a Protestant, and all he could remember hearing me say was " Our fa- ther who art in heaven." The second could not re- member even as much as that. The gaoler was the third witness, and his accusation being that I had prevented the recantation of the people. I enquired of him whether he had ever heard me speak to them about religion. « No," said he. " Did I even call them to prayers ?" «No." I asked no more from him. The fourth witness was the gaoler's wife, and she was expected to prove that I had interrupted the priest in celebrating Mass. She had some talent and was a great bigot, therefore some little dexterity was required in dealing with her. You must bear in mind that the chapel was sepa- rated from the main body of the prison by a little court, and also that it was on the ground floor, and 64 A TALE OF the common room of the prison was in the second story, and I prayed in the corner of that room most re- mote from tlic chapel, and with my hack towards it, and in a subdued tone of voice, only just loud enough to be audible to those around me. It would indeed have re- quired lungs much stronger than mine to bavc made myself heard in tiie chapel ; the President well knew that it was an impossibility ; and if there were no other evidence of the falsity of the accusation, the non-ap- pearance of the Priest, (said to have been disturbed) as a witness, would have been sufficient. When the gaoler's wife came forward, I complain- ed to her of the injustice of the preceding witnesses, and said, that I was sure a devout woman, such as she was, could not have been shocked to see poor people, for wbom punishment was in storr^, humbling themselves before their God, and that as all my ex- pressions were taken from the Holy Scriptures, they could not have given offence to a good Christian like her. She replied, that my words had not given her offence. That was written. " However," said I, " you had a much better op- portunity of hearing me than any of the other wit- nesses ; do not you remember passing close by my feet one morning when I was praying, as you went from one room to the other ?" THE HUGUENOTS. 65 She said she remembered it well. I had that written, almost in spite of the President, who considered it so useless a question. After a few unimportant queries, I asked her if she ever heard me call any one to prayer. " No," said she, " but as soon as they see you kneel down, they run like wild fire." I then asked, if she ever heard me forbid these people to change their religion. " No." These answers were written. I then enquired whether she was able to remember a sermon she heard from one of the preachers of her OWA religion. She was piqued that I should have a doubt on the subject, a.nd answered most unhesita- tingly, that she could remember it. I did not require that to be written, but with hum- ble apology, I begged she wouid do me the favor to repeat to the President any passages she could re- member of my prayers, because I was persuaded that he would esteem me for them, rather than wish me evil. She was abashed at acknowledging any deficiency in the memory of which she had just now boasted, and said, she could not oblige me because I always spoke m so low a tone that she could not hear what I said. 6* 66 A TALE OF That was written, and I was satisfied. We both signed tlie confrontation or rather refu. tation of the accusation. The witnesses having all contradicted themselves, I told the President that in- stead of sending mc to a worse prison, I had a right to expect that he would enlarge me. Tiie king's advocate answered, accusing me in an indignant tone of having caused illegal aaserablies in the prison. I answered pleasantly enough that he was wrong in imputing the crime to me, the Grand Provost and his Archers had to answer for that, and I could as- sure liim that if he would open the prison, I would disperse the assembly. " It is no jesting matter," said he, " you have pre- vented the conversion of these poor people." I then spoke with more seriousness, and said "You must perceive by the-confrontation that you are mis. taken ; but for the sake of argument, suppose it to be otherwise ; I look upon the conversion of the soul as exclusively the work of the Holy Spirit of God, and that perseverance in our religion cannot be attribu- ted to any mere man, but rather to Him who tries the heart and the reins, and strengthens whom he pleases." " I am ashamed," said I, " to plead before Christians cis Christians formerly pleaded before Pa- gans ; and now just imagine yourself in the situation THE HUGUENOTS. 67 of one of us. What would you think of a religion which should impute it to you as a crime, that you had prayed to God out of the deep gulph of your af- fliction ? Would you be disposed to embrace such a religion ?" He was moved at this appeal, but the President re- mained inflexible, and said, I must go to the dun- geon of the tower of Pons. I then spoke with warmth and indignation, and told him, that being convinced of my innocence, as I felt persuaded he was, he forgot his duty, and was more inveterate against me than the King's advocate, who in virtue of his oflice was my prosecutor, and I added, that if he thought putting me in a dungeon would prevent my calling upon my Creator, he was much mistaken, for the greater the aflliction the more urgent would be my supplications, and that I would not forget in my prayers to beg that God would be pleased to give him repentance and a better mind. He very quietly said, he wanted none of my prayers or lectures, and called to the Serjeant to do his duty. I was taken to the tower of Pons, and put into a miserable, dark, filthy dungeon at 8 o'clock in the morning. I found it already tenanted by one of the culprits who was awaiting his trial for murder. We had not much conversation. He asked me what was the general opinion of him, and he also wished 68 A TALE OF to know if I could tell him anv thlnjx of the mode of cxamininf,^ by torture. I told iiim that he was be- lieved to be guilty, and the probability was, that if he were so, some one of his companions would con- fess, and they would all suffer. "What," said he, "if I go through the torture without confessing, and the others accuse me false- ly, shall I I)c broken on the wheel all the same ?" I said that all particulars might be so circumstan- tially given, that he would find it impossible to deny any longer. "Ah Jesu Maria !" he cried out, in such a tone as left me no doubt of his being really guilty. I en- deavoured to waken him to repentance, and assured him that God's mercy was still open to him. He had a curiosity to know what my crime might have been, and upon learning it he said, " Alas, sir, why do not you change your religion ? This is a sad place for one like you." Poor wretch ! I could readily believe that he would have acted up to the advice he gave me ; and the probability is, that had he been brought up a Protes- tant, recantation would now have saved his life. He Wcis next day put to the torture, ordinary and ex- traordinary ; he bore all in silence, nothing could be drawn from him ; one of his accomplices confessed, and all three were broken on the wheel. THE HUGUEIS'OTS. 69 Owing to the incessant importunity of Mademoisel- le De la Burgerie, afterwards wife of Col. de Bois- ron, I was taken out of this stinking place at nine o'clock the same night. She was well acquainted with the Seneschal, and represented to him in the strongest language the infamy of his proceedings, and she would not rest until he gave her an order for my removal. My next prison was a very elevated one, it was in a small tower at the top of the town hall of Pons, open to the town clock, circular in its form, and ten or twelve feet in diameter. I procured a small bedstead, three chairs, and a table, and I lived there three months in tolerable comfort. I v/as to be sure, rather dependent on the caprice of the Sene- schal ; sometimes he would not allow any person to enter my apartment for eight or ten days ; and again, at other times, he would grant admission to any and every body who would pay the porter a few pence. I was visited by many worthy and excellent persons, through whose instrumentality I was enabled to send prayers, copied by unknown hands, suited to the condition of my dear fellow sufferers in the pri- son ; and I had the satisfaction of learning that they persevered in their daily devotions, and not one of them was persuaded to recant. It is worth mentioning that my solitude was never 70 A TALE OF disturbed by Bishop, Jesuit, Priest, or Monk, though they never allowed a day to pass without visitinn-my companions. No one ever proposed to me to change my religion ; so true is it that if you resist the devil he will flee from you. It was hinted to me again and again, that I might let myself out with a silver key, but as I had only en- tered the prison for the benefit of my poor neigh- hours, I was determined not to quit it by means en- tirely out of their reach. I had also another reason, which alone would have been sufficient to make me decline this plan ; namely, that it would hold out an inducement to the avaricious Seneschal to treat other Protestants with severity in order to extort money from them. ]\Iy advocate, Mr. Maureau, and some other friends were anxious to take the matter upon themselves, and so arrange it as not to cost me a farthing, but I scorned the proposal, and assured them that if they dared to take such a step without my consent, I would proclaim publickly that the President had taken money to enlarge me. THE HUGUENOTS. 71 CHAPTER VI. Trial before the Presidency — A digression — My defence — Angry discussion with the President — Query — My reply- Sentence. The month of August had come round by the time that the process was ready to be brought before the Presidency in the Hall of Justice. In this court the prisoner is not allowed to have an advocate to plead for him, but has to appear alone. The door is locked and guarded by Archers. The President sits in the centre, the Judges or Counsellors on each side, the Register remains in the lower part of the Hall, and the prisoner is usual- ly seated near him on a three legged wOoden stool, as a mark of disgrace. There is a saying in France, " he has sat upon the stool," which is tan- tamount to the English phrase, " I have seen him hold up his hand at the bar." The testimony recorded in the confrontation is read to the accused, and he is asked if it be correct, and if the signature attached to it be his. The Judges then examine him more fully, and if it be a case ad- mitting of appeal to Parliament, the answers are re- t2 A TALE OF corded. The examination finished, the accused is taken back to prison, and the sentence of the court, in writing, is sent to him by a sheriff's officer. In preparing myself, I thought much more of my poor neighbours than of myself, because I was real- ly innocent of the charge in the indictment, they were not ; and without the assistance of an advocate I was somewhat apprehensive about them, and I de- termined, if I had an opportunity, to say something that might be useful, either in softening the hearts of the Judges, or alarming their consciences, as might appear most expedient when the time came. I prayed most fervently to God for his assistance. I will make a digression here, which you will pre- sently perceive is not altogether irrelevant to the sub- ject. My apartment under the Town Clock looked into the court yard of one of my Judges. He was a very passionate man and addicted to gambling, though said to be an able jurist. Two or three days before my trial I was awakened out of my sound sleep at midnight, by this man swearing and making the most horrible noises ; he had just returned home after losing around sum of money in play, and mad with vexation, he was vent- ing his rage upon his innocent wife and children. I thought I heard blows, but of that I was not sure. To return to my trial. When I entered the Hall THE HUGUENOTS. 73 of justice, the Register civilly offered me the three legged stool : I declined it, saying, I was no criminal to deserve the disgrace. He then attempted to force me upon it, which the Court observing, ordered him to desist, and one of the Judges smiling said, " Mr. Fontaine is a voung man, and he might miss a good match by it." I made a profound bow. I was asked whether I had not prayed to God in the wood on Easter Sunday. I said " No, and I can produce any number of witnesses to prove an alibi, if you will allow me ; I spent that day at Coses." Little was said about my crime in prison, because I acknowledged unhesitatingly that I had prayed there, but not with my full voice. After some other questions, they asked ma if I did not know that his Majesty had issued a Declaration forbidding illegal assemblies. I thought that God had now opened the door for me to urge something on behalf of my fellow prisoners, and I said ; — " Gentlemen ; I am aware of it, and I have read the Declaration most carefully over and over again, and I can find nothing in it which forbids people as- sembling to pray to God. I look upon it as the height of injustice to his Majesty, to pretend that he calls such assemblies unlawful, and you who are the 7 74 A TALE OP interpreters of his Declaration ought to have more respect for him, and for your own reputation as Chris- tians, than to give it so bad an intrepretation as to call those assemblies illegal, to which no arms are carried but the Old and New Testament, and where no words are spoken but such as find an echo in the sacred volume, and where prayers are offered for the prosperity of the King and his kingdom, and for the conversion of those who persecute the Church of Christ." An interruption occured here ; ray advocate, Mr. Maureau, had been listening at the door, and think- ing I was too bold, he put his mouth to a crevice, and cried " Hist, Hist, Hist," and ran away. The door was opened, but the offender was not to be found, so they contented themselves with guarding it more carefully. This incident roused the attention of my Judges, and hoping to draw me into some unguard- ed expression which might be made a handle of, they encouraged me to proceed, which I did as fol- lows : — " Illegal assemblies, gentlemen, it appears to me, are assemblies where something is done contrary to law, such as tumultuously assembling in arms to con- spire against the state ; and I see none other to which it can be applied without losing sight of the correct meaning of words ; but if we were to extend THE nUGUEIsOTS. 75 its application, It is evident it should be to those meet- ings held in summer on Sunday evenings, where they play, dance on the green, quarrel with one another, and blaspheme their Maker on his appointed day of rest. Such assemblies might perhaps fall within the meaning of the Declaration, however I do not hear of any one being taken up for attending iliem., while the prisons arc filled with those whose only crime has been praying to God. In the name of all that is sacred. Gentlemen, how dare j'ou give such an intrr- pretation to his Majesty's Declaration without trem- bling to think of the wrath of the King of Kings ? You who assemble nightly at balls, where they dance, speak evil of their neighbours, and squander their money, and perhaps loose in gambling that which is wanted to support their wives and children, and re- turn home to be a burden where they ought to be a blessing. You, I say, who are now sitting in judg- ment upon others, v/ill one day stand before the just Judge of all the world, and in that awful day, think you that He will condemn those who have worship, ped Him. in spirit and in truth, or those who have frequented your assemblies ?" « Aha !" cried the President " your rebellious spirit breaks out at last, you not only sermonize and re- proach us, but you say the King issues Declarations wherein he forbids assemblies where they pray to VO A TALE or God, and permits those in whicli the Divine Majesty is blasplicnicd. Register ; that is the sense of his re- ply, write it down." "It is not;" said I. He then rose up in great anger, and said ; '• I am void of understanding if it mean any thing else." Some of the Judges,more calm, said they had bet- tcr listen to what I had to say. TJiis was politic on their part, because an appeal to Parliament was open to me, and if I would not sign my name to the answers recorded, they might get into trouble, and he obliged to verify on oath every word they had made the Register write as com- ing from me. " Gentlemen," said I, " the sense of v. Iiat I did say I take to be this ; that the King by his Declaration of such a date never meant to prohibit assemblies Aviiere they pray to God, but much rather balls, and Sunday evening assemblies for dancing on the green, and more especially those wherein they conspire against the state." ^ " No," said the President " that is not it." " Well, gentlemen," said I, " to put an end to the dispute, I am very wilhng to dictate verbatim to the Register all that I have said ;" and I was about to begin. " What !" cried the President, « that long sermon THE HUGUENOTS. 77 over again, no ; that would be rather beyond endu- rance. At last, in order to save the trouble of the long re- ply, they consented to take the the following as the tenor of it. " According to my judgment, the Declaration of his Majesty of such a date does not forbid assemblies where they only pray to God, and I think those who extend its application so far, depart from the inten- tion of his Majesty." This was written, and I sign- ed the document. The President, by way of showing my stubborn- ness (as he called it) to the Court, then said to me, " Mr. Fontaine, we have no more questions to put to you as an accused person, but merely as a matter of curiosity, I wish to know from you whether you think a private individual, we will say, a mechan- ic, for instance, can understand the Holy Scriptures as well as the learned Doctors and Councils ?" I answered, " I must make some discrimination before I reply to your query. Suppose the individual in question should be blessed with the Holy Spirit, and the Doctors and Councils should not, (which I think very possible) then I am of opinion the former would understand the sacred volume the best, be- cause the same Spirit, by which the Scriptures were dictated, is necessary for their correct understanding. 7* 78 A TALE OF Our blessed Lord and his poor fishermen found them- selves opposed by the Scribes and Pharisees at Je- rusalem. And to come nearer to our own days, Lutlier and Calvin, to a certainty, understood the Scriptures better than all the Popes, Cardinals, and Councils put together." At these words they all arose, crying out, " Jesu Maria ! what infatuation !" " Ere long, gentlemen," said I, " we shall all be summoned to leave this vain world, and we shall then see whose has been the infatuation." I was taken back to prison, and my companions succeeded me in the Hall of Justice. The sermon, which it was reported I had preached to the Court, made a great noise in the place, it was the topic of conversation equally among Papists and Protestants, each dressing it up according to their own fashion. The Judges themselves said I had put the rope round my own neck. I received visits and letters of condolence from many of the principal Protestants, and they all blamed me for my indiscre- tion, but they did not know how cautiously I had expressed myself ; and when I told them the whole truth, and the form in which my answers had been recorded, they no longer reproached me. I appealed to Parliament before I had even read the sentence of the Presidency, which was handed THE HUGUENOTS. 79 to me next day. I was sentenced to pay a fine of a hundred livres to the King for having prayed in pri- son, and declared for ever incapable of exercising any function of the Holy Ministry. My companions were condemned to make tlie « amende honourable," to be banished from the Pro- vince for six months, to pay all expenses and one hun- dred crowns in specie ; and a further fine of six thousand francs was laid upon us all, collectively and individually. The object of the last clause was to squeeze the money out of me. as I was the only one in circumstances to pay it. I tendered the hundred livres imposed upon me individually, and then de- manded my enlargement, or at any rate the liberty of going in and out of the prison. This was refused, therefore I was under the necessity of calling upon ray friends to present my request to Parliament. 80 A TALE OP CHAPTER VII. Appeal to Parliament — Copy of factum — President's observa- tions upon it — Sentence reversed — Register refuses copy of the decree — Apply for redress — Return home. The Parliament of Bourcleaiix, or rather of Guienne, then held its sittings at La ReolJe ; and by its order we were removed to the prison of that town, which was so full that tlie gaoler, contented with his en- trance fee, allowed us to go and come on "parole" as we pleased. This was very advantageous to me, giving me the opportunity of making personal appli- cation to Parliament, proving my own innocence, and exposing the injustice of the Presidency of Saintr?, which I hoped to exliihit in its true colours. I had my factum printed, of which the following is a true and faithful copy. " FACTUM. J5 "James Fontaine is accused of two things. The one of being found in the assemblies held in the wood of Chatelars near Royan, and the other of having been heard praying to God, in the prison of Saintes. With regard to the first accusation, it is based upon THE HUGUENOTS. 81 the testimony of only one witness, named Agoust, who made affidavit to having seen him at the distance of one hundred paces from his own house, and two hundred paces from the place where the assem- blies were said to have been held. At the confronta- tion this witness admitted that he only thought he had seen him from a window, and that too, in the dusk of the evening, at a distance of three or four hundred paces ; and upon the strength of such testi- mony as this, the said Fontaine has been confmed four months in the prisons of Saintes, which are ex- tremely rude in their accommodations. The charge of praying to God rested upon the evidence of four witnesses, who contradicted themselves upon cross- examination, and it appeared that the said Fontaine merely knelt down in a corner of the prison, and spoke in so low a tone that the gaoler's wife, after acknowledging that she passed within one pace of him when he was kneeling down, was not able to re- peat a single word of what he had said. After the breviate of the case was completed, the Seneschal in the most extraordinary manner refused to judge, and the said Fontaine was obliged to take legal steps in consequence ; and after four months delay, the Attor- ney-general's deputy, recognising the injustice of the proceeding, called for further enquiry, and the sen- tence resulting therefrom is the subject of the pre- 82 A TALE OF sent appeal. Tiie said Fontaine has been declared guilty of contravening the King's Edict, and has been condemned to pay a fine of a hundred livres, and declared for ever incapable of exercising the functions of candidate or of ^Minister. The said Fon- taine appealed. lie tendered the sum of one hun- dred livres (the fine imposed upon him) to be set at liberty, this was refused — but he has since obtained permission to go in and out upon condition of return- ing to the prison. " Tiiis is a brief statement of facts, and the said Fontaine now proceeds to justify his appeal. In the first place the testimony of a single witness is not sufficient under any circumstances, and the witness in question merely testified to seeing him on the highway, and not at the place of meeting, and con- fessed afterwards that he only thought he had seen him. A witness to Ije depended upon should speak Mith certainty, and not by credit vel Jion credit any more than hearsay. And it can be proved that the said Fontaine was at Coses, distant three leagues, on the day and at the hour named by the witness. As to the second accusation ; who would condemn a man for praying in prison ? The very situation would lead a Christian to pray more frequently and fervent, ly. In order to convict him he should be proved to have used words admitting of evil construction ; THE HUGUENOTS. 83 SO far from it, all that appears is that he was on his knees, in a remote corner of the prison, and one witness heard him say, " Our father who art in hea- ven." The said Fontaine concludes that having made this just appeal, the former decision will be de- Glared null and void." " Monsieur de Labourin, Reporter.'^ " Signed. Dumas. Attorney." Presented 6th. August 1684. When I presented this factum to the President of the Parliament, I said to him, " My Lord, I here pre- sent you with a true statement of facts, and if you find the least discrepancy or exaggeration when you compare it with the evidence which will be brought before you, I am willing not only to have the sentence of the Seneschal confirmed, but you may increase the penalties as much as you please." He read it with attention, and said he could scarce- ly imagine it was correct, for what inducement could the Seneschal have had for acting thus. « My Lord," said I, « his is the spirit of avarice, which he hides under a specious display of false zeal ; for he only joined me in the sentence with the poor people to make sure of the fine and costs ; I can assure you that the fees, which are his perquisite, have been levied with an unsparing hand." 84 A TALE OP The form of proceeding before Parliament is the same as before the Presidency. When I entered the Hall, the stool was offered to me as before ; I looked towards the President, and he kindly exempted me from the opprobium. I was treated most respectfully, no unnecessary questions were asked, and I received full justice. I obtained a final decision, reversing the sentence of the Presi- dency of Saintcs, and acquitting me entirely. My poor neighbours for form's sake, were banished from the province for six months. The Seneschal of Saintcs was ordered to restore me the hundred livres that I had deposited, and he was prohibited from re- ceiving fees on this, or any future occasion, where the King was the prosecutor. Two grievous blows for the Seneschal. In order to obtain my liberty, and recover the fine, I must produce a copy of the decree. The Re- gister said that twenty-one copies would be necessa- ry, one for each of us, which would have been very expensive. He knew well that on exhibiting one to the gaoler, he would let us all out of prison, and therefore, (loving money) he refused to let me have my copy, unless I paid him for the twenty-one. I complained of this delay to the Lord President, and he told me to command the Register from him THE HUGUENOTS. 85 to furnish me with a copy, paying only for that sin- gle one. I went gladly with this order, but the chief Re- gister was so great a man that he interfered but lit- tle in the business of his office, and he sent me to his deputy, one Garden, who said it was none of his business. I returned to the chief Register, for I did not begrudge my steps, and he told me that Car Jon had better speak to the President. For several days I was kept on the move from one to the other with- out any prospect of redress, and I then began to see into the object of all this delay. This day was the last of the Court sitting before the Christmas holy- days, and the Register and his deputy thought that the Lords of Parliament once dispersed, they would keep us in prison during the whole holydays, unless I would pay for the tv/enty-one copies. I determined to make a desperate effort, and writ- ing my grievance on a slip of paper, I managed to get in at the door during the absence of the Ser- jeant, and appeared before the Parliament, with the petition in my hand. Garden, who was there, call- ed the Sei'j?ant, hoping to have me carried to prison for my intrusion. Fortunately the President saw me, and called out, < Mr. Fontaine, have you not got your deed yet ?" 8 86 A TALE OF " No indeed," my Lord, " what does it benefit me to have tbund favour in your eyes, and that you have done me justice, when it is in Mr. Cardon's power to prevent my obtaining the necessary record of it ? ParUament once prorogued, lie will leave me to rot in a dungeon ; and foreseeing this, I have in my despair, made bold to enter, and throw myself at your feet as a sup;>licant for justice." The President, extremely indignant, called out, *' Mr. Cardon, how dare you disobey my orders ? What have you to say to prevent my punishing you as you deserve ?" He began a shuffling excuse about not having re- ceived instructions from the chief Register. I was on the point of contradicting him, but one of the Judges, who was my friend, put his finger upon his lips to show me that I ought to remain si- lent ; and I presently saw it ^\as for the best, be- cause the President's anger was only increased by an apology setting at naught his authority. " And so, Mr. Cardon, my order is a dead letter, unless confirmed by the Register ! If you know your duty no better than that, it is time for me to have done with you." Cardon, in dismay, begged pardon with all humili- ty, and assured the Parliament he would attend to the matter instantly. THE HUGUENOTS. 87 The President, turning to me, said, " Sir, if you cannot get your deed to-day, come and tell me ; and when you do receive it, let me know how much you pay for it." I made a low bow and retired, very well pleased. I waited patiently for the adjournment of Parlia- ment, and asked Mr. Cardon as he came out to give me the deed. He said he was going home to dinner, but as soon as he had dined I should have it. I followed him to his mansion, and he perceiving it, recommended me to go and get m}- own dinner. I told him I was determined neither to eat nor drink till I was possessed of th'^ deed ; and I waited patient- ly outside of his door for two hours, and seeing neith- er him nor the deed, I knocked ; a footman opened the door a very little way, so that I could not possibly get in, and told me his m.aster was out ; nevertheless I retained my position, and saw several persons ad- mitted. At last, two well-fed Franciscan Friars, coming to the door, I followed them in unobserved, and keeping close in the rear I managed to get into the office, and waiting until their business was finish- ed, I rose to my full height as they disappeared, and stood like a ghost before Cardon. " What devil has brought you here ?" said he. I replied that I came under the auspices of the good fathers who were just gone. 88 A TALE OF lie handed me the deed, and I gave him in gold the one and twentieth part ol' the sum he had demand, ed for furnishing the full number. To my surprise, he returned me five or six crowns. " How is that ? Are you satisfied ?" said I. " No," said he, ^^■ith much asperity of manner, " nor shall I be \mtil I see you with a rope round your neck." " When people are hung," said I " for praying to God, 1 shall have reason to be afraid, and you will be able to sleep in peace." I took the deed to the gaoler, and he thereupon re- leased us all from our *' parole" and we were at full liberty. I should not have dwelt upon this subject at so much length, but for the purpose of shov.ing you how many diliiculties we had to contend with ; every one seemed to think he had a right to impose upon a Pro- testant, even down to a Register's clerk. From this detail you should learn to stand up with firmness and use every energy you are possessed of to overcome obstacles, and not sit down quietly as some do to complain of fatigue and rebuffs, and make no effort. Remember, God has promised his blessing to the diligent hand as well as the up- right heart. In the course of the day I called to take leave of THE HUGUENOTS. 89 my Lord the President, and to thank him for all Iiis kindness, and then quite victorious I turned my steps towards Saintes. I made the Seneschal refund the hundred livres already named, and once more I set foot within my own dwelling. The expences I had incurred during my imprisonment amounted to two thousand livres. Most of the poor people returned quietly to their own homes, which was winked at, and they received presents from charitably disposed Protestants to an amount that made ample amends for the labor which had been lost to their families. The history of our imprisonment spread far and wide, and I received letters of congratulation from many distinguished individuals, members of the re- formed church, amongst others from the Marquis de Rouvigny, father of Lord Galway. Mr. Benoist gives an account of our trial and im. prisonment in his « History of the Edict of Nantes." You will find it in the third part of the third vol- ume. 8* 90 A TALK OP CHAPTER. Vm. Persecution of 1685 — Meeting of ministers and ciders — My opinion opposed to the majority — Meeting of Protestants at Royan — Mr. Ccrtani dissuades numbers from emigration — Interview with him — Gloomy forebodings — Departure of many persons — Dragoons appear — Leave home — Visit sis- ters — Traverse the cotmtry — Place bethrothed in safety. The year 1685 opened with a bitter spirit of perse- cutlon, far beyond all that had proceeded it. There was no longer the slightest semblance of justice in the forms of proceeding, the dragoons ravaged and pi], laged without mercy, resembling in their progress a lawless and victorious army in an enemy's coun- try. In the history of past ages we look in vain for any record of such cruelties as they inflicted upon the tmoffending and unresisting Huguenots. They were accountable to nobody for their acts, each dragoon was a sovereign judge and an executioner, and he who had ingenuity enough to invent any new species of torture was sure of applause, and even reward for his discovery. Early in the year I received an invitation to at^ THE HUGUENOTS. 91 tend a meeting of Ministers and Eiders to consult upon what ought to be done at the present crisis. The number assembled was about twenty-five. As I was only a Candidate and not a Minister, I had no right to be present, still less to give an opi- nion at such a meeting, but my deportment in prison had gained me so much reputation, that young as I was, the Ministers requested me to give them my views. I pointed out to them the error I thought they had been guilty of, in preaching as they did, the doctrine of non-resistance from their pulpits, and I added that it appeared to me that our quiet submission to all the King's grievous Declarations had encouraged him to go on. Obedience to one edict only paved the way to another still more intolerable, and that we might blame the timid policy of the day for much that we had suffered. I totally dissented from the generally received doctrine, that our lives and our property be- longed to the King, and I looked upon it as reflect- ing discredit on our ancestors, who had obtained for us, sword in hand, the privileges which were now taken away. In short, I thought there was nothing left for us but to take up arms, and leave the issue to the Lord of Hosts. I was listened to thus far with impatience, and they then rebuked me, telling me I had none of the 92 -'^ TALK OF Spirit of the Gospel, which was patient and long-suf- fering, and at the utmost extremity permitted nothing but fliglit. I repUed that we were men as well as Christians, and that as men, we had rights to maintain ; and if a compact entered into with our fathers, in virtue of which they had laid down their arms, was broken, we were certainly called upon to enforce its fulfilment, if necessary, at the point of the sword. I entreated them to reflect that this immense Protestant popula- tion could not all flee. I was again interrupted, but I begged they would al- low me to say one word more ; and I solemnly called upon them to think of the thousands of souls that would be eternally ruined, unable to support persecu- tion they would yield to the tempter, but put arms in their hands and they would willingly hazard life for the truth. They looked upon me rather with compassion as an impetuous, headstrong, young man, and thought my advice altogether unworthy of consideration. When the dragoons made their appearance in our Province, it was with orders to over-run all the other districts before they visited the coast, and the idea prevailed that sailors were to be spared. The Intendant of Rochfort sent a letter to Royan recommending us to change without dragoons. A THE HUGUENOTS. 93 large meeting v/as held to deliberate upon a suitable answer to this smooth letter. My voice was in fa- vour of resistance, and I said I was convinced we could possess ourselves of Rochfort and Brouage in one week. i They would not listen to me, and I verily believe, that nothing short of the general respect entertained for our family would have prevented some who heard me from giving information. The answer returned was, that they would obey the King in every thing that was consistent with their duty to God, but nothing should induce them to change their religion. They told a very different story when the dra- goons really showed themselves amongst them, for the principal men proved arrant cowards, and trod upon one another, trying who could get into the Church first, to make recantation. It was amongst the county people that the most unshaken faith was found. Before the dragoons appeared, a good many sailors embarked with their families, and crowds fol- lowed to the sea shore to accompany them if room could be found for them. It was on this occasion that a Mr. Certani, the Catholic Priest of Royan (a sensible and respectable man) went down to the shore and dissuaded many from embarking, promising that Royan should not be visited by dragoons, the King 94 A TALE OF loving his brave seamen too well to allow them to be disturbed. And to give additional weight to his advice, he added that it* wliat he had said was not true, they were welcome to burn liim alive in his house. Some allowed themselves to be persuaded to change their plan. I was not at home on that day, and when I heard of it on my return, I went to Mr. le Cure and told him I came to bid him farewell, for I was cer- tain the dragoons would soon be in our parish, and [ did not mean to trust myself to their tender mer- cies, if I could help it. He urged me to do as man^/ others had done, ap. pear to change, which would answer every pur- pose. I answered, that I could not lull my conscience sufficiently to take such a step as that. He then told me in confidence that he was him- self overwhelmed with grief at the state of affairs ; he feared the just judgements of God would overtake the Catholics for forcing people to approach the altar without faith, and partake of that holy sacrament which should only be received by the sincere in heart, " I fear," said he, " war, famine, and pestilence ! War ! what is more probable than that the princes, with whom so manv Huguenots have taken refu/re THE HUGUENOTS. 95 should be aroused to avenge them of their persecu- tors ? Famine ! for who will cultivate our fields ? all our young people are leaving us, and what an army may be raised for our adversaries out of these brave young men whom we are driving away. Pestilence may naturally be expected to tread on the heels of famine. And who can say that we do not deserve these scourges of the Almighty for our profanation of his Holy Altar." This prophecy of the Cure was literally fulfilled, thouffh he did not live to see more than its commence- ment. The veteran army of France, formidable to the whole world, had been every where victorious till it made war upon the Saints, and then it expe- rienced the most gloomy reverses. The soldiers ap- peared to be shorn of their strength, and God took from them their ancient valour. The glory of Louis, whose ambition aspired to universal monarchy, de- parted from him when he raised his hand against God's elect, and he lived to reap his reward in seeing himself despised as he deserved to be. Famine and poverty covered the land, the gold and the silver dis- appeared, and its place was supplied by a species of enchanted paper, which still remains in their port- folios to remind them of all that they have lost. And pestilence also has overtaken that doomed and wretched nation. France ! miserable France ! my 96 A TALE OF country, wilt thou never open thine eyes and unstop thine ears and understand the language in which God has spoken to thee ? So long as his faithful ser- vants were cherished in thy bosom, his blessing was upon tliec, as it was upon Abinadab while the ark rested in his house ; but thou hast driven them forth with cruelties imhcard of, and thy prosperity has de- parted with them. The flood^i have gone over thee, O that tliou wouldest return to the Almighty and confess thy sins, and cease to forbid his true and pure worship ; and his blessing would return to thee, and thy days would be bright, and prosperity would again appear within thy borders. Sympathy for my dear native land has carried me away from my conversation with Mr. Lc Cure. To resume, I begged him not to draw upon himself the just indignation of an injured and infuriated commu- nity. He deceived himself, I told him, if he really believed as he had asserted that the dragoons would not come. " If they do come," said I, " recollect the penalty you will have to pay, you have given the people per- mission to burn you in your house. Nov/ I solemn- ly declare to you, that I have this day heard a man (a stranger to me) swear by all that lie held sacred, that if you had used deceit, he would roust you alive and carry the news to Holland." THE HUGUENOTS. 97 He turned pale at this, and said he had expressed himself so strongly, in consequence of the promise he had received from the Intendant of Rochfort that the dragoons should not come ; and he took out his letter and gave it to me for perusal. " Sir," said I " how came you (o make yourself answerable for the Intendant ? Suppose he should not keep his word with you. Now as a friend I be- seech you, go to the people before it is too late, and re- tract what you have said, show the letter to them, and they can attach what credit they like to it." He thanked me for my advice and availed himself of it, going down at once to the sea shore. During three days after this interview great numbers em- barked, and on the fourth the dragoons* made their * The Protestants lost most of their strong places during the reign of Louis XIII, and the remainder in tUat of Louis XIV, 80 that they were entirely at the mercy of the Khig, and he promised to secure to them liberty of conscience, and he kept his word until his latter days, when he began to think more upon religious subjects, and under the influence cf iMadame de Maintenon, and his Confessor La Chaise, he determined to convert all the Protestants m his dominions to Catholicism. Colbert, the Minister of Finance, though a Catholic himself, estimated at its real value the superior industry of the Hugue- nots, and he opposed violent measures successfully so long as he lived. After his death in 1683, the monarch had no one to restrain him, and the bigotted coun'^el-^ cf the Confessor and 9 98 A TALE OP appearance. All who were left and did not mean to recant, fled and concealed themselves in the woods. the Chancellor Le Tellier and liis son strengthened his own re- solves. Ahnost all the noblemen and courtiers recanted, and Louis thought he had only to say the word, and their exam, pie would be followed throughout his dominions. Mission. aries were appointed, and furnished with large sums of money to make converts, they gave in flattering reports cf their suc- cess ; but this method was thought too ex])en6ive, and a cheap- er plan was to be tried. All Protestants were excluded from public office, children were allowed to recant at the age of seven years, and severe penalties were enacted against relapse. Tliis caused emigration, and those in power opened their eyes wide enough to perceiv^e that in the departure of seamen and artisans they were losing many of their most valuable subjects, and to put a stop to it they issued an edict prohibiting emigra- tion on pain of death. The Protestant Churches were next ordered to be demolish ed, and no less than 700 were destroyed even before the revo- cation of the edict of Nantes. The last measure adopted was that which has been known by the name of dragooning * and if we had not the most un- doubted testimony on the subject, it would be impossible to be- lievc tliat such horrors could have been perpetrated under the mask of the Christian rehgion. * We believe that the use of the word dragoon as a verb, implying, to abandon to the rage of the soldiery, is actually derived from the cruelties practised during these persecu- tions. THE HUGUENOTS. 99 I left mv house at midnight never to return to it, with my valet, and a horse for each of us, and a portmanteau. I was well armed, and I resolved, if I did encounter the dragoons, to sell my life as dear- ly as possible. My house was amply furnished, and I had removed nothing. Two hours after my depar- ture, eighteen dragoons took possession of it, and lived there until they had consumed or sold every thing they could lay hands upon, even to the locks and bolts of the doors. I rode rapidly forward, choosing bye-ways with which I was well acquainted in that part of the coun- try. At break of day, approaching Jemosacq I met a body of soldiers who had compelled the people re- A day was appointed for the conversion of a certain district and the dragoons made their appearance accordingly, they took posssesion of the Protestants' houses, destroyed all that they could not consume or carry away, turned the parlours into stables for their horses, treated the owners of the houses with every species of cruelty, depriving them of food, beating them, burning some alive, half roasting others and then letting them go, tying mothers securely to posts and leaving their suck- ing infants to perish at their feet, hanging some upon hooks in tlie chiranies and smoking them with wisps of wet straw un- til they were suffocated, some they dipped in wells, others they bound down and poured wine into them through a funnel un- til reason w^as destroyed, and many other tortures were inflict- ed, some even more horrible than the above named. 100 A TALE OP maining in that place to do the duty of the times (as it was called,) and they were hastening elsewhere to make more conversions. They came upon me so suddenly and unexpectedly that I liad no time to re- treat, and I knew that if I were recognised it would go very hard with me, but I thought it best to ride boldly forward and salute them as I passed. My horses were noble animals, worthy of carrying a gen- eral officer and his aid de camp ; I had scarlet hous- ings with black fringe, and holsters for my pistols, and thougli I was dressed in black, I had taken the pre- caution of putting on a large periwig, and crape upon my hat in order to evade the suspicion that might otherwise have attached to my dress. The officers (thanks be to God for it) took me for a country gen- tleman, and returned my salutation very civilly. Ihc first stoppage I made was at the house of my Aunt Jaguald (my mother's sister,) she had not changed her religion, but her son had done so, to es- cape dragooning. I spent one day and night with her, and strove to strengthen her fuith, and I have reason to believe that she remained firm to the day of her death. I went next to Jonzac where I had two married sisters living, and sad to relate, they had both recant, ed to avoid the dragoons. I continued my route, ex- tremely depressed, towards St. Meslars to visit my THE HUGUENOTS 101 youngest sister Anne, and there my heart was cheered to find her firm in faith, even though her hushand had changed his religion ; and she never rested until she persuaded him to leave France with her. After sev- eral days of sweet and delightful converse with this dear sister, I went to St. Mesme to see Mr. Forestier and my sister Mary, but they had already fled. Wherever I went I tried to do some good, strength- ening those who were firm, and denouncing those who had fallen, trying if possible to persuade them to abjure their abjuration. It was most distressing to see what numbers had made shipwreck of their faith. Many persons, who had suffered persecution, lost all their property, and still did not yield to the tempter, fell victims at last to the evil counsels of false friends, who persuaded them that God having ordered them to honor and obey the King, they broke his command- ment by refusing to obey the King's Decrees ; and thus they became idolatrous renegades, adoring that which they well knew to be nothing more than a morsel of bread. I was so grieved at the extent of defection that I fell sick, lost my strength and spirits, and suffered much from billious vomitings. I often encountered parties of soldiers, and so great was my depression that I should not have been sorry if they had attacked me, and life had become so burdensome, that I would willingly have parted with mine, espec- 9* 102 A TALE OF ially if I could in the struggle have despatched some of the Ringleaders of the devil's armies. You must know, though a poor soldier on foot be- ing weakly and lame, I was an excellent horseman, and a good shot. I could hit a mark at twelve or fifteen paces with my horse at full gallop. One of iny horses was an Arabian, remarkably fleet, and if I gave him the bridle he would move with the swift- ness of a race horse, stretching out his legs and doubl- ing them so as almost to touch the ground with his body, dazzling his rider's eyes by his speed, but with- out any uneasiness from the motion. I knew that none of the dragoons could overtake me when moun- ted upon him, and I determined if pursued to fight like the Parthians ; wait for any one of them who should distance the rest by the fleetness of his horse, shoot him, and gallop off, charging my pistol to be ready for another. Thus I may say I scarcely fear- ed a whole company, lor they could not come up to me in a body, and one by one, I was certain I could dispose of several of them. In addition to this, I was so well acquainted with the country, that it gave me a great advantage over them, and in extremity I could avail myself of windings among the woods where no stranger would have dared to follow. But my chief reliance has always been upon my Heavenly Father, I tried to serve him to the best of my power, THE HUGUENOTS. 103 and in his infinite mercy he has protected me through raan}^ and great dangers. He even obtained for me important assistance from the enemies of the Gospel cus you will presently perceive. Having but little money with me, and no prospect of adding to my store, I began to think a valet was rather too great an expense, and I dismissed him, and at the same time hit upon an excellent plan for recruiting one of my horses, while I was travelling about on the other. Between Jonzac and Jcmosacq there was a castle belonging to the Count of Jonzac, a great persecutor, as was the fashion among the courtiers. I used to rest sometimes at a small Inn upon his estate, a very safe place, as I was person- ally unknown, because being all papists there was no fear of dragoons appearing. Mine host was a humane, simple peasant, and I told him that having some business to transact which detained me from home, I should look upon it as a great favor if he would have one of my horses put in the meadow be- low ; he sent for the groom who took care of the Count's horses, and he, seeing that something was to be gained, very readily consented. I used to return there every week, or two, or three as might be conve- nient to me, and change my horse, leaving the jaded animal to recruit in the meadow. I pursued this plan regularly for three mouths at least, and during the 104 A TALE OF whole time I found the people uniformly kind and faithful to me. It was by no means uncommon for me to be six or seven days without the opportunity of undressing my- self, or so much as being able to draw ofT my boots ; afraid to venture abroad in the day time, I gener- ally rode from place to place in the night. iNIy troubles were increased by the anxiety and uncertainty I felt about the safety of Mademoiselle Boursiquot, your dear mother, to whom I had given my afiections, with every confidence of an equal re turn from her. I had at length an opportunity ot placing her in safety, and I conducted her to Mr. Brejon's. He was an advocate who had changed his religion, and he held the office of man of business to the Duke of Montausier, therefore I felt certain that his house must be as secure an asylum as could be found. THE HUGUENOTS. 105 CHAPTER IX. Revocation of Edict of Nantes— Preparations for flight— Diffi. culties and dangers— Land in England-Cheap bread— Spec ulate in grain — Cruelty of a ship Captain. In the month of October, 1685, the Edict of Nantes=^ was actually revoked. Of course there was * Surely this act has been incorrectly termed the Revoca- tion of the Edict of Nantes. All its provisions had been repeated long ago by royal edicts and ordinances, except the bare toler- ation of Protestantism in some few towns and districts. The edict of 22d. October 1685 forbade all exercise of the reformed religion, ordered the clergy to expatriate themselves within a fortnight, imless they would recant, and in that case their in- comes were to be increased one third, and continued to their wives. All infants were requu-ed to receive popish baptism, and every one caught in the attempt to escape (unless he was a minister) was condemned to the galleys for life. In 1686, the enactments were still more severe. A Protes- tant taken in the act of public worship was punished with death, and all Protestant clergymen whether natives or foreign- ers were to be executed. To increase the vigilance of the sol- dier}^ a reward of three or four pistoles was given for every Protestant that was taken up. In spite of the care with which the coast and frontiers were guarded, it is believed that not less than 50,000 families made 106 A TALE OF no choice left, flight was the only alternative, and I went to Marennes to make preparations in good earnest, and was fortunate in finding an English Captain with whom I was ahle to make a bargain. He agreed to take me, and four or five persons in addition, at the rate of ten pistoles each, and wo were to assemble at Tremblade tor embarkation. I went immediately to fetch your dear mother, her sister Elizabeth, and my niece Janette Foresticr ; the latter was my god-daughter and of course I felt it incumbent upon me to provide for her safety. I mentioned our project to some few persons who I thought would gladly have availed themselves of it, but their fear was stronger than their hope, and they dared not venture to encounter so many dangers, the Coast be- ing carefully guarded both by sea and land to pre- vent emigration. We lodcjcd at the house of a drunk- ard in Tremblade, who being able to speak the English language was to be our pilot. His imprudence and drunkenness combined made our position one of great danger while under his roof. After several days of cruel suspense, the Captain desired us to be in readi- tlieir escape, and they enriched every land that received them, carrying arts and manufactures and industry in their train, and it has been remarked by close observers that their descendants, up to this day, continue to be distinguished for virtue and re- spectability. THE HUGUENOTS. 10* ness on the next, and told us that he intended to pass betAveen the Isle of Oleron and the main land, and that if we would be on the sands near the Forest of Arvert, he would send a boat ashore for us. We set off in the night and had two horses to carry our little baggage. In the course of the fol- lowing day upwards of fifty persons assembled on the sands hoping to embark with us ; and most of them being very young, they had not taken due precau- tion to conceal their intention, and it had reached the ears of the Papists, who very promptly obtained an order from the Custom House, to prevent the vessel sailing. We waited anxiously all day, in ignorance of th^ detention of the vessel, and while in this dis- tressing state of suspense I called them all around me and addressed them, and then I put up a prayer suited to our conditon ; and when you rerd it (you will find a copy among my papers) you will feel certain that it must have been a prayer of the heart as well as the lips. The Cure of Tremblade had heard some rumour of what was going on, and he set out for the shore with another person to look for us. They were on foot, and were once so near to us that we actually saw their dog which was a little in advance of them, when they weTe most providentially met by two fchermen who had seen us and sympathised with us, and they 109 ;A TALE OF purposely misled them. They enlarged to them upon the great danger they were in of losing themselves amongst the sand hills, and undertaking to guide them, they led them officiously to a path hy which they would l>c sure not to find us. At niaht horses were sent down for us to return to Tremblade, and fifteen or twenty of our number were taken in hy a citizen who had changed his religion. He was in a dreadful fright, for there was a fine of 1,000 crowns for harbouring a Protestant ; and the houses of suspected persons were liable to be search- ed at any moment. After concealing us the whole day, his fear got the better of his humanity, and to- wards night he turned us out of his house ; saying, " I have damned my own soul to save my property, and I am not going to run the risk of losing it to save your souls. You must do as I have done or take your chance elsewhere." We were depressed by this cruel treatment, but we know not what is best for us, for in the sequel we found abundant rea- son to bless God for it. We had not left his house more than half an hour before a magistrate and some soldiers went to it, and examined every part most carefully in search of se- creted Protestants. We did the best we could, one finding shelter here, another there, and we experi- enced much greater humanity from the fishermen's THE HUGUENOTS. 109 wives than from the rich people ; and in the cottages of the foriner we spent the next four or five days. The Captain came to us again to say that he would sail most certainly on the following day ; that he would pass between the Islands of Re and Oleron, and i£ we were disposed to venture out to sea in small boats, he would take us on board after he had got rid of all visitors, Custom House officers, &c. and that he could not assist us in any other way. That very evening the 30th. Nov., 1685, (French or new style) we embarked in a little shallop as soon as it was dusk ; our party consisting of your dear mother, your aunt Elizabeth, Janette Forestier, njyself, two young men from Bourdcaux, and six young women from Mar- ennes. Under cover of the night we passed by all the pinnaces that were keeping guard, and the fort of Oleron, without being discovered ; and at ten o'clock in the morning we dropped our anchor to wait for the ship. We had instructed our boatmen that if we were pursued they were immediately to run the boat ashore, abandon her, and then ' sauve qui pent.' I was well armed ready for such an emergency, be- cause I could place no reliance upon my poor lame limb helping me in the hour of need, and I had resolv- ed to defend myself to the last gasp, an'i never to be taken alive. I was not put to the trial, for God 10 no A TALE OF guided us in safety, and closed the eyes of our ene- mies. We had agreed with the EngUsh Captain that when we saw him, we should make ourselves known by hoisting a sail and letting it full three times, and he was to answer our signal by lowering his mizzen- gail three times. About 3 o'clock in the afternoon we first espied the vessel ; she had the official visi- tors and pilot still on board. On reaching the ex- treme point of the Isle of Oleron we saw her cast anchor, put out the visitors and pilot, take her boat on board, get under weigh, and sail towards us. We now felt a confidence that we had surmounted every difficulty, and expected in a very few minutes to be under full sail for England. Our joy was of short duration, a King's Frigate came in sight, and gradual- ly approached us ; she was one of those vessels con- stantly employed on the Coast 10 prevent Protestants leaving the Kingdom, and all who were found were seized, and the men sent to the galleys, the women to convents. No language can describe our conster- nation at this sudden change in our prospects ; a mo- ment before the cup of joy was at our lips, and now dashed to the gro md. We were at the distance of a cannon shot from the Frigate, and what must she think of us ; a little bit of a boat at anchor in a THE HUGUENOTS. Ill place which did not afford safe anchorage even for large shipping. She cast anchor, ordered the Eng- lish vessel to do the like, boarded her, and searched every nook and corner without finding any French Protestants except a Minister and his family, whose departure was authorised by law. What a blessing that we were not on board at this time ! Had the Frigate been only one hour later in appearing we should all have been lost. After the search, the Eng- lishman was ordered to sail immediately, the wind was favourable, and he could make no excuse, and we had the misery of seeing him leave us behind. Our situation was dreadful, we were in perfect des- pair, and knew not what to do. To remain where we were would infallibly excite suspicion, and the Frigate would send to overhaul us. If we attempted to return to Tremblade, the chances were a hundred to one against our succeeding, and to add to our dis- may our poor boatman and his son (our whole crew) wept aloud, deploring their misery, for they having already abjured, knew well that nothing short of a halter awaited them if detected in the act of aiding Protestants to make their escape. Through the whole course of my life prayer has been my constant resource in every difficulty, and I betook myself to it on this occasion as usual, and felt a persuasion that God 112 A TALE OF would not suffer us to fall into the hands of his ene- mies and ours. AH at once I thought of a feint which, thank God, proved successful and effected our deliverance. Hav- ing considered that the wind was fair to Rochelle, and contrary to Trcmblade, I said to the boatman. " Cover us all up in the bottom of the boat with an old sail, then hoist your sail, and go right towards the Frigate, pretending to endeavour to gain Tremblade ; and if they should hail you from the Frigate, you must say you are from Rochelle, and going to Trem- blade ; if they ask what you have on board ; say, nothing but ballast ; and it would be well that you and your son should counterfeit drunkeness, tumbling about in the boat, and then you can, as if by acci- dent, let the sail fall three times, and so inform the English Captain who we are." He determined to abide by my counsel, and after covering us up, he actually sailed within pistol shot of the Frigate. As I expected, she hailed him, and asked whence he came, whither he was going, aud what he had on board. To all which he replied as I had instructed him. " But what made you cast anchor ?" said they. " In hopes," he said, " that the wind would change and I might make Tremblade, but it is still too strong for me." THE HUGUENOTS. 113 Just then the son fell down in the boat and drop- ped the sail, his father left the helm, and instead of hoisting the sail at once, took a rope's end and pre- tended to chastise him, the hard blows falling on the wood and making a great noise. The son cried out lustily, and the people in the Frigate threatened that if the father would not have more patience with his son, they would come and treat him in the same way. He excused himself, saying that his son was as drunk as a hog, and he ordered him to hoist the sail a se- cond time, and he resumed his station at the helm ; the son let the sail fall as soon as he had raised it, and repeated the same manoeuvure a third time, and thus gave the English information of who we were. From the Frigate they entreated our boatman not to think of making for Tremblade, that night was ap- proaching and he would inevitably be lost, but recom- mended him to return to Rochelle with the fair wind. This was exactly the advice we wished to receive. Our course v/as altered, the boat was put before the wind, and we bade them adieu very cordially. In the mean time, the English vessel had answered our sig- nal and was getting fairly out to sea, we dared not follow her because the Frigate remained at anchor ; but about twiliglit the boatman said we must make the attempt before night, or we should be swallowed up by the waves. We had no sooner altered our 10* 114 A TALE OP course than we perceived the Frigate taking up her anclior and setting her sails ; of course we thought we had been observed, and that she was eoins: to pursue us, and we again turned towards Rochelle in great agony of mind. Instant death would to any of us have been greatly preferable to capture. Knowing our own weakness and frailty, we feared persecution might destroy our constancy. A few minutes put an end to our anxiety, for we saw the Frigate steering towards Rochfort-; so we again changed our course, the English vessel slackened her rate ; we overtook her, and were taken on board l>efore the Frigate was out of sight. A day never to be forgotten by us, who effected our escape from enemies, who had not only power to kill the body but have destroyed an infinite number of souls also. My dear wife and I have fully experienced the truth of that promise of our Blessed Saviour, to give an hundred fold more even in this present life to those who leave all to follow him. We have never wanted for any thing, we have not only been supplied with necessaries, but comforts ; and oftentimes luxuries also. Certain it is that a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth, but in the enjoyment he has of them, and it is in this sense that I would Ix? understood, when I say that we have received the hundred fold promised in the THE HUGUENOTS. 115 Gospel ; for we have had infinitely more joy and satisfaction in having lost our property for the glory of God, than they can have had who have taken pes- session of it. We had contrary winds, and were eleven days on the voyage ; we suffered somewhat from a shortness of provisions, especially water, but we dared not put into any French port for a supply. We landed on the 1st. December, 1G85, (English or old style) at Applcdore, a small town in the Bristol Channel, below the river Taw which goes up to Barn- staple. After paying for our passage, I had only twenty gold pistoles left, but God had not conducted us in safety to a haven there to leave us to perish with hunger ; the good people of Barnstaple had compas- sion upon us, took us into their houses, and treated us with the greatest kindness ; thus God raised up for us fathers and mothers, and brothers and sisters, in a strange land. The first thing that struck me on my arrival in Eng- land was the extreme cheapness of bread. What with sea sickness and short provisions on board ship, we had suffered a good deal, and were well-inclined to eat as soon as we landed. After returning thanks to God for our preservation, (of course our first act) we begged to have some bread, and they brought us very large biscuits, which in France would have cost 116 A TALE OP two pence a piece, and to my surprise I was told tlieir price was only a halfpenny. I doubted the fact, thinking I was misled by my ignorance of the language, so I gave a penny to a little girl and asked her to buy me some bread, Siic went to the baker's, and sure enough brouglit me back two of tlie.se large biscuits. It instantly occurred to me, that if I had only some money at command to lay out in gi-ain to send to France, I should rcaUse a large pro. fit. 1 knew that there were some French Refugees at Plymouth who had brought money with them, and I determined to borrow a horse and ride over there to suggest my plan to them. I went round by Biddeford to ascertain at that Corn market the price of grain ; and aided by an interpreter, I found that for two shillings and sixpence or three shillings, I could buy such a sack as in France would bring two crowns , and I also found on inquiry that there was a draw- back allowed at the Custom House on the exportation of grain. My Plymouth acquaintances had already made a shipment to France, so I had my trouble for nothing, and returned very pensively to Barnstaple. Upon reflection I thought I might as well let mine host Mr. Downe have the benefit of my knowledge on this subject. He was very kind to me, therefore it seemed a duty to put him in the way of so advantage- ous a transaction. He entered into it very readily, the THE HUGUENOTS. 117 more so, from having been in trade in his youth ; he had been to Spain once as supercargo of a vessel, therefore my project was quite in his way. He said he would wilUngly risk £300 or £400, and that I should have half the profit. I had some hesitation about accepting his offer, because it might turn out loss, and not profit, and where vras I to find the means of paying Lim my share of the loss ; but upon fur- ther consideration I thought that if I insured my half, then I could conscientiously take advantage of his generous proposal. I paid two and a half per cent for insurance both ways. Our whole property consisted of twenty gold pis- toles, a silver watch, a gold chain, a pearl necklace, two diamonds, an emerald, and half a dozen silver spoons ; and surely, to look at it in the most unfa- vourable light, these would be enough to cover any loss for which the Insurers were not responsible. In this list I name articles that were the property of your mother as well as my own, because though we were not yet united, we had such perfect confidence in each others' affection, that we felt as though we had but one interest. Mr. Downe chartered a vessel of about 50 tons, loaded her without delay, and consigned her to Mr. Boursiquot (your uncle,) and Peter Robin, a distant cousin of mine. You may guess their astonishment 118 A TALE OF at receiving such a consignment from their relative, who had left his home so few weeks ago in poverty. Had the vessel arrived sooner, the adventure would have been more profitable, for the King had sent to foreign countries for grain, and his importation was all to be sold before the cargoes belonging to private individuals could be opened. Nevertheless, Peter Robin sold it for twice as much as it cost, and laid out the proceeds in the best wines of Bourdeaux and Langon, which also paid a profit. Mr. Downe prepared to make a second shipment, and was persuaded by some of his friends that the first cargo would have done better if it had been consigned to a regular mcrcliant, (the English seldom know when they arc well ofl') and I from foolish dif- fidence did not stand up for my cousin as I ought to have done ; and the vessel, much to my sorrow and our loss, was sent to a merchant at Marennes, who understood merchandise a little too well for us, for all the profits were swallowed up by his enormous char- ges ; and instead of returning the best Bourdeaux wines as he was desired, he shipped the * vin du pays' which he took in the way of trade from the peasants, and he invoiced it at the price of real good wine. We made still another adventure, and ordered the return cargo to be of salt ; this was disastrous in the extreme. I lost more than I had gained and was THE HUGUENOTS. H^ saddled with debt besides. I will give the particu- lars. The Captain, after taking in his cargo, agreed to bring away some Protestants who had pretended to change their religion, in order to gain time to turn their property into cash to carry away with them. They unfortunately placed their money in the Cap- tain's hands for safe keeping, and he at once began to revolve in his mind how he could contrive to keep possession of the treasure. He decided upon going to Spain as the best plan, and he let one or two of the sailors into his confidence. They joined him in representing to the passengers that the wind was contrary, and as it was impossible for them to shelter in a French port, they had better stretch over to the Coast of Spain. When between Bilboa and St. Se- bastian, the wind and tide favouring their wicked de- signs they ran on the beach with every sail set, and the vessel was a complete wreck. Here was an end of my cargo of salt, it returned to the sea from whence it came. The most horrible part of the story is yet to come, the Captain and crew went ashore in the boat with the money, leaving the passengers to be drowned, every wave going completely over the wreck ; one of their number a lady of quality, who owned the largest part of the treasure, wore a quilted petticoat which buoyed her up so entirely that she might have 120 A TALE OP floated ashore, had not the Captain seen her ; lie put off in his boat as though he would have assisted her, and when he got within reach he pkinged her under water and held her down for a lengtli ol" time, so that the petticoat, which had in the first instance resisted the water, becoming saturated prevented her rising. Auri sacra fames quot pectora cogis. After bar- barously drowning those who had placed confidence in him, he sold the wrock, went to Cadiz with his ill- gotten wealth, bought a share in a Spanish Privateer, and went out in her a«? Captain, which is the last I ever heard of him. My losses were so heavy that I was obliged to dis- pose of my watch, gold chain, and silver spoons, and still all was not paid. These transactions occupied several months, but as the commencement occurred immediately after my arrival, I have thought it better to continue the account to its winding up, so as not to break the thread of the history. THE HUGUENOTS. 121 CHAPTER X. Singular proposal from a lady — Marriage — Mode of living — Remove to Bridgwater — Assistance from committee — Why discontinued — Application for relief — Unkind treat- ment — Receive Holy orders — Attempt to recover property in France. I HAVE already mentioned that I was hospitably re- ceived into the house of a Mr. Downe at Barnsta- ple ; this gentleman was a bachelor of some forty years of age, and he had an unmarried sister living with him, who was about thirty three or thirty four years old. They were kindness itself, and I was as completely domesticated with them as if I had been a brother. They were in very easy circumstances ; the brother was worth £10,000, the sister £3,000. This poor lady unfortunately took a great fancy to me, and she persuaded herself that it would be an ex- cellent thing for me to marry her, and her brother to marry my intended. I should have imagined that she would have had no ditHculty in persuading her bro- ther to fall in love ; for in those days your dear moth- er was very beautiful, her skin was delicately fair, she had a brilliant colat in her cheeks, high forehead Iii2 A TALE OF and a remarkfibly intellectual expression of counte- nance, her bust was fine, rather inclined toenbonpoint, and she had a very dignified carriage which some thought haughty, but to me it appeared truly becom- ing in one of her beauty ; altogether she seemed fitted to captivate the most indifferent, yet, I am very sure, notwitlistanding all her charms (and those of her per- son were an index of her mind) that Mr. Downeonly consented to court her in order to oblige his sister. Miss Downe opened her project to me one day, by observing that she thought we must be two fools to think of marrying with no better prospect than beggary for our portion. I took no notice of what she said, but she persevered, and frequently gave me broad hints that I might do much better for myself. I was determined not to understand her, and our lan- guages being different I was able to appear ignorant of her views, until one day her brother happened to enter tlie room when she was making an attack upon me, and she requested him to explain the matter to me. Between Latin, French and English, he and I could make ourselves very intelligible to each other. His sister's request evidently embarassed him a good deal, he not being so much smitten as she was, though I am sure he had every reason to be so ; however, after a little hesitation he told me that his sister wish- ed to marry me, and that if I agreed to it, lie would THE HUGUENOTS. 123 be willing to take Miss Boursiquot for his wife. I should mention that Miss Downe's personal appear- ance presented a strong contrast to that of her ri- val, she was short, thin, sallow and marked with the small-pox. Mr. Downe was far from handsome, but much better looking for a man than his sister for a woman. By way of reply to this singular proposi- tion I produced our written promise, solemnly signed by both of us ; but I added that my love was so sin- cere that I could cheerfully resign my betrothed to a rich man, if she thought it would be for her happiness, and that I would engage to deliver the message to her with all possible fidelity. I went that very evening to Mr. Fraine's where she was staying, and executed the delicate commission with which I had been charged ; and to tell the truth, I was not altogether sorry that so good an opportu- nity should offer itself of discovering whether her love for me was equal to mine for her. As soon as she had heard what I had to say, she burst into tears, and was evidently under the impression that Miss Downe's fortune had attracted me, and that I was anxious to break off our engagement. She gave me no answer but her tears, so I repeated the message, and assured her that the gallant was as much struck with her as the sister with me, and that she would have altogether the best of the bargain, because Mr. 124 A TALE OF Downe's property was more than three tunes as large as his sister's. Slie then made an cfTort, and an- swered that I was free, she released me absolutely and entirely from every promise that I had ever made to her, and added that she was fully sensible that she was under sufficient obligation to me already for saving her from persecution, without condemning me to perpetual poverty l)y holding me to our contract ; and as to the future, she was contented to remain as she was, and wished to hear notliing more from Mr. Downe. I was completely overpowered by this, and my tears flowed as fast as hers. I then, with the utmost solemnity, asked her if she thought she could he con- tented to join me in working for our Uving, and for the support of those whom God might give us ; and I called upon her to remember that poverty was a hard mistress, and that we should probably have to suflcr under it all our days; nevertheless if she was willing to run the risk, I should be infinitely happier working with my hands for daily bread with her, than living in wealth with any other woman on the face of the earth. She answered that every thing I said found an echo in her heart. ; This circumstance occasioned our marrying much sooner than we otherwise should have done, for we were determined not to be annoyed by any more such THE HUGUENOTS. 125 proposals, but to tye the knot at once, as we both so ardently desired it. I returned to my Host and Hostess, and gave them such an answer as might be expected from a person deeply in love ; and I endeavoured to make them un- derstand that an affection of such long standing, and cemented by so much joint suffering and anxiety as ours, could not be easily shaken. Our mutual pro- mise was to be binding to death under all circum- ' stances except apostacy, and of that, thanks be to God^ there was no lono^er any dano-er. Mr. Downe was a sensible man, and I verily be- lievehe was on the whole relieved by the issue of the negociation, not so the lady, she felt aggrieved, and was not able to conceal her discomfiture. We were married on the 8th. Febr. 1686. at the Parish Church of Barnstaple. Mr. Fraine, at whose house my wife had lived from the day after our landing, prepared an excellent banquet and invited almost all the French Refugees in the neighbourhood to partake with us on our wedding day ; and my friend Mr. Downe entertained us all in the same style on the following day. Our funds were very low, for I had paid £5 for insurance, and £S for the wedding ring and license, 80 that we could scarcely be much poorer than we were; and you may judge of the strength of our II* 126 A TALE OF attachment by our refusal of the fortunes otTered to us ; and you may also see what strong confidence we placed in the good Providence of God, and blessed be his name ! we have never had reason to repent of the stop. We lived for the first month or two in a fur- nished room ; then my valet Manseau contrived to send me from France a featherbed and several cover- lids, and my sister Forestier made us a present of some linen, and upon this addition to our possessions we ventured to hire a small house in a back street. The inhabitants of the town were generous in the extreme, they sent us all things essential for a small family, so that our house was furnished without cost- ing us a farthing, and their liberality did not stop here ; every market day meat, poultry, and grain came in abundance without our knowing to whom we were obliged, and during the six or eight months that we lived there, I only bought one bushel of wheat, and had two left when we removed. Our 20od cheer costing us little or nothing, we gladly ministered to the necessities of those French Refugees who did not experience the same kindness. Many also who disliked English cookery were glad to partake of my soup and bread, tiiey would first assist in cookinrj and then in eating the food. This mode of living might be very agreeable to some per- sons, but it did not suit my wife or me ; every gift THE HUGUENOTS. 127 made us feel our painful dependence, and we looked around us eagerly hoping to see some plan by which we could live without charity. I availed myself of the first opportunity that offer- ed, and accepted a situation in tlie family of Sir Halseweli Tynte, who lived two miles from Bridge- water. I was to receive £20 per annum, and I thought this would maintain my wife, as I was to eat at Sir Halsewell's table. When I had been with him four months, I hired a small house in Bridgewater to bring my family nearer to me, and I went to fetch them. Our numbers were now increased by the birth of James our first-born, which had taken place during my absence. The restraints imposed upon me were so irksome, and your dear mother as well as myself suffered so much from our separation, that I deter- mined to give up my employment and return to my wife ; preferring the coarsest fare with her for my companion to the continual feasts at Sir Halseweli Tynte's. Exertion of some kind for a livelihood was abso- lutely necessary ; we tried a little shop in Bridge- water, but our efforts were not crowned with success ; the expenses we incurred were greater than any pro- fit that we were able to realise. You may be surprised that in my difficulties I re- ceived no assistance from the fund collected for 128 A TALE OF distribution anionor the sufferinf]r French Rcfufxces : 80 I will tell you the reason of it, tracing it from the very commencement. As soon as my friends in London were apprised of my arrival, they brought my case (unknown to me) before the Committee, and Mr. Maureau, my advocate at Saintes, drew such a picture of my zeal and constancy that there was no opposition made to placing my name in the list of Ministers, although only a Candidate, and I was to receive £30 per annum. The first I knew of it was the receipt of a letter from Mr. Maureau, congratu- lating me on my escape, and enclosing £7, 105. as the first quarter of a pension that the Committee had granted me ; and he added, that before I could re- ceive the second quarter, it was necessary that I should commune according to the rites of the Church of England, and send a certificate thereof to the Committee. I who had but just escaped from the Tempter, felt alarmed at this mode of entitling myself to receive charity. I had previously communed very cordially with the English after the manner of the Established Church, without the least scruple of conscience, but when it became the condition on which I was to re- ceive the charities of the Kingdom, the case was al- tered ; I who looked upon the Communion as one of the most sacred mysteries of our holy religion, which THE HUGUENOTS. 129 it was not lawful to approach with any other view than to receive thereby the benefits of the sacrifice of the death of Christ, seeing that it was imposed upon me for pecuniary purposes, doubted very much whe- ther any spiritual benefit could be derived from a Communion received for the express purpose of pro- curing a pension. It seemed to me a very Papistical proceeding, much like what I had seen in France, — " Come to Mass and you shall be exempted from Dragoons.-" I had hitherto found nothing offensive in the Church of England, I then studied it very carefully, and all its doctrines as set forth in tjie ar- ticles I heartily embraced, but its Church Govern- ment, especially the point so much insisted upon of Episcopacy by divine right, seemed to me to have too strong a resemblance to Popery. I might have gotten over these objections, perhaps if I had not learnt their cruel persecution of their brother Calvinists, only for differing upon the sub- ject of Episcopacy,* and some ceremonies which were in themselves of no great importance. I found that the poor Presbyterian Ministers had been im- * It is not surprising that a foreigner should confound the conscientious members of the Church of England with the disguised Papists who were so numerous in the days of Charles II. and James n., by whom the Calvinists were persecuted. 130 A TALE OF ^ prisoned, fined, and deprived of their employments, because they "would not consent to receive Episco- pal ordination, in conformity with the laws passed in the reign of Charles II., and furthermore, I was told by the Presbyterians that the untbrtunale people who had been executed after Monmouth's rebellion, a few days before our arrival, and whose heads and quarters I saw exposed on all the towers, gates, and cross roads, looking absolutely like butcher's sham, bles, had many of them no other crime than that of being Presbyterians.* I confess that all these cir- cumstances combined, gave me a prejudice against the Established Church, and the use which it was proposed to me to make of the Holy Sacrament went so much against my conscience, that I have never yet sent the necessary certificate to receive the se- cond quarter of my pension. I have another serious fault to find with the dis- tributing Committee. The fund placed at their dis- posal arose from the voluntrary contributions of the whole Enjilish nation, and I believe the Nonconfor- ists had been as liberal as the Episcopalians, and yet no one was relieved who did not hand in a certi- * This has evidently been a party statement, and according to history must have been untrue, for Monmouth's rebellion was an effort to subvert the government, and had no religious object. THE HUGUENOTS. 131 ficate of his being a member of the Church of Eng- land, and surely this was unjust. At one time, ground down by poverty, my spirit was so humbled that I went to London to make a per- sonal application to the Committee, and my friends advised me to call upon certain Deans and other high dignitaries who were the most influential members of the Committee. My garments were old and shabby, and I found it difficult to gain an entrance to any of the great houses. The footman would leave me waiting a long time in the entry like a common beg- gar, and at last return to inform me that his Rever- ence was not then at leisure to see me. I would call again and again, till weary of opening the door, the servant, to avoid further importunity, would obtain for me the desired audience, and accompanying me through divers richly furnished apartments, watch- ing carefully lest I should steal some of the plate that was piled up on the sideboards, introduce me to the apartment where the Dean was sitting. He enquired what I wanted with him, not even asking the poor beggar to take a seat. In as few words as possible I told him my situation and sufferings, and was opening my papers, but he refused to read any testimonials ; saying, the subject would come before the Committee. 132 A TALE OF The necessities of those wlio were dearer to me than Ufe so lowered my pride, that I made a round of such visits as these, but it was all in vain, the money was for Episcopalians only. Mr. Maurcau, who held the oflice of secretary to the Committee, took up my cause very warmly. " You will not," said he, " suffer so worthy a man to be reduced to extremity with his wife and two chil- dren, a man who has shown that he counted his life as nothing when the glory of God was in question, and who generously and voluntarily exposed himself to uphold the faith of a number of poor country peo- pie. Perhaps there are not four ^Ministers who have received the charity of the Committee Avho have done so much for the cause of true religion as he has." All this was to no purpose so long as I was a Pres- byterian. " He is a young man," said they, " let him get a situation as a servant, his wife can do the same, and we will take care of his children in the house we have hired for the purpose." I was directed to go to the grand Almoner to re- ceive an answer, and when he gave me the above, my eyes filled with tears, I felt indignant, and an- swered hastily that he ought to have put himself in my situation, according to the commandment in the New Testament, before he undertook to give me such THE HUGUENOTS. 133 cruel advice. His wife happened to be present, and turning to her, I said, " Madam, I sincerely pity you to be united to a man who can speak with so much indifference of separating husband and wife," and (knowing they had no family) I added that I adored the wisdom of God who had not thought fit to give him children, seeing he felt it so easy a matter to part with them ; but before I would place mine under his guardian-ship, and give up the spouse whom I regard- ed as one of the choicest blessings God had bestowed upon me, I would dig the ground all day as a common labourer, in order to share with tliem at night the bread that I had earned by the sweat of my brow. I had £3 given to me, which I was told was the last I could expect to receive, and I returned home sadly cast down, having spent from £7 to £8 upon the necessary expenses of travelling and making this fruitless application. Some charitable Presbyterians, hearing of my dis- tress, made a collection for me in their conffresation which was a great help. You may be sure my feel- ings were still more soured towards Episcopalians, and I felt convinced by bitter experience that opposi- tion and ill treatment, for difference of opinion, have a much greater tendency to widen the breach than to bring our opponents over to our way of thinking, 12 134 A TALE OF I had always been in the habit of family worship, and when we removed to Taunton three or four French tamilics wished to join us, so I thought I ought to receive authority according to the ordin- ances of man, and I presented myself to tlie Presby- terian Synod assembled at Taunton, exhibiting tes- timonials which I had brought from France of my manner of life, education and sufferings, and after examination, I received Holy Orders from that body on the lOlh of June, 1688. I was determined rather to labour witli my hands and preach the Gospel of Christ in simplicity and purity, than to wound my conscience by joining the Episcopalians. I found by accident, among my papers brought from France, half a sheet of stamped paper, entirely blank ; and it occurred to me, that it might be the means of recovering some of the property I had left in France ; and as Peter Robin had been faithful to me in his management of the consignment of wheat, he was the person I looked to as an agent. I signed my name at the foot of the sheet, and sent it to him, telling him to make use of it for my benefit, filling up the blank with a sale or lease of my estate to some one, and to antedate it so as to appear to have been executed previously to my leaving France. The lat ter precaution was necessary to prevent the King THE HUGUENOTS. 135 seizing upon it. I received no answer, but from other sources I have heard that the said Robin has lived upon my estate from that time, and considered it as his own ; he took advantage of the too great confidence I had placed in him by sending my blank signature, and he has cheated me and my heirs after me ; because he can produce the deed of sale signed by my own hand. I would have you observe that I was miserable enough to request him to execute a false deed for me, in order that I might obtain something from the pro- perty I had left in France. He did execute the false deed as I desired, but it was for his own benefit, not mine. I recognise in this as in every thing else the justice of the just Judge of the Universe. I was punished as I deserved to be. At the same time, as God directs all things for the good of those who love him and serve him with faith and humility of heart, I think I can perceive that he has extracted from my sin a great advantage to my family. It puts it out of the question for any of my descendants to return to the Babylon whence he has withdrawn me, in the hope of enjoying a fine estate, as many of the chil- dren of Huguenot Refugees have done. This pro- perty is irrecoverably lost. It is very desirable that we should not be exposed to temptation, but at the 136 A TALE OP same time, I will sav that I feel a stronjf confidence that none of you would liave been seduced into return- ing to idolatry for the sake of money, and I trust you will so instruct your children after you, that the love of God, and his true religion, may be perpetuated in our family to the remotest generation. THE HUGUENOTS. 187 CHAPTER. XI. Remove to Taunton — Keep a shop — Manufactory — Very pros- perous—Summoned before the Mayor— Defence—Recorder's speech — Discharge. I removed to Taunton for the purpose of teaching the French language, finding that I could obtain some pupils there. Our plan was to keep a shop also, and we were in great hopes that with both together we should be able to pay our way. I borrowed £100 from a friend. I found the wholesale dealers in Bristol and Exeter very accom- modating in the credits they granted me. As fast as I sold the goods I paid for them, and I was then al- lowed to take a fresh supply on credit ; and in this way we gradually increased in our dealings until we had a stock of one thing or other to the amount of £400. About this time two Frenchmen called upon ms whom I had known in great distress in Bridgewater, and I had there solicited charity for them, at the same time advising them to learn a trade so as to rr.ake themselves independent for the future ; and I 12* 138 A TALE OF had suggested their binding tlicmselves to some of the French manufacturers of liglit stuffs in Bristol, and assured them they would have to ask charity no more. They had taken my advice, and at the end of Iwo years they visited me expressly to return their thanks. I did not recognise them ; the rags and tat- ters in which they had formerly appeared had given place to decent and respectable clothing. They told me they were the persons wliom I had recommended to learn a trade, that thcj' had done so, and now all they wanted was a small advance from somebody, and thoy would work for half the profits. They urged me to undertake it, and they said £20 would sufBce to buy worsted, yarn and dyes, and that they themselves had wherewithal to buy tools, and that if I would make the advance for them, they would work two years for me, and be contented with half the pro- fit on the work. I consented to it, and as I did not wish to cramp the business of the shop, I borrowed the £20 from a widow ladv at Bridgewater. Behold me now not only a teacher of languages, and a shopkeeper, but a manufacturer also. One of these Frenchmen had formerl)'^ been a pick- pocket in London, and had quitted the employment solely from apprehension of punishment ; he was a very skilful workman, he would accomplish more in a given time than two others and it would also be THE HUGUENOTS. 139 better finished. He was the chief manager, and used to go to Exeter to purchase the worsteds, and he made excellent bargains. I trusted him frequently with £20 and £25 at a time for this purpose, and he was uniformly corn^ct in all his dealings with me. He once told one of his fellow workmen, that lie had been often strongly tempted to run away with the money, and then he would say to himself. " What ! steal from a man who has been so invariably kind to me, and who places so much confidence in me ! No, I cannot do it." When he left me, I under- stood he returned to London, and fell into bad habits again. At the end of three months, I knew much more than the workmen did. I invented new patterns, an ."ught them how to execute them. When the first var was ended, we had gained something ; but instead of £20, I had fully £80, employed in the manufactory. In dividing the profits, the workmen quarrelled so much amongst themselves, that they proposed of their own accord, that I should pay them regular wages, and carry on the business altogether on my own account. Every thing now seem.ed to prosper with me. I hired the handsomest shop in Taunton, opposite the cross in the Market place, and I was able to famish it with so great a variety, that it was always filled 140 A TALE OF with customers ; and my wife with two boy^ to as- sist her, found ample employment. I manufactured stuffs in the upper part of the house which were sold below at a profit. 1 went once a quarter to Bristol and Exeter to purciiase groceries, and pay off the old debt. I determined to sell Malaga and Ahcant raisins at the same price retail that I bought them wholesale, and I did the same with needles. Every body knew the value of these articles, and the sale of them did not altogether amount to any great sum. One said to another, you will find beautiful raisins at the Frenchman's for such a price ; so they came to see if it was true, and probably bought ten or twelve shillings worth of other articles, as well as the cheap raisins, and thus we found our account ir *t. Tlic other shopkeepers said I should be a I -ink- rupt in a very short time, for I sold the raisin^ at the same price they paid in Bristol, without reck- oning the expense of carriage, loss of weight, &c. This sort of talk only increased our business, for the people thought tiiey would buy whatever they want- ed before I was ruined. When any of my friends asked me privately why I sold so cheap, I told them that I found it to answer, and repeated the common proverb, " Light gains make a heavy purse." I procured from the French manufacturers in Holland, linens, galloons, thread, needles, and tin and THE HUGUENOTS. 141 copper ware, all which, cost me much less than if I had bought them in England. Beaver hats were made by only two persons in Exeter, they were both French Refugees, and supplied no one but myself in our town, and again, I had the best of French brandy, pure and unadulterated, whereas the English general. ly played tricks with theirs. In short, stranger as I was, I had more custom than any other shop in the town. For some time my competitors had patience, in the hope each day that the next would see me put the key under the door ; instead of that, I was more and more prosperous. I had just begun to breathe freely, and feel comfor- table, when they commenced a prosecution, and sum- moned me to appear before the Mayor and Court of Aldermen. The Mayor was a wool-comber, who came origin- ally to the town with a single groat. He worked a long time as a boy comber, then he married his mas- ter's servant, scraped together a little money, and began business on his own account ; and at the age of thirty six or thirty seven years, he learnt to read and write a little. At length having acquired £7,000 or £8,000, he had thereby obtained honors, and this was the third time he had filled the office of Mayor. The Aldermen had generally received similar edu« 142 A TALE OF cation ; some were workmen in wool, others shop- keepers, and as I employed people in my little wool- len manufactory, and sold almost every thing that any of them did, I certainly had interfered more or less with the trade of all, and could not look for any fa- vorable judgment from such judges. Only one man in all this body had received a good education, and he was the Recorder, and could gov- ern this cohort at his will. I had frequently been in his company, and we had had very interesting con- versations on philosophical and theological subjects, and I had reason to believe that he esteemed me. Wlien I appeared, they ac^^. .ed me of various mis- demeanours. I was a sharper, a Jack of all trades, against whom there was universal complaint. I had the wool combed. I dyed it myself, I had it spun and woven, I then retailed it in my shop. I sold all sorts of things except apothecaries drugs. The grocers complained that I sold a better article retail, than they could buy wholesale. The dealers in tin and copper were ready to shut up shop, and go to the Parish if I did not close mine. Those who dealt in brandy and vinegar sat all day with their arms cross- ed, while we could scarcely measure fast enough. The hatters could sell no more, since I sold the Caro- Une and French beaver hats. Stockings of St. Maixant destroyed the hosiers. The drapers were THE HUGUENOTS. 143 idle all the time since I had introduced chamois leath- er dyed of all colors, a pair of breeches of which lasted as long as three pair made of cloth and looked better. In short, they were obliged to pay government taxes and town rates, to which the stranger was not subject- ed and yet he pocketed all the profits ; besides, he was a Jesuit in disguise, who said mass in his own house every Sunday ; as well in one word, as a thousand, he is a French dog who takes the bread out of the mouths of the English. To hear them you would have supposed I was as rich as a Jew. I attended without an attorney to reply in person to these enormous accusations, and felt no alarm as to the result. Mr. Mayor came to the point at once, and asked if I had served an apprenticeship to all these trades. This question was quite to the purpose, for by law no man can carry on a trade to which he has not served an apprenticeship. I rose without any embarrassment, and answered in a tone loud enough to be heard all through the Court. " Gentlemen, in France a man is esteemed according to his qualifications, and men of letters and study especially, if they conduct themselves with propriety, are honored by every body, even though they should not be worth a penny. All the nobility, the lords, marquises and dukes, take great 144 h TALE OF pleasure in the society of such persons. In fact, there, a man is thought fit for any honorable employ. meni if lie be but learned. Therefore, my father, who was a worthy Minister of the Gospel, brought up four boys, of wliom I was the youngest, in good man- ners and tlio liberal arts, hoping that wherever for- tune might transport us, our education would serve instead of riches, and gain us honor from persons of honor. All tiie apprenticeship I have ever served from the age of four years has been to turn the leaves of a book. At twenty two years old, I took my de- gree as IMaster of Arts, and since that time I have devoted myself to the study of the Holy Scrip- tures. " Hitherto I had been thought worthy of the best company wlicrever I had been ; but when I came to this town, I found that science without riches was regarded as a cloud without water, or a tree without fruit, in one word, a thing worthy of supreme con- tempt ; so much so, that if a poor ignorant wool-com- ber or hawker, were to amass money, he would be honored by every body, and be looked upon as the first man in the town. I have therefore, Gentlemen, re- nounced all speculative science, and have become a wool-comber, and a dealer in pins and laces, hoping that I may one day attain wealth, and be also one of the first men in the town." THE HUGUENOTS. 145 At this there was a general laugh throughout the assembly, with the exception of the Mayor and some of the Aldermen. The Recorder himself lost his gravity for a few mo. ments, and joined in the mirth. Then rising, he re- minded me of the Town-Clerk of Ephesus, for there was a profound silence as soon as he stretched out his hand. " Gentlemen,"said he, " King Charles II. of blessed memory, issued a declaration of such a date, where- by he invited the poor Protestants, persecuted in France for the cause of the Gospel, to take refuge in his kingdom, not most assuredly, to let them die of hunger, but rather that they might live amongst his subjects ; thus, you see that they are entitled to every privilege that we enjoy. Suppose that Mr. Fontaine and his family had no means of gaining a livelihood and they were famishing in the midst of us, we must feed them. By law, the Parish would be charged with them, for you could not send him to his birth- place, therefore you must consider him as born in the place where he resides. And if Mr. Fontaine, although he was brought up to nothing but study, yet in the desire he had to live independently with- out being burdensome to you, humbled himself so low as to become a mechanic, a thing very rarely seen among learned men (as I know him to be by the con- 13 146 A TALE OF versations I liave had with him,) do not you think the Parish is obhgcd to him for every morsel of bread he earns for his family ? To pretend to prevent his gaining a livelihood would be as cruel as to murder hiin and his babes, unless, you his accusers intend to raise a fund to settle an annuity upon him and his family for life. Strangers are entitled to justice as much as our neighbours are When he has an in- come secured to him, I will answer for him, that he will leave mechanical occupations, and gladly resume his intellectual labors." He paused a while ; no one breaking the silence, he i-esumed ; — "It is a strange thing. Gentlemen, none of you olTcr to give him bread, and yet you are not willing to let him earn it for himself. Shall it be said that there are but one or two families of poor Refujiees settled in this town, who have abandoned country, friends, property, and every thing sweet and agreeable in this life for their religion, and the glory of the GosjDel, and instead of cherishing these peo- ple, and treating them as the suffering members o^ our Saviour Jesus Christ, and providing for them tenderly and abundantly by our charities we would even hinder them from gaining a living by their labor ? There is not a Turk in Turkey so barba- rous." Then turning round, he addressed himself to mo. TETE HUGUBNOTS. 117 ** Go: there is no law that can disturb you, I will an- swer for it. We return you thanks for the bread you earn. God bless you and your labor !" I answered, " May the Lord bless you also !" The Court resounded with thousands " God bles» you Mr. Fontaine !" Here was an end of the law proceedings, but not of the malice, for the Mayor and his party hated me the more for having contemned them in the face of the whole town. They continued to annoy me in every way that they possibly could ; if I gained five pence, they magnified it to as many guineas, and charged me for taxes to the utmost extent of their power. 148 A TALE OF CHAPTER XII. Revolution of 1688 — Landing of the Dutch — Unexpected visi- tor — Soldiers billeted on mc — Retire from business — En- deavour to make Calimancocs — Profit upon them — Instruct a crippled weaver — Secret discovered — Visit Dublin and Cork — Shipwreck — Place Bons in Holland — Increase of family. A SHORT time after the prosecution related in the last chapter, the glorious Revolution of 1688 com- menced. I felt very anxious about tlie t ffect it might have upon the welfare of me and mir.i'. I had a vi- yid recollection of the end of the Monmouth rebel- lion, for they were still hanging and quartering when I landed in England. The Prince of Orange was welcomed at Exeter by the same party that had declared for Monmouth. Three sorry-looking Dutchmen took possession of Taunton without the slightest show of resistance from any quarter ; and the common people hailed their arrival as a joyous event. The Mayor and Aldermen, who were most decided Jacobites, held aloof to watch the issue, contenting THE HUGUENOTS. 149 themselves with notiDg down all persons who appear- ed to favour the Dutch, expecting to have them hang, ed after a while, as those had been who joined the Duke of Monmouth. I felt certain that whichever side I might espouse, my name would have a prominent place in the list of culprits, and I was the more convinced of this from the story that was propagated about me. On the arrival of a company of soldiers at Taun- ton, they were informed that there was a French Je- suit in the place, who said mass in his house every Sunday. It so happened that the Captain of this company was a French Refugee, who had settled in Holland, and entered the army of the Prince of Orange ; he determined to be the first to seize the French Jesuit, and being directed to my house, he was before the door with a guard of soldiers at so early an hour, that none of the family were stir- ring except a female domestic who was a Frenchwo- man. From her the Captain enquired who lived in that house. She replied — " Mr. Fontaine, a minister from Rovan, lives here." The Captain immediately desired her to go to my room and and tell me that Captain Rabainieres was below, anxious to embrace me. I only waited long enough to put on my robe de chambre, and went 13* 160 A TALE OP down to welcome this dear friend who had lived with, in four or five miles of my residence in France. We embraced each other with the warmth of fraternal afTction, and he introduced me to his brofner-officers, who at once tendered their friendship with the assur- ance of any service in their power. I cannot pass on without calling your attention to this, as one of the many instances wherein the providence of God watched over and shielded me from threatened danger. A crowd had collected to enjoy the sport of see. iug the French Jesuit hung on the spot, and when they witnessed the warmth of our salutations, they cried out that they were ruined, for those whom they had looked upon as their hbcrators must be Pa- pists also. From my never attending the Parish Church, the idea had prevailed that I was really a Jesuit, and some of those persons who envied my prosperity had been at no small pains to confirm the impression, and many of the common people believed it so firmly that it was a great disappointment to them not to see me hanged. The oflicers went to the door to disperse the pop. ulace, and told them that I was a good Protestant, probably better than most of them ; and when they went away they left soldiers at my door as a precau- tionary measure for fear of violence. THE HUGUENOTS. 151 When several more of King William's regiments were quartered in the town, j^ou may rest assured I was not forgotten in the billeting of them upon the inhabitants. I complained to the Mayor that two had been sent to me, and that it was unusual to quarter soldiers upon a minister. He heard me patiently, but I had no sooner got home than two more soldiers presented me a billet. I went to complain a second time and I was an- swered that full justice would be done by me ; and directly I reached home four more came to me. I did not complain a third time for fear of having six- teen to feed instead of eight. They were with me three weeks, and I did the best I could by them, ex- plaining to them my situation. The times were so ticklish and the town Magis- trates so decidedly anxious to put every difficulty in my way, that I thought I had better examine into my affairs, and withdraw from all large transactions for the present, and content myself with the school I kept. I worked hard for many nights making out an inventory and putting every thing down at a low valuation, and I was pleased to find that there was enough to pay every body, and a little to spare. I sent some of my manufactures to the wholesale deal- ers from whom I had bought on credit, and desired 152 A TALE OP they would sell them, and pay themselves out of the proceeds, and return me any balance that there might be. This arrangement was satisfactory to all parties, for the times were very hard, and they had not felt quite certain of my stability. As soon as it was understood that I wished to dis- pose of my shop and stock in trade, a young man came forward, expecting to do wonders from the ex- aggerated accounts he had received of my business. He took every thing at the cost price as entered on my books, and in March 1G89, he paid me £400, for all and every thing. With this sum I at once paid the wholesale dealers as far as it would go, so that after they had sold my goods they were indebted to me, and I left the money in their hands until the troubles should be at an end, in order that I might then have a little leaven to begin again upon with re- newed vigour. I felt very grateful to my Maker for his blessing upon my labors, which had enabled me to pay every thing that I owed, including that disastrous voyage which had caused a debt that hung heavily upon me until I was able to pay it. And in addition to this, I was sole owner of all the tools and utensils ncces- sary for manufacturing stuffs ; wr had comfortable furniture ; and £14 in cash. This had not been ac- complished without considerable fatigue and anxiety THE HUGUENOTS. 153 both to your mother and myself. But what will not parents do for their children ! I found keeping a school but an ungrateful employ- ment, I was soon tired of it ; and the more so, be- cause it barely procured a maintenance for us, and would not be equal to the wants of our increasing family. James II. having taKen refuge in France, and the nation having received William and Mary as King and Queen ; things began to assume a settled aspect, and I thought it was time for me to exert myself again. At Norwich there was a sort of stuff made, which was very fashionable and substantial, called Cali- manco, and I determined to make an attempt to imi- tate it ; having never you know served any appren- ticeship, it was all the same to me ; and my brain must be drawn upon for whatever I undertook. I thought it better to try to make something new in- stead of going on in the old style ; for the serge which we had made before was now out of fashion, and those who manufactured it scarcely earned salt to their porridge ; but then they had served an ap- prenticeship to it, and working altogether mechani- cally and not with the understanding, they were really incapable of putting their hands to any thing else. I was assailed by an almost insurmountable 154 A TALE OF difficulty at the outset. The Xorwich stuff was made of extremely fine worsted double twisted ; now there was not in Taunton a spinner who could spin so fine, nor a weaver who knew how to weave it, no machinery suitable for the manufacture, nor a person who knew how to construct it ; and I had never seen any. I saw at the same time that if money was to be gained by manufacturing, this was the stuff that ought to be made. As I could not get the worsted spun fine enough to allow of doubling and retwisting it, I must try how it could be managed with a single thread. I engaged a weaver who was out of employment, and apparently docile ; I made all the machinery, and put it up with my own hands, and spent a couple of hours every day trying to instruct him ; and for three months this went on, altering the thread and machinery about once a fortnight, and still not an inch of the desired fabric was produced ; and I was paying the weaver his full wages all the time. After this a voung man came to solicit charity from me, he was in the greatest distress, his wife was hourly expecting her confinement, and they were ab- solutely penniless. He said if I would give him em- ployment, I sliould never have reason to repent it, he would spare no pains to please me, and that his extreme need might convince me of the assiduity THE HUGUEXOTS. 155 with which he would labor for any body who would help him at this pinch. I took him and his wife into my house, and fed the two, and soon three of them. I fitted up a loom for him to try what he could do, and he entered into all my plans, working night and day with unceasing industry, for he knew that upon his success depended his earning a comfortable living for his wife and child. At the end of a fortnight, after trying seven or eight different plans, we produced a yard of Cali- manco which looked very well, but being made of single thread, it had no more substance than serge. It was necessary for me to set my wits to work again, to try to find some plan by which I could produce a substantial fabric out of the materials that were at my command, and thus I contrived it. I made the warp, which appeared all on the right side, of fine wool coarsely spun ; and the weft of very coarse wool, combed like fine wool, and spun coarsely and compactly. The second piece was begun on this plan just two months after I took the family into my house. The first piece only sold for three pence a yard, but we did not tell any body how long we had been in making it. I kept a most exact account of all that I expended in these fruitless attempts, and the first sale only served to make my inmate discreet, and he never 156 A TALK OF asked for money but when it was absolutely neces. sary. He was more expert with the second piece, hav- ing learnt the process ; lie was able to make half a yard, and tlien a yard in a day ; and when it came out of the frame it appeared handsome, and as strong and substantial as the real Norwich ; but when it came home from the mill where it was pressed it looked like nothing better than a coarse coverlid, great strong hairs sticking out in all directions. I recollected when I was at school often going to a hatter's shop which waa opposite to warm myself; and I used to see them burn off the long hairs from the hats with a wisp of straw ; so I thought that would be the mode of remedying the defect in mv calimanco. A hat can be easily turned round in the hand to apply the flame, not so a piece of stuff; a machine must be made for the purpose of doing it with certainty and regularity. This piece however I determined to singe as well as I could without wait- ing for a machine. I had to call in the aid of my wife and her sister, and they laughed so heartily at my dilemma that 1 felt almost discouraged. I wet the piece so as not to burn the stuff as well as the hairs, and my wife and sister held it, while I passed the blazing wisp of straw over it. At last we finished, and then I had the right to laugh, for after washing THE HUGUENOTS. 157 and pressing, it looked beautiful ; I sent it to Exeter, and the draper allowed me two shillings and sixpence a yard for it, and I found I could make it for fifteen pence. Here was an ample reward for all my trou- ble and expense. My workman improved and made it better and bet- ter- every day, and I agreed to pay him four pence halfpenny for every yard he made in future, and he was soon able to produce ten or twelve yards in a day. I also employed again tlie man who had worked unsuccessfully for so long a time, and he ac- quired it after a while. I now hired a shop for the sale of my manufactures ; and I took from my old tradesmen all the articles I wanted, paying them with my own goods. I took more workmen into my employment, binding them not to work for any one else, or to teach the art, under a penalty of £10. They were all willing to enter into such an agree- ment, because they could earn just three times as much by my work as by making serge. When I had the machine made for sinoreinff the hairs, I employed different mechanics to make the various parts, so that not one of them knew the use of that which he was making ; and I put all together myself. It consisted of two large rollers, and the piece was wound gently, off the one, and upon the other, and fire applied during its passage ; and when 14 158 A TALE OF both sides were singed, it was washed in the river, and pressed, and really had much the appearance of the true calimancoes ; the strength ot' the coarse worsted gave it substance, and the fineness of the warp gave it lustre. You will believe that this was great slavery to me, for as the secret must be kept, it was necessary that I should do this part myselt'. My wife turned the spit, and I roasted the joint. In seven or eight months, I kept t'rom twelve to fif- teen looms constantly at work. The old fashioned naanutacturers of serge were rather envious, and looked upon me almost as a sorcerer. Their as- tonishment at my inventive genius was increased by an incident which I will relate. I heard accidentally of a poor weaver who had lost a leg, and in consequence of it, he was, accord- ing to the general opinion, incapable of ever working again at his trade of serge-weaving ; because they and their fathers before them had never imagined it possible to weave serge with one foot ; and the poor man and his family had been supported by the parish for thrce years. I thought much about him, and having discovered the way, I went to see hira at his brother's house where he lived. I asked the poor cripple if he would wish to weave again. " Alas !" said he, weeping, " God has been pleased to deprive of my leg and it is impossible." THE HUGUENOTS. 159 I made his brother get out of the frame in which he was at work ; I detached all the cords from the treads, and arranged them differently, and then asked the cripple to enter the frame, and showed him how he could use his remaining leg, first on one tread, and then on the other ; and in an hour's time he had made a quarter of a yard of serge in his brother's frame, and equal in all respects to that woven by his brother. I explained to him particularly the way in which he must prepare for weaving, so as not to get his work into confusion ; and I left him, after he had bestowed upon me many blessings and prayers for my prosperity. For several days the house was full of people to see the extraordinar\' sight of a man weaving with one leg. The son of the Mayor before whom I had been ci- ted bribed one of my workmen to teach him, and guaranteed him the £10 which he was under engage- ment to pay me if he worked for any one else. I did not sue him for it, I thought it would give me more trouble than it was worth. When they had made the calimanco, they met with the same difficulty that I had done at the out- set in the long hairs which stood out, and no one would purchase from them ; so I stepped forward and offered fifteen pence a yard for their manufac- tures which they were glad to axcept of; I singed. 160 A TALE OF and then resold them for two shillings and six pence. Of course they made no more ; and the treacherous weaver, being thrown entirely out of employment, stole whatever he could lay his hands on from him who had tempted him to betray my secret, and left the neighbourhood. This attempt to supplant me was so unpropitious to both master and workman, that a long time was al- lowed to elapse before another trial was made; and for three years I reaped the profit of my invention free from molestation. During this interval the de- mand for serge gradually decreased, and the people again tried to find out my secret, and this time with better success, for some pieces had inadvertently been sent to be pressed without being suflicicntly washed, and the smell of burning disclosed the inyalcry ; and then it was recollected how much straw I was in the habit of buying ; and laying the two circumstances together, they had no doubt about the matter, and after a good deal of trouble they got rollers at work like mine, and every one left oft' making serge. The increased demand for the coarse worsted rais- ed the price from a penny halfpenny to fourpence per pound, and what was worse, the market became overstocked with calimancoes, and the price fell to two shillings, then to eighteen pence, and at last to fifteen pence a yard. THE HUGUEr^OTS. 161 Then I made mine spotted, and obtained a prefer- ence over theirs ; they soon imitated me, and then I contrived to' make fresh variations in the patterns. It was very vexatious to be thus racking my brains to invent something new, and as soon as I had sue- ceeded, to see myself imitated and undersold. I was weary of the business, and seeing I was now worth £1,000, 1 thought I would try if I could not meet with a French Church ; and knowing that there were many Refugees in Ireland, I went over to Dublin, and was there recommended to proceed to Cork, where I found that several French families were settled who were very desirous to have a minister, but they had hitherto hardly dared to make the attempt, because their means would not allow them to offer a sufficient stipend. God had vouchsafed to bless my labors, so that I felt myself independent ; and this opportunity of preaching his Gospel without remuneration pleas- ed me exceedingly ; and I agreed to return to Cork as soon as I could wind up my affairs in Taunton and remove my family. I met with two very poor French families in Cork who were almost starving from want of employment, they were weavers by trade ; I felt much sympathy for them, and I bought worsted and dyes for their use, and left £25 with Mr. Abelin, an Elder of our Church, and directed him to expend it in whatever 14* 162 A TALE OF was necessary for them to manufacture such stuffs as they had been accustomed to make in France ; and as fast as tliey finished the work, they were to bring it to him for sale, and he was to have a sort of supervision of their fumihes until my return. I had the satisfaction of finding afterwards that they had been comfortably supported out of the profits upon their labor during my absence, and the little capital I had deposited with Mr. Abclin was unbroken. On my return to Taunton we made immediate preparations for removing to Ireland, and the pack- ing up our goods and closing my concerns occupied about six weeks. We took twelve horse-loads of fur- niture and baggage to Bristol, whence we intended to einbark ; and I purchased there a variety of drugs for dyeing, and large coppers, and screws, and in short every thing that I thought would be requisite for setting up a manufactory at Cork ; because I knew that I should have to do something for the sup- port of my family, or I should soon see the end of my thousand pounds, as the congregation for whom I was called to officiate were unable to pay me any sti- pend. I have never mentioned the melancholy fate of my sister Elizabeth, one of the daughters of my father*s first marriage. She was married to Mr. Sautreau, minister of Saujon in Saintonge, and his Church be- THE HUGUENOTS. 163 ing condemned some time before the great persecu- tion, he determined to leave his native country with- out delay, and seek a home where he would have the full liberty of worshipping God in purity and sinceri- ty. He, and his wife, and five children went to Ireland, and after a very short stay there, they em- barked at Dublin in a vessel bound to Boston in North America. They were shipwrecked within sight of port and every soul on board perished. This 3.wful event, by which a Av^hole family was swept off at once, was much in my thoughts as the time ap- proached for us to adventure by sea to Cork, and feel- ing unwilling to trust my whole family in one bark, I took my sons James and Aaron to Amsterdam, and placed them under the care of a near relation there, and I thought also that it might be advantageous to them to acquire the Dutch language. I have neglected to name, that during our residence in Taunton my wife had not been less fruitful than my brain, for we were now the parents of six children, five sons and one daughter. 164 A TALE OF CHAPTER XIII. Arrival at Cork — Enter upon pastoral duties — Manufaclo- ry — Great happiness — Dissension in the cliurch — Resigna- tion — Copy of certificate — Remarkable warning by a dream — Visit fishing stations — Death of Aaron — Turn fish- erman — Remove to Bear Haven — Loss of the Robert — Bad season — Trading voyage — Success in fishing — Loss by mismanagement of partners — Troublesome Irish neigh- bours. ' Wi: landed in safety at Cork on the 24th December 1G91, and the agreement I had entered into with the congregation was solemnly renewed. You may see the particulars in the act of the Consistory of Cork dated 19 January, 1695, on which day I commenced the discharge of my pastoral duties. At first I preached at Christ Church, the use of it beins ifranted to us after the English had finished DO O the services of the day ; then we assembled in the County Court room for our worship, and finally, I gave up, for the use of the Church, a spacious apart- ment on the lower floor of my house, and we had it regularly fitted up with pulpit, benches, and every thing necessary. THE HUGUENOTS. 165 My manufactory here was altogether different from that which I had carried on at Taunton. I considered it best to make something for which there would be a demand near home. Coarse baize was the great article of manufacture in this place, but 1 determined to try my skill in something of better quality, and I succeeded in making good broad-cloth for which it was only necessary to use finer wool and weave it closer and tighter. I built a dye house for my own use at the edge of the river for the con- venience of pumping up the water. A dyer in the city applied for permission to use my apparatus, which I granted on the condition that he dyed all my worsteds and cloths without charge, and made me a certain allowance out of his profits in dyeing for other people. My knowledge was very advanta- geous to him, because I had always written down the proportions of each drug that we used at Taunton, and attached to the memorandum a pattern of the ar- ticle dyed ; thus when he brought me any order he had received, by a reference to my books and com- paring his pattern with those I had preserved, I was able to tell him at once the exact quantity he would require of each drug, and my instruction never failed to prove correct. I was now at the height of my ambition ; I was be- loved by my hearers, to whom I preached gratuitous- 166 A TALE OP ly, and thereby had tlie satisfaction of serving the God who liad blessed me, without deriving any pecu- niary advantage from it. My dear wife gained by our manufactory an am{)lc support for the family ; and by giving employment to many poor Refugees, we were the means of enabling: them to maintain their families respectably. The Church increased daily, Refugees came from various parts when they heard that there was a French Church in Cork ; and by and bye those who were in easy circum- stances became ashamed of allowing me to preach without receiving a stipend, and they proposed to make a voluntary contribution, if it were only to show that they felt grateful for my services. When it came to my knowledge, I thanked them much, but added that as they could not possibly raise enough to support my family without exertion on my own part, I would greatly prefer that whatever they collected should be appropriated to the relief of the poor, of whom we had many in the congregation ; and that it gave me great pleasure to imitate St. Paul, preaching the Gospel and earning my living at the same time by the labor of my hands. They were well satisfied with this answer, because they could not raise more than £10, or at the very utmost £15, which would have been a mere trifle towards the support of my large family. THE HUGUENOTS. 167 The corporation of Cork as a mark of their esteem presented me with the freedom of the City. This state of things was altogether too good to last, my cup of happiness was now full to overflow- ing, and like all the enjoyments of this earth it prov- ed very transitory. Great numbers of zealous, pious and upright per- sons had joined our communion ; but it could not be expected that all were of this class ; and unfortun- ately there were some in the flock whose conduct was not regulated by the principles of our holy re- ligion. A man named Isaac de la Croix, originally a merchant in Calais, who had caused dissension in the Church there before its condemnation ; then set- tied in Dover, and there also made dissension in the Church ; and to punish us for our sins he came from there to join our Church, and he had not been with us more than eighteen months before he was the cause of discord amongst us also. The history of it is as follows. He had a son twenty-five years ot acre, who was in the habit of doing business on his own account ; this young man chartered a vessel of tibout 30 tons for Ostend, and he loaded her with but- ter and tallow, promising payment in ready money. On a Saturday afternoon he went down in the ves- eel to Cove, at the mouth of the harbour, and expec- ted, the next day being Sunday, to steal away, and 168 A TALE OF get fairly out to sea without paying for any part of his cargo. A butcher, from whom he had made some purchases, feeUng a Uttle suspicious, went to the father, produced his son's promisory note, and asked him to endorse it ; he, thinking the vessel had got to sea, made answer that he had notiiing to do with his son's affairs. The butcher without loss of time hired a boat, and went down with bailiffs to Cove, where he found the vessel and stopped her, thus arresting the dishonesty of both father and son. It so happened that I had some time before com- menced a series of sermons on the ten commandments, and on Sunday, the day after this intended fraud had been discovered, my text, in regular course, was the eiffhth commandment : " Thou shalt not steal." I solemnly declare before God, that when I mounted the pulpit, not a whisper of this transaction had reach- ed my ears. I proceeded in my exposition to the very best of my power, explaining the various ways in which its spirit might be violated ; and amongst others, I very naturally named the tricks and eva- sions sometimes practised in commerce, which branch of the subject must have been well handled, for Isaac dc la Croix felt that his character was sketched to the very life, and concluded that it was intended for him, which enraged him so much that as he left the Church he declared, with the most bias- THE HUGUEXOTS. 169 phemous oaths, that he would make me suffer for what I had said. The elders related the story to me after the ser- mon, and I protested to them that I knew nothing of it before, and that the singular coincidence must be ascribed to the providence of God alone. Mr. de la Croix would not believe that it was undesigned, and continued his threats of revenge, and in the end made his words good, for he did cause me much anxiety and unhappiness. On Monday morning it was ascertained that neith- er father nor son could pay for the cargo ; the son ran away and I never heard more of him ; the cred- itors went on board the vessel, and each claimed his own property as well as he could, the vessel was emptied, and the Captain was the mainToser, having to seek a fresh freight. Mr. de la Croix did not forget his promise of re- venging himself upon me for his imaginary injury ; he set to work without loss of time to poison the minds of my flock, he began with persons whom he knew to be weak and vain, telling them they would never rise to consideration in the city so long as they had a Presbyterian for their Minister. In this way he wrought upon those who looked up to the ofiice of Mayor or even sheriff as something to be desired above measure ; and by degrees, a spirit of opposi- 15 170 A TALE OF tion was infused into large numbers of my hearers, and they required me to receive ordination from the Bishop ; this begot discussion, and the dispute wax- ing warm, I must acknowledge that I said that which it would have been much better to have left unsaid. A complaint was made to the Bishop of what I had said ; and it contained what I had said, what I had not said, and assuredly what I had not even so much as thought. The Bishop was exasperated by this re- port, and he wrote in consequence thereof to my Lord Galway, then Lord Chief Justice of Ireland ; this caused a correspondence between his Lordship and myself of which you will find full copies amongst my papers. Mr. de la Croix went so far as to assert that I was no Minister at all, and he visited from house for house repeating it, so that I was obliged to write for vouchers to the gentlemen of the Walloon Church in Threadneedle street, London. Finally, I felt it my duty, for the sake of peace, to request that they would allow me to resign, and I annex a copy of their permission. (copy.) " Mr. James Fontaine our Minister having written to this congregation to request to be released from the service of the Church, for reasons assigned in his let- ter of 30th. May last this congregation, distre turned to Dublin, I thought it might be for my a "- vantage to go there, and tell him all that I had done. While at Bear Haven, I had from time to time been able to render material assistance to merchant ves- sels in distress, and more than once to ships of war, and I took with me certificates of these facts. Upon my arrival in Dublin I was received by the Council with the utmost kindness, and they at once voted me £50 as a temporary assistance till some- thing better could be done for me, and they advised me to claim a pension for my services, and recom- mended me ofTicially for that purpase to the Lord Lieutenant. After a while he ordered the Secretary of State for Ireland to give me a letter to the Secre- tary of Lord Godolphin, then Lord High Treasurer of England. I went to England with this introduc- tion in April 1705, and while I was in London urging my claim, the Duke of Ormond came there, and was of essential service to me in obtaining the pension, and likewise treated me at all times with t\ie most uniform kindness and attention. The warrant for my pension was presented to me on the 17th October 1705, and here follows a copy of the document. the huguenots. 205 (copy.) " To our right trusty and right entirely beloved Cousin and Counsellor James Duke of Ormond, our Lieutenant General and General Governor of our kingdom of Ireland, and to our Lieutenant Deputy or other chief governor or governors of that our king- dom for the time being. Anne. R. " Right trusty and right entirely beloved cousin and Counsellor, we greet you well. Whereas James Fontaine, Clerk, did by his humble petition to us pray that we would be graciously pleased to bestow on him a pension of five shillings a day on our establishment of our kingdom of Ireland, in consideration of his good services in his defence against a French Priva- teer, and the great charge he is at in securing the remote port he lives in against the insults of the French, and whereas our High Treasurer of England hath laid before us a report made by you upon the said petition wherein you certify that the petitioner is settled in a very remote port, in Bear Haven, in our said kingdom, which place is very much infested with the privateers, that he hath built a very strong house with a small sort of sod fort, on which he hath the permission of our said government to mount fiv; 18 200 THE HUCrENOTS. guns, that he hath often been in danger of bf ing at- tacked by the Privateers, and that by the continuance of tlic said furt he hath protected several merchant ■hips, that there hath been produced to you several Tery ample certificates from the merchants of Dub- lin and of Cork of the commodioiisness of that place for securing mercliant ships, as also from the Cap- tains of our ships the Arundel and the Bridgewater, and that upon the whole you are of opinion that the said James Fontaine very well deserves our favour and encouragement, in consideration of his said ser- yiccs and expenses, and in regard he is a French Refugee, you propose that a pension of five shillings a day may be inserted for liim on the establishment, nnder the head of French Pensioner, to commence from Michaelmas 1705. Now, wc, liaving taken tho premises into our Royal consideration, are gracious- ly pleased to consent thereunto, and accordingly our will and pleasure is, and we do hereby direct, author- ise, and command, that you cause the said pension or allowance of five shillings a day to Ix; paid to him the said James Fontaine, or his assignees from Mich- aelmas last 1703, as aforesaid, for maintaining the said fort for the better preservation of our subjects of our said Kingdom against the insults of French Privateers, the same to continue during our pleasure, and to be placed for him in the list of French Pen- THE HUGUENOTS. 207 sioners on the establisment of our expense in our said kingdom, and paid in like manner as others the pen- sions within the said Ust are or shall be payable. And this shall be as well to you for so doing, as to our Lieutenant deputy or other chief governor, or governors of our said kingdom for the time being, and to our Receiver General, and all others concerned in making the said payments, and allowing thereof upon account a sufficient warrant, and so bid you very heartily farewell." " Given at our Court at St. James, the twelfth day of October, 1705, in the fourth year of our reign.** " By her Majesty's command." " GODOLPHIN." ** Entered at the signet office on the llth day of October, 1705. Geo. : Wooddeson dep.''^ My inventive genius had now quite forsaken me, but you sec, my dear children, that providence had not. It is the same God who at first called light out of darkness who frustrated the designs of our ene- mies, and turned to our profit and honor that enter- prise by which they had expected to seal our ruin. If it had not been for their cruel attack we should never have become known to those persons who have shown us so much kindness ; and let us never forget 208 A TALE OF that it is to our Heavenly Father wc owe all our grati- tude for inclining towards us the heart of a kind and charitable earthly Sovereign. The signal failure of our adversaries' schemes reminded me of Samson's enicrma "Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness." I must not omit to mention that while I was in London I stayed the whole time at tlie house of ray Cousin John Arnauld ; he treated me with the great- est hosj)itality and kindness, and would never accept of a sini^lc farthing fur mv board, and moreover he lent mc nearly JC30 to further my views in obtain- ing a pension, and that too at a time when he saw little or no chance of my ever being in a situation to repay it. Thanks be to God, I h.ive since been so successful in my school that it has enabled me to return him this money. DurinfT mv absence from home Privateers were occasionally seen hoverinfj about the mouth of the harbor, one only approached near to the house, and appeared to be taking the same course that had been followed by the vessel that attacked us. My wife was verv prompt in having the cannons loaded, and she had one of them fired to show that all was in readiness for defence, and when they saw this, they turned about, landed on Great Island, stole some cat- tie and sailed away. THE HUGUENOTS. 209 After my return we were several times threatened with a descent, but it ended in nothing more than giving us a little fright, and making us brush up our arms, for when they saw we were in a state of pre- paration, they went off, contenting themselves with stealing whatever they could lay their hands on. 210 A TALE OP CHAPTER XV. Attacked by a second Privateer — Out houses fired — Breach in the wall — Wounded — Surrender — Carried away as a pri- soner — Expostulate with Captain — Ransomed — Peter left as a hostage — His deportment. With a constant apprehension of attack before us we lived on the " qui vivc," from the 1st. June 1704 until the 8th. October 1708, when with all our pre- cautions we were actually taken by surprise. A French Privateer entered the harbour during the night and anchored otT Bear Haven, rbout five miles from our house, and entirely out of sight. At that time a company of soldiers was quartered among the Irish in the Half Barony, and the Captain who commanded them lodged and boarded at my house, but unluckily both he and the Lieutenant happened then to be absent at Bantry, and the En- sign was left in command of the company. He was an imprudent, inexperienced young man, entirely destitute of judgment. The Privateer hoisted English colors by way of deception, and she succeeded to her wish, for the En- THE HUGUENOTS. 21i sign no sooner discovered her, than, concluding she was a vessel just arrived from America, he went down with two or three soldiers of his company, in great haste to he the first on board her, in order to regale himself with rum punch, a beverage of which he was unhappily much too fond. He was a prison- er from the instant he set his foot on board the ves- sel, but the Captain and officers behaved towards him with the greatest civility. He w£ls a little shock- ed at first, but they made him so welcome, treating him to the best of wine and brandy that he soon lost the remembrance of his situation, and gave the Cap- tain every information he wanted, and it was of a na- ture to encourage him exceedingly, for he told him that the soldiers were dispersed throughout the coun- try and without any commander, the Captain and Lieutenant both being absent, and that he was sure nothing would be easier than to surprise me, for I had r.obody with me but my own family. Upon the strength of this information the Captain had three boats prepared to go ashore, sent eighty men in them, commanded by his two Lieutenants, who were both Irishmen born within the Barony. A great proportion of the crew were Irishmen, and amongst them was one Sullivan, whose life I had formerly saved, when he was proclaimed as a tory and a robber, and after he fled to France I had com- 212 A TALE OF passion on his unhappy wife whom he had left with seven or eight cliilJron, and I allowed her to live rent free upon my farm, and fearing the family might perish with hunger, I returned to her a milch cow and ten or twelve sheep, which I had received from Sullivan himself for rent before he went away. And this was the man who came to recompense me by act- ing as guide to the party ; for he knew better than any one else the exact situation of my house and every thins belon^inf; to it. They quitted the ship at midnight, landed before it was liglit, and commenced their march about day- break, in perfect silence and stooping very low, in order that they might be neither seen nor heard. An Irish servant who was fetching home the cows was the fii*st person to discover them, marching in good order, and only about the distance of a long musket shot from the house. He ran home as fast as he could, and cried out that we were all lost, for a number of armed men were in sight. We got up directly and I ordered every door to be shut; but there was so much ijustle and confusion that they for- got to close the gates of the large court in front, and even the house door below the tower was left open ; this the enemy perceived, as we afterwards learned, but dared not approach, thinking it was a feint, and tliat we must have a loaded cannon within, ready to THE HUGUENOTS. 213 fire upon them. When the men were near enough to hear me I hailed them through a speaking trum- pet, and told them if they were friends to stop, and let us know who they were ; and if enemies, I ccuied upon them to come forward and we would receive them with vigor. In the mean time my children were busily en- gaged loading our arms and putting them in order, and as the men still continued to advance I desired my oldest son 'to fire from the garret window our large gun whose barrel was six feet in length ; this made them lower their heads ; they then separated into different parties, and hiding themselves by means of the hedges and ditches contrived to get round to the back of the house. Their first act was to set fire to the malt house which was at the east, then to straw, and grain, and hay stacks which were at the north and east, and at last to the cow house, stable, and long fish press which were at the west of my house. These being of very combustible materials, in less than half an hour we were encompassed with flames on every side but one, and by reason of the fire and smoke between us and them, we were unable to see any of our enemies, and our lungs were dreadfully oppressed by the smoke which found its way in at every crevice. I ordered the servants to fill all the tubs and buck. 214 A TALE OF ets that could be found witli water, which fortunately for us flowed into the kitchen, and then immerse sheep-skins with the wool upon them, and ox-skins, of .rhich we had many in the house, and when tho- roughly soaked to cover the windows with them, as being the most exposed parts of the house ; the roof was slated and so there was little danger of the fire Ix-inc communicated to us in that direction. My dear wife superintended this department. Our whole garrison consisted of our children, your mother and myself, and four servants, two of the lat- ter were mere cow-boys, and the other two had never seen a battle. We fired hap hazard as fast as we could load ; I say so, because we could actually see nothing but fire and smoke. My great apprehen- sion was that they might seize our cannon, and turn them airainst ourselves, and therefore I thought the best thing I could do was to fire my large blunder- buss ever)' few minutes in the direction of the can- non ; and once after I had fired I thought I discovered that thcv had been making an attempt, for there was much noise and confusion, and it was evident they were carrvintr awav a wounded man. I could hear them very distinctly, but I saw nothing ; however I continued from time to time to fire in the same direc- tion. After a while we perceived that the door of which THE HUGUENOTS. 215 I have already spoken was open, and I sent some one to shut it, and continued firing at random. I caught a glimpse of one of the enemy setting fire to the covering of the fish press, and took de- liberate aim at him with my blunderbuss loaded as usual with swan shot, and wounded him in several places but not seriously. While the stacks of grain were burning and we were being suffocated with the smoke, our adversa- ries raised a little mound of turf and wood, and in- trenched themselves behind it, and they set to work with long poles to detach the slates from the roof of the north-east tower. As soon as thev had uncovered a portion, they attached burning straw to the end of their poles, and in that way set the roof on fire three several times, and we as often extinguished it from within. About two o'clock in the afternoon, they suc- ceeded in making a breach in the wall of this same north-east tower, and as we could see them at work with iron bars, my children took one of those large baskets used in the country for peat to the corner op- posite the hole that was made, put a mattrass on the top of the basket, and kneeling behind this rampart they fired one after the other as fast as they possibly could ; they were hard at work all the time but did not dare to show their noses. 216 A TALE OP The enemy did not relax at all in their cfTorts to fire the roof with long poles armed with fire brands, and at last, the smoke subsiding a little, I hit upon a position from which I could see to take aim at their hands as thev raised them above the ::atrcnchment to guide the poles, and I fired, apparently with some euccess. Seeing however that they still persevered I began to think it jirobablc that I had not put a suf- ficient charge in my piece, and when I loaded it again I determined to use a double quantity of pow- der. I had no sooner put in the charge, than I had an opportunity of trying it, for I saw a hand raised, and I fired. The piece being overcharged, burst, and I was thrown down witli great violence, three of my ribs and my right collar-bone were broken, and the flesh of mv rijjht hand was very much torn. I was 60 completely stunned that I had no power to move or even to breathe for some seconds. My wife saw the fall and supposed I had received a ball from the enemy, she ran to my assistance, and raised me up without making the slightest noise. As soon as I was able to speak I explained to her that I was wounded by the bursting of my own piece. I was now completely " hors de combat," but I had already done my part, for during the course of the morning I had fired five pounds of swan shot from my now disabled piece. While I was prostrated, my dearest THE HUGUENOTS. 217 wife had an eye to every thing, she went round to furnish ammunition and to give courage to aU, as well by her exhortations as by her example. In the mean time, the enemy had enlarged the breach until it was from four to five feet square ; nevertheless, they derived no advantage from it, my sons kept up such an Incessant fire from behind their mattrass rampart. At last, a grenade was thrown it at the breach which ran under the basket, explo- ded, and overturned the whole afiair, without (thanks be to God) doing any harm except giving my sons a fright which made them abandon their post for a very short time. One of them ran to me, in great dismay, to tell me that the hole was as large as any door, and that the enemy were entering by it ; the other boys were still firing from the dormer win- dows. I immediately rose from the bed, asked for a pistol ready loaded and cocked, which I took in my left hand, the right being useless. I called my children together, and said to them, <^I see, my dear children, that we must inevitably fall a sacrifice to the number of our enemies, but do not let them kill us like dogs, rather let us sell our lives dearlv and die like lions :" and while I was speaking I continued advancing to- wards the room into which the breach was made. A melancholy sight it was, but at the same time a 19 218 A TALE OP gratifying one, to behold these poor boys, as soon as I had done speaking, re-enter the room and take their old position without a word or a gesture indicative of fear ; they replaced their basket and mattrass ex- posed to the fire of more than ten muskets. Blessed be thou oh God! who preserved them untouched amid such a shower of balls. When they began to fire, the enemy retreated from the breach, and dared not raise their heads again, or even so much as their hands, and thus their fire was all thrown away ; for by not raising the butt ends of their muskets, they carried too high and went far above us every time. Seeing that we did not give way in the least, they began to tire of our obstinate resistance. It was possible they might have over- heard my address to the children, added to which, they were under the impression that we had at least twenty men from the constant fire that was kept up in every direction, as well as upon the main point of attack. Tiiey called out to us to surrender and we should have good quarter. I held a consultation with my wife and children, and we determined at any rate to listen to their pro- posal. We ceased firing, they did the same, and I advanced to the breach to hold a parley with them. One of the Irish Lieutenants came forward and took » aim at me, my second son Peter saw him before I did THE HUGUENOTS. 219 and immediately caught hold of me and drew me aside, barely in time to save me from this treachery, for the ball passed within three inches of my stomach. I was extremely indignant and cried out, "Ah! Traitors ! was it then to surprise me that you called me to parley with you ? Fire upon these traitors my sons, fire ;" which the poor boys did without loss of time and with all their hearts. I had foolishly exposed myself to imminent dan- ger, by placing confidence in the good faith of an enemy whom I might have been sure was altogether destitute of such a virtue, but a watchful and kind providence interposed for my deliverance. We kept up an incessant fire for another quarter of an hour, and then they called to us again, and made a second offer of good quarter. I reproached them with their recent perfidy, and told them I could not trust people who had already attempted to betray the confidence I had reposed in them. They then made a threat that i^ we did not surrender they would throw a barrel of powder in the breach and blow us up. " I have three or four at your service," said I, " and I intend to scatter their contents over this floor and the inner hall, and whenever you are pleased to approach, I will throw a lighted turf upon it and 220 A TALE OF make yon danco. You may depend upon one thing that I will not perish without you." This desperate reply induced them to offer good quarter once more. I said, " I do not know what you mean hy good quarter, but this I know that I am resolved not to surrender unconditionally, I would rather perish with all my family than do so." They then loft off firing and called to me to order my people to do likewise, so we had a cessation of hostilities on both sides. Their proposition was that they should be allowed to plunder, to which I con- sented, for with our lives we must of course lose our goods. I demanded lif; and liberty for my: If and all who were v.ith me ; but as they spoke 1 inglish, I said, " I do not choose to have any thing to do with Eng- lish or Irishmen in making the treaty. I look upon myself as a British subject, and as such I will only treat with the French who are at war with England, and I request tlie French Commander will put his head to the breach, and I assure him that he may do so with perfect safety, for we have no traitors in our ranlcs." Then came forward one of those rascally Irish Lieutenants, Carty, alias La Touche, who was com- mander of the party and could speak French as well THE HUGUENOTS. 221 as I could. I told him that as an Irishman I placed no reliance upon him, and that I would treat with Iiim only as the authorised agent of the French Cap- tain. I repeated to him in French the terms of ca- pitulation. Life and liberty guaranteed to all of us, and strictly honorable deportment on their part while in possession, and they were to have the plunder. They swore to the observance of this as French- men and men of honor. After which, I said, " I am now going to open the door for your admittance, and I warn you beforehand that I will allow no one to enter by any other way, and should you attempt to come in by the breach T shall shoot you directly." This was agreed to also, and I had the doors open- ed and ranged myself, my wife, my sons, and four servants in regular order to surrender our arms to the commander as he entered. " Thou knowest. Oh God ! our preserver ! and none else can know, what was the state of my feelings at that moment, to see my beloved wife and dear children at the mercy of enemies, fourteen of whom we had wounded. Oh ! what everlasting praises do we owe to thee for our preservation. It was thou who restrained these bloodthirsty wretches from exe- cuting the vengeance they had sworn against us. Oh God ! I beseech thee to sanctify the lives which 19* ^- 222 A TALE OF thou hast so miraculously preserved, and assist us to devote them to thy service." When the comman*der and a good many of his men had entered, they looked anxiously around seeing only five youths and four cow-hcrds, and asked me wherc all my people were, evidently suspecting that I hud laid an ambush. "You need not fear any thing dishonorable from me," I said, "you see all our garrison." " Impossible ! " said he, " these children could not possibly have kept up all the firing." My wife then spoke, and said " I am in hopes. Sir, that the fact of so few persons having made so gal- lant a defence will Ixj an inducement to you, whom I trust we shall find a man of honor, to treat us with the more consideration. Are you," added she, " the commander of this party ? " " I am, Madam," said he. She then handed him her keys, and intreated him to restrain his followers within strict bounds, which he promised to do. I told him, that I had for- gotten to stipulate for my books, but that as they would be altogether useless to them, I hoped he would grant me the indulgence of retaining them in my own possession. He promised that they should be spared, and for a time he kept a guard at my study door, but soon after they entered it and plundered there as else- THE HUGUENOTS. 223 where, taking all the handsomest books, and leaving behind a few that looked old and were badly bound. The house was very completely furnished, and as we had never thought of a surrender until it actually took place, we had not had time or opportunity to secrete anything. We were stripped of every article both of furniture and clothing even to our coats, for in the heat of action we had taken them off to have more freedom in the use of our arms. They not only filled their own three boats with the booty, but they took three of mine and loaded them also. When they were ready to depart they took me and my two oldest boys and two of the servants with them as prisoners. It was all in vain for me to re- mind them that it was an infraction of the treaty they had made with me previous to our surrender. Their reply was, that my name had made so much noise amongst the Privateers at St. Maloes that they dar- ed not return to the vessel without me, the Captain's order to them was peremptory, not to come back unless they had me with them dead or alive. They promised me faithfully, however, that as soon as the Captain had seen me, I should be set at liberty. My remonstrances were of no avail, go I must, and by the time I reached the vessel I had become so entire- ly powerless from the effect of my wounds and frac- 224 A TALE OF turcs, that they were obliged to hoist me like a log ; I could not assist myself the least in the world. As soon as the crew saw me alongside, they all shouted " Vive le Roi," and repeated it three times in grand chorus. This roused me from my pain and depression ; and when they ceased shouting, I raised my voice to its highest pitch, and said, " Gentlemen, how long it is since victories have been so rare in France, that you are glad to avail yourselves of such an occasion as the present to sing in triumph? I am ashamed, posi- tively ashamed, of my native country, to hear rejoic- ings over such a victory. A glorious achievement trul)' ! Eighty men all accustomed to warfare have actually been so successful as to compel one poor Minister, four cow-herds, and five children to surren- der upon tertns. And, furthermore, Gentlemen I would have you to know, that though I do appear bofore you as a prisoner, it is in direct violation of the treaty made with your commanding officer, and sworn to by him previous to our surrender. He can- not deny that he has broken his faith, and commit- ted a flagrant offence against the estabhshed Law of Nations." I was then carried to the Captain's Cabin, and I renewed my complaint, telling him of the treaty which his authorised agent had made with me, and THE HUGUENOTS. 225 I added, " Sir, I assure you that if I had had the least idea of being carried off as a prisoner, so far from surrendering, I would have resisted as long as I had breath in my body. I trust, under the circumstances, you will see the justice of restoring me to liberty im- mediately." He answered me with much courtesy of manner, and said, " I cannot tell you how delighted I am to have on board my vessel a man of such undaunted courage, and whose name has made so much noise." " You may indeed. Sir," said I, " find to your cost that my name is pretty well known in England and Ireland. I have received so many marks of friend- ship from the Lords in Council at the Irish seat of government, that I feel certain as soon as they a'e aware of my situation, and especially of the fact that my being made a prisoner at all was contrary to a sworn treaty, they will send instructions to Kin- sale to retaliate upon the French prisoners there, which may probably bring you into a little trouble." "What !" said he, "do you dare to make use of threats ?" " No, no, I only give you fair warning of what will most assuredly come to pass. This unjustifiable conduct of yours will be the occasion of many an honest man suffering hardships, to which the mere circumstance of his being a captive would not sub- 226 A TALE OF ject him ; probably friends of your own may be among the number ; and nobody will give you any thanks for what you are doing." " Never mind," said he, " let us drink a glass of wine together now, and discuss these matters in the morning." " I want no wine," said I, '' but I stand in great need of repose, and of having my wounds dressed." The surgeon was thereupon summoned, and he applied some linen dipped in brandy. Notwithstand- ing the numl>cr of good beds they had just brought from my house, it was with great dilficulty tiiut I oould obtain a very poor one to lie down upon, and a coarse sheet and coverlid to throw over me. I was placed between decks with the bed resting upon some cordage. This was Saturday night, 8th Oct- ober, 1709. Our noble Ensign, who ought to have protect- ed us, was still on board, as drunk as a hog ; he was in excellent spirits, and on the best of terms with the Captain and crew, to whom he was infinite- ly grateful for indulging him in his vicious propen- sity. The next day being Sunday, he was sent ashore early in the morning without having received the least injury, or being deprived of any thing what- soever. My two sons and the servants were sent away at the same time, and I alone detained. When THE HUGUENOTS. 227 the boat returned from landing them the Captain gave orders to raise the anchor. My wife did not sit down quietly to bemoan and lament over her misfortunes, as many would have done in her situation, but was in action at once to endeavour to remedy them. She went early in the morning to the place where the Papists said Mass to see the Priest, and persuade him if possible to go after the vessel, and use his influence to obtain my libo.ty. He positively refused. She dwelt upon the many ob.igafions that I had from time to time laid his people under, and the numbers of them I had saved from the gallows ; but it wae all in vain. Find- ing persuasion useless, she changed her tone and had recourse to threats, pointing out to him that he would inevitably expose himself to the resentment of those in power, if he persisted in refusing to assist a man who was so much and so deservedly esteemed by the Lord Lieutenant, and the Council. She suc- ceeded no better than before, and seeing the vessel under sail, she determined to follow it by land as long as she could. The weather was clear, calm and mild. Our Cap- tain proceeded to the Island of Durzey and found my wife waiting upon the promontory till the vessel got opposite to it. She made a signal with her apron tied to the end of a stick, and a boat was despatched 228 A TALE OF to licnr what slie had to say. She had taken the pre- caution of borrowing a speaking trumpet, and thus she was able to carry on conversation, from the cliff on which she was standing, with tliose who were be- low in the boat. After a great deal of bargaining, and man}- difficulties raised, they at last agreed to set nic at liberty upon the payment of £100 sterling. AH this time I w as stretched on my pallet between decks, and was in total ignorance of what was going forward. The privateer remained off the Island of Durzey waiting for my wife's return with the money, and she was gone to try to borrow it. She was unable to procure more than £30, and the greater part of this sura I had paid to Boyd for rent only five days before we were attacked. Unable to raise more she came back to the vessel accompanied by our second son Peter, several of our tenants, and our friend Mr. Hutchins of Bear Haven. The Captain agreed to give me up on condition of his having the £30 she had brought with her, and retaining one of my sons as a hostage for the pay- ment of the remaining £70. He paid her many compliments upon the courage she had displayed, and told her he looked upon her as a second Judith. She replied, " I should have felt more honored if you had compared me to Deborah ; but I am far from THE HUGUENOTS. 229 being surprised that you should not be well versed in books that you are prohibited from reading." My deliverance was accomplished, but it was upon hard terms, and I felt melancholy indeed at leaving my poor dear boy in my stead. When we came away, that traitor, Sullivan, of whom I have already spoken, took me upon his shoulders, and climbed with me up the rocks. He had waited upon me the whole time I was on board the privateer, for I was literally as helpless as an in- fant. I reproached him with his treachery. " How could you find in your heart, after all that I had done for you and yours, to act the part of guide to my enemies ?" He tacitly acknowledged his ingratitude, for he replied, " I have not a word to say in excuse for my conduct." It was late on Monday night, almost Tuesday morning, when I was ransomed by the exertions of my wife and the tenderness of my sons ; I say sons, because, though only one was left, they were all equally anxious to have taken my place. James could not be spared, he was old enough to look after the farm and take care of the few cattle remaining to us. Peter, being next in age, would not hear of any one but himself being selected. On the night of Tuesday, the eleventh day of Oc- 20 230 A TALE OF tobcr, I slept at Bear Haven at the house of Mt. Ilutciiins, and the next day I went in a boat to Ban- try, in order to have the requisite surgical assistance, and in going there we passed near enough to have a view of our now desolate mansion. My wite waited to see me comlortably settled un- der the care of a skilful French surgeon, and she then went to Cork to endeavour to raise the £70 for the payment of which Peter was retained as a hos- tage. Tiie Bishop lent her twenty guineas, and she could easily have borrowed the remainder from other friends, but the merchants of Cork, upon hearing the particulars of the affair, set their faces against any payment being made, and assured her that our son would soon be lilx;rated without it, and their reason- inir seemed to her so sound that she returned the Bisiiop what he had kindly lent to her, and declined borrowing any more. She also contrived to have a letter sent privately to Peter, exhorting liim to keep up his courage, and have patience, and that she had no doubt he would soon be set at liberty without ran- som, but advised him to appear ignorant of it. The privateer hovered about the Island of Durzey for a long time, waiting for the money. Peter con- ducted himself remarkably well on board the ship, and evinced mucJi more both of prudence and cou- rage than might have been expected from so young THE HUGUENOTS. 231 a lad. The steadiness of his deportment attracted the attention of the Captain, and he placed so much confidence in him as to give into his charge the key of the Hquors, and this caused the whole crew to pay court to him. While he was in the privateer she was one day chased by a British man of war ; it was proposed to him to hide himself in the hold, which he declined ; a musket was then offered to him that he might as- sist in the defence, but he said, " No, I would rather fight for the English than against them, for I regard them as my friends and countrymen." The English vessel was inferior in point of sailing and thus they escaped from her. The Captain had a son with him about Peter's age, a vain, disagreeable boy, much disliked by the officers of the ship ; he came to Peter one day, be- ing intoxicated at the time, and with a drawn sword in tiis hand threatened to kill him. Peter seized a sword to defend himself, and succeeded in disarming the drunken boy, and lowering his importance, much to the satisfaction of the bystanders. When they reached St. Maloes, the Governor of Brest condemned the Captain very much for his misconduct in bringing a hostage away with him, in direct contravention of the Law of Nations, and he 232 A TALE OF would not sulTer Pcler to be landed and placed with the other prisoners. The poor Captain was sadly perplexed, and nothing would have pleased him so much as Peter running away, and thus getting him out of his dilemma, and he had it hinted to him that he was a great fool not to nifike his escape ; but after the letter he had re- ceived from his mother, he very properly considered that it would i^c an act of f^reat folly to leave the ves- scl in a foreign country, when he had every reason to expect that he would be taken home again. After remaining a while at St. Maloes, the vessel went out on another cruise, Peter still in her. THE HUGUENOTS. 238 CHAPTER XVI. Affidavit before magistrates — Retaliation on French prison- ers — Removal to Dublin — Hire a haunted house — Claim compensation from the county of Cork — Disturbance in haunted house — School — Education of children — Peter goes to college — ^John obtains a commission in the ar ny — Moses and Francis enter college — Moses studies law — Emi- gration to America — Marriage of children — My wife's death — Failure of health — Conclusion. Leaving Peter on his cruise, I will return to myself. As soon as I was well enough to get on horseback, I rode over to Kinsale with my son James, and two of the servants, and waited upon the chief magis- trate to make an affidavit before him, to the effect that after capitulating upon terms, with the express stipulation that we should have life and liberty, I had been forcibly carried away as a prisoner, and had only been released on the payment of £30, and leav- ing one of my sons as a hostage for the payment of other £70. The governor or commanding officer at Kinsale as a retaliatory measure immediately put all the French officers in irons who had been taken in the 20* 234 A TALE OF war and were stationed there, and he sent a copy of the affidavit to Plymouth where there were numhers of French prisoners, and all of them were also put in irons. You will readily believe that the letters of complaint from Kinsalc and Plymouth were very numerous. By the time the Captain returned to St. Maloes a second time, public feeling was much excited against him, and he was summoned to appear before the Governor of Brest who wished to put him in prison, and even threatened to hang him. He made the most humble apologies, and was set at liberty only upon promising that he would convey Peter imme- diately to the place from whence he had taken him. Thus he was restored to our arms, and we have never paid the £70. I went to Dublin with all my family except James, and it is unnecessary to say that we were in misera- ble plight. I waited upon General Ingleby one of the Coun- cil, and he presented me at once with a warrant for £100, which was the more acceptable as it was al- together unexpected. He had applied for it as soon as he heard of my misfortunes, and that £100 was the sum demanded for my ransom. I had made the acquaintance of this valuable friend only two months before our disaster. He had been THE HUGUENOTS. 235 deputed by government to make a tour of observa- tion along the south-west coast of Ireland to select the most suitable harbour upon which to erect a for- tification. I went as far as Dunmannus, thirty six miles from home, to give him the meeting, and invite him to stay at my house when he came into our neighbourhood. He accepted my invitation, and he, and his whole retinue remained with me three days, during which time I treated them as hospitably as I possibly could, making them welcome to the best the country af- forded ; and having had a little notice beforehand, we had had time to make preparation, and I was able to have as many as fourteen or fifteen different dishes on the table every day, and a great variety of wine. He has been one of my best friends from that day to this. You may here observe the hand of Providence which raised up for me beforehand this powerful friend against the day of need. 1 determined to make Dublin my future residence, and to maintain my family by keeping a school for instruction in Latin, Greek, and French. I found a house on St. Stephen's Green that I thought would answer our purpose extremely well. It was originally well built, but a good deal out of re- pair, owing to its having been long without a tenant, and it had the reputation of being haunted by evil 236 A TALE OP spirits. My wife and I, having no apprehension of disturbance from any unearthly visitants, were very glad to get this house upon lower terms in conse- quence of the prejudice that existed. I got a lease for ninety nine years at £10 per annum. It was forty feet square, had substantial stone walls, and all the carpenter's work was of oak, and it had a yard and garden three hundred feet in depth and the width of the house. I was obliged to leave Dublin before taking pos- session of it, in order to prosecute my claim upon the county of Cork for the damage I had received at the hands of Irishmen in the French privateer. By law, the county is liable to make good all losses sustained by violence and robbery, provided the persons com- mitting the act are natives and not foreigners. I had given due notice to the Ilifjli Constable of the Barony, within the time limited by Act of Par- liament, and all that now remained for me to do was to prove the facts to the satisfaction of the Grand Jury for tiie county of Cork. I took my son James, and two of the servants with me as witnesses, and I had no diiliculty whatever in proving the robbery, and also tliat there were many Irishmen amongst the assailants. I presented an inventory of what I had lost, pariicuiarising those articles which had been THE HUGUENOTS. 237 carried away, and those which had been destroyed by fire. No one was more active in my behalf than Cap. tain Cox, the son of chancellor Cox whom I have named before as accompanying the Duke of Ormond to the south of Ireland. It happened that I had made him a present of a handsome watch only three days before the privateer attacked us. The watch was a good time-piece, but attracted his notice from a portrait of the late Queen, wife of James II, which was on the back of it, and as he admired it much I gladly availed myself of the opportunity of making him an acceptable present. I had receivrd it in bar- ter for some of my manufactures during our residence in England. When he heard of my losses he wished to return it, but I would not consent, for if I had not given it to him, the pirates would certainly have carried it off. The Grand Jury, after examination, awarded me £800, to be paid by the county of Cork, in confor- mity with the Act of Parliament. My wife had experienced some little annoyance dnring my absence from Dublin. It appeared that the house we had taken had been occupied by some beggars, who were allowed the use of it while it was untenanted, and my wife from the kindness of her nature did not turn them out of the house when she 238 A TALE OF took possession of it. The first night neither she, nor the cliildicn, who were all in the room with her, coukl get any sleep for the constant noises that they heard in the house. These vagahonds were trying to frighten her as they had done many others who had thought to occupy the house, and had given it up again after hearing what they thought supernatu- ral noises. Slie lx)re this patiently the first night, and believing she had discovered the secret, made her preparations accordingly for the second night. She borrowed fire arms and swords, and calling the people before dark, she told them to be sure not to leave thoir rooms on any account when the noises recurred that night, l^ecause she had provided her- self with arms, and that she and her sons intended to fire upon the evil spirit that made the disturbance, and therefore they would see the necessity of keep- ing oui of the way lor fear they might be killed by accident. As may be supposed the evil spirits were never heard more. On my return from Cork I turned them all out of the house, and had it put into perfect repair, which, with some little alterations I made in it, did not cost me less than £450. In this house I have lived ever since, and have had a very good school, both day scholars and boarders, and I have been thus enabled to give my children an education inferior in no re- THE IIUGUSrvOTS. 339 spect to that bestowed upon the first nobles in the land. They have had masters for writing, drawing, dancing and fencing ; and with me they have prose- cuted their studies in Latin, Greek, Geography, Math- ematics and Fortification. I have never spared any expense in furnishing them with opportunities of im- provement, girls as well as boys. My daughters, in addition to the more solid branches of education, have been instructed in drawing, and in every variety of ornamental needle-work. Let us pause for a moment to reflect upon the mer- cies and loving kindness of our Heavenly Father, and our own short-sightedness. How distressing did it appear to lose at Bear Haven all the property for which I had toiled so many years, and the last most disastrous overthrow appeared particularly hard ; yet, without it, I should never have been able to clear myself of debt, and I should have been obliged to re- main at Bear Haven, and bring you all up in that desert, where it would have been absolutely impossi- ble for me to have given you the excellent educations you have received in Dublin ; and from this I wish you to arrive at the conclusion, that God knov/s what is good for us much better than we do ourselves. If this becomes your settled conviction, there is no lan- guage equal to describing the peace of mind that it will cause. For my own part, I endeavour to receive 240 A TALE OF with perfect submission every dispensation from the hand of my Maker ; even though I see nothing but poverty, sorrows, and afflictions, grievous to the flesh, I can wait patiently his good time, for I know that in the end the result will be for the benefit of me and mine. Here follows an incident quite to the purpose. General Ingleby, whose friendship was so great that he was always on the look out for something to bene- fit us, thought he had hit upon a plan that would be agreeable. He had received orders to send all the half-pay officers that were in Ireland to Spain, and he entered the names of Peter and John upon the list without savins anvthing to us until he had done so. The boys were wild with joy at the idea of entering the army, and escaping from the drudgery of study. I gave them very little recreation to be sure, except in the varieties of their employments. Latin and Greek were studies which they were obliged to attend to as tasks, and every thing else they learned, I endea- voured to make them consider as an indulgence and relaxation. We thought it was a decided point, but behold Mr. Secretary Dawson was not so favorably inclined as General Ingleby, and he refused to make out their commissions, telling the General that he exceeded his powers in entering, upon the half-pay list, officers THE HUGUENOTS. 241 who had nsver served. The General was much chagrined at this unexpected obstacle, but he told us to have patience and perhaps he might yet have it in his pov/er to serve us. The boys were grievously disappointed, I v/as not ; for thouorh I was unwillin