A Tale of the Huguenots or Memoirs of a French Refugee Family

A

TALE OF THE HUGUENOTS

OR

MEMOIRS OF A

FRENCH REFUGEE FAMILY (DE LA FONTAINE)

TRANSLATED (from French) AND COMPILED FROM THE

ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPTS

OF

(JACQUES) JAMES (DE LA) FONTAINE

BY

ONE OF HIS DESCENDANTS

(Ann Maury)

Shewing to the generations to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, that they should make them known to their children; that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments. — Psalm 78.

CHAPTER I. Reasons for writing these memoirs — Noble origin of our family — John de la Fontaine born — Obtains a commission in the household of Francis I. — Embraces Protestantism — Persecution of Protestants — January Edict —  John de la Fontaine 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. 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 appearance — Habit — Labors in the ministry — Capuchins 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. CHAPTER III. My birth — Lameness — Imitation of my fathers prayers — Meditations upon the heavenly bodies — Sent to school — Disgusted 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 — Division of property. CHAPTER IV. Study with Mr. Forestier — His persecutions — His wife’s firmness — Return home — Pray with neighbors — Leave the neighbourhood at Easter — Poor people assemble in the 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. 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 shake their faith — Precaution in anticipation of separation — Indictment against me — Confrontation —  Recollement — Examination of witnesses — Agoust — Two criminals  —  Gaoler — Gaoler’s wife — Apply to the seneschal for enlargement  —  Accusation of King’s advocate — Placed in a dungeon — Removed to the Town Hall —  Proposal to regain freedom by bribery. CHAPTER VI. Trial before the Presidency — A digression — My defence — Angry discussion with the President — Query — My reply — Sentence. CHAPTER VII. Appeal to Parliament — Copy of factum — President’s observation upon it — Sentence reverse — Register refuses copy of the decree — Apply for redress — Return home. CHAPTER VIII. Persecution of 1685 — Meeting of ministers and elders — My opinion opposed to the majority — Meeting of Protestants at Royan — Mr. Certani dissuades numbers from emigration — Interview with him — Gloomy forebodings —  Departure of many persons — Dragoons appear — Leave home — Visit sisters —  Traverse the country — Place betrothed in safety. CHAPTER IX. Revocation of Edict of Nantes — Preparations for flight — Difficulties and dangers — Land in England — Cheap bread — Speculate in grain — Cruelty of a ship Captain. 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. CHAPTER XI. Remove to Taunton — Keep a shop — Manufactory — Very prosperous — Summoned before the Mayor — Defence — Recorder’s speech — Discharge. CHAPTER XII. Revolution of 1688 — Landing of the Dutch — Unexpected visitor — Soldiers billeted upon me — Retire from business — Endeavour to make calimancoes — Profit upon them — Instruct a crippled weaver —  Secret discovered — Visit Dublin and Cork — Shipwreck — Place sons in Holland —  Increase of family. CHAPTER XIII. Arrival at Cork — Enter upon pastoral duties — Manufactory — Great happiness — Dissension in the church — Resignation — Copy of certificate — Remarkable warning by a dream — Visit fishing stations — Death of Aaron —  Turn fisherman — Remove to Bear Haven — Loss of the Robert — Bad season —  Trading voyage — Success in fishing — Loss by mismanagement of partners —  Troublesome Irish neighbours. 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 pension — Copy of warrant —  Return home. CHAPTER XV. Attacked by a second Privateer — Outhouses fired — Breach in the wall — Wounded — Surrender — Carried away as a prisoner — Expostulate with captain — Ransomed — Peter left as a hostage — His deportment CHAPTER XVI. Affidavit before Magistrates — Retaliation on French prisoners — 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 army — Moses and Francis enter college — Moses studies law — Emigration to America —  Marriage of children — My wife’s death — Failure of health — Conclusion.