Page:Protestant Exiles from France Agnew vol 1.djvu/179

 Majesty’s Reign, Annoque Dom. 1679.” A third booklet followed in 1683, “The Church of England evidently proved the Holy Catholic Church.” Dedicated “to His Highness Prince Rupert, Count Palatine of the Rhyne, Duke of Bavaria and Cumberland, Earl of Holderness, Constable of the Royal Castle of Windsor, Knight of the Noble Order of the Garter, one of his Majesty’s most honourable Privy Council,” &c.

Mr. Berault sought a livelihood by teaching, as appears by his advertisements :

1680. “If any Gentleman or Gentlewoman have a mind to learn French or Latin, the author of this treatise will wait upon them; he hath a very good method. He liveth in Wood Street, at the White-Horse.”

1682. “If any Gentleman or Gentlewoman, &c. He hath a good method, &c.”

1683. “If any Gentleman or Gentlewoman hath a mind to learn French or Latin, the author of this treatise will wait upon them; he liveth in Thames Street, over against Baynard’s Castle.”

He was married probably in 1684, and had a son, Peter, as may be conjectured from the circumstance that Peter Berault and Peter his son were formally naturalized at Westminster, 8th May 1697. (Two persons of his surname died in poverty, and were buried at St. Michael’s, Cornhill: Anne Berault, on 4th September 1712; and widow Berault, on 20th February 1713, n.s.).  

was by birth a Roman Catholic, and became M.A. of the University of Paris, one of the monks of La Trappe, and an eloquent preacher, sometimes itinerating, but regularly officiating at Montdidier in Picardy. In 1672 he fled to England, and in the pulpit of the London French Church in the Savoy he abjured the Romish creed on July 11th. He had an influential and discriminating patron, the Bishop of Oxford, the Hon. and Right Rev, Henry Compton, sixth son of the second Earl of Northampton. To him he dedicated his Abjuration Sermon, of which the title-page is: “A Sermon preached in the Savoy, July 11, 1675. By Mr. De Luzancy, Licentiat in Divinity, on the Day of his Abjuration. English’d. London, Printed by W. Godbid, and are to be Sold by Moses Pitt at the Angel over against the Little North-Door of St. Paul’s Church. 1675. Where you may have the same Sermon in French, as it was Preached.” The text was John viii. 32, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” He said : “I was born in the Romish Church, I have studied her doctrine, I have been prepossessed with her opinions, and have had no small zeal for the traditions of my ancestors. But I say at the same time, and I am come hither to declare it, that that same voice which sounded in the ears of the Apostle has also sounded in mine, and that the same grace has touched my soul. I acknowledge, brethren, that I feel a great pleasure within me in making this public declaration; for — besides that in so doing I witness my faith to you — I also know the sweet disposition of your souls. You upon earth have a due sense of God’s mercies as the angels have in heaven. You rejoice no less at the conversion of sinners than at the perseverance of saints. 'Tis to the increasing of this holy joy that I purpose to set out in this Discourse the reasons that brought me to this change; they are included in these words, Ye shall know the truth. I sought after this truth with all the diligence I could. I begged of God he would open the eyes of my heart. For it is through the eyes of our heart we must see the truths of salvation; for those of the mind are never able to bring us to that height of clearness which is necessary for us. The Roman Church has not known the truth, because she has not sought it where it is to be found, and has sought it where it is not to be found.”

A Jesuit named St. Germaine having threatened to assassinate him, the King issued a proclamation for the protection of De Luzancy. The Romanists furiously and incessantly attacked his reputation, but he was supported by his noble patron, Bishop Compton, who in the end of 1675 had become the Bishop of London. However, one of the Savoy pastors, Rev. Richard Du Maresq, believing the accusations, published a sermon, with a preface, accusing De Luzancy of baseness, lying, and dissimulation. The bishop seized the pamphlet, and suspended the author from his pastoral functions. The Marquis de Ruvigny and Dr. Durel undertook to act as mediators, and Mr. Du Maresq having acknowledged the offence of printing his preface without the bishop’s imprimatur, was released from suspension. The bishop sent De Luzancy to Christ Church, Oxford, and the Chancellor (the Duke of Ormond)