Page:Protestant Exiles from France Agnew vol 1.djvu/25

 number of strangers than hath of late been accustomed — and to whom they pay their rents for the same, and how many of them do resort to any of the strangers’ churches.” The number of strangers (including 88 Scots) was 6704, of whom 850 were naturalized, 1815 were of the English Church, and 1008 “of no church.” The Dutch formed an overwhelming majority, their number being 5225; the French numbered 119 (the other continental nations being all represented by 271 only).

1910 were of the Dutch Church, 1810 of the French Church, and 161 of the Italian Church. In this year French refugees flocked into Jersey, as appears from the following letter from Sir Hugh Poulet to Mr Secretary Cecil, preserved in our State Paper Office: — “It may please you to receive herewithal a letter directed unto you from my son, Amyce Poulet, out of Jersey. And, understanding the contents thereof by a copy of the same sent unto me, I do very well like their zeal at Jersey in the receiving of these strangers to their present relief, and yet, for divers respects, cannot like of any continuance of their abode in the Isle, nor of such others as shall happen upon like occasion to arrive there hereafter (which are like to follow in greater number), but rather being received there as passengers to be passed over from thence with convenient speed unto this realm to their better security and relief, and to the avoiding of such danger and peril to the Isles as otherwise might ensue. Wherein I have thought it my duty thus to signify my simple opinion unto you, having received no other news out of those parts, but that upon the Count Montgomery’s passing towards the Prince of Conde, the ministers and other fideles in Normandy are in great doubt and fear of themself — as knoweth God who send them well to overpass the same. At my poor house of Tytenhanger, in Hartfordshere, the 2d of October 1568. — Yours to command, .”

In 1569, a census of 83 “Frenchmen, Flemyngs, and Wallounes” was made at Rye, including four ministers, Hector Harmon (query Hamon) of Bacavile, Jacob Caref of Ponteau, Nicolas Tellier of Rue, and Tousainth of Paure. Six men, including Monsieur Delaplace and Anthoine Dehayes, are recorded as being “of Roan” [Rouen]. In 1571 there was a census of foreign Protestants of all nations resident in London. I shall give copious extracts concerning Walloons and Huguenots in my chapter first.

In 1572, the year of the St. Bartholomew massacre, Sir Francis Walsingham was Queen Elizabeth’s Ambassador at Paris; his house was respected, and permitted to be a sanctuary for fugitive foreigners, which favour he formally acknowledged, at the same time requesting an official communication of “the very truth” regarding the massacre. The massacre Walsingham called “this last tumult” and “the late execution here;” Catherine De Medicis the Queen-mother’s phrase was “the late accidents here.” Some garbled narratives were communicated during August; and on the 1st September King Charles IX. sent for the Ambassador and conversed with him. The French Court wished it to be believed (as appears by Walsingham’s despatch of Sept. 13) that the French Protestants having been detected in a secret conspiracy, the massacre had been designed to remove the ringleaders; but now, “the heads being taken away, the meaner sort should enjoy (by virtue of the edicts) both lives and goods and liberty of their consciences.” “The very truth” was first heard in England from the mouths of the refugees; our Queen rebuked the French Ambassador, La Motte, for his self-contradictory tales, in the most solemn strain.

In December her Majesty had an opportunity, which she vigorously employed, to rebuke King Charles IX. himself “for that great slaughter made in France of noblemen and gentlemen, unconvicted and untried, so suddenly, it was said, at his command,” declaring her conviction founded on evidence that “the rigour was used only against them of the Religion Reformed, whether they were of any conspiracy or no.” — (Strype’s “Annals,” vol. ii. p. 167). And in reply to his request that refugees might be discouraged from settling in England, our Queen instructed the Earl of Worcester, when in Paris, to say to the King, “that she did not understand of any rebellion that the refugees were ever privy to, and that she could perceive nothing but that they were well affected to their Prince. But when such common murdering and slaughter was made, throughout France, of those who professed the same religion, it was natural for every man to flee for his own defence, and for the safety of his life. It was the privilege of all realms to receive such woeful and miserable persons, as did flee to this realm only for defence of their lives. As for their return to France, the chiefest of them had been spoken to, and they made their answer, that the same rage of their enemies, which made them first to flee hither, did still continue the cause of their tarrying here, &c.” Strype adds, “The better sort of the Queen’s subjects were very kind unto these poor Protestants, and glad to see them retired unto more safety in 