Page:Protestant Exiles from France Agnew vol 1.djvu/345

 the Marquis De la Vrillière and to the Lord Deputy-General. The reverend exile received the following letters from the Marquis De Ruvigny:—

I., — What I have done may have been reported to you, but no report can represent the affection that prompts me to serve you. I am extremely concerned that it has not produced the effect which your conduct deserved, and which we hoped to obtain from the king’s goodness. I say, “we;” for you have had good friends at Court, who have warmly espoused your interests, and who are more favourably heard than I. Yet, with all these endeavours, you are at Chalons still. It is true that your return may be hoped for, because the king is convinced of your innocence. I assure you, Sir, that when I am at Court. I will do all that you justly expect from a person who esteems you to the last degree, and who passionately desires the special comfort both of yourself and of your flock. — I am, &c.

II. , — I received your last letter while I was at Fontainbleau for the purpose of petitioning for your return, which I thought quite certain, as I was witness to the Due de Montausier doing justice to your case before the king. I delayed my answer that I might have good news to tell you. But the king, who now knows your innocence regarding the things of which they accuse you, has postponed the marks of his favour for a month. I will then restate your case. Mr. Secretary Cognard has shown very great zeal for your interests, and will give you details. I pray God to help you with his benediction, and to send you soon what you merit. Nevertheless, be assured that I shall lose no time to make you experience that I am, with all my heart, &c.

III. , — As I love not to give bad news, especially to people whom I esteem, I did not write to you the king’s answer in your case. He said to me, dryly enough, it was not yet time to speak to him about your case. I fear exceedingly that your merit is your crime, and that consequently your punishment will not end very soon. I pray God, who has given you strength to bear so vexatious a banishment, to bless our measures to his glory and your repose. I will see the Marquis De Louvoy, and I pray you to be persuaded that in everything that concerns you I will bestir myself with all the passion and all the care which can characterise one who esteems you to the last degree, &c.

IV. 15th October 1664. —, — The letter which you wrote to the Marquis de la Vrilliére, and which he read to the king, has effected your return. You owe everything to your letter, and to his lordship who made such good use of it, and to his Majesty. When you come, you will hear the details of your business. I wish you all prosperity; and I am, &c.

The celebrated Due de St. Simon, whose published manuscripts are so precious to historians, being in age no older than a grandson to Ruvigny’s cotemporaries, could write of him only by hearsay. As to his personal appearance he may have been mistaken, but his information as to his public life and great reputation may be relied on. He says:—

“Ruvigny was a good but plain gentleman, full of sense, wisdom, humour, and probity, a strong Huguenot, but of eminent administrative powers, and great dexterity. These qualities, which had gained him great reputation among those of his religion, had procured him many important friends and much consideration in the world. The ministers and the principal nobles reckoned him as a friend, and were not indifferent to the circumstance being known that he reckoned them as his friends, and the most influential magistrates were eager to be so also. Under a very plain exterior, he was a man who knew how to ally straightforwardness with finesse, in his designs and arrangements. Yet his fidelity was so well known that he had secrets and deposits confided to him by the most distinguished persons. For a great number of years he was the deputy at Court of his religion; and the king often availed himself of the connections his religious creed gave him in Holland, Switzerland, England, and Germany for secret negotiations, where he served him very usefully.”

St. Simon does not mention Portugal. But in 1666, Ruvigny went to that court as Ambassador from France to be present at King Alphonso’s marriage, and also (according to one account) as General of the Naval Forces which conveyed the bride, the Princess of Nemours, to Lisbon. The probable reasons for such an honour being conferred on the Huguenot Marquis were that his appointment would be acceptable to Schomberg, and that he could bring back to the French court a lucid account of the extent of the king’s imbecility, and of the chances of his being superseded by his brother, Pedro, who ultimately did secure both his crown and his wife.

The year 1667 must be noted as the date of the death of Lord Southampton, the last Earl of the old Wriothesley family. By his death Lady Elizabeth Noel became heiress of Titchfield, where Rachel, Lady Vaughan, now a widow, lived as the guest of the Noels, though her inheritance was Stratton, in Hampshire, and Southampton House, London. The funeral of the Lord Treasurer was followed by 