Page:Protestant Exiles from France Agnew vol 2.djvu/149

 

Comte de Roye was a great grandson of Francis, the third Comte de La Rochefoucauld, who was killed at the St. Bartholomew Massacre in Paris in 1572. This comparatively youthful victim of Popish ferocity was in company with Charles IX. late in the evening that ushered in the dreadful night. The king, desirous to save his life, invited him to stay all night in the palace, but the Count replied that his wife expected him at home, and bade his Majesty adieu. When amid thick darkness the murderers burst into his chamber, the unsuspicious youth thought that they were a band of humorists whose errand was some practical joke, and that the king was their ringleader. The martyred count left a son by his first wife, who became the head of the family. But he was married to a second wife, Charlotte, the sister of Eleonore de Roye, Princess of Condé, and the youngest daughter of Charles, Seigneur De Roye and Comte de Roucy. The offspring of this marriage was Charles, Comte De Roucy, who died in Paris in 1605.

His son was Francois, Comte De Roucy, who married in 1627 Julienne Catherine de la Tour, youngest daughter of Henri, Due de Bouillon, Prince of Sedan and Marshal of France, by Isobel of Nassau and Orange. And their son Frederic Charles was the Huguenot refugee.

The refugee Comte de Roye was born in 1633. He married, 3d June 1656, his cousin, Elisabeth de Durfort, youngest daughter of Guy Aldonce de Durfort, Marquis de Duras by Elisabeth de la Tour de Bouillon. The Count served in the French army with distinction, and was a lieutenant-general in the year 1676. His Protestantism arrested his further promotion, but he obtained the king’s permission to accept an invitation of his Majesty of Denmark in 1683. His family, however, were required to remain in France. He received the chief command of the Danish army with the rank of Grand Marshal, and he was made a Knight of the Order of the Elephant. A letter from him to Pastor Du Bosc is preserved, from Copenhagen, 10th July 1685:—

“, — I have received the letter which you have been so good as to write me. I am very much concerned that an apprehension as to the very cold climate of this country hinders you from resolving to come to pass your life near a great Queen, according to her intense and expressed desire. Having shewn your letter to the Queen, I am commanded to write to you, and to state that the cold is not so great as people say, and that her hope was, that if you would make up your mind to come, you would have no cause to repent your resolution. That I would experience the deepest joy, you, sir, are well assured; and I can further assure you that so great is your reputation in this country, that the leading members of court, who are all Lutherans, are as anxious to see you as are those of our religion. Accordingly Her Majesty has been pleased to conclude upon nothing until you have sent me another reply, which I vehemently hope will be such as I desire. Be assured, sir, that here you would have accomodations and attentions, such as you would hardly find elsewhere. I can guarantee what I say. Therefore make your reflections upon it, and on quitting your country, come to a kingdom where you are so much desired, and particularly by myself, who am entirely yours,

“.”

On the Revocation, the Countess de Roye was allowed to join her husband in Denmark, on condition of her leaving some of the children in France. The Count and Countess went to Hamburg in 1686, and the same year she removed to England; he came over in 1687, and spent the remainder of his life with us. She was a sister of General, the Earl of Feversham, and aunt of the Marquis de Miremont. The 