Page:Protestant Exiles from France Agnew vol 2.djvu/16

 In the beginning of 1685 three pamphlets were printed, showing how in daily increasing numbers the Huguenots were being interdicted from earning their bread as well as from worshipping God. The third tract might seem to be chronologically the first; but it was a defence of the Huguenot’s projêt (or Resolution) of 1683, which an unreasoning malignity asserted to be a justification of all the severities against them. That Resolution was to meet for public worship in the open air, and on the ruins of their demolished temples, in order that the king, who had been deceived into the belief that the dragoons and other proselytisers had annihilated the Protestant population, might be undeceived. The very titles of the three pamphlets furnish a historical summary, thus:—

Première Partie. Etat des Reformés en France — ou l’on fait voir que les Edits de Pacification sont irrevocables — que neaumoins on les renverse entièrement, et que par la on a ôté aux Reformés tous les moyens de vivre et de subsister.

Seconde Partie. — Etat des Reformés en France — concernant la liberté de conscience et l’exercice de la Religion — ou l’on fait voir que contre la foi de l’Edit de Nantes, on prive les Reformés de la liberteé de conscience, de leurs temples, de leurs ministres, et de l’exercice public de leur Religion, et que l’on se propose d’ abolir entièrement la Reformation dans le Royaume.

La Suite. — Apologie du Projêt des Reformés de France fait au mois de Mai 1683.

The Dedication of the first tract to Louis XIV., if we may judge from its style, was written probably by the pasteur Du Bosc, and revised by the Marquis de Ruvigny. It begins thus:—

, — Vos très-humbles sujets de la Religion Pretendüe Reformée, accablés des maux qu’on leur fait souffrir, ont encore recours, avec toute l’humilité possible, à la justice et à la Bonté Royale et Paternelle de Votre Majesté. L’etat ou ils sont reduits est maintenant si deplorable, qu’il est bien difficile de trouver dans le monde quelque autre peuple plus malheureux. Leur conscience souffre une violence mortelle; ils ne peuvent plus ni parler, ni agir, ni servir Dieu selon leur Confession de Foi et selon les preceptes de l’Evangile. Les droits les plus sacres et les plus inviolables leur sont ravis. . . Tous les jours on traine leurs Ministres dans les prisons, on les tourmente, on les mine, on les proscrit. On demolit leurs temples, on interdit leurs exercices, sous les pretextes les plus vains et les plus frivoles. On les a depouillés de leurs Dignités, de leurs Charges, de leurs Emplois, et de tous les autres moyens de gagner leur vie. Les troupes les foulent encore de temps en temps, et devorent le peu qui leur restoit. Le peuple est reduit à mourir de faim; les chefs de famille voient perir de misère leurs femmes et leurs enfans; la plûpart sont constrains d’abandonner leur Patrie, leurs biens, et leurs maisons, pour éviter des calamités et des tourmens qui sont moins supportables que la mort même. ... Ils n’ont pourtant garde, sire, d’attribuer leurs maux à leur Auguste Monarque; ils sont persuadès de la Bonté et de l’Equité naturelle de votre Majesté, &c, &c

It is true that the French clergy were the leading instigators of persecution. Their Assemblée Generale, in the summer of 1680, had demanded from the king the complete suppression of Protestant liberties, and may be regarded as having set in motion the squadrons of dragoons of 1681. Encouraged by the achievements of the dragonnades and by very numerous recantations, the prelates and priests hoped to bring over the remainder of the French Protestants by an appearance of argumentative expostulation. Another General Assembly, in the end of 1682, concocted and printed an Avertissement pastoral, being emboldened by a royal decision that there must be only one religion in France. This Pastoral was supplemented by detailed instructions as to several methods for conviction and conversion, which might vary according to the temperament of each individual Huguenot. The whole budget was translated into English by Dr. Burnet (afterwards so famous as the Bishop of Salisbury), and was published with the title, “The Letter writ by the last Assembly-General of the Clergy of France to the Protestants, inviting them to return to their communion — together with the Methods proposed by them for their conviction. Translated into English and Examined, by Gilbert Burnet, D.D.” London, 1683. I give some extracts from the Doctor’s Preface:—

“The world hath been filled with the noise of the conversions lately made in France; but it has been generally given out that the violences of Monsieur de Marilliac and the souldiers, and the payments dispensed by Monsieur Pellisson, have been the most prevailing arguments hitherto made use of. That great king has indeed interposed in this matter with a zeal that, if it were well directed, might well become one who reckons these to be his most esteemed