Page:Protestant Exiles from France Agnew vol 2.djvu/182

 anxious for her welfare, that he would communicate to her this offer to become the wife of a rich man.

On the evening of that very day Fontaine went to Mr. Fraine’s house. The scene, by readers who are not natives of France, might be called rather dramatic, but it was all true love and honesty. The lovers met, and he presented the Downe double proposal before her mind in such a business-like way, that she supposed that his judgment was convinced in favour of his own marriage to Miss Downe. She burst into tears, but at last commanding herself, and scarcely raising her eyes, she said slowly and distinctly, “You are free; I release you. Think no more of me; I am contented to remain as I am; only be so good as convey to Mr. Downe a request not to repeat to me himself what I have heard from you, for I will never be his wife.” Fontaine, of course told her at once that if she had accepted Mr. Downe, he would have remained single. He returned home with a light heart to deliver himself of the brief message or monosyllable, No! and he observed, “Mr. Downe was a man of good sense and kind feelings, and I verily believe he was relieved by the issue of the negotiation. It was otherwise with his sister; she was displeased and aggrieved, and made no secret that she was so.”

The refugee pair now resolved to share each other’s poverty, and they were married in the parish church of Barnstaple by the Rev. Mr. Wood, the rector, on the 8th February 1686. Mr. Fraine “took upon himself the furnishing of a wedding feast for us, to which he invited almost all the French refugees in the neighbourhood. Mr. Downe invited the same party to a similar entertainment at his house the day following.” The poverty of the young couple was relieved by the great liberality of the inhabitants of Barnstaple. He had no assistance from the national fund, collected for the refugees, because he would receive the Lord’s Supper for spiritual benefit only, and not as a qualification for pecuniary benefactions. He did receive £7, 10s. as the first quarterly payment; but for want of the Episcopal sacramental certificate he received no more, except, indeed, a gratuity of £3 when in person he appealed to the committee against the regulation.

After various straits he settled at Taunton. There he made a livelihood by teaching boarders, also by extensive provision dealing, and by the manufacture of calimanco. He prospered as well as the jealousy of the native tradesmen would allow. At last, having realised £1000, and being weary of the turmoil of business carried on amidst so much ill-will, he resolved to resume the life of a pastor. A French Protestant Synod at Taunton had some years previously (on June 10th, 1688) admitted him to holy orders. In 1694 he set out for Ireland in search of a congregation.

As a specimen of his trials at Taunton, I shall give an account of his appearing according to citation before the mayor and court of aldermen, as an interloper and a “jack of all trades” — being a wool-comber, dyer, spinner, and weaver, grocer and retailer of French brandy, hatter, dealer in St. Maixant stockings, and dyed chamois leather, and in tin and copper ware.

The mayor (who was a wool-comber) enquired, “Have you served an apprenticeship to all these trades?” Fontaine replied:—

“Gentlemen, in France a man is esteemed according to his qualifications, and men of letters and study are especially honoured by everybody if they conduct themselves with propriety, even though they should not be worth a penny. All the nobility of the land, the lords, the marquises, and dukes take pleasure in the society of such persons. In fact, there a man is thought fit for any honourable employment, if he is but learned; therefore my father, who was a worthy minister of the gospel, brought up four boys (of whom I was the youngest) in good manners and the liberal arts, hoping that wherever fortune might transport us, our education would serve instead of riches, and gain us honour among persons of honour. All the apprenticeship I have ever served, from the age of four years, has been to turn over the leaves of a book. I took the degree of Master of Arts at the age of twenty-two, and then devoted myself to the study of the Holy Scriptures. Hitherto I had been thought worthy of the best company wherever I had been; but when I came to this town, I found that science without riches was regarded as a cloud without water, or a tree without fruit — in a word, a thing worthy of supreme contempt; so much so, that if a poor ignorant wool-comber or a hawker amassed money, he was honoured by all, and looked up to as the first in the place. I have, therefore, gentlemen, renounced all speculative science. I have become a wool-comber, a dealer in pins and laces, hoping that I may one day attain wealth, and be also one of the first men in the town.”

This sally was received by the audience with a general laugh. The Recorder laid down the law as follows:— 