THE HISTORY OF THE Persecutions OF THE PROTESTANTS BY THE French King IN THE Principality of ORANGE From the Year 1660. to the Year 1687. Written by Monsieur Pineton Pastor of the Church of Orange and Professor of Divinity and Chaplain to his Highness the Prince of Orange With a particular Account of the Author's Fall through the Violence of the Persecution Licensed Jan. 25th 1689. Rob. Midgley LONDON Printed for William Rogers at the Sun over against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleet-street and Samuel Smith at the Princes Arms in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXXIX THE HISTORY OF THE Persecutions c. THE Encroachments of the King of France upon the Principality of Orange were the Fore-runners of the Persecution of the Protestants there In the year 1660 that King making himself Master of that Principality demolished those stately Fortifications which were raised by Prince Maurice of glorious Memory as the Monuments of his strength and power For five years the State continued thus in the hands of Strangers and God knows great were the Churches Troubles in that Interregnum The Romanists who till now had kept themselves within the bounds of Moderation began now to lift up the Standard of Division and establisht a Fraternity without the consent or permission of their lawful Prince and within a little time grew very powerful by the Money which they drew from all parts that so they might more easily oppress the Reformed They employ'd their Money for the purchasing of Converts which was intended by those who furnisht 'em with it These false Zealots used their utmost skill to corrupt the Childrens Obedience they owed to their Parents and they set up a House at Avignon for the Entertainment of 'em And if they could not be won by favours and milder courses they served themselves with the Authority of the Officers to take them by force I may give you some taste of the beginning of our Evils by the following Account A Child of nine years old whose name was Louis Villeneve was accused as guilty of some Irreverence in the Chappel that they made in the Castle The poor Child was clapt up in a close Prison where it spent the night in continual Cries and Lamentations to its Father and Mother for their help The Sunday following the Child was brought in open veiw at the usual time when the Protestants went to the Temple and being tied neck and heels together and whipt by the common Hangman which he did with tears and reluctance being forc'd to it by the Souldiers of the Garison who were about him and the Drums beating at the four parts of the Town The Edict about the Relapst was publisht at the same time in France The Governour of the Castle sent four Guards to bring me to the Castle thinking to fright me with this Pageantry of War when I drew near him he told me the King intended this Edict should extend to the Principality Whereupon I answer'd him The Edict mention'd onely the King's Subjects that he could not look upon these of the Principality as such since they lived under the Edicts of another Prince and so could acknowledge any other Laws but his At this Answer he flew out in a Rage and fell a 〈…〉 of me and seeing me resolved steadily to maintain it he turn'd from me on a sudden You shall quickly see says he who 't is you speak to I was not concerned at his Threatnings but the more danger they carried so much the more firm was I to my resolution In effect a few days after the Papists upon their Fete-Dieu not contenting themselves with their allowed Customs but indeavouring to Innovat◠by hanging their Tapestry up and carrying it farther then the bounds that were prescribed by the Edicts of our Princes I opposed 'em so till they were forc'd to return notwithstanding they came backt with the Authority of the Governour and his Garison We now began to be forc't to continual Disputes to maintain the Priviledges of our Church 't was hardly any longer that we could find Justice with the Magistrates tho' they exercised their power in the Prince's Name and Authority for either through particular Obligations or through base Courtship to the Governour they were not toucht by the Churches Calamities and instead of opposing this tide of Oppression which broke in upon us they suffer'd us to be run down by their Compliances or the Intregues of State. Before the Cittadel was demolisht the Romanists carried themselves very quietly all the time of the Advent the Lent and Octaves and the Priests did not in their Sermons annimate the people against the Reformed neither did they provoke us to Disputes And if it happen'd at any time that the Priests spoke too freely against us the Romanists themselves used to tell 'em that this was not the Custom at Orange and that therefore they should use Moderation This Gentleness held till a foreign Power got ground and then they quickly alter'd their Maxims And whereas before we saw very seldom any Jesuites at Orange they were now saught after in great Zeal to supply the Pulpits these Gentlemen at their first coming according to their politick Conduct gain'd upon the people by a free Conversation and by the outward shew of promoting Peace and Agreement with each other But before the Advent was half over they could no longer conceal their natural Temper and talkt of nothing but of Heresie and Damnation and challeng'd all to the Controversie This task lay upon me which for two and twenty years I discharged by God's assistance with some advantage to his Truth and the confusion of Errour Had they made use of no other Weapons in their Warfare then Arguments to maintain the Dispute it might then have ended with Joy to me the Contest would have been determin'd without loss to me or damage to my Church nay rather it might have reapt glory from the occasion But the Jesuites found that this would not do their Work and therefore they betook themselves to other courses whereby they might gain those whom they moved not by their Controversie Hence their Hatred against us was every day working either by false Witnesses by Lying or Cheats and from this their Design the Persecution was modelled that we have since seen in France from the year 1660 and they seem'd to be learning the Trade of Cruelty against us that they might be Masters at it when they were to exercise it upon others It shall be sufficient for me to give you two instances wherein they gave great trouble to our Church Upon the Birth of Mr. le Dauphin there was Joy all over France and 't was a Custom among us of the Principality likewise to observe that Day which we used to do with more Show and Acclamations than the French themselves to testifie our Affection to the King at the end of November 1661 't was concluded upon that Bonfires should be made and that all the Prince's Subjects of either Religion should
their going to the Tumult A little after they came all of 'em to me and taking my advice retired to their Houses Mr. de Bergairolles who is now at the Hague was very active in calming some the most violent of their Men and by this means the Tumult was appeas'd and those of the Seditious Party were disappointed of their Design I draw'd up a Relation of all that past and sent it to the late Mr. de Zuilichem who signified to me in his Answer that God had miraculously deliver'd us and that he pray'd heartily we might never see such another Sunday The day after the Parliament intending to proceed against the Authors of this Uproar at the request of the Proctor-General and the Advocate the Bishop did all he could to oppose it with mighty Threatnings this gave great apprehensions to the Reformed We saw that the French Court gave credit to all that the Bishop wrote and he had others that stood by him and that there needed nothing but the pretence of Religion to give authority to all they undertook The Parliament thought it not proper to push the Information farther but his Highness the Prince of Orange being inform'd of this Attempt and that it had like to have cost him the Lives of the best Subjects he had gave out a Declaration by the which he dissolv'd this Fraternity and charg'd the Magistrates that they should take care that they appeared not publickly I have already spoke of the Priests presenting a Request to have a stop put to the Collection which was for the Maintenance of the Pastors the Professors and Governors of the Colledge which was not answer'd The time being now more favourable for the Papists they presented it a second time in the Year 1683. 'T was now answer'd with a Decree of the Council by which the Treasurer was prohibited to raise that Money upon pain of Disobedience with an injunction upon Mr. Grignan the Lieutenant General of Provence to help forward the Execution of the Decree 'T was a great blow to the Reformed Churches of the Principality who had now no way to get subsistence for the Pastors or Professors and Governours of the Colledge But his Highness the Prince being acquainted with it he provided for them according to his usual Charity The Misfortunes which befel us came blow after blow as the Lightning is follow'd by Thunder which at last destroys all so that we might say with St. John in the Revelations The second Woe is past and behold the third Woe cometh quickly In the Year following we saw another Decree of the Council in July and which we were advertized of in August following and this was the pretence of it There was a Youth called Dumas a Notary who during the space of two years had been much conversant in reading of the Holy Scripture he had took great pleasure in it and from a desire which he had to be farther instructed in it he came on Nights to me to be resolved of difficulties and to receive from me fresh Instructions At last being perswaded and convinc'd of the Truth he came to the Consistory desiring to be received in our Church and shewed great Reason in giving us an account of the Motives of his change The Sunday following he made his Abjuration before the whole Assembly who were much edified by his Discourse This Young Man was of a Family who were extreamly bygotted to the Church of Rome's Superstitions whose Ancestors were recorded in our Annals among those who had committed that horrible Massacre at Orange the second of February in the Year 71 of the last Age. He reckoned in his Pedigree some of the Richest and of the Chiefest Quality of the Roman Catholick Citizens of Orange This Conversion of their Kinsman had enraged them extreamly they went in a croud to the Bishop and begg'd of him with Tears to use all means imaginable to draw him off from this pretended Error The Bishop could not find a more successful way then to raise us some trouble in the Court of France supposing we had received a relapsed Subject of the French Kings His Letter was quickly followed by a Decree which I am now going to speak of by which 't was prohibited for the Ministers of Orange or for the Elders to receive in their Temples any Subject of the King of France's that was a Relapse or to endeavour the perverting of the Catholicks to embrace Heresie upon the pains mentioned in the Declarations with an Injunction to the Count de Grignan to help forward the Execution of the said Decree This unheard-of way of proceeding with regard to the Principality of Orange afforded me many Reflections the title of Heresie which they had not put in any Declaration or Decree before made me imagine they would no longer use any Moderation and this regulating the Affairs of Religion in the Principality of Orange perswaded me that we had now nothing to hope for but that very suddenly we should be more severely treated than the Natural Subjects The Year 1685 was such an Epoche that future Ages shall look upon to be the most dreadful that hath happened 'T was in that Year that the Temples throughout France were pull'd down and an universal dispersion of the People into all parts of the Earth We indeed saw our Calamity hastning apace but we never thought the Persecution would be so sharp or that the Dragoons would have thrown away common Humanity Posterity will hardly believe iâ— true and that which I write concerning my own Flock will pasâ— for Fable if more Historians don't second me in the truth of my Relation 'T was at Easter in the same Year that we began to see the Distress of the Reformed Churches in France those who in the Neighbouring Provinces had been forbid all publick Exercise of their Religion came crowding to us for the sake of their Devotion We that were the Ministers of Orange endeavour'd to support 'em under their Calamities and both in our Sermons and more private Discourses incourag'd them to a Stedfastness and Perseverance in the Faith. From that time they brought Children continually from all parts to be Baptiz'd of us 'T was a sight which would move compassion to see Fathers and Mothers bring their Infants fifteen or twenty Leagues to be Baptiz'd some expiring in the Journey At Whitsontide we had yet greater Multitudes resorted to Orange than at Easter for then they of Languedock also were forbid the Exercise of their Religion together with Cevennes Vivarets Dauphine and Provence 'T was at this time that we heard of the terrible Persecution at Guienne and of the barbarous Usage of those at Montauban Till then we had heard little of it but we had now the News of it so often confirm'd that we could not doubt of it Storms drive not the Waves with more Fury than this violent Persecution threw Troubles continually towards us which at last swallow'd us up We now saw that we were encompast on
I might take some Rest after so many days fatigue and want of sleep The same Night that I arrived at Valence there was a Person of worth came to my Bed-side After he had pass'd some Complements upon me with a voice pretty loud because he would give no suspicion to the Exempt of whom I have spoke whose Name is Nardouin and who never one moment left my Chamber nor the sight of me and who besides placed Sergeants at the Door as Sentinels Night and Day this honest Man I say with a low voice told me that he utterly detested the Cruelty and Barbarity which had been practised upon me After that he drew before me so hideous a draught of the state of his Soul since his fall that I was filled with fear To which he added the Torments which he suffered as oft as he was forc'd to go to Mass and the horrors of his Mind when he there beheld the Idolatries they committed He beg'd me to give him some comfort but alas I was but in an ill condition to do it There came some other Persons of Note who could not forbear weeping amongst whom there was a Marquess of worth whose Name I shall conceal who was going to the place of his Banishment and whom they would not suffer to speak to me This Night I pass'd mighty unquietly partly through the terrible pains of the Gout and partly through the grief that they would not let me have the freedom to speak to those about me The Exempt lay in my Chamber he was the Spy upon all my words and actions so that I had hardly the liberty to complain The next day the Provost who had been conferring with the Bishop of Valence came into my Chamber to tell me that he would leave me that day to take my rest and that in the mean time he would prepare a Boat. I told him that I had much rather go in a Litter because I should endure the pains of the Wheel in their carrying me to the River-side which was a quarter of a League from my Lodging He seemed to consent to it but though I had secur'd one for the next day yet he refused to carry me this way In the mean time I know not whether it was not from a motive of Compassion which made Mr. De Vermenton unwilling I should go any further than Valence but this I am sure of that he feared exreamly lest I should dye in his hands For this Reason the two Physicians of the University and two Chirurgions were sent to visit me They had no sooner seen my miserable Body but they turn'd away their Eyes and lift up their shoulders and when I told them that these were not all my Ills I was besides tormented with the Stone They said they could not give a judgment concerning that unless they made a search but however they had already seen but too much And upon this they with-drew In my Journey my Thigh was unbound which caused me horrible pains and those of the Gout increased furiously upon me Yet notwithstanding this sad condition I was impatient to be quickly carried to Pierre-Cise I beg'd the Provost to satisfie my desire and he promised me that the next Morning we should set forward but instead of that I saw coming into my Chamber that Morning the Bishop of Valence It was easie to imagine that there was some contrivance laid which made me stand upon my Guard. My Arms were so stiff through the effects of the Gout that it was impossible for me to lift my hand to my Cap to salute him After he was set by my Bed's-head he began to tell me that he was sorry to see me in so much trouble that this ought to make me consider with my self that I might not go to Pierre-Cise where I should suffer much that I had much better re-unite my self by which means I should be at ease that the King would allow me large Pensions That his intention was not only upon his own Subjects to reunite them to the Church but that his Piety incited him to cause all other Protestants to enter into the Church and that I should be a very proper Person to contribute to so good a Design and that through my means there might be a good understanding and that some satisfaction might be given to Protestants concerning some Points and that for his part he would make no scruple to consent to the taking away some Images out of Churches and that even he had already taken away a great many out of his Churches where very few are seen and that the Cup would be given to the People again But that it was necessary to have some considerable Man of our Party who should promote this business and that for certain I was the Man the most fit This in substance is what this Prelate said to me at this first interview To which I answer'd that I thanked him for the Honour he had done me that as to the Sufferings he mentioned I was fully resolved to undergo them that if I had believed I could have been saved in the Roman Church I should never have let my self have been thus tormented for these two Months As for Pensions through the goodness of God I had no need of them as mean a Gentleman as I was I had where-withall to live As for the Praises he bestowed on me in thinking me fit to Labour towards a Reformation I was very sensible of my own weakness but yet I could willingly spend my Blood to effect so good a Work But in the condition Affairs are there 's no likelihood that things should conclude by Lenity and Friendship that are begun by force of Arms and that therefore I should be extreamly obliged to him if he would obtain a Pass-port for me to go where Providence should direct me Do not flatter your self about it Sir reply'd he you are a Prisoner of State and you ought not to expect any Pass-port It will be thought an Honour if they can make you a Catholick It is very well known that you are closely engaged to the Prince of Orange and you 'll never be suffered to go near him But pray tell me says he Do you think it would not be more for your Advantage to serve the King than the Prince of Orange Is not he a greater Master I know very well that 't is your engagement to the Interests of that Prince which sticks at your heart and that you are afraid to displease him in changing your Religion but I do assure you that we have certain News that he is getting himself instructed Pardon me Sir reply'd I if I tell you that I do not believe a word on 't I had the happiness to know him in his most tender years he was then perfectly well instructed and I doubt not but his Understanding has encreas'd with his Age and as I am perswaded he hath no scruple of Conscience upon the account of his Religion so
every side by the Dragoons they were now in Dauphine as well as in Languedock and the ill News came attested by no less than ten or twelve thousand Souls who fled for Refuge in the Principality of Orange 'T was indeed a miserable Spectacle to see such numbers of poor People of all Ages and Conditions where we might read Calamity in their faces and their Discourses taken up with the story of those inhumane Cruelties they had felt in those Provinces Women ready to be delivered put to the fatigues of Travelling Widows with their little Children following them Old Men afflicted by their fears of the Dragoons more than by the inconveniences of Old Age we saw nothing but Objects of Compassion about Orange which gave us the afflicting sense of their Miseries together with a lively Representation of the persecuted condition which was falling upon us All this disposed us to receive them with a Brotherly Affection as became fellow-sufferers and comforting them by those excellent Discourses which our Ministers suited to their Condition The retreat of these poor People to Orange drew down upon us the Anger of the Governours who were at Montelimard Mr. de la Trousse St. Ruth and Tesse cast out against us violent Thretnings we heard daily of their Discourses in their Houses and in the open Streets that they would Plunder us and pillage and burn us And in this temper they wrote to the Court and did aggravate every thing beyond the truth and other stories they sent that were down-right falshoods they inform'd the Court that there were sixty Ministers who fled thither and who preach'd in the open Streets that they spoke reproachfully of the King and that in the Principality they would form a Rebellion And though these Discourses had little appearances of truth in them yet the Council made an Advantage of them against us and made use of them as a pretence for their evil usage of us though 't is clear that these were not the Reasons of their Cruelty which as it may in part be discovered by what I have already said so 't is too well known to the World to need a more particular Proof Upon the 11th of October at Night we were all alarm'd they told us the Dragoons were hard by our doors and on a sudden there was nothing heard but Out-cries about the Town all the Inhabitants as well of one as the other Religion began to pack up every body was calling out for Carts and Horses to remove their Goods into the Comtat As much incommoded as I was by my Indisposition I desired seven or eight of our Citizens to get on Horse-back and discover where abouts the Dragoons were They went with great hast and came back and told me that they had not found one Man so that I thought we had made a false Alarm The worst that befel us this Night was the great distress of those who took Sanctuary with us for they were all upon the flight again and run about where Providence directed them some into the Woods which were filled with these poor People and to the Montagne which is called the Prince's a frightful Desart which in a moment was turned into a well-peopled place They all now resolved each Person to go to his own Habitation or to get out of the Kingdom That which occasioned this Alarm was a Letter which a Gentleman wrote me from Paris by which he informed me that I ought to look upon it as a thing certain that it had been resolved of in Council to send the Dragoons to Orange to seize of those who had fled to us for Refuge and to deal with us as with the rest of the Kingdom Whilst we were under this Consternation our Parliament thought they could not do better than to put out a Decree which should Command all Strangers within three days to go out of the Principality For as they made this a pretence that Orange received the King's rebellious Subjects so by this Decree we might take away all occasion of their falling upon us Before this Decree came out we perswaded those few who were left among us to retreat lest by being found here they might draw upon us the same misfortunes which they had felt That to be plain with them they could not hope for any security among us considering what was preparing for us and that therefore they had better contentedly to retire than that we should use forcible means to make them which would be a sensible grief to us And that we might not be wanting in any thing that might serve us we appointed two Gentlemen to wait upon the Duke de Nouailles and two more upon the Governours whom I have before spoken of who were at Montelimard to acquaint them with the Decree of Parliament which had been publish'd The Duke received them with great Civility telling them he would write to Court about it and that in the mean time he could assure them they need not fear any thing since the Parliament had proceeded in that manner But those who commanded at Montelimar took another Method The Marquiss de la Trousse continued his furious Language and spoke of nothing to our Deputies but hanging the Ministers and Interdicting the whole Principality 'T is certain he knew the Court's mind and 't was upon that account that he spoke such imperious and menacing Language The Deputies were no sooner returned but we understood the Count de Grignan was come Post from Court with Orders concerning Orange He came by the way of Tarascon to take with him the Intendant of Provence and two Companies of Dragoons of the Ord'nance for his Guard. With this Train he came to Orange Octob. 23. 1685. But before he made his Entry he resolv'd to shew himself a good Neighbour for having made a halt at Lieu de Bedarrides he sent the Captain of his Guards to pray Mr. de Beaufain to assure the Inhabitants of Orange that he was not coming to do them any Injury The Captain found the whole City alarm'd and in a terrible fright which could not be quieted by all the Speeches which Mr. de Beaufain took the pains to make from Street to Street About Three in the Afternoon the Count arrived there with the Intendant they took up their Quarters at the Bishop's Palace and the Dragoons were billited in the Publick Houses where they continued without committing any disorders After these Gentlemen had conferred a while with the Bishop the Count de Grignan sent for the Officers of the Court of the Revenue of whom the President Mr. de Lubieres is the Chief He told them he was sent thither by the King his Master to signifie that his Majesty desired that they would cause those of his Subjects who had fled into that Principality to depart thence that for the future we should not receive them into our Churches nor multiply any more the exercises of our Religion as we had done at the last Sacrament
to Prison The next day they began to take away the Seats some of which they carried to the Cathedral and the rest to the Chappels of the Convents Then they proceeded to the pulling down the little Church called the Church of St. Martin The Curè did what he could to hinder it alledging it belonged to his Cure but he could not be heard so it was razed down to the ground But I must not omit to tell one thing very remarkable of a Souldier who being of the Religion chose rather to be cudgell'd in a most cruel manner and dragg'd along the streets than to assist at the pulling down of it telling his Captain he would sooner die than obey him in such an unjust Command This Church was no sooner demolish'd but these Destroying Angels set about reducing the other to a heap of Stones This was a very spacious one and of an admirable Structure the Roof was supported by an Arch carried from West on which side stood the Pulpit to East having on the right and left a Range of three Arches of Free-stone with their Cornishes which supported the Galleries to receive the Rain-water falling on the Roof which was conveyed away They spent fourteen days in pulling down this Fabrick and not being able to loosen the more solid parts of it with Levers nor any other Instruments they were necessitated to blow it up At the same time they were at work in demolishing the Church at Courtheson and the Dragoons tormented the Inhabitants with a thousand Outrages which they committed upon those poor people who being eat out of all as well as those of Orange were not able to provide any longer for the subsistance of the Souldiers In the mean time my Collegues were kept very close Prisoners with two other Ministers Messieurs Rainaud and De Vignoles the former of which they had seized in Dauphine and the latter in the Province of Languedoc Very few Persons were permitted to visit them but we sent each other little Notes to encourage us to fight the good Fight and to defend our Religion though with the hazard of our Lives But though these little Opportunities of mutual Correspondence gave us some little Joy and Consolation we had every day some new subject of Affliction The poor people that were miserably harrass'd and could not bear the great expence which they must lie under of maintaining the Dragoons did most shamefully abate in their Zeal I sent as many as I possibly could to confirm them and gave my self no respite neither night nor day from performing the Duty of my Ministry and Praying with all those that came to my House But at last God who intended to punish us for our hainous sins suffered us to see those sad days being wholly forsaken by our Flocks except only some few particular Persons who notwithstanding all the Cruelties that could be exercised upon them continued firm to the last November the 10th in the Morning it was publickly reported that an Express was come to the Count de Tesse with Orders that he should execute the Booted Mission i.e. that he should Persecute us without Mercy to make us change our Religion I have by a woful Experience observed that the Assembles that have been made at Montaban Montpellier Nimes Usez and all the other considerable Cities to Consult what was to be done upon like Occasions have been Snares which those unhappy Persons who have been drawn away have laid for the simple as likewise for those of better Judgments to make them also fall with the Croud This made me take all possible care that my Flock might not be drawn into the same Snare 'T was for that Reason that the day before I had desired Mr. Grenatier my Kinsman who was one of those happy Persons that notwithstanding a thousand Dangers he must meet with and as many Difficulties he was to run through in making his escape out of the Kingdom yet still preserved his Religion 'T was I say upon an apprehension of this that I pray'd him to go all about the City and engage the Inhabitants to decline all such Assemblies whatsoever might follow thereupon assuring them that contrivances of ruining them by such means would certainly be made use of and that all sorts of fair Promises would be made them but nothing of those Promises would be afterwards observed And though he acquitted himself in that Affair with abundance of Zeal and Diligence yet the success did not answer our pains as we shall shew hereafter Tesse was at the Count du Suzes House about three Leagues from Orange when the Express arrived He came immediately and begun an open Persecution by removing the Souldiers that were quartered upon the Romanists And all the Troops were billetted only upon those of the Religion And no sooner was this new assignment of Quarters made but a thousand doleful Cries were every where to be heard in the City the People running up and down the Streets all in tears The Wife cry'd out for help to Rescue her Husband whom they were either cruelly cudgelling about or hanging up by the heels in the Chimney or tying to the Bed's-feet or threatning immediately to cut his Throat The Husband implor'd the like assistance in behalf of his Wife whom threats and blows and a thousand sorts of Cruelties had made to miscarry The Children cryed out Help Help They are Murthering my Father they are Ravishing my Mother and spitting one of my Brothers But here I must stop my Pen which is ready to drop out of my Hand and the very remembrance of their Barbarities has so over-whelmed me with grief and tears that I am not able to proceed in describing that Tragical Scene From those Cruelties neither Sex nor Age was exempt Nor was there any more regard had to Persons of the greatest Worth or of the best Families than to the meanest Peasants Nor had they any Respect to the Prince's Officers but even Monsieur de Lubieres Monsieur d'Alencon and Monsieur de Drevon were forced to receive Dragoons into their Houses And it was well for my Nephew Mr. Convenent who was Chancellor of Parliament that he got away early that Morning in a Country-man's Habit that so while it was in his power he might make his escape out of the Kingdom For I do not doubt but that barely for his Relation to me he would have been worse used than all his Collegues The same day about Four in the Afternoon the Count de Tesse came along with the Bishop to my House he came into my Chamber where having lately broke my Thigh I was constantly confin'd to my Bed having not been able to rise but only twice to have my Bed made He saluted me very civilly and ask'd me kindly concerning the state of my Health And after he had plac'd himself at the Head of the Bed and the Bishop at the Feet he began to tell me that he had a great concern for me and that he had
answer to those he had writ concerning my pretended change He pleas'd himself mightily in the Congratulations which he receiv'd from the Archbishop of Paris and Father la Chaise upon his imaginary Victory The Marquess de Louvois writ to him also concerning it and immediately upon his reception of these Letters the Roman Catholicks publish'd in Valence that there was a Pension of two thousand Livres settl'd upon me This Prelate came to me and told me that it now depended only upon my self whether I would be very happy that they writ him from Gourt that I might ask whatever I had a mind to and it should be granted me And that the King only wisht that I would continue a little while at Valence I told him that I had no occasion of any thing and that were I in the greatest necessity I had rather dye than it should be said I sold my Religion and Conscience for Money that they did me great wrong in detaining me at Valence and that they would be much more just in granting me a Pass-port Nay to try him I desir'd him however to procure me leave to go to Orange though in truth I had no great mind to return thither He told me that with time this last might be as soon as I had given any proofs of my Obedience and Fidelity to the King but for a Pass-port I ought not to expect that And he added that he observ'd me mightily cast down and askt me why I was so It seems the Exempt and Serjeants had given him constant information for they had their haunts about the place where I was and never fail'd every day to give him a faithful account of every thing that pass'd How is it possible Sir said I to him that I should not be cast down after having receiv'd and do still receive such cruel usage I must needs tell you that I am in continual Tears by reason of Torments I suffer both in Body and Mind You fancy that you have gain'd a mighty Victory by those words I spoke but how easie is it to triumph over a poor miserable Upon this first visit I was not in circumstances to let him know more of my Mind But he made me seven other visits while I stay'd at Valence what our Discourses were upon them all I shall here in few words relate He was continually telling me That there was nothing so fatal as Schism nor no greater blessing than a Re-union I told him 'T was very true that Unity was a most pleasing thing to God when it could be maintain'd but that yet we must mind what St. Paul says who teaches that we must follow Peace with all men as much as 't is possible from which Doctrine we may observe that when the Unity endangers our Salvation we are indispensably oblig'd to break it and that for as much as the same Apostle teaches us that we must not so much as eat with Idolaters and that there can be no agreement between the Temple of God and Idols Upon this he began to discourse to me of the Schism of the Donatists but it requir'd not â—n extraordinary Judgment to perceive that he was but little vers'd in that History I told him that certainly the Donatists were in the wrong to make a Schism about a matter of Discipline but that our Reformers separated about Essential matters of Doctrine and Worship as well as about the Government of the Church and for this reason 't is impossible to make them guilty unless it can be demonstrated that they have errâ—d in the truth of their pretensions He did not persue this point very far and he only told me that as he had already said that some things might be Reformed in the Church and that he esteemed me a very fit Person to assist in this good work I do not very well remember how we began to discourse of the present Persecution but I perfectly remember that he said these very words to me It is believed that the Bishops are the Authors of the Methods that are now taken for a re-union but certainly 't is a great mistake we have indeed upon this occasion represented what we thought our Duty but 't is the King's Will which no body ought to oppose While he discoursed to me on this manner I lift up my Eyes to Heaven as astonish'd to hear a Bishop able to talk so directly against Truth In his Discourse he seemed to me as if he had detested all Violence and yet he was no sooner gone from me but I heard he was on Horse-back at the head of the Dragoons going to torment all those in his Diocess who would not either abiure or go to Mass The Prince my Master I found troubled his Mind much we seldom discoursed together but he would tell me these head-strong People still fancy that the Prince of Orange will come to their Assistance which made me say one day to a Friend of mine that the Name of the Prince my Master was as terrible to the Bishop of Valence as the Drum which was made of the Skin of Ziska was heretofore to the Emperors At another of our Meetings we sell to discourse about the Canon of the Mass he gave me so particular account of it as if he had believed it the composition of Angels I told him that to speak truth there were very good things in 't but yet that it seem'd like a Cloak made of so many different pieces that those who considered it throughly did not see those fine things in it which he did As for Example Sir said I who can endure this passage in 't where the Priest says We present to thee this Sacrifice in Honour of the Holy Virgin St. Peter St. Paul c. What offer to God that Blood by which these Saints were redeem'd in Honour to them Is not this esteeming less of the Blood of Jesus Christ than of those Saints All the Answer I could get from him was this That we ought to understand these words in the sense of the Church As to Transubstantiation I cited to him that incomparable passage of Theodoret which is found in his Dialogues God does not change the nature of Bread but adds Grace to Nature I quoted it to him in Greek He told me that heretofore he understood this Language but that he had now forgot it Yes Sir said I to him I do believe it you have had other business than to mind your Grammar He acquitted himself not much better from what I shewed him in the Decretals He laid much weight upon these words This is my Body telling me 't was impossible to be deceived in believing what Jesus Christ had said Upon which I shewed him the Explanation which the Decretals themselves give of this passage under the Title of the Consecration Your Decretals said I to him ought not to be suspected by you and these words of Jesus Christ This is my Body they thus explicate Coeleste Sacramentum quod