testant pulpits to the prelates, to read and comment upon this Avertissement, which extolled Catholic unity, and denounced schismatical heresy. Against this indignity Ruvigny made strong representations, and the concession was granted that a full meeting of Consistory should receive the prelatic visitation on a Sabbath. It was managed by the pastors that public worship was not interrupted. The meeting of each consistory resolved itself into an episcopal visitation for delivering printed copies of the Avertissement, which were received with a polite protest against the intrusion, followed by some mild controversial conversation.
With regard to Ruvigny’s English relatives, we note that in 1678 his favourite niece took the title of Lady Russell, her noble husband having succeeded to the courtesy title of Lord Russell on the death of a brother. In March 1680, Lady Elizabeth Noel died, leaving one son and four daughters under the guardianship of Lord Russell. In the beginning of 1681 (the year in which Mr. Noel became Lord Noel of Titchfield), Ruvigny paid a visit to England. Lady Russell wrote under date, London, March, 1681, “My uncle Ruvigny has been indisposed with his phthisic; he has not supped here yet; what he will to-night I know not.” We have already seen how he was employed in Paris during the two following years. In the summer of 1683 he received a letter from Rachel, Lady Russell, imploring him to come over to England. Her patriotic husband was sentenced to be beheaded; King Charles was inexorable. There remained only the possibility that he might yield to her uncle’s importunity in a personal interview. Her letter found him most willing. This was his reply:—
“Paris, 14th July 1683.
“I am extremely impatient, my dear niece, to be beside you. The king arrived three days ago; he has graciously consented to my journey. If I could travel with the post I would soon be in London. I am buying horses, and I will make every exertion which my age will allow. May God console you and fortify you.
“Ruvigny.”
The Marquis’s journey did not take place. Barillon, the French Ambassador in England, undertook the duty of requesting for him an audience with the English king. The reply of Charles was first printed by Sir John Dalrymple, and it has been verified by Guizot,[1] — “I do not wish to prevent Monsieur De Ruvigny from coming here, but my Lord Russell’s head will be off before he arrives.”
Dr. Burnet, having attended Lord Russell to the last, and being in uneasy relations with the court, at once set out on a visit to France. He chronicles his obligations to the old marquis, for introducing him to desirable French society, and particularly to Marshal Schomberg and the Due de Montausier. To the credit of the latter, he records how far he was from flattering Louis, “as all the rest did most abjectly.”
The death of Charles II. in February 1685, turned all eyes to England. Ruvigny congratulated King James on his accession, and received a very kind answer to his letter. He thought that a hopeful opportunity presented itself for obtaining the reversal of the attainder which lay on Wriothesley Russell, the only son of Lord Russell and his widowed niece. He wrote to her that he was coming over for that purpose. The politicians took alarm that some Bourbon diplomacy was on foot. Burnet being asked to take measures for preventing the Marquis’s visit to England, consulted with Lady Russell, and then wrote to him that his niece had indeed begged that journey of him when she hoped it might have saved her husband’s life, but she would not venture to request the journey on any other consideration, considering his great age, “some years past four score,” and her son being but a child. But nothing would deter the fond uncle. He came over and waited several times on the king, who treated him with great affability, but would give no promise as to young Russell. As to this business, Lady Russell left the following memorandum:—
“The Lord Treasurer (Hyde, Earl of Rochester) told me that my uncle had seemed to have set the effecting it much on his heart, and with the greatest kindness to me imaginable. I told my lord I believed it, and indeed the friendship was so surprising, his lordship knew very well the world imputed his coming over to England to some other cause, or at least thought he had been earnestly invited to it. For the last, I positively affirmed he had not been; but as to the first, it was too deep for me to judge of.”
- ↑ “Je ne veux pas empêcher que M. de Ruvigny me vienne ici, mais my lord Russel aura le cou coupé, avant qu’il arrive.” — Letter from Barillon reporting to Louis XIV. his interview with Charles II. on 1 8th July 1683. This letter is in Paris in the “Archives des affaires etrangères de France,” and was copied by M. Guizot for his article in the “Revue des Deux-Mondes,” — which was afterwards published as a book under the title, “L’Amour dans le Mariage,” 6th edition, Paris, 1858. [There is an English translation of Guizot’s brochure, with the title, “The Married Life of Rachel, Lady Russell.”]
