“The French King seems not unwilling to have it known that the Popish design is genera! against all profession of the Protestant religion, though especially against England. He hath allowed the Bishop of Cosnaes’ speech to him at Versailles in 1685 to be published, who was authorized to be the mouth of the clergy of that kingdom; he magnifies the King for suppressing the Protestants of his own kingdom, and asks, what they may not yet expect. England (saith he) is just offering to your Majesty one of the most glorious occasions that you can desire; the Kirn^ of England, by the need which he icill have of succour and of the support of your arms to maintain him in the Catholic Faith, will make you quickly find occasion to give a protection worthy of yourself. We knew very well, before the French clergy declared it by that bishop, that the same head that contrived the perversion or destruction of so many millions of the Protestants in that kingdom, designed the ruin of the English religion and liberty. But it surprised us to see that speech published by the French King’s authority, and that our King should suffer the translation of it to pass freely in England and through the world. We thought it beneath the majesty of a King of England to be content that his subjects should be told that he was to come under the protection of a King of France, over whose kings and kingdom his ancestors had so often triumphed. But it seems nothing is to be esteemed inglorious that may serve the general Popish design of extirpating the Protestant profession.
“We need not put your Highnesses in mind, that the same speech acknowledges that the Popish councils and conspiracy against England intend the like ruin to the religion and freedom of the United Provinces. That bishop tells the king that he hath undertook the conquest of new countries, there to re-establish the prelacy, the religious worship and the altars — that Holland and Germany have been the theatre of his victories, only that Christ might triumph there (that is, that the Papists might trample upon the Protestants and their religion) — and this he speaks (as he says) in the very spirit of the Church, and signifies their hopes of success against the poor Protestants to be unbounded, saying, What may we not yet expect?”
Scotland felt the same forebodings. Sir Patrick Home wrote from Geneva, 17th May 1686 — “Our religion is now banished from France, all forced to change, and, when changed, yet cannot get out of the kingdom, especially the women and children; and now their grief and complaint is that they had delayed to fly in the beginning while they might, and had sit their time, out of a fancy that such things could never come to pass as have since. I wish others may take a lesson, if the case draw near them.” (Lady Murray’s Memoirs, p. 133.)
As we have touched upon Scotland, we may take notice of the contrast which that kingdom presented to view after the expedition and enthronement of the Prince of Orange. The contrast is well illustrated by the Act of the Scottish Parliament, entitled, An Act for a Contribution to the Irish and French Protestants, April 29, 1689, of which I quote the exordium:— “The Estates of this Kingdom taking to their serious consideration that there are many distressed Protestants fled out of Ireland and France into this Kingdom, for shelter and refuge, whose necessitous condition calls for the charitable supply of all good Christians. Therefore the Estates do grant warrand for a volunteer Contribution through the whole Kingdom, both in Paroch Churches and Meeting-houses, for the relief of these Protestants.”
“England,” says Michelet (speaking of her great deliverer William III.), “ought magnanimously to avow the part which our Frenchmen had in her deliverance. Amid chilling delay on the part of her people, William’s army was firm — and the Calvinistic element made it so, our Huguenots I mean — three French aides-de-camp — three infantry regiments, numbering 2250 men, a most redoubtable contingent, full of Turenne’s veterans, officers and gentlemen who in that holy war were thankful to serve in the ranks — a squadron of French cavalry — and many Huguenot officers distributed through other regiments. Here stood men, who had lost their all upon earth, who had no hearth but the ground overshadowed by the Orange flag, men who would have died over and over again rather than give way. With such a surrounding, hirelings and adventurers could not but march right on, when the right time, patiently expected, had come.”[1]
The industry and varied accomplishments of the refugees had already been appreciated. Their grand qualifications to be soldiers in an European Protestant alliance now rose into view. It was therefore resolved to renew the invitation to the Huguenots of France. The following Declaration was issued (and was printed at London by Charles Bill and Thomas Newcomb, printers to the King and Queen’s most excellent Majesties) 1689:—
- ↑ Michelet’s France au 17me. siècle, vol. xiii., p. 419.
