remitting his tithes for its fourteen acres of land; to which school Miss Mary Vareilles also subscribes [probably of the same family as a refugee in Essex, Henri Vareilles, Sieur De Champredon, son of Etienne Vareilles, Sieur De la Roche]. Another member is Rev. Samuel Virasel [probably a descendant of Lord Galway’s friend, the Baron]. More appropriate to this chapter are the names of Isaac Gervais, Dean of Tuam; Rev. John Pellisier, D.D., Vice-Provost of Trinity College; and Theophilus Brocas, D.D., Dean of Killala — Dean Brocas died in 1766; his son, John Brocas, D.D., was Dean of Killala from 1766 to 1806, and was the Father of Rev. Theophilus Brocas, Rector of Strabane.
Dean Gabriel James Maturin was grandson of Pasteur Gabriel Maturin. The Pasteur was a foundling, and received both Christian name and surname from a Roman Catholic lady, whose coachman picked him up when she was taking a drive through the streets of Paris. Notwithstanding the education which his protectress gave him, he became a Huguenot pasteur. “About the time of the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes,” says his grandson’s grandson, Rev. Charles Robert Maturin, “he was shut up in the Bastile, where he was left for twenty-six years, I suppose to give him time to reflect on the controverted points and make up his mind at leisure. With all these advantages he continued quite untractable, so that the Catholics, finding his case desperate, gave him his liberty. There was no danger, however, of his abusing this indulgence, for, owing to the keeper forgetting accidentally to bring him fuel during the winters of his confinement, and a few other agrémwnts of his situation, the poor man had lost the use of his limbs, and was a cripple for life.” He accompanied some of his former flock to Ireland, and there unexpectedly found his wife and two sons. One son, Peter, survived him, and became Dean of Killala. Peter was the father of Gabriel James (born 1700), at different times Prebendary of Malahidert, St. Michael’s, and St. John’s, then Dean of Kildare, and in 1745 (November 20) Dean of St. Patrick’s, Dublin. This Dean Maturin was an able mathematician; he obtained his preferments by the suffrages of the clergy, but died in the prime of life, 9th November 1746. From him descended Rev. Henry Maturin, Senior Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin; and Rector of Fanet; Rev. Charles Robert Maturin, author of “Bertram”; Gabriel Maturin, Esq.; Washington-Shirley Maturin, Esq., &c, &c.
The above-named Rev. Charles Robert Maturin, M.A., was born in 1782. Though better known in the walks of secular literature, he was a clergyman, Curate of St. Peter’s, Dublin, and an eloquent preacher. His church was crowded, “neither rain nor storm” keeping his hearers back. There was “fine frenzy” in his eyes, he had flowing black hair, and wore a Byronic shirt-collar. He spent much of his time at his desk in his study; and a wafer, pasted on his forehead, was a signal to every member of his family to be perfectly silent while he was at work. He died in 1824. His works were:—
The Fatal Revenge, or the Family of Montorio, 1804; The Wild Irish Boy, 1808; The Milesian Chief, 1811; Bertram, or The Castle of Aldobrand, 1816 — this was a tragedy performed in Drury Lane Theatre under Lord Byron’s patronage; Manuel, a drama, 1817; Woman, or Pour et Contre, 1818; Sermons, 1819; Fredocyno, a tragedy, 1819; Melmoth the Wanderer, a novel, 1820; The Universe, a poem, dedicated to Samuel Taylor Coleridge, 1821; Six Sermons on Popery, 1824. He had planned a series of three historical romances, but lived to publish the first only, namely, “The Albigenses,” in four volumes, with a Shaksperian motto,
“Sir, betake thee to thy faith,
For seventeen poniards are at thy bosom.”
(See Mrs. Oliphant’s Literary History of the Nineteenth Century, vol. vii., chap. 7.)
Archdeacon Gast. — Daniel Gast, a French Protestant refugee, settled in Ireland in 1684. The future Archdeacon was his son, John Gast. born in Dublin in July 1715, and educated at Trinity College. Having taken orders, he officiated as pastor to the French Church at Portarlington; and on his return to Dublin he received a Doctor’s degree from the Provost and Fellows of Trinity College, and was presented in 1761 with the living of Arklow and Archdeaconry of Glandeloch. He died in 1788. Dr. Gast published a History of Greece, which was held in high estimation; he was also remarkable for his active charities and benevolent plans for the relief of the distressed. (Whitelaw’s History of Dublin, p. 1197.)
Archdeacon Jortin was the son of René (or Renatus) Jortin, and the grandson of Monsieur Jortin, a gentleman of good family in Brittany, both refugees in England in 1687. His mother was Martha, daughter of Rev. Daniel Rogers of Haversham, Buckinghamshire. René Jortin was a student in the Protestant College
