Protestant Exiles from France/Book First - Chapter 8 - Section II
II. Berault.
Pierre Berault, a zealous son of Roman Catholic parents, was born in France in 1642, and entered a monastery in 1659, where he resided for eleven years, intending to go out as a missionary preacher. He has given the following account of himself:—
“The special motives which induced me to enter into a Covent, being about seventeen years old, was to preach the holy gospel unto them that I did believe deceived, and to give the light of the truth to the Protestants which I thought to live amidst the darkness of ignorance. I continued in that resolution about eleven years, and being ready to perform it, that which happened to St. Paul almost happened unto me. . . . When I was ready to ask and receive letters to Turkie or England, that I might bring unto the Roman Church those that I could find separated from her, whether they were men or women, and being ready to perform my resolution, I heard an inward voice saying unto me, Thy zeal is not just; those which thou wilt persecute are the true children of God. Astonished by that voice which spoke to my heart, I answered, Lord, let me know the truth. And after I had several times instantly begged that favour from the Lord, his Divine Providence presented me two books, The Perpetuity of Faith, written by one Claude, minister, living at Paris, and Calvin’s Institutions. And after I had examined and compared these two books with the Holy Scripture, and discoursed some few days with the said Claude, minister, I found that this inward voice which spoke to my heart was true. Therefore, leaving my first resolution, I came into England, not that I might bring unto the Roman those that I should find separated from her, but that I might separate them that I should find of that communion.
The above particulars are quoted from a neat little book which he published at London in 1680, entitled, “The Church of Rome evidently proved heretick, by Peter Berault, D., who abjured all the errors of the said church at London in the Savoy, upon the 2d day of April 1671.” Dedicated to the Right Reverend Lord Henry, Bishop of London. The Romanists boast of their devotional books. In order to explain and illustrate the devotions of good Protestants, Berault, in 1682, published a little manual in French and English, interleaved, with the titles:— “Le Veritable et Assuré Chemin du Ciel en Francois et en Anglois. The true and certain Way to Heaven, both in French and English.” Dedicated “to the Right Honourable George Berkeley, Lord Berkeley, Mowbray, Seagrave, and Bruce, Baron of Berkeley Castle, who had the honour to be sworn one of His Majesty’s Privy Council, July 17, 1678, — since, by His Majesty’s gracious patents of creation, made Viscount Duresly and Earl of Berkeley, on the one-and-thirtieth year of His Majesty’s Reign, Annoque Dom. 1679.” A third booklet followed in 1683, “The Church of England evidently proved the Holy Catholic Church.” Dedicated “to His Highness Prince Rupert, Count Palatine of the Rhyne, Duke of Bavaria and Cumberland, Earl of Holderness, Constable of the Royal Castle of Windsor, Knight of the Noble Order of the Garter, one of his Majesty’s most honourable Privy Council,” &c.
Mr. Berault sought a livelihood by teaching, as appears by his advertisements :
1680. “If any Gentleman or Gentlewoman have a mind to learn French or Latin, the author of this treatise will wait upon them; he hath a very good method. He liveth in Wood Street, at the White-Horse.”
1682. “If any Gentleman or Gentlewoman, &c. He hath a good method, &c.”
1683. “If any Gentleman or Gentlewoman hath a mind to learn French or Latin, the author of this treatise will wait upon them; he liveth in Thames Street, over against Baynard’s Castle.”
He was married probably in 1684, and had a son, Peter, as may be conjectured from the circumstance that Peter Berault and Peter his son were formally naturalized at Westminster, 8th May 1697. (Two persons of his surname died in poverty, and were buried at St. Michael’s, Cornhill: Anne Berault, on 4th September 1712; and widow Berault, on 20th February 1713, n.s.).