David Carnegie Andrew Agnew

“ We persuade ourselves that your zeal, faith, piety and compassion are so great, that you take to heart as much as possible the oppressions of our Protestant brethren, having with pleasure seen the resolution you delivered upon it to the Marquis of Rochegude, who brings you this letter.
“We doubt not but you will join your efforts with ours, when occasion offers, to act effectually in favour of the French Protestants, that their persecution may be brought to an end, and that they may enjoy all the advantages that can be obtained for them. ”

“ This truth is still more conspicuous by their perseverance in their sufferings for about twenty-five years past, in dungeons and on the galleys, rather than abjure their religion; though they have been constantly solicited to it, with promises not only of their liberty, but also of pensions and honours, and the king’s powerful protection. Does any government offer such great advantages to profligate villains? ”

“ Forasmuch as nothing in this world ought to be more dear than the liberty of serving God according to the dictates of our consciences and the prescription of His word, therefore the Protestants of the Reformed Churches of France never wished for anything with greater ardour than the enjoyment of that sweet liberty, which has been ravished from them for above twenty-seven years, by the artifice of their enemies, who found means to obtain from the king, in October 1685, the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes. ”

“ The Marquis de Rochegude, who had been at Utrecht, returned to England and had an audience of Her Majesty. One day the queen sent for him, and said, “I pray you, Monsieur de Rochegude, send word to the poor galley-slaves that they shall be soon set at liberty.” This was the royal message according to a letter which he dispatched to Marseilles via Geneva, and which one of themselves [9] has recorded. Out of three hundred, whom the order of the King of France seemed to design for liberation, about one hundred and thirty were discharged on the 17th June 1713. ”

“ He presented a memorial to our government, dated, “Windsor, 6th September 1711,” urging that an article in favour of the French Protestants who are in the galleys, prisons, convents, or other places of confinement, should be inserted in the preliminaries of the negotiations for peace, such being a matter rather of humanity than of religion. The Memorial was written in a fervid style, and asked, “Is it possible that there should not be one article in favour of the church so severely oppressed and persecuted in France? ”

“ The Lord of Rochegude here spoken of was not the illustrious refugee, Le Marquis de Rochegude, but a relative who, by conforming to Romanism, had obtained a gift of the forfeited estate. That he was not a convert is evident. It is to the Marquis, however, that we must now turn. He devoted himself to obtain the release of Protestant martyrs from the galleys of France, and obtained hearty help from Miremont. ”

“ I should think myself wanting in due respect to the Potentates who have charged me with letters to the Queen in favour of the Confessors in the French Prisons and Galleys, if I should not make it appear that it is with injustice some people endeavour to brand as criminals and villains those very persons whom the Potentates are pleased to call their brethren, good and commendable Christians, and Confessors of the Faith. ”

“ And as in time past we have presented the necessary petitions and memorials, so with the profoundest possible respect we here solemnly protest to his Majesty, as before God, that any omissions relating to us and to our lawful interests, which have hitherto been made, or may be made use of in the future, ought not ever to be deemed an abandoning of our just demands, and ought not to prejudice in any manner the goodness of our cause and validity of our right, which shall always continue sacred with us. ”

“ He suggested that the 4th Article of the Peace of Ryswick, regarding the Protestants of Germany, might be adopted and extended so as to embrace Protestants everywhere, the effect of which would be to recognise all Protestants of all nations as one corporate body. “A more particular care,” he added, “ought to be had of those who, for so long a time past suffer under oppression — not daring to own the true religion without exposing themselves to the galleys or gibbets. ”

“ He is revered as a General. He is styled His Excellency. But he might picture the levee of friends at home who are inconsolable without him. Let him take leave of the magistrates and burgesses of Ghent on New Year’s day at the latest.”
In the beginning of 1699 the French refugee regiments were disbanded. One of these was the Marquis of Miremont’s dragoons, which English scribes sometimes designated Mermon’s regiment. Soon after the accession of Queen Anne, the Marquis was made a Major-General. A pension of £500 a-year was granted to him on the Irish establishment. ”

“ As their persecutors find it impossible to corrupt their faith or shake their firmness, either by promises or by torments, they and their emissaries endeavour to sully their good name by representing them as criminals, who disobeyed the king’s orders enjoining all his subjects to go to mass. ”

“ It alludes to Lord Galway’s impressions of Ireland as a place of abode, and, therefore, was written probably in March or April 1692. I have attempted to translate it.
“My Lord, — An author is allowed to speak sententiously; so here is an aphorism from which you will not dissent, ‘On ne connoit bien le prix des choses, qu’ après les avoir perdues.' I speak from experience, from what I have lost in yourself. Since you left us, conversation languishes, disputation is dead, the combatants are in confusion. Neither rank nor merit receive distinction. ”

“ Marquis de Rochegude, was the eldest son of Jean (or Charles) Barjac, Seigneur de Rochegude. His mother was Francoise d’Agoult, daughter of Hector, Lord of Montmaur and Bonneval, by Uranie de Calignon. His father died at Vevay in Switzerland, where he had been a refugee for only a few months. His two sisters were immured in a convent, from which they escaped to Switzerland after fourteen years’ detention. ”

“ Miremont passed the rest of his life as a private member of society. On the consolidation of the Hanoverian rule in Ireland, his pension was raised to £1000. Burn says that in 1740, upon the intercession of the Marquises of Miremont and Montandre, and other members, £150 per annum out of the Royal Bounty was settled on the church of Les Grecs [10] — the old Savoy Chapel having fallen into hopeless disrepair, and its congregation having united with Les Grecs. ”

“ He issued appeals to his brother refugees in England and Ireland, and entered into negotiations with the States-General of Holland. The Dutch were to send their contingent under the command of Belcastel. From Cavalier’s book on the War in the Cevennes, we learn that in the beginning of 1703, Miremont communicated with Roland, who brought his letter to Cavalier. The substance of this letter was:— “The Queen being informed of your deplorable condition is resolved to send you some succours, and I myself will come to help you; and desire you in the meantime to behave with prudence.” ”

“ Thereupon the Earl of Feversham, as commander-in-chief of the army, disbanded the 4000 men that were with him, and wrote to the Prince of Orange that there would be no more fighting, and virtually placed the whole army at his disposal. Oldmixon informs us that the Marquis of Miremont got his regiment together five hours thereafter, and told his officers that he thought it best to declare for the Prince of Orange. ”