The Anglo-French Entente In The Seventeenth Century Part 5

_Extract from Claudius Mauger's French Grammar_ (1662)

Courteous English reader, I need not to commend you this work, having already received such a general approbation in this n.o.ble country that in eight years of time it hath been printed foure times, and so many thousands at once. Only I thank you kindly if any of my countrymen, jealous of the credit that you have given it amongst yourselves, will speak against it, he doth himselfe more harm than to me, to be alone against the common voice of such a learned and heroical a Nation. Many think I beg of you. First of all be pleased to excuse me, if my English phrase do not sound well to your delicate ears. I am a learner of your tongue, and not a master; what I undertake 'tis to explain my French expressions; secondly, if any Frenchman (especially one that professeth to be a master of the Language) dispiseth it unto you, do not believe him, or if any other critical man will find faults where there are none, desire him to repair to the author, and you shall have the sport to see him shamefully convinced for some small errours of printing (although it is very exactly corrected, that cannot be hope if there be any, none but ignorants will take any advantage of them). I have added abundance of new short dialogue concerning for the most part the Triumphs of England, and a new State of France, as it is now governed, since Cardinal Mazarin's death, with two sheets, viz. the first and the last of the most necessary things belonging to the Learner, and so I desire you to make an acceptance of it. Farewell.

If anybody be pleased to find me out, he may enquire at the _Bell_ in St.

Pauls-Church-Yard, or else in Long-acre, at the signe of the _French-armes_ at Mr. l'Anneau.

[Little is known of Claude Mauger, one of the numerous and obscure teachers of French who took refuge in London in the seventeenth century.]

PETER DU MOULIN

_Peter Du Moulin's Defence of the French Protestants_ (1675)

My angry Antagonist, to make me angry also, giveth many attacks to the French Protestants ... he saith that they had _Milton's_ Book against our precious King and Holy Martyr in great veneration. That they will deny. But it is no extraordinary thing that wicked Books which say with a witty malice all that can be said for a bad cause, with a fluent and florid stile, are esteemed even by them that condemn them. Upon those terms _Milton's_ wicked Book was entertained by Friends and Foes, that were Lovers of Human Learning, both in _England_ and _France_. I had for my part such a jealousie to see that Traytour praised for his Language that I writ against him _Clamor Regii Sanguinis ad Coelum_.

That some of the Regicides were taken in the Congregations of the French Protestants is no disgrace to them. The Churches doors are open to all commers; false Brethren and Spies enter into it. But how much they detested their act, they exprest both in their Conversation and in printed Books, as much as the English Royalists.

His Lords.h.i.+p supposeth that they had a kindness for _Cromwell_, upon this ground, that _Cromwell_ had a kindness for them. Had his Lords.h.i.+p had any ground for that a.s.sertion by any act of theirs, he would have been sure to have told us of it. It is true that _Cromwell_ did them that kindness by his interest with _Mazarin_ to make them injoy the benefits of the Edicts made in their favour. He knew that it was the interest of the King of _England_ (which he would have been) to oblige his Protestant Neighbours, and to shew himself the Head of the Protestant Cause.

(_A Reply to a Person of Honour_, London, 1675, pp.

39-41.)

[Eldest son to Pierre Du Moulin, pastor at Charenton, Peter Du Moulin studied at Sedan and Leyden, was tutor to Richard Boyle, took orders, threw in his lot with the royalists, and became in 1660 prebendary of Canterbury.]

FRANcOIS DE LA MOTTE

_Letter to Secretary Williamson (July 20, 1676)_

Since I live here[104] on the gracious effects of your liberality I think I am obliged to give you an account of my behaviour and studies, and I do it in English, though I am not ignorant you know French better than I do. I do what lies in me to be not altogether useless in the Church of England. I have got that tongue already well enough to peruse the English books and to read prayers which I have done in several churches and I have made three sermons I am ready to preach in a fortnight. Some scholars I have showed them to, have found but very few faults in my expressions. I hope to do better in a short time, for I p.r.o.nounce English well enough to be understood by the people, and have a great facility to write it, having perused to that end many of your best English divines, so I hope in three months to be able to preach every week. I hope your Lords.h.i.+p will make good my troubling you with this letter, considering I am in a manner obliged to do so to acknowledge the exceeding charity you have showed me which makes me offer every day my humble prayers to G.o.d for your prosperity.

[Francois de la Motte, an ex-Carmelite, came over to England, was befriended by Secretary Williamson, and owing to the latter's patronage entered the Church. The above letter is printed in _Cal. State Papers, Dom., 1676-1677_, p. 235. There are still extant a few sermons of this preacher.]

LOUIS DU MOULIN

_Apology for the Congregational Churches_ (1680)

I think myself here obliged to add an Apology as to my own Account, for what I have said as to the Independant Churches. I do imagine I shall be accused at first for having made the description of the Congregational way, not according as it is in effect, but in that manner as Xenophon did the _Cyropaedia_ to be the perfect model of a Prince. They will say that any other interest than that of the inward knowledge I have of the goodness, truth, and holiness of the Congregational way, ought to have excited me to commend it as I have done. That I commend what I do not approve in the bottome of my heart, since I do not joyn my self to it.... To which, I answer that though I should joyn my self to their a.s.semblies, it would be no argument that I should approve of all the things they did, and all they believed, as they cannot conclude by my not joyning to their Congregations, that I have not the Congregational way in greater and higher esteem than any other. As I am a _Frenchman_, and by the grace of G.o.d of the Reformed Church, I joyn to the Church of my own Nation, to which I am so much the more strongly invited by the holiness of the Doctrines, and lives of our excellent Pastors, _Monsieur Mussard_ and _Monsieur Primerose_, and because they administer the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in the same manner as _Jesus Christ_ did it with His Disciples; not having anything to give me offence in their conduct, unless that they are not absolutely undeceived of the practice of our Pastors in _France_, of excommunicating in the name and authority of _Jesus Christ_, and of interposing the same sacred Name, and the same sacred Authority to excommunicate as _St. Paul_ made use of to deliver the _Incestuous_ person over to Satan....

(_Conformity of the Discipline and Government of the Independants to that of the Primitive Church_, London, 1680, p. 54.)

[Second son to Pierre Du Moulin, Louis Du Moulin came to England with his father, and followed the fortunes of the Independents. He was seventy-four when he published the above work. He died three years after, at Westminster, confessing his errors, according to Bishop Burnet, whose zeal in this case got the better of his discretion.]

PIERRE DRELINCOURT

_Speech to the Duke of Ormond_ (1680)

I should not presume to take up any part of that time, which your Grace so happily employs in the Government and Conservation of a whole Nation; nor to divert the rest of this honourable Board from those important Affairs, which usually call your Lords.h.i.+ps. .h.i.ther; were I not under an Obligation both of Grat.i.tude and Duty, to be an Interpreter for those poor Protestants, lately come out of _France_, to take Sanctuary with you: and to express for them and in their names, as they have earnestly desired me, a part of that grateful sense, which they have, and will for ever preserve, of your Lords.h.i.+ps' Christian Charity and Generosity towards them: This they have often, I a.s.sure you, acknowledg'd to Heav'n in their Pray'rs, but cou'd not be satisfied, till they had made their solemn and publick Acknowledgments to their n.o.ble Benefactors.

(_A Speech made to His Grace the Duke of Ormond, Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, and to the Lords of the Privy Council_, Dublin.)

[Pierre Drelincourt was the sixth son of Charles Drelincourt, the author of the famous _Consolations_, translated into English 1675, and to a later edition of which Defoe was to append the story of the ghost of Mrs. Veal.

Pierre studied in Geneva, went over to England, took Orders and became Dean of Armagh. The Doctor Drelincourt of whom Coste speaks (see Chapter X.) was Pierre's brother.]

DE LUZANCY

_Letter to Pepys_ (Jan. 18, 1688-89)

Sir,--I have bin desired by your friends to send you the inclos'd paper, by which you may easily be made sensible how we are overrun with pride, heat, and faction; and unjust to ourselves of the greatest honor and advantage which we could ever attain to, in the choice of so great and so good a man as you are. Had reason had the least place amongst us, or any love for ourselves, we had certainly carried it for you. Yet, if we are not by this late defection altogether become unworthy of you, I dare almost be confident, that an earlier application of the appearing of yourself or Sir Anthony Deane, will put the thing out of doubt against the next Parlement.

A conventicle set up here since this unhappy Liberty of Conscience has bin the cause of all this. In the meantime, my poor endeavours shall not be wanting, and though my stedfastness to your interests these ten years has almost ruined me, yet I shall continue as long as I live,

Your most humble and most obedient Servant,

DE LUZANCY, _Minister of Harwich_.

(_Corr. of Samuel Pepys_, p. 740.)

[De Luzancy, an ex-monk, came over to England and became minister to the French congregation in Harwich. The above letter refers to an election at Harwich, when Pepys was not returned.]

GUY MIeGE

_On England and the English_ (1691)

As the country is temperate and moist, so the English have naturally the advantages of a clear complexion; not sindged as in hot climates, nor weather-beaten as in cold regions. The generality, of a comely stature, graceful countenance, well-featured, gray-eyed, and brown-haired. But for talness and strength the Western people exceed all the rest.

The women generally more handsome than in other places, and without sophistications, sufficiently indowed with natural beauties. In an absolute woman, say the Italians, are required the parts of a Dutch woman from the waste downwards, of a French woman from the waste up to the shoulders; and over them an English face.

In short there is no country in Europe where youth is generally so charming, men so proper and well proportioned, and women so beautiful.

The truth is, this happiness is not only to be attributed to the clemency of the air. Their easy life under the best of governments, which saves them from the drudgery and hards.h.i.+ps of other nations, has a great hand in it.

For merchandizing and navigation, no people can compare with them but the Hollanders. For literature, especially since the Reformation, there is no nation in the world so generally knowing. And, as experimental philosophy, so divinity, both scholastick and practical, has been improved here beyond all other places. Which makes foreign divines, and the best sort of them, so conversant with the learned works of those famous lights of the Church, our best English divines.

In short, the English genius is for close speaking and writing, and always to the point.... The gawdy part and pomp of Rhetorick, so much affected by the French, is slighted by the English; who, like men of reason, stick chiefly to Logick.

(_State of England_, London, 1691, Part II., pp. 3-12.)

[Little is known of Guy Miege, a refugee who continued, under William III., Chamberlayne's _Angliae Not.i.tia_.]

PIERRE ALLIX

_Against the Unitarians_ (1699)