"OF WHOM THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY"
-92-
APRIL
18, 1682 --England. Reports having been spread
abroad that the Huguenot refugees are persons of bad character and are
Papists, in disguise, the Vicar and principal inhabitants of Rye publish
the following testimonial:
"These are to certify to all whom it may concern that
the French Protestants that are settled inhabitants of this town of Rye,
are sober, harmless, innocent people, such as serve God constantly and
uniformly according to the usage and custom of the Church of England:
And further, that we believe them to be falsely aspersed as Papists and
disaffected persons, no such thing appearing unto us by the
conversations of any of them. This we do freely and truly certify for
and of them. In witness, whereof, we have here unto set our hands the
18th day of April, 1682." (Signed) William Williams, vicar.
18, 1685 --France. The intendant of Bearn closes twenty Protestant
churches and drives out the pastors, and asks for troops to hasten the
"conversion" of these Huguenots. These dragonnades are terrifying as
they use military force on cities and districts to force these
"conversions." Sixteen thousand will submit by mid July. It will require
only a week to "change the faith" of Montauban, while Montpelier was
"converted" by sixteen companies of soldiers in just twenty-four hours.
Reformed churches are destroyed; Evangelical worship is prohibited even
in private houses. Protestant pastors are to leave France within two
weeks, but emigration is prohibited under severe penalties.
On November 13th, the Pope will applaud the action
taken by France and finer men such as Fenelon applaud it. But French
piety will be lowered by compulsory hypocrisy resulting from forced
"conversions." French theology will lose its seriousness. French
commerce and industry will receive--a blow from which it will never
fully recover. England will take its stand by suppressing Roman
Catholicism, while in France the reign of Louis XIV will decline from
this year.
18, 1689 --Massachusetts. On April 4th, news reached Boston of the
invasion of England by William, Prince of Orange. The messenger was
immediately jailed, but his message nevertheless could not be
imprisoned. The secret was out. Governor Andros has given orders the
soldiers should be ready for action. "There is a general buzzing among
the people," he declared, "great will expectation of their old charter .
. ."
Today, at nine o'clock in the morning, as the commander
of the frigate, “The Rose", steps ashore, the Boston ship carpenters
gather around him and make him a prisoner. The royalist sheriff attempts
to quiet the multitude, but they arrest him. Next, they hurry to the
major of the regiment demanding colors and drums. When he resists they
threaten. The crowd increases. Boys run along the streets with clubs.
Drums beat. The Governor and council withdraw to the fort and request a
conference with pastors and two or three more. The conference is denied.
At the townhouse, a declaration is read from the
balcony: "We commit our enterprise to Him who hears the cry of the
oppressed and advise all our neighbors for whom we have thus ventured
ourselves to join with us in prayers and all just actions for the
defence of the land."
In Charlestown, a thousand soldiers crowd together to
prevent the escape of the Governor to the frigate, but he is compelled
to submit and is henceforth marched to the town house and from thence to
prison.
Tomorrow, the country population will swarm across the
Charlestown and Chelsea ferries. The castle will be taken and the
frigate mastered and the fortifications occupied.
Thus a popular insurrection, beginning at Boston,
extends to the Chesapeake and to the wilderness. Its object is
Protestant liberty, and William and Mary their Protestant sovereigns are
proclaimed with such rejoicings as America has never known before.