ultimately go to Paris, and be placed under orthodox Romish tutelage. Francis, instead of visiting his father’s friend, removed secretly to Holland, where he resided for a time as a Protestant. Thereafter he went to England, and pursued a quiet course, teaching the French language in academies and private houses, but preparing for the ministry of the Church of England. He sympathised with the more or less decided opponents of clerical subscription to creeds and standards; and in this way he got into a singular squabble. The Pasteurs Graverol and Gedeon Delamotte had written well and strongly on the use and necessity of Confessions of Faith; on the other hand, Pasteur Durette, of Crispin Street French Church (sometime a military chaplain), wrote on the abuse of Confessions of Faith, and his book was printed in the French language. La Pillonnière translated it into English, and printed it in 1718. In the meantime the Bishop of London had been frequently conversing with Mr Durette; the result was that the latter was disposed to withdraw his book, and wrote to La Pillonnière that his mind was not made up on the controversy. La Pillonnière, who had Durette’s consent to translate the book, was irritated, and published the translation, with a long gossipping appendix as to Durette and the London pasteurs generally. La Pillonnière obtained an accidental celebrity through being employed to teach French to the family of Hoadley, Bishop of Bangor. The Bishop’s opponents assumed (which was a mistake) that he admitted the French master to personal friendship; and they endeavoured to account for his Lordship’s writings (which seemed to bring the Church of England into danger) by proclaiming that he had a Jesuit in his house. This, though a mere controversial cry, was seriously urged; and it was asserted and asseverated that La Pillonnière was a Jesuit emissary and no Protestant. Into his history it is needless to go further. It is sufficient to say that all unprejudiced men were satisfied with the sincerity of Francis de la Pillonnière’s profession of Protestant faith, and with the excellence of his moral character. [One of his certificates was from Vincent Perronet of Queen’s College, Oxford, 29th Oct. 1717.]
(9.) Michael le Vassor was born at Orleans about 1648, and died in Northamptonshire in 1718. He had been a Roman Catholic, and a member of the congregation of the Oratory. In 1695 he embraced Protestantism, and escaped, via Holland, to England. He was patronised by the Earl of Portland and by Bishop Burnet; the bishop obtained a pension for him from William III. During his sojourn in the Oratory he had published three volumes of Paraphrases on books of the New Testament (Matthew, John, Romans, Galatians, and James). During his refugee life he published a temperate treatise on the study of religious controversies, and a translation of De Vargas’s Letters and Memoirs on the Council of Trent; also a vigorous and indignant History of the Reign of Louis XIII., in ten volumes, dedicated to the second Earl of Portland (afterwards Duke). This great work exposed him to much fierce criticism, which, however, is neutralised by the verdict of Sismondi: Histoire écrite avec passion, mais generalement avec la passion de la justice et de la verité. He had a benefice in Northamptonshire, according to the Nouvelles Litteraires de la Haye, tome 8.
(10.) A correspondent sends me several names of Romanists who formally abjured Romanism, and whose abjuration was registered by La Cour Ecclesiastique of the Island of Guernsey.
- 11th Feb. 1717-18. Louis Bertau of Riou, in Saintonge, abjured in the town church.
- 7th Dec. 1718. Nicolas Mauger, native of the environs of Cherbourg, in Normandy, having abjured within the Anglican Church of St Pierre du Bois, was received by the Vicar, Rev. Hugues Sacquin.
- 16th Dec. 1719. Pierre Burreau of Royan, in France, abjured in the church of St Pierre-Port.
- 17th August 1717. Nicolas Le Cordier of the parish of Louvier in the diocese of Bayeux, Normandy.
- 29th April 1720. Marie du Pain, of Vitry.
- 14th May 1720. Jacque le Grand, of Villedieu.
- 13th August 1720. Jullien Groslet, widow of Mr le Petit of St Malo.
