Page:Protestant Exiles from France Agnew vol 2.djvu/320

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306
french protestant exiles.

that is to say, azure three Corinthian pillars, each surmounted by a Dove proper, as emblems of the faith he professed, and laid aside the use of his family arms, but did not obtain any legal authority for such assumption. And that the said applicant, being desirous to retain the said family arms, and also to keep in remembrance the circumstances of the sufferings of his said great-grandfather, and of his attachment to his religion, has prayed me that I would make such exemplification of his said arms, as well those of his family as those assumed, as will best hand down to posterity and keep alive this very honourable feeling and true devotion. Know ye, therefore, that I, the said Deputy Ulster King of Arms, having examined into the circumstances, and finding the allegations to be true, am pleased to comply with the same, and by the authority to me granted, do by these presents Grant, Assign, Ratify, Exemplify, and Confirm unto the said Isaac Matthew D’Olier, and the descendants of his great-grandfather, the arms following, that is to say — Quarterly of Four, First, or, on a chevron gules between three bunches of grapes ’sable', a crescent of the first surmounted by a bezant all within a border azure semée of fleurs-de-lys of the first. Second, azure, three columns of the Corinthian order in fess proper, each surmounted with a dove, close, argent. Third, gules, on a fess 'or', three martlets sable within a border ermine. Fourth, as First. Crest, on a wreath a dove, close, argent, holding in his beak an ear of wheat or. The whole, as above more clearly appears depicted, to be used and borne by the said Isaac Matthew D’Olier, Esquire, the descendants of his said great-grandfather and their issue respectively, according to the Laws of Arms, without the let, hindrance, or interruption of any person or persons whatsoever. In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and title, and affixed the seal of the office of Ulster King of Arms of all Ireland, this fifteenth day of July, in the Fifty-eighth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King Defender of the Faith, and so forth, and in the year of our Salvation One Thousand eight hundred and eighteen.”

(Signed)W. Betham, Depy. Ulster King of Arms for all Ireland.”

The arms (as described above) were depicted, with the motto, la bonté de dieu. It is believed that the father of the refugee, and the refugee himself, resided at Collegnes, a country house in Dauphiny. But the reader must not suppose that they belonged to the branch known as the Oliers of Dauphiny, whose arms were, “azure a chevron argent, accompanied with a lion or langued gules having the chief or charged with a star gules.” Evidently the old seal of the noble Huguenot refugee was engraved with a chevron between three bunches of grapes, and a crescent surmounted by a bezant, and justified the statement of the Chevalier de Saint Allais, that he was descended from a family established for two centuries in the province of Ile de France.

Auriol.

The Auriol family is French, though its remote ancestry was Spanish. Its seat was in the province of Languedoc. It holds a conspicuous place among the noblesse, and boasts intermarriages with the most noble families. Members of the house have held the first offices of state, others have served with distinction in the army. Pierre Auriol in the year 1477 was Lord High Chancellor of France under Louis XL In the reign of Louis XIV. they possessed the title of Baron de Toutens; and being Protestants, several of the name became refugees in England.

The pedigree of the refugee family begins with Jean d’Auriol, Baron de Toutens, Sieur de Roumens, d’Alquier, &c, of Languedoc, and his wife Marie de Nogué. They were the grand-parents of the refugees, whose father was Elisée d’Auriol, Seigneur de Toutens, Roumens, Salasses, &c. He continued a Protestant, but did not leave France at the Revocation epoch; his children, seven sons and two daughters, were many of them unborn at that time. All accurate information regarding children and grandchildren I owe to Mr. Wagner, who (it is hoped) will print the pedigree. I give some fragmentary notices:—

(1.) The second son, John Auriol, was a merchant of St. Anne’s, Westminster; his will was dated 5th February, proved 13th December 1739.

(2.) The third son, Jean Louis Auriol, born 24th October 1684, died at Geneva 24th January 1750. He had married Olympe, daughter and heir of General Bonnefons. James Auriol, merchant in London, who removed to Lisbon to join the house of Pratviel, was his son; during the memorable earthquake he was in Lisbon and lost much property; but there he married his wife, Miss Charlotte Russell, an English lady. He had three daughters and three sons, who were educated in England. The daughters were Sophia, Mrs. Prinsep; Amelia, Mrs. Edward Auriol Drummond; and Charlotte Louise, Mrs. Dashwood. The sons obtained appointments in India; they were James-Peter, John Louis, and Charles, who became a General in our army. James-Peter Auriol, Esq., was elected a Director of the