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The Royal Bounty for the French Protestant Refugees consisted of moneys raised 
throughout the United Kingdom for distribution among the necessitous exiles. The 
Huguenots were always celebrated for their industry and self-reliance, and many of 
them for inventive genius or skill. And when they took refuge in this and in other 
lands, both masters and journeymen, in their various useful and beautiful manu- 
factures, hastened to secure remunerative employment. Few of this class looked to 
us for more than some casual relief in small donations of money on their arrival ; but 
there were refugees in different circumstances who required permanent aid. These 
were described as "persons of quality, and all such as through age or infirmity are 
unable to support themselves and their families." The persons of quality were noble- 
men and landed proprietors who, having been born to good estates, had never learned 
any profession, and who by flight and forfeiture had lost their ail ; also unsalaried 
pastors whose education and habits unfitted them for secular business, and genteel 
persons brought up to law and physic, and equally unable to find remunerative 
employment. 

The " Bounty," which in the needful substance came r rom the hearts and pockets 
of the people, was called " Royal " because the King's Letter or " Brief" was required 
in order to sanction the appointment of a Collection in the Churches, and the Lord 
Chancellor as the keeper of the king's conscience had to sign the Brief. A Collection 
was make in 1681, or rather in the opening months of 1682 (new style), as I have 
already recorded. 

In his Sermon at the Funeral of Mr. James Houblon, 28th June 1682, Dr. Gilbert 
Burnet said, " Our Saviour hath allowed us when we are persecuted in one city to flee 
to another. One by leaving their country and friends, and all that they have, may 
hope to get safe, though almost naked, to another kingdom ; yet even this small 
mercy is denied under the influence of that cruel religion [of the Church of Rome]. 
Here in England in Queen Mary's time, the strangers were suffered to go away ; yet 
care was taken to secure the ports, and not to suffer natives to fly beyond sea, when 
they were resolved to burn them at home. And now in France when methods are 
taken to make those of the Reformed Religion either to die of famine and in misery, 
or to force them to commit idolatry, it is made capital to fly, and those that 
endeavour it are to be condemned to the gallies. I cannot leave this matter without 
encouraging you to go on in your charities, and readiness to relieve those that are 
forced to come and take sanctuary among you." 

In the two or three following years a large sum must have been raised, as there 
appears to have been a balance of £ 17,950 1 after the distribution of the relief which 
was required and distributed before 1685. 

Private Societies or committees for receiving and distributing money, and public 
meetings of the subscribers and friends of such Societies, have always been dis- 
couraged by despotic governments. The government of the Stewarts being 
essentially arbitrary, the bounty for the refugees fell to be distributed by a committee 
under the King in Council. National accounts of receipt and expenditure were 
never exhibited.

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.

Here sleeps what once was beauty, once was grace, 

Grace that with tenderness and sense combin'd 
To form that harmony of soul and face, 

Where beauty shines, the mirror of the mind. 



3 o3 



FRENCH PROTESTAXT EXILES 



Such was the maid who in the bloom of youth, 

In virgin innocence, in nature"s pride, 
Bless'd with each art that owes its charm to truth, 

Sank in her fathers fond embrace— and died. 

He weeps ! O venerate the holy tear ; 

Faith lends her aid to bear affliction's load ; 
The father mourns his child upon her bier, 

The Christian yields an angel to his God. 

How soon, alas, their bosoms bleed again ! 

See Charlotte in the dawn of life expire ! 
Another daughter lost renews their pain, 

Another angel joins the heavenly choir. 

With softest smiles of tenderness and love 

She late could soothe a father's manly breast, 
And all a mother's tender softness move ; 

Then smil'd a fond farewell ! and dropp'd to rest. 

Escap'd from present ills, from future care, 

And many a pang that meets us here below, 
She's called thus early to yon brighter sphere — 

With native sweetness smiles a cherub now.

sixteen years, this last duty is paid by her afflicted parents :

up in France. She became the wife of Noble Abel Ligonier, Seigneur de Moncuquet et de 
Castre, and died at Castre, 9th October 1748. (I copy this from an old Boileau pedigree; I 
follow its spelling of the Ligonier titles.)

I. La Duciiesse de la Force. 

The Dues de la Force highly valued their ancient surname of Caumont. Francois 
de Caumont, Seigneur de Castclnau, married on 16th May 1554, Philippe, daughter 
of Francois de Bcaupoil, Seigneur de la Force. The Seigneur de Castelnau was 
killed in the St. Bartholomew massacre, as was his elder son, Armand de Caumont. 
But the family became an illustrious ducal house through the talents and achieve-

Grand Alliance against the Bourbons. In the reign of Queen Anne, refugees who had 
belonged to regiments in English pay, removed their residence to Holland, that they might 
have the sea between them and the Bourbon-loving Jacobites