164 THE FEEN^CH BLOOD IN AMERICA 



This petition was referred to a committee, wMch re- 

 ported that ' ' for their encom-agemeut as strangers and 

 for the carrying on the publick worship of God amongst 

 them there be paid unto their minister twelve punds 

 of the publick treasury." This report was passed by 

 both branches of the General Court, and so far as recorded 

 was the only grant from the public funds. 

 Slender Sup- The support was SO slcudcr that Mr. Daille sometimes 



port 



questioned whether he could remain ; but he lived up to 

 his own declaration that "A minister must use every ex- 

 pedient before deserting his flock." Among these expe- 

 dients was an appeal to the English Society for the 

 Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts ; an appeal 

 that was seconded by Governor Dudley, who spoke of 

 him as ''an honest man and good preacher," who in the 

 governor's belief had not more than thirty pounds per 

 annum to live upon. The society declined, on the ground 

 that the French church did not belong to the Anglican 

 communion, and the pastor laboured on till his death, 

 May 20, 1715, in his sixty-seventh year. 



Ko minister of the early colonial days did more honour 

 to his calling than the learned and devoted Pierre Daille, 



Tomb in Old whosc tombstouc may be seen in the Old Granary Bury- 

 ranary ^^^ Grouud. And howcvcr inadequate his salary, with 



the characteristic thrift of his people, this good man in 

 some way managed to save up enough to be able to leave 

 some coDsiderable bequests in his will. His first remem- 

 brance was for the church and its ministers. He gave all 



His Will his French and Latin books — at a time when such books 



were of great value — to the church for the use of its min- 

 isters. He remembered their necessities, besides, by giv- 

 ing one hundred pounds to be let out at interest for the 

 help and support of the minister ; and he bequeathed 

 ten pounds towards the erection of the meeting house 

 for which he had longed. For the rest he gave three 

 hundred and fifty pounds in province bills or silver 

 equivalent thereto, and his negro man-servant named 



