EXPERIENCES OF AN EXILED FAMILY 369 



his relatives, and found mauy of them had recanted, to 



escai)e the dragoons ; but as soon as possible they left 



France for countries where they could be free to worship 



according to their faith. He did all he could to stem the 



tide of abjuration, and failure to do so made him sick 



and careless of life. For three mouths did this heroic 



man travel about the country endeavouring to encourage 



the Protestants. He rode by night, resting by day, to Heroic Effort 



avoid detection ; and would be six and seven days at a 



time without chance to undress. And his anxiety was 



increased by fear lest evil befall " that worthy and pious 



woman whom God gave to me afterwards for my beloved 



partner and helpmate, and my greatest earthly comfort 



— your dear mother.'- 



The Revocation of the Edict of Nantes (October, 1685), 

 left no hope save in flight, and M. de la Fontaine made Thrilling 



■^ ° ' Escape 



preparations in good earnest. His escape was most 

 thrilling. He arranged with an English captain to take 

 him and four or five i^ersons to England, but as the coast 

 was guarded to prevent emigration, which was made a 

 crime, it was only after several days of distressing experi- 

 ences that the party was able to board the ship and leave 

 forever the shore of France. It should be realized here 

 that this jeopardy of life and this loss of a comfortable 

 fortune and pleasant home, together with an influential 

 position as country nobleman, was undergone without a 

 murmur all for the sake of religion, for the right to 

 worship God according to conscience, when a word of 

 recautatiou would have made exile and hardship unneces- 

 sary. Of such stuff were these Huguenots made. 



Read his brave words: "A blessed and ever-memo- 

 rable day for us, who then effected our escape from our cheerful 

 cruel enemies, who were not so much to be feared because 

 they had power to kill the body, but rather from the 

 pains they took to destroy the souls of their victims. I 

 bless God for the multitude of His mercies in earthly en- 

 joyments also. He allowed me to bring to England the 



