I98 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



Of Pierre Jay, Mr. Renwick in his life of John Jay, remarks : " He 

 was a native of France, and resided in the city of La Rochelle, his busi- 

 ness was that of a merchant ; and from collateral facts, we have reason 

 to believe that he was both wealthy and enterprising. Like many of the 

 most industrious and most respectable inhabitants in that part of the 

 country, he was a Protestant; and doomed as we shall see, to undergo 

 much trouble and persecution on account of his religion. He seems to 

 have had a sort of presentiment — probably derived from the growing dis- 

 favor of the Protestants in the sight of the government — that it would at 

 some time or other be necessary for him to sacrifice both country and 

 property, on account of his religion. On this account, he determined 

 to send one of his sons to England to acquire a knowledge of that lan- 

 guage, and be educated there. His eldest son was the one chosen for 

 this purpose, but he unfortunately died on the voyage. With great 

 promptness, the father sent his second son, Augustus, who was then 

 barely twelve years old, to take his place; this happened A. D. 1677. 

 The troubles and persecutions which Mr. Jay seemed to have foreseen, 

 and which preceded the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, now com- 

 menced; and in January, 1685, the Protestant Church at Rochelle was 

 pulled down, pursuant to a decree passed at that time. Finding that the 

 Protestants still continued the exercise of their religion, and were not to 

 be forced to change it by any ordinary means, a regiment of dragoons 

 was despatched to that portion of the country, and quartered upon the 

 Protestant inhabitants. We have full evidence that these armed mis- 

 sionaries had free license to make their hosts as uncomfortable as pos- 

 sible, and were encouraged to practice upon them those insults so easily 

 perpetrated by unrestrained and licentious soldiery." 



We can easily imagine what must have been the situation of a pious 

 family, and what the feelings of a husband and a father under such cir- 

 cumstances. Mr. Jay determined that those nearest and dearest to him 

 should no longer be exposed to insult and contamination; and, find- 

 ing a safe opportunity, he secretly sent his family, together with several 

 articles of value, on board a vessel bound for England. This vessel ar- 

 rived in safety. The departure of his family did not long remain un- 

 discovered; and, causing suspicion of his own intentions, he was 

 arrested and thrown into prison. From thence, by the intervention of 

 some worthy Catholic friends, he was rescued ; when, foreseeing that 

 France was no longer a residence for him, he determined to leave it for 

 ever. But first, it was necessary to raise funds for the support of him- 

 self and family in a strange land ; this he dared not do by turning any 

 of his French property into money lest his motives should be surmised, 



