his ministry he preached in one church in the morning, and the other in the afternoon, taking each church alternately for the morning service. They were distant from one another two short miles. In course of time an Order in Council was issued, condemning the church at Royan, and it was pulled down accordingly. My father went there as usual, and persevered in holding services upon the ruins of the church.
The Governor was much enraged when he heard of it, and sent him a summons to appear before him at Brouage, to answer for the offence. My father rested his defence upon the ancient privileges and liberties accorded to the people. The Governor said he knew of no privilege or liberty that subjects could claim but such as had been granted by the king, the council, or the ancient laws. This church had been built, he said, without the king's permission, which was the fact, and therefore, as its erection had been an act of usurpation in the first instance, no one could consider its demolition now to be an arbitrary stretch of power. He added, that the distance was so short from Royan to Vaux, that it could not be considered a great hardship for his followers at the former place to walk to the latter to hear him. My father was obliged to acquiesce.
Another Order in Council was issued soon after, which forbade Protestant ministers to wear their clerical robes in the street. My father looked upon this as an indignity, and appeared abroad in his robe as he had hitherto done. The Governor summoned him to appear before him a second time to answer for this new offence.
He went, accompanied by the elders of his church, and attired in his robe. The wife of the Governor was present at the examination, and so much was she touched with the
