to raise 6000 Frenchmen, in a month’s time, for the relief of the Cevennes. This I know from the mouth of several of them; and (to persuade such as might question it) I need but mention with what alacrity, diligence, and success, two French Captains in half-pay raised above 100 French dragoons to serve under the Earl of Peterborough in his (then) intended expedition to the West Indies; for the truth of which I appeal to that noble and illustrious Peer.”
The following paper (reprinted from a copy in the possession of the Lefroys of Itchel), proves that the half-pay of the Refugee Officers was paid most irregularly.[1]
The Case of the Officers of the Three French Regiments of Foot commanded by Major-General Lamelloniere, Brigadier-General de Bellcastel, and the Right- Hon. the Lord Lifford, relating to the arrears of pay due to them since the time they were put on the English establishment to the first of May 1699.
That the Parliament in 1698 allowed £34,813, 5s. out of £800,000 granted to his late Majesty for disbanding the army and other necessary occasions, to clear the arrears of pay due to the Lord Gallway’s Regiment of Horse, Major-General Lamelloniere, Lord Lifford, and Brigadier-General de Bellcastel’s Regiment of Foot, then in Ireland, for the time they served there during the war, and until they were put under the care of the Paymaster of the Forces in England.
That although the Lord Coningsby received the said £34,813, 5s. for the purposes aforesaid, yet he paid the said Colonels no more than what would disband the officers present, notwithstanding the account of the absent, as well as those present, were stated to the 1st of May 1699.
That the parties who were absent applied themselves to the Government of Ireland in the year 1700, and by them were referred to the Lord Coningsby, at which time he required them to prove that they were the same persons who had served in those Regiments, or the representatives of them, which they did very fully make appear. That instead of being paid their demands, his Lordship was pleased to tell them, " he had sent their account into England, and that they must apply to the Treasurer there, he not having money in his hands to pay them."
That afterwards the said parties applied themselves to the Treasury in England who referred their petition to the Commissioners of His Majesty’s Revenue in Ireland, to state an account of what was due to every particular Officer, which was done accordingly; a copy whereof was delivered to the Lord Coningsby who did not object to the same.
The same French officers, in the year 1701, in hopes of obtaining what was due to them, presented several petitions to the Lords of the Treasury in England, which were referred to the Lord Coningsby.
The said officers having had no success by their former applications, they again petitioned the Lords of the Treasury; upon which, the Lord Coningsby thought fit, that once more they should prove their several demands; and on the 27th of May 1702 they proved the same accordingly by the accounts and certificates of the Colonels and agents, as they had been stated by the Commissioners of the Revenue in Ireland, which were examined and found right with his Lordship’s register book by Mr. Pauncefort his Secretary, who then delivered part of the said accounts and certificates to the said officers, but has ever since kept the rest, delaying to deliver the same although he has been earnestly desired to do it.
In the year 1703 the said officers again presented several petitions to the Lord Treasurer, who was pleased thereupon to order the Lord Coningsby to pay twenty-six of the said officers only, whose debts amounted to about £1100 sterling, as appeared by the schedule delivered in to the Treasury. But of these twenty-six officers only one has been paid; the others have continued to entreat the same, though without any success.
Whereupon the said officers have humbly petitioned the Honourable House of Commons for redress, and humbly beg they will be pleased to order the said Mr. Pauncefort to deliver to the petitioners their original account and certificates which he detains, humbly presuming they will be very necessary to prove the justice of their demands; and that your Honours will be pleased to order the Lord Coningsby to lay before this Honourable House an account of what moneys he has received for, and paid to, the said Three French Regiments, that the petitioners may know where to apply themselves for the said arrears; and to afford them such relief, as to your Honours’ justice and goodness shall seem meet.
7. Officers who Served in Piedmont.
Ruvigny, Earl of Galway (then Viscount Galway) had from 1693 to 1696 a regiment, known as Lord Galway’s Regiment in Piedmont. Jacques Saurin (born Jan. 1677, died Dec. 1730), the celebrated pulpit orator, was a student in Geneva about the time of Galway’s appointment to his command in Piedmont. The young refugee scholar, though he had dedicated his life to the use of the spiritual sword, was determined to have one rap at the French dragoons with carnal weapons.
- ↑ I am indebted for this paper to Sir J. H. Lefroy’s “Notes and Documents relating to the family of Loffroy.” (Some of the years were misprinted, but I have corrected them.)
