Jean de la Fontaine

https://sites.rootsweb.com/~vacfrede/Ann%20Maury.pdf

Memoirs of a Huguenot family
translated and compiled from the original autobiography of the
Rev. James Fontaine
and other family manuscripts;
comprising an original journal of travels in Virginia,
New York etc, in 1715 and 1716
by Ann Maury

page 22 [sic- page 16]

Jean de la Fontaine was born in the province of Maine, near the borders of Normandy, about the year 1500 ; and as soon as he was old enough to bear arms, his father procured him a commission in the household of Francis I., in what was then called " Les Ordonnances du Roi." It was in the tenth or twelfth year of that monarch's reign that he entered his service, and he conducted himself with such uniform, honor and uprightness, that he retained his command, not only to the end of the reign of Francis I., but during the reigns of Henry II., Francis II., and until the second year of Charles IX., when he voluntarily resigned. He and his father had become converts to Protestantism on the first preaching of the Reformed religion in France,—about 1535. He had married, and had at least four sons born to him, during his residence in the Court. He wished to retire to private life at an earlier period, but being in the king's service was a sort of safeguard from persecution.

He and his family not only ran less risk from his remaining near the king's person, but it gave him the means of showing kindness to his Protestant brethren, and oftentimes shielding them from oppression.
He was much beloved by his brother officers, and by the men under his command, which made the Roman Catholic party afraid of disturbing him ; though, at the same time, his exemplary piety and benevolence marked him as one for whose blood they thirsted.

You may read in history how the kingdom of France was laid waste by abominable persecutions and civil wars on account of religion.

In the interval, between the year 1534 and 1598, when Henry IV. granted the celebrated Edict of Nantes, the professors of the pure faith were most particularly subjected to every kind of cruelty and injustice. These persecutions were carried on with some of the forms of law, but the gallows was erected and the fires were kindled, not to support the law, but in the vain hope of striking from the earth the very name of Protestant.
The means which were adopted, however, had frequently an effect exactly the opposite of what was intended and expected, increasing rather than diminishing the followers of the true faith. The martyrs, by their constancy, proved, in many cases, the instruments which God made use of to open the eyes of the papists, and it was no uncommon occurrence to see those who had aided in the destruction of others rush to the same martyrdom themselves.

The Protestants, in some of the provinces, were irritated beyond endurance, and took up arms, not against their monarch, but in self-defence against their persecutors.

This led to an Edict of Pacification, granted on the 17th of January, 1561-2, commonly known in history as the January Edict. Charles IX. was then in his minority. The Protestants, believing this to be in good faith, very generally laid down their arms.

Jean de la Fontaine resigned his commission at this time. He thought himself protected by the Edict in the exercise of his religion, and therefore felt himself no longer under the necessity of remaining in the king's service, to make use of his military profession as a buckler in time of profound peace. He retired to his paternal estates in Maine, where he hoped to end his days peacefully in the bosom of his family, worshipping God according to the dictates of conscience with those of his neighbors and friends who had yet survived.

He was greatly mistaken in his anticipations of tranquility following the Edict : the change was for the worse, whereas heretofore the proceedings had been openly carried on, and with the semblance of justice, founded upon the king's proclamation against the (so-called) heretics ; now, all was secrecy, prisons and judges were alike uncalled for, any wretched vagabond, imbued with the spirit of bigotry, could at once exercise the functions of judge and executioner.

Armed miscreants broke into the houses of the Protestants at midnight, they robbed and murdered the inmates with attendant circumstances of cruelty, at which humanity shudders and they were encouraged in their atrocities by priests, monks and bigots who made them promises of the tenor of that given to the city watch by the Sanhedrim of Jerusalem, "If this comes to the governor's ears, we will persuade him and secure you."

No inquiry or examination followed these excesses, and the Protestants, in self-defence, were again obliged to have recourse to arms, to repel nocturnal insult and guard against treachery.

Jean de la Fontaine had long been watched by sworn enemies of God and his Gospel, who hated him on account of his piety and his zeal for the pure worship of God. He was a staunch supporter of the Protestant Church, and occupying an elevated position, it was judged expedient to get rid of such a man as soon as possible, in order the more easily to scatter or destroy the congregation to which he belonged.

In the year 1563, a number of ruffians were dispatched from the city of Le Mans to attack his house at night. He was taken by surprise, dragged out of doors, and his throat cut. His poor wife, who was within a few weeks of her confinement, rushed after him, in the hope of softening the hearts of these midnight assassins, and inducing them to spare the life of her husband, but so far from it, they murdered her also, and a faithful valet shared the same fate. Of my children ! let us never forget that the blood of martyrs flows in our veins !

And may God of his infinite mercy grant that the remembrance of it may enliven our faith, so that we prove not unworthy scions from so noble a stock.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/250466511/jean-de_la_fontaine

https://huguenotsociety.org/huguenots