# Protestant Exiles from France/Volume 2 - Book Third - Chapter 7 - Section I

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Chapter VII.
HERVART AND GOUVERNET.
I. Baron D’Hervart.
The brothers Hervart (Barthelemy and Jean, natives of Augsburg), having, as bankers in Paris, made an immense fortune, laid it all at the feet of King Louis XIII., at the critical period of the invasion of Alsace. This money enabled the king to retain ten thousand Swedish soldiers in his army, and saved the State. Bartholomew and John Hervart received in return the estates of Landser, and Hart Forest (which were confiscated at the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes).
Mazarin made Bartholomew Hervart Comptroller-General of the Finances, in defiance of the screaming protests of the Popish clergy. The financial department of the government of France thus became a refuge for Protestants, who had been unrighteously debarred from other government employments. The finances were collected with such unparalleled efficiency and integrity, that Hervart retained office from the year 1657 till his death in 1676. His wife’s maiden name was Esther Vimart.
His son was Philibert Hervart, born in 1645, and styled Baron de Huningue by French writers, but Baron of Huningen in some English law-papers; in common conversation, Monsieur De Hervart or Baron Hervart. He inherited the respect and regard of all the Protestants of France. At the period of the Revocation he was in the prime of bodily and mental vigour. Being a refugee in England, he was selected by King William in 1690 to be his ambassador at Geneva. There was some delay before his actual installation. Luttrell writes:— “1691, April 13. — Letters from Switzerland say that the city of Geneva had not yet received Monsieur Hervart, King William’s Envoy, from fear of the French. Mr. Cox, King William’s Envoy in Switzerland, had not been able to prevail with the cantons to relinquish the French interest and declare for the confederates, nor to raise 4000 men for His Majesty, as agreed on.” Baron Hervart resided at Geneva; latterly he was ambassador to Switzerland, and resided at Berne, till the close of King William’s reign.
​Our foreign embassies often combine the acquisition of fame for the ambassador, with the loss of his money, the home-government refusing to refund the cash that he has laid out for his country’s good. Baron Hervart seems to have had his share of this experience. Mr Vernon wrote to the Duke of Shrewsbury on 12th October 1697 —
“I send your Grace a bill of Monsieur D’Hervart’s, if you please to allow it; it exceeds £94 what the yearly allowance is established at, but there are some extraordinary articles that do not come within the common computation. Mr. Bowyer, his agent, at first brought a bill of £100 more. I told him that was so far beyond measure, he could never think to get it passed.”
As to fame, the Baron acquitted himself with ability and high reputation. In 1699, when the Prince of Conti attempted to usurp the sovereignty of Neufchatel and to oust the sovereign lady, the Duchess of Nemours, De Hervart was sent by King William to oppose this Bourbon intrigue. The French ambassador, the Marquis de Puisieux, had arrived at Neufchatel before him, and was canvassing the elective body, but without success. The following was our ambassador’s memorial to the Prince of Conti:—
“Monsieur, — Being ordered hither by the King of Great Britain, my master, my first business is to pay my respects to your Highness, and to assure you of my very humble service. I am satisfied you are not ignorant that his Majesty has a right to the County of Neufchatel and its dependencies, his Ministers at the Treaty of Ryswick having given notice thereof to his most Christian Majesty’s plenipotentiaries. In the meanwhile, his Majesty (William III.), who was very willing that the said county should be expressly comprehended in the treaty of peace, was also willing for the better assuring the tranquillity thereof, to defer the justifying of his pretensions, though very well grounded, till the Duchess of Nemours’ death, who has been invested in the sovereignty five years.
“But having received intelligence of the motions made here on the subject of your Highness’s pretensions, his Majesty thought it his interest to declare expressly, by his ministers at the Court of France, his right to that sovereignty, hoping that his Most Christian Majesty would observe an exact impartiality in this affair, that he might leave the States, who are the true judges of it, to their full liberty, when they shall be called on that account after the Duchess of Nemours’ death. And his Majesty thought it reasonable that your Highness should then propose your pretensions as well as others. The assurances which his Most Christian Majesty’s ministers did thereupon give of his impartiality are so positive, that the King, my master, thought he might have kept silent, until a convenient time was offered for him to prove the justice of his pretensions.
“But the design formed by your Highness to call a Tribunal at present, during the life of the Duchess of Nemours, obliges me, according to his Majesty’s orders, to represent to your Highness that his Majesty cannot look on this Convocation any otherwise than as prejudicial to his right, contrary to the laws and customs of this County, and as a means to destroy its peace and tranquillity.
“I hope your Highness will be pleased seriously to consider what I have the honour to represent to you on his Majesty’s behalf; and allow me the liberty to give your Highness assurance of my high consideration and profound respect for your person.
“D’Hervart.”
The Ambassador also presented a Memorial to the Duchess of Nemours, in which he used these expressions:—
“Madam, — The interests of His Majesty being conformable to yours, and the King being willing to contribute on his part that your Highness be not troubled in your possession, and that nothing be done contrary to the rights and liberties of the County, I hope that the steps I take by his order will not be displeasing to you.”
At first, the French Prince was disposed to be somewhat insolent, saying, “I did not think that anyone would have hindered me of my right;” but the Duchess being in possession of the Castle, and not herself only, but the states of Neufchatel having expressed the greatest gratitude for King William’s intervention, his Highness took his departure, desiring his secretary to give a most respectful answer to our ambassador. The answer was in the following terms:—
“My Lord, the Prince of Conti, knowing nothing of the several transactions mentioned in the Memorial which was delivered to him by Mr. D’Hervart, the English Envoy, on the 21st of the last month (o.s.), is not in a condition to answer the same without further instructions and orders from the French Court. In the meantime, it shall be without prejudice to his right if, out of respect to his Majesty of Great Britain, he desists for some time to go on to justify and make valid his pretensions to the sovereignty of Neufchatel. His Highness, having yesterday by a courier from Court, received his Majesty’s orders to attend his person, hath thought meet to ​answer the Lord Envoy of England, that he cannot believe, if his Britannic Majesty was well informed of the justice of his pretensions, that he would oppose himself to the legal pleas he makes for the bringing the same to take effect. . . . . As to what remains, his Highness will always receive whatever comes to his hand from the King of England, for whose person he hath a particular respect, in a becoming manner, &c.”
We next meet with Baron Hervart in Switzerland, acting in concert with the Marquis of Puisieux in a negotiation connected with the Second Treaty for the partition of the Spanish dominions. Both France and England wished the Deputies of the Cantons to be the guarantees in this Partition Treaty; and both the ambassadors made orations to the deputies in the summer of 1700, but in vain. A memorial was then drawn up, containing full explanations in writing. As to the non-success of this, the Baron wrote to the Earl of Manchester:—
Soleurne, Sept, 29, 1700.
“My Lord, — The answer of the Swisses to our memorial is not such as Messrs De Puysieux, Valkenier, and I expected, as you will see. They believed, that by explaining themselves in the manner I gave you an account of by the last Courier, and, as we thought, they might do it, they would enter into an engagement, which at present they have no intention to come to. The best reasons of the Ambassador of France, joined to two hundred thousand livres which he caused to glister in their eyes, not having been capable to make them change, what could M. Valkenier and I do?
“Nevertheless, I must tell you, my Lord, that in general all the Deputies, have, by express orders of their sovereigns, spoke to me of his Majesty with so much esteem, respect, and veneration, that I was charmed with it, the very particular expressions they made use of, both coolly, and in their cups, not giving me leave to doubt but that their hearts spoke; and I have not perceived the same eagerness for his most Christian Majesty, when we dined with his Ambassador. To-day the Deputies of the four Cantons are to dine with me, and on Friday I set out from hence for Berne. I am, with all esteem, &c.”
“D’Hervart.”
The Swiss probably thought that an English Envoy was in very unsuitable company during our hollow peace with the Bourbons. The rupture, which soon took place, brought out a purer style of oratory and composition from Baron Hervart. In 1701 he addressed the Swiss on the “French King’s recognition of the Pretended Prince of Wales.” The following passages in his memorial were much admired:—
“It is certain that his Britannic Majesty was unconcerned, and made no complaint at the late King James having, since his abdication, passed at the French Court as King of Great Britain, in regard that his late possession of that crown allowed him in some manner to assume the title thereof during life. But this prince being now dead, his Majesty could not but highly resent the French king’s declaring and owning the pretended Prince of Wales as King of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
“My Lords, you have too much prudence and penetration to be persuaded that this recognition of that pretended prince is consistent or compatible with the Treaty of Ryswick, and with the formal declaration which both kings have made to maintain a perpetual peace, a sincere mutual friendship, and to do nothing but what may tend to each other’s honour and advantage. The Most Christian King stands engaged, by virtue of the Fourth Article of the Treaty of Ryswick, not to trouble or molest his Majesty in the possession of his kingdom, and to give no assistance or countenance, directly or indirectly, to any that shall presume to disturb his Majesty in his present possession. How ridiculous, and what nonsense is it, therefore, to imagine that the French Court should persuade any one who is not strongly prepossessed, that the recognition of this pretended prince for King of Great Britain and Ireland (which high title he never can enjoy nor hope for, neither by the constitution or laws of England, nor by his birth, nor by virtue of the late King James' declaration), was made to contribute to the honour and advantage of his Majesty ! How can this faithless proceeding consist with the French king’s engagement, not in anywise to favour those who should form any the least design against his Majesty’s royal dignity? The French Court seems to have a mean opinion of the generality of mankind by endeavouring to abuse their credulity, and to make them believe so strange a paradox.”
The above is all that we know of Baron Hervart’s public life, except what concerns the Waldenses. The plan and arrangements for establishing Vaudois Colonies in Germany were devised and carried out by him in 1695. The British Government established an annual grant for the salaries of seven pasteurs and seven schoolmasters, who settled along with those Waldenses at Dirments, Wiertheim, Knitlingen, and Heyinsheim in Wurtemburg, at Meerfelden and Rosibach in Darmstadt, and at Homberg. The local treasurer was Mr. Isaac Behaghel, banker, at Frankfort-on-the-Main, who charged nothing except his outlay in postages. Mr. ​Hill succeeded Baron Hervart in the superintendence of this Bounty; but both of their Excellencies in their after-lives continued to take some active charge of it. In 1711 Mr. Behaghel wrote, “There is no one here or elsewhere who can give you better information on the state of the colonies, since I had the trouble on the part of England, by order of M. d’Hervart, to effect the establishment of them, in conjunction with M. Valkenier on the part of Holland” — and again in 1714, “There is no need of recommending these poor people to me, as I have their interest at heart, having by M. d’Hervart’s order distributed the English collection among them. At the time that M. Valkenier was establishing them, they all, great and small, had recourse to me daily.” In 1716 King George gave a donation of £1000 "without account " for the Waldenses. A memorandum, as to its distribution, has been preserved in Mr. Hill’s handwriting, showing that thirteen pastors, and the same number of schoolmasters in the Valleys, and the pastors and schoolmasters in the seven German Colonies, participated in this grant. Mr. Behaghel wrote from Frankfort, 13th September 1716:
“I have seen how it was thought proper to dispose of the £1000 sterling, which M. d’Hervart had remitted to the Treasury. The £340, 6s. sterling which you ordered me to pay to the Vaudois ministers and schoolmasters, also to the school at Offenbach, and to Mr. Jordan for the expenses of his journey, shall be punctually paid.”
Glancing back to the reign of Queen Anne, we find that it was expected that, through the favour of Lord Bolingbroke, Baron Hervart would have returned as Ambassador to the Cantons in 1711; this, however, was not realized. At this juncture he renewed his acquaintance with the Robethons, and, at the same time perhaps, was introduced to Mr. Aufrère, who was a most serviceable friend to himself and his descendants.
As to his private life, he was married in Switzerland to a lady with a good fortune, named Jedide Azube de Graffenried, by whom he had five children. In his latter years Southampton, where so many refugees resided and worshipped in the venerable Maison-Dieu, became his residence. On the death of the Earl of Galway, in 1720, he became Governor of the French Hospital of London. The death of his son, Frederick, seems to have affected him much; and on that occasion he presented to the hospital, as a donation, the munificent sum of £4000, which Frederick would have inherited. This was about eight months before his own death, which took place on the 30th April 1721. He was seventy-six years old. He was buried in the Parish Church of Holyrood, in Southampton, his funeral being attended by all the ministers of the towns, French and English, and by a large number of the French and English population. From his deathbed he sent £32 to the poor of the Maison Dieu, besides £50 bequeathed to them by will. He also left £12 a year for the pasteur. These particulars are recorded in the register of that church, where a brief biography records his great and constant charity to the poor of the town.
His surviving children were two sons and two daughters. It was not till the 20th June 1724 that the Court of Chancery found that the one-fourth share of his estate, to which each child was entitled, was £4286, 5s. 4d.; so that the Baron had proved himself to be nearly as accurate, and a much more expeditious judge in his estimate of what the fifth share of the unbroken estate amounted to. His widow returned to Switzerland, and the younger son and daughter accompanied her. The elder son, John Francis Maximilian De Hervart, remained in Southampton, and was married there, in 1723, to Margaret Angelique de Vignolles. In the same year the elder daughter, Mariana Ursula, was married in London to Colonel John Guise, regimental Major of the Guards. The Baroness d’Hervart de Hunninghen died in Switzerland, in May 1737; and we learn from her will that her younger son, James Philip d’Hervart, was styled Lord of St. Leger, and resided in Vevay, and that the younger daughter, Sabina Frances, was the wife of Sigismund de Cerjat (or de Bressonay), Lord of Syens, who lived at Lausanne. The Lord of St. Leger, being voluntarily offered, and having accepted his mother’s estate in Switzerland, renounced his share of the Baroness’s English property, so that each of his sisters, and his elder brother obtained a share of about £1312, 10s. — with the addition of a third of a share, or £1750 altogether, which added to their patrimony was a large portion for those days.
Mrs. Guise died 25th May 1749, leaving an only child, William (born 2d March ​1729, named after his paternal grandfather, a well-known Hebraist, related to the baronets of Elmore). William died unmarried, in the lifetime of his father, who rose to be a Lieutenant-General, Colonel of the 6th Foot, and Governor of Berwick, and who survived till 1765.
John Francis Maximilian d’Hervart, who removed from Southampton to London in or before 1752, died in 1769; he was buried at Chelsea on 31st January. His younger daughter, Angelique (or Angelica), died in the spring of the same year; her will was proved by her sister, Jedidah, on 8th May 1769. Jedidah died in January or February 1780, and her will was proved by Maximilian Cerjat, sole executor. William Hervart, the only son, was elected a Director of the French Hospital, 10th July 1765; he resided during his later years in Southampton, where he died in June or July 1780. He was buried, according to his desire, in St. Michael’s, Southampton, near his “dear friend, Ruvigny De Cosne.” His residuary legatee was Rebecca Vignoles (daughter of Mary Vignoles, widow).
*⁎* When the Earl of Galway was Commander-in-Chief of the Land Forces as well as a Lord-Justice of Ireland, Major-General Hervart served under him. This officer was perhaps a brother of the Baron. In 1699, the government being about to pass into the hands of the Earl of Rochester. Lord Galway carried on an extensive correspondence with Mr Blathwayt. Secretary-at-war, part of which is preserved in the British Museum. On 6th April Lord Galway wrote that Major-General Hervart was much dismayed on hearing that Major-General Erie was to be sent over to Ireland. Major-General Hervart, as to whom Lord Galway testified that he was a good and brave officer and enthusiastic in the king’s service, was Erie’s senior both as a brigadier and a major-general, and had hoped to be continued in Ireland, [Erle got the appointment.]
* ↑ Aufrère MSS. [A box of papers connected with several refugee families, which was courteously lent to me by the late George Anthony Aufrère, Esq.]
* ↑ Philibert Hervart was naturalized in 1698 (List xxiii.). This might imply that he was then beginning to amass money. It may he another man.
* ↑ Cole’s Slate Papers.
* ↑ Right Hon. Richard Hill’s Correspondence, page 986.
* ↑ Her Swiss executors were Hercules Daniel de Tavel, Bailiff of Moudon, and John Lewis Crozat de Prelas, judge at Lausanne. Her English executors were the Rev. Israel Anthony Aufrère, and Solomon Penny (attorney).
* ↑ This officer saw service at Gibraltar. Michael Maittaire addressed to him a Latin Ode congratulating him on his return home with honour; the ode is printed in that author’s “Senilia” with the heading: Ad Juhannem Guise, Tribunum militum, de ipsius in patriam redditu, 1728, Maii 10.