|
LESLEY, GEORGE, of Monymusk,
a capuchin friar, of the earlier part of the seventeenth century. The
introduction of the individual, as an illustrious Scotsman, and the manner
in which we intend to treat the events of his life, require some
explanation. John Benedict Rinuccini, archbishop of Fermo, published in
Italian the life and marvelous adventures of his friend George Lesley, a
Scotsman of rank, who had been miraculously converted to the Roman catholic
faith. [Not having been so fortunate as to meet with a copy of the Italian
edition, we cannot give a copy of the title page, or even of the date.] A
work on so pleasing a subject did not remain long in obscurity; it was
translated into French, in which language it was published at Rouen in 1660,
at Paris in 1682, and again at Rouen in 1700. In 1673 it was dramatized at
Rome, and the decent inhabitants of Monymusk, a remote hamlet in
Aberdeenshire, were clothed in names suited for an audience in the imperial
city; such as Lurcanio a Calvinist clergyman, the parish minister of
Monymusk; Forcina, his servant; Theophilus, an old cottager; besides an
angel, Pluto, and Beelzebub, in the form of Calvin. The work, even in its
primitive form, is a pure romance, manufactured for the laudable purpose of
supporting the holy catholic church; while in the midst of the absurd
topography, and still more absurd displays of character, it is evident from
names and circumstances, that the whole is founded on fact, and that George
Lesley must have been a man remarkable for enthusiasm, eccentricity, villany,
or some other qualification on which it is difficult to determine. There
have already been published two abridged translations of his life, one by
lord Hailes in his Sketches of Scottish Biography, the other in the Scots
Magazine for 1802. A search into such contemporary records as we thought
might throw any light on the real adventures and merits of this wonderful
man, has proved vain; and, unable to separate the truth from the falsehood,
we are compelled to follow the steps of those who have already treated the
subject, by giving an abridgment of the French translation, without omitting
any of its marvels.
The author commences with an
account of the city of Aberdeen, which, as we know it to be incorrect, and
can ‘separate the truth from the falsehood’ in it, we omit. In its
neighbourhood lived James, count Lesley, and Jean Wood his wife, the father
and mother of George, who received from them all the treatment of a beloved
son, with the exception, that along with his mother’s milk he sucked in the
dawning doctrines of Calvinism. Count Leslie died soon after the birth of
his son, leaving him vast wealth, and the lady afterwards married the baron
de Torry. [Probably the laird of Torry, a village in the parish of Nigg,
near Aberdeen.] In his eighth year the young count was sent to pursue his
studies in France, with a train and equipage suited to his rank, a heretic
preceptor, and a fund of advice steadfastly to maintain the faith he had
been taught. He applied diligently to his studies, and became acquainted
with two noble Parisian brothers, whose society, contrary to the usual
expectation of the world regarding such associates, confirmed him in his
studious disposition, and like St Basil and St Gregory Nazianzen, he knew no
other street in Paris save that which communicated with their house and the
school. The Parisian youths compassionating the state of their companion’s
soul, proceeded to effect his conversion, in which they were assisted by
their father, who, instead of the ordinary method of balancing the
doctrines of the two religions with each other, appears to have merely
contrasted Calvinism, the affection of his relations, and eternal damnation,
with the catholic faith, eternal felicity, and the loss of his near
relations The discussions were conducted at the old gentleman’s country
house, beneath the shadow of an oak, and as a recreation from the pastimes
of hunting and fishing. The effect of the whole was irresistible; young
Lesley submitted to become a member of the holy catholic church, and was
immediately conducted to a confessional, after which his companions beheld
in his face a glimpse of that glory which formerly appeared in the face of
Moses. Meanwhile the heretic preceptor was naturally displeased with what he
saw; he argued, and threatened, and represented the grief of the young
count’s mother, but in vain. He then sent an account of the matter to
Monymusk, and the lady in great trepidation demanded the return of her son;
but he, anxious for the safety of his new faith, declined, and the enraged
parent disowned him. ‘Alas!’ groans the archbishop ‘to what an extent will
bigotry drive us in matters of religion.’ The young count, who had now
reached the mature age of sixteen, put himself under the protection of his
new friends, and accompanied them on a pilgrimage to Loretto. Here he picked
an acquaintance with the capuchin fathers of St Francis, and particularly
with Ange Joyeuse, a noble Frenchman, who had exchanged rank and wealth for
the cord of St Francis. On the departure of his friends, he intimated his
intention of remaining at Rome to prepare for the conversion of his
miserable family: he expressed a desire to enter the fraternity of St
Francis, but was horrified to discover that certain bulls prohibited the
reception of newly converted heretics. The ingenuity of his friend, Ange,
attempted to relieve him from this dilemma. It was represented that there
was a rational distinction betwixt heretics in a catholic country, and the
children of Huguenots, who had no means of knowing the true faith. The
distinction, however, was not satisfactory to the general of the order, and
Lesley formed the bold design of bursting into the papal presence, amid
enforcing his request. When the youth lifted up his adoring eyes, to look at
the countenance of the vicegerent of God, the whole chamber beamed with a
dazzling light, more luminous than the sun, the brighter rays of light being
there accumulated to form a tiara for the majesty of the sacred head. A
phenomenon which we are confidentially assured by the biographer, always
attends the pontifical presence, although it is not often visible to the
naked eye. By the intervention of the pope, he was received into the order,
and became a capuchin, and assuming the ecclesiastical name of Archangel, he
preached with edification. Twenty years had elapsed since his departure from
Scotland, when his mother, hearing that he had disgraced his family by
joining a fraternity of beggars, at first (according to the charitable
presumption of the archbishop), wished to assassinate him, but preferred the
more humane alternative of sending her second son, the baron of Torry, to
convert him. It would be tedious to tell how the brothers met, and how the
reverse of what was expected took place, by the baron joining the true
faith, and both forming a project for the conversion of their mother, and
the other inhabitants of Scotland.
The baron was the first to
return to Scotland, and accident soon revealed the change in his faith; in
the mean time Lesley was chosen capuchin preacher at the court of Mary of
Medicis, queen regent of France, and on the institution of the college de
propaganda fide, by Gregory XV., he was appointed papal emissary to
Scotland, to procure the restoration of that lost land to the true faith, at
the same time accepting the additional situation of interpreter to the
Spanish ambassador in England. Lesley, or as his biographer at this period
commonly terms him, Archangel, wrote a letter to his mother, which with much
discretion he delivered himself. He was received with considerable cold
politeness, and entertained in the castle; where, however, he could not eat
his dinner in peace from being compelled to sit beside a heretic clergyman,
who pocketed 300 crowns annually for teaching the doctrines of damnation, to
whom, says his author, whenever he turned his eyes, he thought the banquet
assumed the aspect of a funeral meal. Archangel kept his secret about six
days, when a remark which he made connected with a change in the
establishment, proved him not to be a stranger, and he was compelled to make
himself known. The rejoicings at this event can scarcely be described in
words. The old lady received thousands of visits of congratulation,
the fame of the event reached even to Aberdeen (about twenty-five miles),
fires of rejoicing were lighted up on the castle of Monymusk, [The
castle of Monymusk is a neat old Flemish building, which would make a rather
diminutive modern mansion.] and the inhabitants of the town
[The hamlet of Monymusk contains about 50 inhabitants.]
discharged culverins and let off sky-rockets. He commenced a vigorous
discharge of the duties of his mission; he led the people to an adjoining
mountain, where he had not been preaching half a quarter of an hour, when
the people shuddered, changed colour, and knelt at his feet,—he converted
4000 to the true faith in eight months. He now naturally turned his eyes
towards the salvation of his mother, to which he was resolved to make his
way through the heretical priest. The reverend gentleman at first declined
any discussion, but he was at length compelled to come to issue. He was
asked what was the denomination of his peculiar faith, and with much
simplicitv answered, it was the church of Geneva. Archangel then asked if
the church of Geneva was ever mentioned in Scripture? this was a home thrust
to the minister, who had seen no more in Scripture about the church of
Geneva, than about the stipend of Monymusk. Like a prudent man, however, he
promised to produce what was wanted if he could get time; but after repeated
delays, having failed, Archangel triumphantly pointed to the epistle to the
Romans as a proof of the existence of his church; the heretic was dismissed
for incapability and error, and his mistress’s faith ceded to the victor.
The conversion of the mother was followed by that of the other members of
the family, and the whole establishment of the castle. A splendid chapel was
fitted up for the celebration of the rites of the Roman catholic church, and
the object of the mission made rapid progress for two years, at the end of
which period, one of king James’s edicts against Roman catholics compelled
Archangel to retire to England, and there prosecute his mission in secrecy,
having been compelled to leave his books and papers as a prey to the enemy.
His mother’s goods were confiscated, and she was reduced to the utmost
misery by protestant persecution. In these circumstances her son resolved to
visit her, and dressing himself as an itinerant vender of herbs, passed
through the streets of Monymusk, vociferating ‘Buy my greens’ he
obtained an interview with his mother, who was reduced to the necessity of
being compelled to purchase some of his commodity, and a scene ensued, which
our limits will not permit us to describe. Being interrupted in his visit by
the protestant ‘inquisitors,’ he was compelled to return to England, whence
he was summoned to Italy to attend the head of his order, on the ground of
some alleged malversation, the cause of which is not very lucidly explained.
The plague raged in Italy during his journey, and he for some time occupied
himself in attending the sick at Cremona. He was then appointed guardian of
the convent of Mount George in the diocese of Fermo. Here he became
acquainted with the archbishop who has so lucidly written his memoirs, and
through a mutual miracle a second mission to Britain was concocted between
them. Archangel set out accompanied by another Scottish capuchin called
Epiphanes; their vessel was overtaken by a violent storm, and after a few
amiable discussions about tossing overboard some useless hands, in order to
lighten her, she was wrecked, the two capuchins being miraculously saved,
along with some passengers, among whom were two English gentlemen whom
Archangel converted by the following comfortable argument: ‘We hold
that you cannot be saved, you admit that we may;
judge, then, which is the safest religion. [A favourite argument with Roman
catholics, to which Jeremy Taylor made a well known and unanswerable
answer.] He after this met a young: Scotsman, who gave him the pleasing
intelligence, that, notwithstanding the persecutions suffered by the true
faith in Scotland, one influential family in the neighbourhood of the
large town of Monymusk had been spared, the influence, of the king of
France having procured the restoration of their estates, and permission to
exercise their religion. This gentleman turned out to be his younger
brother, Edward, from whom he learned also the sad intelligence, that their
mother had fallen into a fever, and died, from the dread that her son had
been drowned in his voyage. After this, many adventures happened to
Archangel, among which, some too curious remarks made by him on the
fortifications of Newport caused his apprehension as a spy. His zeal not
decreasing, he wore out the patience of the monarch, and becoming again
amenable to the laws against papists, was commanded to quit the kingdom. On
his journey southward, he made many miraculous conversions, and particularly
on the persons of noblemen in the neighbourhood of the city of Torfecan (Torphichen.)
While near the borders of England, his exertions produced a fever, of which
he died, and a Jesuit in the neighbourhood performed over him the last
offices of charity. So terminate the adventures of Le Capuchin Ecossois, of
which we are sorry we are compelled to omit many choice portions. |
