THE LIFE OF Monsieur L'ARROQUE.  
IT is with very great displeasure that I insert in my first Essay of this nature, an elegy, which nevertheless will render it very acceptable; I had much rather have wanted so good a Subject of Recommendation to my first undertaking, than to have obtained it by suffering so great a loss: But seeing Death will not be subject unto our desires, let us acquit ourselves according to the various conjunctures, whether they be pleasing of not.  
Monsieur L'ARROQUE departed this Life at Roven, the 31 of January 1684, Aged 65 years, born at Lairac, a Town not far from again in given, his Father and Mother dying almost at the same time, left him very young, under the Conduct of his Relations, and which is the common Fate of Scholars, without much Wealth; but his great love for Learning comforted him in the midst of all his Troubles: Having made some progress therein under several Masters, he advanced the same considerably in the Academy of Montauban, and having applied himself unto the study of Divinity under Messieurs Charles, and Garrisoles, eminent Professors, who also had at the same time the famous Monsieur Claud to be their Pupil, in a short time he there made so great a progress in his studies, that he was judged worthy of the Ministry: He was accordingly admitted betimes, and by the Synod of guienne, sent unto a little Church, called Poujols: He had scarce been there one year, but the Gentlemen of the Church of Rome opposed his Ministry, which obliged him to make a Journey to Paris: He there became acquainted with Messieurs Le Faucheur, and Mestrezat; who from that very time prophesi'd very advantageously of him. He preached at Charanton with great Success, and was so well approved by the late lady duchess of Tremouile, that she desired he might be settled at the Church of Vitry in Britany, where she commonly made her residence. For several reasons he consented unto the demands of this Princess, and went to Vitry, where he lived 26 years, so confined unto his Closet, that he therein spent 14 or 15 hours each day.  
The world soon became sensible of his great industry, by a Treatise which Monsieur L'ARROQUE published against a Minister, who having changed his Religion, caused to be Printed the motives which induced him thereunto. By this Answer it was seen the Author had already attained great knowledge in Antiquity, joined with a very solid and clear way of reasoning, which was ever the character of the late Monsieur L'ARROQUES Genius. Some years after, scil. in the year 1665, he made a very learned Answer unto the Book of the Office of the holy Sacrament, written by the gentlemen of Port Royal, wherein he shewed unto those Illustrious Friars, that they had alleged and translated the passages of ancient Fathers, either very negligently, or very falsely. His History of the EUCHARIST( which may well be termed his Master-piece) appeared four years after, and did fully manifest the merits of this Excellent Person. Having composed so many learned volumes, the Protestants of Paris, looked upon him as a Subject very worthy of their choice, and resolved to establish him in the midst of them; this honest design had been accomplished, had not his credit, and adhering unto the Interests of two Illustrious Persons, whose names are sufficiently known, incited some envious 
* Busy Jesuits.  Persons to prepossess the King with prejudice against him. By this means they obtained an Injunction of not proceeding to this nomination. The marquis de Ruvigny appeared at Court in this affair, and engaged himself unto the King for Monsiuer L'ARROQUES Zeal and Fidelity in his Majesties Service. The King( who is naturally inclined to goodness) thereupon answered the marquis de Ruvigny the Deputy General, that some went about to give him other impressions of Monsieur L'ARROQUE, but seeing he would be Caution for the party accused, he would permit this Minister to Exercise his profession in any other place, excepting Paris.  
A business of this moment made as great noise as could be imagined, but did not prejudice Monsieur L'ARROQUE, as much as his Enemies could have wished; for soon after he was sought unto by several considerable Churches, but he accepted of none, but the proposal which was made unto him by that of Saumur. The Church and the Academy were then vacant, both of a Minister and of a Professor in Divinity; he was offered both, but whether it was through modesty, or that he desired not to vary from his former kind of Study, much different from that to be performed by a Professor in Divinity, he only accepted the former. As he was preparing to enter upon it, the Intendant of the Province appeared against it, for what reason is not known. The Consistory of the Church of Saumur used such Arguments to remove this Opposition, that in fine it was removed. Nevertheless Monsieur L'ARROQUE thought it not convenient to accept the offer, being so advised by Monsieur Conrart, for whom he had a singular kindness, who represented unto him, that the Intendant would always bear him a grudge, and that therefore it would not be safe to be under his power.  
The Counsel of this incomparable Friend induced Monsieur L'ARROQUE to incline unto other offers, made unto him at that time from divers places. The Church of Montauban, that of Bourdeaux, and that of Roven desired to have him for their Minister; he preferred the latter before the two others, by the advice of Friends, he accordingly went to Roven, there to Exercise his Ministry, and there 'twas that improving the rare Talents that God had endowed him with, he laboured until his Death in the conversion of Souls, and in explaining the holy Scriptures with indefatigable diligence and Industry. Roven was a place very convenient for such a person, for 'tis a City abounding with great wits, and well furnished with good Libraries: He there acquired a great reputation amongst the learned Men, even of the Contrary party; And the Illustrious Monsieur Bigot, at whose House they Assemble once a week, and entertain curious and learned discourse, was very well pleased to have Monsieur L'ARROQUE of the number, who also went unto their Assembly, where his profound knowledge in Ecclesiastical History, was much admired and esteemed by them all.  
A little after his coming to Roven, Monsieur David, so well known amongst the learned for his great Literature, and by his contests with Messieurs de Marca, Justel, and de Launay, carped at him about one of the two Latin Dissertations which he published in the year 1670. and dedicated unto Monsieur d' Amproux, councillor in the Parliament of Paris, whose Wit, Probity and Learning are esteemed by all who know him. Monsieur L'ARROQUE had refuted the Opinion of Father Petau, touching the time of the Birth and Condemnation of the History of Photin. His Reasons appeared very solid unto a great many, but Monsieur David, who other ways was well satisfied Father Petau's Epoch was wrong, fancied that Monsieur L'ARROQUE had not sufficiently refuted it, therefore took occasion to writ against him, which was the cause of Monsieur L'ARROQUES reply, which he dedicated unto Monsieur Conrart, an intimate Friend to them both.  
Since which time this learned Minister hath published divers excellent Treatises on several Subjects. He wrote one, entitled, Considerations upon the Nature of the Church; Another much larger, wherein he shows the conformity of the Discipline of the Protestants of France, with that of the Primitive Church. Another in Latin, in defence of the Sentiments of Monsieur Daille touching St ▪ Ignatius his Letters, and the Apostolical Constitutions, against Messieurs Pearson, and Beverige, two famous English Doctors. They have writ a second time in defence of their Opinion, and he had designed a Reply, as hath been seen by a Manuscript Copy found near finished amongst his Papers, but at the request of some persons favouring Episcopacy, he did not finish his Answer. The last work he published is an Answer unto a Treatise of the Bishop of Meaux, of the Communion under both kinds; although his name was not to it, yet it was judged to be his; it was known by the manner in which it was written, clear, free from digressions and superfluous Ornaments, and full of solid remarks drawn from the profoundest Antiquity.  
But how great an Idea soever the printed Works of the late Monsieur L'ARROQUE gives us of the greatness and Exactness of his Wisdom, it may be termed but small, in comparison of what would have been seen if God had been pleased to have spared him to finish what he had begun; he being esteemed one of the fittest men of France to compose an Ecclesiastical History, all his Friends entreated him to set about it, and accordingly he laboured effectually therein with all diligence; He intended to have published one Volume every year, and to have joined thereunto sundry dissertations, which would equally have demonstrated his sincerity and his learning; He had carried on his work but unto the middle of the fourth Century, which is the only thing the public will not lose of so vast and rich a Structure. There was also found amongst his Papers a very exact Treatise of the regal, wherein he proves, that the Kings of France since Clovis, had this Right over all the Cathedral Churches in their Kingdom. This with some other small Tracts, which this Illustrious person had finished before his Death, may make a complete Volume; Monsieur L'ARROQUE the worthy Son of such a Father, will be careful of communicating them unto the World.  
But he confines not himself only thereunto, he promiseth also an Exact Collection of all the Dissertations which he hath found in the History of the first 350 years of the Church, and he intends to publish them in Latin, for the benefit of Strangers. Every body will be glad to hear this News, especially if we add somewhat touching the particulars of this Collection. Therefore I now give notice that therein will be seen, Dissertations 1. Upon the thundering Legion, where shall be shown, that what hath been said of it, is very uncertain. 2. Upon the original of shaving of Priests. 3. De Orariis. 4. Of the manner that the Clergy saluted the People, which shall serve to explain this passage of St. Cyprian, in regard of Aurelius, whom he designed to ordain Reader, Dominico interim legit nobis, id est, auspicatus est pacem, dicit, dedicat lectionem, which Mr Rigaut did not understand, no more than Mr Lombert, who followed the Sentiment of Mr Rigaut, in the fair and exact Translation, which he hath given us of this Father. 5. Upon the Letter of the Council of Antioch, which condemned Paul of Samosatia. 6. Upon the Tenth persecution, which shall be found more exactly described than in all the former Histories, because Monsieur L'ARROQUE hath borrowed great helps from Lactantius his Treatise de Mortibus Persecutorum, published of late by Mr Baluze. 7. De Sacerdotibus secundi Ordinis, & Archidiaconis. 8. De Ordinibus ex quibus Episcopi sumebantur. 9. De Epistolis Tractoriis. 10. De Natura veteris Ecclesiae. 11. De Energumenis, &c.— 12. De Paenitentibus eorumque gradibus. 13. De Antiquo ritu dimittendi ab Ecclesia, Catechumenos, Energumenos, & paenitentes. 14. De dupliti Catechumenorum genere. 15. De tempore quo obtinere caepit in Ecclesia orientali haec loquendi formula, EPISCOPUS DEI GRATIA, ET seeds APOSTOLIC AE. 16. De pluralitate beneficiorum, ut vulgo loquuntur. 17. De Nudipedalibus. As he from whom we expect these pieces of Ecclesiastical History, is endowed with much wit and learning, it needs not be feared that they will in his hands lose any thing of their lustre and beauty.  
All we have hitherto said, refers unto the Wisdom of Monsieur L'ARROQUE, which indeed is a very vast and spacious Field; but should we speak of the qualities of his Soul, we should have much more matter to insist on. He had a Soul so sincere as is scarcely to be found in this Age; he without envy beholded the merits of other learned persons, and esteemed their good qualities; he was a great and strict observer of Discipline, and contented not himself to declaim in the Pulpit against 'vice in general, but persecuted it in all places, running the hazard of creating himself Enemies, by the security of his life; he preached by example and discovered a true Christian Constancy in all the troubles of his life; he discharged his Duty with so much exactness, that he would never discontinue performing his Function during an Ague which held him ten Months, after his being called to Saumur; I say he would neither discontinue the Duties of his Ministry, nor those of his studies, although the Physitians  told him, that a distemper which often had fits of 36 hours would not be removed, if he did not give himself some repose. The Troubles of the Churches of France these last years, were incomparably more grievous unto him, than any particular Afflictions unto his own Family could have been, and should these Misfortunes continue, what Cicero said of another, may be said of him; Ii rempublicam casus sequuti sunt, ut mihi non erepta L. Crasso a Diis immortalibus vita, said donata mors esse videatur.