Saint VINCENT DE PAUL (1581–1660), priest, founder of the Congregation of the Mission and the Daughters of Charity, general chaplain of the galleys. L.S. “Vincent de Paul i p d l M” [unworthy priest of the Congregation of the Mission], Paris, June 3, 1660, to Brother Jean Parre of the Congregation of the Mission, at the home of Rev. Father Philipon, parish priest in Amiens; letter dictated to his secretary Bertrand Ducournau (1614–1686); 3 pages, 8vo, address with seal under the paper “Cong. Missionis Sup. Generalis”; engraved portrait enclosed. Concerning the church at Lehaucourt, a major center of Protestantism in Picardy. He will send the Brother some vestments “by the first coach leaving for Amiens.” He has received a petition from Saint-Quentin “submitted by Bishop de Noyon [Henri de Baradat] to prevent the construction of the pulpit in the village of Lehaucourt, and he obtained an injunction from the local judge against the Huguenots, prohibiting them from continuing their construction, so that we may prevent, here at Parliament and in the Privy Council, the said Huguenots from having this injunction lifted—a matter to which the Ladies have resolved to devote their efforts. Moreover, since the church in the said village of Lehaucourt is poor and desolate, and since it is a disgrace for Catholics to leave it in this state while the heretics are spending lavishly on their nearby place of worship. The Ladies ask you to provide this poor church with the finest ornaments you can”… He then requests a breakdown of the expenses incurred with Mademoiselle Viole’s money and urges Parre to take care of his health… In a postscript, he adds an account of the sum remaining at Parre’s disposal, after setting aside funds to assist “the poor priests who serve ruined parishes”… Former collection of Maurizio Seyssel of Aix. The letter appears to be unpublished.