View source for Treytorrens, Nicolas Samuel de (18th century)

 Nicolas Samuel de Treytorrens, of an outstanding French Swiss family, living in the early 18th century at Eudresin near [[Neuchâtel (Switzerland)|Neuchâtel]], [[Switzerland|Switzerland]], was active in behalf of the oppressed Bernese Mennonites, particularly those who had been deported to serve on the Sicilian [[Galleys|galleys]]. The Amsterdam Mennonite archives contain two letters sent by him to the [[Fonds voor Buitenlandsche Nooden (Dutch Relief Fund for Foreign Needs) |Dutch Mennonite Committee of Foreign Needs]] at Amsterdam, the first one undated, the other dated 15 November 1715, and also copies of some of his letters to the preacher [[Goyen, Gossen (1667-1737)|Goossen Goyen]] at [[Krefeld (Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany)|Krefeld]] and to Colonel Hackbrett at [[Bern (Switzerland)|Bern]], giving information on his efforts to liberate the Mennonite prisoners who were at Palermo, Sicily. He succeeded in having them released and even made a trip to Nice in France to gather these galley slaves. He joyfully paid the considerable expense of their return to Switzerland.

With the Bernese authorities he was at first on good terms and they assisted him in this undertaking by sending letters to the King of Sicily; but in early November 1715, when de Treytorrens visited some 40 Mennonites in prison at Bern and pleaded with the Bernese officials for their release, he was himself arrested, and after a few days released upon paying of a considerable fine. Charged with heresy, he was banished forever from the territory of Bern.


= Bibliography =
 Hoop Scheffer, Jacob Gijsbert de. <em>Inventaris der Archiefstukken berustende bij de Vereenigde Doopsgezinde Gemeente to Amsterdam</em>. 2 v. Amsterdam: Uitgegeven en ten geschenke aangeboden door den Kerkeraad dier Gemeente, 1883-1884: v. I, Nos. 1375-84.

Müller, Ernst. <em>Geschichte der Bernischen Täufer</em>. Frauenfeld: Huber, 1895. Reprinted Nieuwkoop : B. de Graaf, 1972: 228 ff.


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