Marie Maillard became Marie Briel aka Mary Maillard (25 September 1680 – 23 November 1731) was a French born

huguenot The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a religious group of French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, the Genevan burgomaster Be ...

who was the reported beneficiary of miraculous healing in London.

Life

Maillard was born in

Cognac Cognac ( , also , ) is a variety of brandy named after the Communes of France, commune of Cognac, France. It is produced in the surrounding wine-growing region in the Departments of France, departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime. Cog ...

Saintonge Saintonge may refer to: *County of Saintonge, a historical province of France on the Atlantic coast *Saintonge (region), a region of France corresponding to the historical province Places *Saint-Genis-de-Saintonge, a commune in the Charente-Mari ...

, France. Her parents, John Maillard and Charlotte du Dognon, were

Huguenot The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a religious group of French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, the Genevan burgomaster Be ...

s. She was said to be lame from birth. When she was about nine, her family moved to the Huguenot area of London to escape persecution in France. When she was thirteen, she was living with another refugee girl named Renée de Laulan. On 26 November 1693, it was a Sunday, and Maillard was reading the Bible when she found that she was no longer lame. Reports of her cure attracted attention. She was called to see the Lord Mayor, and Queen Mary sent four surgeons to examine the case. In addition, the Bishops of London, Worcester, and Salisbury, took an interest. Some saw this miracle as a divine sign. The physician

James Wellwood James Joseph Wellwood (15 October 1892 – 25 October 1984) was an Australian flying ace of the First World War credited with seven aerial victories. After the war, he went on to a long career as an agriculturalist. Early life James Joseph Wel ...

wrote a letter to Elizabeth Ashurst, who was the lady mayoress, concerning her case, and it was published in London in 1694. Jane Shaw notes that Wellwood took an indecisive approach. This was an enlightened time, and the illogical existence of miracles raised questions. Wellwood noted that the atheists and enthusiasts could decide their approach easily, but he found it difficult to take a side on this happening that was "above the road of nature". Over the next couple of years, there were other remarkable cures reported of young girls, and each case involved reading the Bible which was published. Maillard went on to marry the Reverend Henry Briel, who was a Huguenot minister. In 1730, the accounts of her cure were reprinted, and this time Maillard gave her own account, and her permission was given for the publication under the title ''An exact relation of the wonderful cure of Mary Maillard''. Maillard lived and died in

Bishopsgate Bishopsgate was one of the eastern gates in London's former defensive wall. The gate gave its name to the Bishopsgate Ward of the City of London. The ward is traditionally divided into ''Bishopsgate Within'', inside the line wall, and ''Bishop ...

in 1731. Over fifty years later, the case continued to attract interest. In 1787, Wellwood's letter and other accounts summarising the case were republished.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maillard, Marie 1680 births 1731 deaths People from London