Page:Protestant Exiles from France Agnew vol 1.djvu/122



There seems to have been a large influx of refugees into England at this time, which taxed the resources of the French churches there beyond their powers. The Edinburgh Town Council agreed to help them through a public collection:—

Very little additional information is given in the Books of the Commissariot of Edinburgh. The Commissary, Mr. John Preston, on 1st June 1591, confirmed “Stevin Peiris,” Frenchman, in the Canongate, as executor, being the nearest kinsman of Peir [Pierre?] Dolerance, Frenchman, servitour to my Lord Seytoun, who had died intestate on 21st May, having in his possession forty pounds Scots.

We find also “The Inventar of y$e$ guids, geir, sowmes of money, and debtis perteining to umq$ll$ Nicolas Inglis frenchman m$r$ of ye]] frenche schole in Ed$r$ the tyme of his deceis Quha deceist upon y$e$ tent day of August y$e$ zeir of God 1611 yeris ffaithfullie maid and geven up be Mary Preset his relict spous and only exec$x$ in lyfe nominat be y$e$ defunct in his l$r$ Will underwrytine as y$e$ samin of y$e$ twelff day of May y$e$ zeir of God foresaid.”

This inventory was laid before Mr. John Arthur, Commissary of Edinburgh, on 23d July 1614. The reason why the widow is described as the only executrix in life is, that a daughter Marie Inglis, whom her father had made joint-executrix, had died in the interval between 1611 and 1614. The inventory detailed 1 silver piece and 4 silver spoons, weighing in all 11 oz., value £3 per oz. — £33; library, value £20; ready gold and purse-pennies, value 20 merks; 2 little gold rings, “price of baith, ten merkis;” utensils, domicils, and abulzements of his body, value 200 merks. Due by Thomas Foulis, £2154. Due by Bartilmo Kello, £480. Total of inventory and debts, £2840, 6s. 8d. Scots money. [Apparently the debtors had paid the annual interest regularly, as the debts represent what they owed to the testator.]

The following was Nicolas Langlois’, alias Nicholas Inglis’, will:—

Au nom de Dieu. — Je Nicolas Langlois, Francois, Maistre de L’ecole francoise en ceste ville de Lislebourg, me sentant sain d’entendement et malade de corps Jay bien vouleu ordonner mon testament et dernier volunte comme sensuit Je Recommende et laisse à Dieu nion ame Et quant au corps Je desire que apres mon decez il soit enseveli à la facon accomtumée en attendant le jour de la Resurrection bien heureuse. J’ordonne ma femme Marie Presot et ma fille Marie Langlois elles deux mes seules execeteures et entremeteures avec mes biens quelconques. En Tesmoinge de ce Jay signé ce present testament et ma dernière volunté de ma main Le douzieme de may M D C sixcentes onze En presence de Henry