Page:Protestant Exiles from France Agnew vol 2.djvu/348

  I leave to each of my five children only ten pounds for their mourning, and I give to my wife the remainder of my estate, after my debts, funeral expenses, and legacies paid; and I name her for my executrix and administratrix. I exhort my wife and my children to live in the fear of God, and to keep up the good union and understanding wherein they have lived till now, which is the sure and only way to bring down the blessing of heaven. This is my last will, &c, &c.

“.”

Witnesses — Sam. Woodcok; J. Le Clerc De Virly; R. De Boyville.

With regard to his children, his will gives their number as five; two must have been born after 1688, one of whom probably was Gilbert Allix (perhaps named after Bishop Burnet), a London merchant, who married on 10th September 1723, in the French Church of St. Martin-Orgars, Jeanne Champion de Crespigny, and whose will was proved on 3rd July 1767. I have found the registration of Dr. Allix’s daughter Marie, born 7th August 1692, baptized on 6th September in Swallow Street French Church, in the presence of her aunt Mary Allix and of Madame Marie Burnet, nee Scott, Bishop Burnet’s wife. (Gilbert and Mary, added to the “three” in the preamble of the will, give the total required.) The father and mother, with their sons, John, Peter, and James, were naturalised on 5th January 1688. These have been spoken of as “three sons,” but the will calls Peter “my eldest son,” and the editor of Evelyn names him “John-Peter.” This son, known as the Rev. Peter Allix, became minister of Castle-Camps in Cambridgeshire. He was publicly created Doctor of Divinity on the occasion of the king’s visit to Cambridge, on 6th October 1718, and on the 23rd January 1722 he became a chaplain in ordinary to His Majesty. On the 25th April 1729 he was made Dean of the Cathedral Church of Gloucester, vacant by the resignation of Dr. John Frankland, and by the death of the same reverend doctor, the Deanery of Ely becoming vacant, Dr. Peter Allix became Dean of Ely on the 26th October 1730. Dean Allix died in 1758, and was buried in his church of Castle-Camps. His wife was Elizabeth, niece and co-heir of Admiral Sir Charles Wager, Treasurer of the Navy, and First Lord of the Admiralty. From Dean Allix descend the families of Allix of Willoughby Hall, and Allix of Swaffham.  

The Rev. Israel Antoine Aufrère was a great-great-grandson and the senior representative of Pierre Aufrère, Procureur du Roi au siège-royal a Paris (i.e., one of the highest law-officers of the crown of France), about the beginning of the sixteenth century. This Pierre, according to tradition, was son of the celebrated author on French law, both civil and ecclesiastical, Etienne Aufrère, President of the Parliament of Tolouse. Pierre Aufrère bought the castle and estate of Corville in Normandy, and by his wife, Claire Macetier, was the father of Antoine Aufrère, Marquis de Corville, and Procureur du Roi. In 1622 the Marquis married Catherine Le Clerc, and was the father of another Antoine, who in his turn (in 1622) married Marie Prêvot, and was the father of the third Antoine Aufrère, Procureur du Roi, the first refugee, and father of the refugee minister.

Antoine (the third) was a zealous and intelligent Protestant. On the 11th November 1644 he married Antoinette Gervaise. His high position in Paris enabled him soon to see that the Protestants were doomed, and to foresee that exile in foreign lands would be their lot. His business talents were useful to him in effecting from time to time the sale of all the property that he could prudently bring into the market, and remitting the proceeds to Holland; it is said that altogether he realised £9000 sterling. He and his family made their escape to Holland soon after the Revocation, in circumstances of the greatest peril. His family consisted