of one and twenty years, but if he come to die before the said age, I ordain in such case that his brothers, Elias and Peter, and his sisters, Elizabeth and Jane surviving — or in case of their decease, their children or child, if they leave any — shall inherit the portion of £300 sterling, of their said brother or uncle John, deceased, by equal parts, the children or child left after the decease of their father and mother representing their father and mother deceased. And I ordain and constitute my very dear and well-beloved wife, Elizabeth, executrix of this my testament, ordering that she give to the stock of my regular Walloon Church of Canterbury, £7 sterling. And further, I ordain that my said executrix distribute £3 sterling to some poor of my said church, who are regular and not schismatics, such as she shall think fitting, and by such portions as she shall find convenient. And I ordain that she distribute 40s. in the same sort to the poor of our parish, therein comprising the poor of the hospital upon the bridge. And as touching the rest of my goods, moveable and immoveable, actions, and estate personal, I give to my most beloved wife, Elizabeth, to enjoy and dispose thereof according as God shall direct her, continuing her ordinary care of our children, recommending her and them, and all the Churches of God to the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, true God, with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, particularly against all sorts of heresies and schisms which Satan hath raised and raiseth, against which I most instantly recommend unto them to watch, and always to guard themselves therefrom.
The witnesses to his signature, &c, were Stephen Du Thoit and John Oudart.
With regard to his eldest son, Elie (named after his grandfather, Elie Maurois), he was born in the end of 1617 or beginning of 1618. He was admitted to the ministry of the French Church in London, and was during the Commonwealth a pasteur along with Messieurs Christofle Cisner and Jean Baptiste Stouppe. His father left him his theological books, and also the MS. of the Method of Good Preaching. The heading of the first page of the imprint (already mentioned) is, “The method or skill of good preaching, being the advice of a French minister to his son when he was entering on the ministry, translated out of the French by a near relation — the father and son were preachers of the Word in the French and Walloon Reformed Churches, and both are long since dead” (1701).
The father’s widow, Mrs Delmé, made her will in 1665, and the young pasteur had died before that date. She had joined her son, Peter, in London. The pious preamble of her will was an exact copy of her husband’s, except as to her funeral, where she speaks of the grave “in which I ordaine it [my body] to be deposed with decencie and all Christian modestie.” Her bequests were as follow:—
“I will and bequeath unto my sonne, Peter Delmé, my largest silver boule with its cover, being both guilte, and to his wife, a holland cupboard-cloth, laced with a nett lace. Item, unto my said sonne, Peter, and my sonne John Delmé, I will and bequeath all my bookes. Item, unto my said sonne John, I will and bequeath myne owne portrature or picture of my selfe, and to his wife a lawne cupboard-cloth, laced before with a needle-lace. Item, I will and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth, widow late of Mr Samuel Dubois, my sable muffe. Item, unto my daughter Jane, the wife of Mr John Crowe, I will and bequeath a peece of tapestrie-covering. Item, unto my grandchildren, which shall be liveing att the tyme of my decease, I will and bequeath fourtie shillings a peece. Item, I will and bequeath unto the Deacons of the Walloone congregation of the Cittie of Canterbury, of which my late husband was Minister, for the use of the poore of the said congregation, the sume of ten pounds sterling. Item, I will and bequeath unto the poore of the Parish of All-hallowes in Canterbury (being the parish of my birth), including the poore of the hospitall in that Parish, on the Bridge, two pounds sterling. Item, I will and bequeath unto such of the poore of the French Church of London as my executors shall thinke fitt, five pounds sterling. Item, I will and bequeath unto my neece, Anne Ferbu, wife of John Ferbu, fower pounds sterling, to buy her cloathes, or other things of which she shall stand in need. Item, I will and bequeath unto the children of my deceased nephew, David Desquire of Norwitch, to witt, David, Susan, Anne, and Elizabeth, to each twentie shillings. Item, I give and bequeath all the rest of my goods and chattells and all my Estate, personall and reall, whatsoever and wheresoever, to my most deare children, to witt, Peter Delmé, John Delmé, Elizabeth, late widowe of Samuel Dubois, and Jane, the wife of John Crow, minister, to be equallie devided amongst them fower. And I do appointe and ordaine my two sonnes, Peter Delmé and John Delmé, to be the Executors of this my last Will and Testament — recommending them, the rest of my children, with all the churches of God, to His Almightie Grace, by and for the love of Jesus Christ, my only Saviour and Redeemer, true God, with His Father in the Unity of the Holy Spiritt.
“This done and ordained in London upon the thirteen day of July, in the yeare of our Lord, one thousand six hundred sixty and five. In witnesse whereof, I have hereunto sett my hand and seall. Elizabeth Delmé. Signed, sealed, published, and declared and delivered by the said Elizabeth Delmé, the testator, as and for her last Will and Testament in the presence of Peter Ducane. John Crow.”
At the above date (13th July 1665) she described herself as “being in indifferent good bodily health, in perfect understanding and good memorie.” She seems to
