Page:Protestant Exiles from France Agnew vol 1.djvu/77

Kindt. Witnesses, Thomas de Wachter, Josua Mainer, Daniel Le Blancq, notary public.

From the Norwich registry I have a translation of the will of Adrien de Le me, aged 54, 28th September 1603:—

Our help standeth in the name of God who hath made heaven and earth. Amen. This xxviii. day of September 1603, I, Adrien de Le me, son of Michiel deceased, born at Nomayn, feeling myself sick of body, notwithstanding well disposed of mind, being of 54 years of age, do make my Testament in manner as followeth.

I give thanks unto my God for the good he hath bestowed on me in this life, and especially for that it hath pleased him to call me to the knowledge and participation of his Son our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom I am assured of my salvation.

Concerning that small portion of worldly goods which it hath pleased him to give me, I will have it to be disposed (God having taken me from this world) in manner as followeth:— All my debts being duly paid, I do give unto the poor of the French Church in Norwich, £2 sterling. Item, I give to the same church £1 sterling. Item, I give to Philippe and Nathanael, both my youngest children — to each of them £30 sterling. And unto Pierre and Jacques, and Annis, my daughter, to every one of them £20 sterling. And I give to Marie, my daughter, the wife of Jacques Le Greyn, £10 sterling. And if my wife Marguerite should die of this sickness by which she is kept under at this present time, I will that my two youngest children, Philippe and Nathanael, (instead of each £30) shall have, I say, each £50 sterling— also in like manner my three children, Pierre, Jacques, and Annis, shall have, I say, £100 amongst them three — and my daughter Marie, wife of Jacques Le Greyn, instead of £10, shall have £20 sterling. Moreover (if my wife shall die of this sickness by the which she is at this present taken), I do give unto my daughter Annis, I say, our best bed whereon I and my wife do lie, with two pillows, two pair of sheets, both the coverings, the bedstead, and the curtains. Item, I give absolutely to my son Pierre, my best cloak, hose, and doublet of grogryn, and my best hat. And to my son Jacques I likewise give my cloak the best after the other, one pair of breeches and jerkin of cloth, one wash doublet, and one hat lined with velvet. And also likewise I give to Philippe my son, my great Bible, the Decades of Mr Henry Bullinger, and the Institutions of Mr Calvin. If one or more of my children should die before Marguerite my wife, their mother, I will that the one half or moiety of the part or portion of the deceased shall return to Marguerite my wife, and the other moiety shall be equally divided amongst the rest of my children. The rest of the goods, which shall be found after my decease to me appertaining, shall be equally divided amongst the aforesaid. And I, the Testator, do ordain for executors of this my Testament, Jean Bodar, Everart Farvaque, and Jacques Le Greyn. And it is my Will that this my Testament shall be duly kept and executed by the aforesaid. In witness of truth I have subscribed this with my own hand in presence of Jacques Le Greyn,^[1] Jean Bodar, and Everart Farvaque, and Francois Desmarets, sworn clerk.

Proved in the Consistory Court of Norwich, on the 9th day of December 1603, by the oaths of the executors within named.

Note.

The will of the above humble and pious testator is deposited at Norwich. I add here a copy of the will of one of his grandsons, deposited in London:—

1686, July 9th.

In the Name of God, Amen. I, Peter Delmé, merchant, citizen of London, and free of the Company of Dyers in the same city, being (God be praised) in an indifferent state of health of body, and of sound and perfect memory and understanding, yet knowing the uncertainty of the state of this present life, and of my aboad in the world, Doe make this my last will and testaments as followes:— Imprimis I committ my soule into the hands of Allmighty God that gave it, beseeching him for the sake of my deare Lord and only Saviour Jesus Christ, to pardon and forgive me all my manifold sinns and transgretions, being heartily sorrowfull and penitent for the same. And that Hee would by His most holy and blessed Spirite sanctify me throughout that I may appeare blamelesse at His comeing. My body I committ to the earth from whence I came, where I order it to be decently interred, in the full beleife and hope of a blessed resurrection at the last day, unto eternall life through Jesus Christ my Lord. And for my temporall goods and estate which it hath pleased God to bestow liberally upon me — after all my just debts, and whatsoever is due by me be fully paid, which I order and desire be speedily and fully paid after my decease, and my funerall

1. The testator's son-in-law; the name is spelt Le Grin in the Canterbury French register. On 28th June 1568, John Le Grain, of Arras, was a Protestant martyr, beheaded at Brussels. Our Norwich friend, I am informed, appears in 1600 in the Norwich French Register as Jacques le Grain.