Protestant Exiles from France/Book First - Chapter 5 - Section II
II. Alexandre and Des Gallars.
Pierre Alexandre was one of the foreign pastors, hospitably entertained by Archbishop Cranmer. His comrades were more eminent men, namely, Paul Buchlein, alias Fagius (born 1504, died 1550), Martin Bucer (born 1491, died 1551), and Peter Martyr Vermiglio (born 1500, died 1562). Mr. Alexandre first visited Cranmer in 1547, and remained in England as minister of Allhallows, Lombard Street, London, and on 14th April 1551 he was installed Canon of the eighth prebend of Canterbury. He was deprived on the accession of Mary, but on her death he returned and was re-instated in his canonry. He set himself to collect the scattered French Church of Threadneedle Street, and it was represented that having been provided with a prebend he would serve without salary. Application, however, had been made to the great Calvin to send a pastor from Geneva; and, when Mr. Des Gallars arrived, it was still undecided whether Alexandre should be admitted as his colleague. He seems to have been so recognised for a brief period, in 1560, with a nominal salary of twenty merks. The only effect appears to have been great and growing dissension in the congregation. VVhether Alexandre died at his post in London I cannot discover. He disappears from the scene and from the canonry of Canterbury in 1561. He is sometimes called “Minister of Aries,” and the new edition of Haag notes a conjecture that he was there about 1560.
Roset’s MS. Chronicle, preserved at Geneva, narrates (vol. vi. p. 58) what follows:— “After the decease of Queen Mary of England, and the accession of Elizabeth, her sister, persecutions ceased there, and there was some liberty for Christians. The [French] Church of London sought a minister from Geneva, to repair their but lately ruined condition, and obtained Nicolas des Gallars. At that time the English departed from Geneva, having taken their humble leave of the seigneurie, 30th May 1560, and having presented a book containing their own and their children’s names, to be preserved as a testimony of their debt to the town of Geneva. Some of them had acquired the rights of burgesses, and all had conducted themselves honestly. The Scotch also betook themselves to their own country, where also the Gospel began to flourish.”
Des Gallars reported his arrival in a letter to Calvin, dated London, 30th June 1560, and from that letter I compile a narrative. The elders of the French Church, some of whom were not favourable to his appointment, accompanied him to the Bishop of London (Grindal). The bishop exhorted the elders that, having now obtained more than they had dared to hope for, they should not be ungrateful to God and to Mr. Calvin; that henceforth they should be ruled by Mr. Des Gallars’ recommendations, and should act by his advice in all circumstances; that they should be heartily friendly to him, and admonish the whole church of their duty to him. The bishop assured Des Gallars that he might regard him and his as wholly at his service, and might come and see him at any time. The pasteur in reply requested his lordship to assume authority over the congregation in order to keep them to their duty, and especially to preside on the occasion of Mr. Calvin’s letter being read to the assembled people. The bishop promised to be present, but resigned all authority into the hands of the pasteur. He then spoke to Des Gallars of admitting Pierre Alexandre as his colleague, who had already begun to collect a church, and was acceptable to the people; all the more, because, enjoying a prebend of Canterbury, he would ask no salary, and would be no burden on a congregation that was at present both small and poor. Des Gallars said that that was a matter which required deliberation and further consultation with his lordship.
It appears from the books of his church that his full designation was Nicolas des Gallars, Sieur de Saules. He succeeded in uniting the congregation, and also was engaged in completing a Book of Discipline for all the French refugee churches. His health was so much impaired by our English climate, that he quitted our shores in the summer of 1563. Bishop Grindal gave him a letter to Calvin, dated June 19, thanking him for Des Gallars’ services, and stating that he had left to his successor, Mr. Cousin, a quiet and well-ordered congregation which he had found in a most disturbed condition. The climate of England had greatly injured his health, having bereaved him of a beloved wife and of children. Another winter in London might have been fatal to him.
Des Gallars became minister of Orleans in 1564. He published an edition of Irenaeus in 1570 at Geneva.