of the Duke of Guise, but which now raised a cry in favour of Charles, Cardinal of Bourbon, the next heir after the Royal Navarre heretic. On 7th July 1585, Henri III. made a treaty with the League, in which he bound himself to extirpate the Reformed Religion, and which resulted in a declaration of war against the Huguenots. And this civil war was desolating France in 1586.
In 1586 King James gave his royal licence to French Protestants and their ministers to live in Scotland; and the General Assembly of the Scottish Church of that year instructed Andrew Melville to write a letter in their name, assuring the refugees that every effort would be made to render their situation agreeable. One of the first who came over was Joachim Du Moulin, Pasteur of Orleans. The Town Council of Edinburgh voted stipends to the ministers of the refugees (11th May 1586), and allowed them to meet for public worship in the common hall of the College. A general collection was made throughout the parish churches in 1587. Dr. Lorimer[1] gives an interesting extract, from the Minute Book of the General Kirk-Session of Glasgow, May 23, 1588, “the which day the session ordains Mr. Patrick Sharp, Principal of the College of Glasgow, and Mr. John Cowper, one of the ministers there, to go to the [Town] Council on Saturday next, and to propound to them the necessities of the poor brethren of France banished to England for religion’s cause, and to crave of them their support to the said poor brethren.” The Presbytery of Haddington took a special interest in Monsieur Du Moulin himself, on October 18, 1589, when they had before them “the warrant from the Synodal for the ingadering of the support to Mr. Mwling banest out of France.”
I compiled the above paragraph for my previous edition, and out of reverence to history and historians I do not alter it. But according to my information, it was about a hundred years afterwards that a French refugee congregation assembled in the Edinburgh College Hall; and as to the Town Council Minute, its tone was as cordial as could be desired, but no definite grants were made. The rubric describes it as being “Anent the fraynche kirk to cum to yis burh.” I have the Minute Book open before me, but as the minute has been printed, I take it for my readers’ use from the printed copy,[2] and give them a version of it in modern spelling in a parallel column:—
| 11 May 1586. Anent the heids and articles givin in before thame for the pairt of the ministeris of the Fraynche Kirk that is to cum heir at the kingis majesties desyre, als weill for thame selffis, as for sic utheris of that natioun, that will follow thame, off the quhilk the tenour followis: First, thay desyre of the guid towne ane tempill sufficientlie to be provydet and put in decent ordour. Secundlie, ane ludgein for the ministeris provydet frelie with fyve chalmeris, als neir the kirk as it may be gottin, and helpit with sum movebills after the guid townis discretioun. Thirdlie, that the said Fraynche strayngeris may haif ane testimoniall of my lord provest, bailyeis, counsall and deykins to be welcum and uset freyndlie to do thair honest besynes, and exerceis thair particulare craftis without impediment, as thair awin frie burgessis. Last, gif any uther thing be thocht necessar or expedient, that sall nocht be prejudiciall to the towne, that may serve the said strayngeris without the quhilk thai can nocht be commodet, that of the townis guid will thai may be helpit—
With the quhilks the said provest, bailyeis, counsall and deykins of craftis, being ryplie avyset, after thai had considerit the Christiane dewtie quhilk thai aucht to schaw unto thair brether, afflictet for the trewth and sinceritie of the Evangell professit with thame, as als howpping that the saidis brether, be thair godlie and honest conversatioun, sall be ane exampill of guid lyfe and maneris unto all the inhabitants |
11 May 1586. Anent the heads and articles given in before them on the part of the ministers of the French Kirk, that is to come here at the King’s Majesty’s desire, as well for themselves as for such others of that nation that will follow them, of which the tenor follows: First, they desire of the good town a temple to be sufficiently provided and put in decent order. Secondly, a lodging for the ministers provided freely with five chambers, as near the kirk as may be gotten, and helped with some movables according to the good town’s discretion. Thirdly, that the said French strangers may have a testimonial from my Lord Provost, Bailies, Council and Deacons to be welcome and used friendly to do their honest business, and exercise their particular crafts without impediment, just as their own free burgesses. Lastly, if any other thing be thought necessary or expedient, which shall not be prejudicial to the town [and] which may serve the said strangers [as a thing] without which they cannot be commoded, that of the town’s good will they may be helped. As to which [heads and articles] the said Provost, Bailies, Council, and Deacons of crafts, being ripely advised, after they had considered the Christian duty which they ought to show unto their brethren, afflicted for the truth and purity of the Evangell professed along with them, as also hoping that the said brethren, by their godly and honest conversation shall be an example of good life |
