Protestant Exiles from France/Book First - Chapter 15 - Romieu

by David Carnegie Andrew Agnew

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Romieu.

Refugees bearing this illustrious surname came to this country at an early date. Romieu de Villeneuve was the famous prime-minister of Raymond de Berenger, Comte de Provence in ancient times. The historical facts concerning him are preserved in a comparatively modern printed book entitled, “Histoire de l’incomparable administration de Romieu, grand ministre d’estat en Provence lorsqu’elle etoit en souveraineté, ou se voyent les effects d’une grande sagesse et d’une rare fidelité ensemble, le vray modele d’un ministre d’estat et d’un surintendant de finances. Par le Sr. Michel Baudier, du Languedoc, gentilhomme de la maison du Roy, Con^er. et Historiographe de Sa Majesté. A Paris, chez Jean Camusat, Rue Saint-Jacques à la Toyson d’Or, 1635. Avec Privilege du Roy.” The family was noble and survived as such, although the prime-minister’s descendants died out in the third or fourth generation after him. Yet I hardly think that our refugees belonged to it. During the lapse of so long a time the surname of Romieu, like the Scotch surnames of Bruce, Stewart, Douglas, and Hamilton, must have become undistinguishably blended with the general population. A family of the name settled in London in the first half of the seventeenth century, and are met with in the parish of St. Dionis Backchurch. The registrar sometimes spelt the name Romaea, but it is sometimes spelt correctly. The head of the family, who is called “Isaac Romieu, Frenchman,” died in 1646, and was buried in the churchyard of St. Dionis Backchurch, on August 16. His widow was laid in the grave beside him on 16th July 1649. The baptisms of two children of Isacke Romieu were registered in the parish church, namely, Jacob, on 16th February 1637 (n.s.), and Ester, on 2d October 1645. These seem to have survived their parents, and to have removed from the parish.