Protestant Exiles from France/Book First - Chapter 5 - Section VII
VII. De Laune.
Monsieur Guillaume De Laune has been passed over by Mr. Burn when compiling his list of pasteurs of the City of London French Church. But he has styled himself “in Ecclesiâ Gallicanâ minister” in his book, which I shall describe afterwards, published in London in 1583. He was descended from the ancient family of De Laune de Belmenil in Normandy, and was born in 1530. Along with his special and more sacred studies he combined the study of medicine, which he prosecuted for eight years at Paris and Montpellier, under the Professors “Duretus” and “Rondeletus.” He was ordained to the ministry of the Reformed Church of France in 1558, but in what parish we are not informed, but probably it was Dieppe. He is first seen by us in propriâ personâ as a refugee in London in 1582. In that year the College of Physicians of London heard with dismay that a refugee French pastor was practising medicine in the city and suburbs. M. De Laune was accordingly summoned to appear before them, and at their court, of 7th December 1582, he was formally interdicted from practising while unlicensed, but was at the same time summoned to another meeting at which his case should be fully considered. On the 22d December he appeared accordingly, and laid before the court a written petition, representing that he had a complete university medical education in France, and had been in the habit of combining a medical practice with a pastoral charge for twenty-four years, and that there had been no complaint against him. He stated that as a refugee on account of religion, he had become dependent upon the practice of physic for his livelihood, and for the support of his large family, his household consisting of thirteen souls. He therefore petitioned the college for some formal sanction of a continuance of his practice. He also handed in a certificate from the consistory of the French Church, signed by R. Le Maçon, de la Fontaine. The result was that in the most gratifying manner and with complete unanimity, he was admitted as a Licentiate of the College of Physicians. He continued his services in his two capacities as preacher and physician until his death; his name appears in the books of the college as a licentiate on 18th April 1603. His wife’s maiden name was Desloges, and she predeceased him. On 27th November 1610, he made his Will, which was proved by his son, Gideon Delaune, and his son-in-law, Nathaniel Marie, on 12th March 1611 (new style). Thus he died at the age of eighty. This refugee pasteur, “tarn probus et tarn doctus,” is the ancestor of all the English Delaunes. His eldest son was Gideon Delaune, known as Apothecary to King James I. His son, Pierre, I shall notice in this chapter. Of his other children and descendants a future chapter will speak. He seems to have written or dictated his Will in English. I annex a copy:—
“In the name of God, Amen. I, William Delaune, preacher of the Worde of God and Physician, beyng in healthe of bodye and of sounde and perfecte memorye (laude and praise be given vnto Almightie God for the same), do make and declare this my last will and testament in manner and forme following. First and principally, I commend my soule into the mercifull handes of Almightie God, the Father, the Sonne, and the Holie Ghoste, hoping and steadfastly beleving to have free remission of all my synnes thoroughe the onlie merittes of Xriste Iesus. My bodye I committ unto the earthe to be decently buryed nere vnto my late deere wife yf it be possible. And as touching the Disposition of my Lande and tenements with their appurtenez I give the same in manner and forme following; that is to saye, I give in forme of sale to Gideon de Laune, my eldest sonne, his heires and assignes for ever, all and every my messuages Landes tenements rentes reversions services and hereditaments (excepting that which I give unto my sonne, Paule Delaune, as here belowe shall more largely appeare) scituat and beyng in the precinct called the Blacke Fryers, nere Ludgate of London, which I late purchased of Eq. William More, uppon this condition and with this promise, that my sayed sonne, Gideon Delaune, his heyres, executors, administrators, or assignes, shall within five monethes after my decease, paye or cause to be payed the severall sommes of money and legaceys hereafter particularly mentioned and expressed, that is to saye, To the poore of the Frenche Churche in London, fower poundes: To the poore of Blackelryers and of the churches of Norwiche and Deepe — to every of them twentie shillinges. To my poore kyndred beyond the sea, five poundes, to be administered by my sonne, Nathaniell Delaune, at his discretion. To my sister-in-law, Mary Desloges, widowe of Cornellis Tance, three poundes. Item, I give vnto my sonne, Paule Delaune, and his heires for ever, for the good services which he hath done me, the newe house which I have built, with the appurtences thereof, that is to saye, the great Courte and the house of office therein, with the same ingresse and regresse to and from the streete which ar at this daye — as allso one of the chaumbers, which he shall chuse readye furnished, as yt shal be founde at my decease, and allso the apothecarre stuff and furniture in the sayed new house (paying unto Gideon de Laune, his eldest brother, the somme of fiftie poundes). Item, I give vnto my said sonne, Paule Delaune, and his heires for ever, those fiftie pounds which ar mentioned in a bond, under the names of Mr. Burt, Mr. Hartley, and Mr. Boulton, as allso my silver guilt pott of a pynte for a remembraunce. Item, I give vnto Abraham De Laune, sonne and heire unto my sonne, Gedeon Delaune, the greate silver guilt salt seller for a remembraunce. As for the rest of my goodes as well of five hundred and fiftie poundes which arise of the sale of my howses and heritages as of the rest of my goods, to witt, moveables, chattels, debtes, and readie money, I will that they be equallye devided vnto all my sonnes and daughters — that is to saye, vnto Gedeon Delaune, my eldest sonne, unto Peter, Nathaniel, and Paule, and Henry Delaune, sonne and heire vnto Isack Delaune, my sonne deceased (who for his mariage receyved one hundred poundes), unto Sara, Ester, and Elizabeth, my daughters, equalising them that have least receyved with them that have most receyved. As for my sonne in lawe, Peter Chambleyn, my will is that he repaire the entrye of my house where he nowe dwelleth, as it was when he entred therein, as he ought to doe by the Judgement of honest men according to Lawe, and as he hathe allreadye promised by wrytinge, before that he receyve any benefitt or commoditye by this my will. And, whereas, my Daughters have had more than my sonnes by the meanes of their mother, as well at their mariages as at the Decease of their saied mother, I give vnto my saied sonnes, to each of them fyve poundes.
“Item, I make and ordeyne my son Gedeon Delaune and Nathaniel Mary my sonne in lawe executors of this my will. Provided alwayes, and notwithstanding anything in this my Will before specified, that yf my sayed sonne Gedeon Delaune shall refuse to take upon hym the execution of this my will and make probat thereof, or taking the same uppon hym doe not paye all and every the legacyes by me hereinbefore given to any person or persons according to the limitation intent and true meaning of this my will, that then I give and bequeath all and every my sayed messuages Landes tenements rentes reversions and hereditaments vnto my sonne Peter Delaune and his heires. And if he refuse, then unto my sonne Nathaniel Delaune and his heirs, and so consequently at their refuse unto my sonne Paule Delaune and his heires and assigns for ever in the same nature and with the same conditions as was here abovementioned and given unto my sayed sonne Gedeon Delaune, and then I will and bequeathe vnto my sayed sonne Gedeon Delaune the somme of one hundred and fiftie poundes.
“In witnesse whereof I the sayed William Delaune have hereinto set my hande and sealle vppon the seaven and twentieth daye of November in the yeres of the raigne of oure soveraigne Lord James by the grace of God King of Englande Scotland Fraunce and Ireland Defender of the faithe &c, that is to saye, of England Fraunce and Ireland the eight, and of Scotland the fower and fortith. William de Lawne. Sealed and subscribed by the said William Delaune and by hym confessed and acknowledged to be his last will and testament in the presence of me — Robert Andrewes, Martin Browne, Roger Langton.”
Through the kindness and courtesy of William Munk, Esq., M.D., Herveian Librarian and Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London, author of “The Roll of the R. C. P. of London,” 3 vols. 8vo, I am able to present my readers with the minutes of the college regarding Mr. William Delaune, including the French certificate:
“7o Decembris 1582.
“In istis comitiis comparuit Gul. Launaeus, Callus, Professor Theologiae: illique interdictum est ne exerceat medicinam in posterum, nisi Licentiam in Collegio secundum consuetudinem et privilegia impetraverit. Et quoniam confessus est se artem medicam exercuisse, idcirco illi injunctum est ut in proximis comitiis (nempe postridie Divi Thomae) personaliter adsit ut ibi expectet et audiat quod de se ulterius concludendum est.”
“22 Decembris 1582.
“Comparuit Gulielmus Launaeus, Gallus, predicator, qui per literas supplicatorias petiit humiliter ut nostra bona cum venia, liberum illi esset in hac Civitate Medicinam exercere, propterea quod ejectus e Patria Religionis causa, non habebat unde aliter viveret aut se et onerosam suam familiam sustentaret.
“Copia Literarum Supplicatoriarum Gulielmi Launaei.
“Prudentissimi Domini Doctores,
“Gulielmus Launaeus, Verbi Dei Praedicator ac Medicus, hue Religionis erga tanquam ad asylum, Dei Gratiâ et Regiae Majestatis Clementiâ, (quae cujuslibet legitimae vocationis usum propter Christum afflictis liberé concessit) profugus — gravi numerosae familiae pressus onere, ad cujus nutritionem nullum praebuerit immotum lapidem, nec aliunde habet unde id potest quàm ex arte medicinae, cui per octo annos Lutetien et Monspelii sub Duretio et Rondeletio, doctoribus expertissimis et praeceptoribus observandissimis, edoctus. Jam hos 24 annos, quum perfunctiones ecclesiasticas facilius licuisset, suis conteraneis et paucis aliis iisque pauperioribus tam fideliter ac feliciter exercendae animum suum applicavit, ut ne uni quidem adhuc justam querimoniae causam dederit. De munere suo coram quibuslibet, vel literis dicti sui veritatem probantibus, vel libris ab ipso compositis, vel privatâ sive publicâ tentatione responsurus. Jam 52 annorum aetatem agens supplex deprecatur vos, humanissimi et piissimi domini doctores, ut per vestram charitatem etiam aliquid de Jure vestro remittentes, quod beneficium jam expertus est, et vobis gratias agit, illi permittatur, vel quod adhuc vivere super est hic medicinam faciundo transigere, vel donee eum disciplina ecclesiastica ut prasdicationis debitum munus expleat alio recovaverit. Id si per vestram humanitatem et erga extraneos solitum amorem impetraverit, eum suosque omnes devinctos habebitis ut Deum Optimum Maximum assidue precentur ut Doctissimo vestro ccetui semper adsit, et caeptis omnibus benedicat vestris. Illud vobis facillimum, nemini Deo dante noxium, mihique tanti lestimandum vestrae beneficentiae, ac si singulis diebus tredecim animabus panem vestrum divideritis.”
“Copia literarum in Launaei praedicti favorem scriptarum in nomine Consistorii.
“D. Gulielmus Launreus, gravissimis Ecclesiae tempestatibus e Ministerio, quod patienter in Gallia multos annos obiit, expulsus, ex quo Londinum se recepit magnâ cum nostratium approbatione ac (praesertim tenuiorum quibus gratuitam operam impendere non gravatur) commoditate medicinam fecit. Nihilominus in Ministerio Ecclesiastico (minimè tamen ordinario nec stipendiario) nobis operam suam denegare solet, — partim ut dona a Domino sibi collata in usum Ecclesise conferat, — partim ut, Deo (quod speramus) iterum vocante, paratior ad ministerii munus obeundum redire possit. Haec ita esse Nos, ecclesiae Londino Gallicae pastores et seniores, testamur Londini in Consistorio 12 Calend. Januarii 1582.
“R. Massonius Fontanus.
“Consistorii nomine.”
“His literis perlectis et consideratis, gravioris fortunae et egestatis tam probi viri doctique ratione habitâ, unanimi consensu conclusum est, ut liceat illi in posterum liberè et pacatè medicinam exercere in hâc Civitate et alibi, modò se gerat modestè et decenter erga nos censores et collegas nostrae Societatis, nostrique Collegii dignitatem (quantùm in se est) in omnibus tueatur, et in toto persolvat annuatim ad usus Collegii III. lib. ad quatuor usuales hujus Regni terminos, in sequas portiones dividendas.”
The only book published by this worthy refugee was an abridgment (in Latin) of Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion. He informs us, “At a time when the fields of France were whitening for the harvest, I had completed the study of medicine, and was girding myself for its practice, but was recalled to the elements of theology and to undertake the ministry. The Institutio of John Calvin was the work, next to the Holy Bible, which I chose for study and to be stored in memory. People, who go to a garden embellished with an infinite variety of flowers, usually make a nosegay of those that have delighted either their sight or their smell, so that when they have left it the garden is still present to their view. So I, in this theological parterre, perceiving marvellous celestial odours, collected from its chapters and sections, as from delightful garden beds, what my eyes, mind, and memory most desired to have always present; and hence you have this Epitome.” The title is, “Institutionis Christianae religionis a Joanne Calvino conscriptae Epitome per Gvlielmvm Lavnevm, in Ecclesiâ Gallicanâ ministrum,” 1st edition, London, 1583; 2nd edition, 1584. The Dedicatory epistle, dated 10 Cal. Matii 1583, begins, “Pietate et dignitate illustri virae, Domino Richardo Martino, omnium Angliae Mineralium fidelissimo Custodi Regio, ac celeberrimae Civitatis Londinensis prudentissimo Senatori.” There are Greek and Latin Odes by Miles Bodley, Timothy Le Maçon (Massonius), and Isaac Delaune, the author’s second son. (An English translation of De Laune’s Epitome was executed by Christopher Fetherstone, minister of the Word of God).