6s. 8d., and to the Dutch Church, 6s. 8d.; the executors are named, viz., John Lodowicke, my wife’s brother, and Peter Le Cat, husband of Jone Du Poncel, my niece, assisted by Messrs. Anthony Coquel and Vincent de la Barre; the witnesses are Anthony Berku alias Dolin, and Peter Chastelin, “My gossopp.”
On 6th June 1583, the will of Godfrey de Sagnoule, merchant stranger of London, parish of great Saint Oldy, as declared before his decease, is sworn to by his widow, Mary de Sagnoule alias Bongenier, before Dennis Le Blancq, notary public — namely, that after payment of the testator’s debts, and of £10 as a marriage gift to his nephew, Daniel de Sagnoule, his wife shall have the residue. Witnesses, Margaret Selyn alias Fontaine (aged 45 or thereabouts), widow of Nicholas Selyn; Margaret Joret alias Bongenier (aged 40), wife of Anthony Joret of London, merchant stranger; Erasme De la Fontaine alias Wicart (aged 27), and Peter Houblon (aged 26), merchant strangers.
The will of Alexander De Melley, merchant, born at Houtain, near Nivelle, Brabant, is dated 14th August 1583; he leaves 40s. to the poor of the French Church, London — the half of the residue to his wife, Catherine Maignon, and the other half to the children, John, Mary, Leah, and Rachel, of whom she shall take charge, “causing them to learn to read and write.” If his wife re-marry, the trustees for his children are to be his brother-in-law, John Maignon and Michael Lart, shoemaker. Witnesses, Martin Maignon, Nicholas Leuart, James Garrett the younger, Adrien Mulay.
There are three wills of the family of De la Haye, “translated out of French,” with which I close my Elizabethan researches. In the year 1579- Henry De la Haye, merchant, London, native of Tournay, having been “visited with a long and grievous sickness,” makes his will — “first, giving thanks unto God for his infinite benefits, and namely, for the knowledge of salvation and eternal life which he did reveal unto him through his gospel, that he doth bestow of his goodness and mercy, in all hope for to obtain pardon of his sins, commending his soul unto God, and his body to be buried until the resurrection to come;” he names his wife, Laurence Carlier, and their children, Paul and Anne; his wife to be executrix with Lewis Saye, also a native of Tournay, and Robert Le Mason [Macon], minister of the French Church; he leaves £14 sterling to the deacons to be distributed to the poor of the French Church, and other 40s. to be given to them that shall have most need, without any diminishing of their ordinary alms, and £5 to the elders for to be bestowed about the necessaries of the divine service and of the church. Then there is the will of the above-named son, Paul De la Haye, merchant in London, native of Tournay, dated 6th August; proved nth August 1582, who leaves the charge of his goods to his uncle, Anthony Carlier, merchant in Antwerp; he bequeaths £1100 sterling, besides “patrimony, goods, situate at Tournay, and places thereabout,” to his sister Anne, wife of Fabian Niphius, “allowing her the full liferent of the whole,” on condition that “she and her husband approve the testament of my late mother, within fifteen days after that this present testament shall have been signified unto them ” — the £1100 in the meantime to be in the hands of Nicholas Malaparte, widow of the late Henry Monceau, and John Famas — the interest, in the event of the repudiation of his mother’s will, to be shared during the minority of the children between Mrs. Monceau, Anthony Carlier, Gisbrecht Carlier, and the widow of John Flamen Noell du Faye, unless the said sister and her husband “change of advice.” His legacies are — to my cousin, Peter Moreau, £100 Flemish; to Johanna Morean, £30 Flemish, with a carpet which belonged to my grandmother, widow of James de Catteye; to Maister Charles de Nielle, £25 Flemish, with two silver bolles; to my uncle, Anthony Carlier, £50 sterling; to the poor of the French Church of London, £50 sterling , for the entertaining of the minister, £10 sterling; for the entertaining of the scholars of the said church, £10 sterling — also 3 per cent, to his executors for recovering his debts and selling of his merchandise, who shall give additional £30 to the poor of the French Church, if funds be realised. The will of Lawrence Carlier, widow of Henry De la Haye, was not proved till 20th October 1582 (though dated April 10) — executors, Lewis Says, merchant, born at Tournay, and Alexander De Melley, merchant, born at Houtaine, near Nivelle, in Brabant. Her legacies are £16 to the poor and £4 to the funds of the French Church.
The will of Santine Le Febure, widow of Alexander Mancon, of the city of London, is dated 28th March 1614, proved 21st March 1615 (n.s.); she leaves £10 to the poor of the French Church, London; 20s. to Mr Alexander Marie, one of the preachers of said church; 20s. to my godson John Daniel, son of John; 20s. to Hester Foulon, widow of James Fontaine; £50 to my sister, Chonnet Le Febure, a maid and unmarried, living at Collonia, and one-half of my residue, recommending
