Protestant Exiles from France/Volume 2 - Book Third - Chapter 16 - Section V
V. The Two Brothers De L’Angle. [1]
The two brothers De L’Angle were the sons of the Pasteur Jean Maximilien De L’Angle of Rouen; the family title was Seigneur De L’Angle; their French surname was De Baux. The father of the refugees was one of the letter-writers of 1660 in favour of King Charles II., but otherwise his public life was most serviceable and distinguished. He was born at Evreux in 1590, was settled at Rouen in 1615, where he died in 1674. He had married in 1619 Marie, daughter of Rene Bochart, Sieur de Menillet, and sister of Samuel Bochart. He left two sons, Samuel and John Maximilian. Before the brothers, I mention their sister, Marie De L’Angle, wife (see her naturalization in my vol. i., Historical Introduction) and afterwards widow of John Durel, D.D., Dean of Windsor; she died in 1700, and left a son, Colonel Henry Durel, aide-de-camp to the Duke of Marlborough. (The old pasteur of Rouen was never a refugee, although he visited England and preached.)
(1.) Samuel De L’Angle was named after his erudite uncle. He was born in 1622, and in 1647 he became colleague to his father at Rouen. He became a pasteur of Charenton in 1671, where he remained for eleven years, and then retired to England, when Anthony Wood introduces him to us in the Fasti of Oxford University, thus:—
1682-83. February 12. Samuel De L’Angle was created D.D., without paying any fees, by virtue of the Chancellor’s letters written in his behalf, which partly run thus:— Mr. Samuel de Langle, minister of the Reformed Church at Paris, is retired into England with his whole family, with intentions to live here the remainder of his time; . . . he hath exercised his function thirty-five years, partly at Rouen and partly at Paris; . . . he is only M.A., which the Protestant Divines usually take, and no farther,” &c. When he was conducted into the House of Convocation by a beadle and the King’s Professor of Divinity, all the Masters stood up in reverence to him. When the Professor presented him, he did it with a harangue; which being done, Mr. De Langle took his place among the Doctors, and spoke a polite oration containing thanks for the honour that the most famous University of Oxford had conferred upon him. He had been preacher of the chief Church of the Reformed religion in France, called Charenton, near Paris, and was afterwards made Prebendary of Westminster. He died in 1693, aged seventy-one.
He was installed Prebendary of Westminster, 13th October 1683. At the Coronation of William and Mary, when the Dean and Prebendaries brought the Regalia to Westminster Hall, in solemn procession, Dr. De L’Angle carried the King’s sceptre with the cross. He died at his prebendal house on Saturday night, 17th June 1693, and was buried on the 21st. In the register he is called also Parson of Steventon in Bucks. His eldest son was the Rev. John Maximilian De L’Angle (born 1666), M.A., of Christ Church, Oxford, in 1694. His second son, Peter (who was an attorney), wrote his Will, the testator’s brother, Dr. John Maximilian De L’Angle, being present. It was signed 13th June, and proved 2nd July 1693. The effects consisted only of “what shall be found of money and medals,” and of his “plate,” which was to be sold. The contingencies were, “if anything be gott of my lawsuite which I have against Mr. Lewson and my estate in France,” “what arrearages are due for my prebend of Westmr.,” “what is due of the Coronation.” He left to his daughter Jany, “my Chagrin Psalmes, with golden clasps,” and a diamond ring; he left to Nanny (i.e., Agnes) “my deare wife’s Neckclesse of Pearles;” his other daughters, Mary and Anne, testified to the genuineness of the Will. Jane became the wife of Rev. Robert Freind, D.D., and Mary was married to Rev. George Smalridge, D.D., afterwards Bishop of Bristol. Dean De L’Angle’s executor was his eldest son, who became the Rector of Croughton in Northamptonshire, where there is this epitaph in honour of his ancestors and of himself:—
Hic cum certâ resurgendi spe sepultus est
Joannes Maximilianus De L’Angle
Samuelis De L’Angle S.T.P. de Charenton, juxta Parisios Celebris olim ecclesiae pastoris
(deinde, pulsis in exilium Protestantibus, Ecclesiae Westmonasteriensis Prebendarii)
filius
et magni Bocharti ex sorore nepos,
patriâ Gallus, fide omninò Anglus
Qui hujusce parochiae curam administravit Rector pius integer industrius
a suis omnibus et dilectus et cultus
Uxorem duxit Annam Freind, Gulielmi Annaeque filiam
quae marito desideratissimo h.m.p.
obiit An. Dom. 1719, Aug. 20, AEt 53.
(2.) The Rev. John Maximilian De L’Angle, younger brother of the Prebendary, was born in France about 1640. He and his wife Genevieve were naturalised in England in 1681, but he must have come over at an earlier date; for it is stated that John Maximilian De L’Angle, S.T.P., was installed Canon of Canterbury on the 27th July 1678; he had the degree of D.D., probably from a foreign university, perhaps from the Archbishop of Canterbury. He signalised himself by very solemnly and indignantly rebuking Dr. Louis Du Moulin for having become an advocate of the Independents’ theory of Church Government, and for having disparaged and scandalised the Church of England. Before his elevation to be one of the dignitaries of Canterbury Cathedral, he appears to have been Curate of Walmer. He did not become a vicar till 1683, when he obtained the vicarage of Shebbertswell, aliàs Shepherdswell, aliàs Sibbertswold, aliàs Coldred, near Dover. He was Rector of St. George’s, Canterbury, from 1686 to 1692. Finally, he settled for life as Rector of Chartham (near Canterbury), on 28th June 1695, where he lived for twenty-nine years in Delangle House, and died on 11th November 1724, aged about eighty-four, being the senior Canon of the Cathedral. His only son, Theophilus De L’Angle, Esq., married Elizabeth, daughter of Rev. Merrick Head, D.D., third son of Sir Richard Head, Bart., by Elizabeth, daughter of Alderman Merrick, of Rochester; both husband and wife died in 1750; they had three sons, Theophilus, Merrick, and William. The second son appears in December 1748 as Captain Merrick De L’Angle, R.N., of H.M.S. Devonshire (eighty guns); he died in 1753. The third son, William, “of H.M.S. Plymouth, marriner,” died in 1744. The eldest of the three was the Rev. Theophilus De L’Angle, Vicar of Tenterden, Rector of Shargate, and minister of Goodnestone, all in the County of Kent. At his death, on 29th June 1763, he left a widow and a son. Mrs. Theophilus De L’Angle lived till 1782, and her son, with whom she spent her widowhood, was the last of the family. He was the Rev. John Maximilian De L’Angle, M.A., Rector of Danbury and Woodham Ferrers, and minister of Goodnestone, who died at Danbury (Essex) on the 30th May 1783. His library was sold by John Pridden, auctioneer, Fleet Street, London.
- ↑ See the De L’Angle Pedigree in Archaeologia Cantiana (1883), by Henry Wagner, F.S.A.