David Carnegie Andrew Agnew

“ Queen Elizabeth sent Killigrew as her ambassador in Scotland in order that the lesson of the St. Bartholomew massacre might be impressed on Scottish statesmen, namely, to beware of Queen Mary’s faction, and to cultivate friendship and amity with Protestant England. ”

“ Their surname, as a Scotch one, would be pronounced Houie, not unlike the celebrated French name Huet. Their tradition is that three brothers, bearing the surname of Howie, fled from persecution in France more than six hundred years ago: one settled in Mearns parish, another in Craigie parish, and the third in the parish of Fenwick, and the secluded farmhouse of Lochgoin. Many generations of the refugee’s descendants have occupied that farm, and its farmhouse, which has become celebrated through the courage and piety of its inmates. ”

“ This is the family immortalized in antiquarian society by David Laing, LL.D., who introduces us to them in Edinburgh, in the year 1574, and to whom I am mainly indebted for my information regarding them (though it now appears that they fled from France before the date of the St. Bartholomew massacre) . Whatever may have been the date of their arrival in Scotland, the family was kindly received on their landing at Leith. Marie Presot, wife of Nicolas Langlois, was an adept in calligraphy, which she turned to good account. ”

“ The degree in which the population of Edinburgh was affected by the immigration of French refugees in 1586, can be conjectured from some entries in the surviving registers of baptisms and marriages, in which the earliest date is 1595. The result of these and similar searches may appear in a future chapter.
NOTE.
If (as tradition has long reported) the Howies were Albigenses who fled from the ancient and horrible persecution of their Bible-loving and inoffensive community, they may be truly called the very earliest French evangelical refugees in Scotland. ”

“ During his residence in Scotland, he has not lived like a stranger in a foreign land, but like a citizen among his fellows. The study of letters he has prosecuted so successfully, as not only to be able to soothe by their suavity the sorrows incident to his disastrous condition, but also to have provided for himself and his family a resource against the future contingencies of life. ”

“ No formal reception of Huguenot refugees in Scotland seems to have taken place until the year 1586. The troubles in France at that period may here be summarized. On 10th June 1584, the Duke of Anjou, best known as the suitor of our Queen Elizabeth, had died at the early age of 30, and by his death King Henri of Navarre became the heir-presumptive to the French throne. ”

“ Her husband survived until 15th March 1638; at the time of his death he was styled “Barthilmo Kello, minister of God’s word, and indweller in Edinburgh." Besides her son, two daughters, Elizabeth and Marie, also survived her. Her portrait, painted in 1595, was in Mr. Laing’s possession, and having been engraved under his superintendence, it adorns vol. vi. of the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. (I find the baptisms of two children in the Register of the City of Edinburgh — Jeane in 1599, and Joseph in 1601.) ”

“ These manuscripts, beautifully illuminated, and sometimes further adorned with her own portrait, entirely with her own hand, were executed for presentation to her patrons and patronesses, some of whom were exalted personages, and from whom she received gratuities in return. A French Psalter, dated 27 Mars 1599, and presented to Queen Elizabeth, bears her signature as Esther Anglois. In 1600 she adopts the signature Esther Inglis. Her husband and herself lived in Edinburgh for several years after their marriage. ”

“ As the state of national affairs is now somewhat more tranquil, and his domestic concerns require his return, he is determined to travel through England, that, like Ulysses, he may become acquainted with the manners and cities of many men ”

“ The Minute indicates that some Huguenots in “the Rochelle” had been in Scotland as refugees, and that while there, a Scotch-man had borrowed money from them and had not yet paid them; there was a lawsuit on this matter in the Scotch Courts against Paytrik Tournett, the debtor, and Peter Tournett, burgess of Edinburgh, his father, as the son’s surety. ”

“ A letter from his mother to “the most mightie monarche,” petitioning for his admission to an English university, is preserved in the Register Office, and is reproduced in facsimile in “The National MSS. of Scotland” (Part iii. No. 93) ; it is dated Edenbrugh, 20 June 1620. He was admitted to Christ Church, Oxford, and became (it is said) minister of Speakshall, or Spexall, in Suffolk. “Mrs. Esther Inglis, spouse of Barthilmo Kello, indweller in Leith,” died on 30th August 1624, aged 53. ”

“ John Arthur, Commissary of Edinburgh, on 23d July 1614. The reason why the widow is described as the only executrix in life is, that a daughter Marie Inglis, whom her father had made joint-executrix, had died in the interval between 1611 and 1614. ”

“ Here lyes the corps of Elizabeth Davidson
late spouse to Mr. Tho. Howie Minr of the Gospel at Annan.
She was a pious and resigned Christian, and affectionat wife and indulgent moyr, and in hopes of a blessed resurrection departed this life Septr 23d 1751, aged 80.
Here lye Margaret and Christiana Howies, daughters to Mr. Thomas Howy minister of the Gospel at Annan and Elizabeth Davidson his spouse, who both departed this life in May 1722. Marg. aged 9 years and a half, Christiana, three.
Isa. LXV. 20 The child shall die an hundred years old. ”