Will of James Olivier Payroulleau, Peruke Maker of Saint Martin in the Fields, Middlesex, 22nd June 1698. Catalogue ref: PROB 11/446/158.
This source is the personal will of James Olivier Payroulleau, a Huguenot refugee from west-central France, a geographical area that had been a stronghold of Protestant resistance in the early seventeenth century.
A peruke, also called periwig, was a man’s wig, popular from the seventeenth to the early nineteenth century. It was made out of long hair, often with curls on the sides, and was sometimes drawn back of the neck.
Glossary
Glossary for starred words*. Other meanings given in square brackets.
- Will: a document used for centuries to control what happens to property when somebody dies.
- Commonalty: joint or shared ownership of goods or property
- Crowns: French currency
- Goldsmith: a person who makes, repairs, and deals with articles made of gold.
- Item: used to introduce a new fact or statement in a formal list.
- Poitou: a province of west-central France. The capital of Poitou was Poitiers, a centre of Huguenot resistance during the sixteenth century. Poitou is geographically close to La Rochelle, which was a fortified Huguenot city and the stronghold for Protestant resistance until it fell to the French Crown in 1627-8, marking the rise of the French absolutist monarchy. The loss of La Rochelle signalled the end of substantial Huguenot resistance in France.
- Executrix: a woman appointed by a testator to execute and manage his will.
Transcript
Will* translated out of the French
In the name of the father of the son and of the Holy Ghost Amen. I under writen [write] James Olivier Payrouleau periwigue [periwig] maker dwelling now in the parish of St Martin in the Fields in the County of Middlesex, aged thirty one years being weake [weak] of body but by the grace of God of sound minde [mind] memory and understanding considering that there is nothing more certaine [certain] then death nor nothing more uncertaine [uncertain] then the houre thereof and being unwilling to get out of this world without haueing [having] made my testament and ordinance of last will, and to reduce it into writing have sent for Peter Deschamps of the witnesses under written for to [receive?] the kindness to do it in manner following.
First, I recommend my soul to God my faithful creator hopeing [hoping] to receive the forgivenesse [forgiveness] of all my sins through the merits of Jesus Christ my saviour and redeemer and thy body to the earth to the care of my Testament & Executrix hereafter named. And is for the estate which it hath pleased God to give me in this world as well in England as in France moveable effects and others of what nature they may be, I give and dispose the halfe [half] thereof to my two children James and Margarett Oliver, and that with my wife is nowe [now] entrusted with and to the heires [heirs] of them and the other half of the said moveable goods and effect situate as well in England as France for the good and tender friendship which I alwayes [always] had for Margarett Oliver in years dear wife and of the good and kind services which I have received of her during the long sicknesse of consumption which God hathe [hath] visited me with, and also in reconsideration of the sume [sum] of one hundred poundes [pounds] sterling English money which she brought in the commonalty* upon our marriage I give and bequeath unto her the other halfe of allmy moveables, and effects here above specified to share with my said children by halfe and equall [equal] portions to be enjoned [ejoinyed] by her during her life and after her decease my minde [mind] is that the estate [in sume?] shall returne [return] in property to my said children and in default of them to the nearest of my heires [heirs].
And whereas Mary Foucher, widow of Mr Isaac Falligan, Goldsmith*, my sister in Law, hath really lent me the value of foure [four] hundred crownes* [crowns] French money I consent and declare that it is also my will and intention that she be paid the said sume [sum] of foure [four] hundred crownes upon the total of my goods and lands [situate?] in France two yeares [years], after that my said wife Margarett Foucher Olivier and my said children shall be in quiett [quiet] possession thereof.
Item* I give And bequeath to my sister Jane Olivier and to Samyell [Deninaue?] my cousin [remain?] both of them living in Poitou* in France each of them five shillings English money.
And for Executrix* of this my present Testament which I have dictated word for word to the said Peter Deschamps without suggestion or [inducement?] of any person the other witnesses present I name Margaret Foucher Olivier my wife and haueing [having] ben [been] read twice (that is to say), read and read over to the said James Olivier Payrouleau by me the said Peter Deschamps the other witnesses present he hath persisted and doth persist therein and further declared that if it exactly this infections here above specified done and passed at the place of his habitation on the other side the twelfth day of May 1698 and of his Majesties reigne the King Wiliam the tenth, In witnesse [witness] thereof I Olivier have signed and appesed [appeased] my state to the presents approved, signed : I Olivier Payroulleau signed sealed and published in presence of us Daniel Olivier, John Rupilliart, Frances Olivier, Peter Deschamps.
Substantially translated by John Jacob Bernard.
- What is a peruke maker?
- Make a list of the beneficiaries of James Payroulleau’s will.
- What does this will reveal about James Payroulleau’s religious beliefs?
- What evidence can be found in the source to suggest that James Payroulleau had a successful wig-making business?
- How is James Payroulleau’s wife described in this source?
- What can we tell about the nature of their relationship? How important is she in the execution of this will?
- What unique insights can a will provide as a historical source that other documents may not give us?
- What elements of this source tell a historian that James Payroulleau and his family were Huguenot refugees? Consider: geographical patterns, family divisions, and trade.