Élie Bouhéreau
Encyclopedia
Élie Bouhéreau (1643 – 19 March 1719) was a French
Huguenot
refugee
in Ireland
and the first librarian of Marsh's Library
in Dublin.
, very knowledgeable and very highly regarded." He was also a scholar, and published a French translation of the third century Christian work Contra Celsus
. After the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes
Bouhéreau fled to England
. He travelled in Europe
between 1689 and 1692 as personal secretary of Thomas Coxe, the king’s envoy to the Swiss cantons
, and again between 1694 and 1696 as personal secretary to the Marquis de Ruvigny, commander-in-chief of English forces in Piedmont
. He served in Ireland with Ruvigny (then earl of Galway
) when the latter was Lord Justice of Ireland
, 1697-1701. In 1701 he was made librarian of Marsh’s Library. From the time of his first journey in 1689 to his death he kept a diary
, which is kept in the Library.
, which he had brought from La Rochelle
to save them from destruction. They were deposited at Marsh’s library, the governors stipulating "that they were to be kept until such time as the same shall be demanded by the said Reformed Church." In 1760 John Wynne
, the third librarian, expressed himself "apprehensive lest the papists might have access to make bad use of or destroy them." They were finally returned to the Consistory of La Rochelle in 1862. There are still many works in Bouhéreau’s collection in the library that deal with French Huguenot history, including the manuscript of Joseph Guillaudeau’s Journal of What Passed at La Rochelle 1584-1643.
and was the first assistant librarian of Marsh's Library. Marguerite died on 22 May 1704. Her death occasioned an emotional entry in an otherwise factual diary.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and the first librarian of Marsh's Library
Marsh's Library
Marsh's Library, situated in St. Patrick's Close, adjacent to St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland is the oldest public library in Ireland. It was built to the order of Archbishop Narcissus Marsh in 1701 and has a collection of over 25,000 books and 300 manuscripts.-Foundation:The library was...
in Dublin.
Career
Bouhéreau, according to the burial register of the Conformist Huguenot churches in Dublin, was a "distinguished medical doctor and zealous Protestant of La RochelleLa Rochelle
La Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988...
, very knowledgeable and very highly regarded." He was also a scholar, and published a French translation of the third century Christian work Contra Celsus
Contra Celsus
Against Celsus, Greek Kata Kelsou, Latin Contra Celsum, is the title of a major work by the Church Father Origen of Alexandria, countering the writings of Celsus the Platonist. It was written in 248 CE.-External links:...
. After the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes
Edict of Fontainebleau
The Edict of Fontainebleau was an edict issued by Louis XIV of France, also known as the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes. The Edict of Nantes of 1598, had granted the Huguenots the right to practice their religion without persecution from the state...
Bouhéreau fled to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He travelled in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
between 1689 and 1692 as personal secretary of Thomas Coxe, the king’s envoy to the Swiss cantons
Old Swiss Confederacy
The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland....
, and again between 1694 and 1696 as personal secretary to the Marquis de Ruvigny, commander-in-chief of English forces in Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
. He served in Ireland with Ruvigny (then earl of Galway
Viscount Galway
Viscount Galway is a title that has been created once in the Peerage of England and thrice in the Peerage of Ireland. The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1628 in favour of Richard Burke, 4th Earl of Clanricarde. He was made Earl of St Albans at the same time...
) when the latter was Lord Justice of Ireland
Lord Chief Justice of Ireland
thumb|200px|The Four CourtsThe headquarters of the Irish judicial system since 1804. The Court of King's Bench was one of the original four courts that sat there....
, 1697-1701. In 1701 he was made librarian of Marsh’s Library. From the time of his first journey in 1689 to his death he kept a diary
Diary
A diary is a record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. A personal diary may include a person's experiences, and/or thoughts or feelings, including comment on current events outside the writer's direct experience. Someone...
, which is kept in the Library.
Conservation work
Bouhéreau had with him documents from the Reformed Church of FranceReformed Church of France
The Reformed Church of France is a denomination in France with Calvinist origins. It is the original and largest Protestant denomination in France....
, which he had brought from La Rochelle
La Rochelle
La Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988...
to save them from destruction. They were deposited at Marsh’s library, the governors stipulating "that they were to be kept until such time as the same shall be demanded by the said Reformed Church." In 1760 John Wynne
John Wynne
John Wynne was Bishop of St Asaph and of Bath and Wells , having previously been Principal of Jesus College, Oxford .-Life:...
, the third librarian, expressed himself "apprehensive lest the papists might have access to make bad use of or destroy them." They were finally returned to the Consistory of La Rochelle in 1862. There are still many works in Bouhéreau’s collection in the library that deal with French Huguenot history, including the manuscript of Joseph Guillaudeau’s Journal of What Passed at La Rochelle 1584-1643.
Personal life
Bouhéreau was married to a cousin, Marguerite Massiot. They had ten children, of whom eight survived. His son John was ordained a minister, became a Doctor of DivinityDoctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
and was the first assistant librarian of Marsh's Library. Marguerite died on 22 May 1704. Her death occasioned an emotional entry in an otherwise factual diary.