Esther Inglis
Encyclopedia
Esther Inglis (1571 – 1624) was a Scottish
miniaturist, embroiderer, calligrapher
, translator and writer. Of Huguenot
origin (her surname was originally spelt Langlois, ie. "English"; Inglis being the Scots
word for "English"), her family had escaped to Scotland to escape persecution. Learning calligraphy from her mother, she served as official scribe
to her husband.
Inglis produced about 60 known calligraphic manuscripts. These were bound as miniature books.
; her father, Nicholas Langlois, and her mother, Marie Prisott, with their infant children, fled from France to England after the St. Bartholomew massacre in 1572. In 1578 Nicholas was settled at Edinburgh, where he was master of the French school. On 16 December 1581, Nicholas was granted a pension by James VI for his teaching in Edinburgh. The royal letter mentioned his work forming his pupil's "hands to a perfect shape of letter." Esther was instructed in the art of calligraphy by her mother, and is said by Thomas Hearne
to have become nurse to the young Prince Henry
. Her patrons included Queen Elizabeth and her ministers, as well as the royal family of Scotland and David Murray
.
She married about 1596 Bartholomew Kello of Leith
, a minister. John Kello, her father-in-law, was minister of Spott, Haddingtonshire, in 1567; and was hanged for the murder of his wife, Margaret Thomson, on 4 October 1570, writing a confession published by Robert Lekprevik at Edinburgh. Bartholomew was collated to the rectory of Willingale Spain, Essex
, on 21 December 1607. Esther Kello died on 30 August 1624; her husband survived her, dying on 15 March 1638.
, and became rector of Spexall, Suffolk
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
miniaturist, embroiderer, calligrapher
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
, translator and writer. Of 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...
origin (her surname was originally spelt Langlois, ie. "English"; Inglis being the Scots
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
word for "English"), her family had escaped to Scotland to escape persecution. Learning calligraphy from her mother, she served as official scribe
Scribe
A scribe is a person who writes books or documents by hand as a profession and helps the city keep track of its records. The profession, previously found in all literate cultures in some form, lost most of its importance and status with the advent of printing...
to her husband.
Inglis produced about 60 known calligraphic manuscripts. These were bound as miniature books.
Life
She was born in France, probably at DieppeDieppe, Seine-Maritime
Dieppe is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in France. In 1999, the population of the whole Dieppe urban area was 81,419.A port on the English Channel, famous for its scallops, and with a regular ferry service from the Gare Maritime to Newhaven in England, Dieppe also has a popular pebbled...
; her father, Nicholas Langlois, and her mother, Marie Prisott, with their infant children, fled from France to England after the St. Bartholomew massacre in 1572. In 1578 Nicholas was settled at Edinburgh, where he was master of the French school. On 16 December 1581, Nicholas was granted a pension by James VI for his teaching in Edinburgh. The royal letter mentioned his work forming his pupil's "hands to a perfect shape of letter." Esther was instructed in the art of calligraphy by her mother, and is said by Thomas Hearne
Thomas Hearne
Thomas Hearne or Hearn , English antiquary, was born at Littlefield Green in the parish of White Waltham, Berkshire.-Life:...
to have become nurse to the young Prince Henry
Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales
Henry Frederick Stuart, Prince of Wales was the elder son of King James I & VI and Anne of Denmark. His name derives from his grandfathers: Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley and Frederick II of Denmark. Prince Henry was widely seen as a bright and promising heir to his father's throne...
. Her patrons included Queen Elizabeth and her ministers, as well as the royal family of Scotland and David Murray
David Murray, 1st Viscount of Stormont
David Murray, 1st Viscount of Stormont was a Scottish courtier, comptroller of Scotland and captain of the king's guard, known as Sir David Murray of Gospertie, then Lord Scone, and afterwards Viscount Stormont...
.
She married about 1596 Bartholomew Kello of Leith
Leith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
, a minister. John Kello, her father-in-law, was minister of Spott, Haddingtonshire, in 1567; and was hanged for the murder of his wife, Margaret Thomson, on 4 October 1570, writing a confession published by Robert Lekprevik at Edinburgh. Bartholomew was collated to the rectory of Willingale Spain, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, on 21 December 1607. Esther Kello died on 30 August 1624; her husband survived her, dying on 15 March 1638.
Family
She left two daughters, Elizabeth and Mary. Samuel Kello (died 1680), her only son, was educated at Edinburgh (M.A. 1618). Afterwards he was admitted to Christ Church, OxfordChrist Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, and became rector of Spexall, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
.
External links
- http://womenshistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa021223a.htm
- http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/101015292/
- http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/journal_of_medieval_and_early_modern_studies/v032/32.3frye.html