Valérand Poullain
Encyclopedia
Valérand Poullain (1509?-1557) was a French Calvinist minister. In a troubled career as minister, he brought a congregation of Flemish
or Walloon
weavers to South-west England around 1548.
. He was willing to replace the martyred Pierre Brully
at the Strasburg
church, in 1544-5. But there was local opposition from other local reformers, who found him unreasonable, notably Johannes Sturm
. Poullain failed to gain the position from a short-list of five, all of whom were required to preach in front of a committee including Sturm, Immanuel Tremellius
, and Peter Martyr, supported by Martin Bucer
and others. He shortly left the city for a teaching position at Romberg
, being succeeded as pastor by Pierre Alexandre and then shortly by Jean Garnier.
Poullain owed his invitation to England to Jan Utenhove
. He was in Canterbury, working with a French refugee congregation, around 1547. The weavers he brought occupied the building of the dissolved Glastonbury Abbey
from 1551 to 1554, initially under the auspices of Lord Protector Somerset, and using a Protestant liturgy of Poullain's devising. Poullain was probably an influence on the liturgy in the Book of Common Prayer
of Edward VI. After the accession of Mary I of England
Poullain left England with some 24 of his weavers, going to Wesel
, and then Frankfurt
. He became acquainted with John Foxe
there; but a move to Basel
led to his appearance before a matrimonial court in a case concerning his disputed betrothal.
Later, in 1556, Poullain was in charge of a quarrelsome French refugee congregation at Frankfurt. Jean Calvin himself had to intervene: Poullain was cleared of allegations against him, but had to resign his position, and Calvin questioned his judgement.
Flemish
Flemish can refer to anything related to Flanders, and may refer directly to the following articles:*Flemish, an informal, though linguistically incorrect, name of any kind of the Dutch language as spoken in Belgium....
or Walloon
Walloons
Walloons are a French-speaking people who live in Belgium, principally in Wallonia. Walloons are a distinctive community within Belgium, important historical and anthropological criteria bind Walloons to the French people. More generally, the term also refers to the inhabitants of the Walloon...
weavers to South-west England around 1548.
Life
He was originally from LilleLille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
. He was willing to replace the martyred Pierre Brully
Pierre Brully
Pierre Brully was a Calvinist minister from Lorraine, executed for teaching his beliefs.-Life:He was born at Mersilhaut near Metz...
at the Strasburg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
church, in 1544-5. But there was local opposition from other local reformers, who found him unreasonable, notably Johannes Sturm
Johannes Sturm
Johannes Sturm, Latinized as Ioannes Sturmius was a German educator, influential in the design of the Gymnasium system of secondary education.- Biography :...
. Poullain failed to gain the position from a short-list of five, all of whom were required to preach in front of a committee including Sturm, Immanuel Tremellius
Immanuel Tremellius
Immanuel Tremellius was an Italian Jewish convert to Christianity. He was known as a leading Hebraist and Bible translator.- Life :He was born at Ferrara, and educated at the University of Padua...
, and Peter Martyr, supported by Martin Bucer
Martin Bucer
Martin Bucer was a Protestant reformer based in Strasbourg who influenced Lutheran, Calvinist, and Anglican doctrines and practices. Bucer was originally a member of the Dominican Order, but after meeting and being influenced by Martin Luther in 1518 he arranged for his monastic vows to be annulled...
and others. He shortly left the city for a teaching position at Romberg
Romberg
Romberg is a German surname which may refer to:* Andreas Romberg , German composer, violinist* Bernhard Romberg , German cellist and composer* Brett Romberg , American football player* Luci Romberg, an American stuntwoman...
, being succeeded as pastor by Pierre Alexandre and then shortly by Jean Garnier.
Poullain owed his invitation to England to Jan Utenhove
Jan Utenhove
Jan Utenhove was a writer from the Low Countries best known for his translations into the Dutch language of the Psalms and the New Testament.-Life:...
. He was in Canterbury, working with a French refugee congregation, around 1547. The weavers he brought occupied the building of the dissolved Glastonbury Abbey
Glastonbury Abbey
Glastonbury Abbey was a monastery in Glastonbury, Somerset, England. The ruins are now a grade I listed building, and a Scheduled Ancient Monument and are open as a visitor attraction....
from 1551 to 1554, initially under the auspices of Lord Protector Somerset, and using a Protestant liturgy of Poullain's devising. Poullain was probably an influence on the liturgy in the Book of Common Prayer
Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
of Edward VI. After the accession of Mary I of England
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
Poullain left England with some 24 of his weavers, going to Wesel
Wesel
Wesel is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the Wesel district.-Division of the town:Suburbs of Wesel include Lackhausen, Obrighoven, Ginderich, Feldmark,Fusternberg, Büderich, Flüren and Blumenkamp.-History:...
, and then Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
. He became acquainted with John Foxe
John Foxe
John Foxe was an English historian and martyrologist, the author of what is popularly known as Foxe's Book of Martyrs, , an account of Christian martyrs throughout Western history but emphasizing the sufferings of English Protestants and proto-Protestants from the fourteenth century through the...
there; but a move to Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
led to his appearance before a matrimonial court in a case concerning his disputed betrothal.
Later, in 1556, Poullain was in charge of a quarrelsome French refugee congregation at Frankfurt. Jean Calvin himself had to intervene: Poullain was cleared of allegations against him, but had to resign his position, and Calvin questioned his judgement.
Further reading
- Karl Bauer (1927), Valérand Poullain: Ein Kirchengeschichtliches Zeitbild aus der Mitte des sechzehnten Jahrhunderts