830 THE KEFORMATION IN FRENCH SWITZERLAND.
happ3'^ resurrection arrive. As to the slender patrimony Avhich God has bestowed upon me, and of which I have determined to dispose in this will and testament, I appoint Anthony Calvin, my very dear brother, my heir, but in the way of lionor only, giving to him for liis own the silver cup whicli I received as a present from Varanius, and with which I desire he will be contented. Everything else belonging to my succession I give him in trust, begging he will at his death leave it to his children. To the Boys' School I bequeath out of my succession ten gold pieces ; as many to poor strangers ; and as many to Joanna, the daughter of Charles Constans, and myself by affinity. To Samuel and John, the sons of my brother, I bequeath, to be paid by him at his death, each four hundred gold pieces; and to Anna, and Susanna, and Dorothy, his daughters, each three hundred gold pieces; to David, their brother, in reprehension of his juvenile levity and petulance, I leave only twenty-five gold pieces. This is the amount of the whole patrimony and goods which the Lord has bestowed on me, as far as I can estimate, setting a value both on my library and movables, and all my domestic utensils, and, generally, my whole means and effects ; but should they produce a larger sum, I wish the surplus to be divided proportionally among all the sons and daughters of ray brother, not excluding David, if, through the goodness of God, he shall have returned to good behavior. But should the whole exceed the above-mentioned sum, I believe it will be no great matter, especially after my debts are paid, the doing of which I have carefully committed to my said brotlier, having confidence in his faith and good-will ; for which reason I will and appoint him executor of this my testament, and along with him my distinguished friend, Lawrence Normand, giving power to them to make out an inventory of my effects, without being obliged to comply with the strict forms of law. I empower them also to sell my movables, that they may turn tliem into money, and execute my will above written, and explained and dictated by me, John Calvin, on this 25tli day of April, in the year 1564.' ^ "After I, the aforesaid notary, had written the above testament, the aforesaid John Calvin immediately confirmed it with his usual subscription and liandwriting. On the following day, which was the 26th day of April of same year, the same distinguished man, Calvin, ordered me to be sent for, and along with me, Theodore Beza, Raymond Chauvet, Michael Cop, Lewis Enoch, Nicholas Colladon, and James Bordese, ministers and preachers of the Word of God in this Church of Geneva, and likewise the distinguished Henry Scrimger, Professor of Arts, all citizens of Geneva, and in presence of them all, testified and declared that he had dictated to me this his instrument in the form above written; and, at the same time, he ordered me to read it in their hearing, as having been called for that purpose. This I declare I did articulately, and with clear voice. And after it was so read, he testified and declared that it was his last will, which he desired to be rati-
1 A part of Calvin's furniture belonged to the Republic of Geneva, as is proved by the inventory preserved in the archives. His books were purchased after his death by the Council. In spite of his poverty he could not escape the charge of avarice. See below, p. 838.
§ 165. CALVm's LAST WILL, AXD FAREWELLS. 831
fied. In testimony and confirmation whereof, lie requested them all to subscribe said testament with their own hands. This was immediately done by them, month and year above written, at Geneva, in the street commonly called Canon Street, and at the dwelling-place of said testator. In faith and testimony of which I have written the foresaid testament, and subscribeil it with my own hand, and sealed it with the common seal of our supreme magistracy.
" PiiTEii Chenalat."
Calvin's Farewell to the Syndics and Senatohs of Geneva, April 27, 1564.
From Beza's Vita Calvini. The Latin text in Opera, XXI. 164 sqq. The French text in vol. IX. 887-800. Comp. Bey. du Conseil, fol. 38, in Annales, XXI. 815. Translated by Henry Beveridge, Esq., for " The Calvin Translation Society," 1844 (Calvin's Tracts, vol. I. Ixxxix-xciii).
"This testament being executed, Calvin sent an intimation to the four syndics, and all the senators, that, before his departure out of life, he was desirous once more to address them all in the Senate house, to which he hoped he might be carried on the following day. The senators replied that they would rather come to him, and begged that he would consider the state of his health. On the following day, when the whole Senate had come to him in a body, after mutual salutations, and he had begged pardon for their having come to him when he ouglit rather to have gone to them, first premising tliat he had long desired this interview with them, but had put it off until he should have a surer presentiment of his decease, he proceeded thus : —
" ' Honored Lords, — I thank you exceedingly for having conferred so many honors on one who plainly deserved nothing of the kind, and for having so often borne patiently with my very numerous infirmities. This I have always regarded as the strongest proof of your singular good-will toward me. And though in the discharge of my duty I have had various battles to fight, and various insults to endure, because to these every man, even the most excellent, must be subjected, I know and acknowledge that none of these things happened through your fault; and I earnestly entreat you that if, in anything, I have not done as I ought, you will attribute it to the want of ability rather than of will; for I can truly declare that I have sincerely studied the interest of your Republic. Though I have not discharged my duty fully, I have always, to the best of my ability, consulted for the public good; and did I not acknowledge that the Lord, on His part, hath sometimes made my labors profitable, I should lay myself open to a charge of dissimulation. But this I beg of you, again and again, that you will be pleased to excuse me for having performed so little in public and in private, compared with what I ought to have done. I also certainly acknowledge, tliat on another account also I am highly indebted to you, viz. your having borne patiently with my vehemence, which was sometimes carried to excess ; my sins, in this respect, I trust, have been pardoned by God also. But in regard