Dr John Durel

John Durel

From Payne's Armorial of Jersey - Among the many eminent
members of this family, John Durell, or Durel, as he spelt
his name, stands very prominent

Durel was born at St Helier, in 1625, and was entered at Merton College, Oxford, about 1640; after remaining there two years, he retired to France, on account of that city being beseiged by the Parliamentarians. While there, he studied at Caen, and took his degree as MA in the Sylvanian College of that place, in July 1644. From Caen, he went to Saumur, where he studied divinity under the famous Moses Amiraux, divinity reader of that University. In 1647, he returned to Jersey, and was Chaplain of Elizabeth Castle in 1651. He was also an envoy from Sir George Carteret to King Charles II, in France. Upon the expulsion of the Royalists, he left the island, and shortly after received episcopal ordination in Paris, from the Bishop of Galloway, at the Ambassador's Chapel. From Paris, he went to St Malo, and while there, was invited to Caen to succeed the learned Bochart, who was about to visit Sweden.

About the same time the Landgrave of Hesse, having applied to the Ministers of Paris to send him a Protestant who could preach in the French language, Mr Durel was recommended as a fit person. However, from private reasons, he declined both appointments and afterwards became chaplain to the Duke de la Force, with whom he remained eight years. At the Restoration, he came to England, where he was greatly instrumental in establishing the episcopal French church in the Savoy, Strand, under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of London; in which he performed the first service, July 14, 1661, assisted by the Rev Mr Le Couteur, another Jerseyman.

He officiated here some years, highly to the satisfaction of his congregation. About this time he was appointed Chaplain in ordinary to the King; and in 1663 he was preferred to a prebend's stall in the Cathedral of Salisbury, and in the following year was made a canon of Windsor—which several preferments show the King's esteem and regard for his faithful and talented adherent. In Julv 1668 he was installed a prebendary of the Cathedral Church of Durham, and at the same time had a rich donative conferred on him. In 1669, he took his degree as Doctor of Divinity by creation; and in 1677, Charles II gave him the Deanery of Windsor, in which he was installed July 27, of that year.

He died in June 1683, and was buried in the Collegiate Chapel at Windsor, where is erected a marble tablet with a Latin inscription to his memory. He is described not only as a learned man, but as possessing the rare combination of being at once erudite and a man of the world.

He wrote, among other works: " A View of the Government and Public Worship of God, in the Reformed Churches beyond the seas, wherein is showed their conformity and agreement with the Church of England, as it is by law established." In another able work also, " The Liturgy of the Church of England Vindicated," his orthodoxy and allegiance to the Church is shown in a very favourable light. He translated the Book of Common Prayer into French and Latin, and the Whole Duty of Man into French ; in the execution of which last, he was efficiently assisted by his wife. In his general character, firm and stanch loyalty is perhaps the predominating principle, but his orthodox sentiments are beyond all praise, tending as they did to " maintain the honour of the Church of England, when in its lowest and most deplorable condition."