Cisner, Nicholas

, whom we have just mentioned as the editor of Cino da Pistoia’s works, was a learned Lutheran, born at Mosbach in the Palatinate, March 24, 1529. He studied at Heidelberg, and took his master’s degree in 1547, and afterwards taught the Aristotelian philosophy and mathematics. To improve himself farther he went to Strasburgh, where Bucer, the celebrated reformer, and his relation, instructed him in the principles of the reformation, and where he was confirmed in them by studying divinity under Lutheran professors. The fame of Melancthon induced him next to visit him at Wittemberg, whence he returned in 1552 to Heidelberg, and was appointed by the elector Frederic to the chair of professor of moral philosophy. He also lectured on Aristotle’s Ethics and Cicero “De Finibus, until in 1553, the plague breaking out, he went to France- and Italy and was m>ade doctor of laws at Pisa in 1559. The same year he returned to Heidelberg, where he was appointed professor of the Pandects, and counsellor to the elector Palatine Frederic III. Some time after he succeeded Baudoin as professor of civil law; and in 1563 he filled the office of rector of the university of Heidelberg, and several other honourable situations under the elector Lewis. He died at Heidelberg March G, 1583. The principal of his original works were published in a thick octavo of 1031 pages, with a life by the editor Reuter, under the title of” N. Cisneri, &c. opuscula historica et politico-philologica, distributa in libros quatuor,“Francfort, 1611. This contains twentythree treatises, on subjects of history, philology, biography, &c. besides poems and letters. He published also some works on law, and was editor, as we have noticed, of the works of Cino da Pistoia, of Aventinus’s annals, Albert Krantz’s” Saxonia,“Duarenus’s works, 1578, 2 vols. folio, and of” Simonis Chardii Scriptores rerum Germanicarum," Basil, 1574, 4 vols. folio. ²