Genebrard, Gilbert

, a celebrated Benedictine, a zealous partizan of the league in France, and a writer for it, but also a learned writer in theology, was born at Riom in Auvergne, in 1537. He studied at Paris, and having acquired a profound knowledge of Hebrew, was professor of that language at the royal college for thirteen years. He was twice named for episcopacy, yet never obtained it, and at last died in a kind of exile at his priory of Semur in Burgundy, in consequence of the violence of his writings against Henry IV. As a polemic as well as a politician, he | was a most violent and abusive writer, but is said to have been more prudent in his conduct than in his style. He died in 1597. The following verse, which was placed upon his tomb, served rather to prove the perishable nature of fame, than the merit of the man:

“Urna capit cineres, nomen non orbe tenetur.” His principal works are a “Sacred Chronology,” 8vo; a “Commentary on the Psalms,” 8vo three books “on the Trinity,” 8vo; a Latin treatise, in which he maintains the right of the clergy and people to elect bishops, contrary to the king’s appointment, 8vo (the parliament of Provence sentenced this treatise to be burnt, and banished Genebrard from the kingdom); a French translation of various Rabbins, fol. and a translation of Josephus; “Excommunication of the Ecclesiastics who assisted at divine service with Henry de Valois, after the assassination of cardinal de Guise,” 1589, 8vo, Latin, and other works. St. Francis de Sales gloried in having been his pupil. ¹