Cochlæus, John

, a native of Nuremberg, canon of Breslau, was born in 1479, and became a bigotted adherent to the Roman catholic religion, and disputed warmly against Luther, Osiander, Bucer, Melancthon, Calvin, and the other patriarchs of the reformation; but he is too full of invective, even by the confession of the catholics themselves. In 1539 he received from England a refutation by Richard Morrison, D. D. of the tract he had published against the marriage of Henry Vjii. He replied in a publication bearing this title “The broom of Johannes Cochlæus for sweeping down the cobwebs of Morrison.” Morrison had reproached him with having been made canon of Mersberg on condition that he should write no more against Luther, and for having forfeited his word, on being bought over by promises from the pope. Cochlæus declares that he is not canon of Mersberg that prince George of Saxony sent for him to Mentz, where he was canon of St. Victor, to give him a canonry in the cathedral of Misnia, in order to assist Jerom Emser in the defence of the catholic faith; adding, that it is so far from being true that he had promised to write no more against Luther, that in the preceding year he had published no less than six writings against him. He defends what he had written against the divorce of Henry VIII. and boasts that Erasmus had approved his work. The principal productions of this author are: 1. “Historia Hussitarum,” folio; a scarce and curious/work, and one of his best performances. 2. “De actis et scriptis Lutheri,” 1549, folio. 3. “Speculum circa Missam,” 8vo. 4. “De vita Theoxlorici regis Ostrogothorum,” Stockholm, 1699, 4to. 5. “Consilium cardinalium anno 1538,” 8vo. 6. “De emendanda ecclesia,” 1539, 8vo, very scarce. He died at Breslau, January 10, 1552, at the age of 72. ²