, a learned French canonist, was born at Paris, March 17, 1698.
, a learned French canonist, was
born at Paris, March 17, 1698. In his younger years he
went through a complete course of education, and even
then gave proofs of those talents in theology and general
literature which constituted the reputation of his future
life. After studying with care and success the Oriental
languages, the holy Scriptures, the fathers, church history, and the canon law, he received his degree of doctor
of divinity in April 1722. After this his attention was
particularly directed to the history and antiquities of the
laws and customs of his country, which made him often be
consulted by political and professional men, and procured
him the esteem and confidence, among others, of the celebrated chancellor D'Aguesseau. Mignot, however, amidst
these advantages, which opened an easy way to promotion,
indulged his predilection for a retired life, and was so little
desirous of public notice that he seldom, if ever, put his
name to his works; but he was not allowed to remain in
obscurity, and, although somewhat late in life, he was
elected a member of the academy of inscriptions, to whose
memoirs he furnished some excellent papers on topics of
ancient history. He died July 25, 1771, in the seventythird year of his age, leaving the following works, which
were all much esteemed in France: 1. “Trait 6 des prets
de commerce,
” Paris, Les Droits de l'etat et du prince sur les
biens du clerge,
” Histoire des
demeles de Henry II, avec St. Thomas de Cantorbery,
”
1756, 12mo, a work, if well executed, of some importance
in English history. 4. “Histoire de la reception du Concile de Trente dans les etats catholiques,
” Amst. Paraphrase sur les Psaumes,
” and some
paraphrases on other parts of the Bible. He published
also a few religious works, a Memoir on the liberties of the
Gallican church, and “La Verite de l'Histoire de PEglise
de St. Omer,
”