ame a light to the north of Europe. Adalard promoted learning in his monasteries, for he was himself a man of great learning; and instructed the people both in Latin
, or Adelard, born about the year 753,
was son of count Bernard, grandson of Charles Martel,
and cousin-german of Charlemagne. He had been invited to the court in his youth, but, fearing the infection
of such a mode of life, had retired; and, at the age of 20
years, became a monk of Corbie in Picardy, and was at
length chosen abbot of the monastery. His imperial relation, however, forced him again to attend the court, where
he still preserved the dispositions of a recluse, and took
every opportunity, which business allowed, for private
prayer and meditation. After the death of Charlemagne,
he was, on unjust suspicions, banished by Lewis the Meek,
to a monastery on die coast of Acquitaine, in the isle of
Here. After a banishment of five years, Lewis, sensible
of his own injustice, recalled Adalard, and heaped on him
the highest honours. The monk was, however, the same
man in prosperity and in adversity, and in the year 823
obtained leave to return to Corbie. Every week he addressed each of the monks in particular 5 he exhorted
them in pathetic discourses, and laboured for the spiritual
good of the country around his monastery. His liberality
seems to have bordered on excess; and his humility induced him to receive advice from the meanest monk.
When desired to live less austerely, he would frequently
say, “I will take care of your servant, that he may be enabled to attend on you the longer.
” Another Adalard,
who had governed the monastery during his banishment,
by the direction of our Adalard, prepared the foundation
of a distinct monastery, called New Corbie, near Paderborn, as a nursery for ecclesiastical laboarers, who.
should instruct the northern nations. Our Adalard now
completed this scheme; went himself to New Corbie
twice, and settled its discipline. The success of this
truly charitable project was great: many learned and
zealous missionaries were furnished from the new seminary, and it became a light to the north of Europe. Adalard promoted learning in his monasteries, for he was
himself a man of great learning; and instructed the people
both in Latin and French: and after his second return
from Germany to old Corbie, he died ill the year 827,
aged 73. Such is the account given us of Adalard,
a character, there is reason to believe, of eminent
piety and usefulness in a dark age. To convert monasteries into seminaries of pastoral education, was a
thought far above the taste of the age in which he
lived, and tended to emancipate those superstitious institutions from the unprofitable and illiberal bondage
in which they had long subsisted. His principal work
work was “A treatise on the French Monarchy;
” but
fragments only of any of his works have come down to our
times. Hincmar has incorporated the treatise on the
French monarchy in his: fourteenth Opusculum, “for the
instruction of king Carloman.
” The ancient statutes of
of the abbey of Corbie, by our author, are in the fourth
volume of D'Achery’s Spicilegium.
nd Dioptrics,” at the time of his death, which happened at Seville, in 1617. He appears to have been a man of great learning, and of great piety.
, was a Jesuit of Brussels, and professor of philosophy at Doway,
and of theology at Antwerp. He was one of the first that
introduced mathematical studies at Antwerp. He wrote a
book entitled “Opticorum lib. VI. Philosophicis juxta
ac Mathematicis utiles,
” printed at Antwerp by Plantin in
1613, in fol.; and a treatise “Of Projections of the Sphere.
”
He was employed in finishing his “Catoptrics and Dioptrics,
” at the time of his death, which happened at Seville,
in 1617. He appears to have been a man of great learning,
and of great piety.
er, was born at Thous in 1058, studied in the college of the celebrated Iman-Al-Haremein, and became a man of great learning. On the death of his preceptor he presented
, an Arabian
philosopher, was born at Thous in 1058, studied in the
college of the celebrated Iman-Al-Haremein, and became
a man of great learning. On the death of his preceptor
he presented himself to the vizir Neddham El-mulk, who
bestowed many gifts and honours upon him, and gave him,
the superintendance of a college which he had founded at
Bagdad. Algazeli, after retaining this office four years,
embraced a solitary life, travelled into Syria and Palestine,
and employed himself in the composition of his works,
until his death in 1111. Among his papers was a treatise
censuring with great freedom some articles of the Mahometan faith; this was of course immediately committed to
the flames. He left, however, many other works, some
of which have been translated either into Latin or Hebrew.
His treatise on “Religious Sciences
” is highly celebrated
in the East. In Philosophica et logica Algazeli,
” 4to. Averroes, who lived after him, wrote against
his philosophical opinions, in a piece entitled “Destructio
destructionum philosophise Algazeli,
” and which is printed
in the 9th vol. of his Aristotle. In all, except the first
mentioned work, Algazeli is a strenuous supporter of the
Mahometan religion.
n, he died there, in the month of November, 1668, being somewhat above thirty-five years old. He was a man of great learning, and greater charity; zealous in his own
, an English non-conformist divine, was the son of Mr. Tobias Allein, and born at the Devizes, in Wiltshire, 1633. He discovered an extraordinary tincture of religion, even in his childhood; at eleven years of age he was much addicted to private prayer; and on the death of his brother Edward, who was a worthy minister of the gospel, he entreated his father that he might be educated for that profession. In four years he acquired a competent knowledge of Greek and Latin, and was declared by his master n't for the university. He was, however, kept some time longer at home, where he was instructed in logic, and at sixteen was sent to Lincoln college, Oxford. In 1651 he was removed to Corpus Christi college, a Wiltshire scholarship being there vacant. While at college he vras remarkably assiduous in his studies, grave in his temper, but cheerfully ready to assist others. He might in a short time have obtained a fellowship, but he declined that for the sake of the office of chaplain, being pleased with the opportunity this gave him of exerting his gift in prayer, the liturgy being then disused. In July 1653, he was admitted bachelor of arts, and became a tutor. In this arduous employment he behaved himself with equal skill and diligence; several of his pupils became very eminent non-conforming ministers, and not a few attained to considerable preferment in the established church. In 1655 he became assistant in the ministry to Mr. G. Newton, of Taunton, in Somersetshire, where he married the same year. His income was small, but was somewhat increased by the profits of a. boarding-school, which Mrs. Allein kept. During seven years that he lived in this manner, he discharged his pastoral duty with incredible diligence; for, besides preaching and catechising in the church, he spent several afternoons in a week in visiting the people of the town, and exhorting them to a religious life. These applications were at first far from being welcome to many families; but his meekness, moderation, and unaffected piety, reconciled them to his advice, and made him by degrees the delight of his parishioners. He was deprived in 1662, for nonconformity. He preached, however, privately, until his zeal and industry in this course brought him into trouble. On the 26th day of May, 1663, he was committed to Ivelchester gaol, and was with seven ministers and fifty quakers confined in one room, where they suffered great hardships; tut they still continued to preach till the assizes. These were held before Mr. justice Foster, and at them Mr. Allein was indicted for preaching on the 17th of May preceding; of which indictment he was found guilty, and sentenced to pay a hundred marks, and to remain in prison till his fine was paid. At the time of his receiving sentence, he said, that he was glad that it had appeared before his country; that whatever he was charged with, he was guikv of nothing but doing his duty; and all that did appear by the evidence was, that he had sung a psalm, and instructed his family, others being there, and both in his own house. He continued in prison a year, which broke his constitution; but, when he was at liberty, he applied himself to his ministry as earnestly as ever, which, brought on him a painful disorder. The five miles act taking place, he retired from Taunton to Wellington, where he continued but a short time, Mr. Mallack, a merchant, inviting him to lodge at a house of his some distance from Taunton. In the summer of 1665, he was advised to drink the waters near the Devizes, for his health. But before he left Mr. Mallack’s house, viz. on the I Oth of July in that year, some friends came to take their leave of him; they were surprised praying together, and for this were sentenced to sixty days imprisonment, which himself, seven ministers, and forty private persons, suffered in the county gaol. This hindered his going to the waters; and his disease returning, he lost another summer. At length, in 1667, he went, but was far from receiving the benefit he expected. After some time he went to Dorchester, where he grew better; but applying himself again to preaching, catechising, and other duties, his distemper returned with such violence, that he lost the use of his limbs. His death was then daily expected; but by degrees he grew somewhat better, and at length went to Bath, where his health altered so much, that his friends were in hopes he would have lived several years; but growing suddenly worse again, he died there, in the month of November, 1668, being somewhat above thirty-five years old. He was a man of great learning, and greater charity; zealous in his own way of worshipping God, but not in thft least bitter towards any Christians who worshipped in another manner. He preserved a great respect for the church, notwithstanding all his sufferings; and was eminently loyal to his prince, notwithstanding the severities of the times. His writings breathe a true spirit of piety, for which they have been always and deservedly esteemed. His body lies in the chancel of the church of St. Magdalen, of Taunton, and on his grave-stone are the following lines
ty of the Jesuits in 1706, and died in 1777, at Rome, where he had lived many years. He was esteemed a man of great learning, piety, and amiable manners. His principal
, of an illustrious family at
Cortona, was born there, March 25, 1689. He entered
the society of the Jesuits in 1706, and died in 1777, at
Rome, where he had lived many years. He was esteemed
a man of great learning, piety, and amiable manners. His
principal work is his “Sum of St. Augustine,
” Rome,
ination; but it is probable that Amalarius was dead ten years before that. He was, however, esteemed a man of great learning in liturgical matters; and his acknowledged
, was successively deacon and priest of the church of Metz, director. of the school
in the palace of Louis de Debdnnaire, abbot of Hornbac,
coadjutor to the bishop of Ia-Ous, and then to that of
Treves, and according to some was made bishop; but this
seems doubtful. Some authors likewise attribute to him a
work which appeared in the year 847, in favour of the
opinions of Hincmar, archbishop of Rheirns, on predestination; but it is probable that Amalarius was dead ten years
before that. He was, however, esteemed a man of great
learning in liturgical matters; and his acknowledged works
procured him touch reputation in the Romish church.
The first mentioned is a “Treatise on the Offices,
” written
in the year The
order of the Antiphonal,
” in which he endeavours to reconcile the rites of the Roman with the Gallican church.
This is usually printed with the preceding. 3. “The Office of the Mass.
” 4. “Letters,
” which are in the Spicilegium of d'Achery, and Martenne’s Anecdotes. His
works met with considerable opposition, and Agobard, archbishop of Lyons, wrote against the two first-mentioned
works. Florus, deacon of Lyons, accused him of heresy
before the council of Thionville, where he was acquitted,
and the council at Quierci, where some expressions of his
respecting the sacrament were adjudged to be dangerous,
but his reputation did not suffer much by the decision.
her Satyrus. He now applied himself to the study of theology, under Simplician, a presbyter of Rome, a man of great learning and piety, whom he invited to Milan, and
The first step he took, which probably confirmed the good opinion to which he owed his election, was to give to the church and to the poor all his personal property, and his lands in reversion, after the death of his sister Marcellina. His family he committed to the care of his brother Satyrus. He now applied himself to the study of theology, under Simplician, a presbyter of Rome, a man of great learning and piety, whom he invited to Milan, and who was afterwards his successor in that see. His studies he pursued with ardour and perseverance; but it has been uniformly regretted that he made the works of the fanciful Origen so much the object of his study, for to this all the extravagant opinions in his writings may be referred. He soon, however, commenced preacher, and officiated everj Sunday, and as head of the church of Milan, he labouret unremittingly in discouraging the Arian heresy in Italy, ii which, it will soon appear, he would have made little progress, had he not been endowed with an uncommon share of heroic firmness.
n their constancy, and contempt for the innovations of Christianity. Symmachus, one of their number, a man of great learning and powers of eloquence, applied to the
About this time Ambrose had to contend with an attempt
of another kind. The Pagans, taking advantage of the
minority of Valentinian, and the confusions of the empire,
endeavoured to recover their ancient establishment. The
senate of Rome contained still a considerable proportion
of Gentiles, and many of the great families piqued themselves on their constancy, and contempt for the innovations
of Christianity. Symmachus, one of their number, a man
of great learning and powers of eloquence, applied to the
emperor for permission to restore the altar of victory to the
senate-house. Ambrose immediately discerned that this was
a request for something more than toleration. “If,
” said he,
in his letter to Valentinian, “he is a Pagan who offers you
this advice, let him give the same liberty which he takes himself. You compel no man to worship what he does not approve. Here the whole senate, as far as it is Christian, is
endangered. Every senator takes his oath at the altar; and
every person who is obliged to appear before the senate
upon oath, takes his oath in the same manner. The divinity of the false gods is evidently allowed by the practice,
and Christians are by these means obliged to endure a
persecution.
” The address of Symmachus, with Ambrose’s reply, are still extant; but Ambrose was successful, and lived to defeat Symmachus when he made a
second attempt, in the reign of Theodosius.
, deacon of Alexandria, the intimate friend and admirer of Origen, was a man of great learning and piety, and worthy of being recorded,
, deacon of Alexandria, the intimate friend and admirer of Origen, was a man of great learning and piety, and worthy of being recorded, although his history has not in all particulars been exactly ascertained. Eusebius says that he followed the Valentinian heresy, but was brought over to orthodoxy by the preaching of Origen. St. Jerome says that he was at first a Marcionite, but being convinced of his error by Origen, he became a deacon of the church, and had the honour of suffering for Christ, as a confessor. To him, he adds, and to Protoctetus, Origen inscribed his book on Martyrdom, and dedicated to him many other volumes which were published at his desire and expence. Ambrose was a man of a good family, and of considerable wit, as his letters to Origen show. He died before Origen, and is blamed by many, because, though he was rich, he did not at his death remember his friend, who was not only poor, but in his old age.
achus the father wrote a treatise “De Medicamentis compositis ad affectus externos,” and that he was a man of great learning and eloquence. Erotion dedicated his Lexicon
, a native of the island of Crete, and
physician to the emperor Nero, A. D. 65, has been handed
down to posterity, as the inventor of a medicine named
theriaca, which is now deemed of little use. It however
set aside the mithridate, which till then had been held in
great esteem. Andromachus wrote the description of his
antidote in elegiac verse, which he dedicated to Nero.
His son, of the same name, wrote this description in prose.
Damocrates turned it into Iambic verse in a poem, which
he wrote upon Antidotes. Galen informs us that
Andromachus the father wrote a treatise “De Medicamentis
compositis ad affectus externos,
” and that he was a man of
great learning and eloquence. Erotion dedicated his
Lexicon to him, and some writers say he was a good astrologer. He was the first who bore the tide of archiater.
, a man of great learning, whq raised himself from a low condition
, a man of great learning, whq
raised himself from a low condition by his merit, his parents
being so far from able to support him in his studies, that
they themselves stood in need of charity, was born at Rome
in 1540. He made a quick and most surprising progress
in his studies; for when he was but ten years old, he could
make verses upon any subject proposed to him; and these so
excellent, though pronounced extempore, that it was commonly thought they exceeded those of the most studied
preparation. A proof of this was at the table of the cardinal of Pisa, when he gave an entertainment one day to
several other cardinals. Alexander Farnese, taking a nosegay, gave it to this youth, desiring him to present it to him
of the company whom he thought most likely to be pope:
he presented it to the cardinal of Medicis, and made an
eulogium upon him in verse. This cardinal, who was pope
some years afterwards, under the name of Pius IV. imagined
it all a contrivance, and that the poem had been artfully
prepared before-hand, by way of ridicule upon him. He
therefore appeared hurt at it, but the company protested
that it was an extempore performance, and requested
him to make a trial of the boy: he did so, and was convinced of his extraordinary talents. According to Strada,
as the cardinal of Medicis was thinking upon a subject for this purpose, the clock in the hall struck; which
was the occasion of his proposing a clock for the subject
of his verses. The duke de Ferrara coming to Rome, to
congratulate Marcellus II. upon his being raised to the
pontificate, was so charmed with the genius of Antoniano,
that he carried hi:n to Ferrara, where he provided able
masters to instruct him in all the sciences. From thence
he was sent for by Pius IV. who recollecting the adventure
of the nosegay, made inquiry for the young poet; and
having found him, invited him to Rome, and gave hinvan
honourable post in his palace, and some time after made
him professor of the belles lettres in the college at Rome.
Antoniano filled this place with so much reputation, that
on the day when he began to explain the oration pro Marco Marcello, he had a crowd of auditors, and among these
no less than twenty-five cardinals. He was afterwards
chosen rector of the college; and after the death of Pius
IV. being seized with a spirit of devotion, he joined himself to Philip Neri, and accepted the office of secretary to
the sacred college, offered him by Pius V. which he executed for many years with the reputation of an honest and
able man. He refused a bishopric which Gregory XIV.
wculd have given him, but he accepted the office of secretary to the briefs, offered him by Clement VIII. who made
him his chamberlain, and afterwards a cardinal. It is reported, that cardinal Alexander de Montalto, who had behaved a Hitle too haughtily to Antoniano, said, when he
saw him promoted to the purple, that for the future he
would not despise a man of the cassoc and little band,
however low and despicable he might appear; since it
might happen that he whom he had despised, might not
only become his equal, but even his superior. His intense
application is said to have hastened his death, Aug. 15,
1603. His printed works are, 1. “Dele 1 Educazione
Cristiana de Figliuoli libri tre,
” Verona, Orationes
tredecim,
” Rome,
olis. He founded what in the history of ancient philosophy is denominated the Second Academy. He was a man of great learning, and versed in the writings of the ancients,
, a celebrated Greek philosopher, about 300 years before the Christian sera, was born at Pitane, in Eolis. He founded what in the history of ancient philosophy is denominated the Second Academy. He was a man of great learning, and versed in the writings of the ancients, remarkable for the severity of his criticisms; but, in his private character, no enemy to the utmost licentiousness of his age. He had, however, a great number of disciples. His doctrines were different in many respects from what his predecessors had taught; but, instead of reforming their errors, he plunged into as great and perhaps more pernicious absurdities. It was the opinion of his school that we could know nothing, nor even assure ourselves of the certainty of this position: thence they inferred that we should affirm nothing, but always suspend our judgment. They advanced, however, that a philosopher was able to dispute upon every subject, and force conviction whichever side of the question he chose to adopt; and that there were always reasons of equal force, both in the affirmative and negative of every argument. Neither our senses nor our reason were to have any credit. Stanley and Brucker, in their Histories of Philosophy, may be consulted for a detail of the reveries of Arcesilaus; and Bayle has an elaborate article on the same subject, Arcesilaus is said to have died of excess, in his 75th year, in the fourth year of the 134th olympiad. He appears to have been a man of good taste, as he studied Homer with a relish approaching to reverence.
sed and recited an elegfuit Latin oration, which gave the highest expectations of him. Tito Strozza, a man of great learning and consummate knowledge, took particular
Ludovico was the first-born of his father’s children, and is reported to have surpassed the rest in the endowments of the mind; giving, from his tender years, uncommon presage of a future genius. Being yet in hn rudiments, he composed a kind of tragedv from the story of Pyramus and Thisbe, which he caused to be represented by his brothers and sisters. He applied himself very early to the study of the Latin, in which he made greater progress than almost any one of his age; and, in the very beginning of his studies, he composed and recited an elegfuit Latin oration, which gave the highest expectations of him. Tito Strozza, a man of great learning and consummate knowledge, took particular delight to hear him, and to propose, difticult questions for his solution; often encouraging a dispute, on literary subjects, between him and Hercules his son, a youth whose age and studies agreed with Ariosto. But his father Niculo, having little taste for literature, was desirous, that, as his eldest-born, he should pursue some lucrative profession, and sent him to Padua, to study the civil law, under Angelo Castrinse and 11 Ma'mo; in which employment he spent five years, highly disagreeable to one of his disposition; which circumstance he laments in one of his satires addressed to Bembo. But although Ariosto durst not openly di’sobey his father, he could not so far conquer his inclinations as to desist from perusing trench and Spanish romances, with which languages h6 was well acquainted, having translated two or three of these authors himself into his native tongue; and availed himself, in his future works, of every beauty that occurred in these wild productions of imagination. Nicolo, atlnst, perceiving the aversion his son had to the profession of the law, and the little progress he made therein, permitted him to obey the strong propensity of genius, and is said to have been, in a great degree, influenced by Pandolfo Ariosto, a youth of excellent endowments, and a near kinsman to Ludovico.
have been attributed to him, but without much authority. By these, however, he appears to have been a man of great learning, with some turn for boldness of inquiry;
, a Spanish Jesuit, was born at
Logrona, in Castille, Jan. 17, 1592. He entered into the
society Sept. 17, 1606, and taught philosophy with great
applause at Valladolid, and divinity at Salamanca. Afterwards, at the instigation of the society, he went to Prague,
in 1624, where he taught scholastic divinity three years,
was prefect general of the studies twenty years, and chancellor of the university for twelve years. He took the degree of doctor in divinity in a very public manner, and
gained great reputation. The province of Bohemia deputed him thrice to Rome, to assist there at general congregations of the order, and it appears that he afterwards
refused every solicitation to return to Spain. He was
highly esteemed by Urban VIII. Innocent X. and the emperor Ferdinand III. He died at Prague, June 17, 1667.
His works are, “A course of Philosophy,
” fol. Antwerp,
A course
of -Divinity,
” 8 vols. fol. printed at different periods from
1645 to 1655, at Antwerp. Other works have been attributed to him, but without much authority. By these,
however, he appears to have been a man of great learning,
with some turn for boldness of inquiry; but, in general,
his reasoning is perplexed and obscure, and perhaps the
abbé l'Avocat is right in characterising him as one of the
most subtle, and most obscure of the scholastic divines.
Bayle says he resembles those authors who admirably discover the weakness of any doctrine, but never discover
the strong side of it: they are, he adds, like warriors, who
bring fire and sword into the enemies’ country, but are not
able to put their own frontiers into a state of resistance.
may have been differently represented by the opposite parties, it is universally agreed, that he was a man of great learning and uncommon abilities, a fine writer,
As to bishop Atterbury’s character, however the moral
and political part of it may have been differently represented by the opposite parties, it is universally agreed,
that he was a man of great learning and uncommon abilities, a fine writer, and a most excellent preacher. His
learned friend Smalridge, in the speech he made, when he
presented him to the upper house of convocation, as prolocutor, styles him “Vir in nullo literarum genere hospes,
in plerisque artibus et studiis diu et feliciter exercitatus,
in maxime perfectis literarum disciplinis perfectissimus.
”
In his controversial writings, he was sometimes too severe
upon his adversary, and dealt rather too much in satire
and invective but this his panegyrist imputes more to the
natural fervour of his wit, than to any bitterness of temper,
or prepense malice. In his sermons, however, he is not
only every way unexceptionable, but highly to be commended. The truth is, his talent as a preacher was so excellent and remarkable, that it may not improperly he said,
that he owed his preferment to the pulpit, nor any hard matter to trace him, through his writings, to his several promotions in the church. We shall conclude bishop Atterbury’s
character, as a preacher, with the encomium bestowed on
him by the author of “The Tatler
” who, having observed
that the English clergy too much neglect the art of speaking, makes a particular exception with regard to our prelate; who, says he, “has so particular a regard to his
congregation, that he commits to his memory what he has
to say to them, and has so soft and graceful a behaviour,
that it must attract your attention. His person,
”
contnues this author, “it is to be confessed, is no small recommendation but he is to be highly commended for not
losing that advantage, and adding to a propriety of speech
(which might pass the criticism of Longinus) an action
which would have been approved by Demosthenes. He
has a peculiar force in his way, and has many of his audience, who could not be intelligent hearers of his discourse,
were there no explanation as well as grace in his action.
This art of his is used with the most exact and honest skill.
He never attempts your passions till he has convinced your:
reason. All the objections which you can form are laid
open and dispersed, before he uses the least vehemence in
his sermon; but when he thinks he has your head, he very
soon wins your heart, and never pretends to shew the
beauty of holiness, till he has convinced you of the truth
of it.
” In his letters to Pope, &c. bishop Atterbury appears in a pleasing light, both as a writer and as a man.
In ease and elegance they are superior to those of Pope,
which are more studied. There are in them several beautiful references to the classics. The bishop excelled in his
allusions to sacred as well as profane authors.
Dr. Bagot was a man of great learning, an accomplished scholar, and of the most
Dr. Bagot was a man of great learning, an accomplished
scholar, and of the most gentle and amiable manners. As
a patron, he deserves much praise for bestowing the ample
patronage of his see, with great disinterestedness and impartiality, among the learned and meritorious clergy of his
diocese, acquainted with the language and manners of the
district. His publications were not very numerous. In the
“Pietas et Gratulatio Univ.Oxon. 1761,
” on the accession,
of his present majesty, are some English blank verses, by
him and he also contributed some verses on his majesty’s
marriage, and on the birth of the prince of Wales, all which
are inserted in vol. VIII. of Nichols’s poems. In ]772,
when the question of subscription to the thirty-nine articles
was agitated, he published “A defence of subscription to
the XXXIX Articles, as it is required in the university of
Oxford.
” This was anonymous, and occasioned by a pamphlet, also anonymous, entitled “Reflections on the impropriety and expediency of Lay Subscription in the university of Oxford.
” In Twelve discourses on the Prophecies,
” preached
at the Warburtonian lecture in Lincoln’s Inn chapel. The
earnestness with which he contends in these discourses
for the essential doctrines of the church, was again apparent in his next publication, “A letter to the Rev. W, Bell,
D. D.
” on the subject of his late publications upon the
authority, nature, and design of the Lord’s Supper,“1781,
8vo. In this Dr. Bagot objects to the Socinian tendency
of Dr. Bell’s arguments and about the same time he reprinted, with a short preface, Dr. Isaac Barrow’s
” Discourse on the doctrines of the Sacrament," which is now
one of the tracts dispersed by the Society for promoting
Christian Knowledge. His other publications were, a sermon before the house of lords, Jan. 30, 1783 one for the
Norwich hospital; and two others before the Society for
promoting Christian Knowledge, 17 88, and the Society for
propagating the Gospel, 1790. A small pamphlet against
the Anabaptists, and a charge delivered when bishop of
Norwich, were printed by Dr. Bagot, but not generally
published. In all his works he displays a fervent zeal for
the principles of religion and of loyalty, joined with much
knowledge of the true grounds of both nor will it be
thought an objection of much consequence, that he did not
stand high in the opinion of those who contended for such
innovations as in his opinion endangered the whole fabric
of church government and doctrine.
, a man of great learning and merit, was born about 1588, and applied
, a man of great learning
and merit, was born about 1588, and applied himself
chiefly to the study of ecclesiastical history, which gave
him a disgust to the Romish, and a desire to embrace the
Protestant religion. He had a considerable post, that of
king’s advocate, in the presidial of Auxerre; and as he
must either resolve to abandon it, or not change his religion, he was some time perplexed, but at last he conscientiously determined to leave Auxerre, his estate, his
post, his relations, and friends, and go to Charenton,
where he publicly joined himself to the reformed church,
and continued in it till his death, edifying his brethren,
both by his exemplary life, and his discourses. The expence which he was obliged to be at in Paris, being too
great for his circumstances, and his conversion rendering
him too obnoxious in that city, he accepted an invitation
to Castres from M. de Faur, a rich young counsellor of
the bipartite court of the edict, who gave him a lodging
in his house, and a proper pension, happy to have with
him a man of learning, by whose instructions and conversation he might profit. But as Balthasar had an inclination to labour for the public, he wished to have all his
time at his own disposal, and for that reason took his
leave of his host. His design was favoured by the national
synod of Loudun, in the year 1659 for that assembly
granted him a pension of 750 livres to be paid by all the
churches of France, according to the repartition that was
made of them. He had prepared, before that synod was
held, a considerable number of dissertations upon important subjects, against cardinal Baronius, which he entitled “Diatribse.
” He put four or five into the hands of a
minister of Castres, who was one of the deputies of the
province of Upper Languedoc and Upper Guienne.
They were presented to Mr. Daille, moderator of that
national synod, an excellent judge, who was extremely
pleased with them, and gave a very advantageous character of them to the whole assembly. He then carried
them to Paris, where it was hoped they would be printed,
but either proper measures were not taken, or could not
be taken, for that purpose. The author, who was very
old, and troubled with the stone, died in 1670. Pvlr.
Daille* died too and after that, the church of Castres sent
repeated letters to recover those dissertations, but could
never discover what became of them. Mr. Balthasar left
others, which were not finished, and a great many collections, the greatest part of which consisted of separate
pieces of paper, in which he had noted clown the authorities
and testimonies which he designed to make use of against
cardinal Baronius. He wrote also, 1. an eloge on M. Fouquet, in Latin, 1655, 4to. 2. “Traite des usurpations
des rois de' Espagne sur la couronne de France, depuis
Charles VIII. &c.
” Paris, 1626, 8vo, and reprinted in
1645, with an additional discourse on the pretensions of
the court of France. 3. “Justice des armes du roi treschretien contre le roi d'Espagne,
” Paris,
r, however, must have retrieved his loss of time with zeal and assiduity, as it is certain he became a man of great learning, although we are unacquainted with the
, an eminent grammarian and critic, and nephew to the preceding, was born in 1650, at
Lanlugan in Shropshire. His education appears to have
been more irregular and neglected than that of his uncle,
since at the age of eighteen, when he went to Harrow
school, he could not read, nor understood one word of any
language but Welch, a circumstance very extraordinary
at a time when education, if given at all, was given early,
and when scholars went to the universities much younger
than at present. Mr. Baxter, however, must have retrieved
his loss of time with zeal and assiduity, as it is certain he
became a man of great learning, although we are unacquainted with the steps by which he attained this eminence,
and must therefore employ the remainder of this article
principally in an account of his publications. His favourite
studies appear to have been antiquities and physiology.
His first publication was a Latin Grammar, entitled “I)e
Analogia, sive arte Linguae Latinse Comrnentariolus, &c.
in usum provectioris adolescentise,
” Anacreon,
” afterwards reprinted in an excellent one,
” but, according to Hades and Fischer,
Baxter has been guilty of unjustifiable alterations, and has
so mutilated passages, that his temerity must excite the
indignation of every sober scholar and critic. Mr. Boswell,
in his Life of Dr. Johnson, mentions a copy of Baxter’s
edition, which his father, lord Auckinlech, had collated
with the ms. belonging to the university of Leytlen, accompanied by a number of notes. This copy is probably
still in the library of that venerable judge.
, a gentleman of Artois, and a man of great learning, was burnt for being a Protestant, at
, a gentleman of Artois, and a
man of great learning, was burnt for being a Protestant,
at Paris, 1529. He was lord of a village, whence he took
his name, and for some time made a considerable figure at
the court of France, where he was honoured with the title
of king’s counsellor. Erasmus says, that his great crime
was openly professing to hate the monks and hence arose
his warm contest with William Quernus, one of the most
violent inquisitors of his time. A charge of heresy was
contrived against him, the articles of his accusation being
extracted from a book which he had published, and he was
committed to prison, but when the affair came to a trial,
he was acquitted by the judges. His accusers pretended
that he would not have escaped, had not the king interposed his authority; but Berquin himself ascribed it entirely to the justice of his cause, and went on with equal
courage in avowing his sentiments. Some time after, Noel
Beda and his emissaries made extracts from some of his
books, and having accused him of pernicious errors, he
was again sent to prison, and the cause being tried, sentence was passed against him; viz. that his books be committed to the flames, that he retract his errors, and make
a proper submission, and if he refuse to comply, that he
be burnt. Being a man of an undaunted inflexible spirit,
he would submit to nothing; and in all probability would
at this time have suffered death, had not some of the judges,
who perceived the violence of his accusers, procured the
affair to be again heard and examined. It is thought this
was owing to the intercession of madame the regent. In the
mean time Francis I. returning from Spain, and finding the
danger his counsellor was in from Beda and his faction, wrote
to the parliament, telling them to be cautious how they
proceeded, for that he himself would take cognizance of
the affair. Soon after Berquin was set at liberty, which
gave him such courage, that he turned accuser against his
accusers, and prosecuted them for irreligion, though, if he
had taken the advice of Erasmus, he would have esteemed
it a sufficient triumph that he had got free from the persecution of such people. He was sent a third time to
prison, and condemned to a public recantation and perpetual
imprisonment. Refusing to acquiesce in this judgment,
he was condemned as an obstinate heretic, strangled on the
Greve, and afterwards burnt. He suffered death with
great constancy and resolution, April 17, 1529, being then
about 40 years of age. The monk, who accompanied him
on the scaffold, declared, that he had observed in him
signs of abjuration which Erasmus however believes to be
a falsehood. “It is always,
” says he, “their custom in
like cases. These pious frauds serve to keep up their
credit as the avengers of religion, and to justify to the
deluded people those who have accused and condemned
the burnt heretic.
” Among his works are, 1 “Le vrai
moyen de bien et catholiquement se confesser,
” a translation from the Latin of Erasmus, Lyons, 1S42, 16mo. 2.
“Le Chevalier Chretien,
” In 1523, May 23, the parliament ordered the books of
Lewis de Berquin to be seized, and communicated to the
faculty of divinity, for their opinion. The book
” De abroganda Missa“was found upon him, with some others of
Luther’s and Melancthon’s books and seven or eight
treatises of which he was the author, some under these
titles
” Speculum Theologastrorum“” De usu & officio
Missae, &c.“” Rationes Lutheri quibus omnes Christianos
esse Sacerdotes molitur suadere,“” Le Debat de Pieté &
Superstition.“There were found also some books which
he had translated into French, as
” Reasons why Luther
has caused the Decretals and all the books of the Canon
Law to be burnt“” The Roman Triad,“and others. The
faculty, after having examined these books, judged that
they contained expressly the heresies and blasphemies of
Luther. Their opinion is dated Friday, July 26, 1523, and
addressed to the court of parliament. After having given
their censure upon each book in particular, they conclude
that they ought all to be cast into the fire that Berquiu
having made himself the defender of the Lutheran heresies, he ought to be obliged to a public abjuration, and to
be forbidden to compose any book for the future, or to
snake any translation prejudicial to the faith.
”
appointed historical professor at Strasburgh. He died of a decline, Oct. 27, 1S87. He was accounted a man of great learning in divinity, law, and physic, and eminently
, a learned German writer, was
born at Carlostadt, Oct. 18, 1522, and studied at Marpurg,
and afterwards at Wittemberg, where, being introduced
by Melancthon, to Luther, the latter received him into his
house, and both superintended his studies. In 1542, when
the contest took place between John Frederic, the elector, and prince Maurice, he served under the former, but
the war being over, he returned to Wittemberg. In 1546
he was appointed professor of history, poetry, and mathematics at Grieswald; and in 1549 he visited Paris, and
some other celebrated academies, studied civil law, and
published his “Ephemeris Historica,
” Paris, Animadversiones historic et chronographicae.
”
2. “Opus fastorum antiquitatis Romanae,
” Spire, Fasti Hebraeorum, Atheniensium, et Romanorum.
” 4. “Animadversiones in Taciti Germaniam.
”
5. “Commentarii in Livium, Sallustium, Velleium Paterculum, &c.
”
ame sentiments, with much expression of regret for his early errors. Beza was an elegant writer, and a man of great learning. His long life, and the enthusiasm with
Beza’s zeal was much tempered in his latter days and when, during an interview with Henry IV. in 1599, in a Tillage of Savoy near Geneva, that prince asked him what he could do for him, Beza expressed no wish but to see peace restored in France. His last will bears the same sentiments, with much expression of regret for his early errors. Beza was an elegant writer, and a man of great learning. His long life, and the enthusiasm with which he inspired his followers, made him be called the Phenix of his age. As a divine, controversialist, and on many occasions, as a negociator, he displayed great abilities, and a faithful adherence to his principles. His numerous writings are now perhaps but little consulted, and his translation of the Psalms into French verse, which was begun by Marot, are no longer in use in the reformed churches but as a promoter of literature, he still deserves high praise, on account of the great diligence and success with which he superintended the college of Geneva for forty years of his life. When on one occasion the misfortunes of the times rendered it necessary to dismiss two of the professors, for whose maintenance there were no longer any funds, Beza, then at the age of seventy, supplied both their places, and gave lectures for more than two years. He was in fact the founder of that college which for the last two centuries has produced so many eminent men; he prescribed its statutes, and left his successors an example which may be said to have descended to our own times. Bayle’s account of Beza, in his usual rambling style, is principally taken from the Latin life published in 1606 by Antonius Fayus, or La Faye. Noel Taillepied, Bolsec, and a doctor of the Sorbonne, named Lainge, or Laingeus, have also written lives of this reformer. Other authorities will be subjoined in the note.
s, in some church in London. He was esteemed by those of his own persuasion, and by others likewise, a man of great learning and piety, and a good preacher.
, a learned English writer of
the church of Rome, in the beginning of the seventeenth
century, was born in the county of Middlesex, and admitted a scholar of Trinity college in Oxford at seventeen years of age, May 27, 1562, probationer in 1565,
being then bachelor of arts, perpetual fellow the year following, and master of arts in 1567. But being more inclined to the Roman catholic than the Protestant religion,
he left his fellowship, and retired to Gloucester hall, where
he continued for some time, and was highly esteemed by
Edmund Rainolds and Thomas Allen, two learned seniors
of that hall. He afterwards went beyond sea, and spent
some time in one of the English seminaries newly erected
to receive the exiled English catholics andwas at last in
1598, with the permission of pope Clement VIII. constituted by Henry cardinal Cajetan, protector of the English
nation at Rome, and superior of the English clergy, with
the authority and name of Archpriest of England, and was
appointed by that pope notary of the apostolic see. This
affair being resented by the English catholic clergy, especially as they imagined that our author was absolutely under the influence of Henry Garnet, provincial of the Jesuits
of England, it occasioned a warm contest between them in
England. The Jesuits wrote and spoke against the secular
priests in so virulent a manner, as to detract very much
from BlackwelPs authority who upon this degraded them
of their faculties, so that when they afterwards appealed
to the pope, he caused them to be declared in a book
schismatics and heretics. They vindicated themselves
from this charge, and procured the censure“of the university of Paris in their favour; which was answered by our
author. He also declared his abhorrence of the Powder
Plot in 1605, and wrote two letters to dissuade the Roman
catholics from all violent practices against the king and
government. He held the office of archpriest till 1607,
when he was succeeded by George Birket. The reason of
this change was, because our author having been seized at
London June 24 the same year, he was committed to prison, and consequently deprived of the liberty required to
act in his office. He was released soon after upon his
taking the oath of allegiance. An account of this aft'air
was published at London, 1607, in 4to, entitled
” The
examination of George Blackwell, upon occasion of his
answering a letter sent by cardinal Bellarmine, who blamed
him for taking the oath of allegiance." He died suddenly
January 12, 1612-3, and was buried, as Mr. Wood supposes, in some church in London. He was esteemed by
those of his own persuasion, and by others likewise, a man
of great learning and piety, and a good preacher.
temberg, and travelled afterwards in Holland and England. He died at Leipsic, Nov. 19, 17.53. He was a man of great learning, which he employed principally on subjects
, professor of theology at Leipsic, was born at Dresden, Nov. 6, 1685,
studied at Leipsic and Wittemberg, and travelled afterwards
in Holland and England. He died at Leipsic, Nov. 19,
17.53. He was a man of great learning, which he employed principally on subjects of biblical criticism and ecclesiastical history. His principal works are: 1. “De
exulibus Grcecis iisdemque litterarum in Italia instauratoribus,
” Leipsic, De
ortu atque progressu Philosophise moralis,
” ibid. De Socrate, singular! boni ethici exemplo,
” ib. De Lutheri actis anno 1520,
” ibid. De actis Lutheri anno 1531,
” ibid. Institutiones theologiae symbolicse,
” ib. Dissertationes sacrae,
” ibid. Bibliotheca
Sacra,
” at Antwerp, 2 vols. 8vo, with corrections and additions. He had two sons, Christian Frederic, and Frederic, who were both physicians. The latter, who died
in 1761, published the “Lives and writings of eminent
physicians and naturalists,
” in German, Wolfenbuttle,
tt, Lond. 1658. 13. “Vitae Renati Cartesii compendium,” Paris, 1656, 8vo. Borel appears to have been a man of great learning, and indefatigable in his researches,
, a French physician, naturalist, and
chemist, was born at Castres, in Languedoc, about 1620.
After studying medicine, he received his doctor’s degree,
as is supposed, in 1641, and began practice at his native
place. He collected a very fine museum of natural curiosities, of which he published a catalogue, “Catalogue des
Raretes de Pierre Borel de Castres,
” ibid. Bibliotheca Chimica,
” that he was not rich, as he there complains that he could not afford to print his works. In 1653,
he came to Paris, and some time after was appointed physician to the king, but it is thought this was merely an honorary title, and we are not certain whether he remained
afterwards at Paris. He was, however, elected in 1674
into the academy of sciences, as a chemist. Niceron says
he died in 1689, but a letter addressed to Bayle in 1678
speaks of him as then just dead. He published, 1. “Les
Antiquites, Raretes, &c. de la ville et comte de Castres,
&c.
” Castres, 164y, 8vo. 2. “Historiarum et observationum Medico-Physicarum, centuria prima et secunda,
”
ibid. Bibliotheea
chimica, sen catalogus librorum philosophicorum hermeticorum, in quo quatuor millia circiter authovum chemicorum, &c. cum eorum editionibus, usque ad annum 1653
continentur,
” Paris, 1654; Heidelberg, 1656, 12mo. In
this work he gives the titles of these chemical works, but
very rarely the dates. 4. “De vero Telescopii Inventore,
cum brevi omnium conspicillorum historia,
” &c. Hague,
Tresor des Recherches et Antiquity’s
Gauloises, reduites en ordre alphabetique, et enrichies de
beaucoup d'origines, epitaphes, et autres choses rares et
curieuses, coin me aussi de beaucoup de mots de la langue
Thyoise ou Theutfranque,
” Paris, Poeme a, la louange de I'lmprimerie.
”
7. “Carmina in laudem regis, reginae, etcardinalis Mazarini,
” 4to. 8. “Auctarium ad Vitam Peirescii,
” in the
Hague edition of that life published in Commentum in antiquum philosophum Syrum,
” Hortus seu Armamentarium simplicium Plantarum et
Animalium ad artem medicam spectantium,
” &c. Castres,
De Curationibus Sympatheticis,
” printed
in the “Theatrum Sympatheticum,
” Nurimberg, Discours nouveau, prouvant la Pluralite des
Mondes,
” Geneva, 8vo, and translated into English by D.
Sashott, Lond. 1658. 13. “Vitae Renati Cartesii compendium,
” Paris,
ed for more than thirty years with much reputation, and there he died iti 1639. He was considered as a man of great learning, modesty, and candour, laborious in his
, or Brantz, a learned philologer,
was born at Antwerp in Sept. 1554, and after receiving
the early part of his education at home, studied philosophy
at Louvain. The troubles in the Netherlands obliging him
to remove to France, he took that opportunity to study
law at Orleans under John and William Fournier, and then
at Bourges under the celebrated Cujacius. After
travelling for some time in Italy, he settled at Brussels, and for
five years practised as an advocate; but in 1591 was invited to Antwerp, and appointed secretary to the city,
which office he discharged for more than thirty years with
much reputation, and there he died iti 1639. He was
considered as a man of great learning, modesty, and candour, laborious in his own studies, and always desirous of
assisting others in theirs. His motto was “Libenter, Ardenter, Constanter,
” not inapplicable to a man of studious
industry. His principal works were, 1. “Notae cum Politico
turn CriticiE in C. Julii Cæsaris et A. Hirtii Commentaries,
” with the text of Cæsar in Greek and Latin, &c. Francfort, 1606, 4to, the same year in which Jungerman’s edition appeared, which is said to have been the first in which
theGreek translation of the commentaries was published, but
none of our bibliographers have noticed this contemporary
edition by Brandt. 2. “Elogia Ciceroniana llomanoruni
domi militiaque illustrium,
” Antwerp, Vita Philippi Rubenii,
” with
Rnbenius* posthumous works, Senator,
sive de perfect! et veri Senatoris officio,
” ibid. Spicilegium Criticum in Apuleium,
”
rs, and so harshly treated as to bring on a fever which proved fatal in October of that year. He was a man of great learning, and an able antiquary. The public is
, was
the natural son of the lord of Bnsbec, or Boesbec, and
born at Commines, a town in Flanders, 1522. The early
proofs he gave of extraordinary genius induced his father
to spare neither care nor expence to get him properly instructed, and to obtain his legitimation from the emperor
Charles V. He was sent to study at the universities of
Louvain, Paris, Venice, Bologna, and Padua, and was
some time at London* whither he attended the ambassador
of Ferdinand, king of the Romans, and was present at the
marriage of Philip and Mary. In 1554 he was appointed
ambassador at Constantinople; but made a very short stay
there. Being sent back the following year, his second
embassy proved longer and more fortunate; for it lasted
seven years, and ended in a beneficial treaty. He acquired
a perfect, knowledge of the state of the Ottoman empire,
and the true means of attacking it with success; on which
subject he composed a very judicious discourse, entitled
“De re militari contra Turcam instituenda consilium.
”
Without neglecting any thing that related to the business
of his embassy, he laboured successfully for the republic
of letters, collecting inscriptions, purchasing manuscripts,
searching after rare plants, and inquiring into the nature
of animals, and when he set out the second time to Constantinople, he carried with him a painter, to make drawings of the plants and animals that were unknown in the
west. The relation which he wrote of his two journies to
Turkey is much commended by Thuanus. He was desirous of passing the latter part of his life in privacy, but
the emperor Maximilian made choice of him to be governor to his sons; and when his daughter princess Elizabeth
was married to Charles IX. of France, Busbec was nominated to conduct her to Paris. This queen gave him the
whole superintendance of her houshold and her affairs, and,
when she quitted France, on her husband’s death, left him
there as her ambassador, in which station he was retained
by the emperor Rodolph until 1592, when, on a journey
to the Low Countries, he was attacked by a party of soldiers,
and so harshly treated as to bring on a fever which proved
fatal in October of that year. He was a man of great learning, and an able antiquary. The public is indebted to
him for the “Monumentum Anciranum,
” which would be
one of the most curious and instructive inscriptions of antiquity, if it was entire, as it contained a list of the actions
of Augustus. Passing through Ancyra, a city of Galatia,
Busbec caused all that remained legible of that inscription
to be copied from the marble of a ruined palace, and sent
it to Schottus the Jesuit. It may be seen in Gruevius’s
Suetonius. Gronovius published this Monumentum Anciranum at Leyden in 1695, with notes, from a more full
and correct copy than that of Busbec. Busbec also vyrote
“Letters from France to the emperor Rodolph,
” which
exhibit an interesting picture of the French court at that
period. An edition of all his letters was published by
Elzivir at Leyden, 1633, and at London in 1660, 12mo.
His “Itinera Constantinopolitanum et Amasianum
” was
printed at Antwerp, Legationis Turcicæ Epistolæ,
” Francfort,
enth century, under the popes Clement VIII. and Paul V. He studied at Padua under Zabarella, and was a man of great learning, and considered as the head of his profession.
, of Verona,
an eminent physician, was first lecturer in that faculty at
Rome in the sixteenth century, under the popes Clement
VIII. and Paul V. He studied at Padua under Zabarella,
and was a man of great learning, and considered as the
head of his profession. His distinguished merit procured
him an invitation to Rome, where he taught philosophy
and medicine in the college, and was honoured with some
considerable appointments. As he was an excellent Greek
and Latin scholar, and conversant with the historians in.
both languages, his lectures acquired a particular interest
from the quotations he occasionally made in them from
these writers. He wrote two books on the manner of preserving health, on diet, exercise, &c. Rome 1591, and
Padua, 1605. He wrote also on the inundations of the
Tiber, the salubrity of the air at Rome, epidemic disorders,
the 24th aphorism of Hippocrates, which he thought had
been long misunderstood, and on the cure of fevers as
practised at Rome. His knowledge appeared also in his
four books of “Observations,
” Rome, Thesaurus Criticus,
” Dissertations
” on various medical topics.
He died in
ps in Devonshire; and had at the same time a prebend in the church of Exeter bestowed on him. He was a man of great learning, but much greater modesty, which is the
, son to Edmund Calamy, B. D. before-mentioned, by a second wife, and younger brother to Dr. Benjamin Calamy, of whom in the preceding article, was educated at Catherine-hall, in the university of Cambridge, where, in 1672, he took the degree of bachelor of arts; and in 1676, that of master. Having received holy orders, and being highly considered on account of his father’s reputation, he was presented to the rectory of Northill, in Bedfordshire, where he continued till 1707, when he was presented by his intimate friend Dr. Blackall, bishop of Exeter, to that of Cheriton-Bishops in Devonshire; and had at the same time a prebend in the church of Exeter bestowed on him. He was a man of great learning, but much greater modesty, which is the reason that he left nothing behind him in print, except his dedication of his brother’s sermons. He led a single life, and on December 14, 1714, was surprised by a sudden death.
, a man of great learning in the fifteenth century, was born at
, a man of great learning in
the fifteenth century, was born at Torn sul lago, in 1445.
Such was his early reputation, that at the age of twentyfour he was invited by Paul II. to take upon him the office
of public lecturer on the belles-lettres at Rome; and Sixtus
IV. appointed him apostolic secretary. After a short life
of incessant study and literary warfare, he was cut off by a.
fever in 1477, when only thirty-two years of age. To him
is attributed the praise of having first pointed out and exemplified the true method of elucidating ancient authors,
by combining with verbal criticism, the lights of antiquity
and general erudition. The literary reputation of Calderinus procured him many rivals during his life-time, as
George Merula, Aurispa, Aug. Sabinus, Nic. Perottus,
Trapezuntius, &c. and it is certain that Politian draws his
character with much more blame than praise. Of his talents, indeed, his application and skill in Latin, Politian
speaks in handsome terms, and acknowledges that his proficiency in Greek was not inconsiderable; but adds, that
he was so vain of his own talents, and so tenacious of any
opinion he had once adopted, as to adhere to it in open
defiance of conviction and truth. The style of his compositions is haughty, contemptuous, and overbearing; he
cavils on every trifling pretext, and attacks all without
discrimination. These were propensities which involved
him in numberless disputes with the learned of the day.
Yet while he was the object of undisguised hatred to persons of this description, such was his authority in letters,
that even in his youth he carried away the palm of celebrity from all the Roman professors. Politian adds more
to the same purpose, which may be seen in our authority
on the other hand, the learned world are under unquestionable obligations to Calderinus, and probably, had he lived
longer, he would have corrected that vivacity of passion
which involved him so often with his contemporaries.
Among his works, is an ample Commentary on Martial,
Venice, 1474, fol.; another on Juvenal, ibid. 1475, fol.
The edition of Virgil of 1492, has some notes of his; and
he commented on Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Persius, and Catullus. His notes “In Ibin
” were published at Venice,
Sylvae
” of Statins, Brixiae,
drew up the edict of Nantes. He died September 1606, at Paris, aged fiftysix, much lamented. He was a man of great learning, and well skilled in the management of
, a native of Saint Jean, near
Voiron in Dauphiny, was secretary to M. de Lesdiguieres,
and minister of the reformed religion, afterwards chancellor of Navarre. Henry IV. had a particular esteem for
him, and employed him in affairs of the highest importance. Calignon and Thuanus together drew up the edict
of Nantes. He died September 1606, at Paris, aged fiftysix, much lamented. He was a man of great learning,
and well skilled in the management of affairs. A satire
written by him, entitled “Le Mepris des Dames,
” has been
preserved to us by du Verdier Vauprivas. “L 7 Histoire
des choses plus remarquables advenues en France en Annies 1587, 1588, et 1589, par S. C.
” printed
to the French king; and by this means the protestant doctrine was introduced into France. Capito was a man of great learning and eloquence, tempered with a prudence
, an eminent Lutheran reformer, was born at Hagenau in Alsace, in 1478. His father was of the senatorian rank, and being averse to the lives of the divines of his time, had him brought up to the profession of physic at Basil, where he took his doctor’s degree, and likewise made great proficiency in other studies. After his father’s death, however, in 1504, he studied divinity, and also civil law, under Zasius, an eminent civilian, and took a degree in that faculty. At Heidelberg he became acquainted with Oecolampadius, with whom he ever after preserved the strictest intimacy and friendship. On their first acquaintance they studied Hebrew together under the tuition of one Matthew Adrian, a converted Jew, and Capito then became a preacher, first at Spire and afterwards at Basil, where he continued for some years. From thence he was sent for by the elector Palatine, who made him his counsellor, and sent him on several embassies, and Cliarles V. is said to have conferred upon him the order of knighthood. From Mcntz he followed Bucer to Strasburgh, where he astonished his hearers by preaching the reformed, or rather reforming religion, at 8t. Thomas’s church in that city, beginning his ministry by expounding St. Paul’s epistle to the Colossians. The fame of Capito and Bucer spread so wide, that James Faber and Gerard Rufus were sent privately from France to hear him, by Margaret queen of Navarre, sister to the French king; and by this means the protestant doctrine was introduced into France. Capito was a man of great learning and eloquence, tempered with a prudence which gave weight to his public services as well as to his writings. In all disputes, he insisted on brotherly love and peaceable discussion.
respect and affection of his hearers, and was distinguished as a preacher of uncommon eloquence, and a man of great learning and amiable manners. In 1791 and 1793
, a dissenting minister of the Socinian persuasion, son of the rev. Joseph Cappe, minister
of the dissenting congregation at Mill hill in Leeds, was
born in that town Feb. 21, 1732-3, and educated for some
time under the care of his father, whom he lost in his sixteenth year. Having at this early age discovered a predilection for nonconformity, he was placed at the academy
of Dr. Aikin at Kilvvorth in Leicestershire, in 1743, and
the next year removed to that of Dr. Doddridge at Northampton. During his residence here he overcame somescruples that arose in his mintl respecting the evidences of
revealed religion, by examining them in the best writers
with great attention. After passing two years at Northampton, he was deprived of the benefit of Dr. Doddriclge’s instructions, who was obliged to leave England on
account of his health, and in 1752 went to the university
of Glasgow, where he continued three years, improving
his knowledge with great industry and success, and forming an acquaintance with many eminent men of the day,
particularly Dr. Leechman, Dr. Cullen, Dr. Adam Smith,
Dr. Moore, and the late Dr. Black. Having completed his
studies, he returned in 1755 to Leeds, and within a short
time after was chosen co-pastor, and the following year
sole pastor of the dissenting congregation at St Saviourgate, York. This situation he retained for forty years,
during which he engaged the respect and affection of his
hearers, and was distinguished as a preacher of uncommon
eloquence, and a man of great learning and amiable manners. In 1791 and 1793 he experienced two paralytic
shocks, which ever after affected both his walking and his
speech, but was enabled to employ much of his time in
preparing those works for the press which appeared after
his death. Weakened at length by paralytic affections, he
died Dec. 24, 1800. He published in his life-time, 1. “A
Sermon upon the king of Prussia’s Victory at Rosbach,
”
Nov. 5, 1757. 2. “Three Fast-day Sermons, published
during the American War.
” 3. “A Sermon on the Thanksgiving-day, 1784.
” 4. “A Fast-clay Sermon, written during the American War, but first published in 1795.
” 5
“A Sermon on the Death of the rev. Edw. Sandercock.
” 6.
“A selection of Psalms for Social Worship.
” 7. “Remarks in vindication of Dr. Priestley, in answer to the
Monthly Reviewers. 17 8.
” Letters published in the York
Chronicle, signed `A. doughty Champion in heavy armour,' in reply to the attack of Dr. Cooper (under the signature of Erasmus) upon Mr. Lindsey on his resigning
the living of Catterick, and “Discourses on the Providence and Government of God.
” ' In
, a Spanish Jesuit, and native of Toledo, who entered among the Jesuits in 1574, was a man of great learning, and, as his brethren have represented
, a Spanish Jesuit, and native of
Toledo, who entered among the Jesuits in 1574, was a
man of great learning, and, as his brethren have represented him, of as great simplicity and candour. He distinguished himself by several productions; and the fame of
his parts and learning was so great, that Urban VIII. is
said to have had his picture in his cabinet; and, when that
pope sent his nephew cardinal Barberini ambassador into
Spain, it was part of his business to pay Cerda a visit, and
to assure him of the pope’s esteem. Cerda’s “Commentaries upon Virgil,
” Paris, Tertullian,
” begun in 2 vols. but not finished, have not been
so much esteemed; Dupin says, they are long and tedious, full of digressions and explications of passages
which are too clear to need any explaining. There is also
of Cerda’s a volume of “Adversaria Sacra,
” printed in
folio at Lyons, in
was a commoner of Brazen-nose college in Oxford, and afterwards studied in the inns of court. He was a man of great learning, and distinguished himself as an antiquary,
, another brother of the preceding, was a commoner of Brazen-nose college in Oxford,
and afterwards studied in the inns of court. He was a man
of great learning, and distinguished himself as an antiquary, as also by writing the History of the Isle of Man, a
manuscript copy of which was in the valuable museum of
Mr. Thoresby, of Leeds, and afterwards bought by Edmondson, but it has been also printed at the end of King’s
“Vale Royal of Cheshire,
” in
et Josephi,” 1578, 8vo, &c. Dupin has a very long article on Chefforitaines. He appears to have been a man of great learning, and understood six languages besides
, in Latin, a Capite
Fontium, a learned divine, fifty-fifth general of the
cordeliers, was a native of Bretany, descended from a noble
and ancient family, and born in 1632. He was titular
archbishop of Csesarea, to exercise the episcopal office in
the diocese of Sens, in the absence of cardinal de Peleve.
He died May 26, 1595, at Rome, leaving several theological works; among them, “De necessaria Theologian
Scholasticse correctione,
” Paris, Confutation du Point d'Honneur,
” De Virgiuitate Marias et Josephi,
”
at Vienna, where he attained a considerable share of celebrity, as professor of that faculty. He was a man of great learning, particularly in Greek literature. He
, orCORDERUS (Balthasar), a learned editor, was born at Antwerp in 1592, belonged to the society
of Jesuits in the Low Countries, and was doctor of theology at Vienna, where he attained a considerable share of
celebrity, as professor of that faculty. He was a man of
great learning, particularly in Greek literature. He died
at Rome June 24, 1650. His principal works, as editor
and author, were “S. Dionysii Areopagitae Opera omnia,
Gr. et Lat. cum Scholiis, &c.
” Expositiones Patrum Graecorum in Psalmos,
” S. Cyrilli Homilise in Jeremiam,
”
y, at the head of which was the marquis de Nointel, ambassador from the king of France at the Porte, a man of great learning; but Dr. Covel’s disputes with him were
As the famous dispute between M. Arnauld, of the Sorbonne, and M. Claude, minister at Charenton, concerning
the faith of the Greek church in the article of the real presence, was then in its full height, which much interested
learned men of all denominations in Europe, and particularly the English clergy, Dr. Cove! was desired, by some
of the principal persons of the university of Cambridge,
particularly the doctors (afterwards bishops) Gunning,
Pearson, and Sancroft, to inquire into this matter at Constantinople. When he arrived there, the controversy was
handled with great warmth by the Roman Catholic party,
at the head of which was the marquis de Nointel, ambassador from the king of France at the Porte, a man of great
learning; but Dr. Covel’s disputes with him were
conducted rather in an amicable manner, Nointel being a man
of a liberal mind. Dr. Covel remained here, as we have
already noticed, for the space of seven years, daring which
he had an opportunity of informing himself well of the ancient and present state of the Greek church; and having
collected several observations and notices relating thereto,
digested them afterwards into a curious and useful book,
entitled “Some account of the present Greek church, with
reflections on their present doctrine and discipline, particularly in the Eucharist,
” &c. Cambridge, Whether
transubstantiation, or the real and natural change of the
whole substance of the bread into the same numerical substance as the body of Christ, which is in heaven, be an
article of faith amongst them, and the contrary be accounted heretical and impious?
” Dr. Covel, having instituted this inquiry, published the result in the volume
above mentioned.
, of the same family with the preceding-, was also of the reformed religion, and a man of great learning. He was born at Mersburgh Sept. 24, 1575,
, of the same family with the
preceding-, was also of the reformed religion, and a man
of great learning. He was born at Mersburgh Sept. 24,
1575, and was educated at Nassau, Leipsic, Wittemberg,
and Heidelberg; and in 1600 was appointed schoolmaster
at Cassel. In 1605 he was promoted to the professorship
of logic at Marpurg, and about three years after received
his doctor’s degree, and became rector of the college, and
afterwards dean of the faculty of theology. He died in
1636. His only, or principal publication, is a very
learned and curious work, entitled “Harmonia Linguarum
quatuor Cardinalium, Hebraicse, Latin ae, et Germanicse,
”
Francfort,
n preaching and writing; and behaving in every station with exemplary gravity and moderation. He was a man of great learning, and an eminent divine; but strictly attached
, bishop of Salisbury in the seventeenth century, was born in Watling-street, London,
where his father was an eminent merchant, but originally
descended from the ancient family of the Davenants of
Sible-Heningham, in Essex. What school he was educated in, we cannot find. But, on the 4th of July, 1587,
he was admitted pensioner of Queen’s college, in Cambridge. He regularly took his degrees in arts; that of
master in 1594. A fellowship was offered him about the
same time; but his father would not permit him to accept
of it, on account of his plentiful fortune: however, after
his father’s decease he accepted of one, into which he was
admitted September 2, 1597. Being thus settled in the
college, he distinguished himself, as before, by his learning
and other excellent qualifications. Tn 1601-he took his
degree of B. D. and that of D. D. in 1609. This same
year last-mentioned he was elected lady Margaret’s professor, which place he enjoyed till 1621. He was also one
of her preachers in 1609 and 1612. On the 20th of October 1614, he was admitted master of his college, and
continued in that station till April 20, 1622. And so considerable did he become, that he was one of those eminent
English divines sent by king James I. to the synod of Dovt,
in 1618. He returned to England in May 1619, after
having visited the principal cities in the Low Countries.
Upon the death of his brother-in-law, Dr. Robert Townson, he was nominated bishop of Salisbury; and was elected
June 11, 1621, confirmed November 17 following, and
consecrated the 18th of the same month. He continued
in favour during the remainder of king James the First’s
reign; but in Lent 1630-1, he incurred the displeasure of
the court Cor meddling (in a sermon preached before the king at Whitehall) with the predestinarian controversy
“all curious search
” into which his majesty had strictly
enjoined “to be laid aside.
” In a letter to Dr. Ward,
bishop Davenant gives the following account of this unpleasant affair. As soon as his sermon was ended, it was
signified to him that his majesty was much displeased that
he had stirred this question, which his majesty had forbidden to be meddled withal, one way or other: the bishop’s answer was, that he had delivered nothing but the
received doctrine of our church, established in the 17th
article, and that he was ready to justify the truth of what
he had then taught. He was told, the doctrine was not
gainsaid, but his majesty had given command these questions should not be debated, and therefore he took it more
offensively that any should be so bold as in his own hearing
to break his royal commands. To this he replied, that he
never understood his majesty had forbidden the handling
of any doctrine comprised in the articles of our church,
but only raising of new questions, or adding of new sense
thereunto, which he had not done, nor ever should do.
Two days after, when he appeared before the privy-council, Dr. Sam. Harsnet, archbishop of York, made a speech
nearly half an hour long, aggravating the boldness of
bishop Davenant’s offence, and shewing many inconveniencies that it was likely to draw after it. When the
archbishop had finished his speech, the bishop desired,
that since he was called thither as an offender, he might
not be put to answer a long speech upon the sudden; but
that his grace would be pleased to charge him point by
point, and so to receive his answer; for he did not yet understand wherein he had broken any commandment of his
majesty’s, which was taken for granted. After some pause,
the archbishop told him he knew well enough the point
which was urged against him, namely, the breach of the
king’s declaration. Then he stood upon this defence, that
the doctrine of predestination, which he taught, was not
forbidden by the declaration; 1st, Because in the declaration all the articles are established, amongst which, the
article of predestination is one. 2. Because all ministers
are urged to subscribe unto the truth of the article, and
all subjects to continue in the profession of that as well as
of the rest. Upon these and such like grounds, he gathered that it could not be esteemed amongst forbidden,
curious, or needless doctrines; and here he desired that
out of any clause in the declaration it might be shewed
him, that keeping himself within the bounds of the article,
he had transgressed his majesty’s command; but the declaration was not produced, nor any particular words in it;
only this was urged, that the king’s will was, that for the
peace of the church these high questions should be forborne. He added, that he was sorry he understood not
his majesty’s intention; which if he had done before, he
should have made choice of some other matter to treat of,
which might have given no offence; and that for the time
to come, he should conform himself as readily as any other
to his majesty’s command; whereupon he was dismissed.
At his departure he entreated the lords of the council to
let his majesty understand that he had not boldly, or wilfully and wittingly, against his declaration, meddled with
the fore-named point; and that now, understanding fully
his majesty’s mind and intention, he should humbly yield
obedience thereunto. But although he was dismissed without farther censure, and was even admitted to kiss the king’s
hand, yet he was never afterwards in favour at court. He
died of a consumption April 20, 1641, to which a sense
of the melancholy event approaching did not a little contribute. Among other benefactions, he gave to Queen’scollege, in Cambridge, the perpetual advowsons of the
rectories of Cheverel Magna, and Newton Tony, in Wiltshire, and a rent-charge of 3 1l. 10s. per annum, for the
founding of two Bible-clerks, and buying books for the
library in the same college. His character was that of a man
humble and hospitable; painful in preaching and writing;
and behaving in every station with exemplary gravity and
moderation. He was a man of great learning, and an eminent
divine; but strictly attached to Calvinism in the article of
unconditionate predestination, &c. Whilst he was at the
synod of Dort, he inclined to the doctrine of universal redemption; and was for a middle way between the two extremes, maintaining the certainty of the salvation of a
certain number of the elect; and that offers of pardon were
sent not only to all that should believe and repent, but to
all that heard the Gospel; that grace sufficient to convince
and persuade the impenitent (so as to lay the blame of their condemnation upon themselves) went along with
these offers; that the redemption of Christ and his merits
were applicable to these; and consequently there was a
possibility of their salvation. He was buried in Salisbury
cathedral.
very early lost the little interest which his character and success had at first gained. Yet he was a man of great learning, and master of nine languages, ancient
Dr. Deering shewed his attachment to botanical pursuits
by his assiduity in collecting such ample materials for his
“Catalogue,
” in less than two years after settling at Nottingham. It was published under the title “A Catalogue
of Plants naturally gruuiog and commonly cultivated in
divers parts of England, more especially about Netting-ham, &e.
” 1738, 8vo. This useful work might have been
greatly enlarged and improved by the author had he been
endowed with some degree of prudence, or a happier temper; but owing to the want of these he very early lost the
little interest which his character and success had at first
gained. Yet he was a man of great learning, and master
of nine languages, ancient and modern. He had also a
knowledge of designing, and was an ingenious mechanic.
After his failure in the practice of medicine, his friends
attempted several schemes to alleviate his necessities.
Among others, they procured him a commission in the regiment raised at Nottingham on account of the rebellion;
but this proved more honourable than profitable. He was
afterwards employed in a way more agreeable to his genius
and talents; being furnished with materials, and enabled,
with the assistance of John Plumtree, esq. and others, to
write “The History of Nottingham,
” which, however, he
did not live to publish. He had been troubled with the
gout at a very early period, and in the latter stage of his
life he suffered long confinements in this disease, and became asthmatical. Being at length reduced to a degree
of poverty and dependence, which his spirit could not
sustain, oppressed with calamity and complicated disease,
he died April 12, 1749, Two of his principal creditors
administered to his effects, and buried him in St. Peter’s
church-yard, opposite the house in which he lived. He
left a Hortus Siccus of the plants in his “Catalogue,
” a
volume of paintings of the fungi, by his own hand, and
some Mss. His “Nottinghamia Vetus et Nova,
” or History of Nottingham, was published by his administrators,
George Ayscough, printer, and Thomas Wellington, druggist, at Nottingham, in 1751, 4to, embellished with plates.
One of the most remarkable articles in this volume is, a
complete description of that curious machine, the stockingframe, invented upwards of two centuries ago by William
Lee, M. A. of St. John’s college, Cambridge, a native of
Woodborough, near Nottingham. All the parts are separately and minutely described in the technical terms, and
illustrated by two views of the whole, and by a large table,
delineating with great accuracy, every constituent part of
the machine.
ined priest; but embracing the protestant religion, was honoured with the crown of martyrdom. He was a man of great learning, especially in the law, which he taught
, one of the martyrs to
the cause of the protestant religion in France, in the sixteenth century, was a native of Auvergne, sou to Stephen
du Bourg, comptroller general of the customs in Languedoc, and brother to Anthony du Bourg, president of the
parliament of Paris, and afterwards chancellor of France.
He was born in 1521, designed for the church, and ordained priest; but embracing the protestant religion, was
honoured with the crown of martyrdom. He was a man of
great learning, especially in the law, which he taught at
Orleans with much reputation, and was appointed counsellor-clerk to the parliament of Paris in October 1557.
In this high station, he declared himself the protector of
the protestants, and endeavoured either to prevent or
soften the punishments inflicted upon them. This alarmed
some of Henry II.'s counsellors, who advised that monarch
to get rid of the protestants, and told him that he should
begin by punishing those judges who secretly favoured
them, or others who employed their credit and recommendations to screen them from punishment. They likewise suggested that the king should make his appearance
unexpectedly in the parliament which was to be assembled
on the subject of the Mercurials, or Checks, a kind of board
of censure against the magistrates instituted by Charles
VIII. and called Mercurials from the day on which they
were to be held (Wednesday). The king accordingly came
to parliament in June 1559, when Du Bourg spoke with
great freedom in his defence, and went so far as to attack
the licentious manners of the court; on which the king
ordered him to be arrested. On the 19th he was tried,
and declared a heretic by the bishop of Paris, ordered to
be degraded from the character of priest, and to be delivered into the hand of the secular power; but the king’s
death, in July, delayed the execution until December,
*vhen he was again condemned by the bishop of Paris, and
the archbishop of Lyons, his appeals being rejected by the
parliament. Frederick, elector Palatine, and other protestant princes of Germany, solicited his pardon, and probably might have succeeded, had it not been for the assassination, at this time, of the president M in art, whom
Du Bourg had challenged on his trial; and it was not
therefore difficult, however unjust, to persuade his persecutors that he had a hand in this assassination. He was
accordingly hanged, and his body burnt Dec. 2O, 1559;
leaving behind him the character of a pious and learned
man, an upright magistrate, and a steady friend. At his
execution he avowed his principles with great spirit; and
the popish biographers are forced to allow that the firmness and constancy shown by him and others, about the
same time, tended only to “make new heretics, instead of
intimidating the old.
”
, a man of great learning, and the friend and associate of the literati
, a man of great learning, and the friend
and associate of the literati of the last age, was born about
1725, and educated at Northampton, under Dr. Doddridge,
and for some time had the additional benefit of being instructed by the learned Dr. John Ward, professor of rhetoric in Gresham -college. He afterwards studied under professor Hutcheson at Glasgow, and to complete his education,
his father, an eminent jeweller in London, sent him, by the
advice of Dr. Chandler, to Leyden, where he remained two
years. He became an excellent classical scholar, a great
mathematician and natural philosopher, was well versed iti
the Hebrew, and a master of the Latin, Italian, and French
languages. Added to these endowments, he was of a
temper so mild, and in his conversation so modest and unassuming, that he gained the attention and affection of all
around him. In all questions of science, Dr. Johnson
looked up to him; and in his life of Dr. Watts (where he calls him “the late learned Mr. Dyer
”) has cited an observation of his, that Watts had confounded the idea of
space with that of empty space, and did not consider, that
though space might be without matter, yet matter, being
extended, could not be without space.
usually called Crypto-Calvinists, from being somewhat tacit and moderate in their principles. He was a man of great learning, and an eloquent preacher. The only works
, one of the early reformers, was born
at Kitzingen in Franconia, Nov. 8, 1511, and was first
educated in the college at Anspach. In 1525 he went to
Nuremberg, and in 1532 the senate of that city sent him
to Wittemberg, where he took his master’s degree in 1536.
'As he wrote a fair hand, Melancthon employed him as his
amanuensis, and finding in him talents of a superior order,
consulted him on all his undertakings, which made him
be called by some, “Philip’s Repertory.
” In Expositio Evangelior.
Dominicalium;
” “Calendarium Historicum,
” Wittem.
Historia
populi Judaici a reditu Babylonico ad Hierosolymae excidium;
” and “Hymni sacri vernacule editi,
” for the use of
his church, where they long continued to be sung.
e extinct on his death, which happened February 21, 1741-2, when he was deeply lamented, not only as a man of great learning and piety, but on account of his many
, or as sometimes improperly spelt Ellis (Sir Richard, Bart.),
a gentleman of extensive learning, particularly in biblical criticism and antiquities, descended
from an ancient family originally of Wales, but who afterwards obtained possessions in Lincolnshire, was the son of
sir William Ellys of Wyham, in that county, by Isabella,
grand-daughter of the celebrated Hampden. Of his early
history we have little information. His father had been a
member of Lincoln college, Oxford, where he proceeded
M. A. and his son might probably have been sent to the
same university, and left it without taking a degree. From,
his extensive acquaintance with the literati of Holland, it
is not improbable, as the practice was then common, that
he studied at some of the Dutch universities. We are
told that he served in two parliaments for Grantham, and
in three for Boston in Lincolnshire; but, according to
Beatson’s Register, he sat only for Boston in the fifth,
sixth, and seventh parliament of Great Britain, namely,
from 1715 to 1734; but his father sir William sat for three
parliaments for Grantham. Although sir Richard communicated some particulars of his family to Collins, when,
publishing his “Baronetage,
” the latter has either omitted,
or was not furnished with the dates that might have assisted
us in ascertaining these facts with certainty. Sir Richard
married, first, a daughter and coheiress of sir Thomas
Hussey, bart. and, secondly, a daughter and coheiress of
Thomas Gould, esq. who survived him, and afterwards
married sir Francis Dashwood, bart. (who died lord le Despencer in 1781), and died Jan. 19, 1769. Sir Richard had
no issue by either of his wives, and the title of course became extinct on his death, which happened February 21,
1741-2, when he was deeply lamented, not only as a man
of great learning and piety, but on account of his many
and extensive charities. He entailed his estates, after the
death of lady Ellys, on the Hobarts and Trevors, and his
seat at Nocton in Lincolnshire is now the chief seat of the
earl of Buckinghamshire. Sir Richard had two sisters
married to Edward Cheek and Richard Hampden, esqs.
t in that kind of literature; that Joseph Scaliger had disappointed their hopes; that Bedell, though a man of great learning, proceeded slowly; that the German who
He had already passed through a course of divinity, and
gained a considerable skill in the oriental languages, to
which he had applied himself at the persuasion of Joseph
Scaligcr, who foresuw his future fame in that important
branch of knowledge, and afterwards travelled into England, France, Italy, and Germany; in which countries he
contracted an acquaintance with the most learned men.
While at London, he became acquainted with Bedell, who
was excellently skilled in the oriental tongues. He continued a year in Paris, where he learned Arahic of an
Egyptian Jacobine, named Barbalus, and gained the friendship of Isaac Casaubon, among whose letters are several
to Erpenius. In one of April the 7th, 1610, he exhorts
him to prosecute his studies in the Arabic tongue, urging
that “it would be of the greatest importance to learning;
that if he looked round the Christian world, he would find
no person who had taken the proper method to gain the
wished-for point in that kind of literature; that Joseph
Scaliger had disappointed their hopes; that Bedell, though
a man of great learning, proceeded slowly; that the German who made so great a noise, was not to be depended
on; that the Italians, alter raising great expectations, had
of a sudden deserted them; in short, that himself was the
only person who had laid a solid and firm foundation for a
future superstructure.
” During his stay at Venice, by the
assistance of some learned Jews and Turks, he acquired
the knowledge of the Turkish, Persian, and Ethiopic languages; and he distinguished himself in Italy to such advantage, that he was ottered a stipend of 500 ducats a jear,
to translate some Arabic hooks into Latin.
pursued his studies for some time in one or other of the foreign universities. Buchanan styles him “ a man of great learning:” and to this character he is amply entitled,
, baron of Dun, the ancestor of the
preceding, and one of the protestant reformers in Scotland,
was born at the family-seat near Montrose, in 1508, or
1509. His father was John Erskiue, of Dun, a descendant
of the earls of Marr, and his mother was a daughter of
William, first lord Ruthven. He was educated most probably at the university of Aberdeen; and according to the
ancient custom of the nobility of Scotland, pursued his studies
for some time in one or other of the foreign universities.
Buchanan styles him “a man of great learning:
” and to
this character he is amply entitled, as we are informed he
was the first of his countrymen who patronized the study of
the Greek language, which was first taught by his means at
Montrose. In 1534, on returning from his travels, he brought
with him a Frenchman skilled in the Greek tongue, whom he
settled at Montrose, and upon his departure he liberally
encouraged others to come from France and succeed to his
place; and from this private seminary many Greek scholars
proceeded, and the knowledge of the language was gradually diffused through the kingdom. After his father’s
death, he was employed as the other barons or lairds then,
were, in administering justice in the county of Angus, to
which he belonged, and occasionally assisting in the meetings of parliament. He was besides almost constantly
chosen provost, or chief magistrate of the neighbouring
town of Montrose. At an early period of his life, he became a convert from popery, but the precise manner in
which his conversion was accomplished, is not known. He
was, however, a liberal encourager of those who became
converts, and especially those who suffered for their rehgiou. The castte of Dun was always a sanctuary to
protestant preachers a-.id professors, and here he appears
to have associated with a number of persons, some of high
rank, who strengthened each other in their principles, and
by their power and influence contributed much to the reformation in that part of the kingdom.
He was a man of great learning, great genius, fine taste, and exemplary
He was a man of great learning, great genius, fine taste,
and exemplary manners: yet many have suspected that he
was not entirely sincere in his recantation of his “Maxims
of the Saints;
” a work composed by him with great care,
and consisting, in great part, of extracts from the fathers.
Yet, if we consider the profound veneration of a pious
catholic bishop for the decisions of the church, the modesty
and candour of his character, and even his precepts to the
mystics, we shall be inclined to acquit him of the charge.
He had said to these persons in that very book, “that
those who had erred in fundamental doctrines, should not
be contented to condemn their error, but should confess
it, and give glory to Gocl; that they should have no shame
at having erred, which is the common lot of humanity,
but should humbly acknowledge their errors, which would
be no longer such when they had been humbly confessed.
”
He has also been accused of ambition for his conduct in.
the controversy, with the Jansenists, but the charge rests
only on presumptive evidence, and is equally refuted by
his general character. In his theology, he seems to give
greater scope to feeling than to reason; but if he inclined
to mysticism, and thus seemed to deviate from the established system of his church, he does not appear to have
made the least approach to protestantism. On the contrary, no one has more forcibly inculcated the danger of
putting the scriptures into the hands of the people (a fundamental tenet of popery), than Fenelon has done in his
“Letter to the archbishop of Arras.
” Submission to the
decisions of the holy see is likewise exemplified in his
whole conduct as well as in his writings. Indeed, Fenelon seems to have been one of those, who, either from
early prepossessions, or from false reasonings upon human
nature, or from an observation of the powerful impressions
made by authority on the credulity, and a pompous ritual
on the senses of the multitude, imagine, that Christianity,
in its native form, is too pure and elevated for vulgar souls,
and, therefore, countenance and maintain the absurdities
of popery, from a notion of their utility.
on Mr. Nevill’s house, in St. Paul’s churchyard, London, and was buried in Westminster-abbey. He was a man of great learning, piety, and loyalty, and of singular candour
During the usurpation, Dr. Feme appears to have lived in privacy, but, as the only privilege now left to him, as a clergyman, he carried on disputes with the Roman catholics, which occasioned some of his publications. On the restoration, Charles II. as his royal father had promised Dr. Feme the reversion of the mastership of Trinity college, Cambridge, now conferred that office upon him, which he kept a year and a half, and was twice chosen vicechancellor. He was also promoted to the deanery of Ely; and upon Dr. Walton’s death, he was made bishop of Chester, and consecrated at Ely house chapel, Feb. 9, 1661, but held it only ahout five weeks, dying March 16, 1661, at his relation Mr. Nevill’s house, in St. Paul’s churchyard, London, and was buried in Westminster-abbey. He was a man of great learning, piety, and loyalty, and of singular candour and modesty. The character given of him by one who knew him from his youth, was, that if he had any fault, it was that he could not be angry.
xt application was to the study of divinity, under the professor of that branch, Mr. James Chalmers, a man of great learning and piety, whom the editor of this Dictionary
, professor of philosophy in the Marischal college, Aberdeen, and author of several valuable works, was born in that city, in 1711, probably in March, as we find he was baptized on April 1. His father was an eminent merchant, who had a family of twenty children by his wife, a sister to Dr. Thomas Blackwell, of whom we have already given an account. This, their second son, after being educated at the grammar school of his native city, was entered of Marischal college in 1724, where he went through a course of philosophy under professor Daniel Garden, and of mathematics under Mr. John Stewart. He took his degree of M. A. in 1728, when he was but little more than seventeen years old. Being intended for the church, his next application was to the study of divinity, under the professor of that branch, Mr. James Chalmers, a man of great learning and piety, whom the editor of this Dictionary is proud to record as his grandfather. Mr. Fordyce studied divinity with great ardour, the utmost of his ambition being ordination in a church that affords her sons but a moderate emolument. Circumstances with which we are unacquainted, appear to have prevented his full intention, as he never became a settled minister in the establishment of his native country. He was admitted, however, to what may be termed the first degree of orders in the church of Scotland, that is, he was licensed to preach, and continued to preach occasionally for some time. He is said, indeed, to have been once domestic chaplain to John Hopkins, esq. of Bretons, near Rumford, in Essex, who had a regular service every Sunday in the chapel of the house; but there is reason to think he did not continue long in this situation, and that he returned home, as in Sept. 1742 he was appointed one of the professors of philosophy in the Marischal college. The duties of the philosophic professorship at that time included natural history, chronology, Greek and Roman antiquities, mechanics, optics, and astronomy, which were taught during three sessions, or years, to the same pupils. This system is now altered, but that My. Fordyce was well qualified for the above-mentioned laborious task was universally acknowledged.
sician, was born in 1675, at Croton in Northamptonshire, of which parish his father, William Freind, a man of great learning, piety, and integrity, was rector, and
, a learned English physician, was born
in 1675, at Croton in Northamptonshire, of which parish
his father, William Freind, a man of great learning, piety,
and integrity, was rector, and where he died in 1663. He
was sent to Westminster school, with his elder brother
Robert, and put under the care of the celebrated Dr.
Busby. He was thence elected to Christ Church, Oxford,
in 1690, over which Dr. Aldrich at that time presided;
and under his auspices undertook, in conjunction with
another young man, Mr. Foulkes, to publish an edition of
Æschines, and Demosthenes, “de Corona,
” which was
well received, andhas since been reprinted. About the
same time he was prevailed upon to revise the Delphin
edition of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, reprinted in 8vo, at
Oxford, in 1696, which Dr. Bentley has severely criticised.
Mr. Freind was director of Mr. Boyle’s studies, and wrote
the Examination of Dr. Bentley’s Dissertation on jEsop,
which may account for that great critic’s speaking more
disrespectfully of his talents than justice required.
by presenting him with a handsome silver cup, value ten guineas, with a suitable inscription. He was a man of great learning and uncommon abilities, and well versed
, brother of the preceding, and youngest son of the dean, was born in the parish of St Faith,
near St. Paul’s, London, Dec. 17, 16$2, was educated under
his father at St. Paul’s school, and intended for the university, but his elder brother Roger being sent to Cambridge,
and his father dying 1702, he was provided for in the custom-house, London, and at the time of his death was one
of the land surveyors there. He was one of the revivers of
the society of antiquaries in 1717, and their first treasurer.
On resigning that office Feb. 21, 1740, the society testified
their opinion of his merit and services, by presenting him
with a handsome silver cup, value ten guineas, with a suitable inscription. He was a man of great learning and
uncommon abilities, and well versed in the antiquities of
England, for which he left many valuable collections behind him; but printed nothing in his life-time, except
“A History of Winchester Cathedral,
” London, Archoeologia,
” and spme in the “Bibl.
Top. Britannica.
” He died of a fever Jan. 10, 1754, at
his lodgings at Hampstead. His library and prints were
sold by auction in the same year, by Langford, but his
Mss. became the property of Dr. Stukeley, who married
his sister, and some of them, afterwards descended to Dr.
Ducarel, at whose sale they were purchased by Mr. Gough.
A list of them, which may be seen in our authority, sufficiently attests his industry and knowledge as an antiquary.
an, the daughter of Wollton, bishop of Exeter, by whom he had many children. He appears to have been a man of great learning and personal worth, and a zealous champion
In 1616 he published in Latin, “Rerum Anglicarum
Henrico VIII. &c.
” which was translated and published by
his son, Morgan Godwin, under the title of “Annales of
England, containing the reigns of Henry VIII. Edward VI.
and queen Mary,
” fol. These, as well as his lives of the
bishops, are written in elegant Latin, and with much
impartiality. In 1630, he published a small treatise, entitled “A computation of the value of the Roman Sesterce
and Attic Talent.
” After this he fell into a low and languishing disorder, and died in April 1633. He married,
when a young man, the daughter of Wollton, bishop of
Exeter, by whom he had many children. He appears to
have been a man of great learning and personal worth, and
a zealous champion for the church of England. His son,
Dr. Morgan Godwin, was archdeacon of Shropshire, and
translated, as we have noticed, his father’s “Annales.
”
He was ejected by the parliamentary commissioners, and
his family reduced to distress: he died in 1645, leaving
a son of his own names, who was educated at Oxford, and
afterwards became a minister in Virginia, under the government of sir William Berkeley, but was at last beneficed
near London. When he died is not mentioned. He wrote
some pamphlets, while in Virginia, on the state of religion there, and the education of the negroes. The late
rev. Charles Godwin, an antiquary, and benefactor to Baliol
college, Oxford, who died in 1770, appears to have been
a son of Charles Godwin, of Mon mouth, another son of
bishop Francis Godwin.
The only other circumstances of his history are, that he was esteemed a man of great learning, and lived and died in affluence. That
The only other circumstances of his history are, that he was esteemed a man of great learning, and lived and died in affluence. That he possessed a munificent spirit, we have a most decisive proof in his contributing largely, if not entirely, to the rebuilding of the conventual church of St. Mary Overy, or, as it is now called, St. Saviour’s church, Southwark, and he afterwards founded a chauntry in the chapel of St. John, now used as a vestry. He appears to have lost his sight in the first year of Henry IV. and did not long survive this misfortune, dying at an advanced age in 1402. He was interred in St. Saviour’s church, and a monument was afterwards erected to his memory, which, although it has suffered by dilapidations and injudicious repairs, still retains a considerable portion of antique magnificence. It is of the gothic style, covered with three arches, the roof within springing into many angles, under which lies the statue of the deceased, in a long purple gown on his head a coronet of roses, resting on three volumes entitled Vox Clamantis, Speculum Meditantis, and Confessio Amantis. His dress has given rise to some of those conjectures respecting his history which cannot now be determined, as his being a knight, a judge, &c.
se of his slowness of speech and bad utterance, held him insufficient for it, notwithstanding he was a man of great learning.” In the latter part of his life he retired
Mr. Greaves had three brothers, Nicholas, Thomas,
and Edward, all men of distinguished learning. Dr. Nicholas Greaves was a commoner of St. Mary’s Hall, in
Oxford, whence in 1627 he was elected fellow of All-Souls
college. In 1640 he was proctor of that university. November 1st 1642 he took the degree of B. D. and July 6th
the year following, that of D. D. He was dean of Dromore in Ireland. Dr. Thomas Greaves was admitted a
scholar of Corpus Christi college in Oxford March 15th,
1627, and chosen fellow thereof in 1636, and deputy
reader of the Arabic during the absence of Mr. Edward Pocock in 1637. He took the degree of B. D. October 22,
1641, and was rector of Dunsby in Lincolnshire during the
times preceding the Restoration, and of another living near
London. October I Oth, 1661, he had the degree of D. D.
conferred upon him, and a prebend in the church of
Peterborough in 1666, being then rector of Benefield in Northamptonshire, “which benefice he resigned some years
before his death through trouble from his parishioners, who,
because of his slowness of speech and bad utterance, held
him insufficient for it, notwithstanding he was a man of
great learning.
” In the latter part of his life he retired to
Weldon in Northamptonshire, where he had purchased an
estate, and died there May 22, 1676, in the sixty-fifth
year of his age, and was interred in the chancel of the
church there. His writings are, “De Linguae Arabicae
militate et proestantia, oratio Oxonii habita 19 Julii 1637,
”
Oxford, Observationes qusedam in Persicam
Pentateuchi versionem,
” printed in the sixth volume of the
Polyglot Bible; “Annotationes quaedam in Persicatn interpretationem Evangeliorum,
” printed in the same volume. These annotations were translated into Latin by
Mr. Samuel Clarke. It appears likewise, by a letter of his
to the celebrated nonconformist Baxter, that he had made
considerable progress in a refutation of Mahometanism
from the Alcoran, upon a plan that was likely to have been
useful in opening the eyes of the Mahometans to the impostures of their founder. He corresponded much with
the learned men of his time, particularly Selden, and
Wheelocke, the Arabic professor at Cambridge. Dr. Edward Greaves, the youngest brother of Mr. John Greaves,
was born at or near Croydon in Surrey, and admitted probationer fellow of All-Souls college in Oxford in 1634;
and studying physic, took the degree of doctor of that
faculty July 8, 1641, in which year and afterwards he practised with good success about Oxford. In 1643 he was
elected superior lecturer of physic in Merton college, a
chair founded by Dr. Thomas Linacre. Upon the declining of the king’s cause he retired to London, and practised there, and sometimes at Bath. In March 1652 he
was examined for the first time before the college of physicians at London, and October 1, 1657, was elected
fellow. After the Restoration he was appointed physician
in ordinary to king Charles II. and was created a baronet.
Mr. Wood styles him a pretended baronet; but we find
that he takes this title in his oration before the college of
physicians; and in the sixth edition of Guillim’s Heraldry
are his arms in that rank. He died at his house in Covent
Garden, November 11, 1680, and was interred in the parish church there. He wrote and published Morbus
Epideiw'cus, ann. 1643; or, the New Disease, with signs,
causes, remedies,“&c. Oxford, 1643, 4to, written upon
occasion of a disease called
” Morbus Campestris,“which
raged in Oxford while the king and court were there.
” Oratio habita in >dibus Collegii Medicorum Londinensium, 25 July, 1661, die Hurveii memoriae dicato," Lond.
1667, 4to.
him if he published hjs thoughts about some passages in ancient authors. He was generally accounted a man of great learning, and is said to have been a sincere and
, an eminent critic, was born of a good family at Angers, in 1575. He lost his father and mother when a child; and the small estate they left him was wasted by the imprudence of his guardians. He applied himself, however, intensely to books; and, with a view to improve himself by the conversation of learned men, he took a journey to Paris in 1599. The acquaintance he formed with the sons of Claudius du Puy proved very advantageous to him; for, the most learned persons in Paris frequently visited these brothers, and many of them met every day in the house of Thuanus, where Mess, du Puy received company. After the death of that president, they held those conferences in the same place; and Guyet constantly made one. He went to Rome in 1608, and applied himself to the Italian tongue with such success as to be able to write Italian verses. He was much esteemed by cardinal du Perron and several great personages. He returned to Paris by the way of Germany, and was taken into the house of the duke d'Epernon, to teach the abbot de Granselve, who was made cardinal de la V alette in 1621. His noble pupil, who conceived so great an esteem for him as always to entrust him with his most important affairs, took him to Rome, and procured him a good benefice; but Guyet, after his return to Paris, chose to live a private life rather than in the house of the cardinal, and resided in Burgundy college. Here he spent the remainder of his life, employed in his studies; and wrote a dissertation, in which he pretended to shew that the Latin tongue was derived from the Greek, and that all the primitive words of the latter consisted only of one syllable; but of this they found, after his death, only a vast compilation of Greek and Latin words, without any order or coherence, and without any preface to explain his project. But the reading of the ancient authors was his favourite employment, and the margins of his classics were full of notes, many of which have been published. Those upon Hesiod were imparted to Graevius, who inserted them in his edition of that author, 1667. The most complete collection found among his papers was his notes upon Terence; and therefore they were sent to Boeclerus, and afterwards printed. He took great liberties as a critic: for he rejected as supposititious all such verses as seemed to him not to savour of the author’s genius. Thus he struck out many verses of Virgil discarded the first ode in Horace and would not admit the secret history of Procopius. Notwithstanding the boldness of his criticisms, and his free manner of speaking in conversation, he was afraid of the public; and dreaded Salmasius in particular, who threatened to write a book against him if he published hjs thoughts about some passages in ancient authors. He was generally accounted a man of great learning, and is said to have been a sincere and honest man. He was cut for the stone in 1636; excepting which, his long life was hardly attended with any illness. He died of a catarrh, after three days illness, in the arms of James du Puy, and Menage his countryman, April 12, 1655, aged eighty. His life is written in Latin, with great judgment and politeness, by Mr. Portner, a senator of Ratisbon, who took the supposititious name of Antonius Periander Rhaetus; and is prefixed to his notes upon Terence, printed with those of Boeclerus, at Strasburg, in 1657, an edition in no great estimation.
ion. Bishop Burnet says of him, that” his death was an unspeakable loss to the church; for as he was a man of great learning, and of most eminent merit, he having
Dr. Hammond was a man of great temperance; his diet
was of the plainest kind, and he frequently practised fastng. He seldom went to bed until midnight, or remained
in it beyond five or six o'clock. By these means he was
enabled to endure cold and fatigue, and in the severest
weather sat at a distance from a fire. His studious industry was unceasing. He not only avoided, but had a
strong aversion to idleness. “To be always furnished with
somewhat to do
” he considered as the best expedient both
for innocence and pleasure, saying, that no burthen was
more heavy, or temptation more dangerous, than to have
time lie on one’s hand.“His piety was fervent, and from
his youth he spent much of his time in secret devotion.
Bishop Burnet says of him, that
” his death was an unspeakable loss to the church; for as he was a man of great
learning, and of most eminent merit, he having been the
person that during the bad times had maintained the cause
of the church in a very singular manner; so he was a very
moderate man in his temper, though with a high principle,
and would probably have fallen into healing counsels. He
was also much set on reforming abuses, and for raising the
clergy to a due sense of the obligations they lay under."
is labours, a stipend was allowed him. He died at Tubingen, of a lethargic complaint in 1600. He was a man of great learning, and happil > adapted to the times in
, a German divine, and one of
the propagators of the reformation, was born at Nuremberg in 1521. He was educated in the principles of the
reformed religion by his father, and happened to be at
school at Ulm, when Erasmus’s Colloquies were prohibited,
as containing too many reflections on the papists; but
Heerbrand continued to read them privately, and imbibed
their spirit. After a classical education at Ulm, his father
sent him to Witteniberg in 1538, to hear Luther and Melanctbon, Bugenhagius, and other divines; and in 1540 he
commenced M. A. After five years* study here, he was
ordained deacon at Tubingen, where he prosecuted his
studies, and where in 1547 he married. The year following, as he objected to the Interim, he was banished
from Tubingen, but was soon recalled, and made pastor of
Herenberg. In 1550 he took his degree of D. D. and this
being about the time of the council of Trent, he
endeavoured to make himself master of the controversy between
the Roman catholic and reformed church, by a careful
study of the Fathers. In 1559 he was invited by Charles,
marquis of Baden, to assist in the reformation in his dominions; and while here he prescribed a form for the ordination of ministers. Very soon after, he was chosen divinitvprofessor at Tubingen, and expounded the Pentateuch in
his lectures, and preached statedly. In this city, likewise,
he wrote his answer to Peter Soto, “De Ecclesia, pa'.ribus,
et conciliis,
” which was afterwards printed. In Compendium Theologian,
” and Hiany
theological dissertations and lives.
called Van Helmont, from a borough and castle of that name in Brabant, was a person of quality, and a man of great learning, especially in physic and natural philosophy;
, commonly called Van Helmont, from a borough and castle of that name in Brabant, was a person of quality, and a man of great learning, especially in physic and natural philosophy; and born at Brussels in 1577. The particulars of his life, as given in the two introductory chapters to his works, give a just notion of the man.
Richard Hooker, will be noticed hereafter. We know nothing of Botevile; only that Hearne styles him “ a man of great learning and judgment, and a wonderful lover of
As for his coadjutors; Harrison, as we have already
noticed in his article, was bred at Westminster school, sent
from thence to Oxford, became chaplain to sir William
Brooke, who preferred him, and died in 1593. Hooker,
who was uncle to the famous Richard Hooker, will be
noticed hereafter. We know nothing of Botevile; only that
Hearne styles him “a man of great learning and judgment,
and a wonderful lover of antiquities.
” In the late reprint
of the series of English Chronicles by the booksellers of
London, Holinshed very properly took the precedence,
and was accurately edited in 6 vols. 4to.
es, was coadjutor to Gundebrand of Thorbac, bishop of Holum in Iceland, who was also of that nation, a man of great learning and probity, had been a disciple of Tycho
, a learned Icelander, who acquired a great reputation for astronomy and the sciences,
was coadjutor to Gundebrand of Thorbac, bishop of Holum in Iceland, who was also of that nation, a man of great
learning and probity, had been a disciple of Tycho Brahe,
and understood astronomy very well. After his death, the
see of Holum was offered by the king of Denmark to
Anagrimus, who begged to be excused; desiring to avoid the
envy that might attend him in that high office, and to be
at leisure to prosecute his studies. He chose therefore to
continue as he was, pastor of the church of Melstudt, and
intendant of the neighbouring churches of the last-mentioned diocese. He died in 1640, at the age of ninety-five.
He wrote several books in honour of his country, against
the calumnies of Blefkenius and others, which are well
esteemed; the titles whereof are, “Idea veri magistratus,
”
Copenhagen, Brevis commentarius de Islandia, ibid. 1593,
” 8vo. “Anatome Blefkeniana. Holi in
Iceland, 1612,
” 8vi, and at Hamburgh, 1618, 4to. “Epistola pro patria defensoria,
” ibid. 'ATrorpiGv calumniae,
” ibid. 1622, 4to. “Crymogeea, seu rerum Islandicarum libri tres, ibid. 1630,
” 4to. This was written in
Specimen
Islandi.i; historicum et magna ex parte chorographicum,
”
Amstelod. Vita Gundebrandi Thorlacii,
” Lugd.
Bat.
nown for now, is his Latin version of the Hebrew text of the Bible, jointly "with Tremellius. He was a man of great learning and pious zeal, and his life by Melchior
He was married no less than four times, and by his third
wife had a son, who is the subject of the next article.
The titles of his works are sixty-four in number, among
which are, “Commentaries
” on the first three chapters of
Genesis, the prophecies of Ezekiel, Daniel, and Jonah
“Sacred Parallels
” and “Notes
” upon the book of Revelation “Hebrew Lexicon
” “Grammar of the Hebrew
Tongue
” “Notes on Cicero’s Epistles to Atticns.
” But
what he is chiefly, and almost only, known for now, is his
Latin version of the Hebrew text of the Bible, jointly "with
Tremellius. He was a man of great learning and pious
zeal, and his life by Melchior Adam affords many interesting particulars of him in both characters. In the account
of his life written by himself, he relates that in his youth
he was sed.uced into atheism, from which he represents
himself as almost miraculously redeemed, and this appears.
have made a lasting impression on him.
. In 1608 he was made dean of Worcester, and in December 1616, consecrated bishop of Bath and He Was a man of great learning and extensive rej f particularly in the
, a pious English prelate, brother to
sir Thomas Lake, knt. principal secretary of state to James
I. and son of Almeric Lake or Du Lake, of Southampton,
was born in St. Michael’s parish, and educated for some
time at the free-school in that town. He was afterwards
removed to Winchester school, and thence was elected probationer fellow of New college, Oxford, of which he was
admitted perpetual fellow in 1589. in 1594 he took his
degrees in arts, and being ordained, was made fellow of
Winchester college about 1600, and in 1603 master of the
hospital of St. Cross. In 1605 he took his degrees in divinity, and the same year was installed archdeacon of
Surrey. In 1608 he was made dean of Worcester, and in
December 1616, consecrated bishop of Bath and
He Was a man of great learning and extensive rej f
particularly in the fathers and schoolmen, then a cf
study; and as a preacher was greatly admired,
says he obtained his preferments “not so much by the
power of his brother (the secretary) as by his own desert,
as one whose piety may be justly exemplary to all of his
order. In all the places of honour and employment which
he enjoyed, he carried himself the same in mind and person, showing by his constancy, that his virtues were virtues
indeed; in all kinds of which, whether natural, moral,
theological, personal, or paternal, he was eminent, and
indeed one of the examples of his time. He always lived
as a single man, exemplary in his life and conversation,
and very hospitable.
” Walton confirms this character; he
says Dr. Lake was “a man whom I take myself bound in
justice to say, that he made the great trust committed to
him the chief rare and whole business of his life. And
one testimony of this truth may be, that he sat usually with
his chancellor in his consistory, and at least advised, if not
assisted, in most sentences for the punishing of such offenders as deserved church censures. And it may be
noted, that after a sentence of penance was pronounced,
he did very rarely or never allow of any commutation for
the offence, but did usually see the sentence for penance
executed; and then, as usually, preached a sermon of
mortification and repentance, and so apply them to the
offenders that then stood before him, as begot in them a
devout contrition, and at least resolutions to amend their
lives; and having done that, he would take them, though
never so poor, to dinner with him, and use them friendly,
and dismiss them with his blessing and persuasions to a
virtuous life, and beg them for their own sakes to believe
him. And his humility and charity, and all other Christian excellencies, were all like this.
”
The character of his genius is seen in his writings, by which he acquired the reputation of a man of great learning and critical sagacity, although some have
The character of his genius is seen in his writings, by
which he acquired the reputation of a man of great learning and critical sagacity, although some have complained
that the prodigious heap of various readings, with which
he loaded his commentaries, render them very tedious,
His Horace, however, is very highly esteemed, and his
Cicero lias lately been justly applauded and defended
against Gruter, by Beck. Nor is his Piautus less esteemed;
in his Lucretius only he is thought prolix and conjectural.
Of these classics, the best editions are, of the Horace, that
of Venice 1566, 2 vols. 4to; of the Cicero, that of Paris,
1566, 2 vols. fol.; of the Piautus, Paris, 1577; and of the
Lucretius, Paris, 1563, 4to. He published also an excellent edition of Cornelius Nepos, at Paris, 1569, 4to. His
other works are: “De Utilitate Linguae Graecae & recta
Graecorum Latine interpretandorum Ratione.
” “Oratio
de Rationis Principatu & recta Institutione.
” “Oratio
habita pridie quam Lib. tert. Aristotelis de Republic* explicaret.
” “De Philosophia cum Arte dicendi conjungenda Oratio.
” “Annotationes in Alcinoum de Doctrina
Platonis.
” “Vita Ciceronis ex ejus Operibus collecta.
”
“EpistoJoe praefatoriaD.
” “Epistolae familiares.
” “Aristotelis Politica & Libri de Moribus, Lambino Interprete.
”
“Adversaria Demosthenis & Æschinis Orationes in Linguam Latinam translate,
” &c.
Professor Lampe was a man of great learning in ecclesiastical history and antiquities,
Professor Lampe was a man of great learning in ecclesiastical history and antiquities, and published various
works which procured him a high reputation among his
contemporaries. Thirty-one articles are enumerated by
Burman, which were published some in Latin and some in
German. His first publication was “De Cymbalis veterum
libri tres,
” Utrecht, Synopsis historiae sacrx et ecclesiasticse, ab origine mundi ad prcesentia tempora, secundum seriem periodorum deductae,
” Utrecht, Commentarius Analytico-exegeticus
evangelii secundum Joannem,
” Amst. Bibliotheca eruditorum
praecocium.
”
took his degrees in arts, and then removed to Cambridge, and completed his studies. He was accounted a man of great learning and talents, which recommended him to
, archbishop of York, was born in 1482,
and was the son of Richard Lee, of Lee Magna in Kent,
esq. and grandson of sir Richard Lee, km. twice lordmayor of London. He was partly educated in both universities, being admitted of Magdalen college, Oxford,
about 1499, where he took his degrees in arts, and then
removed to Cambridge, and completed his studies. He
was accounted a man of great learning and talents, which
recommended him to the court of Henry VIII. in which,
among others, he acquired the esteem of sir Thomas More.
The king likewise conceived so high an opinion of his political abilities, that he sent him on several embassies to the
continent. In 1529 he was made chancellor of Sarum, and
in 1531 was incorporated in the degree of D. D. at Oxford,
which he had previously taken at some foreign university.
The same year he was consecrated archbishop of York, but
enjoyed this high station a very short time, dying at York,
Sept. 13, 1544. He was buried in the cathedral. He lived
to witness the dawn of the reformation, but adhered to the
popish system in all its plenitude, except, says his popish
biographer, that he “was carried away with the stream as
to the article of the king’s supremacy.
” He was a zealous
opponent of Luther, and had a controversy with Erasmus,
respecting his annotations on the New Testament. This
somewhat displeased sir Thomas More, who was greatly
attached to Erasmus, but it did not lessen his friendship
for Lee Wood says, “he was a very great divine, and
very well seen in all kinds of learning, famous as well for
his wisdom as virtue, and holiness of life; a continual
preacher of the gospel, a man very liberal to the poor, and
exceedingly beloved by all sorts of men.
” His works
were, 1. “Comment, in universum Pentateuchum,
” ms.
2. “Apologia contra quorundam calumnias, 11 Lovan, 1520,
4to. 3.
” Index annotationum prioris libri,“ibid. 1520.
4.
” Epistola nuncupatoriaad Desid. Erasmum,“ibid. 1520.
3.
” Annot. lib. duo in annotationes Novi Test. Erasmi.“6.
” Epistola apologetica, qua respondet D. Erasmi epistolis.“7.
” Epistolae sexcenta;.' 8. “Epiceuia clarorum
virorum.
” The two last articles are in ms. or partially
printed. Some of his Mss. are in the Harleian, and some
in the Cotton library."
advantage, by several writers, both at home and abroad; and all parties agree in speaking of him as a man of great learning, an able statesman, and a zealons churchman.
His character is represented much to his advantage, by several writers, both at home and abroad; and all parties agree in speaking of him as a man of great learning, an able statesman, and a zealons churchman. His fidelity to his queen was certainly honourable in its motive, although it is impossible to defend all his proceedings. Dodd informs us that when at Paris he laid the foundation of three colleges for the education of popish missionaries; one for his countrymen at Paris, which was completed; another at Home, which fell into the hands of the Jesuits; and a third at Doway, the superior of which, for some years, was a Scotch Jesuit.
dore, under a monumental stone, and inscription, placed there by the earl of Tyrone. He was reckoned a man of great learning, and one of the best schoolmen of his
, who in his Latin works called himself Cavellus, was titular primate of Armagh, and a learned writer in defence of Duns Scotus, whose opinions were generally embraced by his countrymen. He was born in the county of Down, in Ireland, in 1571, and became a Franciscan friar. He studied at Salamanca, in Spain, and afterwards for many years governed the Irish Franciscan college at Louvain, dedicated to St. Anthony, in the founding of which he had been instrumental. In this college he was also professor of divinity, which office he filled afterwards in the convent of Ara Cceli at Rome, was definitor-general of his order, and at length advanced by the pope to the see of Armagh; but died at Rome, as he was preparing for his journey to Ireland, Sept. 22, 1626, in the fifty -fifth year of his age. He was buried in the church of St. Isidore, under a monumental stone, and inscription, placed there by the earl of Tyrone. He was reckoned a man of great learning, and one of the best schoolmen of his time. His works, which consist chiefly of commentaries on and a defence of Scotus, were in substance incorporated in Wading' s edition of Scotus’s works, printed at Lyons, 1639, in 12 vols. folio.
ness Oct. 4, 1595, and was much regretted by the king. He is spoken of by Spotiswood and Johnston as a man of great learning, and eminent political abilities. Of his
, lord of Thirlstone, and afterwards
chancellor of Scotland, one of the Latin poets of that
country, the second son of the preceding, was born about
1537. He was educated in Scotland, and afterwards sent
to France to study the law. On his return to his native
country, he practised that profession with great success.
In 1567, as already noticed, his father resigned the privyseal in his favour; but in 1570 he was deprived of that
office, from his attachment to queen Mary. In 1581 he
was made a senator of the college of justice. In 1584 he
became secretary of state to king James VI. and the year
following, on the death of the earl of Arran, was created
lord chancellor of Scotland. The power and influence of
the chancellor created him many enemies among the
Scotch nobility, who made several unsuccessful attempts
to destroy him. In 1589 he attended the king on his
voyage to Norway, where his royal bride, the princess of
Denmark, was detained by contrary winds. The marriage
was there completed, and they passed the winter at Copenhagen. During this residence in Denmark, Maitland
became intimately acquainted with Tycho Brahe. In 1590
he was created lord Maitland of Thirlstone. Towards the
end of 1592, the chancellor incurred the queen’s displeasure for refusing to relinquish his lordship of Musselburgh, which she claimed as part of Dumferling. He absented himself from court for some time, but was at length
restored to favour. He died of a lingering illness Oct. 4,
1595, and was much regretted by the king. He is spoken
of by Spotiswood and Johnston as a man of great learning,
and eminent political abilities. Of his works, we have
“Johannis Metellani, Thirlstoni domini, epigrammata
Latina,
” published in the second volume of the “Delicioe
Poetarum Scotorum,
” Amst. aganist sklanderous toungis,
” and an “admonitioun
” to the regent Mar, published in Mr. Pinkerton’s
collection of“Ancient Scotish Poems.
”
s they were probably induced by a congeniality of principle; but independent of this, Dr. Manton was a man of great learning and extensive reading, and his conversation
He was then one of the ministers who waited upon the
king after his arrival, to beg his majesty’s interposition for
reconciling the differences in the church; and afterwards
joined several of his brethren, in a conference with the
episcopal clergy, at the lord chancellor’s house; preparatory to the declaration of his majesty, who was likewise
present. Being satisfied with this declaration, Dr. Manton
continued in his living of Covent-garden, and received
episcopal institution from Dr. Sheldon, bishop of London,
Jan. 16,1661, after having first subscribed the doctrinal
articles only of the church of England, and taken the oaths
of allegiance and supremacy, and of canonical obedience
in all things lawful and honest. He also allowed that the
common-prayer should be read in his church. Soon after
he was offered the deanery of Rochester, which he might
have held until 1662, and enriched himself by letting
leases; but, either dissatisfied with the advances he bad
already made towards conformity, or foreseeing that greater
would soon be expected, he honourably refused to enrich
himself by accepting a dignity, the very existence of which
he and his brethren were prepared to oppose. In 1661 he
was one of the commissioners at the Savoy conference,
and continued preaching until St. Bartholomew’s day in
1662, when he was obliged to resign his living. After
this he preached occasionally, either in private or public,
as he found it convenient, particularly during the indulgence granted to the nonconformists from 1668 to 1670,
but was imprisoned for continuing the practice when it became illegal. From this time his history is too generally
involved with that of his brethren to admit of being separated. He preserved, amidst all vicissitudes, the friendship of the duke of Bedford, the duke of Richmond, lord
Wharton, and many other persons of rank. To this they
were probably induced by a congeniality of principle; but
independent of this, Dr. Manton was a man of great learning and extensive reading, and his conversation as much
recommended him to men of the world, as to those who
admired his pious services. Waller, the poet, said “that
he never discoursed with such a man as Dr. Manton in all
his life.
” He was also a person of extraordinary charity,
and supplicated the assistance of his great friends more for
the poor than for himself, being perfectly disinterested.
Wood has misrepresented his character in all these respects.
His constitution, although a man of great temperance,
early gave way; and his complaints terminating in a
lethargy, he died Oct. 18, 1677, in the fifty-seventh year
of his age. He was buried in the chancel of the church at
Stoke Newington, where his intimate friend Dr. Bates
preached his funeral sermon, which includes a very copious
character of him.
g in orders, was in 1640 admitted to the reading of the sentences. At this time he was considered as a man of great learning, well-versed in the languages, and a good
, or perhaps Masters (Thomas), a poet
and historian, was the son of the rev. William Master,
rector of Cote near Cirencester in Gloucestershire. He
was first educated at the grammar-school of Cirencester,
and afterwards at Winchester-school, from which he entered New college, Oxford, as a probationer fellow in
1622, and was admitted perpetual fellow in 1624. He
took his degrees in arts, that of M. A. in 1629, and being
in orders, was in 1640 admitted to the reading of the sentences. At this time he was considered as a man of great
learning, well-versed in the languages, and a good poet
and preacher. There are no other circumstances recorded
of his life, except his connection with lord Herbert of
Cherbury, whom he assisted in some of his writings. He
died of a putrid fever in 1643, and was buried in the outer
chapel of New-college. Lord Herbert honoured his memory with a Latin epitaph, which is among his lordship’s
poems, but was not inscribed on the place of his burial.
His poems were in Latin and Greek: 1. “Mensa Lubrica,
”
Oxon. Movorfotpnta ei$ mv TsXfi<r7s alavgutriv,
” a Greek poem on the
passion of Christ, which was translated into Latin by Mr.
Jacob of Merton-college, and into English by Cowley, and
published at Oxford, 1658, 4to. His other Latin productions were, an oration delivered in New-college; “Iter
Boreale,
” “Carolus Redux,
” “Ad regem Carolum,
” &c.
We have termed him a historian from his having given
lord Herbert great assistance in his “Life of Henry VIII.
”
He also had a share in the Latin translation of his lordship’s
book “De Veritate.
” He had accumulated a great mass
of historical information and authorities from the public
records; Wood speaks of having four thick volumes in
folio of these, “lying by him,
” but does not mention whether his own property or borrowed. Dr. Fiddes, however,
informs us, in the introduction to his “Life of Wolsey,' 7
that in his time Mr. Master’s
” diligent and faithful collections“were in the library of Jesus-college, Oxford. He
adds that
” Lord Herbert appears to be indebted for
good part of his history to those collections."
end Mr. William Chappel, afterwards provost of Trinity-college, Dublin, and bishop of Cork and Ross, a man of great learning, and who had a high regard for Mr. Mede.
He was not chosen fellow of his college till after he was
master of arts, and then not without the assistance of his
friend bishop Andrews: for he had been passed over at
several elections, on account of a groundless suspicion
which Dr Cary, then master of the college, afterwards
bishop of Exeter, had conceived of him, that “he looked
too much towanis Geneva;
” that is, was inclined to the
tenets of that church. Being made fellow, he became an
eminent and faithful tutor. After he had well grounded
his pupils in classics, logic, and philosophy, his custom
was to set every one his dnily task; which he rather chose,
than to confine himself and them to precise hours for lectures. In the evening they all came to his chamber; and
the first question he put to each was, “Quid dubitas?
What doubts have you met with in your studies to-day?
”
For he supposed, that to doubt nothing and to understand
nothing was the same thing. By this method he taught
the young men to exercise their reasoning powers, and not
acquiesce in what they learn mechanically, with an indolence of spirit, which prepares them to receive implicitly
whatever is offered them. In the mean time he was appointed reader of the Greek lecture of Sir Walter Mildmay’s foundation; an office which he held during the remainder of his life. While at college, he was so entirely
devoted to study that he made even the time he spent in
his amusements serviceable to his purpose. He allowed
himself little or no exercise but walking; and often, in
the fields or college garden, would take occasion to speak
of the beauty, distinctions, virtues, or properties, of the
plants then in view: for he was a curious florist, an accurate herbalist, and thoroughly versed in the book of nature.
The chief delight he took in company was to discourse with
learned friends; and he used to spend much time with his
worthy friend Mr. William Chappel, afterwards provost of
Trinity-college, Dublin, and bishop of Cork and Ross, a
man of great learning, and who had a high regard for Mr.
Mede.
onstitution. He continued to linger on, however, until May 13, 1799, when death relieved him. He was a man of great learning and research, as his works evidently shew,
, a learned bibliographer
and miscellaneous writer, familiarly known in France by
the title of the abbe de St. Leger, was born at Lyons,
April 1, 1734. He entered when young, into the congregation of St. Genevieve, of which he became librarian, at
the time that the learned Pingre, his predecessor in that
office, went to observe the transit of Venus. In 1764,
when Louis XV. visited this library, he was so much
pleased with Mercier’s intelligent manner of displaying its
treasures, that he appointed him abbe of St. Leger at
Soisson, a preferment which then happened to be vacant
Mercier often travelled to Holland and the Netherlands to
visit the libraries and learned men of those countries, and
was industriously following his various 'literary pursuits,
when the revolution interrupted his tranquillity, and reduced him to a state of indigence. This he could have
borne; but the many miseries he witnessed around him,
and particularly the sight of his friend the abbe Poyer
dragged to the scaffold, proved too much for his constitution. He continued to linger on, however, until May 13,
1799, when death relieved him. He was a man of great
learning and research, as his works evidently shew, and in
his private character, social, communicative, and amiable.
His works are, 1. “Lettre sur la Bibliographic de Debure,
”
Lettre a M. Capperonier,
” on the
same subject, which was followed by a third, printed in
the “Journal de Trevoux.
” 3. “Lettre sur le veritable
auteur du Testament Politique du cardinal de Richelieu,
”
Paris, Supplement a l‘Histoire de l’imprimerie de Prosper Marchand,
” Lettre sur la Pucelle D'Orleans,
” Dissertation sur Pauteur du livre de
PImitation de Jesus-Christ.
” 7. “Notice du livre rare,
intitule* Pedis Admirandte, par J. d'Artis.
” 8. “Notice
de la Platopodologie d'Antoine Fiance, medecin de Besangon,
” a curious satire by Fiance. 9. “Lettre a un ami,
sur la suppression de la Charge de Bibliothecaire du roi en
France,
” (Paris), Notice sur les tornbeaux des dues de Bourgogne.
” 11. '“Lettres sur differentes editions rares du 15 siecle,
” Paris, Observations
surPEssai d'un projet de Catalogue de Bibliotheque.
” 13.
“Description* d'une giraffe vue a Fano.
” 14. “Notice
raisonnée des ouvrages de Gaspard Schott, Jesuite,
” Bibliotheque de Romans traduits du Grec.
”
Lettre sur le projet de decret
concernant les religieux, proposee a PAssemblee Nationale
par M. Treilhard,
” Lettre sur un nouveau Dictionnaire Historique portatif en 4 vols. 8vo.
” This,
wbich appeared in the *' Journal de Trevoux," contains a
sharp critique upon the first volumes of Cbaudon’s Dictionary. Mercier bestowed great pains in correcting and
improving his copy of this work, which fell in the hands of
thcs editors of the last edition of the Diet. Hist. Mercier
was frequently employed in the public libraries; and those
of Soubise and La Valliere owe much of their treasures to
his discoveries of curious books. He was also a frequent
writer in the Journal de Trevoux, the Journal des S9avans,
the Magazin Encyclopedique, and the Annee Litteraire.
He left some curious manuscripts, and manuscript notes
and illustrations of many of his books.
Dr. Middleton’s reputation as a man of great learning and splendid talents may still be supported
Dr. Middleton’s reputation as a man of great learning and splendid talents may still be supported by his writings, but in his personal character, little will be found that is amiable, dignified, or independent. His religion was justly suspected, and it is certain that his philosophy did not teach him candour. He had been opposed, without respect, by many of the clergy, and in revenge, he attacked the church, to which he professed to belong, and in which he would have been glad to rise, if he could.
tation of the author’s old college, to commemorate the death of Mr. Edward King, one of its fellows, a man of great learning, piety, and talents, who was shipwrecked
He spent five years at his father’s house at Horton, and
during this time exhibited some of the finest specimens of
his genius. The “Comus,
” in Lycidas,
”
in L'AIlegro
” and “II Penseroso
”
were also composed here. The Mask of Comus was acted
before the earl of Bridgwater, the president of Wales, in
1634, at Ludlow-castle: and the characters of the lady
and her two brothers were represented by the lady Alice
Egerton, then about thirteen years of age, and her two
brothers, lord Brackley and Thomas Egerton, who were
still younger. The story of this piece is said to have been
suggested by the circumstance of the lady Alice having
been separated from her company in the night, and havincr
wandered for some time by herself in the forest of Haywood, as she was returning from a distant visit to meet her
father. This admirable drama was set to music by Lawes,
and first published by him in 1637, and, in the dedication
to lord Brackley, he speaks of the work as not openly
acknowledged by the author. The author surely had little
to fear; it would be difficult to discover an age barbarous
enough to refuse the highest honours to the author of a
work so truly poetical. The “Lycidas
” was written, as
there is reason to believe, at the solicitation of the author’s
old college, to commemorate the death of Mr. Edward
King, one of its fellows, a man of great learning, piety,
and talents, who was shipwrecked in his passage from
Chester to Ireland. It formed part of a collection of
poems, published on this melancholy occasion, in 1638, at
the university press; and its being thus printed in a collection, may perhaps diminish the wonder expressed by one
of Milton’s biographers, that a poem, breathing such
hostility to the clergy of the Church of England, and menacing their leader with the axe, should be permitted to
issue from the university press. There is no other way of
accounting for this than by supposing that it had not been
read before it went to press. “Lycidas
” has been severely
criticised by Dr. Johnson, and but feebly supported by
Milton’s other biographers.
, in the functions of divinity-professor and minister of Geneva. As he was a favourite preacher, and a man of great learning, he appears to have excited the jealousy
, a preacher of some celebrity among the French protestants, was the son of a Scotchman, who was principal of the college at Castres in Languedoc, and born there in 1616. When he was about twenty, he was sent to Geneva to study divinity; and finding, upon his arrival, that the chair of the Greek professor was vacant, he became a candidate for it. and gained it against competitors greatly beyond himself in years. Having exercised this office for about three years, he succeeded Spanheim, who was called away to Leyden, in the functions of divinity-professor and minister of Geneva. As he was a favourite preacher, and a man of great learning, he appears to have excited the jealousy of a party which was formed against him at Geneva. He had, however, secured the good opinion of Salmasius, who procured him the divinity-professor’s place at Middlebourg, together with the parish-church, which occasioned him to depart from Geneva in 1649. The gentlemen of Amsterdam, at his arrival in Holland, offered him the professorship of history, which was become vacant by the death of Vossius; but, not being able to detach him from his engagements to the city of Middlebourg, they gave it to David Blondel, yet, upon a second offer, he accepted it about three years after. In 1654, he left his professorship of history for some time to take a journey into Italy; where it is said he was greatly noticed by the duke of Tuscany. During his stay in Italy, he wrote a beautiful poem upon the defeat of the Turkish fleet by the Venetians, and was honoured with a chain of gold by the republic of Venice. He returned to his charge; and, after some contests with the Walloon synods, went into France, to be ordained minister of the church of Paris. But here he met with many opponents, his character, as is said, being somewhat ambiguous both in regard to faith and morals. He succeeded, however, in being received minister of the church of Paris, although his reputation continued to be attacked by people of merit and consequence, who presented him again to the from whose censures he escaped with great difficulty, and had again to encounter in 1661. About this time he went to England, and on his return six months afterwards, the complaints against him were immediately renewed. He died at Paris, in the duchess of Rohan’s house, in September 1670.
g brought on a fever, which obliged him to stop at Abbeville, where he died July 29, 1653. Naude was a man of great learning, and in his private conduct, correct,
While at Padua he lost his father, which obliged him to
return to Paris to settle his affairs. In 1628, the faculty of
medicine chose him to make the ordinary harangues at the
admission of licentiates, which he performed entirely to
their satisfaction. One of these, in Latin, on the origin
and dignity of the medical school at Paris, was printed
there in 1628, in octavo. He was then recommended by
one of his friends to cardinal Bagni, who appointed him
his librarian and Latin secretary. He took him also to
Rome in 1631, and Naud had an opportunity of forming
an acquaintance with the celebrated Peiresc, as the cardinal
travelled by the way of Beaugensier, on purpose to see his
old friend, who complimented him very warmly on having
acquired for a librarian a young man of Naude’s extensive
knowledge of books. While on this journey, Naude went
to Padua, where, in 1633, he received the degree of
doctor of philosophy and medicine, in order to support
the character of physician to Louis XIII. with which he
had been honoured. On the death of cardinal Bagni, in
1640, he intended to return to France, but had so many
liberal offers to remain in Italy, that he changed his mincl,
and determined to attach himself to cardinal Barberini.
There is much difference of dates amongst his biographers
respecting his return from Paris. All we can decide is,
that he acted there as librarian to cardinal Mazarine, and
that he collected for him a library of 40,OO0 volumes, the
greatest that had then appeared in France. But the cardinal died in 1642, and he consequently could not have
long been in his service. Perhaps he was employed to
make purchases for this library when in Italy, &c. The
cardinal appears not to have rewarded him with much liberality, and in 1648 we find him complaining of being
neglected. He had, however, a greater mortification to
undergo in 1652, when this fine collection was sold by order of the parliament. He is said to have been greatly irritated on this occasion, and bought all the medical books
it contained for 3500 livres Isaac Vossius now recommended him to Christina queen of Sweden, with whom
he resided a few months as librarian, or rather to fill up
that station in the absence of Vossius, who was at this time
in disgrace. Isiaude, however, neither liked the employment nor the people, and took an early opportunity to give
in his resignation; on which occasion the queen, and some
other persons of rank, testified their regard for him by various presents. The fatigue of his journey on returning
brought on a fever, which obliged him to stop at Abbeville,
where he died July 29, 1653. Naude was a man of great
learning, and in his private conduct, correct, prudent, and
friendly. His sentiments, as we have noticed, were on
some subjects, very liberal, but on others he deserves less
praise. While he played the freethinker so far as to despise
some parts of the belief of his church, he could gravely
vindicate the massacres of St. Bartholomew, as a measure
of political expedience. His works are very numerous.
To the few already mentioned we may add, 1. “Le Marfore, ou Discours contre les libelles.
” Paris, Instruction & la France sur la verit de l'histoire des
freres de la Rose-croix,
” ibid. Addition a Thistoire de
Louis XI.
” ibid. 1630. 4. “Consideration politique sur
les coups d'Etat, par G. N. P.
” Rome, (i. e. Paris), Bibliographia Politica,
”
Leyden, Hieronymi Cardani vita,
” Paris, Jugement de tout ce qui a ete imprim6 contre le
cardinal Mazarin depuis Jan. 6, jusqu'au 1 Avril, 1649,
”
Paris, 1641, 4to. This curious work, which is of great rarity,
is sometimes called “Mascurat,
” and consists of a dialogue
between St. Ange, a librarian, L e. Naude, and Mascurat,
a printer, i. e. Camusat. 7. “Avis a Nosseigneurs du
pariement sur la vente de la Bibliotheque du cardinal Mazarin,
” 1G52, 4to. 8. “Nundaeana et Patiniana,
” Paris,
learned Jews, particularly Jacob Romano, author of an addition to Buxtorf’s “Bibliotheca Rabbinica,” a man of great learning and candour but his ablest assistant was
He does not appear, however, to have given more than
one course of those lectures before he took a second journey to the East, along with Mr. John Greaves, and this by
the archbishop’s encouragement, who was still bent on
procuring manuscripts, and would not lose the advantage
of such agents. The archbishop also allowed him the profits of his professorship to defray his expences, besides which
Mr. Pocock enjoyed his fellowship of Corpus, and had a
small estate by the death of his father. The whole annual
produce of these he is supposed to have expended in this
expedition. During his absence Mr. Thomas Greaves, with
the archbishop’s consent, supplied the Arabic lecture. On,
Mr. Pocock’s arrival at Constantinople, the English ambassador, sir Peter Wyche, entertained him in his house
as his chaplain, and assisted him, by his interest, in the
great object of his journey. In pursuit of this he made
several valuable acquaintances among some learned Jews,
particularly Jacob Romano, author of an addition to
Buxtorf’s “Bibliotheca Rabbinica,
” a man of great learning
and candour but his ablest assistant was the learned and
unfortunate Cyril Lucar, patriarch of Constantinople (see Lucar), to whom we owe that valuable ms. the “Codex
Alexandrinus
” and Nath. Canopius, who to avoid the fate
of his master Lucar, came to England, and lived for some
time under the patronage of archbishop Laud, who gave
him preferment in Christ church, from which he was
ejected in 1648. He derived some assistance also from his
fellow-labourer in the collection of books and Mss. Christian Ravius, but especially from John Greaves, whose zeal
in this research we have already noticed.
upied by Durham college, which Edward VI. granted to George Owen, of Godstowe, the king’s physician, a man of great learning and eminence, and William Martyn, gentleman,
The site chosen for his new foundation was at this time occupied by Durham college, which Edward VI. granted to George Owen, of Godstowe, the king’s physician, a man of great learning and eminence, and William Martyn, gentleman, in 1552; and sir Thomas purchased the premises of these gentlemen by indenture dated Feb. 20, 1554. On March 8, and March 28, he obtained from Philip and Mary a royal licence and charter to create and erect a college within the university of Oxford, under the title of Collegium Sanctæ Et Individuæ Trinitatis In Universitate Oxon. Ex Fundatione Thomæ Pope Militis. The society was to consist of a president, a priest, twelve fellows, four of whom should be priests, and eight scholars (afterwards increased to twelve) and the whole to be liberally and amply endowed with certain manors, lands, and revenues. They were to be elected out of the diocese and places where the college has benefices, manors, or revenues, more particularly in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Derbyshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Kent. The same charter empowered him to found and endow a school at Hokenorton, in Oxfordshire, to be called Jesus Scholehouse; and to give statutes both to the college and to the first and second masters of the said school. And by deed, dated March 28, 1555, he declared his actual erection and establishment df the said college, and the same day delivered possession, before a large concourse of witnesses, to the president, fellows, and scholars. In May following he supplied his college with necessaries and implements of every kind, books, furniture for the chapel, of the most costly kind; and next year he transmitted a body of statutes to the society, dated May 1, 1556. These statutes he had submitted to the revision of cardinal Pole, from whom he received some valuable hints. On the 8th of the same month, May, he gave them one hundred pounds as a stock for immediate purposes; and the endowment, by thirty-five manors, thirteen advowsons, besides impropriations and pensions, was completed before, or upon the feast of Annunciation, in the same year; and the first president, fellows and scholars, nominated by himself, were formally admitted within the chapel, May 30, on the eve of Trinity Sunday. During his life-time, the founder nominated the fellows and scholars, and afterwards delegated the power to his widow, dame Elizabeth, of nominating the scholars, and presenting to the advowsons, and this she continued to exercise during her long life, but with some interruptions, and some opposition. On one occasion the college rejected her nomination to a scholarship, and chose another candidate; but on an appeal to the visitor, he decided in her favour. She sometimes also nominated the fellows, and once a president. But both she and her husband, sir Hugh Powlett, were so liberal and punctual in fulfilling the founder’s intentions, and in contributing to the prosperity of the college, that she was in general obeyed with respect and gratitude.
t,” 12mo, translated and published by Nehemiah Coxe, by which it appears that Dr. Rivet was not more a man of great learning than of great piety.
, a celebrated French protestant divine, was born at St. Maxeut, in Poitou, Aug. I, 1572, and
after some school education near home, was sent to Rochelle in 1585, where he studied the learned languages and
philosophy. In 1590 he was removed to the college at
Beam, where he took his master’s degree, and began the
study of divinity. Having finished that course, he was in
1595 appointed minister of the church of Thoars, and chaplain to the duke of Thoars, who admitted him into his confidence, and frequently employed him in matters of importance. While in this situation he married the daughter
of a divine at Thoars. He was frequently the
representative of the protestant churches in national conventions and
synods, and in some of these filled the chair of president,
particularly in that of Vitry, in 1617. In 1620 he was appointed professor of divinity at Leyden, but about the same
time had the misfortune to lose his wife. In 1621 he visiteci England, and going to Oxford was incorporated doctor in divinity, which degree had been conferred on him at
Leyden just before. He gave, on this occasion, several
books to the Bodleian library. While in England he married, as his second wife, Maria, the sister of Peter du
Moulin, and widow of Anthony de Guyot, upon whose
death in the civil wars in France, she took refuge in England. What served to introduce him at Oxford was his
previous acquaintance wiih John Russe, or Rouse, who had
lodged some time with him at Thoars, and was now in the
situation of librarian of the Bodleian. After his return to
Leyden he resumed his professorship, and passed the rest
of his days in teaching and writing. He died in 1647, aged
seventy-five. His works, consisting of commentaries on
the scriptures, sermons, and controversial pieces, were
very numerous, but it is unnecessary to specify them separately, as they were collected in 3 vols. fol. and printed
at Rotterdam in 1651. His brother William, who was
likewise in the church, published on “Justification,
” and
on “Ecclesiastical liberty.
” We have in English,“A relation of the last hours of Dr. Andrew Rivet,
” 12mo, translated and published by Nehemiah Coxe, by which it appears that Dr. Rivet was not more a man of great learning
than of great piety.
, a bishop of the old episcopal church of Scotland, a man of great learning and worth, and an able controversial writer
, a bishop of the old episcopal church of Scotland, a man of great learning and worth, and an able controversial writer in defence of the church to which he belonged, was born in 1652. He was the son of captain Sage, a gentleman of Fifeshire in Scotland, and an officer of merit in lord Duffus’s regiment, who fought on the side of the royalists when Monk stormed Dundee in 1651. Although, like many other royalists, he was scantily rewarded for his services, he was able to give his son a liberal education at school, and at the university of St. Andrew’s, where he took his degree of master of arts in 1672. He passed some years afterwards as schoolmaster of the parishes of Bingry in Fifeshire, and of Tippermoor in Perthshire, and as private tutor to the sons of a gentleman of fortune, whom he attended at school, and accompanied to the university of St. Andrew’s. In 1684, when his pupils left him, he removed from St. Andrew’s, and when uncertain what course to pursue, was recommended to archbishop Rose, who gave him priest’s orders, and advised him to officiate at Glasgow. Here he continued to display his talents till the revolution in 1688, when the presbyterian form of church government was established, and then went to Edinburgh. He preached in this city a while, but refusing to take the oaths of allegiance, was obliged to desist, and found an asylum in the house of sir William Bruce, the sheriff of Kinross, who approved his principles, and admired his virtues. Returning to Edinburgh in 1695, where he appears to have written some defences of the church to which he belonged, he was observed, and obliged again to retire. At length he found a safe retreat with the countess of Callendar, who employed him as chaplain, and tutor to her sons, and afterwards he lived with sir John Steuart of Garntully as chaplain, until Jan. 25, 1705, when he was consecrated a bishop. In the following year his health began to decay, and after trying the waters of Bath, in 1709, and change of air in other places, without much benefit, he died at Edinburgh June 7, 1711.
s removed to Oxford, and interred with great solemnity in the choir of Merton college chapel. He was a man of great learning, and an intimate friend of Camden; among
He had a younger brother, Thomas Savile, who was admitted probationer-fellow of Merton college, Oxford, in 1580; afterwards travelled abroad into several countries; upon his return, was chosen fellow of Eton college; and died at London in 1592-3, whence his body was removed to Oxford, and interred with great solemnity in the choir of Merton college chapel. He was a man of great learning, and an intimate friend of Camden; among whose letters there are fifteen of Mr. Savile' s to him.
script notes, and a valuable collection of books in all the learned languages. He was unquestionably a man of great learning and acuteness; but a love of controversy,
He was the author and editor of other things, but they were less considerable: it is sufficient to have mentioned his principal works. He bequeathed to the library of the cathedral of Rouen a great number of his manuscript works, many printed books enriched by his manuscript notes, and a valuable collection of books in all the learned languages. He was unquestionably a man of great learning and acuteness; but a love of controversy, in all its bitterness, rendered him almost equally obnoxious to protestants and papists, yet there is evidence enough in his works to prove that he contributed in no small degree to weaken the authorityand pretensions of his own church, and to strengthen the opinions of its adversaries.
ains yet to be added to his preferments that he was several years head master of Eton school. He was a man of great learning and acuteness, and of an amiable temper.
In 1713, he had been installed a canon of Windsor, and
on Feb. 21, 1719, was elected provost of King’s college,
although the court-interest was in favour of Dr. Waddington. In 1723 he served the office of vice-chancellor of the
university, and gave every satisfaction in discharging the
duties of both offices. The revenues of the college were
greatly augmented in his time, by the assistance of some
fellows of the college, his particular friends. It was said
that in 1722 he drew up the address to his majesty, George
II. upon the institution of Whitehall preachers, “an address,
” says Dr. Zachary Grey, “worthy of the imitation
of both universities on all occasions of the like kind, as it
was thought to have nothing redundant or defective in it.
”
He was for a short time rector of Knebworth in Hertfordshire, and afterwards, in 1737, of West-Ildesley in Berkshire. This last he retained till his death, which happened
at his lodgings at Windsor castle, Dec, 30, 1742. He was
buried at the east end of the south aile of the choir of the
chapel, near his wife, who died in 1731. She was, when
he married her, the opulent widow of sir Joshua Sharpe,
knt. and alderman of London. It remains yet to be added
to his preferments that he was several years head master of
Eton school. He was a man of great learning and acuteness, and of an amiable temper. His zeal for the principles of the church of England was warm and honest, for it
procured him many enemies, and probably obstructed his
promotron. In 17 15, '3 vols. 8vo. of his “Sermons
” were
published by Drs. Berriman and Chapman. He had
himself been editor of Dean Moss’s Sermons, and gave that
divine a character which was thought to resemble his own.
Although we seldom notice such matters, it may be worth
while to add that there was a 4to mezzotinto print of him,
which, after he was out of fashion, the print-sellers imposed
on the public as the portrait of orator Henley.
, a man of great learning and abilities, was the third son of Marianus
, a man of great learning and abilities, was the third son of Marianus Socinus, an eminent
civilian at Bologna, and has by some been reckoned the
founder of the Socinian sect, as having been in reality the
author of all those principles and opinions, which Faustus
Socinus afterwards propagated with more boldness. He
was born at Sienna in 1525, and designed by his father for
the study of the civil law. With this he combined the
perusal of the scriptures; thinking that the foundations of
the civil law must necessarily be laid in the word of God,
and therefore would be deduced in the best manner from
it. To qualify himself for this inquiry, he studied the
Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic tongues. What light he derived from this respecting the civil law is not known, but
he is said to have soon discovered, that the church of Rome
taught many tilings plainly contrary to scripture. About
1546 he became a member of a secret society, consisting
of about forty persons, who held their meetings, at. different times, in the territory of Venice, and particularly at.
Vicenza, in which they deliberated concerning a general
reformation of the received systems of religion, and particularly endeavoured to establish the doctrines afterwards
publicly adopted by the Socinians; but being discovered,
and some of them punished, they dispersed into other
countries; and our Socinus, in 1547, began his travels,
and spent four years in France, England, the Netherlands,
Germany, and Poland; and then settled at Zurich. He
contracted a familiarity, and even an intimacy, with the
learned wherever he went and Calvin, Melancthon, Builinger, Beza, and others of the same class, were amongst.
the number of his friends. But having soon discovered,
by the doubts he proposed to them, that he had adopted
sentiments the most obnoxious to these reformers, he became an object of suspicion and Calvin, in particular,
wrote to him an admonitory letter, of which the following
is a part; “Don't expect,
” says he, “that I should answer all your preposterous questions. If you chuse to soar
amidst such lofty speculations, suffer me, an humble disciple of Jesus Christ, to meditate upon such things as conduce to my edification; as indeed I shall endeavour by my
silence to prevent your being troublesome to me hereafter.
In the mean time, I cannot but lament, that you should
continue to employ those excellent talents with which God
has blessed you, not only to no purpose, but to a very bad
one. Let me beg of you seriously, as I have often done,
to correct in yourself this love of inquiry, which may bring
you into trouble.
” It would appear that Socinus took this
advice in part, as he continued to live among these orthodox divines for a considerable time, without molestation.
He found means, however, to communicate his notions to
such as were disposed to receive them, and even lectured
to Italians, who wandered up and down in Germany and
Poland. He also sent writings to his relations, who lived
at Sienna. He took a journey into Poland about 1558;
and obtained from the king some letters of recommendation to the doge of Venice and the duke of Florence, that
he might be safe at Venice, while his affairs required his
residence there. He afterwards returned to Switzerland,
and died at Zurich in 1562, in his thirty-seventh year.
Being naturally timorous and irresolute, he professed to die
in the communion of the reformed church, but certainly
had contributed much to the foundation of the sect called
from his, or his nephew’s name, for he collected the materials that Faustus afterwards digested and employed with
such dexterity and success. He secretly and imperceptibly excited doubts and scruples in the minds of many,
concerning several doctrines generally received among
Christians, and, by several arguments against the divinity
of Christ, which he left behind him in writing, he so far
seduced, even after his death, the Arians in Poland, that
they embraced the communion and sentiments of those who
looked upon Christ as a mere man, created immediately,
like Adam, by God himself. There are few writings of
Laelius exta.it, and of those that bear his name, some undoubtedly belong to others.
, brother of Ezekiel Spanheim, and also a man of great learning, was born at Geneva in 1632, and, at ten
, brother of Ezekiel Spanheim, and also a man of great learning, was born at Geneva in 1632, and, at ten years of age, carried by his father to Leyden. He studied philosophy under Hereboord, and was admitted doctor July 12, 1651. He had lost his father two years before; and, as he had been designed for the ministry, he applied himself vigorously to the study of divinity and the languages. Boxhorn was his master in Greek and Latin; and Golius in Arabic. He was a candidate for the ministry in 1652, and soon after preached in several parts of Zealand. He discharged the functions of a minister at Utrecht for one year with a reputation that raised some jealousy in the mind of Alexander Morus, whose name was then famous in the United Provinces. He received soon after an invitation from Charles Louis elector-palatine, who had resolved to re-establish his university at Heidelberg, and gave him the professorship of divinity, though he was then but twenty-three. Before he went to take possession of that post, he was admitted doctor of divinity at Leyden in!655. He gained great reputation at Heidelberg; and the elector palatine always shewed him the highest marks of his esteem and confidence; but these favours did not prevent him from opposing the elector with great freedom, when heattempted to divorce himself from the princess his wife, in order to marry another. His merit procured him, during the time he lived in the palatinate, several invitations from other universities; but he only accepted that from Leyden, where he was admitted professor of divinity and sacred history, with general applause, in 1670. Here his reputation was raised to the greatest height. He was four times rector of the university of Leyden, and had also the post of librarian. Many years before hisdeath, he was excused from reading public lectures, that he might have the more leisure to apply himself to several works which he published. In 1695, he was attacked by a palsy, which affected half his body: of which, however, he afterwards appeared to be tolerably well recovered. He did not indeed enjoy a perfect state of health from that time; and not being able to restrain himself from his studies and labours, which was absolutely necessary, he relapsed, and died May 18, 1701. He was thrice married, and had several children; but only one, whose name was Frederic, survived him.
obliged to take refuge in a Christian church to save his life. Ammianus Marcellinus speaks of him as a man of great learning and modesty; and his epistles shew him
, a citizen and senator of ancient Rome, and consul in the year 391, has left us ten books of epistles; from which, as well as from other things, we collect, that he was a warm opposer of the Christian religion. This he shews particularly in the sixty-first epistle of the tenth book, addressed to the emperor Valentinian, whom he petitioned in favour of paganism. He was very unfortunate, after having enjoyed a high degree of favour at court. The emperor Theodosius thought proper to desire that he would pronounce his panegyric before him; but when he heard that Symmachus had been equally liberal in his praises of the tyrant Maximus, who reigned before him, and to whom Theodosius himself had submitted from political motives, he banished Symmachus, and persecuted him so even in his exile, that with all his prejudices in favour of paganism, he was obliged to take refuge in a Christian church to save his life. Ammianus Marcellinus speaks of him as a man of great learning and modesty; and his epistles shew him to have been a man of acute parts, and of eloquence, such as eloquence was in his time, that is, verbose and florid. Scioppius, Pareus, and other learned men, have written notes upon the epistles of Symmachus: 'but we know of no later edition of them than that of Leyden, 1653, 12mo. The first edition, which has no date, but probably was printed between 1503 and 1513, is very rare and valuable. Ambrose, bishop of Milan, wrote against Symmachus; and so did the Christian poet Prudentius.
m; and it continued to harass him till his death, which happened September 23, 1769. He was esteemed a man of great learning, particularly with respect to languages;
* An extract from one of his letters months. In a dearth of new tilings on
will give some idea of this plan, which each of those heads, to extract out of
never took effect. “I spoilt the whole the French Memoirs, German Epheafternoon yesterday with Dr. Pother- nierides, &c. such things os shall apgill in settling the plan of our design, pear to the society to be useful discowhich in short is this by a settled re- veries or observations, and not suffigular correspondence in the principal ciently known or attended to. The
cities of Europe, to have the most early greatest difficulty lying on us is the
intelligence of the improvements in choice of proper persons to execute
chemistry, anatomy, botany, chinir- this design some being too much
gery, with accounts of epidemical di- taken up in business, and others justly
seases, state of the weather, remark- exceptionable as being untractable,
able cases, observations, and useful presumptuous, and overbearing. The
medicines. A society to be formed men of business, however, will he of
here in town, to meet regularly once a some use to us, in communicating reweek, at which meeting all papers trans- markable. cases and occurrences. Such
milted to be read, and s,uch as are ap- a work will require a great number of
proved of to be published in the Eng- hands; and, besides good abilities, it
lish language, in the manner of our will be neiessary they should be good
Philosophical Transactions a pam- sort of men too.
” ms Letter to Dr.
phlet of 2s, or 2. 6d. once in three Cuming.
met with proper encouragement from the public, it was
his intention to have extended the work to twelve volumes,
with an additional one of index, and that he was prepared
to publish two such volumes every year. His translation of
“Norden’s Travels
” appeared in the beginning of Select Cases and Consultations in Physic, by Dr. Woodward,
” 8vo. On the
establishment of the British Museum in
so that his character has not descended to us with all the evidences of consistency; but that he was a man of great learning, and an able oriental scholar, seems
, a learned divine in the seventeenth century, was educated in Trinity-college, in the
university of Cambridge, of which he was fellow. In 1638
he was proctor of that university. In July 1642 he was admitted to the rectory of Barley in Hertfordshire and,
upon the death of Dr. Samuel Ward, in September 1643,
he was elected master of Sidney-college in Cambridge,
from which, Dr. Walker says, he was kept out “by the
oppressions of the times;
” but there was also somewhat of
court-intrigue in this affair, as related in Walter Pope’s
life of bishop Ward. He tells us, that upon the death of
the latter, the fellows of the college assembled to choose
a new master. “Mr. Seth Ward, with nine of them, gave
their suffrages for Mr. Thorndike of Trinity-college; for
Mr. Minshull there were eight votes including his own.
But while they were at the election, a band of soldiers
rushed in upon them, and forcibly carried away Mr. Parsons, one of those fellows who voted for Mr. Thorndike,
so that the number of suffrages for Mr. Minshull, his own
being accounted for one, was equal to those Mr. Thorndike
had. Upon which Mr. Minshull was admitted master, the
other eight only protesting against it, being ill-advised,
for they should have adhered to their votes. Two of them,
whereof Mr. Ward was one, went to Oxford, and brought
thence a mandamus from the king, commanding Mr. Minshull, and the fellows of Sidney-college, to repair thither,
and give an account of their proceedings as to that election. This mandamus, or peremptory summons, was fixed
upon the chapel-door by Mr. Linnet, who was afterwards
a fellow of Trinity-college, but at that time attended on
Mr. Thorndike. On the other side, one Mr. Bertie, a
kinsman of the earl of Lindsey, being one of those who
voted for Mr. Minshull, was also sent to Oxford on his
behalf. This gentleman, by the assistance and mediation
of my lord of Lindsey, procured an order from the king to
confirm Mr. Minshull’s election; but he, not thinking this
title sufficient, did corroborate it with the broad seal, to
which Mr. Thorndike consented, Mr. Minshull paying him
and the rest of the fellows the charges they had been at
in the management of that affair,amounting to about an
hundred pounds.
” This was therefore evidently a matter
in which “the oppressions of the times
” (which are usually understood to mean those which arose from the usurpation)
were not concerned. He was, however, afterwards, to
experience the latter also, and was ejected from his living
of Barley, which was given to the rev. Nath. Ball of King’s
college, Cambridge, who, Calamy informs us, punctually
paid a fifth part of the income to Mr. Thorndike. At the
restoration he was replaced in this living, but resigned it
on being made a prebendary of Westminster. He very
much assisted Dr. Walton in the edition of the Polyglot
Bible, particularly in marking the variations in the Syriac
version of the Old Testament; and wrote several treatises:
“A Discourse concerning the primitive Forme of the
Government of Churches,
” Cambridge, A
Discourse of Religious Assemblies and the Publike Service
of God,
” Cambridge, A Discourse of the
Right of the Church in a Christian State, with a Review
by way of Appendix,
” London, Just Weights
and Measures; that is, the present State of Religion
weighed in the Balance, and measured by the Standard of
the Sanctuary,
” London, A Discourse of the
Forbearance of the Penalties, which a due Reformation requires,
” London, Origines Ecclesiae, seu
de ratione ac jure finiendi Controversias Ecclesise,
” Lond.
An Epilogue to the Tragedy of the Church of England, in three
books, viz. 1. Of the Principles of Christian Truth. 2. Of
the Covenant of Grace. 3. Of the Laws of the Church.
”
By a letter from chancellor Hyde, in the appendix to Dr.
Barwick’s Life, it would appear that this work had given
offence, as being unseasonable and injudicious. Hyde says,
“Pray tell me, what melancholy hath possessed poor Mr.
Thorndike? And what do our friends think of his book?
And is it possible that he would publish it, without ever
imparting it, or communicating with them? His name and
reputation in learning is too much made use of, to the discountenance of the poor church; and though it might not
be in his power to be without some doubts and scruples, I
do not know what impulsion of conscience there could be
to publish those doubts to the world, in a time when he
might reasonably believe the worst use would be made,
and the greatest scandal proceed from them.
” This seems
to allude to some opinions he held that were unfavourable
to the measures of the court: and we find that there was
some difficulty in admitting him into the convocation in
1661, “on account of his speaking much of the Bohemian
churches, called Unitas Fratrum.
” He was a member of
the Savoy conference, and in the little he said completely
undeceived the non-conformists, who, from his early publications, had supposed he was of their side. There was
also a suspicion that he had a little too much leaning to
the church of Rome, so that his character has not descended to us with all the evidences of consistency; but
that he was a man of great learning, and an able oriental
scholar, seems indisputable.
be drawn from, and very little use to be made of them. Thirlby says very justly of him, that he was a man of great learning, had excellent parts, and sufficient judgment,
His works, though very numerous, are yet neither so
numerous nor so useful as his father’s. His first publication was “Periplus Scylacis Caryandensis & Anonymi Periplus Ponti Euxini, Græce & Latinæ, cum notis.
” Amst.
Geographia antiqua,
” in 4to. The year after, Justin,
” with notes, at Leyden, in 12mo, also
a juvenile production, but of no particular value. “Ignatii Epistolæ, & Barnabæ Epistola, Græce & Latinæ, cum
notis,
” Amst. Patres
Apostolici.
” “Pomponius Mela de situ orbis, cum observationibus,
” Hagse Com. Dissertatio de
vera estate mundi, &c.
” Hagae Com. Castigationes ad
Scriptum Hornii de ætate Mundi,
” Hagse Com. Auctarium Castigationum, &c.
” 4to. Hornius was not however to be silenced, but published another piece, still in the
same year; and then father Pezron adopted and maintained
the opinion of Vossius, in his book, entitled “L'Antiquite
de temps retablie,
” De Septuaginta Interpretibus, eorumque translatione & chronologia
Dissertationes;
” and, in Appendix ad hunc librum, seu Responsiones ad objecta variorum Theologorum:
” both in 4to. His next publications were upon philosophical subjects, as “Deluce,
” “De motu marium &
ventorum,
” “De Nili & aliorum fluminum origine;
”
which are not thought of much consequence. "in 8vo, in
which are some curious remarks.
” De Sibyllinis aliisque,
quae Christi natalem præcessere, Oraculis,“Oxon. 1679:
reprinted in
” Variarum Observationum Liber.“”Catullus, & in eum Isaaci Vossii Observationes,“Lond. 1684,
4to, and Leyden, 1691. There is a great deal of erudition
in these notes of Vossius, mixed with gross indelicacies.
The greatest part of a treatise by Adrian Beverland,
” De
prostibulis veterum,“the printing of which had been prohibited, was inserted in them; but this being discovered,
the press was stopped from proceeding any farther; and
the edition, the first of those mentioned above, though
begun and carried on in Holland, was brought over to England to be finished; as may appear from the different characters of the end, the title, and the preface. In 1685, he
published a thin quarto volume at London, entitled,
” Variarum Observationum Liber,“in which are contained the
following dissertations:
” De Antiquae Romae & aliarum
quarundam urbitnn magnitudine; De Artibus & Scientiis
Sinarum; De Originæ & Progressu Pulveris Bellici apud
Europaeos; De Triremium & Libnrnicarum constructione;
De emendatione Longitudinum; De patefacienda per Septentrionem ad Japonenses & Indos navigatione; De apparentibus in Luna circulis; Diurna Telluris coriversione omnia gravia ad medium tendere;“to which are subjoined,
” De Sibyllinis Oraculis, Responsio ad Objecta nupera:
Criticae Sacræ,“and
” Ad iteratas P. Simonii objectiones
altera Responsio.“Vossius’s propensity to the marvellous, and his prejudices for antiquity, appear from the first
page of this book of various observations; where he tells
us, that ancient Rome was twenty times as large as Paris
and London put together are at present; and assigns it
fourteen millions of inhabitants; which however is nothing
in comparison of the single town of Hanchou in China,
whose inhabitants, he assures us, amount to twenty millions, besides the suburbs. This
” Variarum Observationum Liber,“however, as well as Isaac Vossius’s works in
general, all shew ingenuity and learning, and there are in
them some singular and striking observations; but yet very
little knowledge is to be drawn from, and very little use
to be made of them. Thirlby says very justly of him,
that he was a man of great learning, had excellent parts,
and sufficient judgment, but never troubled his head
about what was the truth in any question whatever. If
criticism, or philosophy, or theology, was the subject, it
was, says Thirlby,
” quite enough for him to cast about for
and invent things new, out of the way, and wonderful; but
whether these strange and newly-discovered things were
true or false, was a point which he left to be examined by
those who might think it worth their while.“The last of
his works we shall notice is,
” Observationum ad Pomponium Melam appendix: accedit ad tertias P. Simonii objectiones Responsio, c.“Lond. 1686, 4to. James Gronovius, having used Vossius ill in his edition of
” Mela,“at Leyden, 1685, in 8vo, is in this appendix paid in kind;
Humphrey Hody is also answered, in a short piece contained
in this publication; who had advanced something against
Vossius’s notions of the Septuagint version, in his
” Dissertatio contra Historiam Aristeae de LXX. Interpretibus,“printed at Oxford,
” 1685.
ime, all the scholarships augmented, and a chapel and a new range of buildings erected. Dr. Ward was a man of great learning as well as piety, of both which are many
In 1624 he was rector of Much-Munden, in Hertfordshire. He is said also to have been chaplain extraordinary
to the king, and to have served in convocation. As he was
an enemy to Arminianism, and in other respects bore the
character of a puritan, he was nominated one of the committee for religion wlfich sat in the Jerusalem chamber in
1640, and also one of the assembly of divines, but never
sat among them, which refusal soon brought on the severe
persecution which he suffered. On the breaking out of
the rebellion he added to his other offences against the
usurping powers, that unpardonable one of joining with
the other heads of houses in sending the college plate to
the king. He was likewise in the convocation-house when
all the members of the university there assembled, many of
them men in years, were kept prisoners in the public
schools in exceeding cold weather, till midnight, without
food or fire, because they would not join in what the republican party required. After this, Dr. Ward was deprived of his mastership and professorship, and plundered
and imprisoned both in his own and in St. John’s college.
During his confinement in St. John’s he contracted a disease which is said to have put an end to his life, about six
weeks after his enlargement; but there seems some mistake in the accounts of his death, which appears to have
taken place Sept. 7, 1643, when he was in great want.
He was buried in the chapel of Sidney-Sussex college.
Of this house he had been an excellent governor, and an
exact disciplinarian, and it flourished greatly under his
administration. Four new fellowships were founded in his
time, all the scholarships augmented, and a chapel and a
new range of buildings erected. Dr. Ward was a man of
great learning as well as piety, of both which are many
proofs in his correspondence with archbishop Usher, appended to the life of that celebrated prelate. Fuller, in
his quaint way, says he was “a Moses (not only for slowness of speech) but otherwise meekness of nature. Indeed,
when in my private thoughts I have beheld him and
doctor Collins (disputable whether more different or more eminent in their endowments) I could not but remember
the running of Peter and John to the place where Christ
was buried. In which race John came first, as the youngest
and swiftest, but Peter first entered into the grave. Dr.
Collins had much the speed of him in quicknesse of parts,
but let me say (nor doth the relation of a pupil misguide me) the other pierced the deeper into underground and
profound points of divinity.
”
rent parts of the Bible, and treatises on the controversies with the popish writers. He was esteemed a man of great learning, a profound theologian and no less estimable
His great delight, in the way of relaxation from his more
serious engagements, was in his garden, in which he
formed a great collection of curious plants. Haller mentions his publication “De succino Borussico, de. Alee, de
Herbis Borussicis, et de Sale,
” The Magdeburg
Centuries,
” which Sturmius used to say had four excellent
qualities, truth, research, order, and perspicuity. In 1560,
on the foundation of the university of Jena by the elector of
Saxony, he was solicited by his highness to become professor of divinity, and performed the duties of that office
until some angry disputes between Illyricus and Strigelius
inclined him to resign. He was after a short stay at Magdeburg, chosen, in 1562, to be superintendant at Wismar.
He now took his degree of doctor in divinity at the university of Rostock, and remained at Wismar seven years, at
the end of which a negociation was set on foot for his return to Jena, where he was made professor of divinity and
superintendant. Five years after he was again obliged to
leave that university, when the elector Augustus succeeded
his patron the elector William. On this he went to the duke
of Brunswick who entertained him kindly, and he was soon
after invited to the divinity-professorship of Konigsberg,
and in two years was appointed bishop there. He died
1587, in the sixty-fourth year of his age. He wrote a prodigious number of works, principally commentaries oa
different parts of the Bible, and treatises on the controversies with the popish writers. He was esteemed a man
of great learning, a profound theologian and no less estimable in private life. He ranks high among the promoters
of the reformation in Germany.
went, accompanied by sir Albertus Morton, his nephew, who was his secretary, and Mr. William Bedel, a man of great learning and wisdom, and afterwards bishop of Kilrnore
Sir Henry Wotton then returned to England, and, as it
seems, not sooner than welcome, for king James, finding,
among other officers of the late queen, sir Edward, who
was afterwards lord Wotton, asked him, “if _he knew one
Henry Wotton, who had spent much time in foreign
travel?
” Sir Edward replied, that “he knew him well, and
that he was his brother.
” Then the king asking, “Where
he then was
” was answered, “at Venice, or Florence;
but would soon be at Paris.
” The king ordered him to be
sent for, and to be brought privately to him; which being
done, the king took him into his arms, and saluted him by
the nanie of Octavio Baldi. Then he knighted him, and
nominated him ambassador to the republic of Venice;
whither he went, accompanied by sir Albertus Morton, his
nephew, who was his secretary, and Mr. William Bedel,
a man of great learning and wisdom, and afterwards bishop
of Kilrnore in Ireland, who was his chaplain. He continued many years in king James’s favour, and indeed
never entirely forfeited it, although he had once the misfortune to displease his majesty, by an apparently trifling
circumstance. In proceeding as ambassador to Venice, he
passed through Germany, and stayed some days at Augsburg; where, happening to spend a social evening with
some ingenious and learned men, whom he had before
known in his travels, one Christopher Flecamore requested
him to write some sentence in his Album, a paper book
which the German gentry used to carry about with them
for that purpose. Sir Henry Wotton, consenting to the
motion, took occasion from some incidental discourse of
the company, to write a definition of an ambassador in
these words: “Legatus est vir bonus peregre missus ad
memiendum Reipublicae causa:
” which Walton says he
would have interpreted thus; “An ambassador is an honest
man sent to lie abroad for the good of his country.
” The
word lie was the hinge on which this conceit turned, yet
it was no conceit at all in Latin, and therefore could not
bear the construction sir Henry, according to Walton,
wished to have put upon it: so that when the Album fell
afterwards into the hands of Caspar Scioppius (See Scioppjus), he printed it in his famous hook against king James,
as a principle of the religion professed by that king, and
his ambassador sir Henry Wotton; and in Venice it was
presently after written in several glass windows, and spitefully declared to be sir Henry’s. This coming to the
knowledge of king James, he apprehended it to be such an
oversight, such weakness, or worse, that he expressed
much anger against him; which caused sir Henry to write
two apologies in Latin; one to Velserus at Augsburg, which
was dispersed into the cities of Germany, and another to
the king “de Gaspare Scioppio.
” These gave such satisfaction that the king entirely forgave sir Henry, declaring
publicly, that “he had commuted sufficiently for a greater
offence.
”