, a polite and learned Italian, was born at Modena in 1477, and
, a polite and learned Italian, was
born at Modena in 1477, and was the son of an eminent
civilian, who, afterwards becoming a professor at Ferrara,
took him along with him, and educated him with great care.
He acquired a masterly knowledge in the Latin and Greek
early, and then applied himself to philosophy and eloquence; taking Aristotle and Cicero for his guides, whom
he considered as the first masters in these branches. He
also cultivated Latin poetry, in which he displayed a very
high degree of classical purity. Going to Rome under the
pontificate of Alexander VI. when he was about twentytwo, he was taken into the family of cardinal Caraffa, who
loved men of letters; and, upon the death of this cardinal
in 1511, passed into that of Frederic Fregosa, archbishop
of Salerno, where he found Peter Bembus, and contracted
an intimacy with him. When Leo X. ascended the papal
throne in 1513, he chose Bembus and Sadolet for his secretaries men extremely qualified for the office, as both
of them wrote with great elegance and facility and soon
after made Sadolet bishop of Carpentras, near Avignon.
Upon the death of Leo, in 1521, he went to his diocese,
and resided there during the pontificate of Adrian VI.; but
Clement VII. was no sooner seated in the chair, in 1523,
than he recalled him to Rome. Sadolet submitted to his
boliness, but oh condition that he should return to his diocese at the end of three years. Paul III. who succeeded
Clement VII. in 1534, called him to Rome again; made
him a cardinal in 1536, and employed him in many important embassies and negotiations. Sadolet, at length, grown
too old to perform the duties of his bishopric, went no
more from Rome; but spent the remainder of his days
there in repose and study. He died in 1547, not without
poison, as some have imagined; because he corresponded
too familiarly with the Protestants, and testified much regard for some of their doctors. It is true, he had written
in 1539 a Latin letter to the senate and people of Geneva,
with a view of reducing them to an obedience to the pope;
and had addressed himself to the Calvinists, with the affectionate appellation of “Charissimi in Christo Fratres;
”
but this proceeded entirely from his moderate and peaceable temper and courteous disposition. He was a sincere
adherent to the Romish church, but without bigotry. The
liberality of sentiment he displayed in his commentary on
the epistle of St. Paul to the Romans incurred the censure
of the Roman court.