WOBO: Search for words and phrases in the texts here...

, a learned abbé of the convent of Benedictines of Gottvvich, in Austria, was born Sept. 5, 1672, at Buchheim in the electorate of Mentz. LothaireFrancis, archbishop of Mentz, of the family of the counts of Schoenborn, employed him in divers embassies at Rome, Vienna, and Wolfenbuttel, and admitted him of his privy council. In 1714 he was chosen abbé of Gottwich, and in 1720, the emperor Charles VI. sent him to Kempten to accommodate some differences which had arisen there. His convent having been destroyed by fire in 17 18, he succeeded in saving the library, and afterwards having rebuilt the convent with great magniticence, he enriched the library with a great many manuscripts and rare books, being an ardent lover of literature and learned men, and himself very learned in history and diplomacy. The “Chronicon Gottwicense, pars prima et secunda,” Tegernsée, 1732, fol. has been, often attributed to him, but there is reason to think that Francis Joseph de Hahn, afterwards bishop of Bamberg, was the real author. Bessel speaks of him in the preface as his coadjutor. It contains a great number of diplomas granted by the emperors from Conrad I. to Frederick II. whose seals and arms are very accurately engrayed, and throws so much light on the public law of Germany, that many writers have not scrupled to equal it to father Mabillon’s work “De re diplomatica,” Bessel also published St. Augustine’s letters to Optatus, “De pœnis parvulorum qui sine baptismate decedunt,” Vienna, 1733. He died Jan. 20, 1749.

, a celebrated cardinal and minister of France, was the third son of Francis du Plessis, seigneur de Richelieu, knight of the king’s orders, and grand provost of France, and was born Sept. 5, 1585, at Paris. He was admitted into the Sorbonne at the age of twenty-two, obtained a dispensation from pope Paul V. for the bishopric of Lucon, and was consecrated at Rome in 1607. On his return, he acquired considerable interest at court, and was appointed by Mary de Medicis, then regent, her grand almoner; and in 1616 was raised to the post of secretary of state. After the death of one of his friends, the marshal D'Ancre, in 1617, when Mary was banished to Blois, he followed her thither; but, the duke de Luynes becoming jealous of him, he was ordered to retire to Avignon, and there he wrote his “Method of Controversy,” on the principal points of faith.

, born Sept. 5, 1533, at Padua, was the son of Bartholomew Zabarella, mentioned in the preceding article. He took great pleasure in astrology, and amused himself with drawing several horoscopes. He taught logic at Padua during fifteen years, from 1564, and afterwards philosophy till his death. He was several times deputed to Venice, and spoke with great eloquence in the senate. He died at Padua, irr October 1589, aged fiftysix. He bore the title of Count Palatine, which passed to his descendants. He left, “Commentaries on Aristotle.” “Logica,” 1597, folio. “De Anima,” 1606, folio. “Physica,” 1601, folio. “De Rebus naturalibus,” 1394, 4to from which he appears to have had much acnteness ia clearing up difficult points, and comprehending the most obscure questions. He maintains, in these commentaries, but still more particularly in a short treatise “De Inventione Æterni Motoris” (which forms part of his works, Francfort, 1618, 4to), that, according to Aristotle’s principles, no proof can be brought of the soul’s immortality whence some writers accuse him of impiety.