, brother of the former, was born in 1611, and distinguished also by uncommon
, brother of the former, was
born in 1611, and distinguished also by uncommon natural
parts. He was page of honour to Charles I, and groom of
the bed-chamber to Charles II, with whom he had suffered many years exile. During his abode beyond sea,
he took a view of France, Italy, and Spain; and was honoured by his majesty with the employment of resident at
the state of Venice, whither he was sent in Aug. 1651. In
this absence from his country he applied his leisure hours
to poetry, and the composition of several plays; of which
sir John Denham, in a jocular way, takes notice in his
poem on our author’s return from his embassy to Venice.
Though Deuham mentions but six, our author wrote nine
plays in his travels, and two at London; all which were
printed, with his picture before them, in one volume folio,
at London, 1664. There is, besides these plays of his,
“A Letter concerning the possessing and dispossessing of
several Nuns in the Nunnery at Tours, in France;
” dated
Orleans, Dec. the 7th, 1635, and printed in three sheets
folio. He died in 1682, and was buried in Westminsterabbey. He had been twice married. He was a man of an
uncommon vein of humour, with which he used to divert
Charles II.; who, on that account, was fonder of him than
of his best ministers, and would give him access to his
presence when he denied it to them. It was usually said
of him, that, when he attempted to write, he was nothing
compared to what he was in conversation; which was just
the reverse of Cowley, who shone but little in company,
though he excelled so much with his pen. Hence Denbam, who knew them both, has taken occasion thus to
characterize their respective excellencies and defects:
, brother of the former, was born in 1612, educated in grammar learning
, brother of the former, was born
in 1612, educated in grammar learning under the celebrated Farnaby, and sent to Christ Church, Oxford, in
1628. In 1638, having taken his degrees in arts, he went
into orders, and became a chaplain in the king’s army. In
1642 he was created doctor of divinity; and the same year
made chaplain to James duke of York, and prebendary of
Westminster. Afterwards he suffered as an adherent in
the king’s cause; but, at the restoration, was made almoner to the duke of York, superintendant to the affairs
of his chapel, rector of Wheathamstead, in Hertfordshire,
and master of the Savoy hospital in Westminster. He
wrote, when only seventeen years of age, a tragedy called
41 The Conspiracy,“which was admired by some wits of
those times; particularly by Ben Jonson, then living,
4t who gave a testimony of it (says Langbaine) even to be
envied,
” and by lord Falkland. An imperfect copy of this
appearing in 1638, he afterwards caused it to be republished in 1652, with the new title of “Pallantus and Eudora.
” He published a volum of sermons, which had
been preached at court in 1685, 4to; and also "two or
three occasional sermons. The year of his death does not
appear.
, brother of the former, born at Paris, 1725, was the author likewise
, brother of the former, born at Paris, 1725, was the author likewise of many
dictionaries, in the taste of the times, which seems t he
the age among the French for subjecting all subjects to
alphabetical order. The period of his death is likewise
omitted in our authority. His most useful publications are,
“Dictionnaire du Citoycn,
” Dictionnaire de Jurisprudence,
” Les
Tense’s de Pope, avec sa vie,
” Dictionnaire
de Portraits et d'Anecdotes des Hommes ceMebres,
” 2 vols.
8vo, &c. He is not to be confounded with another author
of the same time, name, and nation, who has left a very
useful dictionary of old French, 1765, 1 vol. 8vo.
, brother of the former, and his successor in the archbishopric of Upsal,
, brother of the former, and his successor in the archbishopric of Upsal, distinguished himself
at the council of Trent, and suffered in Sweden, as his
brother also had done, many vexations from his attachment to the Roman catholic persuasion. His work, by
which he is very generally known, is “A History of the
manners, customs, and wars of the People bf the North.
”
This contains many curious particulars, but many also that
are minute, and several that are doubtful; nor does the
author ever fail to display his animosity against the protestants. He died at Home in 1555.
, more known under the name of Sacy (Isaac inverted), was brother of the former, and was born at Paris, in 1613, where he was
, more known under the
name of Sacy (Isaac inverted), was brother of the former,
and was born at Paris, in 1613, where he was also educated. After pursuing his studies with the greatest success
under Du Verger, the abbé of St. Cyran, and other eminent teachers, he was admitted to the priesthood in 1648.
His reputation gained him the office of confessor to the
society of Port Royal; but that house being accused of
Jansenism, he was involved in the persecution; was obliged
to conceal himself in 1661; and in 1666 was confined in
the Bastille. In that prison he composed some important
works, particularly a translation of the whole Bible, which
was finished on the eve of All-saints, 1668; and on the
same day he obtained his liberty, after being confined two
years and a half. When this work was presented to the
king and his minister, le Maistre desired no other reward
than that of being allowed frequently to visit the Bastille,
to inspect the state of the prisoners. Some writers assert
that during his confinement, he composed a history of the
Old and New Testament, in one volume, under the name
of Royaumont, a work known in this, country by a translation in 4to, published about the beginning of the last century, with nearly 300 plates but others ascribe it to
Nicholas Fontaine. Le Maistre remained at Paris till 1675,
when he retired to Port-Royal but was obliged in 1679
to quit it, and retired to Pompona, where he died, at the
age of seventy-one, in 1684. His works are, 1. His
translation of the Bible, with explanations of the literal
and spiritual sense taken from the fathers; in which part
he was assisted by du Fosse, Hure“, and le Tourneaux.
This work was published at Paris, in 1682, and several
subsequent years, in 32 vols. 8vo. Several other editions
have been printed, but this is on the whole esteemed the
best. 2. A translation of the Psalms, from the Hebrew
and the Vulgate together. 3. A translation of the Homilies of St. Chrysostom on St. Matthew, in 3 vols. 8vo.
4. A translation of Kempis on the Imitation of Christ, under the name of de Beuil, prior of S. Val, Paris, 1663,
8vo. 5. A translation of Phaedrus, under the name of St.
Aubin, 12mo. 6. Three comedies of Terence, 12mo. 7.
The Letters of Bongars, published under the rj^me of
Brianville. 8. The poem of St. Prosper, on ingratitude,
rendered in verse and prose. 9.
” Les enluminures de
l'Almanach des Jesuites,“1654, 12mo; an attack upon
the Jesuits, which was so far relished as to be reprinted in
1733. 10.
” Heures de Port-Royal,“called by the Jesuits
Hours of Jansenism, 12mo. 11.
” Letters of Piety," in
2 vols. 8vo, published at Paris in 1690. The merits of
this author are fully displayed in the memoirs of PortRoyal, written by Nicholas Fontaine, and published at
Cologne, in 1738, in 2 vols. 12mo.