, in Latin Calventius, president of the Inquests of the parliament
, in Latin Calventius, president of the Inquests of the parliament of Toulouse, was
born in May 1523. He was brought to Paris in 1539 by
Mr. Lizet his uncle, at that time advocate-general in the
parliament of Paris, who kept him six years to his studies
under Orontius Fineus, Tusan, Buchanan, and some other
learned persons. He went to Toulouse in 1546, to learn
the civil law, and lodged in the same house with Turnebus, Mercerus, and Govea. He travelled into Italy in
1550, in order to pursue his studies, and was Alciat’s disciple at Pavia, and Socinus’s at Bologna. Being returned
to France, he went to Toulouse, and there completed his
course of law-studies, and was associated with Roaldes and
Bodinus, reading law lectures together in the public schools
with reputation. Having taken his doctor’s degree in that
university, he resolved to go to Paris, in order to make his
fortune; but though this resolution of his was strengthened
by some letters he received from Mr. Lizet, yet he chose
rather to settle in Toulouse, where he married, in 1552,
Jane de Bernuy, daughter of the lord de Palficat, baron of
Villeneufve. He was admitted counsellor in the parliament
of that city in 1553, afterwards created judge of French
poesy, and maintainer of the floral sports. He was appointed president of the inquests by the parliament in
1573. Being of a peaceable temper, he retired to his house
in Auvergne, during the first and last furies of the civil
wars, in order that he might not be an eye-witness of the
confusions which he saw would break out in Toulouse. It
was in this retirement he studied and translated Seneca, to
administer some consolation to himself during the wild
havock that was then making, and to employ his leisure to
advantage. His attachment to his sovereign gained him
the particular esteem of Henry IV. who in 1603 appointed
him counsellor of state and privy counsellor. The year
after, he resigned his dignity of president to Francis
Chalvet sieur de Fenouiliet, one of his sons, and retired
from business to spend the remainder of his days in peace
and among his books. He spent two years in this -retirement, with so much satisfaction to himself, that he used
frequently to declare to his relations, that he could not say
he had lived during the previous years of his life. He died
at Toulouse the 20th of June, 1607, being seventy-nine
years of age. Several authors have honoured him with
eulogiums.
His “Translation of Seneca,
” was published at Paris,
De claris interpretibus,
” thinks that his translation of
Seneca is too diffuse.