, in Latin Castellanus, a very learned French prelate, is said by
, in Latin Castellanus, a very
learned French prelate, is said by some to have been of
obscure birth, but his biographer Galland makes him of
an ancient family, and the son of a brave knight. Yet this
is doubtful, if what he said to king Francis I. be more than
a witticism. The king once asked him if he was a gentleman; to which Chatel answered “that there were three
in the ark, but he did not really know from which of them
he descended.
” He was, however, born at Arc, in Burgundy, and in the eleventh year of his age, before which
his parents died, he was sent to Dijon, for education,
where he made an astonishing progress, and before he had
been there six years, was appointed a teacher, in which
capacity he soon distinguished himself, and on one occasion made a public display of more than grammatical
talents. His master, Peter Turreau, was accused of being
an astrologer, and Chatel pleaded his cause so ably that
he was acquitted. He afterwards travelled, in order to
cultivate the acquaintance of the learned men of his time,
and particularly of Erasmus, whom he met at Basil, and
who conceived such a high opinion of his learning, as to
recommend him to Frobenius, to be corrector of the Greek
and Latin authors, printed at his celebrated press. While
here he had also an opportunity of correcting some of
Erasmus’s works; but they left Basil together, when the
popish religion was established there. Erasmus retired to
Fribourg, and Chatel returned to France, where he accepted the offer made him by some persons of distinction,
to be tutor to certain young men who were to study law at
Bourges, under the celebrated Alciat. As they were not
yet prepared to depart, he read public lectures on the
Greek text of St. Paul’s epistle to the Romans; and unfortunately for his reputation, was entrapped into an intrigue with a young woman, a circumstance on which
Bayle expatiates with his usual delight ~in what is indelicate. ChatePs scholars, however, being at length ready,
he accompanied them to Bourges, and studied law, filling
up his leisure hours with topics of polite literature. His
diligence was unremitting, as he slept scarcely three hours
in the night, and the moment he waked ran with eagerness
to his books. This method of study he preserved, even afterwards, when appointed reader to the king.