, in Latin Priolus, author of an History of France from the death
, in Latin Priolus, author of an
History of France from the death of Louis XIII. in 1643 to
1664, was born in 1602. He was descended from the
Prioli, an illustrious family, some of whom had been doges
of Venice. He underwent some difficulties from losing
his father and mother, when young; but these did not
abate his passion for learning, which he indulged day and
night. He studied first at Orthez, next at Montauban,
and afterwards at Leyden in which last city he profited by
the lectures of Heinsius and Vossius. He went to Paris,
for the sake of seeing and consulting Grotius and afterwards to Padua, where he learned the opinions of Aristotle
and other ancient philosophers, under Cremoninus and
Licetus. After returning to France, he went again into
Italy, in order to be recognized by the house of Prioli, as
one of their relations. He devoted himself to the duke
of Rohan, then in the Venetian service, and became one
of his most intimate confidents; but, uncertain what his
fate would be after this duke’s death, he retired to Geneva,
having married, three months before, a lady of a very
noble family. The duke de Longueville drew him from
this retirement, upon his being appointed plenipotentiary
from the court of France for the treaty of Munster, as a
person whose talents might be of service to him and
Priolo resided with him a year at Munster, where he
contracted a very intimate friendship with Chigi the nuncio, %
who was afterwards pope Alexander VII. From Munster
he returned to Geneva; whence he went to France, in
order to settle at Paris. He stayed six months in Lyons,
and there had frequent conferences with cardinal Francis
Barberini the effect of which was, that himself and his
whole family abjured the Protestant religion, and immediately received the communion from the hands of the
cardinal. He was not, however, long easy at Paris for, the
civil war breaking out soon after, he joined with the malecontents, which proved the ruin of his fortune. He was
obliged to retire to Flanders, his estate was confiscated,
and his family banished. Being afterwards restored to the
favour of his sovereign, he resolved to lead a private life,
and to devote himself to study. It was at this time, and
to divert his melancholy, that he wrote, without the least
flattery or partiality, his “History of France,
” in Latin.
It has gone through several impressions but the best edition is that of Leipsic, 1686, 8vo. He was again employed in negociations; and set out, in 1667, upon a
secret affair to Venice; but did not arrive at the end of his
journey, being seized with an apoplectic fit, of which he
died in the archbishop’s palace at Lyons. He left seven
children; who, by virtue of his name, and their own accomplishments and merit, rose to very flourishing circumstances.