, was an English Roman Catholic, of the seventeenth century, whose
, was an English Roman Catholic, of
the seventeenth century, whose history has been imperfectly related. According to Moreri (who refers to “Memoires du temps
”) he was an Englishman by birth, and
studied with great success at Lou vain. Wood savs he was
of a Lancashire family, and educated for some time at Oxford, whence he went to Spain, and studied divinity and
philosophy under the famous Dr. J. Alph. Curiel, who,
adds Wood, was wont to call Barnes by the name of John
Hiiss, because of a spirit of contradiction which was always
observed in him, but which, it appears by his writings,
was a spirit of thinking for himself that could not be very
acceptable to his superiors. He is said to have been
young when he entered among the English Benedictines
near Douay, for fear of the inquisition, with which he was
threatened at Louvain and some time after he was obliged
to leave the Benedictines, under the same alarm, for holding some sentiments they did not approve. Wood says,
that before this he was sent into England on a mission, but
being discovered there, he was imprisoned and sent to
Normandy with certain priests and Jesuits. Moreri says,
that on leaving Douay, he took refuge in Paris, where he
was protected by some persons of distinction, and admitted into the friendship of several men of learning. In
1625, at which time he was one of the confessors of the
abbey of Chelles, he published a work against mental reservation, entitled “Dissertatio contra equivocationes,
”
Paris, 8vo, of which a French translation was published at
the same time. In the approbation of the faculty of theology at Paris prefixed to this work, he is styled doctor of
arts and divinity, professor of the English mission, and
first assistant of the congregation of Spain. This work
made a considerable noise, and was attempted to be answered by father Theophilus Raynaud in 1627. His next
work, entitled “Catholico-Romanus Pacificus,
” gave yet
more offence, and the pope wrote to the king of France,
and to cardinal Richelieu, desiring they would send the
author of these publications to Rome. Barnes was accordingly taken up in December 1625. He wrote also an answer
to Clement Reyner’s “Apostolatus Benedictinorum in Anglia,
” which Wood makes to precede the former. It appears certain, however, that in consequence of the moderation of his opinions, he was hurried like a malefactor
from place to place through Germany. While confined at
Mechlin, he contrived to make his escape from the room
by means of the strings of a bass viol, of which he had procured a quantity under pretence that the dampness of the
place had injured what belonged to his instrument; but he
was discovered while stepping into a vessel at Antwerp, and
conveyed to Rome. Here he was put into the prison belonging to the inquisition, in which he died, after thirty
years confinement. During part of this time, his sufferings
had brought on insanity. An edition of his “CatholicoRomanus Pacificus
” was printed at the theatre at Oxford
in Ancient Liberty of the Britannic
church.
” Wood mentions other writings by Barnes, but
without specifying their titles.