Meric Casaubon

son of the most learned Isaac, son of Arnold, Casaubon by Joanna Rosseau his Wife; which Isaac married the Daughter of Henry Son of Rob. Stephan, both eminent men of their times, as their works manifest. This Person Mer. Casaubon whom we are now to mention, who was descended from both sides of learned Parents, was born within the City of Geneva in France, in the month of Sept. 1599, and at 9 years of age being brought into England by his Father, was instructed by a private Master till 1614, at which time he was sent to Ch. Ch. in this University; where being put under a most careful Tutor Dr. Edw. à Meetkirk the Kings Hebr. Professor, was soon after elected Student of that House, and afterwards making a very considerable progress in Logick and Philosophy, took the degrees in Arts, that of Master being compleated in 1621, at which time he was much noted for his sufficiences in the arts and sciences. In the same year, tho he was then young, he published a Book in defence of his Father, against the calumnies of a certain Rom. Catholick, as I shall tell you in the Catalogue following: Which making him known to K. Jam. 1, he ever afterwards had a good opinion of him. That book brought him also into credit abroad, especially in France, whence he had offers and invitations for some promotion there, his Godfather Meric de Vic (sometimes Governor of Calis) being then, or soon after, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of that Kingdom. The next book that he published was Vindicatio patris, &c. written by command of K. James in defence of his Father and the Church of England against the Puritans of those days, of which book he gave a farther account in his Necessity of reformation. About that time, he being beneficed in Somersetshire, (at Bledon) by the favour of Dr. Andrews B. of Winton . and Bach. of Div. did chiefly design to go on where his Father had left off against Baronius his Annals, but was diverted by some accidental occasions or provocations. At length when he came to maturity of years, for such a work, and had acquainted Archb. Laud his great friend and patron with his design, (who was very ready to place him conveniently in Oxon or Lond. according to his desire, to the end that he might be furnished with books necessary for such a purpose) the troubles and divisions began in England: so that he having no certain place, was forced to sell a good part of his books, and in conclusion after 20 years sufferings, more or less, he was grown so old and crazy in body, that he could not expect to live many years, and thereupon was forced to give over that project. Some years after his publication of the said two books, he was made Prebendary of Canterbury, (by the favour of Dr. Laud if I mistake not) Rector of Ickham 4 miles distant thence, and in 1636 he was actually created Doct. of Div. by command from his Majesty, when he and his Queen were entertained by the muses there. In the beginning of the Civil War that followed, he lost all his spiritual promotions and lived retiredly with that little he had left. In 1649 one Mr. Greaves of Greys Inn an intimate acquaintance with our Author Casaubon, brought him a message from Ol. Cromwell then Lieu. General of the Parliament forces to bring him to Whitehall to confer with him about matters of moment, but his Wife being then lately dead, and not, as he said, buried, he desired to be excused. Afterwards Greaves came again, and our author being in some disorder for it, fearing that evil might follow, he desired to tell him the meaning of the matter. but Greaves refusing, went away the second time. At length he return’d again and told him that the Lieu. Gen. intended his good and advancement, and that his particular errand was that he would make use of his Pen to write the History of the late War, desiring withal that nothing but matters of fact be impartially set down, &c. To which he returned answer, that he desired his humble service and hearty thanks be returned for that great honour done unto him, and withal, that he was uncapable in several respects for such an employment, and could not so impartially engage in it, but that his subject would force him to make such reflections as would be ungrateful, if not injurious, to his Lordship. Notwithshanding this answer, Cromwell seemed so sensible of his worth, that tho he could not win him over to his desires, yet he acknowledged a great respect for him, and as a testimony thereof, he ordered that upon the first demand there should be delivered three or four hundred pounds by a certain Bookseller in London (whose name was Cromwell) whensoever his occasions should require, without acknowledging any benefactor at the receipt of it. But this offer, as I have been informed by our authors Son John Casaubon a Chirurgion of Canterbury, he scorned to accept, tho his condition was then mean. At the same time it was proposed by the said Greaves (who belonged to the library at S. James) that if our author would gratifie him in the foregoing request, Cromwell would restore unto him all his Fathers books, which were then in the Royal Library there, (given by K. James, who had invited him into England) and withal a Patent for 300 l. per an. to be paid to the family so long as the youngest Son of Dr. Is. Casaubon should live; but this also was refused. Not long after there was a proposal made by the then Sweedish Ambassador in England from Christina Qu. of Sweedland to our author M. Casaubon, whereby he was invited by the said Queen into her Country to have the government of one, or inspection of all her Universities, and for an encouragement she proposed not only an honorable Salary for himself, but offered to settle 300 l. per an. upon his eldest Son during life: But this also was waved, with full design to spend the remainder of his days in England. After the Kings return he was restored to his Spiritualities, and went on in writing books, which he continued almost to his last. He was a general Scholar, but not extraordinary in any one sort, unless in criticisms, wherein his Fathers notes might probably have set him up. He was also a religious man, loyal to his Prince, exemplary in his life and conversation, and very charitable to the poor. The Writings and Translations which he published were many, as the Catalogue following will tell you.

Pietas contra maledicos patrii nominis & religionis hostes. Lond. 1621. oct.

Vindicatio patris adversus impostores, qui librum ineptum & impium De origine idolatriae nuper sub Isaaci Casauboni nomine publicavit. Lond. 1624. 25. in 8. sh. in qu. Which book Of the original of idolatry, was translated out of a French copy by Abr. Darcy, (Isaac Casaubon having been dead about 10 years before) and was dedicated to Prince Charles, and presented to K. James and all the Lords of the Council. It is said to have been written before Isaac Casaubon was born, but his name being fraudently inserted in the title page, Meric the Son who was then a Student of Ch. Ch. informed his Majesty by Letters of the wrong done to his Father by making him the author of such a book contrary to his Genius and constant profession, being full of impertinent allegations out of obscure and late authors, whom his Father never thought worthy the reading, much less the using their authority. After his Majesties perusal of that letter he was much incensed at the matter, and Dr. Mountaigne Bishop of Lond. had ((a))((a)) Tho. Fuller in his Church Hist. Lib. 10. Sect. 17.18. &c. much ado to make his Chaplains peace for licensing it, the printer and translator being for some time kept in prison. Yet after all this, the same translation was printed at Amsterdam, with a justificatory preface of the former edition, to make the book more vendible for their own profit, tho discredit to the memory of others. He the said Mer. Casaubon hath also written,

Notae & emendationes in Optatum Afrum Milevitani Episcopum de schismate Donatistarum. Lond. 1631. oct.

Translation out of Gr. into English of, and notes upon, Marc. Aurel. Antoninus his meditations concerning himself. Lond. 1634. 35. qu. Revised and corrected—Lond. 1664. oct. 3d. edit. &c.

Treatise of use and custome, in things natural, civil, and divine. Lond. 1638. qu.

The use of dayly publick prayers in three positions. Lond. 1641. qu.

Notae & emendationes in Marci Antonini Imperatoris de seipso & ad seipsum libros XII. Lond. 1643. oct. Guil. Xylander did first of all make the said book publick in Gr. and Lat. Which version our author did mend in many places, and made it new, &c.

The original cause of temporal evils. Lond. 1645. qu.

Discourse concerning Christ his incarnation and exinanition. Lond. 1646. qu. Before which is an introduction Concerning the principles of Christianity and Divinity.

De verborum usu, & accuratae eorum cognitionis utilitate, Diatriba. Lond. 1647. in tw.

De quatuor linguis commentationis pars prior: quae, de lingua Hebraica: &, de lingua Saxonica. Lond. 1650 oct. The author had not opportunity of finishing the other two tongues, Gr. and Lat.

Some annotations on the Psalmes and Proverbs—Done at the earnest request of certain Booksellers, whereof our author hath given a farther account in the first part of Credulity, p. 106. Which Annotations were in the last edit. of the Assemblies Annotations on the Bible, reprinted with some additions.

Notae in Hieroclem de providentia & fato. Lond. 1655. octavo.

Treatise concerning Enthusiasme, as it is an effect of nature; but is mistaken by many for either divine inspiration, or diabolical possession. Lond. 1655. 56. oct.

Translation into Engl. of, and notes on, Luc. Florus Hist. of the Romans. Lond. 1658. 59. oct.

De nupera Homeri Editione Lugdunâ-Batavicâ, Hackiana dissertatio. Lond. 1659. oct.

Dissertatiuncula super loco Homerico, quo Dei in hominem tam mentes quam fortunas imperium asseritur. Printed with the former book, 1659.

Vindication of the Lords prayer as a formal prayer, and by Christs institution to be used by Christians as a prayer. Lond. 1660. oct. The first occasion of writing this treatise, was the relation of a strange affront done publickly unto Christ, or, if you will, more punctually to the Lords Prayer in the chief Church of Oxon, by one (Dr. John Owen) that had under the usurping powers the chief [••] vernment of that famous University from 1652 to 1657. Concerning the heinousness of which affront, viz. by putting on his hat when the Lords Prayer was repeating by the preacher, see in Mr. Tho. Longs book intit. No Protestant but Dissenters plot, &c. p. 167. 168. See also in Apologia pro Ministris in Anglia ejectis; written, as ’tis said, by Mr. Hen. Hickman, who blames him also for it. This action is denied by Dr. Owen that he ever did it, in a letter ((b))((b)) See in Dr. Jo. Durells book, entit. Vindiciae Eccles. Angl. Cap. 3. p. 33. to Dr. Lew. du Moulin, but therein he doth err much, for several now living in Oxon know it well enough.

A King and his Subjects unhappily fallen out, and happily reconciled, in a Serm. at Canterbury on Hosea 3. ver. 4.5. Lond. 1660. qu.

The question to whom it belonged antiently to preach, and whether all Priests might or did. Discussed out of antiquity, as also what preaching is properly. Lond. 1663. qu.

Notae & emendationes in Diog. Laertium de Vitis, &c. Philosophorum. Lond. 1664. fol.

Of the necessity of reformation in, and before, Luthers time, occasioned by some virulent books written by Papists, but especially by that entit. Labarinthus Cantuariensis. Lond. 1664. qu.

Answer concerning the new way of infallibility, lately devised to uphold the Rom. cause; the holy Scriptures; the antient Fathers and Councils laid aside, against J. S. (the author of Sure-footing) his letter lately published. Lond. 1665. qu. The said letter by J. S. that is Joh. Sargeant contained exceptions against some passages in the former book, viz. Of the necessity, &c. which letter was printed at the end of Sure footing in Christianity, and follows the four Appendixes relating to Dr. Tho. Pierce, Dr. Dan. Whitby, Dr. J. Stillingfleet and Dr. Jer. Taylor—Printed 1664 in a large oct.

Notae in duas posteriores Terentii Comaedias. Amstel. 1669. in tw.

Letter to Dr. Pet. du Moulin D. D. and Prebendary of Canterb. concerning natural experimental Philosophy, and some books lately set out about it. Cambr. 1669 in 5. sh. in qu.

Of credulity and incredulity in things natural and civil, &c. in two parts.—The first was printed at London 1668. oct. The second in Things divine and spiritual, was printed at the same place also 1670. oct. In this last part he takes a view of John Wagstaff’s book entit. The question of witchcraft debated, Lond. 1669. oct. But these two parts lying dead on the Booksellers hands, they printed a new title to them running thus, A Treatise proving Spirits, Witches and supernatural operations by pregnant instances and evidences, &c. Lond. 1672. oct, the Author being then dead.

Notae in Polybium. Amstel. 1670. oct. in the third Vol published by Jac. Gronovius.

Notae & emendationes in Hieroclis commentarium. Lond. 1673. oct.

Variae Epistolae ad Ger. Joh. Vossium & alios. He also enlarged and amended the third edition of his Fathers Commentary on Aul. Persius his Satyrs, Lond. 1647. oct. And made fit for the press a book entit. A true and faithful relation of what passed for many years between Dr. John Dee and some spirits, &c. Lond. 1659. fol. To which book M. Casaubon wrot a large preface confirming the reality (as to the point of spirits) in the said Relation. At length, after a life spent partly in adversity, but mostly in prosperity, he gave way to fate on the 14 of July, in sixteen hundred seventy and one, and was buried in the south part of the first cross Isle joyning southward to Ch. Ch. Cathedral in Canterbury. 1671. Over his grave was soon after erected a handsome monument, the inscription on which, you may read in Hist. & Antiq. Univ. Oxon, Lib. 2. p. 282. b. He had a design in his last days of writing his own life, and would often confess that he thought himself obliged to do it out of gratitude to the divine providence, which had preserv’d and delivered him from more hazardous occurrences than ever any man (as he thought) beside himself had encountred with, particularly in his escape from a fire in the night time, which hapned in the house where he lived, while he was a boy, in Geneva. Also by his recovery from a sickness while of Ch. Ch. in Oxon, when he was given over for a dead man: Which recovery was made by a young Physitian that gave Chymical physick to him. In his wonderful delivery from drowning when overset in a boat on the Thames near London, the two Water-men being drowned and he bouyed up by the help of his priests coat. In his bearing several abuses, fines, imprisonments, &c. laid upon him by the fanatical reformers in the time of his sequestration, and other memorables. But these things being by him deferred from time to time, were, at length, hindred by death, which seized on him sooner than he expected.