Philip Cluver

, (Cluverius) the Son of a maker or coyner of money, was born at Dantzick the chief town of the province of Prussia in Poland, but descended from an antient and gentile family of his name living in the Dutchie of Bremen in Lower Saxony, instructed in his puerile years at home, in his youthful in the royal Court of Poland, where he learned among the Courtiers the exact speaking of the Polish tongue and their manners. Thence his Father sent him into Germany, where he received a command from him to apply his mind solely to the study of the Civil Law. Whereupon he journeyed to Leyden in Holland and did endeavour to follow it; but his Genie being naturally enclined to Geography, he followed for altogether that study, especially upon the perswasions of Joseph Scaliger, who had perused his Table of Italy, which he had composed while he was a youth in Poland. Thence, partly to see the world, but more for the conversation of Just. Lipsius, he took a journey into Brabant, but missing him, was dispoiled by thieves, who left him in a manner naked. Thence he returned to Leyden, and afterwards went into Bohemia and Hungarie, where coming to the knowledge of one Popel a Baron who had been closely confined by the Emperor for some misdemeanours, did translate his Apologie (written in his own defence) into the Latine tongue. Which coming to the ear of the Emperour, Cluver was thereupon imprisoned. Afterwards, being set at liberty, he travelled into Scotland, England, France, Germany and Italy. In England his chief place of residence was in this University, particularly in Exter coll. of which he became a sojournour for the sake of Holland and Prideaux in 1609. age 29, where being setled he wrote his book De tribus Rheni alveis, as I shall tell you anon. In Italy he became acquainted with some of the Cardinals, who held him in great esteem for his curious and exact knowledge in Geography, the Greek and Latine tongues, and for his marvellous knowledge in the Dutch, German, French, Italian, Bohemian, Hungarian, Polonian and British Language. Afterwards he returned to Oxon again, being then highly valued by Mr. Prideaux for one or more of his things then published; and had offers of promotion tender’d unto him. But Leyden being the place of his delight, he retired thither, and tho he could get no place of benefit there, yet the curators of that University gave him an yearly stipend for the encouragement of his studies, as being a person repleated with all humane literature, antient Histories, and Geography. He is stiled by a certain (h)(h) Joh. Mich. Dilber in Disputat. Acad. author vir stupendae lectionis & curae, and by (i)(i) Ger. Jo. Vossius De Hist. Graecis another princeps aetatis nostrae Geographus, and (k)(k) Idem in Hist. Pelag. magnum Germaniae ornamentum. His works are,

De tribus Rheni alveis & ostiis; item de quinque populis quondam accolis, &c. Lugd. Bat. 1611. qu. This book was written in Oxon, with the helps of the publick Library, in the register of which place, as also in one of the publick registers of this University, the author is written Philippus Cluverius Generosus Borussus.

Germaniae antiquae libri 3. Lugd. Bat. 1616. fol.

Vindelicia & Noricum. Printed there also the same year, with the next book going before.

Sicilia antiqua, cum minoribus insulis ei adjacentibus lib. 2. Lugd. Bat. 1619. fol.

Italia antiqua, &c. Lugd. Bat. 1624. Printed in two Tomes in fol. (with his picture before the first) containing four books.

Introductionis in Universam Geographiam, tam veterem quam novam, libri sex. Lugd. Bat 1624. qu. &c.

Disquisitio de Francis & Francia. Printed in Andr. du Chesne his Historiae Francorum scriptores coetanei. Lut. Par. 1636. p. 175. Our author Cluverius died (*)(*) Joh. Meursus in Athen. [〈◊〉] Lugd. Bat. 1625. lib. 2. p. 291. vide etia [•] Dan. Hensium in Orat. su [•] in obit. Ph. Cluverii. Lugd. Bat. 1624. of a Consumption, about the month of June, at Leyden in sixteen hundred twenty and three, 1623 and in that of his age 43. leaving then behind him a Son named John Sigismund Cluver, who was matriculated as a member of Exeter coll. in 1633. aged 18. a Londoner born, and as Son of Philip Cluverius a Priest. The same year he was admitted Scholar of C. C. coll. in this University, in a Surrey place, and afterwards became a learned man, but is not to be understood to be the same with Joh. Cluver author of Historiarum totius mundi Epitome, &c. Lugd. Bat. 1631. qu. for he was born in the province of Stormaren in Denmark, was D. D. of the Academy of Sor a in the Island of See-landt in the said Kingdom and afterwards superintendent of South Dithmarsh.