Peter de Sotho

, or Soto, was born in a certain City in Spaine called Cordova, became, when young, a Dominican in the House or Coll. of that Order dedicated to St. Stephen, within the famous University of Salamanca, where prosecuting his natural Genie with unwearied industry in the Faculty of Divinity, became a Doctor thereof, and a most eminent ornament to his Order. Afterwards his fame being spread in the Royal Court, he became Confessor to the King of Spaine, and at length to Charles the Emperour of the Romans, with whom going into Germany, he shew’d himself in many respects very serviceable against such that were call’d Hereticks there. At length Philip K. of Spaine marrying with Mary Qu. of England, he was one of those noted Divines that came with him, having then obtained Eminency among the Learned for his Books written against John Brentius, accounted among the R. Catholicks a Person very well vers’d in matters of controversie. Afterwards he, with Joh. de Villa Garcia, and one or more, being sent to the University of Oxon by publick authority to read, preach, and teach there, to the end that they might undo and invalidate all what Pet. Martyr and others had done in the Reign of King Ed. 6. he accordingly went, preached often, read Lectures on St. Thomas, whose works had been with scorn cast out from all, or most, Libraries in this University in the time of Ed. 6. and was ready upon all turns and occasions to instruct and resolve doubts, nay and for some time did read the publick Hebrew Lecture to the Academians, while Mr. Bruerne the Reg. Professor was absent. In a word there was nothing wanting on his part, and tho he had no Canonry of Ch. Ch. or Headship bestowed on him, yet he had a considerable revenue allow’d him out of the Kings Exchecquer. His works are,

Institutiones Christianae. Aug. 1548. Antw. 1557. in 16o divided into 3 Books.

Adversus Job. Brentium. Antw. 1552. in 16o.

Defensio Catholicae confessiouis, & Scholoiorum circa confessionem illustriss. Ducis Wirtembergensis nomine editam, adversus prolegomena Brentit. Antw. 1557.

Doctrinae Catholicae compendium, in usum plebis Christianae recte instituend. Diling. 1560. in tw.

De sacerdotum institutione. libri 3. With other things, as ’tis probable, which I have not yet seen. After the death of Qu. Mary, he return’d with K. Philip into Spain, and thence went, according to command, to the great Council or Synod held in the City of Trent, called commonly among Forreigners Trento, sometimes a part of Italy, but since of Germany, where by too much agitation and concernment, he contracted a disease, which brought him to his grave in that City, in the Month of Apr. in Fifteen hundred sixty and three. About three days before his death, 1563 and some time before, the Synod began to be troubled among themselves for a small cause, and did give much matter of discourse. Which coming to the knowledge of Sotho, he thereupon did dictate and subscribe a Letter to be sent to the Pope; in which, by way of confession, he declared his opinion concerning the points controverted in Council, and did particularly exhort his Holiness to consent, that residence and the institution of Bishops might be declared to be de jure divino. The Letter was sent to the Pope, and Frier Ludov. Soto his companion, kept a Copy of it; who thinking to honor the memory of his Friend, began to (*)(*) Vide Hist. Conc. Trident. Lib. 7. per Pet. Paul. [〈◊〉] . spread it, which caused offence in some, and curiosity in others, to get a Copy of it, when called in. I find one Frater Petrus a Soto Major, who wrot a Book entit. Prima secundae Divi Thomae, quam quarto nonas Junii interpretandum suscepit, an 1563. The beginning of which is, Quastio prima, quae est de ultimo fine hujus vitae in communi, &c. But this Peter who was Author of the said Book (which is in MS. in Bodley’s Library) must not be taken to be the same with the former Peter, whom I have at large mention’d, because, as ’tis before told you in the title, the said Peter began to write the said Book on the fourth of the nones of June 1563, which was some Weeks after the death of Pet. de Soto.