The Dead Yet Speaking, Biography 105
The Life and Death of Thomas Erpenius, who dyed Anno Christi 1624.
THomas Erpenius was borne at Gorcome in the Low-Countries Anno Christi 1584. of honest Parents: In his childhood he was bred in the School at Leiden, and admitted into that University at eighteen years old, and in the twenty fifth year of his age, he commenced Master of Arts: then he fell to the study of Divinity, and of the Orientall Languages under Ioseph Scaliger, who observing his ingenuity and promptnesse, often foretold what an eminent man he would prove in time to come: From thence he travelled in England, France, Italy, and Germany, in which per… grinations he profited exceedingly both in learning and prudence.
At Paris he became intimately acquainted with Isaac Casaubone; and went with him to Samure, where he fell hard to the study of Arabick, and profited so exceedingly therein that Casaubone had him in great admiration, and estimation for the same: From thence he went to Venice, where by the help of some learned Jews and Turks, he learned the Turkish, Persian, and Aethiopick Ianguages: whereby he gat so great esteem in Italy, that he was profered a Pension of five hundred Duckats by the year to imploy himself in the version of some Arabick books into Latine. He spent four years in travell, and was famous every where for his learning: at Paris, and some other places he bought many Arabick books, & so returned to Leiden An. Ch. 1612. About which time there was a purpose to have called him into England, & to have allowed him an honorable stipend, but the year after he was chosen Professor of the Orientall languages in Leiden: and presently after he set up (though with extraordinary charges) a Presse for those Languages, whereby he published many ancient monuments, both of his own & other mens… & 1616. he married a wife, by whom he left three children surviving him: An. Christi 1619. he was made Professor of the Hebrew also, and though he had so many and great imployments, yet he went through each of them with so great exactnesse, as if he had nothing else to attend upon.
In the year 1620. he was sent by the Prince of Orang, and the States of Holland into France, to procure Peter Moulin, or Andrew Rivet to come to Leiden to be the Divinity Professor, and though he prevailed not at that journey, yet they sent him againe the year after to Andrew Rivet and the French-Church, to obtain of them their consents for his coming; which businesse he transacted with so great prudence, that he brought Andrew Rivet along with him to Leiden. His fame was so great, that the King of Spaine wrote to him, making him exceeding great promises if he would come into Spain to interpret some ancient writings, which never man yet could doe: The King of Morocco also did so exceedingly admire the purity of his Arabick style in some of his Epistles, that he shewed them to his Nobles and other learned men as some great Miracle: He was also highly esteemed of, by the Prince of Orang and the States of Holland, who often made use of his labours in translating the letters which they received from Princes in Asia, and Africa out of Arabick or other Languages: But whilst he was thus busily imployed in Publick and private, it pleased God that he f…ll sick of the Plague, wh…reof he dyed Anno Christi 1624. and of his age forty.
Here may we not without much wrong deny,
To this Erpenius honoured memory:
Who was most famous in his generation,
A man of exc'llent parts to admiration;
And in the Orientall tongues so rare,
That few or none with him deserv'd compare:
For th'Arabick and Hebrew tongues likewise,
The Kings of France and Spain did him so prize,
Yea England, Holland, Germany, Italy
Proffer'd great summes t'enjoy his company:
And rare eudowments, deep experience:
At forty years of age death took him hence.