The Dead Yet Speaking, Biography 13
The life and Death of URBANUS REGIUS, who died Anno Christi 1541.
URbanus Regius was borne in Arga Longa, …n the territories of Count Montfort, of honest parents, who principl'd him in the rudiments of Learning, & from school sent him to Friburg, where he lived with Zasius an excellent Lawyer, who loved him dearly for his diligence and industry: from thence he went to Basil, to study other Arts, and from thence to Ingolstad, where, after a while, he read privately to divers Noble-men's-sons, whose parents desired him to furnish their children with books, and all other necessaries, for which they would take care to pay him againe quarterly: but when he had run into debt for them, they neglected to returne their money, which caused him to thinke of departing, and having an opportunity, he listed himselfe a souldier under a Captaine that went against the Turkes, leaving his books, and oher furniture, to be divided amongst the Creditors: being now amongst the souldiers, it happened that Iohn Eccius (who was Gov…rnor of the University) coming forth to see the souldiers, he espied Regius amongst them, and enquired the cause of his so sudden a change; he told them how those Noble-men had served him, whereupon Eccius got him released from his Captain, and by his authority procured the Debts to be paid by the parents of those youths, which had been with him; wherupon he returned to his studies againe, wherein he growing famous for his wit and learning, Maximilian the Emperor passing through Ingolstade, made him his Laureat-Poet and Orator: afterwards he was made Professor in that University: Then he fell hard to the study of Divinity, and a while after, the controversie growing hot between Luther and Eccius, Rhegius favoring Luther's doctrine, because he would not offend Eccius, to whom he was many wayes bound, he left Ingolstade, and went to Augusta, and there, at the importunity of the Magistrates and Citizens, he undertooke the Government of the Church, and being offended at the grosse Idolatry of the Papists, he joyned with Luther, and Preached against the same: and having written to Zuinglius to know his judgement about the S… crament and Originall Sin, he received such satisfaction, that he joyned in opinion with him about the same. At that time the Anabaptists crept into Augusta, and held private conventicles to the disturbance of the publicke peace, for which the Magistrates imprisoned the chiefest of them, and afterwards for their obstinacy punished them. R…egius Preaching against Purgatory and Indulgences, the malice and cruelty of the Papists prevailed at length to …he driving of him out of that City: bu… …f…e… a while, by the earnest prayer of the Citizens, he was called back … to his former Charge, where also he married a wife, by whom he had thirteen children: Eccius also came thither, and sought by all meanes to turne him from the truth, but in vain: he sent also Faber and Cochlaeus with flatteries, and lage promises, who prevailed as little as the others.
Anno Christi 1530. when the Diet was held at Augusta for quieting of the controversies about Religion, the Duke of Brunswick coming thither, by importunity prevailed with Regius to go to Luneburg in his Country, to take care of the Church there, in which journey at Gobu…g he met with Luther, and spent a whole day in familiar conf…rence with him, about matters of great moment, of which himselfe write's, That he never had a more comfortable day in his life. Er…nestus Duke of Brunswick loved him dearly, and esteemed him as his father; insomuch as when the City of Augusta sent to the D…ke, desiring him to returne Regius to them againe; he answered, that he would as soone part with his eyes as with him: and presently after he made him Bishop, and over-seer of all the Churches in his Country, with an ample salary for the same: afterwards going with his Prince to a meeting at Haganaw, he fell sick by the way, and within few dayes, with much cheerfulnesse yeelded up his soule into the hands of God, Anno Christi 1541: he often desired of God that he might dye a sudden and easie death, wherein God answered his desires. He was of an excellent wit, holy of life, and painfull in the worke of the Lord.
Reader, this serious Fathers well-spent dayes
Were fill'd with love, and love was fill'd with praise;
He was abjured by a Noble race
Which made him onelyonly debtor, but not base;
Heav'n was his port, to which he faild through tears…
Steer'd by his faith, blowne by the winde of prayers;
Let his example teach us to invest
Our hearts with wisdome, and we shall be blest,
With him, who now enjoyes the life of pleasure,
Whose comforts know no end, whose joyes no measure;
He that shall choose true vertue for his guide
May march on boldly, and not feare a slide.