The Dead Yet Speaking, Biography 31
PETRVS MARTYR.
The Life and Death of Peter Martyr.
THe yeere from Christs birth 1500. …s for many matters of much moment very remarkable. Among others for the Jubilee, that Pope Alexander the sixt (whose h…lish life and dismall end the stories of those times relate) held that yeere at Rome, and the terrible tempest that ensued the same, wherein the Angell that stood on the top of the Pop… Church was overthrown; and the Pop… owne Chamber by the fall of a …unnell so …eaten downe upon him, that diverse of those were slain that attended then upon him, and he himselfe so buried in the rubish, that he was hardly got out alive. The same yeere (amid… …hi… height of Popish imposture, together with these direfull presages of its downefall) was born to Philip King of Spain his son Charles after Emperor, the first of that name, under whom the Gospell (though much against his will) gained good footing in Germany. And the same yeer also came into this world that famous Scholler and Divine Peter Martyr Vermily; one that much furthered the advancement thereof, as well in those parts as else-where: He came of that ancient and worshipfull family of Vermily; born at Florence in Italie; Stephen Vermily his father, and Mary Fumantine his Mother.
His name was given him by his Parents from one Peter of Milaine a Martyr, reported to have been slain sometime by the Arrian faction, whose Church stood neere unto their house.
This Peter Martyr being the onelyonly son of his Parents that attained to any yeeres, was by them carefully trained up in good literature from a child; his mother her selfe (a prety scholler) reading Terence to him in Latin. After which domestick discipline he was turned over for further institution to Marcellus Virgilius then Town-cleark or Secretary of State to that City, a man of much learning, as may appeare by his edition and translation of Dioscorides, with his Commentaries thereupon: He was willing to take paines, notwithstanding his imployments in the State otherwise, with many young Gentlemens sons, whereof diverse also proved famous for their learning and learned writings; and this our Martyr among the rest, who albeit he surmounted the most of his fellow-students, in sharpnesse and readinesse of wit to apprehend, and strength of memory to retaine what was taught, joyned with an insatiable ardor and unweariable endeavorour of continuall either hearing or reading, and a measure of proficiency much more then ordinary, proceeding necessarily from the the same; yet such was his modesty and amiable demeanour that he drew to him the affections of all his consorts, and there grew no emulation betweene him and them.
Being now grown up to riper yeeres, and affecting such course…, as might both further his studies, and keep him within compasse, he grew into liking of a Monkish life; and because the Regular Canons of Saint Augustines order, were at that time in greatest fame throughout all Italie, for the study of Divinity, and for severity of Discipline, he betooke himselfe to their society; and being sixteen yeeres old was admitted into the Fessulane Colledge neer to Florence; which fact of his was not greatly pleasing to his father; whether in regard of some dislike of the profession it selfe, or because he desired by him the propagation of his family,; and disposing therefore at his decease his maine estate to an Hospitall, he left his son onelyonly out of it a small yeerly pension: howbeit his …ister, his Parents onelyonly daughter liking so well of it, that she followed him therein, and became a vailed Nun.
In that Colledge, wherein the younger sort were trained up for the most part in the Rules of Retoricke and the reading of Scripture which they used to get by heart, having past over three yeeres with great good…liking of the whole Society, he was from thence sent over to the University of Padua, and there entred into the Monastery of Saint Iohn of Verdera, whereof albeit a man not unlearned himselfe and a lover of learning in others was Abbot. There he gave himselfe to the study of Phylosophy, freequenting the Lectures of diverse of prime note that then red the same in that University; under whom also in disputations he frequently exercised himselfe; so acquiting himselfe in the same, that the Readers themselves tooke speciall notice of him; in so much that Branda a chiefe man among them would oft call him out to dispute, stiling him his Florentine, as …rinaeus sometimes Arminius his Hollander.
For his better furtherance in these his studies, he spent sometime in getting skill of the Greek tongue, that he might read Aristotle in his owne langvage… and in the study of that tongue he so profited, (a… one apt to take ought that he bent himselfe to) that in a short time he was able to read any Greek Author, Historian… Orator or Poet wit…out help of a translation. And withal he so followed the study … Divinity, hearing diligently and constantly those that read the same there, adjoyning also his owne private …ndvour… thereunto, that being of six and twenty yeeres (a thing among them then not usuall) he was by the Fellows of the Colledg he lived in, made a publike Preacher and partake… of those priviledges that to such of their orders were a…nexed.
His first preaching was at …rixia, in the Church of … after that he preached at Rome, Venis, Mantua, Mo…n…fer… … and in others the Cities of Italy and the confines of Fr…c… … besides that in the Colledg of his own society, he read … Philosophy and Divinity and Homer in Geek; and hitherto haveing studied most Schoole-divinity. Thom…s of Aquin… especially, and Gregory of Rimino; he now began in more speciall manner to addict himselfe to the study of the Scriptures, and to this purpose laboured with much sedulity, using the help of one Isaak a Iew that professed Physick, to get the knowledge of the Hebrew tongue.
His constant paines in Preaching and teaching gained him that singular esteme, that he was by generall conse…t chosen Abbot of Spoleto; in which place he so wisely and worthily carried himselfe, that it was much admired how a man so bookish, and so much adicted to his studie…, should attaine such abilities for dexterity of government. For he not onelyonly reduced the Colledg and two Nunne…i… belonging to it, that had bin very loose and scandalous in their courses before, to a more regular and orderly deme… nour; but so also by his authority, good perswasions, and discreet ordering the matter, prevailed with two po…t factions that had long desturbed the State there, that … composed their differences, and wrought concord between them; which they also continued in, so long as he continued there with them.
Three yeere he aboad there, and at three … a solemne assembly of the whole Order, … was made … vernor of Saint Peters at the Altar in Naples, a place of very pleasant situation, greate dignity, and rich and large revenew. Here addicting himselfe more diligently and seriously to search into the Scriptures, the light began daily to appeare more and more to him, and to discover to him the errours and superstitious conceits that he had formerly bin possest with. And now he fell to read some of our men… writings; Bucers commentaries upon the Psalmes, and the Evanglists, Zuinglius his Treatise of true and false Religion, and another of Gods Providence, with some pieces of Erasmus: whence having gained more insight into these things, he communicated therein with some others likewise piously disposed, to wit, Benedyct Cusane, Anthony Flaminy, and Io…n Valdesie a Spaniord; by whose joynt endevour a pretty Chuch of pious people was now gathered at Naples.
Nor did this our Peter forbear publikely to Preach that truth that God had now reveiled unto him. For handling the first to the Corinthians, to which his Lectures, among others, divers Noble men (whom that City never wanteth) and some Bishops also resorted; when he came to the third Chapter, the 13. and 14. verses, he affirmed that place not to be ment of Purgatory; since that the fire there spoken of is such a fire, as both good and bad all must passe. This seeming to shake a maine piller of Purgatory, the Popes furnace, the fire whereof, like the Prilosophers stone, melteth all his leaden Bulls into pure gold; his under Chymists some of them, like Demetrius and his consorts, b…gan to bestir themselves, and so wrought, that from above he was inhibited to proceed in his reading. Which inhibi…ion he yet refused to obey; & appealing to the Pope, by help of some Cardinals of better sort, among whom our Poole was one, & some other learned men in grace with the Pope, he gat the interdict revoked. Howbeit he continued not long his readings there afterwards, for falling not long after into a very dangerous sicknesse, whereof he hardly recovered, the Fathers of his Order, in a generall Assembly, shortly after his recovery, supposing that the ayre of that City did not so well agree with him, made him their Generall Vi…iter, when he had been yet but three yeeres at Naples. In which imployment, supported by the Cardinall Gonzag… the Protector of their Order; he so carryed himselfe, suppressing some that carryed themselves tyrannously in their places, & severely chastising others that lived loosly & leudly, that though he gained much grace and credit to the Order, & no lesse love and affection to himselfe from the better minded among them, yet incurred he withall much envy ill-will from those that were otherwise disposed.
It is a point of divellish policy too oft practised, under a sembleance of honour to prefer men to such places as may prove prejudiciall to them, and become a meanes of their overthrow. Some of these Machiavilians therefore in a generall meeting of the Fathers of the Order at Man…ua, knowing a deadly fewd and inveterate hatred to intercede betweene the Inhabitants of Luca, and those of Florence our Martyrs Country, move to have him made Pryor of Saint Fridian in Luca, a place of great esteem, for that the Pryor of that House hath Episcopall Jurisdiction over the one moity of the City; hoping that for Countries sake he should there find opposition and molestation more then enough. The motion was on all hands soon assented unto, but the event answered not their expectation: For by his wise, kind and discreet carryage among them, he gained so much good will and esteeme with them, that they affected him no otherwise then as if he had been a native, and by a solemn embassage made suite to the Principall of the Order, that Peter Martyr might not be removed againe from them.
Here to advance both Religion and Learning among them, he procured learned men of great note, to read to the younger sort the tongues, one Latine, and the other Greeke, and a third (which was Emmanuell Tremellius) the Hebrew. He himselfe daily read to them some part of Saint Pauls Epistles in Greek, and examined them in the same: to the whole Company before supper he expounded some Psalme; to which exercise diverse learned of the Nobility and Gentry did also usually resort: and every Lords day he preached publikly to the People: By which his godly labours many attained to much knowledge, as appeared afterward by the number of those, who after his departure thence sustained exilement for the truth; among whom that famous Zanchie one.
These his good proceedings his adversaries much maligning held a meeting at Genoa, and convented him thither. But he having intellidence of their complotment, and taking warning by their late dealings with a godly Eremite of the same Order, resolved to decline them, and to betake himselfe to some place of better safety: Having therefore committed to his Deputy the charge of the Monastery, and his Library (his onelyonly wealth) to a trusty friend in Luca, to be sent after him into Germany, he left the City secretly, and from thence travelled first toward his owne Country to Pisa; where meeting with certaine religious Noble men he celebrated together with them in due manner the Lords Supper: and from thence by letters both to Cardinall Poole, and to those of Luca he rendred a reason of his departure from them. After that coming to Florence, but making no long stay there, he departed from thence for Germany, and passing the Alpes came into Switzerland, wher he arrived first at Zurick, and passing thence to Basil, was by Bucers procurement called over to Strasbourge; where for the sp…c of five yeers with much amity and agreement they joyned together in the Lords worke; during which time he expounded the Lamentations of Ieremy, the twelve lesser Prophets, Genesis, Exodus, and a good part of Leviticus.
Here he tooke him a wife, one of a religious disposition, and in all respects a meete match for one of his ranke and profession, who lived with him eight yeeres, died in England at Oxford, where she had lived in great repute with the best, for her singular piety, and with the most for he charity corrrespondent thereunto: though after her decease in Queen Maries dayes, her remaines were inhumanely digged up againe and buried in a dunghill; but in Queen Elizabeths dayes restored to their former place of Sepulture againe.
For after that our Martyr had spent those five yeeres at Strasbourge, he was through the procurement of Archbishop Cranmer sent for by letters from King Edward into England, and made Reader of Divinity in the University of Oxford. There in his readings, to which those of the Popish faction also resorted, he expounded the first of Saint Paul to the Corinthians; and though much envying and stomaking him, yet with some patience they his Popish hearers endured him, untill he came to handle the Doctrine of the Lords Supper; but then they began to breake forth into some outrage, to disturbe him in his Lectures, to set up m… licious and scandalou… schedules against him, to challing him to disputes; which he waved not, but maintained, first in private in Doctor Cox the Vice chancellors house, and af…er in publike before his Majesties Commissioners deputed to that purpose; where with what strength of Argument and authorty of Scripture he convinced his Antagonists, the Acts yet extant may evidently shew. This way little prevailing, they stirred up the seditious multitude against him, by reason whereof he was compelled to retir… him to London, untill that tumult was supprest: Then returning againe, for his better security, the King made him a Canon of Christs Chu…ch; by meanes whereof he had convenient housing within the Colledge with more safety.
Thus setled the second time, he proceeded in his wonted employm…nt, opening now also the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans; and being in times of vacation called up to London by the Archbishop for his aid and advice in Ecclesiasticall affaires, and in composing of Ordinances for the government of the Church. And in this course he continued being never out of action, untill by the decease of th…t our English Phaenix, so much admired in his life, and bewailed at his death, not with ours at home, but by others also, and that of a divers religion abroad, upon the succession of his sister Queen Mary, one of a contrary disposition, his employment surceased, and with somewhat adoe he gat liberty and departed the land: and though being waylaid (which he had notice of) both on this side and beyond the seas; yet (by Gods good providence and protection) he passed unknown and undiscovered through Brabant and other Popish territories, and gat in safety to Strasbourge.
Thither returning he was received with the greater joy in regard of the dangers he had past and escaped; and was restored to his professors place againe. Therein being resetled he read upon the booke of Iudges, and because the Senate required that the Readers of Divinity should withall at certaine times read Lectures also of Philosophy; it was agreed betweene him and Zanchie, his fellow-professor, that the one of them should read Morall Philosophy, which fell to his lot, and the other Naturall, which Zanchie undertooke.
Howbeit here he was not long quiet; for some factious ones began to complaine of him to the Magistrates, as not concurring with the Augustine confession in the Doctrine of the Lords Supper: wherein albeit he gave those in authority good satisfaction, yet he perceived much heart-burning in other-some, and that manifested oft times, as well by scandalous libels scattred abroad, as also by open opposition. Whereupon supposing that he should not live qu… etly there, and do the good that he desired, he began to entertaine thoughts of departure; and, as God in his holy providence pleased to dispose it, a fit and faire occasion thereof offred it selfe to him. For they at Zurick (whereat first he desired to have setled) wanting one to succeede Pellicane lately deceased in the Divinity Lecture, invite Peter Martyr to come over to them, and supply that place: thither he came, (tho with much griefe and unwillingnesse, dismissed by the Magistrates and other godly of Strasbourge, his fellow-professors especially) accompanied with our worthy Iewel, after Bishop of Salisbury, then exile in those parts, who ever entirely affected and reverenced him as his Father.
At Zuricke with much gratulation was he most lovingly and respectively received by the Magistrates, Ministers, Bullinger especially, and the maine body of the people; and notwithstanding an Order before made to the contrary, denying such admittance for some yeeres unto any, enrolled instantly for a free Denison. There he taught about seven yeers, expounding the books of Samuel, and a good part of the Kings; and writing divers polemicall discours…s against the adversaries of the truth. Nor would he remove thence, albeit he were with much importunity invited to other places, where the meanes were larger: as first to Geneva upon the decease of that every way noble Count Maximilian Celsus, Pastor of the Italian Church there; and after in Queen Elizabeths dayes, when Religion was againe here setled, Bishop Iewell labouring with him in it, to returne into these parts, but continued teaching there till he died; howbeit being earnestly required by letters as well from the Queen mother of France, the King of Navarre, the Prince of Condee, and other Peeres of that Realm, as also from Beza and the rest of the Ministers of the reformed Churches in those parts, he obtained leave of the Senate to goe over into France to the solemn Conference at Poys…i, where how wisely and worthily he demeaned himselfe, by the Acts of it may appeare.
Not long after his accesse to Zuricke, desirous to continue the race and name of the Virmilii, he tooke him a second wife, a Virgin of good note and name, commended to him from the I…alian Church at Geneva, where she lived an Exile for Religion, by whom he had two children, a son and a daughter, who died both very young, before him; and left her great with a third, that proved a daughter.
He departed this life quietly, after some seven dayes sicknesse, sitting in his chaire, in the presence of his wife and Religious friends, on the twelfth day of Nov…m. in the yeer of grace 1562. and of his owne age the sixty third.
He was of an able, healthy, big-boned and well limmed body; of a countenance expressing an inward, grave and setled disposition: of extraordinary parts of learnng, as well for humanity as for divinity excellent for disputation, much admired, wheresoever he came, for his discreet and moderate, though constant and incorrupt carriage, never seen in heat of dispute to breake forth into chollour; very painfull and industrious, endevouring to doe all the good he could for Gods Church, either in the places where he was resiant, or elsewhere. Nor may be omitted here the speech used of him to those of Zuricke, by that learned man Iosias Simler, that made the Funerall Oration at his Buriall, and hath described his life at large, that, Another they might have in Martyrs roome; but another Martyr they should not have. But what he was and how laborious, his Workes extant (besides many other never published) will soon shew; which are these,
1. A Catechisme or Exposition of the Creed, in Italian. 2. A Praye…-booke composed out of the Psalmes. 3. His Commentaries upon Genesis. 4. His Commentaries upon the Booke of Iudges. 5. His Commentaries upon the two Books of Samuel. 6. His Commentaries upon the first Booke of Kings, and eleven chapters of the second. 7. His Commentaries upon the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans. 8. His Commentaries upon the first Epistle to the Corinthians. 9. His Disputations at Oxford, about the Lords Supper. 10. His Defence about the orthodox Doctrine of the Lords Supper, against Steph…n G…rdiner. 11. An abridgement of the said Defence made by him afterward. 12. His Confession exhibited to the Senate of Strasbourg, concerning the supper of the Lord. 13. His judgement concerning the presence of Christs Body in the Sacrament delivered at the Conference of Poyssi. 14. A Discourse concerning the Masse. 15. A Dialogue concerning the place of Christs Body, against the Ubiquitaries. 16. His refutation of Richand Smiths two bookes, concerning single life and Monkish Vows. 17. In his commentaries on the first and second bookes of Aristatle Ethicks, and part of the third. 18. His Common-Places gathered out of his Commentaries by others, and digested into Heads. 19. Certain Treatises of Free-wil, Gods Providence, Predestination, and the cause of Sin. 20. Propositions, some necessary, some probable, out of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Judges; together with Solutions of a Question or two concerning some Mosaicall Laws and Oathes 21. Divers Sermons and Orations of severall Subjec…s, and made upon severall occasions. 22. His letters to sundry Persons, concerning much variety of usefull Discourse.
Behold this Star, which séem'd at the first view
Ecc…ipst with Romish fogs; but, after, grew
So bright, that his Refulgence did display
Truths Banner, beaming like the Sun of day.
His sunshine was not visible alone
In true Religions reform'd Horizon,
But cast his foraign influence as far
As th'Artick's distant from th'Antartick star;
Uext Romes iugenious Malice did compact
To quench this flame, but failed in the Acts.
The seven-crown'd dragons star confronting traine
Lasht at this Star… but lasht and lasht in vaine.
Thus he remains (sustain'd by higher powers)
A Saint in heau'ns bright Orbe, a Star in Onrs.