The Dead Yet Speaking, Biography 57 – Biography 58
The Life and Death of Josias Simlerus, who dyed Anno Christi 1576.
IOsias Simlerus was born in Helvetia Anno Christi 1530. his father was a godly, learned, and prudent man: by whom he was carefully brought up in learning, and at fourteen years of age he was sent to Tygure, where he lived in Bullinge…'s family (who was his godfather) almost two years; from thence he went to the University of Basil, where he studied the Arts, and Tongues one year, and from thence he went to Argentine, where he made a further progresse in those studies; and at the end of three yeares he returned to his fathers, with whom he spent his time in study, and teaching a School, and sometimes also preaching. Anno Christi 1552. he began publickly to expound the New Testam…nt, beginning in Matthew in Tygure, being twenty two yeares old; which worke he performed with great judgement, fidelity, and diligence, having not onelyonly many of that City to be his hearers, but many Exiles, especially of the English; also four years after he was made Deacon, and went on in his former worke with admiration, so that he was highly prized by all. Bibliander being grown very old, Simler supplyed his place, and was Collegue to Peter Martyr: who fore-told that Simler was like to prove a great ornament to the Church: who also when he dyed expressed much joy that he should leav so able a man to succeed him. Simler, besides his publick labours, instructed many also in private, and amongst them some Noblemen, both in sacred, and humain learning: he had such an acute wit, and strong memory that he was able Extempore to speak of any subject, and to answer his friends questions out of any author, and to give an account of their wrintings to the great admira…tion of the hearers: and though in reading of bookes he seemed to run over them very superficially, yet when he had don, he was able to give an exact account of any thing that was in them: and being so troubled with the gout that many times he was confined to his bed, and had the use of none of his members but his tongue onelyonly; yet in the mid'st of his pains, he used to dictate to his amanuensis such things as were presently printed to the great admiration of learned men: besides the gout, he was much troubled with the stone, so that the pains of these diseases, together with his excessive labors in his Ministry, hastened his immature death: which he also fore-saw, yet without any consternation or feare, but by his frequent, and fervent prayers to God, he endeavored to fit himselfe for it: and accordingly Anno Christi 1576. he resigned up his spirit unto God, being forty five years old, and was buried in Peter Martyr's tomb: he was of a very loving, and gentle nature, free from passion: very charitable, spending all his Patrimony upon the poor, and strangers, and such as came thither to study he entertained them in his house, and often feasted his friends, with whom he would be very merry, otherwise he was very sparing of speech. He delighted much in history: he had two wives, the first of which was Bullinger's daughter, who dyed without issue; by the second he had three sons, and one daughter.
He was a man whose life and conversation,
Furnish'd both eyes and eares with admiration:
He was so pithy in his speech, that those
Which heard him, gave a plaudit to his close:
He alwayes meditated how to be
A perfect Scholler in Divinity:
He liv'd in Peace, his heart was still contented,
His life was well belov'd, his death lamented.
The life and death of Immanuall Tremelius, who dyed Anno Christi 1580.
IMmanuell Tremelius was born in Ferara, having a Jew to his father, who so educated him, that he was very skilfull in the Hebrew tongue: He was converted by Peter Martyr, and went with him to Lucca, where he taught Hebrew: from thence he went with him also to Argentine, and from thence into England under King Edward the sixt, after whose death he returned into Germanie, and in the Schoole …f Hornback, under the Duke of Bipont, he taught Hebrew: f…om thence he was called to Heidleberg, under Frederick the third, Elector Palatine, where he was professor of the Hebrew tongue, and translated the Syriack Testament into Latine. There also he set upon the translation of the Bible out of Hebrew, and associated to himselfe in that worke Francis Iunius: From thence also he removed to Seden, at the request of the Duke of Bulloin, to be the Hebrew-Profes…sor in his new University, where he dyed Anno 1580. and of his Age seventy.
This rars Hebritian, though at first conf…n'd
To Iewish principles, at last in…lin'd
Himselfe to goodnesse, and imploy'd his heart
To trace and follow a diviner art;
And so improv'd himselfe, that he became
From a small sparke, a most aspiring flame.
And at the last he lay'd his …empels downe
In Abr'ams bosome, and receiv'd a Crowne.