Treatise of Religion and Learning, Book 4 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
LActantius Firmianus, Anno Dom. 300.
He was Tutor to Constantines Sonne Crispus, but that was (as Hierom saith) in extrema senectute.
He was so poor, that many times he wanted even necessaries. Geneb. out of Euseb. Chron.
Hic est Cicero Christianorum quemadmodum Cyprianus eorundem Caesar. Alsted. Encyclop. l. 32. c. 7.
Institutionum divinarum opus, sub Diocletiano aggressus est, ut ipse testatur libro quinto, capite quarto, & tempore Constantini magni edidit, ad ipsum Constantinum sermone converso. Forbes. Instruct. histor. Theol. l. 7. c. 8.
Quem obsecro ad pictatem accendit Lactantius? atque nihil eo nitidius. Dicas Christianum Ciceronem loqui, quanquam ille non tractat Scripturas, sed cum Ethnicis digladi tur. Eras. Epist. l. 27. Epist. 38. Inter omnes Patres audit Ciceronianus. Ames. Bell. Enerv.
He was called Firmianus from his Countrey Firmi or Firmii a Town of the Picenes in Italy, Lactantius à lacteo eloquentiae flumine, solidiorique orationis genere. Wolfii Lect. mem. Cent. 5.
Arnobii discipulus, & quidem similis fortunae. Nam utramque ex Oratoriae artis professione religionis Christianae doctorem evasisse, ex Hieronymo constat. Voss. Hist. Pelag. l. 3. part. 1. Thes. 1.
Edidit primus omnium Evangelicorum Commentarios in Apocalypsin. Pezel. Mellif. Histor.Franciscus Lambertus. There is his Commentary on the Revelation.
Dionysius Lambinus.
A learned man and a Protestant, say some, though Thuanus aHist. Tom. 3. l. 52. V…de …caev Samarth. Elog. Gal.make him a Papist.
He hath commented well on Lucretius, Horace, Plautus, Turnebus often honourably mentions him in his Adversaeria.
Dionysius Lambinus vir omnibus literis egregiè doctus & Graecè & Latinè imprimis eruditus, & nunc linguae Graecae professione Parisiense gymnasium ornans. Turneb. Advers. l. 11. c. 26.
Quem Belgarum op…imum, doctissimumque initio operis de constantia Justus Lipsius appellar. Vossius De vitiis sermonis, l. 4. c. 33.Carolus Langius.
Joannes Langius, a learned Physician of Germany,
He was born Anno 14…5. Reliquit monumenta ingenii sui egregia, referta eruditione, & rerum scitu dignissimarum explicatione varia & rara inter quae principem. locum tenet Epistolarum medicinalium opus miscellaneum, in senecta ab ipso scriptum: cujus lectio non solùm medicinae; sed omnis etiam naturalis historiae studiosis plurimum emolumenti sit allatura. Melch. Ad. in ejus vita, & Boissardi Icones.Illustrissimi Principis Pulatini Rheni Medicus, cujus extant Epistolarum medicinalium Tomi duo ab Oporino nostro Basileae impressi, opus stupendum, eruditum, varium, Medicum, Physicum, Phylologicum, planéque tale ut ob rerum in illo opere pulcherrimarum, variarum ac scitu dignissimarum copiam, non solum medicinae candidatis, sed etiam omnibus eruditae ac Philologicae doctrinae studiosis, plurimum sit emolumenti allaturum. Extat etiam ejusdem medicum de Repub. symposium, ejusdem planè argumenti cum Epistolis medicinalibus. Neand. Geog. part. 1.
Steph. bAnglus Parisiensis Doctor, ejusdemque Gymnasii Cancellarius, in Philosophia Aristotelica nulli suo tempore secundus habitus est. Scholasticam que Theologiam subtilissimè docuit, demum Cardinalis & Archiepiscopus Cantuariensis effectus, non inferiori studio divinis impalluit. Plura quam quisquam alius volumina publicavit, quae in aerates perstabunt. Nomenclat. Sanctae Romanae Eccles. Cardinalium.Langton, a learned Englishman.
Hubertus Languetus.
Non minus doctrina, quam diuturna totius Europae peragratione clarus. Bod. Meth. Hist. c. 4. Vide Thuan. Hist. Tom. 3. l. 74.
Thomas Lansius.
His Consultatio de principatu inter provincias Europae is a learned Work.
Cornel. à Lapide, a Jesuite of Flanders. He publickly taught the Hebrew,Exstant ejus Commentarii in Pentateuchum, Prophetas majores & minores, Proverbia, Ecclesiasten, Cantica; totum N.T. Sed quid in iis desideremus breviter dicemus. 1. Interpretationes Pontisiciotum suorum, & Patrum non semper omnes refert. 2. Nostrorum rara refert, aut non ex professo: aut sicubi hoc faciat, tantum occasionem quaerit calumniae. 3. In plurimis locis difficillimis & illustri ac prolixo Commentario illustrandis, saepe jejunus est, imo mutus magis quam piscis. 4. In philologicis sacris hospes est, & consequenter admodum parcus, inprimis etiam in Hebraea, caeterisque Orientalibus, & consequenter in illarum linguarum idiotismis, elegantiis, antiquitatibus. 5. In moralibus & practicis, postillisticas quisquilia…, & carbones pro thesauris, ex Discipulo de tempore, legendis, vitis patrum, & similibus sabularum promis condis, plerumque obtrudit. Voet. Biblioth. Studios. Theol. l. 2. c. 4. and expounded the Scriptures at Lovaine more then twenty years.
He hath Commented almost on all the Scripture.
He was of very low stature, as I have heard from one that (I think) saw him, and so I finde him described in Valeri Andreae Bibliotheca Belgica, Pusillus quidem corpore, at ingenio magnus fuit.
Johannes aGraecorum ferè omnium, qui Othomannicis armis patria pulsi in Italiam confugerunt, nobilissimus atque doctissimus fuit. Paul. Jov. Elog. Doct. Vir.Lascares.
Lud. bJuellus in libro in Proverbia multiplicem & variam lectionem, & doctrinam reconditam agnovit, ita ut nihil in eo genere putavit extare cum eo conferendum, ingenuè confessus so multa illius sapientissimi Regis proverbia tum demùm intellexisse, quae antea ignorabat.Lavaterus.
A Learned and diligent Preacher of the Church at Zurick.
His Book de Spectris, hath been often published in Latine, High Dutch, Low Dutch, French, Italian.
He first got himself a name by this Book.
Perlegi Lavateri Doctissime: non sine voluptate & fructu, eruditissimum libellum tuum de Spectris. Placet argumentum, sententia tua, methodus, perspicuitas. Zanch. Epist. l. 2. Lavatero.
He hath Commented upon Ezekiel, Ecclesiastes and Esther, Ruth, Nehemiah
Jo. Baptista Laurus. He hath written two Centuries of Epistles.
Theatri Rom. orchestra, de viris illustribus.
Jacobus Laurentius, a Learned Minister of Holland.
In his singular Tractate intituled Reverentia Ecclesiae Romana erga S. Patres veteres subdola Dr Featlies Stricturae ad Lyndomastigem.
He hath Commented upon the Epistle of James, both the Epistles of Peter, hath written in loca difficiliora Epist. Pauli.
Gaspar cVir pietatis & doctrinae haut vulgaris. Lectius De vita Sadeelis.Laurentius.
These Works of his are published,
Observatio de publicis disput. de Religione.
De natura in Sacramentis, cum Christi Jesu Conjunctione.
Jacobus dElegiaco carmine tres Psalmorum Libros integros, cum Threnis & Canticis felici carmine reddidit; ut patruo suo illo Jacobo Latomo Theologo (cujus & scripta omnia una volumine edenda Lovanii typis Barth. Gravii curavit) non indignus cognatus fuerit, & heres. Aub. Mir. Elog. Belg.Latomus, Pater sive Senior, an eloquent and learned man, most skilfull in three Languages.
He wrote two Dialogues de trium Linguarum & studii. Theologici ratione.
And divers other Works.
Jacobus Latomus, filius sive Junior.
He turned some of the Psalms into verse.
Hugh Latimer, sometimes Bishop of Worcester, Martyr.
Honestissimus simul & doctissimus Vir Gulielmus Latymerus. Paceus lib. de fructu qui ex doctrina percipitur.There is his Conference with Ridley, and his Sermons.
Johannes Latius, or de Laet.
De hujusmodi rebus solus ferme recte judicare potest, pro linguarum cognitione qua valet, & insigni ac singulari Historiarum & Graeciae peritia, qua caeteris praecellit. Constant. L' Empereur Praefat. ad Itin. Benjam.Olaus Wormius in his Museum Wormianum often honourably mentions him.
He hath put out the work of the severall Commonwealths.
Americae, seu novi orbis descriptio cum Tabulis.
Hispania, sive de Regis Hispaniae regnis, & oppibus Comment.
A learned Tractate de Gemmis & Lapidibus.
De Imperio magni Mogolis. Novus Orbis, seu descriptionis Indiae Occidentalis, l. 18.
Persia, seu Regni Persici status.
Pierre De Launey, a French Gentleman.
He hath written upon all Pauls Epistles in two Volumes in French, in quarto.
The same man (by another name) hath written on Daniel and the Revelation.
Wolfgangus eFuit nostratium medicorum decus egregium, philologus, historicus, Romanarum & Ge…mana…ū rerum scriptor celebris, antiqui…atis indagator fidelis: professor in Academia patriâ, primùm attium liberalium: deinde medicinae per a…nos novemdecim continuos. Melch. Adam Vit. Germ. Medic.Lazius.
He hath published
Com. Reipub. Rom.
De gentium aliquot migrat.
De Bello Turcico.
De rebus Graecis.
Rerum Viennensium lib. 4. with other Tracts.
Jac. fNatione Hispanus vir suit ingenii & doctrinae magnitudine. Nobilissimus. Biblioth. Script. Societ. Jes. A Philippe Alegambe edita.Ledesma.
He hath written a book De divinis Scripturis in quavis lingua non legendis.
Legenda.
Vulgò dicitur Legenda seu historia Longobardica. Neand. De Legendae auteae (authore Jacobi de Voragine) in ipsa Hispania à Ludovico Vive. de Caus. corrupt. art. l. 2. & Melchiore Cano de loc. Theol. l. 11. c. 6. jamdudum lata est sen…entia, ferrei oris eum virum fuisse, atque plumbei cordis. Episc. Usser. De Britannic. Eccles. Primord. c. 1.It was called Aurea Legenda, the golden Legend, by the Papists, for the excellency that it seemed to have above all other stories.
It contains a report of the Lives and Miracles of the Saints, a book written by a man of a leaden heart for the basenesse of the errours that are without wit or reason, and of a brasen forehead, for his impudent boldnesse in reporting things so fabulous and incredible.
Lelandus genere Britannus in suae gentis antiquioribus monumentis proferendis homo apprimè diligens. Buchan. Rerum Scotic. Hist. l. 2. Ego quidem ingentem numerum scriptorum tractantium res Britannicas diligenter excussi. Lel. Comment. In Cign. Cant.Jo. Lelandus, a famous Antiquary.
He wrote four books de viris illustribus, sive de scriptoribus Britannicis: It is pity it is not printed. That Manuscript is in Oxford Library.
Hoc opus magna diligentia, cura, & labore congessimus, atque adeò jam in tomos quatuor digessimus, ne Britanniae nostrae, fama tot eruditorum, & elegantium scriptorum deperiret. Quotus enim quisque est hac nostra aetate, vel inter eruditos, qui rectè norit quos literarum flores Britanniae hortus protulerit. Certè ut ingratitudinis notam multi in hac parte …luant, nunquam profectò desidiae maculam abstergent. Lelandi Comment. In Cygneam Cantionem.
Civis Londinensis sum, nec me patriae paenitet meae. Speroque aliquando futurum, ut nec illam sui qualiscunque poeniteat alumni.
Nulli nota magis domus est sua, quàm mihi certè
Omnia Londini sunt monumenta mei. Id. ibid.
There are some of his Works published,
Assertio inclytissimi Arturi Regis Britanniae.
Genethliacon Edw. 6ti.
Cignaea Cantio, with a Comment, which is his best book printed. He himself in his Peroration saith thus of it, Jam praestiti quod sum pollicitus, & Commentarii qualeseunque mei in Cygneam cantionem prodeunt, opusculum ex penetralibus reconditae, & sacrosanctae antiquitatis religiosè erutum, & diligentia, cura, fide quanta potui planè maxima in lucidum ordinem redactum.
Lavinus Lemnius *Excellenti Medicus ingenio, forma que egregia, ut vel aspectu suo & eloquentia aegros recrearet. Scripsit eleganti stilo varia omnium artium Candidatis apprimè utilia. Melch. Adam. in ejus vita., a Learned Physitian.
He wrote,
Explanationem similutudinum, quae ex fructibus herbisque in sacris bibliis desumuntur.
De habitu & constitutione corporis.
De occultis naturae miraculis, ac variis rerum documentis libros quatuor, multipliei eruditione refertos, with others.
Leo Hebraeus.There was also Leo Judae, Ebraicae linguae peritissimus. Pezel. Mellif. Histor. Vide Biblia.
Fortasse Mutiensis qui scripsit de ritibus Hebraeis.
Leo the first Pope.Leo Papa primus fuit Ecclesiasticae dictionis Tullius, sacrae Theologiae Homerus, rationum fidei Aristoteles, authoritatis Apostolicae Pe…rus, & in Christiano pulpito Paulus. Trithem, de Scriptor. Eccles.
A Learned man but proud enough Leo M. primus Episcopus fuit Romanus, & quidem ambitiosissimus. Cham. de Oecumen. Pontif. l. 3. c. 4.
His Works are mentioned in the Oxford Catalogue.
Leo decimus, Leo Decimus Angeli Politiani discipulus, elegantium litterarum amantissimus, ipse quoque eleganter doctus. Sub hoc Pontisice Ciceroniana valuit eloquentia: nam illi priores nondum eo condescenderant. Camp. de Imit. Rhetor. c. 31. Joannes Medices Cardinalis, qui postea Leo Papa Angelum Politianum à prima aetate institutorem habuit, Picoque Mirandulano, Marsilio Ficino familiariter usus est, unde tantus ei literatu…ae politioris amor, non solum enim elegantissimas Epistolas, quae ad manum sunt, conscripsit, sed & poetica laude clarus habitus est, cum referente Jobo nullo negotio, versus ex tempore funderet: nec minus ei literae quam Nicolao 5to debent. Nomenclat. Sanctae Rom. Eccles. Card. Bembum, Sadoletum, Lilium Gregorium Gyraldum in famu…is habuit. Joannem Lastarem in Graeciam misit, ut omnibus ibi Bibliothecis excussis Vaticanam repleret, cui Philippum Beroaldum juniorem donec majores illi pararet honores praefecit. Id ib. Vide Platinam de vitis P…ntificum Romano…um, & Pier. Valcrian. De Litteratorum in…aelicitate. l. 1.Leo the tenth, Anno Dom. 450.
As one whose birth and education was noble, he adorned the Papacy with many good parts which he brought into it, amongst which were his singular Learning in humanity, goodnesse, and a marvellous sweet manner in treating of affairs, together with a pleasing behaviour, more then humane, joyned with incomparable liberality, and a great inclination to favour those that were Learned, and endowed with any extraordinary quality; which vertues were not found in that Sea of a long time before, neither equall nor near unto his. And he would have been a Pope absolutely compleat, if with these he had joyned some knowledge in things that concern Religion, and some more propension unto piety, of both which he seemed carelesse. Hist. of the Counc. of Trent, l. 1. parag. 12.
He was son unto Laurence Medices, and had to his great grandfather Cosmus, that was the great honour of that House. Leo was made Cardinall when he was but thirteen years old: his successor was Adrian the 6th a Hollander. Sleid. Comment. l. 3. p. 34.
He died at Rome in the year of his age 47, of his Popedome the 8th.
He departed not without the suspicion of poysoning.
Paulus Jovius hath written four Books de vita Leonis decimi. See his 3d and 4th books especially.
There is a medall, where there is Leo the tenth of one side of it, and Roma aeterna on the other, and this a little before the rise of Luther.
Leo Imperator. His Works are in Greek and Latine.
There are his Tactica, sive de re militari, cum notis Jomeursii. Canticum compunctionis, and other Works.
Joannes Leo of Africa.
A man for his fidelity, amongst the Learned in the Eastern Languages and Histories of very good esteem.
There is his Geographicall description of Africa.
Nicolaus Leonicenus, a Learned Physitian.
He taught above 60 years at Ferraria, and lived till 96. He said, Se viridi vegetaque uti senecta, quiae castam juventutem virili aetati tradidisset.
There is his
Quaestio de tribus doctrinis ordinariis.
De falsa quarundam herbarum inscriptione à Plinio.
De morbo Gallico, and other Works.
Cujus etiamnum extant Dialogi decem Academicorum more Confecti, de varia praeteres historia libri tres in multa capita divisi jucundissimi lectu, & ad utriusque linguae historiarum multiplicem cognitionem apprimè conducibiles. Neand. Geog. parte 1.Nicolaus Leonicus Thomaeus, a Learned Venecian.
Leonardus *Natione Belga, in Brabantia tenui loco natus.Lessius, Anno salutis 1554.
He hath written De Justitia aHoc opus omnibus numeris absolutum implevit orbem terrarum fama & fructu. Biblioth. Scriptorum. Soc. Jesu. A Philippo Alegambe edita. In Jure utroque, Mathematicis disciplinis, medicâ, Historica, ac Graecanicae in primis linguae peritiâ, nullo ufus magisto. Valeri Andreae. Biblioth. Belg.& Jure, and other subjects.
He hath written a book entituled Consultatio quae fides & Religio sit Capessenda, which was translated into English.
It is answered by Meisuer, but better by Henricus Brandius in his Examon Consultationis Lessianae.
R. Levi Ben Gerson.
He hath written a Commentary on the Proverbs of Solomon.
Industrius ac fidelis harum rerum scriptor. Thuan. hist. Tom. 1. l. 12. Leoncla…ius in erudito opere, quod Pandecten Historiae Turcicae inscripsit. Voss. De vitiis Sermonis l. 2. c. 10.Jo. Lewenclaius, a Learned and famous man, who hath translated many of Gregory Nazianzens Works into Latine, and added Greek expositions, translated also by him.
He hath written severall Treatises,
Juris Graeco-Rom. tam Canonici quam Civ. To. 2.
Historiae Musulmanae Turcarum cum aliis Tractat. and many other Treatises.
Libaniu… the Sophister was born at Damascus. A very eloquent man.
Many of his Greek Orations were printed at Rome in one Volume, among which also there is one, which contains the Elogy and Encomium of Julian the Apostate his Scholar.
There be many Epistles of his to Basill, and his answers again to him.
Library.
Chrysologus saith, a good Library is the only Paradise in the world.
Some bBibliothecae Alexandrinae instructissimae in qua studio ac sumptibus Prolomaei Philadelphi laudatissimi principis deposita fuerunt, in omni doctrinarum ac linguarum eruditarum genere voluminum septingenta millia manuscripta, Biblia etiam Graeca ac Hebraea, a septuaginta duobus interpretibus Judaeis Graece conversa & aureis literis descripta, meminêrę, tùm multi alii Graeci & Latini scriptores, tum etiam inter caeteros Gellius, Livius, Seneca, Galenus, Josephus & Epiphaniu…. Neand. Geog. part. 3. Vide Rev. Episc. Usser. Annal. 4437.much commend that famous Library of Ptolomeus Philadelphus at Alexandria: Rama cErgo florentissima bibliotheca illa à Cosmo instituta, à Laurentio non solum tabulis & signis excellentium artificum, sed tot tantisque Latinorum Graecorumque virorum vigiliis & monimentis ornata, publicis studiosorum desideriis, tam grandibus impensis dicata, omnes orbis bibliothecas longissime superavit. Rami Mathemat. praefat. 3tia.highly extols that of Cosmo de Medicis at Florence: Some magnifie the Popes Vaticane at dAngel. Rocc. Biblioth. Apost. Vatic.Rome. Others, and justly, that of ours in eJames. praefat. ad Catal. & Wake Rex Platon.Oxford.
Paulus Gualdus in the Life of Pinellus much commends his Library. Bibliotheca ejusdem, quae inter omnes penè Italicas, ac fere dixerim Europaeas, una eminebat. Quinquaginta annorum opus fuit, magni ex eo sal…em aestimandum, quod accuratissimus vir in illud unum contulerit curas suas omnes & cogitationes: Librorum numerum mihi incompertum, ex eo investigare quis poterit, quod Neapolim post ejus obitum capsae librariae plus minus centenae tricenae delatae sunt.
Lipsius hath written a book De Bibliothecis.
And Angelus Roccha at the end of his Bibliotheca Apostolica Vaticana hath an Appendix, De Bibliothecarum Inventione & Incremento.
Duncanus Liddelius, a Scottish Doctor of Physick.
He hath put out these Works,
Ars Medica.
De Febribus.
De Diaeta.
He was an eminent Professour of the Mathematicks, Scholar to Tycho Brahe.
Fridericus Lidembruchius.Vir eruditissimus, & propter singularem morum probitatem mihi Charissimus. Casaub. in Capitolin.
He hath written Observations upon Ammianus Marcellinus, and also Observations upon Jornandes, Isidore and Paulus Diaconus.
John Lightfoot.
A Learned Doctor of Divinity,A Staffordshire man. well skilled in the Hebrew Text and the Rabbines, as his divers Learned Works shew.
Harmony on the Old Testament.
Harmony of the New Testament.
On the Acts.
Temple Service.
Miscellanies, and Sermons.
Gulielmus Lilius.Summo vir ingenio & doctrina, cum suae novae Scholae, quam Londini erexerat, primum praeceptorem elegerit, in qua annos quindecim docendo se exercuit, scripsit compendium Grammaticae per utile. Lil. Gyrald. de Poet. nostri temporis Dial. 2.
One of the prime Poets of those times.
Insignem ex optimis literis laudem tulit Gulielmus Lilius, qui primus cives suos Latinè, atque disertè loqui feliciter docuit. Pauli Jovii Britannia.
Thomas Linacer vel Linacrus, an Englishman. He was the Physitian of Henry the 8th, and Master to Prince Arthur.Homo praecellentis judicii, qui inter multa praeclara opera collegium medicorum Londini, anno 1525. instituit. Caius de lib. prop. In arte Grammatica Thomas Linacer, à quo multa sunt Latinae linguae mysteria ostensa, ac fine impietate prodita. Lud. Viv. de Tradend. Discip. lib. 3. Quem Jo. Claymundus Comment. in librum C. Plinii. 7. c. 51. Anglorum praecipuum lumen ac singulare decus vocat. Middendorpius pro Cantabrigiensi habendum censuit, quem Collegii omnium animarum Socium fuisse Oxoniae Archiva testantur. Twine Antiq. Acad. Oxon. Apol. l. 3. Linacro ingresso Vaticanam Bibliothecam Romae, & Graecos, codices evoluenti, supervenit Hermolaus Barbarus, ad pluteumque humaniter accedens, non tu hercle, inquit, studiose ho…pe, uti ego planè sum, Barbarus esse potes, quòd lectissimum Platonis librum (is erat Phaedrus,) diligenter evoluas. Ad id Linacru… laeto ore respondit, Nec tu sacrate heros, alius esse jam potes, quàm illi fama notus Patriarcha Italiorum Latinissimus. Ab hac amicitia (uti casu evenit, feliciter conflata) egregiis demum voluminibus ditatus, in Britanniam rediit: datusque est praeceptor Arcturo Regis filio cui dicatam Procti …phaeram legimus. Paul. Jov. Elog. Doctorum Virorum.
A great Physitian and Grammarian, excellency skilled in Greek and Latine. He eloquently turned many of Galens Works into Latine, Galeni nitidissimus interpres. He put forth an excellent Work a little before his death, de emendata structura Latini Sermonis.
Linacer Grammaticorum doctissimus. Beza in Act. 10. v. 15.
Gulielmus Lindanus.Gulielmus Lindanus ex illustri, apud Dordrechtenses Lindanorum familia ortus, plurima scripsit, quorum bene longum Catalogum videre est apud Andream Valerium & Franciscum Swertium in Athenis Beligicis. Boxhorn. Theat. Holland.
He was born at Dort in Holland. He was commended by Gregory the 13th in the Conclave of Cardinals.
Petrus fPoeta laureatus & clarus, in suo rerum memorabilium Commentario. Olai Wormii literatura Danica cap. 6.Lindebergius.
He hath put out
Hist. rerum in Europa gestarum. Poemata.
Aloysius Lippomanus.
Erat alicujus certe eruditionis, magnae vir industriae & laboris, sed judicii nullius vel prudentiae. Montacut. Antidiat. ad c. 6, 7. Vide plura ibid.He hath published
Catena in Gen.
In Psalmos 10 Priores.
De Sanctorum Historiis.
Justus Lipsius. He was born at Bruxels.
Antiquas Lectiones conscripsit, quae in Plauto potissimùm emendando versantur. Cornelium deinde Tacitum, historicum omnium prudentissimum, in manus sumsit, notisque primùm Coloniae illustravit: quem scriptorem neque notum satis antea, neque luce aut medicina digna donatum, bono publico ipse produxit, Plenum postea Commentarium Lugdun. Batavis adjecit. Placuit is labor universae Europae: & multi deinde, quasi muscae, ad odorem bonae famae convolarunt, atque in eodem mustaceo, quod dicitur, lauream quaesiverant. In his M. Antonius Muretius, Josias Mercerus, Ludovious Aurelius, Galli; Curtius Pichena, Julius Salinerius, Annibas Scotus, Itali; Emanuel Sarmientus Mendoza, Hispanus; Janus Gruterus, Belga; Savillus, Britannus, alii. Aubert. Miraei Elogium Justi Lipsit. Enim verò quid tesellato Politicorum opere sublimius, quid illo De una Religione Commentario divinius? Id. ibid. Vide plura ibid. Justus Lipsius brevem, sed auream, ut de aliis ferè omnibus solet, Epistolicam institutionem suis dictavit Adolescentibus. Possev. Biblioth. Select. Tom. 2. l. 18. c. 1. Cui homini sane plurimum debet Tacitus, solertissimo ingenio, diligentia, judicio, ab eo correctus, illustratus. Quod necesse est agnoscant & fateantur etiam inviti, qui tanti viri singulari eruditioni invide & maligne detrahunt. Merceri Not. in Tac.Criticorum phosphorus nitidissimus J. Lipsius. Dilh. Disput. Acad. Tom. 1. Criticorum superioris seculo princeps. Meibom. Maecen. c. 3.
He put out Variarum lectionum libri when he was scarce 19 years old, he cals it ingenii sui tyrocinium.
Some much commend his Politicks, others think he is much beholding to others for it. Cest Juste Lipse, qui n'a rien mis du sien dans ses Politiques que des adverbes & des conjonctions. Apologïe Pour M. De Balzak.
Thompson in his Vindex veritatis adversus Justum Lipsium, saith thus of his Diva virgo Aspricollis. Hic tuus truncus non magis est Diva, non magis est Virgo, quam tu Justus, etsi illi Divae & Virginis nomen dedisti, tibi Justi arrogasti. Habeat ergo uterque suum: sit illa truncus tu Jodocus.
What pity is it, that so high a wit should in the last act be subject to dotage. All the masculine brood of that brain we cherished, and (if need were) admired: but these his silly. Virgins, the feeble issue of distempered age, who can abide? Dr Hals Dec. Epist. 5.
When he lay a dying he prayed thus: ô mater Dei adsis famulo tuo cum tota aeternitate decertanti, nec me deseras in ista hora, à qua pendet aeternae animae meae salus. Miraeus. Drexellius. Melch. Ad. and he cried out, Domine Jesu, da mihi patientiam Christianam.
Henry Stevens hath written a Book De Lipsii Latinitate.
Steph. De Lipsii Latinitate Palaestra 1a p. 144, 145, 146.He reckons up there tres seculi nostri Ciceromastiges Angelus Politianus, Desiderius Erasmus and Lipsius. To Lipsius that is objected (saith he) Quod Ciceronis stylum non satis aptum. Scribendis Epistolis dixerit. Praeterea laudantur ab ipso Epistolae Politiani, qui primus inter Ciceromastiges collocatur. His accedit, quòd Ciceronianistas (qui vulgo Ciceroniani vocantur) ac nominatim Petrum Bembum, alicubi insectatur.Sibi gloriam famamque quaesivit, ac mu…torum in se studia dictionis novitate, convertit: illud enim Latine scribendi genus induxit, quod proprium est suum, nec aliorum: & quemadmodum Ciceronis studiosi, Ciceroniani vocantur, ita etiam qui ad …ipsii stylum se exercent, Lipsiani appellantur. Genus orationis est breve, concisum, verbis inops, creb ò incidens, nunquam fere circuitum, & quasi orbem verborum, apta atque eleganti compositione conficiens. Jani Nicii Erythraei Pinacotheca. 3. Vide plura ibid.
Some entitle his Book de Constantia liber plane aureas, yet others say he was very inconstant himself.
Literae variae, Letters or Epistles.See Epistles. Literae Cardinalium Petroni & D'Oslat gallice: quas quia ad historiam Ecclesiasticam & politicam non parum conferunt, longe satiùs est linguae Gallicae causa legi à Theologo, quam Epistolas Troncheti aut Balsaci, aut similes. Voet. Biblioth. Studios. Theol. l. 2.
Vna quidem Epistola est, quae literarum nomine signatur sed ea verè multis constat literis. Voss. De Anal. l. 1. c. 38.
There are certain most godly, fruitfull and comfortable Letters, of such true Saints and holy Martyrs of God, as in this Realm gave their lives for the defence of Christs holy Gospell, written in the time of their affliction and cruell imprisonment.
Thomas Littleton, a grave and Learned Judge of the Court of Common-pleas, sometimes of the Inner Temple.
His Tenures is a Book of sound and exquisite Learning,Sr Edw. Cookes I reface to the 10th part of his Reports. comprehending much of the Marrow of the Common Law.
I affirm and will maintain it against all opposites whatsoever; that Littletons Tenures, is a Work of as absolute perfection in his kinde, and as free from errour, as any Book that I have known to be written of any humane Learning.
Edw. Lively, the Professour of Hebrew in Cambridge, and very skilfull in that Language.Cui in erat in summa doctrina summa modestia. Montacut. Antidiat. ad Exercit. 3. Vide Gatakeri Cinnum. c. 9.
He hath written an Exposition on five of the small Prophets, and a little book of Chronology in English.
But there is a large Latine Chronology also of his, which *Lectori indicabo Eduarduus Liveleum in opere Chronologico suo nondum edito, &c. In toto hoc argumento Chronologico Josephum Scaligerum virum maximum maxime admirans, non rarò tamen ab eo dissentit: verùm ita; ut modestiam priùs laudes an doctrinam non scias. Casaub. Exercit. 16. ad Annal. Baron. Num. 34. An. 34.Casaubone commends, as worthy to be published. This Book B. Vsher hath, and he quotes it in his Book De Macedonum & Asianorum Anno Solari, c. 3. in Chronologiâ nondum editâ, vir doctissimus Edovardus Liveleius.
Titus Livius.
Petrus Crinitus l. 7. De Honesta Disciplina c. 12. saith his History was divided by him into Books not Decades.Latinae historiae princeps. Eras. Ep. l. 28. Epist. 15. Veteribus rerum Romanarum scriptis ab origine repetitis, rectoque & accurato judicio perpensis at que comparatis, edidit. historiam Dominio ac Imperio Romano dignam. Praesat. ad Antiq. Eccles. Britan. Vide Boxhorn Monum. Clar. Vir. Magnitudine quidem & majestate operis ante omnes. Diffusus ille & placidus, in Concionibus maximè disertus. Patavinitas ei objecta ab Asinis, id est, nisi fallor, sermonis quaedam peregrinitas, nec tam in verbis quam stylo toto. Lips. Not. ad 1. lib. Polit. Vide Pignor. Symb. Epist Ep. 44. Ante alios Livius qui praeter quam quod pure adeô & perspicuè scribat, quodque exempla ac praecepta adfert, quae Dei providentiam doceant, at prudentiam augeant moralem ac civilem; etiam orationes habet in vario admodum argumento multum profuturas eloquentiae studioso, Vossius De Studiorum Ratione.
Neque partitiones decadum ab ipso Livio sunt, quod professorem Humanitatis ignorare non decebat, antiqui enim Grammatici non Decades, sed libros agnoscunt. Pignor. Symb. Epist. Ep. 44.
Benius criminatur Livianam phrasin, facere operae precium, quod neque Ciceronia sit, neque Terentiana: at num ideo minus Latina? affirmet cui cornea fibra est. Ego utique non affirmabo qui sciam, linguam Latinam debere uni Livio magnam copiam genuinae elocutionis quam apud Ciceronem & Terentium frustra quaerimus. Vt jure vocaverit novitius Livii editor omnis latinitatis refertissimum. Id. ibid. Vide plura ibid.