Treatise of Religion and Learning, Book 3 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Vir meo judicio quamvis Papista tamen candidus, plurimumque distans ab ea pertinacia quam in reliquis deplorare cogimur. Cham. de Canone Tom. 1. l. 12. c. 1.THomas de Vio Cajetanus, an Italian and a Cardinall.
A man very well read in Divinity, having studied it even from a childe, who for the happiness of his wit, and for his laborious diligence, became the prime Divine of that and many more ages, unto whom there was no Prelate or person in the Councell who would not yield in Learning, or thought himself too good to learn of him.
This Cardinall, going Legate to Germany in the year 1523. studying exactly how those that erred might be reduced to the Church, and the Arch-heretiques convinced, found out the true remedy, which was, the literall meaning of the text of the Scripture in the Originall Tongue in which it was written, and all the residue of his life, which was 11 years, he gave himself to the study of the Scripture, expounding not the Latine Translation, but the Hebrew Roots of the Old, and the Greek of the New Testament. In which Tongues, having no knowledge himself, he imployed men of understanding, who made construction of the Text unto him word by word, as his Works upon the holy Texts do shew. That good Cardinall was wont to say, that to understand the Latine text, was not to understand the infallible Word of God, but the word of the Translator, subject and obnoxious unto errour. Hist. of the Counc. of Trent, l. 2. p. 155.
Vide Leand. Alberti Descr. tot. Ital.Cajetane is commended for an incomparable Divine by Sixtus Senensis Bibl. 4. Tit. Thomas, and for the most Learned man of his time by Pererus the Jesuite, Comment. in illa verba Gen. Creavit Deus, &c. Vide Leand. Albert. Descript. tot. Ital. & Gerh. l. 2. Cathol. Confess. Art. 1. c. 1.
P. Victor Cajetanus Palma.
He hath put out Paradigmata de quatuor Linguis Orientalibus Praecipuis.
Joannes Caius, a Learned Doctor of Physick of Cambridge.
He hath written a Book de Libris propriis, and besides Commentaries or Annotations upon divers Physick Books, and other Books Translated or Corrected by him: He mentions these,
De Medendi Mothodo. Two books.
De Ephemera Britannica. Three books.
De Antiquitate Cantabrig. Academiae. Two books.
De Historia Cantabrig. Academiae. Two books.
De Rariorum animalium atque stirpium Historia. One book.
De Symphonia vocum Britannicarum. One book.
De Thermis Britannicis. One book.
De Antiquis Britanniae urbibus. One book.
De Libris propriis. One book.
De Pronunciatione Graeca & Latinae Linguae cum scriptione nova. One book.
De Annalibus Collegii. One book.
De Annalibus Collegii Gonevilli & Caii. One book.
Compendium Erasm. lib. de vera Theologia. One book.
Xenophon and Caesar wrote their own acts so wisely, and without all suspicion of partiality, as none hath been so upright in writing the histories of others. Caesars Commentarios are to be read with all curiosity, wherein is seen the unspotted propriety of the Latine Tongue, even when it was at the highest pitch. Aschams Schoolmaster 2d part. See more there. Vide Strad. prolus. l. 2, 3. Hist. part. 2. Julius Caesar, Scriptor est purus & elegans, inque verborum structura accuratus, omnino placidi instar fluminis procurrens: interea foreign, ac gravis in sententiis: quo Xenophontem exsuperat: caeteroquin ei non dissimilis multum. Voss. de Histor. Lat. l. 1. c. 13. Vide plura ibid. Duae namque sunt Aquilae solae in natura rerum: altera bellicae laudis, altera literariae: Illa pocentiae, haec sapientiae. Caesar & Aristoteles. Unicus poeticae Sireno phoenix, Virgilius. Scalig. de Subtil. Ad Cardan. 194.Julius Caesar, a great Conquerer, and as great a Scholar.
He hath published his own Acts both truly and purely. His Commentaries shew his great Eloquence.
Gesta notasse opus est ingens, gessisse notanda.
Majus opus: princeps Caesar utrunquefacit.
Manutius in his Preface on Caesars Commentaries much commends Caesar and his Commentaries.
Huic ipsi Caesari, atque iterum Terentio, ob proprietatem ac nativam Romani sermonis elegantiam, proximum post Tullium damus locum, Voss. Institut. Orat. l. 4. c. 1. Sect. 9.
In procinctu, ac pene in acie quoque ipsa rerum suarum Commentarios ita diligenter conficiebat: ut nihil a quo quam tam putetur accurate prescriptum: quod non illorum purissima elegantia superetur. Polit. Epist. l. 10. Epist. 1.
Domitius Calderinus Veronensis.
He was a good Grammarian. He hath published three books of Observations,Vir sane non indoctus, floruit ante annos 100. Non libenter audiebat missas, ut scriptores quidam (inter quos & Vives) testantur. Cumque aliquando ab amicis invitus ad eas pertraheretur, solitus erat dicere; Eamus sane ad communes errores. Sentiebat igitur, missam esse quendam errorem, in quo plerique homines vehementer errarent. Illyr. Catal. Test. Verit. l. 19. Vide Volat. Anthropol. l. 21. a Comment on Martiall, and Notes on Ovids Epistles.
Vir fuit acris ingenii, multae que in literis industriae, Latinae linguae diligentissimus, Graecae non incuriosus: non prosam condere absurdus, non carmen. Nimium sus tamen (quod opera ipsius testantur) admirator, ac pro sententia cui semel adhaeserat, etiam contra verum contumax, & refractarius. Polit. Miscel. Cent. 1. c. 9. Vide plura ibid. & Epist. l. 3. Epist. 19.
Ambr. Calepinus.Quidam libri ejusmodi sunt ut semel at que iterum aucti, locupletari tamen atque ornari deinde possint, quo ex genere bonum fatum Calepinus sortitus est, cui quotidie fere omnes homines de suo largiantur: Certe enim illius Dictionarium, quod nunc emittimus, non ram ipsius industria, quam aliorum labore studioque in tantam altitudinem excrevit. Manut. Praefat. in Calep. Nostrum in hoc opere proprium illud putamus, quòd cùm alii in addendo supra modum curiosi fuerint, ut liber excresceret: nos contrà, ne quid praeter rem adderemus, superstitiosi fuimus, nec minus in exsecando diligentes, Id. ibid.
There is his Dictionarium Latino Graecum cum addit. Pauli Manutii.
Dictionarium 10 Linguarum.
Georgius Calixtus, a most learned man.
Professor Theologus Helmstadiensis.
Theologorum Germaniae nostrae bodie princeps & sine pari, Georgius Calixtus, amicus, & olim Collega noster non è mult… Meibomii Maecenas c. 24.
He hath written an Harmony styled Concordia quatuor Evangelicorum Scriptorum, and Tractatus de arte nova.
John Calvin.
One of the soundest Divines and of deepest judgement in matters of Religion,Illustris vir, nec unquam sine summi honoris praefatione nominandus. Episc. And. de usuris Theol. Det. Ejus vita fuit singulare honestaris & pietatis exemplum. Homo zelo domus Dei ardens, & à vitiis non modò alienus, sed etiam eis infestus, vigiliis & labore morbum contraxit, & sub ocu…is amicorum, quos prolixè ad pietatem & tolerandam Christi crucem hortatus est, obdormivit in Domino, vix habens in bonis unde possit Curari funus: Nam tota vita erga pauperes liberalis, erga seipsum parum fuerat. Cujus scripta spirant merum Dei timorem, & Zelum pro Dei Ecclesia. Nec quisquam adversariorum quos habuit innumeros, carpsit ejus mores praeter Hieronymum Bolsecum medicum perditissimum nebulonem qui instigatore Calvino pulsus Geneva ob scelera. vitam Calvini confarcinavit, in qua effudit in virum sanctum plaustera Convitiorum & Mendaciorum. Molin. Hyperaspistes, l. 1. c. 12. Jo Calvinus acri vir ac vehementi ingenio & admirabili facundia praeditus, inter Protestantes magni nominis theologus. Thuan. Hist. Tom. 2. l. 35. both of Doctrine and of Discipline that God gave to his Church this 1000 years. Mr Travers.
Steven Pasquier a French Writer and a Papist doth much extoll his Piety, Wit and Learning, in his Recherches de la France, l. 8. ch. 55. Estoit-il homme bien escrivant tant en Latin que Francois, & anquel nostre langue Francoise est grande ment redeuable pour l'avoir enrichie d' vne infinite des beaux traicts et à la mieme volanté que c'eust estè au meilleur subiet: An demeurant homme merueilleusement versé et nourry aux liures de la saincte escriture, et tel que s'il east tournè son esprit à la bonne voye, il pounoit estre mis an parangon de plus signalez Docteurs de l' Eglise.
He was a good Writer both in Latine and French, and one to whom our French Language is exceedingly obliged, for having enriched it with many good Treatises; and I would they had been upon a better subject. He was marvellously versed and skilled, in the books of the holy Scripture, and such a one that if he had turned his spirit the good way, he might have been set for a Paragon of the most famous Doctors of the Church. This and more he hath there of him.
I willingly acknowledge him to have been an excellent instrument in the Church of God, and a man of a deep judgement, specially in the Exposition of holy Scripture (which I think none condemn more then those who have read him least) yet withall I freely confess he had his errours. Dr Hackw. Apol. l. 5.
Suos naevos haebuit, quanquam in doctrina sua nihil penitus mutavit, quod rarum est in eo presertim qui tam multa scripserit. Mori Calvinus. Vide plura ibid.
His Works have been so profitable to the Church of God that they have been in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Transylvania, Polonia, England, Scotland. His Institutions and Commentaries upon almost all the Scripture, are generally well esteemed.
One writes thus of his Institutions,
Praeter Apostolicas post Christi tempora chartas
Huic peperere libro, secula nulla parem.
His French Works are mentioned by Antoine Du Verdier in his Bibliotheque.
None hath more solidly refuted the Libertines then he.
Vide Jos. Scal. Epist. l. 2. Epist. 115. & 117. & l. 3. Epist. 240. & l 4. Ep. 308. & 404. Sethus Calvisius nuperâ suae Chronologiae Editione, operosam adeo diligentiam adhibuit, ut nihil quicquam omiserat quo verum Historiae tempus exquisitè doceatur. Whear de methodo legendi histor. parte 1a. Sect. 6. Unus tandem, qui instar omnium erit, acuratissimus & harum literarum peritissimus Sethus Calvisius Germanus nuper eruditissimum & consummatissimum Chronicon edidit, quod totum rationum nostrarum insistit munimentis. Est opus aeternitate dignum. Jos. Scaliger. Epist. l. 4 Epist. Posth. 439. Vide ejus opusc.Sethus Calvisius Cantor, a Learned Chronologer.
Giraldus Cambrensis.
There is Rerum Hibernicarum appendix cum Ric. Stanhurst.
Unicum illud & incomparabile opus quo Britanniae nostrae Antiquitatē & suae Antiquitati Britanniam restituit, quo pulcherrimam terram (à toto orbe divisam) toti terrarum orbi conspicuam & illustrem reddidit: hoc uno opere quid luculentius, quid limatius, quid accuratius, vel Pausanias, vel Strabo, vel quivis alius veteram Geographorum dare potuit. Whear Orat. Funeb. Munus à te accepi, vir ornatissime, per mihi gratum, Britaniam tuam: quam illustrasti ingenii & industriae clara face. Multum patria tibi debet multum exteri nos, qui per te pulcherrimam insulam videmus etiam cum non videmus. Perge in hoc & simili studiorum genere, quod abesse non potest quin tibi famam, posteris aerernum ferat fructum. Lips. Epist Cent. 1. Ep. 24. Annales Elizabethae perficit Cumdenus stylo tam plenè regio, tam undequaque & rei & sibi conscio, quasi virginalem rantae majestatis splendorem libro suo maritare statuisset, ut pari famae consortio semper audiant Elizabetha & Camdenus Orat. Townley in memoriam Camdeni. In quo opere perfectae Historiae numeros omnes reperiri haud credo quenquam esse qui diffitebitur. Whear. Orat. Funeb.William Camden, our British Pausanias.
He that is studious of the British History, let him in the first place reade Camdens Britain, where (besides a most accurate description of the whole Island) he may learn the name of Britany, the manners of the Britains, and the History of the Romans in Britain, and many other things most worthy to be known, gathered summarily out of the incorrupt Monuments of ancient Antiquity.
His Annals also of the English and Irish affairs in the Reign of Q Elizabeth, are excellent.
He was Schoolmaster of Westminster School, and his Monument is in Wesiminster Abbie.
He lost a Scholars place in Oxford in Queen Maries daies, because of his Religion.
Pope Vrbane the 8th, who had the Pictures of divers Learned men in his Gallery, had only the Pictures of two English men, Sir Thomas Moore and Master Camden.
The first Learned man which Peireskius met with in England was William Camden, ille de sua Britannia bene meritus. Gassend. De Vita Peireskii, l. 2.
Joach. Camerarius. He was the great honour of Germany.Excellentissimus Graecanicae linguae inte…pres Beriramus in Matth. 19.24. Grati mihi semper Camararii, ob unum illum virum quem Germania vestra habuit sine pari, & tumerito inter eos. Lips. Epist. Cent. 1. Ep. 75. Joach. Camer Doctori medico. Eo provectus es eruditionis, ut communi doctorum omnium conse…su peritiorem linguae Graecae neminem, in Latina verò …lngua disertiores per pucos exactiorem autem nullum scriptorem habuerit Ge…mania, sicut plurima ipsius monumenta testantur. Vide Thuan. Hist. Tomo 3• l. 59. Popeberga, patria de li…ecis optimè meriti Joachimi Camerarii. Quantus autem vit fuerit Joa…himus Camerar…us in omni doct…inarum eruditarum genere, docere possunt libri ejus multi eruditi & va…ii in pub…icu…n hactenu… editi, tum etiam edendi deinceps à filiis ejus doctrina omnigena, dignitate atque auto…icate praestan…bu…, vir… C…arissimis a…que Celeberrimis, Joachimo medicinae doctore ac Reipub. Notinburgensis Medi…o, & Philipp… u…riusque Juris Doctore, & ejusdem Reipub. Consilario dignissimo, & Ludovico Camerariis, Dominis atque amicis nostris Colen…issimis. Neand. Geog parte 1a.
He was exquisitely skilled in the Greek Tongue, a godly and wise man.
Ad hane autem in omnibus bonis disciplinis eruditionem acc…sserat pietas singularis, prudentia longo rerum usu confirmata. Bez. Icon. Vir. Illust.
Joachimus plus habere videtur curae quam naturae. Eras. Epist. l. 26. Epist. 45.
I pray to God continually (saith Casaubon, Epist. Append. Ep. 88. Georgio Remo) ut excitet Camerarios in vestra Germania in nostra Gallia Scaligeros: that he would raise up Camerarii in your Germany, Scaligers in our France.
Vivet viri illius, & aetatem florebit laus intemerata, nec quisquam erit, qui hoc publicum ipsius Elogium. Optimum & Doctissimum Seculi sui fuisse, unquam queat eripere. Dilher. Disput. Acad. Dissertat. 18. de Censoribus.
Philippus Camerarius.Magni illius Jo…chimi filius Philippus Camerarius, vir pietate eximis, opere horarum succisivarum insignis. Scultetu… de Curticulo vitae. Philippus Camerarius Bononiensis dictus, vir gravis & litteratus, ac proxima cognatione Katharinae Reginae conjunctus, Romae obii…. Thuan. Hist. Tom. … l. 6.
His Historicall meditations are larger in Latine then English, and of good use.
John Cameron, a Learned Scotchman, as his Praelectiones, Myrothecium Evangelicum, opuscula Miscellanea, and his Amica Collatio de Gratiae & voluntatis humanae concursu in vocatione de Gratia & Libero Arbitrio, and other Works shew.
Jo. Camers.Johannes dictus Camers, ordinis minorum monachus, non solum divinis verum etiam humanis litteris eruditissimus, uti ejus opera perhibent. Albert. Leand. Descript. Ital.
There is Tabula Cebetis of his.
Thomas Campanella.
He hath written De sensu rerum & magia lib. 4.Scripsit ab anno aetaris vigessimo, non quae ab aliis scripta erant, sed in hoc incumbens, ut nova in omnibus ferè scientiis excogita…e…. Ea à nonnullis in IX. Tom. dictingui intellexi Leonis Allatii Apes urbanae. Scripsit ingens opus, de reformatione scientiarum, decem in codices divisum, quorum singuli plurimas in partes distribuuntur, unde nihil acutissimo ingenio homini tam fuisse propositum apparet, quam relictis veteribus viis, ad omnium scientiarum notitiam, novum a…que directum iter apetire. Jam. Nicii Erythrai Pinacotheca.
Apologia pro Galilaeo.
Prodromus Philosophiae restauranda.
Astrologicorum, lib. 7.
Philosophia sensibus demonstrata.
Quaest. Philologicae, Polit. morales.
Metaphisicarum, l. 18.
Thomas Campegius.
He hath written De Pastorum residentia.
De Rom. Pontifice eum aliis opusc.
De Auctoritate S. Conciliorum Varia opuscula, and other Treatises.
Laur. Campegius.Salisburgensis Episcopus & Cardinalis, suopte ingenio properus notescere annos tantum natus 19. Patavii Jus Caesareum incredibili auditorum admiratione, una cum patre Joanne Campegio, cujus opera in precio sunt, publicè professus est. Nomencla…. Sanctae Roman. Eccles. Cardinal.
There is his Oratio ad ordines Imperii.
Grammatica Hebraica Psalmi juxta Hebraicam veritatem. Lat. Paraphrasis.Joannes Campensis.
His Hebrew Grammer and Learned Paraphrase upon the Psalms and Ecclesiastes according to the Hebrew are published.
Edm Campian, a good Orator.
Tanto Bellarmino inferior eruditione atque doctrina quanto superior cura verborum. Rainold. de lib. Apoc. Tomo primo praelect. 11.
Though the Papists *Edmundus Camp…anus natione Anglus, patria Londinensis, omnium opinione Martyr Christi inclytus, & nostri saeculi Clarissimus. Rationes decem oblati certaminis in causa sidei, redditae Academicis Anglis. In hoc exiguo libello vix credi pótest, quàm multa fidei dogmata paucissimis verbis prestringat; quanta esoquentia ingenii vi & perspicacia, quanto rerum coacervatarum numero ac pondere obruat adversarios. Biblioth. Scriptorum Societat. Jesu A Philippo Alegambe edita.brag much of him, yet our Learned Whitaker hath sufficiently refuted him.
Vir Linguarum non solùm Graecae & Hebraicae, sed Syriacae & aliarum Orientalium rarâ & exquisitâ cognitione insignis. Thuan. Hist. Tomo 1• l. 13.Angelus Caninius, a good Linguist, as his Works shew.
Grammaticorum eruditissimus, so he is styled by Downes in his Notes on Chrysostome.
Henricus Petri societ. Jesu Theologi è fratre nepos.Henricus Canisius and Petrus Canisius, both Learned men.
Primus liber qui à Societate sesu prodiit. Raynaud. Erot. De malis ac bonis libris partit. Erot. 19. Valeri Andreae Biblioth. Belg. Ferdinando Caesari imprimis, Charus acceptusque, cujus etiam auctoritare ac jussu Catechismum verè aureum bono publico conscripsit: quem civis ejus ac propinquus Petrus Busaeus Soc. ejusdem Theologus citatis è SS. Patribus integrè locis, mirificè illustravit. Auberti Miraei Elogia Belgica.Petrus Canisius, his Catechism is much approved of by some.