A Fit Conjucture of Religion and Learning, Book 3 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
ROdolphus Agricola. He was a very eminent Scholar, a Musician, a Painter,Illius scripta maximè omnium qui aetate nostra vixerint mihi quidem probantur. Pet. Bemb. Epist. l. 6. Eras. Vir cum omnium liberalium artium egregiè eruditus, tum Oratoriae atque Poeticae peritissimus. Denique & Graecam linguam non minus quam Latinam calluit. Eras. Epist. l. 21. Vir in secularibus literis omnium suo tempore doctissimus, & divinarum non ignar…s, Philosophus, Rhetor & poeta celeberrimus, trium linguarum principalium, Hebraicae, Graecae, Latinae peritus, ingenio subtilis, eloquio disertus. Trithemius de uiris Illustribus. In luminibus tenebrosi hujus saeculi jure censendus. Morn. Myst. Iniq. part. 2. Rodolphus Agricola primus omnium post beata Graeciae Italiaeque tempora eximium illum logicae facultatis usum revocavit, ut juventus à poëtis & oratoribus disceret non solum pure loqui & ornate dicere, sed de propositis rebus acute cogitare prudenterque judicare. Rami Praefat. De conjungenda Eloquentia cum Philosophia. Vide Auberti Miraei Elogia Belgica. & vit. Profes. Gron. & Pantal. de Vir. Illust. German. and very studious of other Arts and learned in them. Inter Graecos graecissimus, inter Latinos latinissimus: Amongst the Grecians a speciall Grecian; amongst the Latinists a pure Latinist. In verse you would have thought him another Virgill, in prose he resembled Angelus Politianus in wittiness, in majesty he exceeded him. Swertii Athenae Belgicae.
Hermolaus Barbarus made these verses on Agricola,
Invida clauserunt hoc marmore fata Rudolphum
Agricolam, Frysii spem que decusque soli.
Scilicet hoc vivo meruit, Germania, laudis,
Quicquid habet Latium, Graecia quicquid habet.
Beissard in his Icones mentions his Works.
Thuanus Tomo primo Hist. l. 16. p. 459. much commends Georgius Agricola. He goes beyond all in those subjects, Dere M…ttallica, & Statica.
Henricus Cornelius Agrippa, a great Scholar, but too much given to Magick, as his Book De occulta Philosophia shews, which I wonder any will justifie.
Adhuc cum plausu à multis exceptum volumen de vanitate scientiarum, alium addidit librum de occulta Philosophia, curiosis admodum pestilentem, quod opus ex censura Christiana, edicto vetatur, apud unos impios reperitur. Paul. Jov. Elog. Doct. Vir. homo cumprimis eruditus & Magicis superstitionibus infamis: Thuan. Hist. Tom. 4. lib. 89. Vanissimus ille vanitatum effictor. Tych. Brah. lib. 1. de Nova Stella.
Ainsworth a Brownist, but a learned Hebrician, and good Commentator on the five Books of Moses, the Psalmes and Canticles. He hath published also other Works, all which are much liked by some of our Divines.
William Alablaster an excellent Poet, he wrote a Poem called Elisaeis, of the chief things in Q. Elizabeths Reign, but it was not perfected.
There is his Apparatus in revelat. Iesu Christi.
Albategnius an Arabian, Anno 1070. a famous Mathematician and Physitian.Albatenius in Aristotelem commentarios aedidit, ac Galeni libros in Arabum vertit sermonem, scripsitque de simplicibus. Volat. Anthropol. l. 21. He hath written De Numero Stellarum & Motibus.
Albertus Magnus, for his Learning and exact knowledge of all good DisciplinesOb sapientiam singularem cognomento magnus Bellarm. de script. Eccles. A…no Christi 1259. Calvis. Chron. Albertus cognomento magnus, vir in divinis Scripturis eruditissimus, & in seculari Philosophia nu…ll suo tempore secundus, ingenio subtilis, sermone Scholasticus, vita & conversatione devotus & sanctissimus. Si quae miranda fecisse dicitur, non malcficio sed occultis naturae sibi tamen patentibus rebus id factum non dubito. Trithem. Catal▪ Illust. vir. Vir eruditionis admirandae, quem divinarum rerum pauca, humanarum fortasse nulla la…uerunt, sublimibus ingenii ac memoriae viribus usque ad miraculum praestans, in divinis studiis longè eruditissimus, & Philosophorum omnium quos vel ante, vel post eum universa Germania protulit princeps, ob eximiam scientiatum ejus multitudinem▪ magnitudinemque. Magni cognomen, quod nulli unquam eruditorum contigit, ante mortem adeptus. Sixt. Senens. Biblioth. Sanct. l. 4. he was sirnamed Great. He left many Scholars and two principall ones among the rest, Thomas de Aquino, and Bonaventure.
He died when he was fourscore years old. He left many Books which are now Printed, and do much elucidate Philosophy and Divinity. Although he was as it were the chief of the Schoolmen, yet he hath some things not agreeable to the Doctrine of the Papists.
Ill…r. Catal. Test. verit. l. 16.
His Works were many, the principall are reckoned up by Boissard in his Icones.
Leander Albertus, His Italia, and his Book De viris Illustribus ordinis Praedicatorum, shew his great abilities.
Leo Bapt. *Ingenio vir admirabili, ac uti ad omnes omnino disciplinas tam practicas quam theoricas nato: nam & Geometria perfectus & Optices, Astrologiae, Musicae, Picturae, Torrentices, aliarumque id genus artium omnium gnarus fuit, opera quoque nonnulla reliquit haud vulgaria, nominatim librum praeclarae eruditionis indicem de architectura. Leand. Alb. Descript. tot. Ital.Albertus, he was a Learned man of the same family.
Gabriel Albaspinaeus Bishop of Orleance.
He published a Book de Eucharistiae Mysterio, and two Books De veteribus Ecclesiae ritibus cum notis in Concilium Eliberitanum, & aliquot Tertulliani libros.
Mr Selden and Mr Gillespie cite his observations on Tertullian, and speak of him as a great Antiquary.
This was his Epitaph,
Clauditur hoc tumulo spinâ cui nomen ab Albâ,
Successor patriae fidei, successor honoris,
Regis deliciae, procerumque & plebis amores:
Dives opum bene partarum, sed ditior usu;
Munificus, facilisque aditu, studiisque politus
Ingenuis, rectique tenax, & simplice lingua
Egregium decus oris erat; maturius annis
Consilium, & cani juvenili in corpore mores.
Denique florebat summae spes proxima laudi;
Cùm brevis humanis semper virtutibus aetas
Ter den…s juvenem vetuit numerare Decembres.
Tot bona quam parvo rapuerunt tempore fata!
Edmundus Albertinus, a Learned French Protestant Divine of Paris.
There is a Learned Book of his de Sacramento Encharistiae lately published, with a Preface of Blondels to it.
Andreas Alciatus was the first that wrote Learned notes on the Civil Law, afterAndreas Alciatus mediolanensis primus purioris litteraturae & antiquitatis cognitionem ad Juris scientiam attulit, Thuanus Hist. Tom. 1. l. 8. Vide plura ibid. Post eum statim affulserunt ex singulis nationibus Christianis jurisconsulti Clarissimi, ex Italis Decianus, M… nochius, Pancirollus; ex Hispanis Ant. Augustinus, Did. Covarruvias, Ant. Govea…us, Arius Penellus; ex Gallis Budaeus, Cujacius Duarenus, Tiraquellus, Contius, Hottomamus, Balduinus, Brissonius, Antonius & Pet. Faber; ex Germanis Zasius, Sichardus, Vigilius. D. Duck de Author. Jur. Civil. Roman. l. 1. c. 5. Vide Ianl Nicii Erythraei pinaco cothecam secundam in Francisco Alciato. him Budeus, and Cujacius, and many others.
Erasmus *l. 23. Epist. Epist. 12. Lil. Gyrald. de Poet. Nost. Temp. Dial. 2.stiles him Unicum hujus aetatis miraeulum, ac studiorum delicium, the only miracle of this age, and the darling of the Muses: By Lilius Gyraldus he is intitled, Iurisperitorum eloquentissimus, eloquentium juris peritissimus, polyhistor, bonusque poeta.
His Emblems are much commended by Iulius Scaliger.Alciati praeter emblemata nihil mihi videre contigit. Ea verò talia sunt ut cum quovis ingenio certare possint. Dulcia sunt, pura sunt, elegantia sunt: sed non sine nervis: sententiae verò cales, ut etiam ad usus civilis vitae conferant. Scalig. Hypercritic. cap. 3.
Arias Montanus made these verses of him,
Eloquio jus Romanum lucebat & arte▪
Turba obscurarunt barbara legulei.
Andreas prisco reddit sua jura nitori,
Consultos que facit doctius inde loqui.
Our age (saith Learned Pasquier Recherch. de la France, l. 9. ch. 30.) brought forth four great persons in the same time, Erasmus a Dutchman, Budeus a Frenchman, Alciate an Italian, Vives a Spaniard: and yet we have with us (saith he) Adrian Turnebus and Peter Ramus, which last hath made many Books full of learning and knowledge; and for Turnebus his Adversaria consisting in Humanity, it is a work unimitable in variety of knowledge. In his 29. ch. of that Book he speaks of the Lawyers in the year 1500 which joyned the study of the Law with humane learning, where he makes honourable mention of also Budeus, Alciate, Cujacius, and divers others.
Stephanus Paschafius likewise in his Icones, hath these verses of Erasmus, Budaus and Alciate.
Qui leget hos, leget ille sui tria lumina secli,
Lumina non ullo non celebranda die.
Hic Italus, Gallusque alius, Germanus & alter,
Quos triplex uno tempore fama tulit.
Flaccus Albinus or Alcuinus, vir illis temporibus longè eruditissimus, a learnedAlbinus Flaccus, cognomento Alcuinus, natione Anglicus, Beda Presbyteri Auditor, vir in omni scientiarum genere suo tempore celebratissimus, & Caroli magni Augusti praeceptor. Sixtus Senens. Biblioth. Sanct l. 4. Alcuinus Caroli magni magister & am…cus suit, qui & ipse nonnihil in poetica promovit: at in caeteris disciplinis abundè laudatur. Certè in Gallorum annalibus inter caetera, quod autor fuit ut Parisiensis Schola erigeretur: vobis eam ex iis referam. Delatos esse in Galliam ex Scotia aiunt Claudium, loannem Rnabanum & Alcuinum omnes olim Bedae discipulos, qui se nihil quicquam aliud prae …r bonas artes & sapientiam è patria exporta…e profiterentur, venalemque eam se habere. Res ad Caro um defertur, jussu ejus vocantur. Iidem profitentur liberè, gratis etiam se edocturos, si modo eis locus & vi…a p…aeste…u…. Intellexi…res ingenuas eorum mentes animumque esse, eos apud se retinuit: atque ita (ut fertur) ex iis Pa…sien…e gymnasium initium sumpsit. Lil. Gyrald. de Poet. Hist. Dial. 5. Temporibus Pipini, & filii ejus Caroli magni, Francorum regum, claruir Flaccus Alcuinus, cui cognomentum Albinus fuit. Natione hic erat Anglus, docuit Carolum magnum, ac eidem po…t ab eleemosynis & sanctioribus consiliis fuit, etiam consilio ejus Carolus instituit Academiam Parisinam. Latinè, Graecè, Hebraicè caslebat: atque idem erat rhetor, Philosophus, Marh… maticus, & theologus nobilis. Voss. de Histor. Lat. l. 2. c. 30. English man for those times, Schoolmaster of Charles the Great, one of the Founders of the University of Paris. He lived 800 years after Christ, saith Helvicus in his Chronol.
Camden in his Britane in Yorkeshire, makes honourable mention of him: So doth Caius Histor. Cantabr. Academ. l. 1. p. 37.
That which many Writers observe, of his being Bedes Scholar, will not be made good.
Ulysses Aldrovandus, percelebris ille de animalibus scriptor, so he is styled byRondeletius, Gesnerus, & Aldrovandus, qui tres constituunt trigam historicorum Phy…icorum absolutissimam. Alsted. Encyclop. Gassendus in vita-Peireskii. l. 1.
His Books de Animalibus printed at Bononia are commended.
Hieronymus Aleander Cardinall, was Learned in Latine, Greek and Hebrew, ad stuporem usque, whose labour Leo the Pope used against Luther.
He was of so great a memory, that though he greedily read over many Volumes, yet he remembred all, and would rehearse it long after. Neand. Geog. parte … a.
Alexander the Great, He was tam Marti quam Mercurio, a great Scholar andNam duo Alexandri, unus Macedo alter Imperator Romanus, Hic Virgilii studiosissimus traditur fuisse, ille Homeri, u… nulla unquam die ab eorum lectione vacaverunt. Volat. Comment. Urb. l. 33. Nam Alexandrum à primis annis disciplina erudiit Aristoteles, & ad eam tum animi, tum ingenii praestantiam, quae postea res illas, omnium opinione majores & aggressus est, & confecit, praeceptis Philosophiae pulcherrimis extulit. Phalangem verò, ejusque artem struendae ab uno primum Homeri poetae versu manasse, doctissimi homines memoriae prodiderunt. Ergo vicissim & à litteris adjuvantur arma, & abarmis literae sustinentur. Paul. Manut. Praefat. ad Epist. Souldier both.
He was bred and taught under Aristotle, who Dedicated divers Books of Philosophy unto him: He was attended with Calisthenes, and divers other learned persons that followed him in Camp, and were his perpetuall Associates in all his travailes and conquests. He expostulates with Aristotle for publishing the mysteries of Phylosophy, and gave him to understand, That himself esteemed it more to excell others in Learning and Knowledge, then in Power and Empire.
Alexander de Hales: He was an English man, and Princeps Scholasticorum oneIs natione Anglicus, fons vitae primùm deinde Doctor irrefrag…i…i… cognomin… is clarui… …a…isi…s 1240. & audi. tores habuit Aquinatem, Bonaventuram & alios qui post eum Pontificias traditiones variis modis propagarunt. Quaedam tamen scriptis Alexandri occurrunt, quae cum aliorum Scholasticorum dictis non omnino conveniunt. Discipuli enim & successores, dum magistris acutiores videri volunt, er…ores auxerunt. Illyr. Catal. Test. Verit. l. 16. Vide Sixt. Senens. Bibl. Sanct l. 4. of the chief Schoolmen. He was first called Fons vitae, then Doctor irrifragabilis, the Master of Thomas Aquinas, and Bonaventure. He flourished in the year of Christ 1245.
He wrote by the Commandment of Pope Innocent the 4th, an excellent and most copious summe of Divinity, which is generally known. Bellarm. de Script. Eccles. He wrote other things also, as Gesner shews in his Bibliotheca.
Camden in his Britain in Glocestershire mentions Hales a Monastery there, whence this our Country man came.
Alexander Alesius, a Scotchman of later times, magni inter suos nominis Theologus. Thuan. Hist. Tom. 2do l. 36. Anno Dom. 1551.
Alexander ab Alexandro, a Neapolitane.
He hath written a book styled Genialium dierum, which it were good to reade with Tiraquellus his Annotations, because he shews what Authours he was beholding to for those things he hath.
Iuris consultus Neapolitanus, reliquit Genialium dierum libros sex, verè promptuarium antiquitatis veterisque historiae, etsi nec pauca in …o sint ad verborum proprietatem, aliaque studia pertinentia. Unum autem hoe meritò in hisce praeclaris Commentariis improbari solet, quòd eorum unde profecisset, dissimularet autores. Sed huic vitio medicinam fecit doctissimus, Tiraquellus, qui digitum ad fontes intendens, unde quaeque hausta essent, judicavit. Voss. de Histor. Lat. l. 3. c. 8.
Alhazen▪ Tycho Brahe cals Vitellio ejus imitatorem. Inter Optices scriptores praecipui sunt Alhazen & Vitellio. Tych. Brah. De Nova Stella. c. 1.
Leo Allatius, *Primùm quidem suspiciens variam, insignemque eruditionem, qua Leo Allatius vir pereruditus Romae degens; tot Graecos auctores hactenus invisos, aut inemendatos profert, castigat, interpretatur felicitate mirabili, favere illius conatibus voluit, studioseque egit cum Typographis Parisiensibus, ut lucubrationum ipsius editionem aggrederentur. Gassend. de Vita Peireskii lib. 5.a Learned Scholer, a naturall Grecian.
He hath put out a Book entitled Apes Urbanae, of all the famous men which were at Rome in the years 1630, 1631, 1632, and have published Books.
Muhamedes Alfraganus, a great Astronomer. He is translated out of Hebrew by Iacobus Christmannus, and put out in Arabick and Latine, by Golius.
There are his Chronol. & Astron. Elementa.
Alfred King of England.Alfridus, qui & Ealfredus, & Aluredus debellavit Danos, & unicus sui saeculi Maecaenas …uit. Hujus viri nunquam satis laudati res gestas scripsit Asserius Menevensis, cujus ego historiam plurimi merito facio, quòd Alfrido regi praeceptor aliquando fuit & ejus actorum oculatus planè testis. Lelandi Comment. In cygn. Cant. Ita doctus evasit demum, ut Grammaticus, Philosophus, Rhetor, Historicus, Musicus, & Poeta non vulgaris haberetur: imo architectus ac geometer perfectissimus. Balaeus de Script. Britan. Cent. 2. Dedit Aturedus jam viginti natus annos operam literis, atque ita doctus evasit brevi, ut divi Gregorii dialogos, opus Boetii de Consolatione Philosophiae & Psalmos Davidis, ex Latino in patrium sermonem verterit, quo à cunctis facile intelligeretur. Polyd. Verg. Anglio. Hist. lib. 5.
He divided the day and night into three parts, if he were not let by Warres and other great business, eight hours he spent in Study and Learning, other eight hours he spent in Prayer and Almes-deeds, and other eight hours he spent in his naturall rest, sustenance of his body, and the affairs of his Kingdom.
He was not only very Learned himself, but also a worthy maintainer of the same through all his Dominions.
Thomas Allen, he hath put out Notes on Chrysostem, and Sir Henry Savill often styles him Doctissimum: he was skilled both in Greek and Divinity.
Peter de Alliaco, Bishop of Camray in France, and Cardinall of the Church ofEpiscopus Cameracensis & Ecclesiae Romanae Cardinalis Parisiensis gymnasi… quondam Cancellarius, praeceptor Johannis de Gerson, vir in divinis scripturis eruditissimus, & insecularibus literis, maxime in Philosophia Aristotelica nobiliter doctus, ingenio excellens & Clarus eloquio, declamator quoque sermonum egregius. Trithem. de Script. Eccles. Rome, 1400.
He was a famous Mathematician and Divine, a Germane.
He observing many superstitions and errours in the Church, wrote a Book De Reformatione Ecclesiae, and in the year 1414, he left it with the Councell of Constance to judge of it.
Alphonsus King of Arragon.Alphonsus Rex in tabulas Astronomicas convocatis undique Mathematicis insignibus quadringenta Coronatorum millia impendit. Alexandri erga Aristotelem in animalium historiam liberalitate pene exaequata. Rami Scholae Mathem. l. 3. Alphonsus Arragonum & Siciliae Rex non tantum doctos in omni scientiarum genere viros amavit. Sed ipse etiam tam impense bonorum auctorum lectioni operam dedit, ut a gravissimis etiam morbis lectionis assiduirate se liberatum saepenumero pronunciavit. Hispanos etiam quingentis atque eo amplius annis à studiis usque adeo abhorrentes, ut qui litteris operam impenderent, ignominia propemodum notarentur, ad litterarum cultum sic revocavit, ut rudes propeque efferator homines, doctrina & cruditione reformaverit. Quotidie Poetas, Philosophos, Theologos, aut legentes aut disputantes, aut orantes magna attentione audire solebat. Boxhorn. Monum. Illust. vir. & Elog. Vide Gassend. Praefat. in Tych Brah. vit. & Panormit. vit. Alphonsi regis Arragonis.
He much favoured the wits of his age, and therefore he honourably maintained at his Court Bartholomaeus Facius, Georgius Trapezuntius a Grecian, Laurentius Valla, Antonius Panormitanus, and other Learned men in great number. His vertues are most amply celebrated by Blondus, Sabellicus, Bernardinus Corius, Antonius Panormitanus, Simoneta, and other Learned Writers.
A most excellent Philosopher and Astronomer as any of his time, a great lover and advancer of Learning.
He was wont to say, Se malle privatim vivere, quam eruditione carere, he had rather live privately then want learning, and that an unlearned King was but a Crowned Asse.
When he was sick of a great disease, and his Physitians applied many medicines in vain, he began to reade the history of Curtius concerning Alexander, and was so much delighted with it, that being restored to health he is reported to have said, Valeant Avicenna, Hippocrates, medici caeteri: Vivat Curtius sospitator meus. Anton. Panorm. lib. de rebus gestis Alphonsi.
Petrus Alphonsus, a Jew, and first called Moses, he left Judaism and was converted to the Christian Faith, and was by Baptism ingraffed into Christ, in the year of our Lord 1106, on Peters day, when he was 44 years old, whence he had the name of Peter given him; and because Alfonsus the King of Spain was his Surety in Baptism, he was called Alfonsus. Illyr. Catal. Test. Verit. l. 14. Iohn Henry Alstid an industrious Writer, but a great Collectour.
Henricus Alting.Roma in Bibliotheca vatican… inter Heidelbergensia cimelia, dicam an spolia, ostentat themata & exercitia styli Regis Bohemiae, Altingii manu emendats, eruditis peregrinatoribus minimèque superstitlosis visenda vitae Profes. Groningae.
He and Conradus Vorstius were Piscators Scholars; Piscator was wont to call Alting Theologum optimum, Vorstins Pessimum.
Spinola invading the Palatinate, and the place taken where he remained, a bloudy fellow used these words to him with a Poleax in his hand, I have killed with these hands ten men to day, to which D. Alting shall be speedily added, if I knew where he did lie hid, but who art thou? he answered, I was the Schoolmaster in the Colledge of Wisdom, and so escaped.
His works are these Scripta Theologica Heidebergensia tribus Tomis.
Exegesis Augustanae confessionis, unà cum Syllabo controversiaram Lutharanarum Methodus Theologiae Didacticae, & Catecheticae.
Henry Alting his sonne, who wrote Hebraeorum Respublica Scholastica.
Didatus Alvarez, a famous Spanish Divine, and for the most part orthodoxNatione Hispanus, patria Granatensis. Fuit ingenio candidus, moribus suavis. Bibliotheca Scriptorum Societ. Iesu a Philippo Alegambo edita. Insignis Theologus & in controversiis de Praedestinatione ut plurimum Orthodoxus. Twiss▪ contra Corvinum. cap. 10. Sect. 2. in the controversies concerning Predestination, as likewise Dominicus Bannes, and the Dominicans generally are, who follow Thomas, as the Franciscaens do Scotus.
Sixtinus Amama, a Dutchman, both learned and modest.De nominum divino…um differentiis, & religione atque decretis Rabbinorum circa illa diligentissimè doctissiméque scripsit Cl. Vir D. Sixtinus Amama Ebraic literarum professor, praeceptor meus & fautor maximopere honorandus, in dissertatione sua de nomine Tetrigrammato not. Coch. Tit. Talmud. Sahend. c. 7.
His Antibarbarus Biblicus and Censura are usefull.
One that had a natural genius to enlighten the Text of Scripture, and to findeMr. Medes 3d Letter to my Lord of Armagh. Episcopus Mediolanensis, in divinis scripturis at que in secularibus literis omnium facilè doctissimus, Graeco atque Latino sermone ad perfectum instructus, cujus meritum totus orbis personat. Qui in exponendis declarandisque divinis scripturis omnes doctores vicit, cujus fidem nulla unquam potestas terrena infringere potuit, ita ut multis Episcopis pro fide religatis exilio, Ambrosium nullus unquam auderet attingere. Fuit enim velut malleus haereticorum, constantissimus impugnator, cujus linguae in fide Christi loquenti nulla potuit anquam authoritas humana imponere filentium. Pro fide semper paratus quaelibet subire pericula, Domino protegente liber ubique & illaesus evasit. Trithem. de Scriptoribus Eccles. Vi…. disertus & valde eruditus in Philosophia. Hunc falso accusat Porphyrius quod ex Christian… Ethnicus fuerit, cum constet cum usque ad extremam vitam Christianum perseverasse. Hieron de Script. Eccles. the notion of the sacred Language.
Ambrose Bishop of Milane.
He hindred Theodosius the Emperour from entring into the Church, for a murther committed at Thessalonica. To whom when the Emperour said, That David the King was also an adulterer and manslayer, Ambrose answered, Qui secutus es errantem, sequere poenitentem, Thou that hast followed him sinning, follow him repenting. Hence the Emperour underwent a publick penance imposed upon him by the Bishop. He stoutly defending the Catholick Faith and Ecclesiastical Discipline, converted many Arians, and other hereticks to the truth of the Faith.
It is reported of him, that when he was an Infant, a swarm of Bees setled on his face, as be lay in his Cradle, and flew away without hurting of him, whereupon his Father said, If this childe live, he will be some great man.
He flourished anno Christi 361. Helv. Chron.
Cardinal Baronius at the commandment of Pope Sixtus, wrote St Ambrose his life with all diligence. Before he was Bishop, he was a secular Judge, and no Divine: nay, no Christian at all: but his Christianity and Divinity began both together, after he was chosen Bishop of Milane. For, he was fain to be Christened, before he could be consecrated. Bish. Andrews Answ. to the 20th Ch. of Cardinal Perrons Reply.