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chief restorers of the beauty of the Latin language. His work "On the elegance of the Latin language," has been frequently printed. He was also the author of Annotations on the New Testament, edited by Erasmus, who wrote in defence of them. Valla had a design to translate the New Testament into Latin; but being forbidden by the pope, he could only write notes upon the Vulgate, censuring the bad latinity, and the inaccuracy of this version. F. Simon is perhaps too severe upon him as a critic, and says, that as he was a mere grammarian his remarks are inconsiderable. favourably received by Pope him from Naples, whither he secution of the inquisition.

52nd. of his age." 68

year

His "Annotations" were Nicholas V. who recalled had fled, to avoid the perHe died in 1457, in the

BAPTISTA MANTUANUS, a monk of Mantua, of the order of the Carmelites, after being chosen six times Vicar General, was constituted General of the order. To polite literature he added the knowledge of the Hebrew, as well as of the Greek and Latin languages. He wrote a tract entitled De Causa Diversitatis inter Interpretes S. Scripturæ, in which he defended the Vulgate version against the Jews. His works were printed at Antwerp, in 1607, in 4 vols. 8vo. He died in 1516.69

JOHN FRANCIS PICUS, or Pico, earl of Mirandola, was born February 24th. 1463. He lost his father early, but he found in his mother a most attentive guardian; and the care which she took of his education, was repaid by the most astonishing improvement. It is said, that when he was only eighteen years of age he understood twenty-two different languages. In 1491, he gave up his estates, and retired to one of his castles, that he might devote himself entirely to theological studies, and Jortin's Life of Erasmus, I. p. 20.

(68) Hody, ut sup.

(69) Hody, ut sup. p. 443.

Le Long, Biblioth, Sacra, II, p. 624. Paris, 1723.

especially to the study of the Scriptures. In this retirement he died, in 1494, at the age of thirty-one. He wrote against Judicial Astrology, combating the cabalistic opinions of the Jews; and defended the Septuagint version of the Psalms; and was the author of an Exposition of the Lord's Prayer, and many other works.70 After he had withdrawn from the pomp and ambition of the court, he thus expressed himself in a letter to a friend: "Many think it a man's greatest happiness in this life to enjoy dignity and power, and to live in the plenty and splendour of a court; but of these, you know, I have had a share: and - - - - I am persuaded the Cæsars, if they could speak from their sepulchres, would declare Picus more happy in his solitude, than they were in the government of the world: and if the dead could return, they would choose the pangs of a second death, rather than risk their salvation a second time in public stations.""

RODOLPHUS AGRICOLA was a learned German. Towards the close of life he devoted himself entirely to the study of the Scriptures, and of the Hebrew tongue, which he had only begun to learn at forty; but in which he made such improvement, that with the assistance of his teacher, he made a translation of the PSALMS. He died in 1485, aged forty-three."

JOHN CRESTON was an Italian Carmelite monk and doctor, of Placentia. He published an edition of the PSALMS, in Greek, with a Latin translation, or rather corrected edition of the Vulgate, printed at Milan, 1481, in small folio, or quarto, at the expense of Bonaccursius Pisanus.73

(70) Hody, pp. 445, 446.

Clarke's Bibliographical Dictionary, V. p. 215.

Le Long, II. p. 905,

(71) Butler's Lives, IX. p. 71.

(72) Hody, p, 446.

(73) Hody, p. 446.

Jortin's Life of Erasmus, I. p. 76.

Le Long, edit, Masch, pt, ii. vol. II. sec. 1. p. 311.

CHAPTER III.

SIXTEENTH CENTURY.

Encouragement of Literature in Italy. George of Ambasia. Leo X. Profligacy of the Papal court. Polyglotts. Aug. Justinian. Complutensian Polyglott. Cardinal Ximenes. Mozarabic Liturgy. Editors of the Complutensian Polyglott. Sanctes Pagninus. Learned Italians. Spanish Councils. Hebrew Literature. State of Biblical Literature in France and England. Persecutions in England. Biblical Scholars. Low state of Biblical Knowledge in Germany. Astonishing Ignorance of many of the Clergy. German Scholars. Erasmus.

THE

HE commencement of the Sixteenth Century was marked by a rapidly increasing ardour for classical pursuits, and by the publication of various important and magnificent Biblical works, which displayed both the erudition and munificence of those who projected and executed them. In ITALY, the court of Rome, with singular inconsistency, lavished its favours on men of learning and scientific acquirements, regardless of the moral turpitude of their character, and the infidel profligacy of their opinions and habits. Incredible pains were taken to collect books from every quarter, at immense expense; and the papal thunders were directed against any persons who should purloin or disperse the volumes belonging to the libraries attached to the various monastic institutions. A curious proof of this fact is afforded by an epistle, addressed by the cardinal legate, George of Ambasia, to the canons of Bruges, from whom he had borrowed Hilary on the Psalms.

"GEORGE of AMBASIA, presbyter of Saint Sixtus, cardinal of Rouen, legate of the apostolic see, to his dear friends the venerable the fathers, the canons, and chapter, of the sacred chapel of Bruges; wisheth peace."

"HAVING been informed that in the library of your sacred chapel, there was an ancient copy of Hilary of Poitiers upon the Psalms; and taking great delight in literary pursuits, especially those which regard our holy religion, so far as our weak abilities will permit; we requested from your paternal kindness the loan of that book for a few days, to which you courteously acceded, notwithstanding the Pontifical Bull, which forbade any books being taken away from the library under pain of excommunication."

"Wherefore, having read the book with considerable pleasure, we have resolved to have it copied; for which purpose it will be requisite to have it in our possession for some months, though we intend, after it has been transcribed, to return it uninjured to your paternal care. We, therefore, absolve you from whatever censures or punishments you might incur by lending the book; and, by the authority with which we are invested, do hereby pronounce and declare you absolved, notwithstanding any thing to the contrary, contained in the aforesaid bull, or in any other."

"Given at Bruges, the third day of March MDVII. GEORGE, cardinal-legate of Rouen."

The election of the young Cardinal JOHN DE Medici, to the pontifical chair, in 1513, proved favourable to the general interests of literature, but increased the licentiousness of the papal court, and spread a baneful influence over the whole of the Romish hierarchy. The celebrity of this pontiff, who assumed the title of LEO X. and the intimate connection of his pontificate with the Reformation by LUTHER, may justify us in detailing at some (1) Voyages Litteraires de deux Religieux Benedictins, I. p. 29.

length, the more prominent traits of his life and character. JOHN, or GIOVANNI DE MEDICI, was a native of Florence, the second son of LORENZO, styled the Magnificent, and grandson of Cosmo the Great. From his infancy he was destined to the church, and received an education suited to the high rank and ambitious views of his father, which produced a correspondent gravity of deportment at so very early an age, that his biographer says, "he seems never to have been a child."

At seven years of age he was admitted into holy orders, and about a year afterwards, was appointed abbot of Fonte Dolce, by Louis XI. of France, who also conferred upon him the abbacy of the rich monastery of Pasignans. Yet we are assured that at this early period he "was not more distinguished from his youthful associates, by the high promotions which he enjoyed, than he was by his attention to his studies, his strict performance of the duties enjoined him, and his inviolable regard to truth.” He, however, bore "his blushing honours thick upon him," for when he was only thirteen years of age, he received the dignity of a cardinal, from Pope Innocent VIII. and Pope Julius II. employed him as legate. On the 11th. of March 1513, being then only thirty-seven years old, he was elected supreme head of the church, on the decease of Julius, and assumed the name of Leo X.

The commencement of his pontificate seemed to realize the high expectations which had been formed of it, particularly by a general amnesty published at Florence, his native city, respecting those who had been the occasion of the violent civil commotions which had taken place in it; and by the recall of the banished citizens to their country. With considerable address and perseverance, he surmounted the difficulties which had prevented the enjoyment of peace between Italy and France; and composed the troubles which the ambition of the surrounding sovereigns, or the misconduct of his predecessors, had

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