than at any other place in Europe, Haerlem and Mentz excepted. Not long after, there were presses set up at Westminster, St. Alban's, Worcester, and other monasteries of note. After this manner printing was introduced into England, by the care of archbishop Bourchier, in the year of Christ 1464, and the third of king Edward IV." Archbishop Bourchier died at his palace of Knowle, on Thursday the 30th of March, 1486. He was certainly a man of learning; though no writings by him remain to us, except a few synodical decrees.

ALEXANDER OLIVĂ, a celebrated cardinal, and general of the Austin monks, was born at Saxoferato, in 1408. He was admitted young among the Augustines, and studied at Rimini, Bologna, and Perugia; in which last university he was appointed professor of philosophy and divinity. He was successively chosen provincial, solicitor general, vicar, and general of his order; and in 1460, was appointed cardinal and bishop of Camerino by Pius II. He published, De Christi Ortu Sermones Centum: De Canacum Apostolis facta: De Peccato in Spiritum Sanctum: Orationes elegantes. He died at Tivoli, in 1463.

ALBICUS, archbishop of Prague, who greatly favoured Huss, and the reformers, for which his memory was greatly abused by catholic writers. He wrote some medical pieces, printed at Leipsic in 1484, 4to.

JOHN WESSEL, an eminent divine and philosopher, was born at Groningen about 1409, or according to some writers 1419. Being left an orphan at an early age, he was educated by a charitable lady who sent him with her own son to a college at Zwoll. He studied with incredible ardour, both at Zwoll and at Cologne, in which last place, though much admired, his orthodoxy became suspected. He proposed difficulties which embarrassed his masters, and could not be satisfied with a mere reference to the dicta of Aristotle, Saint Thomas, or other doctors. He often crossed the Rhine to read at the monastery of Duytz the works of the abbot Rupert, of whom he was a great admirer. He taught philosophy at Heidelberg, and after visiting some other universities, went to Paris. At that time disputes ran high between the Realists, the Formalists, and the Nominalists. He fluctuated amidst their different opinions till he came to despise them all; and to a young man, who consulted him respecting the method of pursuing his studies, he said, "You will live to see the day when the doctrines of Thomas Aquinas, Bonaventure, and other disputants of that stamp, will be exploded by all true Christian divines, and when even the irrefragable doctors themselves will be little regarded." It has been asserted that Wessel's high reputation procured him the esteem of Francis della Rovere, general of the Friars Minors, whom he accompanied to the council of Basil,

and with whom whom he returned to Paris, where he resided many years. When his patron was made pope, by the name of Sixtus IV., Wessel paid him a visit at Rome, where he was graciously received; and his holiness offered him any thing he should ask. Wessel limited his request to a Hebrew and a Greek Bible from the Vatican library, "You shall have them," said the Pontiff; "but simple man that you are! why did you not ask a bishopric?" "Because," answered Wessel, "I do not want one:"-a reply mentioned with just applause by the liberal-minded Dr. Jortin. This worthy person died at Groningen, in 1489. On his death-bed he lamented to a friend that he was troubled with doubts concerning the truth of the Christian religion, but at his friend's next visit he told him his doubts were all dissipated. The learning of Wessel was thought so extraordinary in his age, that he received the title of "Light of the World ;" and his spirit of free enquiry led him to opinions which have given him a place in the protestant catalogue of the witnesses of the truth. Some of these were, that the pope might err,-that erring he ought to be resisted,that his commands are obligatory only as far as they are conformable to the word of God,-and that his excommunications are less to be feared than the disapprobations of the lowest worthy and learned man. Hence it is not surprising that after his death the monks burnt all the manuscripts found in his study. Such as escaped this conflagration were printed collectively at Groningen in 1614, and at Amsterdam, in 1617. A part of them had previously been printed at Leipsic in 1522 under the title of "Farrago Rerum Theologicarum," with a preface by Martin Luther.

JOHN MORTON, an English cardinal, was born in 1410, at Bere in Dorsetshire. He received his education at Baliolcollege, Oxford, after which he became principal at Peckwater Inn. In 1473 he was appointed master of the rolls in which situation he adhered, with the utmost fidelity, to the interests of the successor of Henry VI. Edward IV., could not but admire his attachment to his master; he therefore took him to his council, and made him bishop of Ely and lord chancellor in 1478. Richard III., however, committed him to the custody of the duke of Buckingham, who imprisoned him in his castle at Brecknock; from whence he escaped to Ely, and next to the continent, where he joined the earl of Richmond. In 1486 he was raised to the archbishopric of Canterbury, the next year made lord chancellor, and in 1493 created a cardinal. In 1494 he was chosen chancellor of Oxford. He died September 15, 1500. Among other acts of public benefit which he effected was that of cutting the drain from Peterborough to Wisbeach.

ST. CATHERINE, a saint of the Romish Church, cano

nized by pope Clement VII. She was born at Bologna, in 1413, and admitted a nun at Ferrara 1432. She was afterwards abbess of a convent at Bologna, where she died in 1463. She wrote a book of Revelations, and several pieces in Latin and Italian.

CONRAD OF ASTI, a Piedmontese Dominican monk, was chosen thirtieth general of his order, in the year 1462; but pope Paul II., disapproving his election, he voluntarily relinquished that office, and retired to his convent at Asti, where he died in the year 4470. He was the author of Commentaria in "Jus Canonicum;" "Summa Casuum Conscientiæ," and other pieces, which yet remain in MSS.

FRANCIS OF PAULO, a Romish saint, born in 1416, at Paulo in Calabria. He retired to a cell on a desert part of the coast, where he obtained many followers, and built a monastery, and founded the order of Minims. He formed a rule for his order, which was approved by pope Alexander IV., and confirmed by Julius II. He enjoined perpetual abstinence from wine, fish and meat. His disciples always went barefooted, never slept upon beds, and practised many other mortifications. He went to France at the earnest solicitation of Louis XI., who hoped to be cured of a dangerous malady by his presence. Francis died at Plessis-du-Parc, in 1508, when he was 91 years of age. He was canonized in 1519, by Leo X. By the confession of his admirers, he was a very illiterate

man.

HENRY HARPHIUS, a celebrated mystical writer, a native of Erp, or Herph, a village in Brabant, whence he derived his surname. He embraced the monastic life in that

branch of the Franciscan order of which the members were called friars minors of the Observance, and acquired a high reputation as a director of consciences. He died at Mechlin in the year 1478, where he filled the office of father guardian. He is classed among the writers of eminence in mystical divinity, and his books have been much admired and read in catholic countries, and in particular by the religious belonging to his own order.

ROBERT FLEMMING, nephew to Richard Flemming, received his education at Oxford, and, in 1451, was raised to the deanery of Lincoln. He visited Italy, where he was much admired for his learning and eloquence, particularly by pope Sixtus IV., to whom he presented a Latin poem, entitled “Lucubrationes Tibertina." He died in 1483.

PAUL ATTAVANTI, generally distinguished by the title of Father Paul of Florence, was born in that city in 1419. He entered when but a youth into the religious order of the Servites, or servants of the Blessed Virgin. This order was first instituted in 1223, in Tuscany, by some merchants of Florence.

Paul was learned as well as pious, and Marsilius Ficinus compared his eloquence to the charms of Orpheus. He was in habits of intimacy with most of the literati of his day, and frequently visited the Platonic academy which assembled in the palace of Lorenzo de Medicis. He zealously promoted the interests of his order, and extended it in Piedmont, Savoy, and Switzerland, and became provincial in Tuscany. He died at Florence in May, 1499. His works are-1. Vita beati Joachimi. 2. Quadregisimale de reditu peccatoris ad Deum, 4to. 3. Breviarum totius juris canonici, folio. 4. Expositio in Psalmos Penitentiales, 4to. 5. De origine ordinis Servorum beatæ Mariæ, 4to.

JOHN BALNE, a native of France, born about 1420. His parents were in low circumstances, but by art and servility, he obtained several rich preferments, and at last was made bishop of Angers, after his old patron of that see was deposed. He afterwards got a cardinal's hat from Paul II. But a correspondence which he had engaged in, with the dukes of Burgundy and Bern, to the disadvantage of Lewis, being discovered, he was seized and confined in an iron cage 11 years. After his liberation he went to Rome, from whence he was sent as legate by Sixtus V. to France. He died in 1491.

JAMES PICCOLOMINI, whose proper name was Ammanati, took that of Piccolomini, in honour of his patron Pius II. He was born near Lucca, in 1422. He became bishop of Masse, afterwards of Frescati; a cardinal in 1461, under the title of de Parie; and died in 1479, aged 57, of an indigestion of figs. He left 8000 pistoles in the banker's hands, which pope Sixtus IV. claimed, and of which he gave a part to the Hospital of the Holy Ghost. His works, which consist of some letters, and a history of his own time, were printed at Milan in 1521, in folio. His history, entitled "Commentaries," commences 18th of June, 1464, and ends the 6th of December 1469. They are a Sequel to Pius II.'s Commentaries, which end with 1463.

ROBERT CARACCIOLI, a famous Italian preacher, was born in 1425, of a noble family at Lecce, in the kingdom of Naples. He entered early into the order of Minor Observationes; and, attaching himself to pulpit eloquence, he had obtained such a reputation before his thirtieth year, that he was honoured by a brief from pope Nicholas V., dispensing him from obedience to his superiors, and allowing him to dispose of himself at his pleasure. This circumstance, together with his twice passing from the Observationes to the Conventuals, has subjected him to the imputation of levity and irregu larity; nor does it appear from the writers of his time, that his fame for sanctity of manners was equal to that of his eloquence. He was, however, employed in honourable commis

sions by the popes Callixtus III., and Sixtus IV., and was raised to the bishopric first of Aquino, and afterwards of Lecce, where he died in 1495. All authors agree in the extraordinary admiration he excited as a preacher, in which capacity he was regarded almost as a second St. Paul, and gave the model of tone, gesture, and manner, to all the young orators of his time. It is, however, to be remembered that the Italian pulpit eloquence, always rather inclining to extravagance, was then in a very rude state, and little acquainted with good taste or decorum. Erasmus, among other stories of this brother Robert, relates that once, after having with great animation harangued in favour of a crusade, he suddenly threw off his tunic, and displayed himself completely armed, as if prepared to march at the head of an army. Different collections have been printed of his sermons, most of which are contained in an edition at Venice, 3 vols. 1490, and at Lyons in 1503. By a specimen given by Tiraboschi of a Lent sermon against gluttony, they are little adapted to please a more refined age. They are written in a provincial dialect, and seem to possess few graces of style to recommend them.

MATTHEW BOSSUS, born at Verona, in the year 1427, was illustrious for virtue and learning. He devoted himself to the ecclesiastical state in the year 1451, in the congregation of the regular canons of Lateran. Pope Sixtus IV. had a great esteem for him, and as soon as he was raised to the pontificate, he undertook to put a stop to the disorders of the nuns of Liguria, and the neighbouring provinces, and entrusted Bossus to carry his designs into effect. As a reward for his pains, which had not been to much purpose, he offered him a very good prelacy three several times, but Bossus refused it, and prevailed with the pope to leave him in the condition he was in. He was esteemed by persons of the best quality, and the most celebrated scholars of his time. He died at Padua, in the year 1502, aged seventy-five years.

TOSTADUS ALPHONSUS, bishop of Avila, a distinguished Spaniard, who was invested both with civil and ecclesiastical honours. His writings are so voluminous, that they fill twenty-seven volumes in folio, of which twenty-four are commentaries on the Scripture: the rest are chiefly theological: they were printed by order of cardinal Ximenes, at Venice, in 1530; and reprinted at the same place, in 1596; and at Cologne in 1612. His "Commentary upon the Chronicon of Eusebius," was printed separately at Salamanca in 1506. High encomiums have been bestowed upon his works; yet they are fallen into oblivion.

WALTER BURLEY, an English priest, and commentator on Aristotle. He also wrote De Vita et Moribus Philosophorum," printed at Cologne in 1472; it is a rare book.