Bellarmine · De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis · On the Ecclesiastical Writers
Chapter 39: Ficino, Gaguin, Trithemius, Cajetan, Adrian VI, Prierias
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. XII, De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis, of the New Testament, fifteenth century. The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
Marsilio Ficino. 1490
Marsilio Ficino was born at Florence, as he himself testifies in a certain letter, in the year of the Lord 1433, and died in the year 1499. He was a man skilled beyond the common, both in sacred theology and also in Platonic philosophy. His works were printed in two volumes at Basel in the year 1561.
In the first volume:
On the Christian religion, 1 book.
On the immortality of souls, 18 books.
On the letters of Blessed Paul, an ascent even to heaven for understanding Paul; but he explains only the letter to the Romans.
Sermons given to the brothers.
On keeping the health of scholars, 1 book.
On lengthening life, 1 book.
On obtaining life from the heavens, 1.
An Apology, in which medicine, astrology, the life of the world and the three Magi are treated.
An Antidote for epidemics.
Letters, 12 books.
On the sun, an allegorical and anagogical book.
A book On light.
A book On pleasure.
In the second volume are either translations of books or Platonic works.
James Philip of Bergamo. 1494
James Philip of Bergamo, of the Order of St. Augustine, was living in the year of the Lord 1494. He wrote a history from the beginning of the world to the year of the Lord [the year is damaged in the scan] in fifteen books, which work he entitled the supplement of the chronicles. He wrote also On famous Christian women.
Antonio Bonfini. 1500
Antonio Bonfini was living in the year 1500. He wrote a Hungarian history, and a commentary on chastity; but this is forbidden in the Roman index.
Robert Gaguin. 1500
Robert Gaguin, a Gaul, general of the order of the Holy Trinity, was living in the year of the Lord 1500. He wrote two books for the Conception of the Blessed Virgin, both in verse and in prose. On human misery, 1 book. Orations and letters. Lastly twelve books on the origin and kings of the Franks down to Charles VIII, which is a history of twelve hundred years.
Marcantonio Coccio Sabellico. 1500
Marcantonio Coccio Sabellico, a very learned man, was living in the year of the Lord 1500. His works were printed in four volumes at Basel in the year 1550.
In the first volume is contained a history from the founding of the world, in five enneads, that is, forty-five books.
In the second is contained the continuation of the history in six enneads, that is, forty-seven books; for the last ennead has only two books. In the same volume is contained the Venetian history in three decades, and three books of the fourth.
In the third are contained twenty-nine books of supplement added by others.
In the fourth, ten books of examples.
On the antiquity of Aquileia, book [the number is missing in the scan].
On the site of the city of Venice, [the figure is unclear in the scan].
On the Venetian magistrates, 1.
On the office of the Praetor, 1.
A dialogue on the office of the scribe.
A dialogue on the restoring of the Latin tongue.
Letters, 12 books.
Orations, 12.
Various poems.
Paul of Middelburg. 1500
Paul of Middelburg, Bishop of Fossombrone, was living in the year 1500, and wrote to Leo the tenth books on the time of Easter, and to the emperor Maximilian books on the day of the Lord's passion, which are very well known.
John Nauclerus. 1500
John Nauclerus, Provost of Tübingen, was living in the year 1500. He wrote a huge Chronicle containing the memorable things from the beginning of the world to the year of the Lord 1500. The work is divided into two volumes, and the first contains 63 generations from Adam to Christ; the other contains fifty-one generations.
Albert Krantz. 1500
Albert Krantz of Bamberg [as printed; he was of Hamburg], a man very diligent in writing histories, was living in the year of the Lord 1500. He wrote the Metropolis, which contains a Church history. Also a Saxon and a Vandal history, and a chronicle of other northern regions. But impious notes added in the margin by heretics caused the books of this author to be forbidden in the Roman index until they were purged.
Felino. 1500
Felino Sandeo of Ferrara, a most celebrated Jurist, was living in the year of the Lord 1500. He wrote on the books of the Decretals. Also a treatise On the right of patronage. A Sermon on the plenary indulgence, and other things.
John Trithemius. 1500
John Trithemius, a German by nation, Abbot of Sponheim, of the Order of St. Benedict, was living in the year [the year is damaged in the scan], and died in the year 1519 [1516], in the 57th year of his age.
He wrote very many works, but the better known are the historical ones, which were published together at Frankfurt in the year 1600. He wrote, then:
On the famous men of Germany.
On the famous men of the order of St. Benedict.
On the ecclesiastical writers.
The Chronicle of the monastery of Hirsau.
On the origin of the Franks.
On the succession of the Dukes of Bavaria and the Counts Palatine.
He wrote also letters, sermons, and various spiritual works. Lastly he wrote On the seven secondary intelligences that move the world, and a work entitled Steganography, that is, hidden writing; which work has rightly been forbidden, since it is full of harmful teachings belonging to magic; which he himself also acknowledged and confessed.
Jacob Wimpfeling. 1500
Jacob Wimpfeling, Priest of the Church of Speyer, an orator, poet and historian not to be despised, was living in the year of the Lord 1500. He wrote, besides other things, an epitome of the deeds done through Germany.
Baptista Mantuanus. 1500
Baptista Mantuanus, Prior general of the order of Carmelites, was a learned and pious Poet, and wrote many poems in praise of the saints. He was living in the year of the Lord 1500.
Thomas Cajetan. 1500
Thomas de Vio, of Gaeta by birth, Prior general of the order of Preachers, and afterwards Cardinal Priest created by Leo the tenth, was a man of the highest genius and no less piety. He was living in the year of the Lord 1500, and died in the year of the Lord 1534, aged 66.
He wrote Commentaries on all sacred Scripture, except the Prophets and the Apocalypse. He wrote also commentaries on the whole Summa of St. Thomas. Lastly very many little works, and the book of Breakfasts, and a summa of cases of conscience, which are very well known.
Domenico Jacobazzi
Domenico Jacobazzi, a Roman, auditor of the Rota, and afterwards created Cardinal by Leo X in the year 1517. He wrote a notable work On Councils.
Jacopo Sannazaro. 1500
Jacopo Sannazaro at the same time wrote an excellent poem On the Virgin's giving birth.
Francis of Ferrara. 1500
Francis of Ferrara, Prior general of the Order of Preachers, was living in the year of the Lord 1500, and died in the year 1528. He wrote excellent commentaries on the Summa of St. Thomas against the gentiles; he wrote also six books on the life of Blessed Osanna of Mantua, and many philosophical things.
John Francis Pico. 1500
John Francis Pico, nephew of John Pico, a learned and pious man, was living in the year of the Lord 1500. He wrote nine books On the foreknowing of things, against the vanity of the Astrologers. He wrote also for the truth of the Christian religion against the superstitions of the gentiles, and very many other works, both in prose and in verse, which are well enough known.
John of Taggia. 1500
John of Taggia, a Ligurian by nation, of the order of Preachers, a Theologian and canonist, wrote a summa of cases of conscience which is called the Tabiena, which he dedicated to Thomas Cajetan.
Hector Boece. 1500
Hector Boece, a Scot, wrote 17 books of Scottish history. He wrote also a description of the Kingdom of Scotland and of the kings of the Scots.
James Almain. 1500
James Almain, a Doctor of Paris, was living in the year of the Lord 1500, and wrote on the third and fourth of the sentences. Also moral works. Also various little works.
John Major. 1500
John Major, a Scot by nation, was living in the year of the Lord 1500. He wrote on the four books of the sentences; also a commentary on Matthew, and a history of greater Britain.
Adrian VI. 1500
The Pontiff Adrian the sixth, of Utrecht in Belgium by nation, was living in the year of the Lord 1500, and died in the year 1523. He was a very good and very learned man, and by the merit of learning and piety he rose from a lowly place and a very poor home to great wealth and greater honours. He wrote disputations on the fourth of the sentences, and notable letters, one of which, very long and learned, to the duke of Saxony, is extant in the volumes of the Councils.
Francis Lychetus. 1500
Francis Lychetus, Minister general of the order of Minors, was living in the year 1500. He published commentaries on the first three books of the sentences, according to the teaching of Scotus.
Sylvester Prierias. 1500
Sylvester Prierias, a Piedmontese by nation, of the order of Preachers, Master of the sacred Palace, and afterwards Prior general [as printed], was living in the year of the Lord 1500, and is said to have been the first of all to write against Martin Luther.
But he wrote also on the four books of the sentences.
Also a Summa of cases of conscience.
A book on the Gospels entitled the Golden Rose.
A book On witches.
A Compilation from the works of St. Thomas, contained in four volumes, and some other things.
[Below this entry the scan has two garbled lines, apparently a reader's note beginning “Silv.” and naming a hermit of Toledo; they cannot be read with confidence and are not translated.]
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
De Marsilio Ficino. 1490.
Marsilius Ficinus, Florentiae natus est, ut
ipse testatur in quadam epistola, anno Dom.
1433. Obiit vero anno 1499. Vir fuit peritus
non vulgariter, tum sacrae theologiae, tum
etiam Platonicae philosophiae.
Opera ejus duobus tomis excusa sunt Ba-
sileae anno 1561.
In primo tomo :
De Christiana religione, lib. 1
De immortalitate animorum, lib. 18
In epistolas B. Pauli, ascensus usque ad
coelum ad Paulum intelligendum. Sed
non explicat nisi epistolam ad Romanos,
Praedicationes habitae ad fratres.
470
DE SCRIPTORIBUS ECCLESIASTICIS
De sanitate tuenda studiosorum, lib. 1
De vita producenda, lib. 1
De vita ccelilus comparanda, 1
Apologia, in qua, demedecina, astrologia,
vita mundi, et de tribus Magis agitur.
Antidotus epidemiorum.
Epistolarum, lib. 12
De sole, liber allegoricus, et anagogicus.
De lumine liber.
De voluptate liber.
In secundo tomo sunt :
Aut versiones librorum, aut opera Plato¬
nica.
DeJacobo Philippo Bergomensi. 1494.
Jacobus Philippus Bergomensis, Ordinis
S. Augustini, vivebat anno Dom. 1494.
Scripsit historiam ab initio mundi usque
ad annum Dom. 14:16. libris quindecim,
quod opus inscripsit supplementum chroni¬
corum.
Scripsit etiam de claris mulieribus Chri¬
stianis.
De Antonio Bonfinio. 1500.
Antonius Bonfinius vivebat anno 1500.
Scripsit historiam Hungaricam : et commen¬
tarium de pudicitia. Sed hoc in indice Ro¬
mano prohibitum est.
De Roberto Gaguino. 1500.
Robertus Gaguinus Gallus, ordinis S. Tri¬
nitatis generalis, vivebat anno Dom. 1500.
Scripsit pro Conceptione B. Virginis tam
carmine quam soluta oratione libros duos.
De miseria humana, lib. 1
Orationes, et epistolas.
Denique de origine, et regibus Franco¬
rum, libros duodecim usque ad Carolum
VIII.
Quse est historia annorum mille et ducen¬
torum.
De Marco Antonio Coccio Sabellico. 1500.
Marcus Antonius Coccius Sabellicus, vir
valde eruditus, vivebat anno Dom. 1500.
Ejus opera quatuor tomis Basileee excusa
fuerunt anno 1550.
In primo tomo continetur historia ab or¬
be condito, perenneades quinque, id est, li¬
bros quadraginta quinque.
In secundo continetur continuatio hi¬
storiae perenneades sex, id est, libros qua¬
draginta septem : nam enneadis ultima
non habet nisi libros duos. In eodem tomo
continetur historia Veneta per decades tres,
et quartae libros tres.
In tertie continentur supplementi per alios
additi libri viginti novem.
In quarto exemplorum libri decem.
De Aquileiae antiquitate lib.
De Venetse urbis situ, 4
De Venetis magistratibus, l
De Praetoris ofticio l
De ofticio scribse dialogus.
De Latinae linguae reparatione dialogus.
Epistolarum, lib. 12
Orationes 12
Poemata varia
De Paulo Middelburgio. 1500.
Paulus Middelburgius Episcopus Foro-
sempronii, vivebat anno 1500. et scripsit ad
Leonem decimum libros de tempore Pascha¬
li, et ad Maximilianum imperatorem libros
de die passionis Domini, qui notissimi sunt.
De Joanne Nauclero. 1500.
Joannes Nauclerus Praepositus Tubingen-
sis vivebat an. 1500. >cripsit ingens Chroni¬
cum continens res memorabiles ab initio
mundi usque ad annum Dom. 1500. Opus
distinguitur in duo volumina, et primum qui¬
dem continet generationes 63. ab Adam
usque ad Christum ; alterum continet gene¬
rationes quinquaginta et unam.
De Alberto Krantzio. 1500.
Albertus Krantzius Bambergensis, vir ad¬
modum diligens in historiis conscribendis,
vivebat anno Dom. 1500.
Scripsit Metropolim, quae continet histo¬
riam Ecclesiasticam.
Item historiam Saxonicam, et Vandali¬
cam, et chronicum aliarum septemtriona-
lium regionum. Sed impiae notae ad margi¬
nem additae ah haereticis, fecerunt, ut libri
hujus auctoris prohiberentur in indice Ro¬
mano, donec purgarentur.
De Felino. 1500.
Felinus Sandeus Ferrariensis, Juriscon-
AB ANNO DOM. 1300. AD 1600.
sultus celeberrimus, vivebat anno Dom. ! 500.
Scripsit in libros Decretalium.
Item tractatum do Jurepatronatus.
Sermonem de indulgentia, plenaria et alia.
De Joanne Trithemio. 1500.
Joannes Trithemius, natione Germanus,
Abbas Spanehemensis. Ordinis Sancti Bene¬
dicti, vivebat anno 15i 0. et obiit anno 1519.,
aetatis suae 57.
Scripsit opera plurima, sed notiora sunt
historica, quae simul edita sunt Francofurli
anno 1600.
Scripsit igitur :
De illustribus viris Germanis.
De illustribus viris ordinis Sancti Benedi¬
cti.
De scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis.
Chronicum monasterii Hirsaugiensis.
De origine Francorum.
De successione Ducum Bavariae, et Comi¬
tum Palatinorum.
Scripsit etiam epistolas sermones, et varia
opera spiritualia. Denique scripsit de septem
secundis inlelligentis orbem moventibus,
et opus inscriptum steganographiam, id est,
occultam scriptionem, quodopus prohibitum
merito est, cum sit plenum perniciosis dog¬
matibus ad magiam pertinentibus, quod et
ipse agnovit, et confessus est.
De Jacobo Wimphelingio. 1500.
Jacobus Wimphelingius Presbyter Eccle¬
siae Spirensis, orator, poeta, et historicus non
contemnendus, vivebat anno Dom. 1500.
Scripsit praeter alia epitomen rerum gesta¬
rum per Germaniam.
**
De Baptista Mantuano. 1500.
Baptista Mantuanus, ordinis Carmelitarum
Prior generalis, Poeta fuit doctus, et pius :
et multa carmina scripsit in laudes sancto¬
rum. Vivebat anno Dom. 1500.
De Thoma Cajetano. 1500.
Thomas de Vio, patria Cajetanus, ordinis
Praedicatorum Prior generalis, ac postea
Cardinalis Presbyter a Leone decimo creatus,
vir fuit summi ingenii nec minoris pietatis,
vivebat anno Dom. 1500. et obiit anno Dom.
1534, aetatis 66.
471
Scripsit Commentaria in omnem sacram
Scripturam, praeterquam in Prophetas, et in
Apocalipsim.
Scripsit etiam commentaria in totam
Summam S. Thomae. Denique opuscula
permulta, et librum Jentaculorum, et sum¬
mam casuum conscientiae, quae notissima
sunt.
De Dominico Jacobatio.
Dominicus Jacobatius Romanus, Rotae au¬
ditor et postea Cardinalis a Leo X creatus (
anno 15 1 7.
Scripsit insigne opus de Conciliis.
De Jacobo Sanazario. 1500.
Jacobus Sanazarius eodem tempore scri¬
psit egregium carnem de partu Virginis.
De Francisco Ferrariensi 1500.
Franciscus Ferrariensis, Ordinis Praedica¬
torum Prior generalis, vivebat auno Dom.
1500. et obiit anno 1528.
Scripsit egregia commentaria in Summam
Sancti Thoma) contra gentes: scripsit etiam
de vita B. Osannae Mantuanae lib. sex. et
multa philosophica.
/
De Joanne Francisco Pico. 1500.
Joannes Franciscus Picus Joannis Pici ne¬
pos, vir doctus, et pius, vivebat anno Dom.
1500.
Scripsit de rerum praenotione libros no¬
vem adversus vanitatem Astrologorum.
Scripsit etiam pro veritate religionis
Christianae contra superstitiones gentilium
et opera alia permulta, tum prosa, tum ver¬
su, quae satis nota sunt.
De Joanne Tabiensi. 1500.
Joannes Tabiensis natione Ligur, ordinis
Praedicatorum, Theologus, et canonista,
scripsit summam casuum conscientiae, quae
Tabiena dicitur, quam Thomae Cajetano
dicavit.
De Hectore Boethio. 1500.
Hector Boethius Scotus, scripsit libros
17. historiae Scoticae. Scripsit etiam et
47 2
DE SCRIPTORIBUS ECCLESIASTICIS
scriptionem Regni Scotiae, et regum Sco¬
torum.
De Jacobo Almaino. 1500.
, N , . , , 4 , - -- * * - • , r,
Jacobus Almainus, Doctor Parisiensis,
vivebat anno Domini 1500., etscripsitin ter¬
tium et quartum sententiarum.
Item moralia.
Item opuscula varia.
De Joanne Majore. 1500.
Joannes Major, natione S cotus vivebat
anno Dora 1501).
Scripsit in quatuor lib. sententiarum, item
commentarium in Matthaeum, et historiam
majoris Britanniae.
: - T { r ‘
De Adriano VI. 1500.
Adrianus sextus Pontifex, natione Traje-
ctensis in Belgio, vivebat anno Dom. 1500.
et obiit anno 1523. Vir fuit optimus, et do¬
ctissimus, et merito doctrinae et pietatis ex
humili loco et pauperrima domo ascendit ad
magnas opes, et majores honores. Scripsit
disputationes in quartum sententiarum ; et
epistolas insignes, quarum una valde proli¬
xa et docta ad Saxoniae ducem, exstat in to¬
mis Conciliorum.
.ea.:- . ,, W
De Francisco Lycheto. 1500.
Franciscus Lychetus ordinis Minorum Mi¬
nister generalis, vivebat anno 1500. edidit
commentaria in tres primos libros sententia¬
rum, juxta doctrinam Scoti.
. ' . * ’ •’ * * , , »'.»•* n •
De Syloestro Prierate. 1500.
- * • ; t. • /i < .i*'-
SylvesterPrieras, natione, Pedemontanus,
ordinis Praedicatorum, Magister sacri Palatii,
ac postea Prior generalis, vivebat anno Dom.
1500. et primus omnium scripsisse dicitur
adversus Martinum Lutherum.
Sed scripsit etiam in quatuor libros sen¬
tentiarum.
Item Summam casuum conscientiae.
Librum super Evangelia inscriptum, Au-
rea Rosa.
Librum de strigibus.
Conflatum ex operibus S. Thomae, quatu¬
or voluminibus comprehensum, et alia non¬
nulla.
Silv. in ceblate 9. p. an. 10 § 9 citat Alps.
1000.
Toletanus eremita trent. cujus in G. libello
nonsitmartio.