Bellarmine · De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis · On the Ecclesiastical Writers
Chapter 40: Eck, Fisher, More, Cochlaeus, Vitoria, Soto, Catharinus, Navarrus: the end of the book
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. XII, De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis, of the New Testament, the writers against Luther. 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).
John Eck. 1500
John Eck, a Swabian by nation, was living in the year 1500, and was among the first who strongly opposed the heresiarch Luther, both by disputing face to face and by written books.
He wrote the Enchiridion, in which he took in almost all the controversies briefly and clearly.
He wrote also separately on the sacrifice of the Mass, two books.
And then again another three.
Also On the primacy of St. Peter.
On penance, and the virtues joined to penance.
Also postils, or homilies on the season and on the saints.
He wrote also many philosophical things: on the eight books of the physics; on the books on the heavens; on the books on generation; on the meteors; on the books on the soul, and other things.
Conrad Koellin. 1500
Conrad Koellin, a German, of the order of Preachers, was living in the year 1500, and died an old man in the year 1536. He wrote excellently on the first part of the second part of St. Thomas. He wrote also many quodlibets, and besides a work entitled The Overthrow of the Lutheran Wedding Song, comprised in 4 books.
Francis Titelmans. 1500
Francis Titelmans, a Belgian, of the order of Minors, a holy and learned man, all of whose writings, even the philosophical ones, breathe a wonderful piety, was living in the year 1500. He wrote an apology for the vulgate edition of Scripture, and together with it a comparison on the letter to the Romans against Jacques Lefèvre and Desiderius Erasmus, who were still living; which were printed at Antwerp in the year 1529. He wrote on the Psalms, on the Canticles, on the first chapters of Job, and other things, which are very well known.
John of Rochester. 1500
John Fisher, an Englishman by nation, Bishop of Rochester and afterwards Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, and, what is far more glorious, a Martyr of Christ, was killed by order of Henry the eighth, King of the English, in the year of the Lord 1535, already an old man and having gone through many labours; so he was flourishing in the year of the Lord 1500.
He wrote against the articles of Luther which Pope Leo the tenth had condemned.
He wrote also against the book of the same Luther which is entitled On the Babylonian captivity.
And On the Christian priesthood, against the same.
He wrote also On the Eucharist against Oecolampadius.
Also On the one Magdalene against Jacques Lefèvre.
Also on the seven Psalms.
The assertion of the seven sacraments, which came out under the name of King Henry the eighth, is believed to be his. Further, the book On trust and the mercy of God, which is forbidden in the Roman Index, either is by another John Fisher, or was falsely attributed to ours.
Thomas More. 1500
Thomas More was a contemporary of John Fisher, and his very close friend, and noble colleague in martyrdom. He was a man trained in varied learning, and of a most pleasant wit; for he was a theologian, philosopher, orator, poet, historian, skilled in the Greek and Latin tongues.
As a Theologian he wrote a notable reply to the letter of Martin Luther, and also an explanation of the Lord's passion; also a little book, That death is not to be fled for the faith of Christ.
As a philosopher, two books On the best state of a commonwealth, which he entitled Utopia.
As an orator, a declamation answering that of Lucian.
As a poet, very many epigrams.
As a historian, the deeds of Richard the third, king of England.
As one skilled in both tongues, he turned dialogues of Lucian from the Greek tongue into Latin.
John Faber. 1500
John Faber, Bishop of Vienna, was living in the year 1500, and was one of the chief Doctors who withstood Luther and the Lutherans. He wrote the Hammer of Heretics in six books; a Defence of the orthodox Catholic faith against Balthasar Pacimontanus; a book On the power of the supreme Pontiff against Luther; a huge number of Homilies on the most holy Eucharist and other subjects; and other things, which are very well known.
John Cochlaeus. 1500
John Cochlaeus of Nuremberg, a most learned man and an outstanding champion of the Catholic faith, was living in the year 1500, but died in the year 1552.
He wrote very many little works against Luther, Melanchthon and other sectaries.
He wrote a book On the acts and writings of Luther, very useful for confounding the Lutherans.
He wrote the Seven-headed Luther, to show Luther's contradictions and inconstancy.
He wrote a history of the Hussites in twelve books.
Lastly, he not only harried the Lutherans with very many writings, but offered himself to dispute with any Lutheran whatever, on pain of his head if he failed in his proofs; a witness of this is Surius in the history of the year 31, and Cochlaeus himself also in the book On the acts and writings of Luther.
Francis Vitoria. 1500
Francis Vitoria, a Spaniard by nation, of the order of Preachers, was living in the year 1500, and died in the year 1546. He was an excellently learned man, and wrote very learned re-readings:
On the power of the Church.
On civil power.
On the power of the Council.
On the Indies.
On Matrimony.
On the increase of charity.
On what one reaching the use of reason is bound to.
There is extant under his name a summa on the Sacraments; but he did not gather it himself; his disciples gathered it from his writings.
Dominic Soto. 1500
Dominic Soto, of Segovia by birth, of the order of preachers, a most learned and very pious man, who was confessor to the emperor Charles the fifth, and was present at the Council of Trent in the year 1545, and died in the year 1560. He wrote works of which he himself made a catalogue in the review of his works, which he set at the end of his book on the fourth of the sentences. He wrote, then:
A commentary on the letter to the Romans.
On nature and grace, three books.
On the manner of keeping and of revealing a secret, three books.
On Justice and Right, ten books.
Commentaries on the four books of the sentences, divided in two volumes.
Besides these, commentaries on the dialectic and philosophy of Aristotle, and smaller little works on the oath, on the cause of the poor, and others of that kind. So far he. He afterwards wrote also an apology against Ambrose Catharinus, who had begun to contend with him on the certainty of grace; which apology is found joined to the books On nature and grace.
Ambrose Catharinus. 1500
Ambrose Catharinus, of Siena by birth, of the order of Preachers, Archbishop of Conza, was living in the year of the Lord 1500, and died an old man in the year 1552 [1553]. He wrote many things, which are extant; but some were disapproved by the judgement of the Church, as that on the words by which Christ made the Sacrament of the Eucharist; some are commonly refuted by the Doctors, as those on the certainty of grace, on predestination, on the place of those who die with original sin, and others. So his works are to be read with caution.
He wrote on the first five chapters of Genesis;
And on the letters of St. Paul;
And on the canonical letters.
He wrote against Martin Luther a work printed in the year 1521, and other things which are known.
James Latomus. 1500
James Latomus, a Belgian, professor of Sacred Theology in the University of Louvain, was living in the year 1500, and wrote the works written below:
A Reply to the articles of Luther.
On the primacy of the Pontiff, against Luther.
On faith and works, and monastic vows.
On secret confession.
On the kinds of questions over which the Church contends without and within.
That the pious works of the living profit the dead.
That the living are helped by the prayers of the saints.
That the images of Christ and the Saints are to be honoured.
On the choice of foods and on fasts.
On the Mass.
John Driedo. 1500
John Driedo of Turnhout, a Belgian, was living in the year 1500, and wrote splendid works, which were published at Louvain in the year 1556:
On the Scriptures and Church teachings, 4 books.
On Christian liberty, 3 books.
On grace and free will, 2 books.
On the captivity and redemption of the human race, 1 book.
On the concord of free will and predestination, 2 books.
Martin Navarrus
Martin Azpilcueta, the Navarrese, a most learned and most pious man, was living in the year 1500; for he was born in the year 1493 and reached the year 1586 [the third figure is damaged in the scan], the 94th year of his age, as it is in his epitaph; and it is gathered from his words, who wrote that he was eighty when he dedicated the Manual to the Pontiff Gregory XIII, in his first year.
He wrote many works, which are contained in six volumes, published at Venice in 1602 [the figures are damaged in the scan].
In the first volume are:
His life.
The Manual.
On usury.
On exchanges.
On mental simony.
On notable theft.
On the duty of defending one's neighbour.
On accidental homicide.
In the second volume are:
On silence in the divine offices.
On the chapter Inter verba.
The sixth conclusion completed.
On good name and infamy.
On regulars.
On the alienation of Church property.
On the spoils of clerics.
On Church revenues.
A Bulwark for the book above.
On the chapter Humanae aures.
On the incompatibility of benefices.
On the ends of human acts.
In the third volume are:
Commentaries on the seven distinctions on penance.
On indulgences, or on the Jubilee.
On almsgiving.
On things given and promised for obtaining justice or favour.
On penal law.
In the fourth volume are:
Books on the canonical hours and on prayer.
Miscellanies on prayer.
On the chapter Si quando, and on the chapter Cum contingat, on rescripts.
On the rubric, on Judgements.
A re-reading on the chapter Novit, on Judgements.
A re-reading on the chapter Accepta, on the restitution of the despoiled.
On the chapter Ita quorumdam, on the Jews.
In the fifth and sixth volumes are counsels and replies.
And let this be the end of the book on the ecclesiastical writers. For the other writers, who were born after the year one thousand five hundred, go beyond almost all number, and very many of them are still living, so that it would not be fair to pass judgement on their works.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
De Jo. Eckio. . . • ulf. . i / i *. i :* 1 Joannes Eckius, natione Suenus, vivebat anno 1500 et ex primis fuit, quae haeresiar¬ chae Luthero, et coram disputando et scri¬ ptis libris strenue se opposuit. Scripsit Encheridion, in quo controver- tias fere omnes breviter et dilucide compre¬ hendit. Scripsit etiam seorsim de sacrificio Missae, libros duos. Et deinde iterum alios tres. Item de primatu S. Petri. De poeuitentia, et virtutibus poenitentiae annexis. Item postillas, sive homilias de tempore, et de sanctis. Scripsit quoque multa philosophica in li¬ bros viii. physicorum. In libros de coelo. In libros de generatione In meteora. In libros de anima et alia. De Conrado Kcellin. 1500. Conradus Kodlim Germanus, ordinis Prae¬ dicatorum, vivebat anno 1500. et obiit se¬ nex anno 1536. Scripsit egregie in primam secundae S. Thomae. Scripsit etiam quodlibeta multa : et prae¬ terea opus insciiptum, Eversio Lutherani Epithalamii 4. libris comprehensum. - - V • ’■ • De Francisco Tilelmano. 1500. Franciscus Titelmanus, Belga, ordinis Mi¬ norum vir sanctus, et doctus, cujus omnia scripta, etiam philosophica, miram pietatem spirant, vivebat anno 1500 et scripsit apolo¬ geticum pro editione vulgata Scripturae : et simul collationem super epistola ad Roma¬ nos contra Jacobum Fabrum, et desiderium Erasmum adhuc viventes, quae excusa sunt Antwerpiee ann. 1529. Scripsit in Psalmos, in Cantica, in prima capita Job, et alia, quae notissima sunt. AB ANNO DOM. 1500. AD 1600. 473 De Joanne Roffense. 1500. Joannes Fischerus, natione Anglus, Epi¬ scopus Roffensis, ac postea S. R. E. Cardi¬ nalis, et quod longe gloriosius est, Martyr Christi, occisus Henrici octavi Regis Anglo- rum jussu anno Dom. 1535. jam senex, et multis perfunctus laboribus : pt oinde florebat anno Dom. 1500. Scripsit adversus articulos Lutheri, quos Leo decimus Papa damnaverat. Scripsit etiam contra librum ejusdem Lu- thefi, cui inscribitur, de captivitate Babylo¬ nica. Et de Christiano sacerdotio contra eum- dem. Scripsit item de Eucharistia contra OEco- lampadium. Item de unica Magdalena contra Jacobum Fabrum. Item in septem Psalmos. Ejusdem esse creditur assertio septem sacramentorum, quae nomine Regis Henrici octavi pro¬ diit. Porro liber de fiducia, et misericordia Dei, qui in Indice Romano prohibetur, aut est al¬ terius Joannis Fischeri, aut falso nostro at¬ tributus fuit. -vit.Arfv» » ? ■ ■> n ■' auni.VrnW De Thoma Moro. 1500. Thomas Morus aequalis fuit Joannis Fi- scheri, eique amicissimus, et nobilis collega martyrii. Fuit autem vir doctrina varia ex¬ cultus : et ingenii amoenissimi ; quippe theologus , philosophus , orator , poeta , historicus, linguae Grrccae et Latinae peritus. Scripsit, ut Theologus, insignem respon¬ sionem ad epistolam Martini Lutheri : nec- non explicationem passionis Dominicae. Item libellum, quod pro fide Christi mors fugienda non sit. Ut philosophus, libros duos de optimo statu reip. quos utopiam inscripsit. Ut orator, declamationem Lucianicae re¬ spondentem : Ut poeta, epigrammata plurima : Ut historicus, res gestas Richardi tertii Angliae regis : Ut linguae utriusque peritus, dialogos Lu- ciani e Graeca lingua in Latinam convertit. ,/i‘l ‘ (j- De Joanne Fabro . 1500. Joannes Faber, Episcopus Viennensis, vi¬ vebat anno 1500. et unus fuit ex praecipuis Doctoribus, qui Luthero et Lutheranis re¬ stitit. Scripsit Malleum Haereticorum libris sex. Ortbodoxap fidei Catholicae defensionem adversus Balthassarem Paci montanum. Librum de potestate summi Pontificis con¬ tra Lutherum. Homiliarum de sanctissima Eucharistia» et aliorum argumentorum ingentem nume¬ rum, et alia, quae notissima sunt. De Joanne Cochlxo. 1500. Joannes Cochlaeus Norimbergensis,vir do¬ ctissimus, et fidei Catholicae propugnator eximius, vivebat anno 1500. sed obiit an. 1552. Scripsit opuscula plurima contra Luthe¬ rum, Melancthonem, et alios sectarios. Scripsit librum de actis, et scriptis Lu¬ theri, valde utilem ad Lutheranos confun¬ dendos. Scripsit septicipitem Lutherum ut osten¬ deret Lutheri contradictiones, et inconstan¬ tiam. Scripsit historiam Hussitarum libris duo¬ decim. Denique non solum scriptis plurimis Lu¬ theranos exagitavit, sed obtulit se ad dispu¬ tandum cum quovis Lutherano, sub pcena capitis, si in probationibus defecisset : cujus rei testis est Surius in historia anni 31. et ipse etiam Cochlaeus in libro de actis, et scri¬ ptis Lutheri. De Francisco Victoria. 1500. Franciscus Victoria, natione Hispanus, or¬ dinis Praedicator um, vivebat anno 1500. et obiit anno 1>46. Vir fuit egregie doctus, et scripsit relectiones valde eruditas. De potestate Ecclesiae. De potestate civili. De potestate Concilii. De Indis. De Matrimonio. De augmento charitatis. De eo ad quod tenetur perveniens ad usum rationis. Exstat sub ejus nomine summa de Sacra¬ mentis. Sed eam non ipse, sed discipuli ejus ex scriptis ipsius collegerunt. 474 DE SCRIPTORIBUS ECCLESIASTICIS De Dominico Soto. 1500. Dominicus Sotus, patria Segobiensis, or¬ dinis praedicatorum, vir doctissimus, et pius valde, qui Carolo quinto imperatori a sacris Confessionibus fuit, et Concilio Tridentino interfuit anno 1545 et obiit anno 1560. Scripsit opera, quorum ipse catalogum texit in recognitione operum suorum, quam posuit in extremo libro suo in quartum sen¬ tentiarum. Scripsit igitur commentarium in epistolam ad Romanos. De natura et gratia libros tres. De ratione tegendi, et detegendi secretum libros tres. De Justitia et Jure libros decem. Commentaria in quatuor libros sententia¬ rum in duobus tomis divisa. Ad haec in dialecticam, et philosophiam Aristotelis, commentaria, et opuscula minu¬ tiora de juramento, in causa pauperum, et alia id genus. Haec ille : qui postea scripsit etiam apologiam adversus Ambrosium Ca- thnrinum, qui de certitudine gratiae cum eo contendere coeperat : quae apologia habetur adjuncta libris de natura et gratia. De Ambrosio Cathai'ino. 1500. Ambrosius Cnthaiinus, patria Senensis, ordinis Praedicaturum, Arcbiepbcopus Com¬ psae, vivebat anno Dom. 1500. et obiit senex anno 1552. Multa scripsit, quae exstant, sed aliqua judicio Ecclesiae improbata, ut de verbis, quibus Christus confecit Sacramen¬ tum Eucharistiae : aliqua communiter a Do- ctoribus refelluntur, ut de certitudine gratiae, de praedestinatione, de loco decedentium cum peccato originali, et alia. Quare opera ejus caute legenda sunt. Scripsit in quinque priora capita Gene¬ sis : Et in epistolas sancti Pauli, Et in epistolas canonicas. Scripsit adversus Martinum Lutherum, opus impressum anno 1521. et alia, quae nota sunt. De Jacobo La'omo. 1500. Jacobus Latomus Belga, professor S. Theo¬ logia? in Lovaniensi Academia, vivebat anno 150J et scripsit infra scripta opera : Responsionem ad arliculos Lutheri. De primatu Pontificis contra Lutherum. De fide et operibus, et votis monasticis* De confessione secreta. De quaestionum generibus, quibus Eccle¬ sia certat foris et intus. Pia vivorum opera defunctis prodesse. Vivos sanctorum suffragiis juvari. Christi Sanctorumque imagines honoran¬ das esse. De ciborum delectu et jejuniis. De Missa. De Joanne Driedone. 1 500. Joannes Driedo a Thurnhuth, Belga, vive¬ bat anno 150' >. et scripsit praeclara opera, quae edita sunt Lovanii anno 1556. De Scripturis et dogmatibus Ecclesiasticis lib. 4 De libertate Christiana lib. 3 De gratia et libero arbitrio lib. 2 De captivitate et redemptione generis hu¬ mani lib. 1 De concordia liberi arbitrii et praedestina¬ tionis lib. 2 De Martino Navarro. Martinus Aspilcueta Navarrus, vir doctis¬ simus, et piissimus, vivebat anno 1500. Quip¬ pe qui natus est anno 1493. et pervenit ad annum 15; 6, aetatis suae 94., ut est in epita¬ phio ipsius : et colligitur ex verbis ejus, qui octogenarium se fuisse scripsit, cum Manuale dedicavit Gregorio XIII. Pontifici anno ejus primo. Scripsit multa opera, quae sex tomis con¬ tinentur, edita Veneliis 10(>2. In primo tomo sunt : Vita ejus. Manuale. De usuris. De cambiis. N De sirnonia mentali. De furto notabili. De necess.tate defendendi proximum. De homicidio casuali. In secundo tomo sunt : De silentio in divinis officiis. In cap. Inter verba. Sexta conclusio perfecta. De fama, et infamia. De regularibus. De alienatione rerum Ecclesiasticarum. De spoliis clericorum. AB ANNO DOM. 1500. AD 1600. 475 De reditibus Ecclesiasticis. Propugnaculum pro libro superiore. In cap. Humanae aures. De incompatibilitate beneficiorum. De finibus humanorum actuum. In tertio tomo sunt : Commentaria in septem distinctiones de poenitentia. De indulgentiis, sive de Jubilaeo. De eleemosyna. De datis, et promissis pro justitia, vel gra¬ tia obtinenda. De lege poenali. In quarto tomo sunt : Libri de horis canonicis, et oratione. Miscellanea de oratione. In cap. Si quando, et in cap. Cum contin¬ gat, de rescriptis. In rubricam, de Judiciis. Relectio in cap. Novit, de Judiciis. Relectio in cap. Accepta, derestitut. spo¬ liat. In cap. Ita quorumdam, de Judaeis. In quinto et sexto tomo sunt consilia, et responsiones. Atque hic finis sit libri de scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis; caeteri enim scriptores, qui post annum millesimum quingentesimum nati sunt; omnem pene numerum excedunt, et plurimi eorum adhuc vivunt, ut aequum non sit de eorum operibus judicare.