became Greek Professor at Geneva in 1583, and held his chair till 1597, when he removed to the Greek Chair in the College of Montpellier. The chief sources of information concerning him are the collection of his letters (Casauboni Epistolae), and his Diary, begun at Montpellier, which was composed in the Latin language, and which was printed in the same learned tongue by the University of Oxford in the present century. In the beginning of the seventeenth century he came under royal patronage and was brought to Paris, and honoured with office and salary as Reader to the King and Keeper of the Royal Library. His favourite friends and correspondents were Protestants; Henry Stephens (Henricus Stephanus) was his father-in-law; Theodore Beza Was his idol; he also greatly admired Andrew Melville. I quote a part of his first letter to Melville, dated at Paris, 1601 (M‘Crie’s translation):—
“The present epistle, learned Melville, is dictated by the purest and most sincere affection. Your piety and erudition are universally known, and have endeared your name to every good man and lover of letters. . . . I have always admired the saying of the ancients, that all good men are linked together by a sacred friendship, although often separated by many a mountain and many a town. . . . Permit me to make a complaint, which is common to me with all the lovers of learning who are acquainted with your rare erudition. We are satisfied that you have beside you a number of writings, especially on subjects connected with sacred literature, which, if communicated to the studious, would be of the greatest benefit to the Church of God. Why do you suppress them, and deny us the fruits of your wakeful hours? There are already too many, you will say, who burn with a desire to appear before the public. True, my learned Sir, we have many authors, but we have few or no Melvilles. Let me entreat you to make your appearance, and to act the part which Providence has assigned you in such a manner as that we also may share the benefit of your labours. Farewell, learned Melville, and henceforward reckon me in the number of your friends.”
In 1603 Casaubon visited Geneva and was overjoyed to find Beza still alive to welcome him — “Theodore Beza! what a man! what piety! what learning! O truly great man!” (these are his expressions in his diary). The assassination of Henri. IV. happened in 1610 (May 14); and it was during the consternation and perplexities incident on such a tragic and sudden catastrophe, that Casaubon accepted King James’ invitation, and arrived in London.
It may be questioned, however, if we should give a place among Protestant Refugees to one concerning whom Du Moulin wrote, “By all means detain Casaubon in England, for if he returns to France there is every reason to fear that he will recant.” This expressed a general apprehension felt in the French Protestant churches. The grounds for it were stronger than mere suspicion, because Casaubon had allowed himself to be drawn into familiar and argumentative correspondence with Romish proselytizers. The learned Dr. M‘Crie’s conscientious verdict may be quoted:— “When Rosweid published that Casaubon had intended to profess himself a Roman Catholic, the statement was strongly contradicted by his son Meric, and by Jacobus Capellus. But it is evident from his own letters that Casaubon, although he could not easily digest some of the grosser articles of the Popish creed, was seriously deliberating on the change; and his son has kept back a part of one of his letters which contains strong evidence to that purpose.” — (Life of A. Melville.)
Nevertheless, he was born, lived and died a Protestant, and took no step to disappoint the hopes of the National Synod of Gergeau (May 1601), whose confidence he had sought. That Synod resolved on a minute to the following effect:— “A letter from Monsieur Casaubon having been read, the Synod ordered that an answer be sent to him, expressing our joy for his constancy in the true religion, and exhorting him to perseverance in it.” Du Moulin’s hope, that this constancy and perseverance would be finally secured by his settlement in England, had a wider basis than mere residence. The Protestantism of James L, who had renounced the simplicity of Presbyterian ritual for the state and pomp of Anglican ordinances, was a combination of constancy and compromise which was well suited to Casaubon’s views. Pie thus settled down into a Protestantism of the cavalier or royalist type. On 30th Oct. 16 10 he recorded in his diary his approbation of the ordination of an archbishop and two bishops for Scotland, and began at once to look upon Presbyterians and Puritans as needing his prayers for their amendment as well as Romanists. And in January 1611 he fell on his knees at the rails of an Anglican altar, and thereafter declared fervently his approbation of receiving the Communion elements in that attitude — his preference to kneeling there, as contrasted with the French and Swiss custom of sitting at the Lord’s Table [like Galilean fishermen].
Casaubon had corresponded with the king as James VI. of Scotland, who had not forgotten him. A correspondent in England was the learned William Camden.
