Chapter V.
REFUGEE CLERGY IN THE REIGNS OF HENRI II., CHARLES IX., HENRI III., AND HENRI IV.
I. Refugees in the Universities.
Peter Bignon, a French Protestant, had assisted Professor Wakefield in conducting his Hebrew class in Cambridge. The chair becoming vacant, he obtained a public certificate of his eminent diligence and ability, dated ioth November 1574, signed by Drs. Perne and Norgate, and other University men. This certificate he presented to the Chancellor of the University, Lord Burghley; and his lordship supported him with much zeal, writing in his favour to the Vice-Chancellor and Heads of Colleges, and also promoting a subscription to augment the stipend; in the latter movement he enlisted the energies of Archbishop Parker. The reply of the University authorities was that they were bound to elect a Master of Arts to the vacant lectureship, and to give a preference to a Fellow of Trinity College; that, therefore, Mr. Bignon was not eligible, and to suspend the statute in his favour would be a discouragement to their own graduates. They undertook, however, to show kindness to him, if he would continue to reside with them. Strype adds, ”what they did for him I find not; probably they allowed him to be a private reader and instructor of scholars in that kind of learning, and might allow him an honorary stipend.” (Life of Parker, folio, page 470).
The first mention of the refugees in the Athenae Oxonienses is under the date, 4th July 1576. “Peter Regius [Le Roy? — ], a Frenchman, M.A. of twelve years’ standing in the University of Paris, now an exile for religion, and a catechistical lecturer in this university, supplicated that he might be admitted Bachelor of Divinity, and that the exercise to be performed for it might be deferred till Michaelmas Term following, because he shortly after designed to return to his native country. But the regents, upon mature consideration, returned this answer, that he might take the said degree when he pleased, conditionally that he perform all exercises requisite by the statute before he take it. On the same day, Giles Gualter [Gaultier?], M.A., of eight years’ standing in the University of Caen (another exile, as it seems), did supplicate under the same form; but whether either of them was admitted, it appears not.”
Pierre Baron, a native of Estampes, Licentiate of Civil Law of the College of Bourges, was a learned theologian, and on taking refuge in England, he was honourably as well as hospitably received at Cambridge by Dr Andrew Perne, ViceChancellor of the University. From his case we infer that French literati, coming among us without any knowledge of English, and finding our great men unable to speak French, introduced themselves in Latin addresses and salutations. Monsieur Baron would give his name as Petrus Baro, and hence he became known as Mr. Barrow. As Petrus Baro he was entered in the books of Cambridge University, where he was incorporated on 3d September 1575, as Licentiate of Civil Law, and also received the degree of D.D.; the adjective Stempanus was sometimes added to his name to indicate the place of his nativity. He seems to have been appointed Lady Margaret’s Professor of Divinity at Cambridge as early us 1574, although he did not draw the stipend till 1576; for in a letter to the Lord Treasurer (Burghley), dated Cambridge, 21st November 1580, representing what slender remuneration he had received, he states that he had held the professorship for six years (totos sex hoxe annos). In the Spending of the Money, of Robert Nowell, we find the following entries:—
" Too one mr Barrowe, a lamed frenchman of Cambridge the 10th of January Ao 1575, 20/-; [the year appears to have been 1576, new style].
“Too one mr Peter Barrow, doctor of divinitie in Cambridge, by thandes of Osmounde, late of the kinges College there, the 31st of Januarie 1578, 10/-
“Too one doctor Barowe a poore learned stranger, the 27th daie of Aprell 1579, 20/-
“Too one mr Doctor Barrowe, a larned stranger, the 10th of Januarie 1579: sent the same by mr Whitakers of Cambridge, £5; [the year was 1580, new style].
In 1576, on July 11th, Petrus Baro was incorporated at Oxford as D.D. Anthony a Wood calls him Baro, but admits that the name is by some called Baron.
This able professor wrote many volumes and tractates; but he unhappily signalized himself by combating the received opinions concerning divine grace in the salvation of men, and in suggesting propositions for a verbal and apparent harmonizing of Romish and Protestant doctrines on that subject and on kindred points. The
