Paul Colomiès
Encyclopedia
Paul Colomiès or Columesius (1638–1692) was a French Huguenot
librarian and scholar. He is best known for his work Gallia Orientalis, a biographical dictionary of French Christian Hebraist
s.
on 2 December 1638. His father, Jean, was a doctor of repute; his grandfather, a minister of the reformed religion, was descended from a family of Béarn
, settled in La Rochelle. He was sent at the age of sixteen to the Academy of Saumur
for courses in philosophy and history. Louis Cappel
taught him Hebrew.
He went to Paris in 1664, and became acquainted with Isaac Vossius
, who took him to Holland. Here he lived twelve months and brought out Gallia Orientalis (1665), his first work, dealing with the lives and writings of Frenchmen who had distinguished themselves in Hebrew and oriental studies. It covered 152 scholars, concentrating on those with competence in Hebrew, and included both Catholics and Protestant. The work was dedicated to Samuel Bochart
. The original project included Belgian, German, English, and other sections; Italia et Hispania Orientalis was a posthumous publication.
He returned to La Rochelle, where he remained until 1681, and wrote several books. He then came to England, visited Vossius, who had been a resident since 1670, and had become canon of Windsor, and he obtained the post of reader in the French Anglican church established by Peter Allix. Vossius introduced him to William Sancroft
, who collated him (after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes
in 1685), to the rectory of Eynesford in Kent on 18 November 1687, having previously made him a librarian (perhaps assistant to Henry Wharton
, recruited by Sancroft at the same period) at Lambeth Palace
. He retired on the deprivation of Sancroft in 1690, and Wharton still retained the office. He was naturalised in 1688. While in England he published works which were heavily criticied by Pierre Jurieu
and others. He was on the point of going to Germany to become librarian to Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp
when illness overtook him. He died in London 4 January 1692, aged 54, and was buried in the churchyard of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields.
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
librarian and scholar. He is best known for his work Gallia Orientalis, a biographical dictionary of French Christian Hebraist
Christian Hebraist
A Christian Hebraist is a scholar of Hebrew who comes from a Christian family background/belief, or is a Jewish adherent of Christianity. The main area of study is that commonly known as the Old Testament to Christians , but Christians have occasionally taken an interest in the Talmud, and...
s.
Life
He was born at La RochelleLa Rochelle
La Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988...
on 2 December 1638. His father, Jean, was a doctor of repute; his grandfather, a minister of the reformed religion, was descended from a family of Béarn
Béarn
Béarn is one of the traditional provinces of France, located in the Pyrenees mountains and in the plain at their feet, in southwest France. Along with the three Basque provinces of Soule, Lower Navarre, and Labourd, the principality of Bidache, as well as small parts of Gascony, it forms in the...
, settled in La Rochelle. He was sent at the age of sixteen to the Academy of Saumur
Academy of Saumur
The Academy of Saumur was a Huguenot university at Saumur in western France. It existed from 1593, when it was founded by Philippe de Mornay, until shortly after 1683, when Louis XIV decided on the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, ending the limited toleration of Protestantism in...
for courses in philosophy and history. Louis Cappel
Louis Cappel
Louis Cappel was a French Protestant churchman and scholar.-Life:Cappel, a Huguenot, was born at St Elier, near Sedan. He studied theology at the Academy of Sedan and the Academy of Saumur, and Arabic at the University of Oxford, where he spent two years...
taught him Hebrew.
He went to Paris in 1664, and became acquainted with Isaac Vossius
Isaac Vossius
Isaak Vossius, sometimes anglicised Isaac Voss was a Dutch scholar and manuscript collector.-Life:...
, who took him to Holland. Here he lived twelve months and brought out Gallia Orientalis (1665), his first work, dealing with the lives and writings of Frenchmen who had distinguished themselves in Hebrew and oriental studies. It covered 152 scholars, concentrating on those with competence in Hebrew, and included both Catholics and Protestant. The work was dedicated to Samuel Bochart
Samuel Bochart
Samuel Bochart was a French Protestant biblical scholar, a student of Thomas Erpenius and the teacher of Pierre Daniel Huet...
. The original project included Belgian, German, English, and other sections; Italia et Hispania Orientalis was a posthumous publication.
He returned to La Rochelle, where he remained until 1681, and wrote several books. He then came to England, visited Vossius, who had been a resident since 1670, and had become canon of Windsor, and he obtained the post of reader in the French Anglican church established by Peter Allix. Vossius introduced him to William Sancroft
William Sancroft
William Sancroft was the 79th Archbishop of Canterbury.- Life :Sancroft was born at Ufford Hall in Fressingfield, Suffolk, son of Francis Sandcroft and Margaret Sandcroft née Butcher...
, who collated him (after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes
Edict of Nantes
The Edict of Nantes, issued on 13 April 1598, by Henry IV of France, granted the Calvinist Protestants of France substantial rights in a nation still considered essentially Catholic. In the Edict, Henry aimed primarily to promote civil unity...
in 1685), to the rectory of Eynesford in Kent on 18 November 1687, having previously made him a librarian (perhaps assistant to Henry Wharton
Henry Wharton
Henry Wharton was an English writer and librarian.-Life:He was descended from Thomas, 2nd Baron Wharton , being a son of the Rev. Edmund Wharton, vicar of Worstead, Norfolk. Born at Worstead, Wharton was educated by his father, and then at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge...
, recruited by Sancroft at the same period) at Lambeth Palace
Lambeth Palace
Lambeth Palace is the official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury in England. It is located in Lambeth, on the south bank of the River Thames a short distance upstream of the Palace of Westminster on the opposite shore. It was acquired by the archbishopric around 1200...
. He retired on the deprivation of Sancroft in 1690, and Wharton still retained the office. He was naturalised in 1688. While in England he published works which were heavily criticied by Pierre Jurieu
Pierre Jurieu
Pierre Jurieu was a French Protestant leader.-Life:He was born at Mer, in Orléanais, where his father was a Protestant pastor. He studied at the Academy of Saumur and the Academy of Sedan under his grandfather, Pierre Du Moulin, and under Leblanc de Beaulieu...
and others. He was on the point of going to Germany to become librarian to Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp
Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp
Christian Albert was a duke of Holstein-Gottorp and bishop of Lübeck.He was a son of Frederick III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, and his wife Princess Marie Elisabeth of Saxony. Christian Albertbecame duke when his father died in the Castle Tönning, besieged by the King Christian V of Denmark...
when illness overtook him. He died in London 4 January 1692, aged 54, and was buried in the churchyard of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields.