Note 293 — THE PREFACE.
Reading edition
The writer of these verses is unknown. They occur in an anonymous work, containing much curious and important matter relating to the state of Religion in France, entitled, "Commentaires de l'Estat de la Religion et Republique soubs les Rois Henry et Francois seconds, et Charles neufieme. (1556-1561.)—M.D.LXV." 8vo. foll. 262. The above "Vers Latins faicts sur la mort du Roy Francois," are thus introduced at fol. 100:
"Non long temps apres furent divulguez quelques vers Latins faicts sur la mort dudict Roy Francois, du Roy Henry son pere, et de l'Empereur Charles cinquieme, qui m'ont semblé estre dignes de memoire, et d'estre conservez a la posterité: lesquels pourtant i'ay voulu icy adiouster, la superscription estant telle qu'il s'ensuit ey apres.
"AD HVIVS TEMPORIS Monarchas προτρεπτικον Carmen.
Consiliis Christum oppugnans," &c.
There is a similar work entitled, "Commentariorum de Statu Religionis et Reipublicæ in Regno Franciæ, Pars I-V." by Joannes Serranus, a learned divine. The author of the "Commentaires," was Peter de la Place, an eminent lawyer, whom Henry the Second had appointed King's Advocate and President of the Court of Aids, in Paris. In 1560, he openly avowed himself a Protestant, which obliged him to leave Paris, and in the troubles that followed, his library and effects were pillaged or destroyed; and he himself eventually became one of the victims in the atrocious massacre of the Protestants on the eve of St. Bartholomew, 25th August 1572.