Budæus

Budæus (the Latinised form of Guillaume Budé), the greatest French scholar of his age, was born in Paris in 1467. His works on philology, philosophy, and jurisprudence display extensive learning, the two best known being the De Asse et Partibus ejus (1514), which contains a very thorough investigation into ancient coins, and the Commentarii Linguae Græcæ (1519), the basis of all subsequent works in this department. His abilities were manifested not only in literature, but in public business. Louis XII. twice sent him to Rome, and Francis I. also employed him in several negotiations. At Budæus's suggestion, Francis founded the Collège de France, and was also persuaded to refrain from prohibiting printing, which the bigoted Sorbonne had advised in 1533. He was royal librarian at the time of his death, 23d August 1540. He was suspected, not without reason, of a leaning towards Lutheranism. His works were collected in 4 vols. (Basel, 1557). See his Life by Rebitté (1846), and E. de Budé (1884); and the latter's edition of his Lettres inédites (2 vols. 1887).