Theologian and historian; b.
about 1537 at Oldenzaal, or, according to others, at Ootmarsum,
Overyssel, Holland; d. at Cologne, 13 Jan., 1611. He calls himself
Otmersensis on the title page of his work, "De celebrioribus
Academiis". He studied the humanities at the Fragerherren
gymnasium of Zwolle, philosophy and jurisprudence at Cologne
University, where he became doctor of philosophy and both branches
of law, and also licentiate of theology; he also taught
peripatetic philosophy at the Montanum gymnasium there. He
remained in Westphalia during the troubles in the Archdiocese of
Cologne in the time of Archbishop Gebhard Truchsess von Waldburg,
and was professor at various foreign academies; afterwards he
returned to Cologne, where he passed the greater part of his life.
In 1580 he became dean of St. Maria ad gradus, Cologne, in 1596
dean of St. Andreas, and in 1601 canon of the cathedral chapter.
Rector of Cologne University 1580-81 and 1602-04, he was appointed
vice-chancellor by the coadjutor, Ferdinand of Bavaria, in 1602.
He lies buried in the church of St. Andreas. As an author he was
best known by his "De celebrioribus universi orbis Academiis,
libri II" (Cologne, 1567, 1572, 1594, and lastly 1602),
considerably enlarged, in two volumes, under the title
"Academiarum celebrium universi terrarum orbis libri VIII
locupletati". He also published : "Officiorum
scholasticorum libri duo, quorum prior tam iuventutis quam populi
Christiani magistrorum qui divinas et humanas literas publice
privatimque docent, munus edisserit, posterior vero praecipua
auditorum populique offica complectitur" (Cologne, 1570);
"Historiam Aristeae versae per LXX interprets Scripturae
sacrae ex MS. codicibus Graecis et Latinis restituit et
commentario illustravit" (Cologne, 1603); "Historia
monastica, quae religiosae et solitariae vitae originem,
progressiones, incrementa et naturam ex scriptura Sacra, ex
pontifico et Caesareo jure, ex antiquissimis historiis, ex veterum
Patrum et librorum scriptis demonstrat" (Cologne, 1603).
Foppens, Bibliothl.
Belgica (Brussels, 1730), 529 sq.; Hartzheim, Biblioth.
Coloniensis (Cologne, )1747), 150; Paquot, Memoires pour servir a
l'histoire litteraire des dix-sept Provinces des Pays-Bas, III
(Louvain, 1770), 26-29; Bianco, Die ehem. Uiv. u. die Gymnasien zu
Koln, II, 2nd ed. (Cologne, 1850), 1386 sq.; Allg. Deut. Biog.,
XXI, 711.
FREDERICH LAUCHERT
