Schaff - History of the Christian Church Vol. 8 - Media Sabda Org

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eight hundred. One fourth or fifth of them were educated men. Some
inclined to Unitarian and Anabaptist opinions, and prepared the way for
Socinianism. Among the latter may be mentioned Francesco Calabrese (in
the Engadin); Tiriano (at Coire); Camillo Renato, a forerunner of
Socinianism (at Tirano in the Valtellina); Ochino, the famous Capuchin
pulpit orator (who afterwards went to Geneva, England, and Zürich); Lelio
Sozini (who died at Zürich, 1562); and his more famous nephew, Fausto
Sozini (1539–1604), the proper founder of Socinianism, who ended his life
in Poland.
The most distinguished of the Italian evangelists in the Grisons, is Petrus
Paulus Vergerius (1498–1565). f232 He labored there four years (1549–
1553), and left some permanent traces of his influence. He ranks among the
secondary Reformers, and is an interesting but somewhat ambiguous and
unsatisfactory character, with a changeful career. He held one of the
highest positions at the papal court, and became one of its most decided
opponents.
Vergerio was at first a prominent lawyer at Venice. After the death of his
wife (Diana Contarini), he entered the service of the Church, and soon rose
by his talents and attainments to influential positions. He was sent by
Clement VII., together with Campeggi and Pimpinelli, to the Diet of
Augsburg, 1530, where he associated with Faber, Eck, and Cochlaeus, and
displayed great zeal and skill in attempting to suppress the Protestant
heresy. He was made papal secretary and domestic chaplain, 1532. He was
again sent by Paul III. to Germany, in 1535, to negotiate with the German
princes about the proposed General Council at Mantua. He had a personal
interview with Luther in Wittenberg (Nov. 7), and took offence at his bad
Latin, blunt speech, and plebeian manner. He could not decide, he said in
his official report to the papal secretary (Nov. 12), whether this German
“beast” was possessed by an evil demon or not, but he certainly was the
embodiment of arrogance, malice, and unwisdom. f233 He afterwards spoke
of Luther as “a man of sacred memory,” and “a great instrument of God,”
and lauded him in verses which he composed on a visit to Eisleben in 1559.
On his return to Italy, he received as reward for his mission the
archbishopric of Capo d’ Istria, his native place (not far from Trieste). He
aspired even to the cardinal’s hat. He attended—we do not know precisely
in what capacity, whether in the name of the Pope, or of Francis I. of
France—the Colloquies at Worms and Regensburg, in 1540 and 1541,
where he met Melanchthon and Calvin. Melanchthon presented him on that