Page 593 [593]
1514] 557.
291. From JoHN BECAR oF BORSSELEN.
Deventer MS. 91. fo, 154. Middelburg.
LB. App. 6. 19 April 1514.
[The date is confirmed by Sixtin’s journey to the Netherlands; cf. Ep. 273. 13.
John Becar of Borsselen was evidently a kinsman of the Lady of Veere (p. 208),
and perhaps made Erasmus’ acquaintance during the latter’s residence at Tourne¬
hem. He was an eager student, and family patronage enabled him to gratify his
desire for learning ; but a large part of his life was spent in teaching, for which
he had not much taste. After receiving a Canonry at Middelburg in 1513, he
became tutor to Cornelius Erdorf, a nephew of the Busleidens at Luxemburg,
in 1515, and accompanied him to Louvain in 1516. There he enjoyed the society
of Erasmus in the Collège du Lis, and was recommended by him to the patronage
of the Bp. of Utrecht. He was proposed as the first Professor of Latin in the
new Collegium Trilingue, but declined on being appointed Dean of the College
of Sandenburch, at Veere (van Heussen, ii. Middelburg, 27). Shortly afterwards
he became tutor to Maximilian of Burgundy, with whom he went once more to
Louvain in 1522. Besides his existing preferment he was elected Dean of
Middelburg in 1527, but through court opposition was unable to secure the post ;
but he received from Adolphus of Burgundy the living of Brouwershaven near
Zierikzee, vacant through the death of Nicholas of Burgundy (Ep. 144) in 1522
(cf. van Heussen, ii. Middelburg, 70). He was still at Louvain in 1528. Two of
Geldenhauer’s Satyrae, Louvain, Th. Martens, 13 June 1515, are addressed to him ;
there is a letter to him in the second edition of Hadr. Barland’s De Hollandiae
brincipibus, Antwerp, M. Hillen, Jan, 1520; and he is mentioned in the Epitha¬
lamium Petri Aegidii (LB. i. 749 4) as one of the lights of Louvain.
See Nève, Renaissance des Lettres en Belgique, pp. 197-9; and in the Annuaire de
Vuniv. cath. de Louvain (1874), pp. 397-412; EE; and BWN.]
IO. BORSALVS DOMINO ERASMO RO. S. P. D.
Accrrr estate proxima ternas a te litteras, postremas autem
abhine sex menses per dominum Ioannem Sixtinum, cui comes
erat Augustinus Aggeus; qui praeter ea quae tu scripsisti, multa
mihi de tuis studiis omnique rerum tuarum statu narrabant.
Cenabamus enim vna, et postridie erant pransuri mecum, nisi 5
prius hinc soluissent in Phrysiam nauigaturi, Eos aliquanto
post operiebar hac ad te redituros (id enim ita futurum promise¬
rant), eramque iis daturus ad te litteras. At vbi aliquot mensibus
frustra expectassem eos neque aliam inuestigassem scribendi ad
te oportunitatem, seuiente post compluribus mensibus hyeme 1o
vehementissima, factum est vt nihil adhuc tibi rescripserim.
Quare nunc vel tandem nactus quendam qui ad Decanum Sancti
Pauli Londinensis proficiscebatur, quanquam nesciebam quo te
loco meae litterae conuenire possint, sperabam tamen opera et
cura Decani eas facile tibi redditum iri. Nolui itaque omittere 1
or
6. Physiam MS. 1g. Londinen. MS.: Londinensem LB.
3. Aggeus] A native of the Hague, Oculi, printed in Paris by Wolffgang
and perhaps a kinsman of Sixtin. He Hopyl, 25 June 1510, for the London
became B.A. at Paris in 1506, being merchant, Wm. Bretton. In 1516 or 7
described as belonging to the diocese he was again resident in Paris, having
of Utrecht; but does not seem to have meanwhile become a physician (LB.
proceeded M.A. He contributed a App.45); seealsoLond. xiii.r7, LB. 465.
preface, dated London, gr Jan. 1510, 7. redituros] Sixtin had returned to
to an edition of John de Burgo’s Pupilla England by Nov. 1513. Ep. 280. 20.