Antoine Rodolphe Chevallier
Encyclopedia
Antoine Rodolphe Chevallier (1523–1572) was a French Protestant Hebraist, holder of teaching positions in England, and tutor in French to the future Elizabeth I of England
.
in Normandy
. He studied Hebrew under Francis Vatablus at Paris, and embraced the Protestant faith. He came to England in Edward VI's reign, about 1548; and was entertained, first by Paul Fagius
and Martin Bucer
, and afterwards by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer
, with whom he stayed for more than a year. Subsequently he settled at Cambridge
, where he gave free lectures in Hebrew, and lodged with Emanuel Tremellius, the Hebrew professor. He was pensioned by Cranmer and Thomas Goodrich
, bishop of Ely
, and married Elizabeth de Grimecieux, Tremellius's stepdaughter, on 1 December 1550. His eldest child, Emanuel, was born at Cambridge on 8 September 1551.
Cranmer recommended Chevallier to the king's notice, and he was granted letters of denization and the reversion to the next vacant prebend at Canterbury. He was the 'Mr. Anthony' who taught the Princess Elizabeth French. On Edward VI's death in 1553 Chevallier left for Strasbourg
, where he was appointed Hebrew professor in 1559, but moved in the same year to Geneva
and confirmed his intimacy with John Calvin
, whose acquaintance he had made before 1554 Ultimately he settled at Caen
, and in 1568 revisited England to solicit Queen Elizabeth's aid for the French Huguenots. He was in no hurry to return to Normandy; agreed to become Hebrew lecturer at St Paul's Cathedral
; and in May 1569 received, at the suggestion of Matthew Parker
and Edmund Grindal
, the appointment of Regius Professor of Hebrew in the University of Cambridge. He matriculated on 3 August 1569, and on 5 September complained to Parker that his stipend as professor had been reduced. John Drusius and Hugh Broughton
were his pupils.
Chevallier became prebendary
of Canterbury in 1570, and on 24 March 1572 received leave of absence from Canterbury for two years without prejudice to his emoluments. At the time of the St. Bartholomew's massacre at Paris he escaped to Guernsey
, intending to return to England, and died there in October of the same year.
Chevallier intended to publish an edition of the Bible in four languages, but did not finish it, and nothing is now known of it.
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
.
Life
He was born on 16 March 1523 at Montchamps, near VireVire
Vire is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.- History :In 1123, Henri I Beauclerc, King of England and Duke of Normandy, had a redoubt constructed on a rocky hill top, which was surrounded by the Vire river...
in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
. He studied Hebrew under Francis Vatablus at Paris, and embraced the Protestant faith. He came to England in Edward VI's reign, about 1548; and was entertained, first by Paul Fagius
Paul Fagius
Paul Fagius was a Renaissance scholar of Biblical Hebrew.-Life:Fagius was born at Rheinzabern in 1504. His father was a teacher and council clerk. In 1515 he went to study at the University of Heidelberg and in 1518 was present at the Heidelberg Disputation...
and Martin Bucer
Martin Bucer
Martin Bucer was a Protestant reformer based in Strasbourg who influenced Lutheran, Calvinist, and Anglican doctrines and practices. Bucer was originally a member of the Dominican Order, but after meeting and being influenced by Martin Luther in 1518 he arranged for his monastic vows to be annulled...
, and afterwards by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer
Thomas Cranmer
Thomas Cranmer was a leader of the English Reformation and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI and, for a short time, Mary I. He helped build a favourable case for Henry's divorce from Catherine of Aragon which resulted in the separation of the English Church from...
, with whom he stayed for more than a year. Subsequently he settled at Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, where he gave free lectures in Hebrew, and lodged with Emanuel Tremellius, the Hebrew professor. He was pensioned by Cranmer and Thomas Goodrich
Thomas Goodrich
Thomas Goodrich was an English ecclesiastic and statesman.-Life:He was a son of Edward Goodrich of East Kirkby, Lincolnshire and brother of Henry Goodricke of Ribston Hall, North Yorkshire....
, bishop of Ely
Bishop of Ely
The Bishop of Ely is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Ely in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese roughly covers the county of Cambridgeshire , together with a section of north-west Norfolk and has its see in the City of Ely, Cambridgeshire, where the seat is located at the...
, and married Elizabeth de Grimecieux, Tremellius's stepdaughter, on 1 December 1550. His eldest child, Emanuel, was born at Cambridge on 8 September 1551.
Cranmer recommended Chevallier to the king's notice, and he was granted letters of denization and the reversion to the next vacant prebend at Canterbury. He was the 'Mr. Anthony' who taught the Princess Elizabeth French. On Edward VI's death in 1553 Chevallier left for Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
, where he was appointed Hebrew professor in 1559, but moved in the same year to Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
and confirmed his intimacy with John Calvin
John Calvin
John Calvin was an influential French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism. Originally trained as a humanist lawyer, he broke from the Roman Catholic Church around 1530...
, whose acquaintance he had made before 1554 Ultimately he settled at Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
, and in 1568 revisited England to solicit Queen Elizabeth's aid for the French Huguenots. He was in no hurry to return to Normandy; agreed to become Hebrew lecturer at St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
; and in May 1569 received, at the suggestion of Matthew Parker
Matthew Parker
Matthew Parker was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1559 until his death in 1575. He was also an influential theologian and arguably the co-founder of Anglican theological thought....
and Edmund Grindal
Edmund Grindal
Edmund Grindal was an English church leader who successively held the posts of Bishop of London, Archbishop of York and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reign of Elizabeth I of England.-Early life to the death of Edward VI:...
, the appointment of Regius Professor of Hebrew in the University of Cambridge. He matriculated on 3 August 1569, and on 5 September complained to Parker that his stipend as professor had been reduced. John Drusius and Hugh Broughton
Hugh Broughton
Hugh Broughton was an English scholar and theologian.-Early life:He was born at Owlbury, Bishop's Castle, Shropshire. He calls himself a Cambrian, implying Welsh blood in his veins. He was educated by Bernard Gilpin at Houghton-le-Spring and at Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he matriculated...
were his pupils.
Chevallier became prebendary
Prebendary
A prebendary is a post connected to an Anglican or Catholic cathedral or collegiate church and is a type of canon. Prebendaries have a role in the administration of the cathedral...
of Canterbury in 1570, and on 24 March 1572 received leave of absence from Canterbury for two years without prejudice to his emoluments. At the time of the St. Bartholomew's massacre at Paris he escaped to Guernsey
Guernsey
Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
, intending to return to England, and died there in October of the same year.
Works
Chevalier's main writings were first published in Bryan Walton's Polyglot Bible of 1657. In that work appear Chevallier's translation from the Syriac into Latin of the Targum Hierosolmitanum, his Latin version of the Targum of Pseudo-Jonathan on the Pentateuch, and corrections of Jonathan's Targum on Joshua, Judges, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve minor prophets. Chevallier's other works are:- 'Rudimenta Hebraicae Linguae accurate methodo et brevitate conscripta,' which includes a Hebrew letter by Tremellius commending the book, and a Syriac and Latin version by the author of St. Paul's Epistle to tbe Galatians, Geneva, 1560, 1567, 1591, and 1592, Wittenberg, 1574, Leyden, 1575; 'cum notis P[etri] Cavallerii,' Geneva, 1590.
- Emendations on Pagninus's 'Thesaurus Linguae Sanctae,' Leyden, 1576, and Geneva, 1614;
- 'Alphabetum Hebraicum ex A. C. ... recognitione,' 1566, 1600.
- Hebrew verses on Calvin's death, printed in Theodore BezaTheodore BezaTheodore Beza was a French Protestant Christian theologian and scholar who played an important role in the Reformation...
's poems.
Chevallier intended to publish an edition of the Bible in four languages, but did not finish it, and nothing is now known of it.