Jean Crespin
Encyclopedia
Jean Crespin was a French Protestant lawyer who became a significant printer and martyrologist in Geneva
.
and studied law at Leuven
. In 1540 he was in Paris, where he worked with his friend François Baudouin
under the leading jurist and advocate Charles Du Moulin, and became himself advocate at the Parlement of Paris. He became interested in the doctrines of the Reformed Church; and when he returned to Arras, his relations with the Protestants caused him to be treated as a heretic.
In 1545 he went to Strasburg
, where he married. In 1548 he moved near his friend John Calvin
; with his family he settled in Geneva, where he established a printing-press. In 1555 he received citizenship there. He died at Geneva in 1572.
In addition, he is credited with:
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...
.
Life
He was born at ArrasArras
Arras is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The historic centre of the Artois region, its local speech is characterized as a Picard dialect...
and studied law at Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
. In 1540 he was in Paris, where he worked with his friend François Baudouin
François Baudouin
François Baudouin , also called Balduinus, was a French jurist, Christian controversialist and historian. Among the most colourful of the noted French humanists, he was respected by his contemporaries as a statesman and jurist, even as they frowned upon on his perceived inconstancy in matters of...
under the leading jurist and advocate Charles Du Moulin, and became himself advocate at the Parlement of Paris. He became interested in the doctrines of the Reformed Church; and when he returned to Arras, his relations with the Protestants caused him to be treated as a heretic.
In 1545 he went to Strasburg
Strasburg
-Places:*Strasbourg, a city in Alsace *Straßburg, Austria, in Carinthia*Strasburg, Germany, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania*the former name of Brodnica, became Polish after World War I*Strassburg, the German name for Aiud, Alba...
, where he married. In 1548 he moved near his friend 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...
; with his family he settled in Geneva, where he established a printing-press. In 1555 he received citizenship there. He died at Geneva in 1572.
Works
In common with other printers and publishers of his time he also wrote and compiled books, most famously his martyrology, now popularly known as the 'Livre des Martyrs'. This was released in several editions between 1554 and 1570, under a variety of titles.- Le Livre des Martyrs (Geneva, 1554)
- Recueil de plusieurs personnes qui ont constamment enduré la mort pour le nom de N. S. J. C. depuis Jean Hus jusqu'à cette année présente 1554 (1555);
- Troisieme partie du recueil des martyrs (1556)
- Quatrieme partie des actes des martyrs (1561)
- Cinquieme partie des actes des martyrs (1563)
- Actes de Martyrs (1564)
- Histoire des vrays témoins de la vérité de l'Évangile depuis Jean Hus jusqu'à présent (1570).
In addition, he is credited with:
- Le Marchand converti, tragédie nouvelle (1558);