Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIV.djvu/296

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

280 RETZ REUCHLIN land dog and the setter, best for game as large as a hare or pheasant ; it stands nearly 2 ft. high, with powerful frame and stout limbs; the hair is moderately long and curly, and should be black ; the sense of smell is very acute. They are very difficult to train. The smaller retrievers are a cross between the water spaniel or beagle and the terrier, smooth English or rough Scotch ; they are less noisy and more companionable than the larger breed. RETZ, GiDes de Laval, seigneur de, marshal of France, born about 1396, put to death in 1440. Under Charles VII. he distinguished himself in the war against the English, and fought at the side of the maid of Orleans. Money troubles obliged him to retire to his castle near Nantes. In consequence of rumors of shameful deeds practised by him, the bishop of Nantes sum- moned him to be tried before a mixed com- mission. It was proved that during 14 years the seigneur de Retz had enticed into his castle several hundred children, had practised magic, and had paid worship to the devil, in which his victims were obliged to take part as priests and priestesses. He was handed over to the civil power, and by a decree of Oct. 25, 1440, he was condemned to the stake, but, as a no- ble, was strangled. RETZ, Jean Francois Pan! de Gondi, cardinal de, a French politician, born at Montmirail in 1614, died in Paris, Aug. 24, 1679. He was a younger son of Philippe Emmanuel de Gondi, the general of the galleys under the reign of Louis XIII., and was intended for the church; but, with the design of establishing a reputa- tion that would debar him from that employ- ment, he entered on a career of intrigue and licentiousness, participating in every conspiracy against Richelieu. His family proved immov- able, and at length he turned his attention to theological studies. He took rank among the most distinguished members of the church, and when not 30 years old became coadjutor to his uncle the archbishop Henri do Gondi. His winning manners, eloquence, and seeming Christian virtues secured for him unparalleled popularity among the Parisians. When the troubles of the Fronde broke out, he offered his services to the regent, Anne of Austria; but being coldly received, he used his popu- larity to cause the people of the metropolis to rise in arms against Mazarin, and became in effect the leader of the revolt. In 1651 he secured a cardinal's hat through hia temporary alliance with the court, but he finally lost credit with all parties. Previous to the ter- mination of the troubles, he was arrested by order of the queen, and was first taken to Vin- cennes, then to the castle of Nantes, whence he escaped. He took refuge in Spain, then in Italy, where his rank as a cardinal and his dig- nity of archbishop of Paris, in which he had nominally succeeded his uncle in 1654, secured him some respect. His return to France was permitted in 1661, but on condition of resign- ing his archbishopric, which he exchanged for the abbacy of St. Denis, the richest preferment in France. He now gave up politics entirely, lived for the most part on an estate in Lor- raine, and paid up his old debts, which amount- ed to more than 3,000,000 livres. His per- sonal memoirs were printed for the first time in 1717 (3 vols. 12mo, Nancy), and have been often reprinted, with the addition of those of Guy-Joly and the duchess de Nemours, by which they are completed. They are included in Petitot's and Michaud and Poujoulat's Col- lections de memoirea pour tercir d Vhistoire de Prance. The most complete edition is that of Aime-Champollion (4 vols. 12mo, 1859), with annotations and index. See also CEuvret du cardinal de Retz, edited by Alphonse Feillet (vols. i. and ii., Paris, 1872). RETZSCH, Frledrieh Ansrast Horltz, a German designer, born in Dresden, Dec. 9, 1779, died near that city, June 11, 1857. He studied at Dresden, and in 1824 was appointed professor of painting there. His reputation rests upon his outline etchings illustrating " Faust " and the ballads of Goethe, Schiller, and Burger, and Shakespeare's plays. imnil.lN (Hellenized into CAPNIO), 'Johann, a German scholar, born in Pforzheim in 1455 (Feb. 22, according to Geiger), died in Stuttgart, June 80, 1522. On account of the sweetness of his voice he was admitted into the chapel of the margrave of Baden, and he was chosen by that prince to accompany his son Frederick in 1473 to the university of Paris. At the age of 20 he taught at Basel philosophy and Greek and Latin. He studied law in Orleans, and in 1481 was made teacher of jurisprudence and belles-lettres in the university of Tflbingen. He received from the emperor Frederick III. the title of imperial councillor, and was em- ployed in diplomacy. After the death of his patron Duke Eberhard of Wiirtemberg he went to the court of the elector palatine Philip at Heidelberg, where ho made valuable additions to the library ; and when the elector fell under the papal ban, Reuchlin went to Rome and obtained his absolution. For 11 years he was president of the Swabian confederate tribunal, but found time for the study of the eastern languages, and was constantly collecting Greek and Hebrew manuscripts. About 1509 a con- verted Jew named Pfefferkorn persuaded the inquisition of Cologne to solicit from the em- peror Maximilian an order that nil Hebrew books with the exception of the Bible should be burned. The emperor yielded, but subse- quently asked the opinion of Reuchlin, who remonstrated strenuously, and the order was superseded. The inquisitors raised a furious cry against Reuchlin, charging him with being secretly inclined to Judaism. Reuchlin in 1511 published a defence under the title Spe- culum Oculare, in 1512 a German translation entitled Auyenspiegel, and in 1513 his Defen- tio contra Calumniatores. In revenge tin- in- quisitor Hoogstraaten formed a tribunal at Mentz, by the order of which the writings of