s not
only Monsieur _Bayle_ himself, but every body else that writes of him
allows) I think it will be a hard matter to persuade a disinteress'd
Person, or any other but a _bon Francois_, (which, in good _English_, is
a _Lover of his Chains_) that here is any just Reason shewn why
_Hotoman_ shou'd be blam'd.

Monsieur _Teissier_, altho' very much prejudiced against him, was (as
one may see by the Tenor of the above Quotation, and his leaving it thus
uncommented on) in his Heart convinc'd of the Truth of it; but no _bon
Francois_ dares own so much. He was a little too careless when he wrote
against _Hotoman_, mistaking one of his Books for another; _viz._ his
Commentary _ad titulum institutionum de Actionibus_, for his little Book
_de gradibus cognationis_; both extremely esteemed by all learned Men,
especially the first: Of which Monsieur _Bayle_ gives this Testimony:
"_La beaute du Stile, & la connoissance des antiquites Romaines
eclatoient dans cet Ouvrage, & le firent fort estimer._"

_Thuanus_, that celebrated disinteress'd Historian, gives this Character
in general of his Writings. "He composed (says he) several Works very
profitable towards the explaining of the Civil Law, Antiquity, and all
Sorts of fine Literature; which have been collected and publish'd by
_James Lectius_, a famous Lawyer, after they had been review'd and
corrected by the Author. _Barthius_ says, that he excelled in the
Knowledge of the Civil Law, and of all genteel Learning [Footnote:
_Belles Literature_] _Ceux la mesmes qui ont ecrits contre luy_ (says
_Neveletus_) _tombent d'accord quil avoit beaucoup de lecture & une
profonde Erudition_."

The Author of the _Monitoriale adversus Italogalliam_, which some take
to be _Hotoman_ himself, has this Passage relating to the _Francogallia_:
"Quomodo potest aliquis ei succensere qui est tantum relator & narrator
facti? _Francogallista_ enim tantum narrationi & relationi simplici
vacat, quod si aliena dicta delerentur, charta remaneret alba."

It was objected to him, that he unawares furnish'd the Duke of _Guise_
and the _League_ at _Paris_ with Arguments to make good their Attempts
against their Kings. This cannot be deny'd; but at the same time it
cannot be imputed to _Hotoman_ as any Crime: Texts of Scripture
themselves have been made use of for different Purposes, according to
the Passion or the Interests of Parties. Arguments do not lose their
native Force for being wrong apply'd: If the Thre