NICOLAS

See also:

• NICOLAS COEFFETEAU (1574-1623)

COEFFETEAU (1574-1623)  , French theologian, poet and historian, was born at Saint-Calais . He entered the Dominican order and lectured on philosophy at Paris, being also " ordinary preacher " to Henry IV., and afterwards ambassador at Rome . In 16o6 he was vicar-general of the congregation of France, and received from Marie de' Medici the revenues of the sees of Lombez and Saintes . He also administered the diocese of Metz, and was nominated -to that of Marseilles in 1621, but ill-health obliged him here to take a coadjutor . Coeffeteau won considerable distinction in the controversy against the Protestant reformers and also wrote a History of Rome from Augustus to Constantine . Many of his theological writings were collected in one volume (Paris, 1622), and at the time of his death in 1623 he was engaged on a translation of the New Testament which is still in manuscript .