JOHANNES

SECUNDUS  , whose real name was JoaANN EVERTS (1511-1536), Latin poet, was born at The Hague on the loth of November 1511 . He was descended from an ancient family in the Netherlands; his father, Nicholas Everts, or Everard, seems to have been high in the favour of the emperor Charles V . On what account the son was called Secundus is not known . His father intended him for the law; but though he took his degree at Bourges it does not appear that he devoted much time to legal pursuits . Poetry, painting and sculpture engaged his mind at. a very early period . In 1533 he went to Spain, and soon afterwards became secretary to the cardinal-archbishop of Toledo, in a department of business which required no other qualification than that of writing Latin with elegance; During this period he composed his most famous work, the Basia, a series of amatory poems, of which the fifth, seventh, and ninth Carmina of Catullus seem to have given the hint . In 1534 he accompanied Charles V. to the siege of Tunis . After quitting the service of the archbishop, Secundus was employed as secretary. by the bishop of Utrecht; and so much did.hedistinguish himself by his compositions that he was called upon to fill the important post of private Latin secretary to the emperor, who was then in Italy . But, having arrived at St Amand, near Tournay, he died of fever on the 8th of October 1536 .