Aspilcueta, Martin

Aspilcueta, Martin (styled the Doctor of Navarre), was born in that country, at Varasayn, Dec. 13, 1493. He studied in his youth among the Regular Canons of Roncesvalles; thence he proceeded to Alcala, and lastly to France. When his education was finished, he returned to Spain and became first professor of canon law at Salamanca, but was induced afterwards to accept an office in the new university of Coimbra, Portugal, which John III had just founded. He returned subsequently to Spain, and at eighty years of age went to Rome to defend his friend, Bartholomew Caranza, archbishop of Toledo. At Rome he was received with the most unusual honors, and was held in the highest esteem by the popes Pius V, Gregory XIII, and Sixtus V. One author says that he was not only the oracle of Rome, but of the whole Christian world (.Tanus N. Erythrius).. He said mass daily, lived frugally, and carefully observed all the ordinances of the Church. He died at Rome, June 21, 1586. His Life was written by Simon Magnus, canon of St. Peter's at Liege, and is inserted in his Manual. Hortinus also prefixed a Life of this eminent doctor to the edition of his works (Rome, 1590, by his nephew Michael). All the works of this writer relate to the moral or canon law; they were collected and printed (Rome, 1590; Lyons, 1597; Venice, i602, 5 vols.; Cologne, 1615, 5 vols. itn 2). The latter editions contain his Consilia, which is not found in the Roman edition. See Antonio, Bibl. Hisp. ii, 74 sq.