Balme, Henri De

Balme, Henri De (not de Palma), a learned French Franciscan, native of Balma (Isbre), died Feb. 23, 1439. He wrote a book on mystic theology, commencing with this saying, "Viae-Sion lugent," which is attributed to St. Bonaventura, and is still to be found among his smaller works,. This book formerly existed, under the title De Triplici Via ad Sapientiam, among the MSS. of the Library of St. Victor of Paris. At the Pauline Library at Leipsic there are other mystic treatises bearing his name, which by their titles — De Imitatione Christi, De Compunctione, De Interna Consolatione — bear a resemblance to the works of Thomas a Kempis. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.