Canus or Cano, Melchior

Canus Or Cano, Melchior, a distinguished Spanish theologian, was born at Tarancon in 1523, and entered the Dominican order at Salamanca, where he' studied theology under Francisco Vittoria, whom he succeeded in 1546 in the theological chair, after having 'served brilliantly as professor at Valladolid and Alcala. He formed a party in opposition to Carranza, afterward archbishop of Toledo, to whose disgrace he greatly contributed. When the Jesuits endeavored to settle at Salamanca, Canus vehemently denounced them as the precursors of Antichrist, and so success fully that it was not until he had gone to the Canaries that they could establish themselves in Salamanca. He was made bishop of the Canaries by Paul III, but resigned, and retired into a convent of his order, of which he became, in 1554, provincial for the province of Spain. He died at Toledo, Sept. 30, 1560. His chief and best-known work is his Locorum Theologicorum libri xii, relating to the sources whence polemical theologians may derive proofs of their opinions and arguments (Salamanca, 1562, fol.). It may be found, with his other writings, in his Opera, edit. noviss. (Bassani. 1776, 4to). — Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, 8:494.