Crell (or Krell), Nicholas

Crell (or Krell), Nicholas a distinguished German jurist, was born at Leipsic between the years 1550- 53; graduated at Leipsic 1575, and was called to the court of the elector Augustus. Christian I, who succeeded his father in 1586, made him privy councillor and chancellor. Augustus had been zealous in opposing Crypto- Calvinism, but Christian I did not share his partiality for the Formula Concordiae, and Crell, by his order, superintended the preparation of a German Bible, with practical notes, for popular use. Christian dying before its completion (Sept. 25, 1591), the work was discontinued. The electress Sophia, who governed during the minority of her son Christian II, favored the extreme Lutheran party, and Crell waas thrown into prison. In Sept., 1597, he had a hearing in prison, and in 1599 he was condemned as unfaithful to the elector and to his trust. His appeal to the imperial court at Spires was rejected, and he vas executed Oct. 9, 1601, commending himself to God. See Niedner, Ztsch. f. hist. Theol. (1848, p. 315); Hutterus, Concordia Concors, c. 49; Arnold, Kirchenu. Ketzerhistorie, 2:16, 32; Herzog, Real-Encyklop. 3, 183; and CRYPTO-CALVINISTIC CONTROVERSY.