Merlin, Jean-raymond

Merlin, Jean-Raymond (surnamed Monroy), a Protestant theologian, was,; born at Romans, France, about 1510. He was a professor of Hebrew at Lausanne, probably from 1537 to 1558, when he resigned his position in order the better to protest against the removal from office of two of his colleagues, Pierre Viret and Jacob Valier, by act of-the Bernese government. He afterwards retired to Geneva, where he was pastor for three years. Called to Paris in 1561, at the instance of Coligny, he was intrusted -with a mission to La Rochelle, and attended the Conference at Poissy, where he took, however, only a secondary part. Jeanne d'Albret then invited -him to visit the Bearn, and engaged him to propagate the doctrines of the Reformation. He returned to Geneva about the middle of 1564. Shortly thereafter he came in conflict with the civil authorities, and, because of his decided opposition to civil interference in ecclesiastical affairs, was removed. Merlin then went into the Dauphine, from which the massacre of St. Bartholomew drove him away. He sought refuge in Geneva. He died about 1578. Merlin wrote a French -translation entitled Commentaires d'OEcolampade sur Job. et Daniel (Geneva, 1561, 8vo). He also published Catechisme extiait decelui de Geneve, pour examiner. ceux qu'on veut recevoir .' la C ane, avec la translation en langue Bearnoise '(Limoges, s. d. 8vo):Les dix Commandements de la loi de Dieu, translates d'Hebreu en Franfais, et exposes avec six autres translations (Geneva, 1561, 8vo). See Marchand, Dict. Historique.; Haag, La France Protestante.