Pithon, FrançoIs and pIerre

Pithon, François and Pierre twin brothers, were born Nov. 1, 1539. Both became famous as canonists. Francois, who died as chancellor of the Parliament at Paris in 1607, published among other works the Codex Dionysius Hadrianus (i.e. the collection of canons of Dionysius Exiguus, as augmented by Adrian). Pierre occupied some of the highest official positions, which, however, he relinquished, in order to give himself entirely to his studies. After the massacre on Bartholomew's eve, he became a convert to the Roman Catholic Church, and again came before the public to defend the conversion of Henry IV, and to effect his reconciliation with Paris. He died at Noyen-sur-Seine in 1596. Pierre wrote Les Libertes de l'Eglise Gallicane (Par. 1594), in 83 articles, to which must be added Du Puy's Preuves des Libertes de l'Eglise Gallicane, de Maistre Pierre Pithon (ibid. 1652). Both brothers published an edition of the Corpus jluris canon. See Theolog. Universal-Lexikon, s.v. (B. P.)