Page:A new and general biographical dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation v1.djvu/96

 ADRIAN. ADRIAN IV. (PoPE), the only Englishman who ever had .Tu? the nonour f fitting in 'the papal chair. His name was Ni- voi. i. P c hoi as Brckefpere; and he was born at Langley, near St. Al- ban's, in Hcrtfordfhire. His father having lefc his family, Abb at s' an ^ ta ^ en the habit of the monaltery of St. Al ban's, Nicholas .ibjn. euit vvis obliged to fubmit to the Joweft offices in that houfe for 1640. vol.1, daily fupport. After fome time, he^defired to take the habit in that monaftery, but was rejeled by the abbot Richard : " fon, and go to fchool a little longer, till you are better <e qualified [A]". But if the character given of young Breke- fpere by Pitts be a juit one, the abbot was certainly to be blamed for rejecting a perfon who would have done great ho- nour to his houfe: He was according to that author a hand- fome and comely youth, of a fharp wit and ready utterance; circumfpeft in all his words and actions, polite in his beha- viour, neat and elegant; full of zeal for the glory of God, and that according to fome degree of knowledge; fo poflefled of ail the mcft valuable endowments of mind and body, that in him the gifts of Heaven exceeded nature : his piety exceeded his education; and the ripenefs of his judgment and his other qualifications exceeded his age [B]. Having met with this repuife, he refolved to try his fortune in another country, and accordingly went to Paris; where, though in very poor circumftances, he applied himfelftohis ftudies with great af- fiduity, and made a wonderful proficiency. But having flill a ftrong inclination to a religious life, he left Paris, and re- moved to Provence, where he became a regular clerk in the monaflery of St. Rufus. He was not immediately allowed to take the habit, but pafled fome time by way of trial, in re- commending himfdf to the monks by a ftrid attention to all their commands. This behaviour, together with the beauty of his perfc,n, and prudent converfation, rendered him fo ac- ceptable to thofe religious, that after fome time they intreated him to take the habit of the canonical order [c]. Here he diflinguiftitd himfelf fo much by his learning and ftrid obferv- ance of the monadic difcipline, that, upon the death of the ab- Tbot, he was chofen fuperior of that houfe; and we are told " " ^ at ne rebuilt that convent. He did not long enjoy this ab- CA] " Qia cum examinatus fft infuf- vo'. I. p. 66. " ik.ens iiiveniretur, dixit et abbas iatis f B i See Pitts, De illuft. Angl. Script. " civ l.ter; Lxp^ta, fil", et adhuc fcho- ann. 1159 11 lam exerce; ut apt.or habearis." Wat, [cj See Gul. Neubr, de Reb. Angl, Paris Vit. Abb. St. Alban. edit. 164.0. lib. ii. c. 6. bacy :
 * k He was examined," fays Matthew Paris, " and being found
 * ' infufficient, the abbot civilly enough faid to him, Wait, my