3. Jewish Bricks.— The Jews learned the art of brick- making in Egypt, and we find the use of the brick-kiln
BRIOONNET
("(a^"3, malben) in David's time (2 Sam. xii, 31), and a complaint made by Isaiah that the people built altars of brick instead of unhewn stone as the law directed (Isa. lxv, 3; Exod. xx, 25). See Potteby.
Bricormet, Denis, son of the cardinal of St. Malo, was made successively bishop of Toulon and of St. Malo. He was a member of the Council of Pisa, 1511, and of that of the Lateran, 1514. His reputation for virtue and kindness was very great ; anil toward the end of his life lie gave up his episcopal office, for fear that he should not be able faithfully to fulfil its duties in his old age. He died in 153G. — Hoefer, Biog. Generale, vii, 378.
Bricoimet, Guillaume, cardinal of St. Malo, be- gan his career under Louis XI, who, on his death-bed, commended him to bis son Charles VIII. Under that monarch he became finance minister, and almost ruler of France. Having lost his wife, he added to his other honors the episcopacy, taking orders, it is said, with the understanding that ho should lie made cardinal. At Rome he brought about a reconciliation between Charles and the pope, and the cardinal's hat was his reward. On the death of Charles VIII he was dis- placed iii the French cabinet by Cardinal d'Amboise, and retired to Pome ; but Louis XII employed him to get up a council at Pisa composed of the cardinals opposed to Pope Julius II, in order to "reform the Church in its head and members." He obeyed, but was excommunicated by the pope and deprived of his purple. Leo X restored him. lie died archbishop of Narbonne, 14th December, 1514. — Hoefer, Biog. Gene* rale, vii, 377.
Bricormet, Guillaume, a French bishop and quasi Reformer, was the son of the cardinal of St. Malo, archbishop of Rheims. His father trained him for the priestly office, and had ample opportunities to promote the son. " Rich benefices were heaped upon him. He was made archdeacon of Rheims and of Avignon, then abbot of the same rich foundation of St. Germain which his father had obtained, and finally he entered the episcopate as bishop of Lodeve, whence he was trans- ferred to the see of Meaux, an important town in Brie, nearly thirty miles eastward of Paris, of which Bos* suet was, at a later clay, bishop. Brioonnet was a man of considerable learning, of singular fondness for the subtleties of a refined mysticism, and of a kind and gentle temper. While at Rome, whither he went as royal ambassador just before entering upon his duties as bishop of Meaux, ho had become more and more convinced of the thorough reform which was needed throughout the whole Church. His first acts in his diocese were those of a reformer. He called upon the ecclesiastics who, neglecting their charges, bad been in the habit of spending their time in pleasure at the capital, to return to their pastoral duties. He took steps to initiate a reformation of manners and morals among the clergy. He forbade the Franciscan monks to enter the pulpits of the churches under his super- vision." He invited from Paris, in 1521, Jacques Le- fevre, of Etaples (q.v.), ami Fare! (q. v.), who were employed in disseminating the N. Testament, and in preaching, throughout the diocese for nearly two years. Briconnet himself was very active; and once, preach- ing to his people, warned them in these words: "Even should I, your bishop, change my teaching, beware that you change not witli me." But. Ins perseverance was not equal to the occasion. The Franciscans, whom he had offended, " called upon the Parisian Uni- versity and Parliament to interpose; ami the bishop, who at first had given tokens of courage, and had ven- tured to denounce the doctors of theology as Pharisees and false prophets, at length wavered and trembled before the storm he had raised. Three years (1523- 1525) witnessed the gradual but sure progress of his apostasy from the profession of his convictions. Be- ginning with the mere withdrawal of his permission
BRIDAIXE
890
BRIDGE
accorded to 'the evangelical doctor?,' as they were called, to preach within his diocese, he ended by pre- siding over a synod of his own clergy, in which the reading of the works of Luther was prohibited on pain of excommunication, and by giving a public sanction to the abases against which he had so loudly protested. The rapid advance of his conformity with the requisi- tions of* the Papal Church was doubtless owing not a little to fresh complaints against his orthodoxy, and a summons to appear before an inquisitorial commission appointed by the Parliament, which, however, he suc- ceeded in satisfying in respect to his future, if not as to his past course. Meanwhile, although himself the instrument of persecution in the hands of the fanatical portion of the French clergy, it is probable that Bri- connet still retained his early sentiments. Such, at least, was the belief of the early reformers." He died at the chateau of Esmont in 1533. See Bretonneau, Hist. General de la Maison de B>ironnet; Dyer, Life of Ctrfrin, p. 20; Kanke, History of the Reformation, i, 190 ; Baird, in Methodist Quarterly Review, 1864, p. 439.