§ 17G. HKZA's WJtlTINGS. sTl
in perils of rivers, in i^erils of robbei-s, in perils from ni} own countrymen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils among false brethren ; in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Besides those things that are without, there is that which presseth upon me daily, anxiety for all the churches" (2 Cor. 11:20-28). It was indeed a brilliant service which this versatile man rendered. Under his watchful care the city of Geneva enjoyed peace and prosperity, the Academy flourished and its students went everywhere preaching the Word, while the Reformed Church of France was built up by him. Calvin lived again and in some respects lived a bolder life in his pupil and friend.
It is pleasant to get glimpses of Beza's home life. Men like him are seldom able to enjoy their homes. But Beza had for forty years the love and devotion of the wife of his youth. They had no children, but his fatherly heart may have found some expression in adopting his wife's niece Genevieve Denosse, whom he educated with great care, and also in his parental solicitude for his brother's children. It is perhaps to be taken as indicative of the domestic character of the man that, on the advice of friends, within a year after his wife died (1589), he married Catherine del Piano, a widow of a Genevese. He also adopted her gi-and-daughter. It is probable that he always lived in some state ; at all events his will proves that he had considerable property.
§ 176. Beza's Writings.
Beza's name will ever be most honorably associated with biblical learning. Indeed, to many students his services in this department mil constitute his only claim to notice. Every one who knows anything of the uncial manuscripts of the Greek New Testament has heard of the Codex Bezae, or of the history of the printed text of the New Testament has heard of Beza's editions and of his Latin translation with
872 THE REFOEMATION IN FRENCH SWITZERLAND.
notes. The Codex Bezse, known as D in tlie list of the uncials, also as Codex Cantabrigiensis, is a manuscript of the Gospels and Acts, originally also of the Catholic Epistles, dating from the sixth century.^ Its transcriber would seem to have been a Gaul, ignorant of Greek. Beza procured it from the monastery of St. Irenseus, at Lyons, when the city was sacked by Des Adets, in 1562, but did not use it in his edition of the Greek Testament, because it departed so widely from the other manuscripts, which departures are often supported by the ancient Latin and Syriac versions. He presented it to the University of Cambridge in 1581, and it is now shown in the library among the great treasures.
Beza was also the possessor of an uncial manuscript of the Pauline Epistles, also dating from the sixth century. How he got hold of it is unknown. He merely says (Preface to his 3d ed. of the N. T., 1582) that it had been found at Clermont, near Beauvais, France. It may have been another fortune of war. After his death it was sold, and ultimately came into the Royal (now the National) Library in Paris, and there it is preserved.^ Beza made some use of it. Both these manuscripts were accompanied by a Latin version of extreme antiquity.
Among the eminent editors of the Greek New Testament, Beza deserves prominent mention. He put forth four folio editions of Stephen's Greek text ; viz. 1565, 1582, 1589, with a Latin version, the Latin Vulgate, and Annotations. He issued also several octavo editions with his Latin version, and brief marginal notes (1565, 1567, 1580, 1590, 1604) .3
What especially interests the English Bible student is the
^ A very full description of it is given by Scrivener, Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament, 3d ed. 120-127; cf. Gregory, Prolegomena in iV. T. Tischendorfianum ed. viii. maior, 369-374 ; SchafE, Companion to the Greek Testament, 122-124.
2 For full description, see Scrivener, ibid. 163-166; cf. Gregory, ibid. 419-422.
» SchafE, ibid. 237-238.