RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Lang-en Languet
Stephen continued his work unremittingly and effectively for the political and ecclesiastical independence of England. In 1223 he again appeared as the leader and spokesman of the barons, who demanded of Henry the confirmation of the charter. He went to France to demand for Henry from Louis VIII. the restoration of Normandy, and later he supported the king against rebellious barons. He obtained a promise from Pope Honorius III. that during his lifetime no resident legate should be again sent to England, and won other concessions from the same pontiff favorable to the English Church and exalting his see of Canterbury. Of great importance in the ecclesiastical history of England was a council which Stephen opened at Osney Apr. 17, 1222; its decrees, known as the Constitutions of Stephen Langton, are the earliest provincial canons which are still recognized as binding in English church courts.
Stephen was a voluminous writer. Glosses, commentaries, expositions, and treatises by him on almost all the books of the Old Testament, and many sermons, are preserved in manuscript at Lambeth Palace, at Oxford and Cambridge, and in France. The only one of his works which has been printed, besides a few letters (in The Historical Works of Gervase of Canterbury, ed. W. Stubbs, ii. London, 1880, Rolls Series, no. 71, appendix to preface) is a Tractatus de translatione Beati Thomce (in J. A. Giles's Thomas of Canterbury , Oxford, 1845), which is probably an expansion of a sermon he preached in 1220, on occasion of the translation of the relics of St. Thomas (Thomas Becket); the ceremony was the most splendid which had ever been seen in England. He also wrote a life of Richard I., and other historical works and poems are attributed to him. It was probably Stephen Langton who first divided the Bible into chapters (see Bible Text, III., § 1).
Bibliography: Sources for a life are a Canterbury Chronicle in Stubbs's Gervase of Canterbury, ut sup.; Roger of Wendover, ed. H. O. Coxe, 5 vols., London, 1841-49; the works of Matthew of Paris (edited in Rolls Series); Ralph of Coggleshall, De motibus Anglicanus sub Johanne, in Bouquet, Recueil, xviii. 59-120; and the Life of Innocent III. in MPL, ccxiv.-ccxv. Modern sketches (a complete Life is still lacking) are: M. Pattison, in Lives of English Saints, ed. J. H. Newman, vol. x., London, 1845; W. F. Hook, in Lives of the Archbishops of Canterbury, ib. 1860-76; C. E. Maurice, London, 1872; R. C. Jenkins, Canterbury, ib. 1880 (on the supremacy of Canterbury); F. Phillips, in Fathers of the English Church, 1 ser., ib. 1891; and DNB, xxxii. 122-128. Consult also J. H. Overton, The Church in England, i. 220-231, London, 1897; W. R. W. Stephens, The English Church (1066-1272), ib. 1901; and in general the works on the history of England dealing with his period.
LANGUET, lan"ge', HUBERT: French diplomat and Reformer; b. at Viteaux (21 m. w. of Dijon), 1518; d. at Antwerp Sept. 30, 1581. He entered the University of Poitiers in order to study law, but he was interested also in theology, history, and natural and political science. He visited the universities of Padua and Bologna, and traveled in Italy and Spain. He was greatly influenced by Melanchthon's Loci theologici, which put an end to his doubts. In 1549 Languet went to Wittenberg, where he was kindly received by Melanchthon as a guest, frequently accompanying him on his
travels and being on intimate terms with his friends. Expelled from France by the persecutions of the Protestants, he settled at Wittenberg, spending the winters there, but making extensive journeys in the summer and fall. In 1559 Languet, on the recommendation of Melanchthon, entered the service of the elector of Saxony as diplomatic agent, which position he held until 1577. The elector sent him to various courts: to Paris, Vienna, Prague, Frankfurt, Cologne, and the Netherlands. As a friend of Melanchthon he opposed the growing party of strict Lutherans; but still he did everything in his power to reconcile the opposing parties, even trying to effect the recognition of the French Huguenots at the diet of Frankfurt in 1562, but without success. In May, 1561, he went to France in order to bring about a closer connection between the German princes and the French Protestants, and was present at the Religious Conference of Poissy (q.v.). In 1562 he was in Antwerp; the following years were spent in diplomatic journeys to France and back to Saxony. In 1571 the elector sent him together with the ambassadors of other Protestant princes of Germany to King Charles IX. of France to congratulate him on the peace of St. Germain. On this occasion Languet advocated the equal recognition of both confessions, but the answer was the night of St. Bartholomew; having narrowly escaped death, he left France in Oct., 1572, and returned there only once more, shortly before his death. From 1573 to 1576 he was at the court of Emperor Maximilian II., whom he accompanied on his various journeys. With the death of Maximilian II. in 1576 his connection with the court of Vienna was dissolved. The bitter feelings against him as the friend of Melanchthon and a Calvinist caused him to ask for dismissal from the court. The elector granted his desire, but continued his salary. In 1577 he went to Cologne in order to be nearer to the Netherlands, as he was greatly attracted by William of Orange.
The leading idea of his diplomacy was that of religious and civil liberty for the protection and expansion of Protestantism. He did everything in his power to advance the union of the Protestant churches. The correspondence with the Elector August of Saxony and with Mordeisen were edited by T. P. Ludovicus under the title Arcana seculi xvi. (Halle, 1699). Other collections of letters are Epistolm politico? et historical ad P. Sydnaeum (Frankfort, 1633); E-pistolm ad J. Camerarium, Patrem et filium (Groningen, 1646). His chief work is Vindicia contra tyrannos (Edinburgh [Basel?], 1579). The book is divided into four parts, each of which proposes and answers a question: (1) Must God in a case of dispute be obeyed rather than a ruler? (2) May a ruler who violates the law of God and devastates the Church, be opposed? (3) How far, and with what right may it be allowed to oppose a ruler who suppresses or destroys the state? (4) Have neighboring rulers a right to assist a ruler oppressed by his subjects?
(Paul Tschackert.) Bibliography: Accounts of the life have been written by
Philibert de la Mare, ed. T. P. Ludovicus, Halle, 1700;
Treitschke, Leipsic, 1846; H. Chevreuil, Paris, 1856;
J. Blasel, Breslau, 1872. Consult further: G. von Polenz,
Lanigun Lapsed