Philippe Crespin du Bec, Bishop of Vannes & Nantes; Archbishop of Reims

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Bishop of Nantes: 1566-1594 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Nantes Archbishop of Reims: 1594–1605 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archbishop_of_Reims

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Archbishop Philippe du Bec

(1566.10.15 – 1598.01.07) Born: 1519 Died: 1605.01.10 († 86) Bishop of Vannes (France) (1559.04.17 – 1566.10.15) Bishop of Nantes (France) (1566.10.15 – 1598.01.07) Metropolitan Archbishop of Reims (France) ([1594] 1598.01.07 – 1605.01.10) http://www.gcatholic.com/dioceses/diocese/nant1.htm

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About this time M. Philippe de Bee, then Bishop of Vannes and nowadays of Nantes, was awakened to a knowledge of some of the abuses of the Roman Church, and he spoke with some freedom on the subject to his sister, Mile, de Buhy, even lending her certain books which he had formerly brought from England. The bishop was fond of his nephew, M. du Plessis, and thought well of him and intended to resign a part of his benefices in his favour, and so when the boy first went to college he had been dressed as if he were intended for the church. But from the moment that God had opened his eyes even a little to the abuses of the church, Philippe would hear no more talk of taking orders.

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Half-way through the four years that he spent at Paris [Philippe's] maternal uncle, the Bishop of Nantes, arrived in the city. After testing him in his knowledge of Greek by glancing through several books, his uncle discussed the question of religion with him. Since the troubles began the Bishop had been to the Council of Trent with the Cardinal de Lorraine s and had stifled the knowledge which he had formerly had of the truth. He told M. du Plessis that he had no wish to press him before he was come to a riper judgment, but that his opinions on religion would change with age. M. du Plessis answered, " Sir, if it is nothing but an opinion it would be better to change it at once. I am quite ready to receive instruction and to justify my faith." And at that time no more was said. But on the morrow the Bishop told him that he wanted him to read in the Fathers and that he would see that a bookseller lent him the books. Some days later he spoke of resigning his bishopric in his nephew's favour, and until he attained canonical age, he proposed to make over to him the prevote of Vertou, which he could hold without making any change in religion, on the mere strength of the tonsure he already wore as a student. M. du Plessis thanked him, but said that God would not let him want for anything, for he was loth to lay himself under an obligation to his uncle, lest it should prove a stumbling-block and a reason for following his uncle's counsels. After the Bishop's return to Brittany M. du Plessis wrote to him once a fortnight, dwelling on those passages in the writings of the Fathers, which he diligently read as directed, which confirmed him more and more in the chief points of the (reformed) religion.

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