Pierre Coton

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Pierre Coton (7 March 1564, at

Jesuit and royal confessor
.

Pierre Coton (1564-1626).

Life

Coton studied law at Paris and

Archbishopric of Arles being vacant, the king offered it to Coton, who refused it.[1]
Father Coton had for two years previous to the death of Henry been confessor to his son, the young Dauphin.

The king having recalled the exiled Jesuits to France, their enemies could not pardon the influence Father Coton had in bringing this about, and an attempt was made to assassinate him. Some writers have pretended that Coton was not above suspicion on the doctrine of regicide, and when Henry IV was assassinated, they accused Coton of defending

Ravaillac, the king's murderer. If his enemies at court had any knowledge that he held such views they failed to make it public.[1] In defense of the Jesuits, Coton issued Lettre déclaratoire de la doctrine de Pères Jésuites, which made him the target of much hostility and suspicion.[2]

In 1608, Father Coton called Father

French colony at Acadia.[3]

In September, 1610, the biting satire Anti-Coton, in which it is proved that the Jesuits are guilty of parricide against Henri IV was followed by many pamphlets for and against the Jesuits. The Anti-Coton pamphlet attacked the Jesuits, and especially Father Coton, the confessor of Henry IV, of whose murder the Jesuits had been accused by their enemies. Daurignac says (Hist. Soc. Jesus, vol. i., p. 295) that this pamphlet was attributed to Pierre Du Moulin, a Protestant minister of Charenton.[2] This and other similar attacks on the Jesuits had been circulated in Canada, and had prejudiced against them even many Catholics.[4]

Coton continued in his capacity as confessor to the new king,

Loreto, and Rome to fulfil the vows the reigning king had made to the Blessed Virgin, St. Charles, and St. Peter. He returned to France as provincial of the Society and preached at Paris in the church of S. Gervaise; the king and the whole court flocked to hear him.[1]

At this period a book published by

Ultramontane theologians, although they had become impossible in practice. This book was in Paris, under the rule of Richelieu
, construed into a provocation to regicide and rebellion. These views were attributed to every Jesuit. The Parliament demanded that all Jesuits residing in France should be called upon to sign a protestation disavowing all the doctrines contained in Santarelli's treatise. Coton was ill at the time. On his death-bed he was visited by an envoy of Parliament, who informed him of the condemnation pronounced against Santarelli and the severe measures that threatened his brethren. The dying Jesuit murmured: "Is it possible that I who have served so faithfully the Kings of France should be looked upon at last as guilty of treason and a disturber of the peace?"

Works

His "Institution catholique" and "Genève plagiaire" are controversial works, as also his "Sacrifice de la Messe". For his other works see De Backer, 1st ed;, II, p. 149.

References

  1. ^ a b c Kelly, George Edward. "Pierre Coton." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 11 Jan. 2018
  2. ^
    ISBN 9782600001472
  3. ^ Campbell, T.J. (1907), "Biography of Pierre Biard", The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. II, New York: Robert Appleton Company, 978-074-59-14411
  4. ^ "Home". 11 August 2014.

Sources

  • Roverius, De Vita P. Petri Cotoni (Lyons, 1660)
  • D'Orléans, La Vie du P. Pierre Coton (Paris, 1688)
  • Prat, Recherches hist. et crit. sur la c. de Jésus en France, du temps du P. Coton (Lyons, 1876)
  • Sommervogel
    , Bibliothèque de la Compagnie de Jésus, II, 1539
  • B. N., The Jesuits, Their Foundation and History, I, 325-328

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Pierre Coton". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

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