count in Histoire d’un voyage faict en la terre du Brésil,
autrement dite Amerique (1578), which may have influ-
enced MONTAIGNE’s essay “Des Cannibales”; five further
editions appeared during its author’s lifetime (English
translation by Janet Whatley, History of a Voyage to the
Land of Brazil, Otherwise Called America, 1990). Back in
Europe Léry ministered as pastor in various French towns.
After the MASSACRE OF ST. BARTHOLOMEWhe took refuge in
the Huguenot stronghold of Sancerre, surviving the 1573
siege there, of which he wrote an account, Histoire mé-
morable de la ville de Sancerre (1574).
Lescot, Pierre (c. 1510–1578) French architect
Born into a wealthy family of lawyers, Lescot probably
never visited Italy but became acquainted with classical
ideals through books and study of Roman ruins in France.
He executed his most famous work at the LOUVRE, where
he designed a square court known as the Cour Carrée
(1546–51). His final design combined classical and tradi-
tional French features and was further embellished with
low-relief sculptures by Jean GOUJON; it was completed
under Claude Perrault in the 17th century. Other major
works included the Fontaine des Innocents (1547–49) in
Paris and the Hôtel de Ligneris (now the Musée Car-
navalet; 1545). Other works, which exercised an impor-
tant influence upon subsequent French design and
decoration, have been largely destroyed.
Leto, Pomponio Giulio (Julius Pomponius Laetus)
(1428–1498) Italian humanist
Born in Calabria, an illegitimate member of the Sansev-
erini family, he was educated by Lorenzo VALLA. He was a
dedicated Latinist, refusing even to learn Greek, and he
deliberately cultivated an antique lifestyle, with his be-
havior modeled on the life of Cato the Elder. Leto was the
moving spirit behind the ROMAN ACADEMYwhich devel-
oped in imitation of the more famous one in Florence. The
academy was accused of being a conspiracy to overthrow
the papal administration (1468) but Leto escaped serious
punishment and the academy was revived under Sixtus IV.
Leto’s main influence was as a lecturer and as an example
of how far enthusiasm for the ancient world would carry
the humanists.
Levita, Elias (Elijah Bachur) (1468–1549) Jewish
scholar, teacher, and lexicographer
Levita was born at Neustadt, Bavaria, but migrated to
Padua. In 1509, left destitute after Padua’s failed revolt
against Venice, he moved to Rome, where he lived for 13
years under the congenial protection of Cardinal Egidio di
Viterbo, teaching him and others Hebrew and learning
Greek himself. From this period date his Hebrew textbook
Bachur (“Student”; 1518) and other grammatical works.
Following the Sack of Rome (1527), Levita became a proof
corrector for the Venetian printer Daniel Bomberg while
continuing his teaching: among his pupils and benefactors
at this time was the French ambassador Georges de Selve
(1509–41), who was later painted by HOLBEINin the fa-
mous double portrait of The Ambassadors. Masoreth ha-
Masoreth (1538), Levita’s treatise on the “points” used in
Hebrew Bibles, proving them to have been the invention
of fifth-century CEMasoretic scholars, provoked hostility
from orthodox Jews, who were already suspicious of his
teaching Hebrew to Christians. After the closure of
Bomberg’s press, the German pastor and Hebraist Paul
Fagius (1504–49) invited Levita to supervise his Hebrew
printing press at Isny im Allgäu (1541–42). Among his
later publications Levita produced dictionaries of the Tar-
gum (Meturgeman, 1541) and Talmudic and Midrashic
words (Tishbi, 1542) and a German translation of the
Psalms (1545). He eventually returned to Venice, where
he died.Leyden (Leiden) A city in the Netherlands. Leyden grew
up around a 12th-century castle. During the Renaissance
period prosperity came to the city through the textile in-
dustry, which was first developed in the 14th century by
weavers from Ypres and greatly expanded in the late 16th
century by refugees from the Spanish-ruled parts of the
Netherlands. During the revolt of the Netherlands Leyden
bravely resisted a Spanish siege (May–October 1574) and
was saved when the dykes were breached so that Dutch
ships could bring supplies to the citizens across the
flooded fields. In recognition of the city’s heroism WILLIAM
(I) THE SILENTfounded the university of Leyden (1575) as
a center for science, medicine, and reformed theology. The
classical scholar Joseph SCALIGERheld a chair at the uni-
versity in the late 16th century and Arminius, leader of the
REMONSTRANTS, became professor of theology there (1603;
see ARMINIANISM). After 1580 the ELZEVIR PRESSmade Ley-
den an important center of publishing. Van Goyen in 1596
and Rembrandt in 1609 were both born in Leyden. The
PILGRIM FATHERSspent some years there before sailing for
New England. Landmarks from the Renaissance period in-
clude the 15th-century Hooglandse Kerk, the botanic gar-
dens (1587), and the Gemeenlandshuis van Rijn (1596).Leyden, John of See ANABAPTISTSLeyden, Lucas van See LUCAS VAN LEYDENL’Hôpital, Michel de (1507–1573) French lawyer
He became councillor of the parlement of Paris (1537),
HENRY II’s envoy to the Council of TRENT(1547), master of
requests, responsible for petitions to the king (1553),
president of the chambre des comptes (1555), and chancel-
lor of France (1560–68). As chancellor he worked for ju-
dicial reform and joined the moderate Catholics
(politiques) in their search for a compromise to end reli-
gious conflict. He was the author of impressive presenta-LL’’HHooîî ppiittaall,, MMiicchheell ddee 2 27777