to Italy, and came back without making any great Improvements in Learning.  This Cornelius, with all the Eloquence he was Master of, was continually setting out the Advantages of a religious Life, the Conveniency of noble Libraries, Retirement from the Hurry of the World, and heavenly Company, and the like.  Some intic’d him on one Hand, others urg’d him on the other, his Ague stuck close to him, so that at last he was induc’d to pitch upon this Convent.  And after his Admission he was fed up with great Promises to engage him to take upon him the holy Cloth.  Altho’ he was but young, he soon perceived how vastly short all Things there fell of answering his Expectations; however, he set the whole Brotherhood to applying their Minds to Study.  Before he professed himself he would have quitted the Monastery; but his own Modesty, the ill Usage he was treated with, and the Necessities of his Circumstances, overcame him, so that he did profess himself.  Not long after this, by the means of Gulielmus Hermannus of Buda, his intimate Associate, he had the Honour to be known to Henry a Bergis Bishop of Cambray, who was then in Hopes of obtaining a Cardinal’s Hat, which he had obtained, had not Money been wanting:  In order to sollicit this Affair for him, he had Occasion for one that was Master of the Latin Tongue; therefore being recommended by the Bishop of Utrecht, he was sent for by him; he had also the Recommendation of the Prior, and General, and was entertained in the Bishop’s Family, but still wore the Habit of his Order:  But the Bishop, disappointed in his Hope of wearing the Cardinal’s Hat, Erasmus finding his Patron fickle and wavering in his Affections, prevail’d with him to send him to Paris, to prosecute his Studies there.  He did so, and promised him a yearly Allowance, but it was never paid him, according to the Custom of great Men.  He was admitted of Montague College there, but by Reason of ill Diet and a damp Chamber, he contracted an Indisposition of Body, upon which he return’d to the Bishop, who entertain’d him again courteously and honourably:  Having recover’d his Health, he return’d into Holland, with a Design to settle there; but being again invited, he went back to Paris.  But having no Patron to support him, he rather made a Shift to live (to use his own Expression) than to study there; and undertook the Tuition of an English Gentleman’s two Sons.  And the Plague returning there periodically for many Years, he was obliged every Year to return into his own Country.  At length it raging all the Year long, he retir’d to Louvain.