Ulric Zasius

A famous jurist, born at Constance in 1461; died at Freiburg, 24 Nov., 1536. After studying at Tubingen he first became episcopal notary at Constance, then town clerk at Baden in Aargau in 1489, and at Freiburg in 1493. From 1496-9 he directed the Latin school at Freiburg. In 1499 he studied law at the University of Freiburg, was appointed lecturer of rhetoric and poetry there in 1500 and professor of jurisprudence in 1506. In 1502 he was also clerk of court at Freiburg; in 1503, legal adviser to the university; and in 1508, imperial councillor. Applying the tendencies of the Humanists to jurisprudence, he scouted the strained and barbarous comments of the glossators and endeavoured to restore the genuine text. It was probably due to the literary controversies which he had with Eck, that he at first favoured the doctrines of Luther. After 1521 he was a zealous opponent of Luther and died a firm adherent of the Old Faith. His juridical works were published posthumously (Lyons, 1548, 1550-1; 3 vols., Frankfort, 1590). ---