[1105] The calumnies and extravagant tales about Calvin began early. J. Levasseur, afterwards dean of the canons at Noyon, relates that when Calvin's mother was in labour, "before the child was born, there came forth a swarm of large flies, an indubitable presage that he would one day be an evil speaker and a calumniator." Ann. de la Cath. de Noyon, p. 1157. These absurdities and many others of the same kind refute themselves, without our taking upon ourselves to do so. In our days, those Romish doctors who are not ashamed to employ the weapons of calumny, make a selection from these low and ridiculous stories, not daring to cite them all; but they are all equally worthless.
[1106] Domi vestræ puer educatus, iisdem tecum studiis initiatus, primam vitæ et literarum disciplinam familiæ vestræ nobilissimæ acceptam refero. Calv. Præf. in Senecam ad Claudium.
[1107] Desmay, Remarques, p. 31; Drelincourt, Défense, p. 158.
[1108] Ego qui natura subrusticus. Præf. ad Psalm.
[1109] Umbram et otium semper amavi......latebras captare. Ibid.
[1110] Le bruit est que son grand-père était tonnelier. Drelincourt, p. 30; Levasseur, Ann. de Noyon, p. 1151.
[1111] Henry, Das Leben Calvins, p. 29.
[1112] Calvin's Leben von Fischer, Leipzig, 1794. The author does not quote his authority for this fact.
[1113] Destinarat autem eum pater ab initio theologiæ studiis, quod in illa etiam tenera ætate mirum in modum religiosus esset. Bezæ Vita Calv.
[1114] Levasseur, Ann. de Noyon, pp. 1159, 1173.