CLAUDE, JEAN, born in 1619, at Sauvetat, near Agen, was the son of a Protestant clergyman, and was himself brought up to the Church. He distinguished himself in controversial learning, and was appointed professor of theology in the Protestant college of Nismes, which place he filled for eight. years. At the end of this time, the vexations of the government authorities obliging him to abandon his chair, ho went. to Paris, where ho was soon aftbr appointed to the church of Charenton, in 1666. In this situation he showed himself by his writings one of the ablest champions of the Protestant doctrines, an antagonist not unworthy of Boesuet, Arnauld, Nicole, and other distinguished Catholic divines. In 1871 he published his '1Wpouse an Traits5 do la Perp6tuits5 de la Foi sur l'Eucharistie,' 2 vole. 8vo. [Aexauzn.] In 1673 appeared his 'D6fense de In R6formation, on It6sponse aux Pr6jug6s 16gitimcs de Nicole.' In 1681 Claude had a controversial conference with Bossuet, after which be published '1Wponse is la Conf6rence de Boasuet: Tito conference, as usual, led to no approximation between the contending parties. In
1685 the Revocation of the edict of Nantes by Louis XIV. obliged Claude to seek refuge in Holland, where he was well received, on account both of his talents and his personal character, and the Prince of Orange granted him a pension. He died not long after, January 13, ]6S7, much regretted by his co-religionists as ono of their ablest and most estimable advocates. Ilia 'Plaintes des Protestans cruellement opprimea dime Is Royaume de France' was published after his death, as well as other posthumous works, chiefly on theological and contro versial subjects ; he left also roma sermons. His style though simple was vigorous, being sustained by considerable logical skill and eru dition. Devbze wrote a biography of Claude, Amsterdam, 1687. His grandson, Jean Jacques Claude, was one of the earliest pastors of the French Protestant Church in Threadneedle-street, London, and died in 1712.