Delfau Dom Francois

Delfau Dom Francois, a French theologian, was born at Moulet, in Auvergne, in 1637. He entered the congregation of St. Maur, and became specially known for his edition of the works of St. Augustine. He undertook this work by direction of the general of the congregation, upon whom the need of a new critical edition of the works of the great Church father had been urged by Arnaud. Delfau published in 1670 an announcement in which scholars generally were invited to support him with their advice and with manuscripts. The general of the congregation, by a circular to all the houses of the congregation, issued in the same year, requested each to cooperate with the editor in a work which promised to be of so great use to the Church. A full prospectus was published by Delfau in 1671. Great progress had been made in the preparation of the work, when suddenly Delfau was exiled to Saint Mahe, in Lower Brittany, charged with having published in 1673, under the assumed name of Bois-Franc, a work entitled L'Abbe commendataire, directed against the custom of giving ecclesiastical benefices in commendam. He perished by shipwreck Oct. 13, 1676. He is also the author of a defense (Apologie) of the cardinal de Furstemberg, who was arrested at Cologne by the troops of the emperor, and of an Epitaph of king Casimir of Poland. — Hoefer, Biographie Generale, 13:457.