Okszi, Stanislas

Okszi, Stanislas (Lat. Orichovius), a Polish polemical writer, noted especially as a pulpit orator, was born in the diocese of Premislau in the early part of the 16th century. He studied theology at Wittenberg, under Luther and Melancthon; then at Venice, under Egnatius. On his return to his own land he entered the ecclesiastic life, and became canon of Premislau. His attachment to the opinions of Luther having drawn upon him the reprimands of the chapter, he renounced his benefice and married. "Anathematized by his prelate," says Bayle, "he not only used his pen against the ecclesiastics, but he troubled them also in the possession of their wealth, and placed himself at the head of their antagonists; by the volubility of his wit and his tongue he caused' great commotion." He entered again the pale of the Church at the synod held in 1561 at Warsaw, and from that time displayed great zeal against the Protestants. The force of his eloquence has given to Orichovius the surname of the Polish Demosthenes. He left a large number of works; those written to obtain for the priests the liberty of marrying are the most sought after. We quote of his works; Oratio funebris in funere Sigismondi Magellonis, Polonice regis (Cracow, 1548, 8vo); reproduced by different historical bodies of Poland: — De ccelibatus lege (Basle, 1551, 8vo); — Oratio pro dignitate sacerdotali (Cracow, 1561, 8vo): — De Stancari secta (Cologne, 1563, 8vo): — De bello adversus Turcas suscipiendo (Cracow, 1583, 8vo): — Annales Polonice ab excessu Sigismundi, cum vita Petri Knithae (Dabromii. 1611; Dantzic, 1843, 12mo). See Stauvolscius, Elogia centum Polonorum. p. 78, 79; Bayle, Dict. Hist. s.v.