Morata, Peregrino Fulvio

Morata, Peregrino Fulvio an Italian writer, noted as the father of the foregoing, and also for his defence of the Reformatory movement, which made him a Protestant, was born at Mantua near the close of the 15th century. During the early half of the 16th century he was professor of belles-lettres at the university of his native place, and later at Ferrara, whither the fame of his learning and virtue had brought him. He now taught not only in the high schools, but was also employed by duke Alphonso d'Este as preceptor of his two sons. He frequently appeared in the receptions at court, but he remained nevertheless an alien to the gayeties of its surroundings, and devoted himself largely to sacred meditations, in which he was assisted by his pious wife, Lucrezia. As a result of these studies, he brought out finally an exposition of the Lord's Prayer in 1526 (Expozitione dell' orazione Dominicale della "Pater Noster"), and shortly after he published a book taking ground favorable to the Reformed opinions (see Calcagnini, Opera, p. 156). He was on this account obliged to leave Ferrara in 1533, and only after a six years' stay abroad secured permission to return. He died in 1548. See Young, Life of Paleario, 2:96 sq.; Bonnet, Life of Olympia Morata, page 69 sq.