Godfrey, (Denis or Dionysius), an eminent civil lawyer, born of an illustrious house at Paris, in 1549. Finding his country involved in the confusion of the leagues, he accepted of a professor's chair at Geneva, until he was patronized and employed by Henry IV.; but being afterwards stripped of his employments as a huguenot, he at length retired to Heidelberg, from whence no offers were able to detach him. He was, however, disappointed of his intention to end his days there; for the disturbances that broke out in the Palatinate obliged him, in 1621, to take refuge in Strasbourg, where he died the following year. He wrote a great number of books; but his principal work is the Corpus Juris Civilis cum notis.

Gothofred (Theodore), son of the former, was born at Geneva in 1580. As soon as he had finished his studies, he went to Paris; where he conformed to the Romish religion, and applied with indefatigable industry to the study of history, that of France particularly, wherein he became very eminent, as appears by his works. In 1632, the king made him one of his historiographers, with a stipend of 3000 livres; and, in 1636, he was sent to Cologne, to assist at the treaty of peace negotiating there, on the part of France, by the cardinal of Lyons. This treaty being removed to Munster, Gothofred was sent thither, where he drew up Memoirs on the subject; and continued in that city, in the king's service, to his death in 1649. His principal work is his "Account of the Ceremonial of the kings of France."

Gothofred (James), brother of the preceding, was born at Geneva in 1587. Applying himself to the study of the law, he obtained the professor's chair there, was made counsellor of the city, and was several times employed in France, Germany, Piedmont, and Switzerland, to negotiate their affairs in the name of the republic. He died in 1662; and his chief work is his Codex Theodosianus, cum perpetuis commentariis, &c.

Gothofred (Denis), son of Theodore above mentioned, was born at Paris in 1615. He studied history after his father's example; became as eminent in that department of knowledge; and obtained the reversion of his father's place of historiographer royal, from Louis XIII., when he was but 25 years of age. He published his father's Ceremonial of France; finished his Memoirs of Philip de Commines; and was preparing a History of Charles VIII., when he died in 1681. It was published by his eldest son, Dennis, in 1684.