James, a learned philologer, and one of the most laborious writers of his time, was born at Antwerp in 1560. He was but a child when his father and mother, being persecuted for the Protestant religion by the duchess of Parma, governess of the Netherlands, carried him into England. He imbibed the elements of learning from his mother, who was one of the most learned women of the age, and besides French, Italian, and English, was a complete mistress of Latin, and well skilled in Greek. He spent some years in the university of Cambridge; after which he went to that of Leyden to study the civil law; but at last applied himself wholly to polite literature. After travelling much, he became professor in the university of Heidelberg; near which city he died in 1627. He wrote many works; the most considerable of which are, 1. A large collection of ancient inscriptions. 2. Thesaurus criticus. 3. Deliciae poetarum Gallorum, Italorum, et Belgorum, &c.