JAMES, bishop of Auxerre and grand almoner of France, was born of an obscure family at Melun, the 30th of October 1514, and studied philosophy at Paris, in the college of Cardinal le Moine. He was naturally dull and heavy; but diligence and application made amends for these natural defects. He left Paris at the age of 23, and went to Bourges with the Sieur Colin, who had the abbey of St Ambrose in that city. At the recommendation of this abbot, a secretary of state took Amyot into his house to be tutor to his children. The great improvements they made under his direction induced the secretary to recommend him to the Princess Margaret, duchess of Berry, only sister of Francis I.; and by means of this recommendation Amyot was made public professor of Greek and Latin in the university of Bourges. It was during this time he translated into French the Amours of Theagines and Chariclea, which Francis I. was so pleased with, that he conferred upon him the abbey of Belloane. He also translated Plutarch's Lives, which he dedicated to the king; and afterwards undertook that of Plutarch's Morals, which he ended in the reign of Charles IX. and dedicated to that prince. Charles conferred upon him the abbey of St Cornelius de Compiegne, and made him grand almoner of France and bishop of Auxerre. He died in 1583, aged 79.

MYRALDISM, a name given by some writers to the doctrine of universal grace, as explained and asserted by Myraldis, or Moses Myraut, and others, his followers, among the reformed in France, towards the middle of the 17th century.

This doctrine principally consisted of the following particulars, viz. that God desires the happiness of all men, and none are excluded by a divine decree; that none can obtain salvation without faith in Christ; that God refuses to none the power of believing, though he does not grant to all his assistance, that they may improve this power to saving purposes; and that many perish through their own fault. Those who embraced this doctrine were called Universalists; though it is evident they rendered grace universal in words, but partial in reality, and are chargeable with greater inconsistencies than the Supralapsarians.