FERRIER

ferrier, arnaud du (c. 1508-1585), french jurisconsult and diplomatist, was born at toulouse about 1508, and practised as a lawyer first at bourges, afterwards at toulouse. councillor to the _parlement_ of the latter town, and then to that of rennes, he later became president of the _parlement_ of paris. he represented charles ix., king of france, at the council of trent in 1562, but had to retire in consequence of the attitude he had adopted, and was sent as ambassador to venice, where he remained till 1567, returning again in 1570. on his return to france he came into touch with the calvinists whose tenets he probably embraced, and consequently lost his place in the privy council and part of his fortune. as compensation, henry, king of navarre, appointed him his chancellor. he died in the end of october 1585. see also e. fremy, _un ambassadeur liberal sous charles ix et henri iii, arnaud du ferrier_ (paris, 1880).