Barclay, William
(1546-1608)
Scottish jurist, died Angers, France.
He was a professor of civil law in the University of Pont-a-Mousson, when his work on the royal power, in which, contrary to the usual Catholic view, he advocated the divine right of kings, brought him from James I of England the offer of a lucrative post, conditional on his apostasy.
This he refused.
He was also the author of a work on the Pandects, and a treatise on the papal power, which caused considerable controversy when published by his son John in 1609.
New Catholic Dictionary
