Vita clarissimi viri D. Iosiae Simleri Tigurini, S. Theologiae in Schola Tigurina Professoris fidelissimi

He began to serve. He very often performed the public teaching duties and office of Gesner, of pious memory, who was hindered by infinite occupations, so that he would teach astronomy, geometry, or arithmetic with great dexterity and the admiration of all. For Gesner, having perceived the wonderful docility of his talent, valued him highly and always diligently incited him with whatever stimuli he could toward the study of all arts and doctrines. But soon the duty of publicly explaining the New Testament was imposed upon him, which he began happily in the year of salvation 1552, at the age of 22, with the exposition of Matthew, and he sustained it with the highest faith, diligence, and incredible admiration, not only of the locals but also of foreigners, especially the English who were at that time in exile in Zurich for the sake of religion. On the 28th of March in the year of the Lord 1557, he was elected deacon to the church at Saint Peter (which duty Felix Lavater, successor of Rudolph Gualther the younger of pious memory, now happily performs), he retained the profession of the New Testament, and in the ministry of the church, which he performed for nearly 4 years, he so approved his faith and diligence to the citizens that he was dear to everyone and was held worthy of every honor. Afterwards, when that Bibliander—a man most noble in his knowledge of theology and many languages, and a colleague of Martyr—had been retired due to old age and physical frailty, our Simler performed his teaching duties for some time and was a colleague of Martyr. Here it cannot be sufficiently said how grateful and acceptable he was to that supreme theologian, with how much study, love, and benevolence he followed him, and finally how much he admired the sharpness and skill of his talent, so that he often predicted that he would one day be a great glory and ornament to the church, in which matter he was not at all mistaken. Even when about to die, he said in the hearing of many that he congratulated himself greatly and rejoiced vehemently on this very account, that he hoped that such a man, and so great a man, would be his successor. And indeed this hope of his was not in vain, for he was appointed to the place of the deceased by the most concordant votes of our doctors and senate on the 19th day of June in the year 1563. As a colleague after the death of Martyr, he had the best and most faithful Johann Wolf; what kind of man he was, and how great, his excellent monuments of letters—some of which already exist, others of which his son Henry, the heir of his father's virtue and glory and a strenuous imitator, will soon bring to light—testify most richly. He was the ordinary pastor of the church at the College of Virgins, and at the petition of the ministers of the church and the Senate, he performed the duty of Bibliander (which Ludwig Lavater, having been invited to the same, had refused for certain reasons) with the highest