148 NOR 
NORI'E, a town of Sweden, in the province of Scho- 
nen: fixteen miles north-north-weft of Chriftianftadt. 
NO'RIN, a river of Dalmatia, which runs into the 
Narenza eight miles below Citluc. 
NO'RING, a town of Auftria: five miles north-north- 
eaft of Wells. 
NOR'IS (Henry), a very learned Italian cardinal, was 
a delcendant of a family originally from Ireland, and 
born at Verona in the year 1631. His father, Alexander 
Noris, was a man of letters, and well known by his writ¬ 
ings, particularly his “ Hiftory of Germany.” Perceiving 
that his fon Henry gave early indications of an excellent 
underftanding, a love for learning, and great quicknefs 
of appreheniion, he determined to do juftice to his pro- 
mifing talents, by giving him the advantages of a good 
education. At the age of fifteen, he was admitted a 
penlioner at the Jefuits’ college at Rimini, where he went 
through his courfe of philofophy. It was here that he 
firft began to ftudy the writings of the fathers, particu¬ 
larly thofe of Sr. Auguftine. Having determined to em¬ 
brace the ecclefiaftical life, he took the habit in the con¬ 
vent of the hermits of St. Auguftine at Rimini ; and ap¬ 
plied with incefiant afliduity to the ftudy of all the 
branches of facred and profane literature, and antiquities 
in general. When the term of his noviciate expired, the 
high character for erudition which hetiad acquired in his 
community, induced the general of the order to fend for 
him to Rome, where he might purfue his ftudies with ftill 
greater advantage. Here he fpent his days, and fome- 
times his nights, in clofe and unwearied application, 
ufually ftudying fourteen hours a-day ; and his improve¬ 
ment fully anlwered the expectations of his fuperior. 
While he was at Rome, and when he was at the age of 
twenty-fix, he began his “ Hiftory of Pelagianifm but 
his progrefs in it was neceffarily rendered fo flow, by the 
numerous employments which were afligned him, that 
many years elapfed before he could give it to the public ; 
for his extraordinary talents and acquirements occafioned 
his being appointed to teach philofophy and theology in 
different feminaries belonging to his order. At firft he 
was lent to Pezaro ; afterwards to Perufia, where he took 
the degree of doctor of divinity; and he was removed 
from thence to Padua, where he finifhed his Hiftory of 
Pelagianifm, which was printed at Florence in the year 1673. 
Being defirous of obtaining a more permanent eftablifh- 
ment, the duties of which would interfere the leaft wdth 
his favourite ftudies, father Noris had now recourfe to 
his particular friend the learned Magliabecchi; on whofe 
recommendation the grand duke of Tufcany invited him 
to Florence in the year 1674, where he honoured him 
with the title of his chaplain, and appointed him profeffor 
of ecclefiaftical hiftory in the univerfity of Pifa. This 
employment perfectly coincided with his wifhes, and he 
retained it many years, poffefling not only the efteem 
and friendfhip of the many learned men w ho at that time 
adorned Tufcany, but alfo the protection and favour of 
the cardinal prince Leopold, and that of Cofmo III. In 
the mean time his Hiftory of Pelagianifm had attracted 
conftderable notice in the learned world; and, while it 
was highly applauded by one party, it excited the moft 
violent cenfures of others. Being attacked by various 
writers, the author publifhed replies to their ItriCtures ; 
till at length the controverfy grew fo warm, that the tri¬ 
bunal of the inquifition took cognizance of it. There 
the work was examined with the utmoft rigour, and pro¬ 
nounced free from any paffages wdiich called for con¬ 
demnation. It was afterwards twice reprinted, and the 
author was honoured by pope Clement X. with the title 
of qualifteator of the holy office. This diftinCtion ren¬ 
dered him the objeCt of jealoufy to his opponents, who 
renewed their attack on his hiftory with great virulence 
and grofs perfonalities : on which account it was a fecond 
time fubmitted to the ordeal of the inquifition, in the year 
1677, and received the fame favourable judgment as before. 
From this period father Noris was fuftered to remain in 
NOR 
peace for fixteen years, during which he continued to 
teach ecclefiaftical hiftory at Pifa, purfued his various 
ftudies with indefatigable ardour,and prefented the public 
with feme of the fruits of his labours. Among other 
fulajeCts, the fcience of medals engaged his attention j 
and in 1675 he publifhed “ Diflertatio Duplex de duobus 
Nummis Dioclefiani et Licinii, cum AuCtuario Chrono- 
logico de votis decennalibus Imperatorum et Casfarum,” 
4to. He alfo publifhed feveral pieces in Chronology, of 
which the moft learned is entitled “ Epochs Syro-Mace- 
donum parEenefis ad Joannem Harduinum,” 1689. This 
was followed by “ A Differtation on the Pafchal Cycle 
of the Latins.” In the year 1681, he had given to the 
public, “ Caenotaphia Pifana Caii et Lucii Caefarum, 
Diflertationibus illuftrata.” While he was at Rome, our 
author became known to queen Chriftinaof Sweden, who 
entertained a great efteem for him, and profeffed to read 
his different productions,- as they made their appearance, 
with the greateft attention and fatisfaCtion. She made 
feveral efforts to engage him to return to Rome, which 
were feconded by the influence of popes Clement X. and 
Innocent XI. but, fora longtime, he found the means of 
declining thefe invitations, without giving offence at the 
papal court. At length, in the year 1692, pope Inno¬ 
cent XII. prefled him lb Itrongly, that he could no longer 
refill; and upon his arrival at Rome he was appointed 
fub-lil*rarian of the Vatican. This preferment, wdiich 
w'as a ftep towards the higheft dignities in the gift of the 
papal fee, excited anew- the jealoufy of his adverfaries, 
who publifhed additional pieces againlt his writings ; 
which determined his holinefs to feleCt feme eminent 
divines, who had not diftinguifhed themfelves by taking 
either fide in the former controverfy, to whom he com¬ 
mitted the re-examination of the writings of father Noris, 
with inftruCtions to fend him their report. So weighty 
was the teftimony which they gave in his favour, that the 
pope immediately made him counfellor to the inquifition. 
But this decifion did not prevent the famous father Har- 
douin from commencing a frelh and warm attack upon 
our author, under the .illumed title of a fcrupulous doctor 
of the Sorbonne ; to wdiofe ftriclures father Noris replied 
in the year 1695, in a work entitled, “ Diflertatio de uno 
ex Trinitate in Carne palTo,”&c. Sowell fatisfied w'as pope 
Innocent XII. with the manner in which he repelled the 
attack of his opponent, that, in December 1695, he railed 
father Noris to the dignity of cardinal. After this he was 
prefent in all the congregations, and at confultations 
about affairs of moment; by which means his time was 
fo occupied, that he bitterly complained to his friends of 
the interference of the duties of his high llation with his 
ftudies. In the year 1700 our cardinal was nominated 
librarian of the Vatican. Two years afterwards, he re¬ 
ceived directions from his holinefs to apply himfelf to the 
reformation of the calendar; but, while he was employed 
on this work, the attack of an incurable dropfy proved 
fatal to him in 1704, at the age of leventy-three. 
Noris was unqueftionably one of the moft univerfally- 
learned men of his time ; and was peculiarly well informed 
in facred and profane hiftory. His genius was lively and 
penetrating, his powers of memory very confiderable, and 
his judgment cool and fteady. His Ityle is correCl and 
pure, and frequently elegant. He was a member of the 
academy of the Arcades, in which he was diftinguilhed by 
the name of Eucrates Agoretico. He was author of many 
other works befides thofe already mentioned. The whole 
of them were publifhed collectively at Verona, 1729-32, 
in five volumes folio. Gen. Biog. 
NOR'KOPING. See Nordkoping, p. 139. 
NOR'LAND, a townlhip of England, in the Weft 
Riding of Yorkfliire, near Halifax, with xi8o inhabitants 
almoft wholly employed in trade and manufactures. 
NOR'MAL, adj. [norma, Lat.] In geometry, perpen¬ 
dicular, forming a right angle. 
NOR'MAN, f. [old Fr. low Lat. Normatius ; from the 
Sax. nop?) and man.] At firft, a Norwegian ; then, a na- 
4 tive 
