Jesuit father and theologian. Malines, 16 June 1532 - Brussels, 6 December 1619. After studies at the Louvain University (1548-1551), he joined the Jesuit Company at Cologne. He became licentiate in theology in 1559, doctor in theology in 1560, co-provincial of the Jesuit Company for the Netherlands in 1565 (till c. 1572). He led from 1565 on a rather wandering life in the Netherlands, owing partially to the religious-political troubles. He returned to Cologne at the end of 1574 or the beginning of 1575 to become rector of the Jesuit College. Provincial of the Jesuit Rhine Province c. 1577, and somewhat later provincial of the Netherlands Province (1585 - c. 1588). He worked for a time at Antwerp after the capitulation of the city to the royal armies (August 1585), but resided later mostly at Brussels. A very active preacher, he was also a prolific writer, especially from 1578 onwards. Cf. Biographie Nationale [de Belgique], 5, Columns 12-16; De Backer-Sommervogel, 2, Columns 1510-1534; BB, I, pages 847-954 (elaborate bibliography with interesting notes and biographical note); Dictionnaire de spiritualité ascétique et mystique, II, Paris, 1937, pages 2416-2419; R. Hardeman, F. Costerus, (1532-1619). Een Vlaamsch apostel en volksredenaar, Alken, 1933. Plantin must have been in personal contact with Costerus during the latter's stay in Antwerp, 1585-1586. Later, when Costerus left Antwerp, Plantin wrote him many letters, in which interesting details are given about the publications of Costerus and eventually of other scholars (cf. Corr., VIII-IX, nos. 1257, 1268, 1276, 1282, 1296, 1306, 1315, 1355, 1362, 1368, 1389, 1404, 1429, 1488).
I. Libellus sodalitatis (Latin; Dutch and French translations).
- cp010611: Libellus sodalitatis, hoc est christianarum institutionum libri quinque, 1586.
- cp010538: Libellus sodalitatis, hoc est christianarum institutionum libri quinque, 1587.
- cp010720: Libellus sodalitatis, hoc est christianarum institutionum libri quinque, 1587.
- cp010136: Libellus sodalitatis, hoc est christianarum institutionum libri quinque, 1588.
- cp013297: Het boecxken der broederschap, dat is vijf boecken der christelijcker leeringhen, 1587.
- cp011928: Le livre de la compaignie, c'est à dire les cinq livres des institutions chrestiennes, 1588.
II. De cantico Salve Regina septem meditationes.
III. De universa historia Dominicae Passionis meditationes quinquaginta (Latin; Dutch and French translations).
- cp010152: De universa historia Dominicae Passionis meditationes quinquaginta, 1587.
- cp010855: De universa historia Dominicae Passionis meditationes quinquaginta, 1588.
- cp011443: Vijftich meditatien van de gantsche historie der passie ende des lijdens Ons Heeren Jesu Christi, 1587.
- cp010128: Cinquante meditations de toute l'histoire de la Passion de Nostre Seigneur, [translated by Gabriel Chappuis], 1587.