William CHALMERS (Camerarius). - Scottish Jesuit theologian, later Oratorian, b. at Aberdeen in the 16th century, d. at Paris in 1678. He studied at the Scottish College in Rome and then entered the Society of Jesus. After teaching philosophy at Châlons-sur-Marne, he went to England. In 1625, having left the Society, he followed Fr. de Bérulle to France, where he taught philosophy at Angers and theology at Saumur. For many years he was associated by the Bishop of St-Malo with the administration of the diocese.
An anti-Molinist, opposed to the common trend of his time in the Society, and an opponent of the scientia media, he vigorously upheld the Thomist doctrine of physical premotion, reconciling it with human freedom according to the system of Fr. Gibieuf (q.v.). Among his works are: *Antiquitatis de novitate victoria sive justa defensio praemotionis physicae* (Fastemburg 1634); *Disputationes theologicae de discrimine peccati venialis et mortalis* (ibid. 1639); *Dissertatio theologica de electione angelorum et hominum ad gloriam* (Rennes 1641).