ESCHIUS (VAN EESCH), NIKOLAUS. - Ascetico-mystical theologian, representative of the practical mysticism of the school of Gerard (v.) Groot, b. at Oosterwijk in Brabant in 1507, d. at Diest (Belgium) on 19 July 1578. He studied at the school of the Brethren of the Common Life at Hertogenbosch and at the University of Louvain. A priest in 1530, he went to Cologne as a tutor in the house of H. Herli and successfully devoted himself to the education of the young.
Among others, his pupils were L. Surius (v.) and St. Peter Canisius, who came under his considerable influence and had words of high praise for him (Confessionum, I, ed. Braunsberger, Freiburg im Breisgau 1896, pp. 17-18).
Ill health did not allow E. to take the Carthusian habit, and he had to content himself with receiving hospitality in a house of the Order. In 1539 he was appointed director of the Beguinage of St. Catherine at Diest, of which he can be considered the second founder, and Card. Granvelle appointed him archpriest of that deanery.
He wrote works of ascetical and mystical theology, addressed in particular to persons living in the world who desire to follow a higher ideal of Christian life: Coronem Phalestium in laudem D. Dionysii Carthusiani, in Dionysii II. contra Alchovanum (Cologne 1533); Die grote evangelische Perle (Antwerp 1544), Latin ed.: Margarita evangelica (Cologne 1545); Corte end heyligen regel' von leven (Latin ed.: Isagoge seu Introductio in vitam universam, Antwerp 1563 with the Templum animae); Exercitia theologiae mysticae (ibid. 1563); Exercitia spiritualia, quae compendio hominem in Deum transformare quaent, auth. D. N. Eschio magnae apud Brabantes existimationis et pietatis vitro (Rome 1612). He translated from G. Tauler: Exercitia de vita et passione Salvatoris (Cologne 1548, Antwerp 1551, 1565); the ed. has in an appendix: Adiuncta sunt fere eiusdem argumenti alia quaedam exercitia prorsus divina, auth. D. N. Eschio. In Italian trans.: Meditazioni pie et dicore di N. Giovanni Taulero sopra la Vita et Passione di Giess Christo. Tradutti in vulgare fiorentino dal rev.mo mons. Alessandro Stracci, gentilhomo fiorentino, e vescovo di Volterra. Appresso alcuni eserciti non men cattolici che dotti di M. Nicolò Eschio, tradutti per lo medesimo (Florence 1572).