He was born at Geneva, of a noble family originally from Lucca in Italy, exiled on account of its Protestantism. He considered himself an Italian "di nation lucchese", of Lucchese nationality. His father was . The were part of a group of about sixty noble Luchessi families who had emigrated to Geneva, sometimes called the "Italian Cabal". He matriculated at the Genevan Academy in 1596. At the age of twenty-one he was nominated professor of Hebrew at Geneva on the recommendation of Theodore Beza. In 1606 he became professor of theology, in 1608 pastor, or parish minister, at Geneva, and in the following year he succeeded Beza as professor of theology.