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HISTORY OF PRINTING.
1658, Nov. 17, Died Mary, queen of England, after a short and unfortunate reign of live years, five months, and eleven days, in her forty-third year, being born at Greenwich, February 8, 1516.
Notwithstanding the wretched situation of the public under queen Mary's horrid persecutions,* which bigotry was carrying into execution, poetry assumed a higher tone. A poem was planned, though not fully completed, which sheds no com- mon lustre on the dark interval between Surry and Spencer. This poem was entitled A Mirror for Magittratet,\ which contains many proofs of a vigorous fancy, and many splendid passages, and in the composition of it more writers than one were concerned. Its primary inventor, how- ever, and most distinguished contributor, was Thomas S:ickville, afterward lord Buckhurst and earl of Dorset. The object of the Mirror for MagUtratet, was to make all the illustrious but unujrtunate characters in our history to pass in review before the poet, who descends, like Dante, into the infernal regions, and is con- ducted by Sorrow. A poetical preface, called an Induction, and one legend, which is the Life of Henry Stafford, duke of Buckingham^ were the only parts executed by Sackville. The comple- tion of the whole was recommended by him to William Baldwyn,bef6re-mentioned, who carried it into execution with the assistance of Thomas Churchyard, Phayer, Skelton,Seagers,and Caryl. Among these finishers of the Mirror for Magis- trate*, Ferrers was the most eminent in point of abilities, but the greater number of legends were written by Baldwin. Another poet of this period was Richard Edwards, who was employed in some department about the court, and whose principal work was the Paradise of Dainlie Devises. What chiefly entitles him to be noticed with respect is, that he was one of the earliest of our dramatic writers after the reformation of the British stage. William Forrest brings up the poets, but with no degree of splendour. He com- posed in octave rhyme, a panegyrical histor]Lof the life of queen Catneriue, the first wife of Henry
• Amon^ those who suffereil in this reign, was John Rogers, a prebenduy of St. Paul's, and commonly called the pioto-martrr : he was burned at Smithlield, Febmary 4, 1554. Hngh Latimer, bishop of Worcester, and Nicho- las Ridley, bishop of London, were burned in the front of Baliol college, Oxford, October 16, I5S5. Thomas Cran- mer, archbishop of Canterbmy, suffered the lilie fate at Oxford, March ai, 1556. John Hooper, bishop of Glouces- ter, where he was burnt, February g, 1655. Petroline Maasey was burnt for heresy, at Qaemsey, July 18, 1A57. "The said Hassey's infant brealdng violently out of the mother's womb into the fire, was talien out thereof, and presently thrown in again and burnt." Joan Waste, a poor blind woman of Derby, was burnt alive in that town, August 1, 1550, being then aliout twenty-two years of age.
Another victim in this reign was strThomas Wyatt, who Joined in the etbrts to place lady Jane Grey on the throne, was condemned and execnted for high treason, April 11, 1554, in the thirty-fourth year of his age. He was the eldest son of sir Thomas Wyatt, the cotemporary and friend of the earl of Surry, whose poems sufficiently attest the variety and scope of his abilities ; and lilie those of his friend Surry, are free from the sUghtcst imparity of thought or expression. His prose is also forcible and clear, and occunoDally animated and elegant. He died October 1 1, lS4a, in the thirty-ninth year of his age.
t Printed by nomas Marahe in the years 1550, 1563, 1571. and 1576, 4to.
t Beheaded at Salisbury, l>y order of Richard III.
VIII. His greatest praise^as his skill in music, and his having collected the choicest compositions of his cotemporaries. The only Scotch poet we shall now take notice of, is Alexander Scot, the Anacreon of his time. If the age in which be lived be considered, his pieces are correct and elegant. He wrote chiefly upon subjects of love, and stands at the head of the ancient minor poets of Scotland.
Amongst the writers of this reign, sir John Cheke is deserving of notice. He was born at Cambridge, in the year 1514, and educated at St. John's college, where he took his degree in arts, and was appointed professor of Greek, in which station he laboured in reforming the mode of pronouncing that language. But Gardiner, bishop of Winchester, tliinking the innovation was allied to heresy, prohibited any deviation from the old corruption. He became tutor to prince Edward, ana provost of King's college, and received the honour of knighthood. Queen Mary sent him to the Tower for his adherence to ladv Jane Grey. In 1554, he was set at liberty, and went abroad, but his estate was confiscated. In 1555 he was seized at Brussels,and conveyed to London, and committed again to the tower, where he was informed by the priests who attended him that he mu.st either recant or bum. He had not resolution enough to endure martyr- dom, and made a solemn submission in presence of the queen and the court. The shame of this preyed upon his spirits, and he died of grief, 1557. He wrote the i^uW of Sedition against the Insur- gents, in 1549. Epistles on the Death of Bucer. De Pronvnctatione Gritcte posissimom Lingva Disputationes, Basil, 1555. De Superstitione ad regum Henricvm ; and other learned works.
Thomas Wilson, originally a fellow of King's college, Cambridge, published a system of rhe- toric and logic in English. He also translated the three Olynthiacs, and Uie four Philippics of Demosthenes, from the Greek into English. — The system of Rhetoric was first printed in the reign of Edward VI. and again in 1560. The Olynthiacs and Philippics were printed in 1570. Loud. 4to.
The foreign writers deserving of notice at this period, are John de la Casa, and Peter Aretin :
John de la Casa, who died in 1556, was ac- counted one of the most elegant of the Italian writers, and his Latin poetry is very fine. His principal performance is the Galateo, or Art of Living in the World; besides which, he wrote some l)cautiful Italian poems, the lives of cardi- nal Contarini and Bembo, and other works col- lected at Venice, in 5 vols. 4to. 1728. Casa was bom at Florence, in 1503, and educated at Bologna.
Peter Aretin, called the scourge of princes, was boro at Arezzo, about 1491, and died in 1556. He was so dreaded for his satirical powers, that crowned heads courted his friend- ship ; on which he caused a medal to be struck, on one side of which he is represented with this inscription, TTie Divine Aretin, and on the reverse he is seated on a throne, receiving the
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