440
HISTORY OF PRINTING.
a proper use of it, but beg^an to arm in his own defence. Some blood was shed before he sur- rendered, on which he was made close prisoner, tried, and executed. He was buriea in the Beachamp, or Lady chapel, at Warwick. Essex was the steady friend of learning and learned men.
1601, March 30. Henrv Cuffe, celebrated for his wit, learning, and misfortunes, was executed at Tyburn, with sir Geily Merrick, on this day. He was born at Hinton St. George, in Somer- setshire, about the year 1560, and was of Trinity college, Oxford, where his diligence was so
Ct that he very soon distinguished himself I most of his cotemporaries, mure especially in his knowledge of Greek, and his admirable faculty in disputing. He was afterwards pro- moted to the Greek professorship, and was chosen proctor of the university, April 10, 1594. The earl of Essex, who was fond of learning and encouraging those who possessed it, as a means of rewarding Mr. Cufle, appointed him his secre- tary when he became lord lieutenant of Ireland; and in that capacity obtained the entire confi- dence of his master, and shared with the earl his splendour and his disgrace. He was one of the persons who was forced to surrender at Essex nouse; and when the earl was condemned, he charged Mr. Cufle to his face with being the author of his misfortunes, and the person who principally persuaded him to pursue violent measures. He was brought to nis trial on the 6th of March, and defended himself with great steadiness and spirit. He was convicted, and as he was looked upon as a dangerous person bv those in power, executed accordingly, dying with great constancy and courage. The following epigram was written in Greek upon his death :
Thou yrut. Indeed, well read in Oraak I Thy Alpha too, was crown'd with hope>
Bat oh I thoug:h sad the tmtb I speak, Ttiy Oniei:a proved bat a rope.
Sir Gelly Merrick was executed for conniving at the advice given by Mr. Cuffe to the earl, when in Ireland.
1601. Died, Tycho Brahe, a famous astrono- mer, was descended from a noble Swedish family, settled at Knudstorp, in Denmark, where he was bom in 1546. He studied philosophy and rhetoric, with a view of making the law his pro- fession, but the solar eclipse, which happened in 1560, turned bis attention to astronomy, which he considered as a divine study, and he applied to it with the greatest avidity. In 1565, he returned home, and in a quarrel with a Danish noble lost his nose, which he supplied with an artificial one, so curiously made tnat the defect was hardly to be perceived. About this time he applied to the study of chemistry, in hopes of finding the philosopher's stone. After this he travelled for some years, and on his return to Denmark, resided with his uncle, who furnished him with the means of making celestial obser- vations : and here it was, that in 1573 he dis- covered a new star in theconstellation Cassiopeia.
But shortly afterwards he incurred the dia- pleasure of his relations by an imprudent mar- riage, and the quarrel was so great that the king was obliged to interfere to effect a recon- ciliation. At the royal command he read lec- tures on astronomy at Copenhagen. The kinr also gave him the isle of Huen, where he erected on it the castle of Uranienburg in the year 1576; and at seventy paces distance another building for an observatory, to which he gave the name of Stellteburg, or Stiemeburg. Feeling himself in want of a printing-press for the publication of the fruits of his astronomical researches, he introduced one into his castle, and published from it several learned pieces between the years 1596 and 1600. These generally bear the im- print Uranxhergi Dania, and were to be had at the booksellers in Frankfort. The king added to the donation above-named, a pension, and some lucrative places. In this situation he re- sided about twenty years, but on the death of the king he lost his pension ; in consequence of which he left Uranienburg, and went to Copen- hagen, from whence he removed to Pra^e, where he died. He left a widow, two sons, and four daughters. He was a man of great genius, but excessively superstitious, being addicted to judicial astrology, and very attentive to omens. His temper was also uncommonly irritable, and his vanity disgusting. Of the last, no greater proof can be given uian his inventing a system in oppositition to the Copemican, and more ab- surd than that of Ptolemy. His works, how- ever,sbow him to have been an accurate observer.
1601. Mamert Patibon, a learned Greek printer of Paris, who married Dionysia Barbe, (Maittaire thinks about 1579,) widow of Robert Stephens, and by this connexion becomes en- titled to a distinct place among the family of the Stephenses. He enjoyed the office of typo- graphus regius, and was unquestionably a learn- ed printer, and his "officina" appears to have been beautifully provided with Greek typts. In 1578, he gives "apud Mamertum PattU- ttmium Typographum iteginum, in officina Ro- bertut Stephani.
1601. According toCoxe, Travel* in Switzer- land, the first book printed in Romanesche (dia- lect of the Grey League) was executed at Lin- dau, in Bavaria, namely, a Catechism, composed by Daniel Bonifacius. In 1604, Ludovicus Bremenses, printed at Innda del laeum Aeroni- t<m,an island in the lake of Constance; probably the city of Lindau is meant by this expression.
1601. James VI. being at Edinburgh, he at- tended,upon one occasion, theworship of the high church, where a minister, of the name of BaJ- carguhall, performed the service. In the course of the sermon, this preacher advanced some- thing which was derogatory to the authority of bishops ; upon which James rose from his seat, and interrupting the speaker, asked him what authority from scripture he had for that asser- tion ? Balcarguhall replied that he could bring sufficient proof from scripture for all that he baa asserted. The king denied this, and pledged his
