Page images
PDF
EPUB

Several other works of inferior note were likewise published by Fox; among which ought to be mentioned "The Four Evangelists, in the Old Saxon tongue, with the English thereunto adjoined,” 1571, 4to.

HOLINSHED.

RAPHAEL HOLINSHED, famous for the Chro nicles which go under his name, was descended of a family which lived at Bosely, in Cheshire; but both the place and time of his birth, as well as most other circumstances of his life, are unknown. According to some accounts he was a clergyman; while others make him steward to Thomas Burdett, of Bromcote, in the county of Warwick, esq. Of the time of his death we are also ignorant; but it appears from his will, prefixed by Hearne to his edition of Camden's Annals, that it happened between 1578, and 1582.

In the compilement of his Chronicles, Holinshed had several coadjutors. Of these, Harrison was bred at Westminster school, whence he was removed to Oxford, and subse

quently became chaplain to sir William Brooke, by whom he was preferred. He died in 1593.

Another contributor was Hooker, (uncle to the celebrated author of Ecclesiastical Polity,) who was born at Exeter, about 1524, was educated at Oxford, afterwards travelled into Germany, and at Cologne took a degree in law. He next went to Strasburg, where he studied divinity under the famous Peter Martyr. On his return to England, he settled in his native place, where he became a citizen of consideration, and was returned member for the parliament held at Westminster, in 1571. He died in 1601; and was the author of several works, in addition to his contributions to the Chronicle in question.

Of Bōteville, another of his coadjutors, we know nothing, except that Hearne stiles hima man of great learning and judgment, and a wonderful lover of antiquities." Several others lent their aid, as R. Stanihurst, Abraham Flemming, John Stow, &c.

These Chronicles were first published at London, 1577, in two volumes, folio; and afterwards, 1587, in three; though the two first are commonly bound together. In this second edition, several sheets in the second and third

volumes, which had given offence to Elizabeth and her ministry, were omitted; these have been since reprinted apart, under the title of "Castrations."

The first volume commences with " An Historical Description of the island of Britain, in three books, by William Harrison;" which is followed by "The History of England, from the time that it was first inhabited, until the time that it was last conquered," by R. Holinshed. The second volume contains "The Description, Conquest, Inhabitation, and troublesome Estate of Ireland, particularly the Description of that Kingdom," by RichardStanihurst:-"The Conquest of Ireland, translated from the Latin of Giraldus Cambrensis," by John Hooker, alias Vowel, of Exeter, gent. -"The Chronicles of Ireland, beginning where Giraldus did end, continued until the year 1509, from Philip Flatsbury, Henry of Marlborough, Edward Campian," &c. by R. Holinshed; and thence to the year 1586, by R. Stanihurst and J. Hooker.-" The Description of Scotland, translated from the Latin of Hector Boethius," by R. H. or W. R.-"The History of Scotland, containing the beginning, increase, proceedings, continuance, acts, and

government of the Scottish nation, from the original thereof unto the year 1571," gathered by Raphael Holinshed, and continued from 1571 to 1586, by Francis Boteville, ulias Thin, and others. The third volume begins with "Duke William, the Norman, commonly called the Conqueror; and descends by degrees of years to all the kings and queens of England;" first compiled by R. Holinshed, and by him extended to 1577; augmented and continued to 1586, by John Stow, Fr. Thin, Abraham Flemming, and others.

The following account of the diet, &c. of our predecessors, is taken from "Harrison's Description of Britain," and is curious as indicating the state of society, and particularly of Manners:

Of the Food and Diet of the English.
Book 2.-Chap. 6.

Our tables are oftentimes more plentifully garnished than those of other nations, and this trade hath continued with us even since the very beginning. For before the Romans found cut and knew the way unto our country, our predecessors fed largely upon flesh and milk, whereof there was great abundance in this isle, because they applied their

[blocks in formation]
« PreviousContinue »