37

The illustrations in Barclay's work are facsimiles of those in Brandt's. Its great popularity led to the publication of other English versions, as well as to many imitations, confined in some instances to the title alone. Several ballads also appeared under a similar title. The most memorable work in all probability suggested by, written in a similar vein to, that of Barclay, and published in the year following, is Moric Encomium: or the Praise of Folly, by Erasmus, in Latin (subsequently translated into English by Bishop Kennet). In this, Folly "mounts a pulpit in cap and bells, and pelts with her satire the absurdities of the world around her, the superstition of the monk, the pedantry of the grammarian, the dogmatism of the doctors of the schools, the selfishness and tyranny of kings." (Green, ii. 85.) In his prefatory epistle to Sir Thomas More, he makes the punning statement: "The first hint [of the work] was your own sirname of More, which comes as near the literal sound of the word, as you yourself are distant from the signification of it; and that in all men's judgments is vastly wide."

No account of the literature of this county could be deemed complete without it included the name of MILES COVERDALE (1488-1568), who was not a Devonian, but held the Bishopric of Exeter, 1551-3. Although a voluminous author, none of his writings are attributed to him during the time he held the See. Be that as it may, every church in Devonshire (as throughout England generally) was supplied, in 1535, with a copy of the Bible in English, the work of Coverdale; and in 1549, with one of the translation of Erasmus's Paraphrase of the New Testament, a portion of which was also Coverdale's work, viz., the dedication to the second volume, and the translation of the epistles to the Romans, Corinthians, and Galatians.38

Any speculative historian would certainly include in a chapter of history that might have been, the projected marriage of EDWARD COURTENAY, Earl of Devonshire (1526?-1556), first with Mary when queen, afterwards with Elizabeth.39 He was imprisoned at the age of twelve with his father, when the latter was convicted of high treason, and was not released until the year 1553, when Mary came to the throne. While a prisoner he translated in 1548, an Italian work by Antonio della Paglia, under the title of The Benefit of Christ's Death.40 "It was deemed to be an apology for the reformed doctrines," and as such might conciliate the king in his favour, but in this it failed. The MS. is preserved in the Cambridge University Library, and con

tains two autographs of Edward VI. It was printed for the first time in 1858.

DR. JOHN MOREMAN (-1554), born at Southhole, near Hartland, was Canon of Exeter, and by Prince is recorded as having written a work upon St. Paul's epistle to the Romans, that was intended for publication, but never printed. While Vicar of Menheniot the historian Hooker was instructed by him.

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On the authority of Wood (i. 195) JOHN MORWEN, B.D. (fl. circ. 1550), was a Devonian. He was celebrated as a learned Greek scholar, and an instructor of Bishop Jewel, although afterwards a hater of his opinions." He translated from the Greek into Latin many Greek poems and lives of saints, and composed a few epitaphs. Some of his MSS. are in the Bodleian library, but none appear to have been printed.

A native of Kingsbridge, DAVID TOLLEY or TALLEY (1500? -1552?), also TAVELEGUS and TAULEUS, published at Antwerp in 1547, a Greek grammar, entitled Progymnasmata Græce Grammatices, written, according to the author, eight years previously, "as well as as well as a Latin grammar already printed." He is recorded to have compiled the former for the use of Prince Edward, but whether so or not is unknown. It may have been founded on the circumstance that the copy in the British Museum, printed on vellum, and with the title-page and initial letters illuminated, has the autograph of Edw. VI. on the back of the title-page, in all probability a presentation copy. Pits (738-9) mentions three other works of his, including Grammaticam regiam (which may have been the Latin grammar), but nothing of them is now known but the titles.

Our information that HUGH RHODES (A. circ. 1550) was a native of this county, is derived from a statement in his work, The boke of Nurture, or Schoole of good maners: for men, seruants, and children, published some time before 1554.42 It is written partly in prose and partly in verse, and concludes thus: "Compyled by Hugh Rhodes of the Kinges Chappell" (where he was probably master of the choristers). In the opening lines of the metrical portion (9-12) he describes himself

"Corrupt in speeche, be sure, am I,

my breefes from longes to know, And born and bred in Deuonshyre to as playne my tearmes doe show."

A careful examination of the work fails to prove that his

"tearmes were specially those peculiar to Devonshire, and this is Mr. Elworthy's opinion.43

Apart from the general advice and directions for the tuition of those to whom it is addressed, it contains many quaint sayings, proverbs, &c. Here is an example of a wellknown proverb, with a singular variant of it.

On the authority of Warton (iv. 146), who must have seen a copy, Rhodes wrote a poem of 360 octavo stanzas, printed by John Cawood in 1555, and entitled “The Song of the Chyld-bysshop, as it was songe before the queenes maiestie in her priuie chamber at her manour of saynt James in the ffeeldes on saynt Nicholas day and Innocents day this yeare nowe present, by the chylde bysshope of Poules churche with his company." London. 1555.

This was evidently a revival of the festival of the boybishop.45 According to Warton it was "a fulsome panegyric on the queen's devotion." But "courtly adulation" of the reigning sovereign was a common proceeding, and even Elizabeth received many high-flown compliments.

The amount of literature relating to the Great Rebellion of the West in 1549, is remarkably small. The result of the examination of a large number of historical tracts made by Mr. Davidson (as recorded in his Bibl. Devon, 61), resulted in the discovery of four only. Of these, two are royal proclamations, dated respectively July 11th and 12th. The third, A Message sent by the Kynges Maiestie, to certain of his people, assembled in Devonshire, dated the 8th of July, and printed by Richard Grafton. And the fourth, A Copye of a letter contayning certayne newes, and the articles and requestes of the Devonshyre and Cornyshe rebelles, B.L. (1549), dated "from a village, nygh Sainct Mary Otery, the xxvij of Julii.” Then follow "The articles," signed by five "Chief Captaynes," and "the foure Gouernours of the Campes," the names of the latter being "Jhon Thompson, Priest, Henry Bray Mayer of Bodman, Henry Lee Mayer of Torriton, Roger Barret Prieste." All four are exceedingly rare. Copies of the proclamations are in the British Museum; of the Message, in St. John's College, Cambridge; and of the Letter, in

Corpus Christi College, Oxford.

The two latter are also

in the library of the Hon. Mark Rolle at Stevenstone, who has kindly permitted the author to examine them.

46

We may close our notice of this period, with a brief account of the early history of the art and craft of printing in this county. The earliest notice of a printing press in Devonshire yet recorded, is in the year 1525, nearly fifty years after its introduction into England by Caxton, and employed at the great Benedictine monastery at Tavistock." The proof of this is, that copies of two works printed there are still preserved. The first is a translation, made in 1410 by John Walton, Canon of Osney, of De consolatione philosophie, by Boethius,47 under the title of The Boke of Comfort, and with this colophon at the end: "Emprented in the exempt monastery of Tauestok in Denshyre. By me Dan Rychard monke of the sayd Monastery. To the instant desyre of the ryght worshypful Esquyer Mayster Robert Langdon, Anno D'MD xxv. Deo Graicas."48

The second is, The Confirmation of the Charter perteynynge to all the tynners wythyn the contey of Devonshire, printed there in 1534.49 According to Timperly (Hist. of Printing, 234) "a book called the Long Grammar" was issued from the same press, "but no copy of it has been found."

The next authentic date obtainable, is from a return made in the year 1571, of provincial printers, to the Stationers' Company, and among the number is "Henry Rolte in Exeter." We gather from the entry that he had probably been established there some years earlier.50

The earliest book at present known to have been printed in Exeter, is Fuller's Good Thoughts in Bad Times. "Exeter Printed for Thomas Hunt 1645," and thus recorded in the Author's Dedicatory Epistle: "Accept these grapes, if not for their Goodnesse, for their Novelty: though not sweetest rellisht, they are soonest ripe, being the First Fruits of Exeter prefse." In Plymouth the first printing press was set up in 1696. (Worth, History of Plymouth (1890) 464.)

Fifth Period, 1558-1640.

From whatever point it may be viewed, the period extending from the accession of Elizabeth to the meeting of the Long Parliament, is the most important certainly from a literary point of view-in the history of England. A new phase of English life, a phase marked by intensity of feeling and

determined action, now commenced, which, from various causes, had been kept in subjection during the previous reigns. Men appeared for the first time to speak and to write freely, from the sudden removal of restraint. Owing to the rapid increase in the number of authors, it is deemed preferable to group them in classes, under the head of subjects. The first to treat of is that relating to Religious Matters; and the alterations in the forms of religion soon created a number of polemical writers. The man above all others, who may be said to have kindled the flame of religious controversy, was JOHN JEWEL (1522-1571), a native of Berrynarbor, termed by Camden "the wonder of his age for Divinity, and a strenuous defender of the Reformed Religion." A Protestant exile in the reign of Mary, he returned to England in the first year of Elizabeth, and in the same year was nominated Bishop of Salisbury. Sermons delivered by him at Paul's Cross, in which he uttered a challenge to the Romish party, were published in 1560; and two years afterwards appeared his Apologia pro Ecclesia Anglicana. It was written in Latin, "as it was intended for circulation on the Continent, where Elizabeth's proceedings had been systematically misrepresented."51 It is first methodical statement of the position of the Church of England against the Church of Rome, and forms the groundwork of all subsequent controversy." "52 From this time to the year of his death (1571), Jewel's life was one of active literary controversy. Seven members of the Romish Church entered the lists against him,52a only one of whom needs an extended notice, but he was the most doughty of them all. DR. THOMAS HARDING (1516-1572), born in North Devon (at Combe Martin or Bickington), had been to the same school as Jewel, and both were members of the same University. The latter fled to the Continent on the accession of Mary, and returned at her death. Under Mary, Harding became a Roman Catholic, and when she died, quitted England never to return.

"the

In 1564 Harding published An Answere to Maister Jvelles Challenge of 1560, and in the following year A Confutation of Jewel's Apology. Those were followed by the publication of Jewel's two great works, A Replie vnto M. Hardings Answer (1565), and A Defence of the Apologie of the Church of England (1567). In these he replied to the whole of Harding's statements paragraph by paragraph.53 We may form a faint estimate of the immense amount of labour expended in their composition from the fact, that the former