whether it were by the straynge nationes, that they were mynglede with all, or otherwise; at the laste, theimselfs that accomptyde all other nationes barbarouse, oonely the Greakes excepte, by the space of sex or sevene hundrithe yeres, were as barbarouse as the best. Thys contynuynge so longe a time, that in processe aboute the yere of our Lorde God, a thousand foure hundrith, in the tyme of the flowre and honour of prynces, kynge Edwarde the thyrde of that name, holdynge by ryghte the septre of thys imperiall realme, as your grace nowe dothe, there sprang in Italy three excellente clerkes. "The fyrst was Dante; for hys greate learnynge in hys mother tunge, surnamyde dyvyne Dante: surely not withoute cause. For it is manyfest, that it was true whiche was graven on hys tumbe, that hys maternal eloquens touchede so nyghe the pryke, that it semyde a myracle of nature. And for because, that one shuldnot thynke I do feyne, I shall sett the wordes in the Italiane tunge, whiche is thys: DANTE alegra son Minerva obscura "The next unto thys Dante was Frauncis Petrak, that not onely in the Latyne tunge, but also in swete ryme 3 Dante composed his own epitaph in Latin, very different from this, which looks like a gallimawfry of Latin, Italian, and French. LORD MORLEY. is so extemyde, that unto thys present tyme, unnethe is ther any noble prince in Italy, nor gentle man, withoute havynge in hys handes hys Sonnetes and hys Tryhumphes and his other rymes. And he wrote also in the Latyne tunge certeyn Eglogys in versys, and another booke namede Affrica, and of the Remedyes of bothe Fortunes, with dyvers epistles and other workes whiche I over passe. "The last of thies three, most gratiouse sovereigne lorde, was John Bocas of Certaldo, whiche in lyke wyse as the tother twayne Dante and Petraccha were moste exellent in the vulgare ryme, so thys Bocas was above all others in prose, as it apperythe by hys hundrith tayles, and many other notable workes. Nor he was noo lesse elegaunte in the prose of his oune tunge, then he was in the Latyne tunge, wherin as Petrak dyd wryte clerkly certeyn volumes in the Latyne tunge, so dyd this clerke. And fyrst of the Fall of Prynces, of the Geonelogye of the Goddes: and, emonge other, thys booke namede De Preclaris Mulieribus; that is, of the ryght renomyde ladies. Whiche sayde booke, as in the ende he wrytethe, he dyd dedicate the same to quene Jane, in hys tyme quene of Naples; a pryncesse enduede with all vertues, wysdome and goodenes. "And, for asmuche, as that I thoughte howe that your hyghnes of youre accustomede mekeness and pryncely herte wolde not disdayn it; so dyd I imagyne that if by chaunce it shulde cum to the handes of the ryght renomyde and moste honorable ladyes of your highnes moste tryhumphaunte courte, that it shulde be well acceptyde to theym to se and reede the mervelouse vertue of theyr oune sexe, to the laude perpetuall of theym. And albeit, as Bocas wrytethe in hys proheme, he menglyssheth sum not verey chaste emongste the goode; yet hys honeste excuse declarethe that he dyd it to a goode entent, that all ladyes and gentlewomen, seynge the glorye of the goode, may be steryde to folowe theym; and, seynge the vyce of sum, to flee theym. Whiche saide worke, my moste noble and gratiouse sovereyne lorde, as farr as it gothe, I have drawne into our maternall tonge, to presente the same unto your imperiall dignyte thys newe-yeres day. Praynge to Chryste Jhesu to teche that right Christen hande of yours to batell agaynste youre auncyente ennemyes, that they may knowe that HE whiche is the way and the truethe, helpythe your exellencye in your truethe. So that they may fall and youe to ryse in honour, victory, and fame, above all kynges that is, hathe bene, or shalbe. Amen." In the Cottonian MS. Titus B. II. is a letter from lord Morley to his loving wife, dated Bruges, May 11, 1571, which contains some severe reflections on the simulation of lord Burleigh. The following epitaph by his lordship is printed in Leigh's Accedence of Armorie, 1597. ON SIR THOMAS WEST, BARON OF GRISLEY, LORD Vertue, honestie, liberalitie, and grace, And true religion, this seelie grave doth hold; I do wish that all our great men would In good, follow this noble barons trace, That from his wise hart did alwaies chase Envie and malice, and sought of yoong and olde Love and favour, that passeth stone and gold; Unto a worthie man, a rich purchase, These waies he used, and obtained thereby Give to GOD; that gave him such might By the kind researches of Mr. Douce, I have been enabled before this sheet was worked off to subjoin the epitaph on Dante, in its original garb, instead of the motley "mingle-mangle" it wears at page 319. "Dante Aligieri son, Minerva oscura Che si tien gran miracol di natura," &c. These lines were not placed on the tomb of Dante, as lord Morley announces, but beneath the poet's engraved portrait. Boccacio was their author.] MARY, DUCHESS OF NORFOLK', YOUNGER sister of Joanna lady Lumley, and first wife of Thomas duke of Norfolk3, who was beheaded on account of the queen of Scots, translated from the Greek . She died in 1557. 3 [Mr. Lloyd, of Buckingham Street, York Buildings, possesses a copy of Grafton's abridged Chronicle, 1570, which contains the following interesting memorandum in the handwriting of this unfortunate but magnanimous personage:"Good frynd George, farewell! I have no other tokins to send my fryndes but my bokes; and I knowe howe soryfull you are amongst the rest for my hard hape, wheroff I thanke God, because I hope hys mercyfull chastysment wyll prepare me for a better world. Looke well thowrowe thys boke; and you schall fynd the name off a duke verye unhappye. I prey God ytt maye ende with me, and that others maye spede better hereafter. But yff I mygt have my wysche, and weare in as good state as ever you knewe me, yeat I wold wysshe for a lower degre. Be frynd, I praye you, to myne; and do my hartye commendatyons to your good wyfe, and to gentle Mr. Dennye. I dye in the faythe that you have ever knowen me to be off. Farewell, good frynd, 1571-2. "Yours dyyng as he was lyvyng, "God blysse my god sone. Amē."] |