and dedicated it to her father. Extant in manuscript in the king's library3. "De Stirpe et Familia Alexandri Severi, et de Signis quæ ei portendebant Imperium." From Greek into Latin "Selectas Sententias septem Sapientum Græ corum." "Similitudines ex Platonis, Aristotelis, Senecæ, et aliorum Philosophorum Libris collectas." Dedicated to her father4. Learning had now taken a considerable flight since the days of Edward the fourth. Sir Thomas More mentions it as very extraordinary that Jane Shore could read and write. [This lady's dedication to her father, before her. collection of Similes from the Works of the ancient Philosophers, &c. is here added from the manuscript mentioned by lord Orfords; and entitled "Similitudines eximiæ ingeniosissimæque, ex Platonis, Aristotelis, Senecæ, et aliorum Philosophorum Libris collectæ." The filial respect it conveys is most pleasing. > Vide Casley's Catalogue, p. 169. • Vide Tanner's Biblioth. Brit. p. 50, and Casley ubi supra. 5 Reg. MS. 12 A. iii. "Intelligo, pater honoratissime, ex omnibus libris, quos hactenus perlegi, paternum nomen apud omnes etiam ethnicos in summo semper honore atque reverentia habitum fuisse. Quod cum ita sit, quanto studio atque observantia ego tuum paternum nomen colere atque venerari debeo: qui me ab incunabilis non solum paterno amore complexus es, verum etiam bonis literis informandam tradidisti. In quibus etsi parum adhuc profeci, tamen putavi fuisse officii mei, aliquod specimen ingenii mei dominationi tuæ hoc novi anni initio dare: quo saltem aliqua ex parte tibi debitam meam observantiam præstarem. Atque etsi hæc, quæ verti ex Anglica lingua in Latinam, tenuiter et inculte transferuntur: spero tamen nihil posse dari a me dominationi tuæ gratius, nec etati meæ aptius. Nam sunt admodum egregia dicta gravissimorum prudentissimorumque philosophorum, quibus scio dominationem tuam ut accipias in bonam partem pro solita tua bonitate hæc mea inculta, ac puerilia scripta, quæ exercitationis causa in Latina verti. "Filia tua dominationi tuæ deditissima, "MARIA ARUNDELL." The same volume contains a Latin version, "De Stirpe, et Familiâ Alexandri Severi, etc.; and this is followed by "Responsum Alexandri Severi ad Literas Gordiani Senatoris," signed "Johannes Radcliffus filius tuus, &c."] HENRY, LORD STAFFORD, SON and heir of Edward, last duke of Buckingham, was restored in blood and to part of his lands, but neither to the title of duke, nor to the dignity of lord high constable. Nothing is related of him but one incident, which discovers that he was proud, without feeling pride equal to his birth; for having lost such exalted honours, he stooped to dispute precedence with the lord Clinton, in the reign of Philip and Mary and lost it2. We have of his writing a treatise called "The true Difference between regal and ecclesiastical Power, translated from the Latin of Edward Fox, Bishop of Hereford, and dedicated to the Protector Somerset." Printed by William Copland. In the dedication, he exceedingly praises Henry the eighth for establishing the Reformation; and with the simplicity of that age, tells the duke, "that reflecting on the usurpations of the Roman clergy, he bethought him of thi ⚫ Dugdale in Stafford. book, which was lent him by his friend master Morison." In the next reign he returned to the old religion, and I suppose to make his peace, translated "Two Epistles of Erasmus ;" wherein, as Strype says3, was undertaken to be shown the brainsick headiness of the Lutherans. They were printed by William Riddell, in 16°. In Lambeth church was a wretched rhyming epitaph, written by this lord on his sister the duchess of Norfolk, mother of the earl of Surry, who, it should seem, did not inherit from his uncle his poetic talents. [Mr. Brand having favoured me with a sight of lord Stafford's translated treatise, I am enabled to give the title and colophon of that scarce book, with exactness, and to insert the whole of the dedication as a specimen of this noble writer's style, which, for the time in which he wrote, is neither inelegant nor uncourtly. Vol. iii. p. 115. Ames, p. 286.* [Anno 1553, says Herbert.] • Aubrey's Survey of Surrey, vol. v. p. 236. "The true Dyfferens betwen the regall Power and the ecclesiasticall Power. Translated out of Latyn 7 by Henry Lord Stafforde." Colophon: "Imprynted at London in the Fletestret at the signe of the Rose Garland by Wyllyam Copland." Dedication: "To the hygh and myghty prynce Edward by the grace of God, duke of Somerset, erle of Hertforde, &c. &c. Henry lord Stafford, to his grace most bounden, wyssheth helth, felicite, with encrease of honour. 66 Among other great plages that this realme of Englande encreced whylest the scryptures were unknowen (ryght excellent pryǹce) there was none greater than that, by mere ignorance of Godes worde by a long processe of yeres, falshed was receyued for trouthe, euyll for good, superstytion for true religyon. Wherof ensued no lesse peryll to oure selfes than manyfest dysorder in the publike estate and governaunce, whylest the people habandonyng the obedience due to theyr soverayn lyege lorde and kyng, dyd in stead of hym adhere and cleve to an usurper and tyrant, who not onely kepe theyr bodyes, but theyr soules also in most 7 Bishop Fox wrote the book "De vera Differentia, &c." says Herbert, though king Henry the eighth gave the finishing stroke to it, after the revising hand of most of the other bishops. See M. Davies, Ath. Brit. p. 43. The king threatens to publish it; and lord Herbert calls it "the king's book." Its passing through so many hands may be the reason, why lord Stafford takes no notice of the author in his dedication. Typogr. Antiq. vol, i. p. 354. 8 Plagues. |