the end they come behind others, and deserve but the Hopshackles, if the Masters of the Game be right Judgers.

The Schoolmaster

JOHN FOXE

1516-1587

49 Rowland Taylor, Vicar of Hadleigh,

Suffolk

Arrested in London. Burned on Aldham Common in his own Parish, Feb. 8, 1555

NOW

OW when the Sheriff and his company came against St. Botolph's Church, Elizabeth cried, saying, 'O my dear Father! Mother! mother! here is my father led away.' Then cried his wife, Rowland, Rowland, where art thou?'-for it was a very dark morning, that the one could not well see the other. Dr. Taylor answered, 'Dear wife, I am here,' and stayed. The Sheriff's men would have led him forth, but the Sheriff said, 'Stay a little, masters, I pray you, and let him speak with his wife,' and so they stayed. Then came she to him, and he took his daughter Mary in his arms, and he, his wife and Elizabeth kneeled down and said the Lord's Prayer. At which sight the Sheriff wept apace, and so did divers other of the company. After they had prayed he rose up and kissed his wife and shook her by the hand, and said, ' Farewell, my dear wife, be of good comfort, for I am quiet in my conscience. God shall stir up a father for my children.' Then said his wife, God be with thee, dear Rowland. I will with God's grace meet thee at 2 Hopshackles) hobbles

Hadleigh.' . . . All the way Dr. Taylor was joyful and merry as one that accounted himself going to a most pleasant banquet or bridal. . . . Coming within a two mile of Hadleigh he desired to light off his horse, which done he leaped and set a frisk or twain, as men commonly do in dancing. Why, master Doctor,' quoth the Sheriff, ' how do you now?' He answered, Well, God be praised, good master Sheriff, never better; for now I know I am almost at home. I lack not past two stiles to go over, and I am even at my Father's house.'

Acts and Monuments

THOMAS WILSON

1525 -1581

50

'Inkhorn Terms'

MONG all other lessons this should first be learned,

AMONG that we never affect any strange inkhorn terms,

but so speak as is commonly received, neither seeking to be over fine, nor yet living over careless, using our speech as most men do, and ordering our wits as the fewest have done. Some seek so far for outlandish English, that they forget altogether their mother's language. And I dare swear this, if some of their mothers were alive, they were not able to tell what they say; and yet these fine English clerks will say, they speak in their mother-tongue if a man should charge them for counterfeiting the King's English. Some far-journeyed gentlemen at their return home, like as they love to go in foreign appare so they will powder their talk with oversea language. He that cometh lately out of France will talk French English and never blush at the matter. Another chops in with English

Italienated, and applieth the Italian phrase to our English speaking, the which is, as if an Orator that professeth to utter his mind in plain Latin, would needs speak Poetry, and far-fetched colours of strange antiquity. The Lawyer will store his stomach with the prating of Pedlars. The Auditor in making his accompt and reckoning, cometh in with sise sould, and cater dendre, for vis. iiiid. The fine courtier will talk nothing but Chaucer. The mystical wisemen and Poetical Clerks will speak nothing but quaint Proverbs, and blind Allegories, delighting much in their own darkness, especially, when none can tell what they do say. The unlearned or foolish fantastical, that smells but of learning (such fellows as have seen learned men in their days) will so Latin their tongues, that the simple cannot but wonder at their talk, and think surely they speak by some Revelation. I know them that think Rhetoric to stand wholly upon dark words, and he that can catch an inkhorn term by the tail, him they count to be a fine Englishman, and a good Rhetorician. The Art of Rhetorique

51

RALPH ROBINSON

Ralph Hythlodaye

fl. 1551

HILES I was there abiding oftentimes among

WHILE, & I was there was more welcome than

any other, did visit me one Peter Giles, a Citizen of Antwerp, a man there in his country of honest reputation, and also preferred to high promotions, worthy truely of the highest. For it is hard to say whether the young man be in learning or in honesty more excellent. For he is both of wonderfull virtuous

conditions, and also singularly well learned, and towards all sorts of people exceeding gentle; but towards his friends so kind hearted, so loving, so faithful, so trusty, and of so earnest affection, that it were very hard in any place to find a man that with him in all points of friendship may be compared. No man can be more lowly or courteous. No man useth less simulation or dissimulation; in no man is more prudent simplicity. Besides this, he is in his talk and communication so merry and pleasant, yea, and that without harm, that through his gentle entertainment and his sweet and delectable communication in me was greatly abated and diminished the fervent desire that I had to see my native country, my wife, and my children; whom then I did much long and covet to see, because that at that time I had been more than iv Months from them.

Upon a certain day when I was hearing the divine service in our Ladies Church, which is the fairest, the most gorgeous and curious church of building in all the city, and also most frequented of people, and when the divine service was done, was ready to go home to my lodging, I chanced to espy this forsaid Peter talking with a certain Stranger, a man well stricken in age, with a black sun-burned face, a long beard, and a cloak cast homely about his shoulders; whom by his favour and apparel forthwith I judged to be a mariner. But when this Peter saw me, he cometh unto me and saluteth me. And as I was about to answer him: 'see you this man?' saith he (and therewith he pointed to the man that I saw him talking with before). I was minded,' quoth he, 'to bring him straight home to you.' 'He should have been very welcome to me,' said I, for your sake.' Nay? (quoth he), for his

own sake, if you knew him; for there is no man this day living that can tell you of so many strange and unknown peoples and countries as this man can. And I know well that you be very desirous to hear of such news.' 'Then I conjectured not far a miss' (quoth I), 'for even at the first sight I judged him to be a mariner.' Nay' (quoth he), there ye were greatly deceived. He hath sailed indeed, not as the mariner Palinure, but as the expert and prudent Prince Ulysses; yea, rather as the ancient and sage Philosopher Plato.

For this same Raphael Hythlodaye (for this is his name) is very well learned in the Latin tongue; but profound and excellent in the Greek tongue, wherein he ever bestowed more study than in the Latin, because he had given himself wholly to the study of Philosophy. Whereof he knew that there is nothing extant in the Latin tongue that is to any purpose, saving a few of Seneca's and Cicero's doings. His patrimony that he was born unto he left to his brethren (for he is a Portugal born); and for the desire that he had to see and know the far Countries of the world, he joined himself in company with Amerike Vespuce, and in the iii last voyages of those iv, that be now in print and abroad in every man's hands, he continued still in his company, saving that in the last voyage he came not home again with him. For he made such means and shift, what by entreatance and what by importune suit, that he got licence of master Amerike (though it were sore against his will) to be one of the xxiv which in the end of the last voyage were left in the country of Gulike. He was therefore left behind for his mind's sake, as one that took more thought and care for travelling