The third edition of this book is dated in 1567. Scipio Lentulo's Italian grammar was translated into English in 1578, bỷ Henry Grantham'. Soon afterwards appeared, in 1583, "CAMPO "DI FIOR, or The Flourie Field of four Languages of M. "Claudius Defainliens, for the furtherance of the learners of "the Latine, French, and English, but chieflie of the Italian "tongue." In 1591, Thomas Woodcock printed, "Florio's "second frutes to be gathered of twelve trees of divers but delightfull tastes to the tongues of Italian and Englishmen. To " which is annexed a gardine of recreation yelding 6000 Italian "prouerbs "." Florio is Shakespeare's Holophernes in Love's Labour Loft. And not to extend this catalogue, which I fear is not hitherto complete, any further, The ITALIAN SCHOOLEMASTER was published in 1591 *. But to proceed. 66 Before the year 1570, William Paynter, clerk of the Office. of Arms within the Tower of London, and who feems to have been master of the school of Sevenoaks in Kent, printed a very confiderable part of Boccace's novels. His firft collection is entitled, "The PALACE OF PLEASURE, the first volume, con"taining fixty novels out of Boccacio, London, 1566." It is dedicated to lord Warwick'. A fecond volume foon appeared, "The PALLACE OF PLEASURE the fecond volume containing thirty-four novels, London, 1567 "." This is dedicated to fir George Howard; and dated from his houfe near the Tower, as is the former volume. It would be fuperfluous to point out here the uses which Shakespeare made of these volumes, after the full investigation which his antient allufions and his plots have fo lately received. One William Painter, undoubtedly the fame, tranflated William Fulk's ANTIPROGNOSTICON, a treatise writ f For T. Vautrollier. 8vo. For Vautrollier. 12mo. But his First Frute, or, Dialogues in Italian and English, with inftruction for the Italian, appeared in 1578. His Italian dictionary, in 1595. i See Act iv. Sc. ii. VOL. III. k For Thomas Purfoot. 12mo. 1 A fecond edition was printed for H. Binneman, Lond. 1575. 4to. A fecond edition was printed by Thomas Marfh, in octavo. Both volumes ap. peared in 1575. 4to. 3 N ten ten to expose the aftrologers of thofe times". He also prefixed a Latin tetraftic to Fulk's original, printed in 1570°. 66 With Painter's PALACE OF PLEASURE, we must not confound "A petite Pallace of Pettie his plefure," although properly claiming a place here, a book of ftories from Italian and other writers, translated and collected by William Pettie, a ftudent of Chrift-church in Oxford about the year 1576". It is faid to contain, "manie prettie hiftories by him set forth in comely colors and most delightfully difcourfed." The first edition I have seen was printed in 1598, the year before our author's death, by James Roberts. The firft tale is SINORIX AND CAMMA, two lovers of Sienna in Italy, the laft ALEXIUS. Among Antony Wood's books in the Afhmolean Mufeum, is a fecond edition dated 1608'. But Wood, who purchased and carefully preserved this performance, folely because it was written by his great-uncle, is of opinion, that "it is now so far "from being excellent or fine, that it is more fit to be read by a "school-boy, or rufticall amoretto, than by a gentleman of mode "and language'." Moft of the ftories are claffical, perhaps fupplied by the English Ovid, yet with a variety of innovations, and a mixture of modern manners. Lond. 1570. 12mo. At the end is an English tract against the aftrologers, very probably written by Painter. Edward Dering, a fellow of Chrift's college Cambridge, in a copy of recommendatory verfes prefixed to the fecond edition of Googe's Palingenius, attacks PAINTER, Lucas, and others, the abettors of Fulk's ANTIPROGNOSTICON, and the cenfurers of aftrology. In the antient registers of the Stationers company, an Almanac is ufually joined with a PROGNOSTICATION. See REGISTR. A. fol. 59. b. 61. a. In 1563, is a receipt for a licence to William Joiner for printing" The Citye "of Cyvelite, tranflated into Englesfhe by William Paynter." REGISTR A ut fupr. fol. 86. b. In 1565, there is a receipt for licence to W. James to print " Serten hif"toryes collected oute of dyvers ryghte "good and profitable authors by William "Paynter." Ibid. fol. 134. b. The fecond part of the "Palice of Pleasure," is entered with Nicholas Englonde, in 1565. Ibid. fol. 156. a. P Entered that year, Aug. 5, to Watkins. REGISTR. STATION, B. fol. 134. a. There is an Epiftle to the Reader by R. W. In 1569, there is an entry with Richard James for printing " A ballet in. "tituled Sinorix Canna and Sinnatus." REGISTR. STATION. A. fol. 191. b. In Pettie's tale, Camma is wife to Sinnatus. There was a third in 1613. By. G. Eld. Lond. 4to. Bl. Lett. 'ATH. OXON. i. 240. Pattie in con. junction with Bartholomew Young, tranflated the Civile Converfation of Stephen Guazzo, 1586. 4to. Painter Painter at the end of his fecond volume, has left us this curious notice. "Bicause fodaynly, contrary to expectation, this "Volume is risen to greater heape of leaues, I doe omit for "this present time SUNDRY NOUELS of mery devise, referuing "the fame to be joyned with the reft of an other part, wherein "fhall fucceede the remnant of Bandello, fpecially futch, suf"frable, as the learned French man François de Belleforreft "hath selected, and the choyfest done in the Italian. Some " also out of Erizzo, Ser Giouanni Florentino, Parabosco, Cyn"thio, Straparole, Sanfouino, and the best liked out of the Queene of Nauarre, and other Authors. Take these in good "part, with those that haue and thall come forth." But there is the greatest reason to believe, that no third volume ever appeared. And it is probable, that Painter by the interest of his booksellers, in compliance with the prevailing mode of publication, and for the accommodation of univerfal readers, was afterwards perfuaded to print his fundry novels in the perishable form of separate pamphlets, which cannot now be recovered. Boccace's FIAMETTA was tranflated by an Italian, who seems to have borne fome office about the court, in 1587, with this title, "AMOROUS FIAMETTA, wherein is fette downe a cata"logve of all and fingvlar paffions of loue and iealoufie inci"dent to an enamored yong gentlewoman, with a notable ca"ueat for all women to efchew deceitfull and wicked loue, by an apparent example of a Neapolitan lady, her approued and long miseries, and wyth many found dehortations from the "fame. Fyrst written in Italian by master John Boccace, the "learned Florentine, and poet lavreat. And now done into English by B. Giouanno del M. Temp." The fame year was also printed, "Thirteene moft pleafaunt and delectable questions entituled A DISPORT of diuers noble perfonages 66 66 "from Boccace. Imprinted at London by A. W. for Thomas "Woodcock, 1587".' Several tales of Boccace's DECAMERON were now translated into English rhymes. The celebrated story of the friendship of TITUS AND GESIPPUS was rendered by Edward Lewicke, a name not known in the catalogue of English poets, in 1562 ". The title is forgotten with the tranflator. "The most wonder"full and pleasaunt history of Titus and Gifippus, whereby is fully declared the figure of perfect frendfhyp drawen into English metre by Edwarde Lewicke. Anno 1562. For Tho"mas Hacket "." 66 It is not suspected, that those affecting stories, the CYMON AND IPHIGENIA, and the THEODORE AND HONORIA, of Boccace, fo beautifully paraphrased by Dryden, appeared in Englifh verfe, early in the reign of queen Elifabeth. THEODORE AND HONORIA was tranflated, in 1569, by doctor Christopher Tye, the musician, already mentioned as a voluminous verfifier of fcripture in the reign of Edward the fixth. The names of the lovers are disguised, in the following title. "A notable historye of Naftagio and Trauerfari, no less pitiefull than pleasaunt, translated out of Italian into English verse by "C. T. Imprinted at London in Poules churchyarde, by Tho"mas Purefoote dwelling at the figne of the Lucrece. Anno. 6. 1569"." Tye has unluckily applied to this tale, the fame stanza which he used in tranflating the ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. The knight of hell pursuing the lady, is thus defcribed. He fawe approche with swiftie foote "In quarto. There is entered with Richard Smyth, in 1566, "A boke intituled "the xiij queftions compofed in the Italian. by John Beccace." REGISTR. STATION. A. fol. 153. a. See fupr. vol. ii. p. 342. And EM. ADD. * In 12mo. Ad calc. 64 FINIS quod Ed"award Lewick." There is entered, in 1570, with H. Binneman, "The petifull "hiftory of ij lovyng Italians." REGISTR. STATION. A. fol. 204. b. y In 12mo. Bl. Lett. In that year Purfoot has licence to print "the Hiftory of "Noftagio." The fame book. REGISTR. STATION. A. fol. 183. b. [See fupr. p. 194.] A dame, A dame, with scattred heares vntruffde, Befides all this, two maftiffes great And eke a Knight, of colour fwarthe, With gastlye thretning countenaunce, Were like a fiery brande, &c. About the fame time appeared the tale of CYMON AND IPHIGENIA, "A pleasaunt and delightfull History of Galefus, Cymon, "and Iphigenia, defcribing the fickleneffe of fortune in love. "Tranflated out of Italian into Englishe verfe by T. C. gentle66 man. Printed by Nicholas Wyer in faint Martin's parish be"fides Charing Crofs." It is in stanzas. I know not with what poet of that time the initials T. C. can correfpond, except with Thomas Churchyard, or Thomas Campion. The latter is among the poets in ENGLAND'S PARNASSUS printed in 1600, is named by Camden with Spenfer, Sidney, and Drayton; and, among other pieces, published Songs, bewailing the untimely "death of Prince Henry, fet forth to bee fung to the lute or "viol by John Coprario, in 1613." But he feems rather too Z SIGNAT. A v. a In 12mo. Bl. Lett. See alfo Meres, ubi fupr. fol. 280. Under his name at length are "Obferua❝tions on the Art of English Poefie, Lond. "by R. Field, 1602." 12mo. Dedicated to lord Buckhurft, whom he calls "the "nobleft judge of poefie, &c." This piece is to prove that English is capable of all the Roman meafures. He gives a specimen of Lincentiate Iambickes in English, our present blank verfe, p. 12. More of this hereafter. T. C. in our finging-pfalms, is affixed to pfalm 136. See above, p. 170. I believe he is the author of a Masque prefented on Saint Stephen's Night, 1604. late |