Volume 1

The history and antiquities of the University of Oxford ... / by Anthony ä Wood. Now first published in English ... by John Gutch.

  • Anthony Wood
Date:
1792-1796
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The history and antiquities of the University of Oxford ... / by Anthony ä Wood. Now first published in English ... by John Gutch. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    749/768 (page 655)
    ^55 tuition of Mr. Maurice Weftbury of this Univerfity, who being wholly taken up in that employment, the faid Countefs wrote (i) to the Chancel- lor and Regents 1492, that they would be pleafed to difpenfe with him for his neceffary Regency. Further alfo ’twas Ihe (give me leave to make a digrefs) that had fo great Ikill in the French tongue, that Ihe undertook to tranflate a book thence into Englifh (2) called Speculum Aureum, commonly * The Mirroure of Golde for the fynfull foule,’ which had it feems a little before been tranflated at Paris out of Latin into French. An. f Dom. 1498 I 13—14 Hen. VII. About this time, or rather before, Erasmus, that great light of learn- ing came into England; for whofe company divers of both Univerfitles courted him, as he himfelf tells us. (3) At length for the great efteem he had for Dr. John Colet (his Mailer as he calls him) and Thomas Linaker, both of this Univerfity, came to Oxford. The place where he abode, was St. Mary College, a receptacle for Canon Regulars (the great Gate of which is almoll oppofite to New Inn) where after his fettlement he wrote his Difputation ‘ De tsedio et pavore Chrillij’ dedicated to the faid Colet: his Epillles alfo to Joh. Sixtinus and Gul. Montjoyus, dat. an. 1497 1498. With what liking his company and abode here was accepted, I cannot jullly deliver. Some had him in great elleem, others that were ignorant, Ihunned and defpifed him. His endeavours being wholly bent to reform the Greek language, or rather make it familiar (it being now reduced to a low ebb) fome by the perfuafions of the Religious Students as is ufually re- ported, would by no means hearken to him, though eagerly advifed thereto by word of mouth and writing by Colet and Linaker. To thofe that were ingenious and willing to attain to it, his indulging aflillance was not wanting, but freely read to and taught them without re- ward, continuing in that employment, or rather recreation all the time that he was in the Univerfity, which was coming and going feveral years. At length divers having conquered it, endeavoured to propagate it in others, which being perceived by feveral (fuch that cherilhed their own ignorance) (1) Ib. Ep. 458. (2) ImpreiT. Angl. Londini temp. Hen. [VII] per Ric. Pynfon; [in 4to. and fome copies on vellum] ; et ibid, per Winken de Word,[t522— 2 edit. In 4to. and 8vo.] and In 4to. 1526. (3) In Epjstolis, ex quibus Paulus Merula vilam ejufdem Erafmi conflavit. fought