Bibliographical notes on the English translation of Polydore Vergil's work, 'De inventoribus rerum' / communicated to the Society of Antiquaries by John Ferguson.

  • Ferguson, John, 1838-1916.
Date:
1888
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Bibliographical notes on the English translation of Polydore Vergil's work, 'De inventoribus rerum' / communicated to the Society of Antiquaries by John Ferguson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    6. In 1501 Vergil came to England as sub-collector of Peter’s Pence. Having ingratiated himself with those in authority, he was advanced to various offices in the Church, was eventually naturalized, and so identified himself with the country of his adoption that he speaks of it as “ nostra Anglia.” He spent most of his life in England. 7. About 1505a he was requested by king Henry VII. to write a history of England. He entered upon this undertaking with the intention of making it thorough. He took abundance of time, consulted every available source of information, and worked up his materials deliberately. He was engaged for eight-and-twenty years upon it; the dedication to king Henry VIII. is dated London, August 1533, and the book was printed at Basel, by Bebelius, and pub- lished in 1534. It forms a handsome folio. It was re-published frequently in the sixteenth century. There is an old translation into English, of which portions were edited by Sir Henry Ellis for the Camden Society, and published in 1844, 1846, with biographical prefaces. As there seems to be no copy of the first edition in the British Museum, the following description from the copy in the library of the University of Glasgow may be of use:— Title: Polydori Vergilii Vrbinatis Anglicae Historiae Libri xxvi. Symon Grynaevs Lectori. [S’ Latin hexameters.'] [Printer’s device of a palm-tree, with the words: Palma Beb.] Indices rerum singularum copiosos Sf usui egregio futuros, adiecimus. Cum gratia & priuilegio Csesareo. Basileae, apvd Io. Bebelivm Anno m.d.xxxiiii. Folio, in sixes. Title, 1 leaf, a 2, dedication to Henry VIII. The text begins on a 3, not paged, and ends E e 6, p. 610. Index, F f to I i 6 recto, 24 leaves in all. On the reverse of the last leaf the palm-tree is repeated. The first page of the dedication, and the first page of the text, are enclosed in curious grotesque woodcut borders. 8. During this long period, however, he was not occupied with the history alone. His life was busy both with ecclesiastical and political affairs, and he was not left in ignorance of the changes of fortune which most men—not least those in prominent places—experience. It says much for his energy and perseverance that throughout all vicissitudes he still retained enthusiasm for historical investi- gation. While working at his history of England he wrote some smaller tracts, a Writing in December 1517, be refers to twelve years having elapsed since be bad begun the history.