Sales catalogue 593: Maggs Bros

Date:
1934
Reference:
WA/HMM/CM/Sal/13/134
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sales catalogue 593: Maggs Bros. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    8/140 page 2
    2 MAGGS BROS., 34 C9 35, CONDUIT STREET, LONDON, W. the Austrian Ambassador to England, and mentioning the King (James I). | | (Trans.):—‘‘ I have received your letter through your ambassador, Baron de Hoboque, and appreciate the trouble that Y. H. has taken, in bidding him visit me, and thus prove his affection for the King, my honoured Sire, and myself, which we have already proved, and wish for nothing else than to returh you ours. ‘© T have rejoiced with the assurance that the said Baron, gives me, of your health and that of the young Infanta, my dear and loving sister, and am so pleased with him that I have requested him to often bring me such good news, and to increase the liking I have of his good appearance and manners. ‘‘ Rest assured Y. H, that you have done a great deal in his service, and for our pleasure, in sending us a minister, so sincere and discreet.’? Etc. to Queen Elizabeth, and afterwards her Latin Secretary. AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED (IN LATIN) TO WILLIAM CECIL, AFTERWARDS LORD BURGHLEY. 1} pp., folio. St. John’s College, Cambridge, 1oth February, 1550. | £63 An exceedingly interesting letter, in which Ascham, after com- plimenting-Cecil on his public character and reputation, laments that he himself should have suffered wrong at the hands of Cecil, and will explain more fully at a fitter time. The connection of Ascham with William Cecil is particularly interesting, as it was while dining with Cecil that the conversation turned on educational discipline, in which Ascham strongly condemned corporal punishment. It was suggested that he should write a book on the subject, the result being ‘‘ The Scholemaster.”’ Both Ascham and Cecil were educated at St. John’s College, Cam- bridge, and Ascham was afterwards appointed Greek reader there. Having held the office of Latin Secretary successively to Queen Mary and to Queen Elizabeth, Ascham returned, the year before the date of this letter, to St. John’s College. Among his many accomplishments was that of calligrapher. In 1548 Ascham succeeded Grindal as tutor to Princess Elizabeth, but he found life in her service an irksome one. Finally, he quarrelled self, and in 1550 he resigned his post to resume his studies at Cam- bridge. On Elizabeth’s accession to the throne, he was again installed as her tutor. In 1559, the Queen bestowed on him the prebend of Wetwang in York Cathedral, but a long lawsuit followed, and he only won the case in 1566 after the Queen had bidden the Archbishop of York to give him his assistance. On hearing of his death in 1568, Queen Elizabeth exclaimed that she woud rather have cast £10,000 into the sea than have lost her Ascham. |
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