[81] A coarse comedy written (probably) by John Still, one time Bishop of Bath. Its title on the imprint of 1575 runs thus:—“A ryght pithy, pleasant and merie Comedy, intytuled Gammer Gurton’s Nedle; played on the Stage not longe ago in Christes Colledge, in Cambridge, made by Mr. S., Master of Art.”
[82] Sir Thomas Wyatt (or Wyat), b. 1503; d. 1542. The Earl of Surrey (Henry Howard, and cousin to Catharine Howard, one of the wives of Henry VIII.), b. about 1517, and beheaded 1547.
[83] Understood to be based on the relations of a certain Unfortunate Traveller (Jack Wilton) by Nash, 1595. The story was credited by Drayton, Winstanley, the Athenæ Oxonienses of Wood (edition of 1721), by Walpole (Noble Authors), and by Warton: The relations spoken of, however, show anachronisms which forbid their acceptance.
[84] B. 1515; d. 1568. His works (in English) were collected and edited by Bennett in 1761. Fuller (of the Worthies) writes of Ascham: “He was an honest man and a good shooter. His Toxophilus is a good book for young men; his Scholemaster for old; his Epistles for all men.”
[85] Report of Giacomo Soranzo (Venetian Ambassador) under date of 1554: Rawdon Brown’s Calendar State Papers, 1534-54.
[86] Rawdon Brown’s Calendar State Papers, 1554. From Venetian Archives.
[87] A Thomas Sackville, b. 1527; d. 1608, was author of a portion of Mirror for Magistrates; also associated with Thomas Norton, in production of the Tragedy of Gorboduc.
[88] Thomas Tusser, b. about 1527; d. 1580.
[89] Raphael Holinshed, d. about 1580. First edition of his Chronicle was published in 1577.
[90] William Cecil, b. 1520; d. 1598. Biography by Nares, 1828-31.