[944]John Fletcher, invited to goe with a knight into Norfolke or Suffolke in the plague-time 1625, stayd but to make himselfe a suite of cloathes; fell sick of the plague, and dyed.
[945]Mr. John Fletcher, poet: in the great plague, 1625, a knight of Norfolk (or Suffolke) invited him into the countrey. He stayed but to make himselfe a suite of cloathes, and while it was makeing, fell sick of the plague and dyed[946]. This I had (1668) from his tayler, who is now a very old man, and clarke of St. Mary Overy's.
John Florio (1545?-1625).
[947]John Florio was borne in London in the beginning of king Edward VI, his father and mother flying from the Valtolin ('tis about Piedmont or Savoy) to London for religion: Waldenses.——The family is originally of Siena, where the name is to this day.
King Edward dying, upon the persecution of queen Mary, they fled back again into their owne countrey, where he was educated.
Afterwards he came into England, and was by king James made 'informator' to prince Henry for the Italian and French tongues, and clarke to the closet to queen Anne.
Scripsit:—
First and second fruits, being two books of the instruction to learne the Italian tongue:
Dictionary;