was in some esteem at court for his vein in poetry. Being a most zealous reformer and a very strict liver, he became so scandalised at the lascivious warblings there, that he turned into English metre oneand-fifty of David's Psalms, and caused musical notes to be set to them. He flattered himself that the courtiers would sing them instead of their loose and wanton sonnets; but Mr. Wood is of opinion that very few of them did so. However, the poetry and music being thought admirable in those times, they were gradually introduced into all parochial churches and sung, as they continue to be in the far greater part at present, notwithstanding the version since made by Tate and Brady, and countenanced by royal authority in 1696. Eight-and-fifty other Psalms were turned into English metre by John Hopkins, a contemporary writer, and styled by Bale Britannicorum poetarum sui temporis non infimus. The rest were done by other hands. We do not find that Mr. Sternhold composed any other poetry, and the specimen we have gives us no room to lament that he did not; however, let us commend his piety. He died in London in the year 1549. JOHN BELLENDEN. (Died 1550.) John Bellenden, a Scottish poet of the age of Sir David Lindsay, archdeacon of Murray and canon of Ross, was on a confidential footing with James V.; and his Historie of Scotland, a free translation of the first seventeen books of Hector Boece's Chronicle, was undertaken at the request of that monarch, himself ignorant of the Latin language. Into this publication Bellenden has introduced two poems of considerable length, entitled the Proheme of the Cosmographie and the Proheme of the Historie. Bellenden went to Rome, -conjecturally to get out of the way of the reformers, whom he strenuously opposed,—and died there in 1550. His poems are the effusions of a fine fancy and a cultivated taste. He has been extolled as a master of every branch of divine and human learning; and it is at least apparent that his literature was such as his contemporaries did not very frequently surpass. HENRY BRADSHAW. Henry Bradshaw, a native of Cheshire, after having been educated at Gloucester College, Oxford, became a Benedictine monk of St. Werburgh's Abbey, in his native city. Before the year 1500 he wrote the Life of St. Werburgh (a daughter of a king of the Mercians), in English verse. This poem, besides the devout deeds and passions of the poet's patroness saint, comprehends a variety of other subjects,— a description of the kingdom of the Mercians, the lives of St. Etheldred and St. Sixburgh, the foundation of the city of Chester. Bradshaw was buried in the cathedral church to which his convent was annexed, in the year 1513. WEDDERBURN. A very singular collection of religious Scottish poems, under the title of Ane Compendious Booke of Godlie and Spirituall Songs, collectit out of sundrie partes of the Scripture, with sundrie of other Ballates, changed out of prophane Songes, for avoyding of Sinne and Harlotrie, was published in the year 1597, and reprinted by Andrew Hart in the year 1602. The last edition informs us that these songs "have been ascribed to one Wedderburn, of whom we know little." But there were three brothers of that name, all endowed with a poetical talent. The eldest wrote tragedies and comedies. The second was a Catholic, who turned Protestant. Being persecuted as a heretic by the clergy, he fled to Germany, where he heard Luther and Melancthon. He translated many of Luther's principles into Scottish verse, and changed many obscene songs and rhymes into hymns; anticipating herein our Wesley, who did much the same thing, protesting that he did not see why the devil should have all the pretty tunes to himself. After the death of James V., he returned to Scotland; but having been again accused of heresy, he fled into England, where he probably died about the year 1556. The third brother was vicar of Dundee, and in learning is said to have surpassed the other two. He went to Paris, and there associated with the reformers. At Cardinal Beaton's death he returned to his native country. "He turned the tunes and tenour of many profane ballads into godly songs and hymns, which were called the Psalms of Dundee, whereby he stirred up the affections of many." He died in prison. One of the Wedderburns was most probably the author of the Complaint of Scotland, a curious specimen of Scottish prose. JOHN HEYWOOD. (Circa 1500, died 1565.) John Heywood, commonly called the Epigrammatist, was born at North Mimms, in Hertfordshire, or, at all events, resided there for some portion of his life. The year of his birth is not known; but he began to write his interludes about 1530. "These productions," observes Collier, "form an epoch in the history of our drama, as they are neither miracle-plays nor morals, but entirely different from both; several of them come properly within the definition of interludes,― pieces played in the interval of entertainments,—and have frequently both broad humour and strong character to recommend them." He was educated at Pembroke College (then called Broadgate Hall), Oxford; but the severity of an academical life (says Wood) not suiting his gay and airy temper, he retired to London, and became known to all the men of wit, and especially to Sir Thomas More, with whom he was very familiar. His humour and his skill in vocal and instrumental music recommended him to Henry VIII., and he was well rewarded by that monarch. He was afterwards equally valued by Queen Mary; and had often the honour to mitigate the sullen solemnity of that melancholy princess with his songs, his rhymes, and his jests. One of these is preserved in the Cotton Mss. "When Queene Marie tolde Heywoode that the priestes must foregoe their wives, he merrily answered, 'Then your grace must allow them lemmans; for the clergie cannot live without sauce.'" Nor was the solace of Heywood's pleasantries monopolised by royalty. "At the duke of Northumberland's board," Puttenham tells us, 66 merry John Heywood was allowed to sit at the table's end. The duke had a very noble and honourable mind always to pay his debts well; and whenever he lacked money, would not stick to sell the greatest part of his plate-so had he done a few days before. Heywood being loath to call for his drink so often as he was dry, turned his eye towards the cupboard, and said, 'I find great miss of your grace's standing cups.' The duke, thinking he had spoken this of some knowledge that his plate was lately sold, said, somewhat sharply, Why, sir, will not these cups serve as good a man as yourself?' Heywood readily replied, 'Yes, if it please your grace; but I would have one of them stand still at mine elbow, full of drinke, that I might not be driven to trouble your men so often to call for it.' This pleasant and speedy turn of the former words helped all the matter again; whereupon the duke became very pleasant, and drank a bowl of wine to Heywood, and bad a cup should be always standing by him.” After the death of Queen Mary, finding the Protestant interest in the ascendant, he manifested the honesty of his religious devotion by withdrawing to Mechlin, where he died about 1565. "His zeal, however, on this head, does not seem," writes Hazlitt, "to have blinded his judgment, or to have prevented him from using the utmost freedom and severity in lashing the abuses of popery, at which he seems to have looked' with the malice of a fiend.' The Four P's bear the date of 1547. It is very curious as an evidence both of the wit, the manners, and the opinions of the time. Each of the parties in the dialogue gives an account of the boasted advantages of his own particular calling,—that is, of the frauds which he practises on credulity and ignorance,—and is laughed at by the others in turn. In fact, they all of them strive to outbrave each other, till the contest becomes a jest, and it ends in a wager who shall tell the greatest lie, and the prize is adjudged to him who says that he has found a patient woman. The common superstitions here recorded, in civil and religious matters, are almost incredible; and the chopped logic which was the fashion of the times, and which comes in aid of the author's shrewd and pleasant sallies to expose them, is highly entertaining." Heywood's other chief productions are, 2. The Play of Love the Play of the Weather (1533); 3. A merry Play between the Pardoner and the Frere, the Curate and Neighbour Pratte (1533); 4. Play of Gentleness and Nobilitie; 5. A merry Play between Johan the Husband, Tyb the Wyfe, and Sir Johan the Prieste (1533); 6. A Dialogue contayning in effect the number of al the proverbes in the English tongue compact, in a matter concerning two marriages (1547); 7. The Spider and the Flie (1556), a long, dull, parabolic tale in defence of popery. Before the title is the portrait of the author at full length, printed from a wooden cut: he has a fur gown on, like that of a master of arts, but the bottom of the sleeves reaches no lower than his knees; on his head is a round cap, his chin and lips are close shaved, and he has a dagger hanging at his girdle. THOMAS TUSSER. (Circa 1515-1582.) Thomas Tusser, the British Varro, was born about the year 1515, at Rivenhall, near Witham, in Essex. At an early age, notwithstanding his own reluctance and his mother's tears, his father put him to a music-school; and he was soon placed as a chorister, or singing-boy, in the collegiate chapel of the castle of Wallingford, which consisted of a dean, six prebendaries, six clerks, and four choristers, and was dissolved in 1549. In this situation he pathetically laments the hardships he endured; but having a fine voice, he was pressed (as was the despotic practice of the times) for the service of one of the choirs; and after being bandied about from one place to another, which loss of time he mentions with regret, it was his good fortune at length to be admitted into St. Paul's, where he arrived at considerable proficiency in music. From St. Paul's he was sent to Eton School, and was certainly some time under the tuition of the famous Nicholas Udall, and of whose severity Tusser complains in giving him fifty-three stripes at once, "For fault but small, Thence he was removed to Cambridge; and, according to some, was first entered of King's College, and afterwards removed to Trinity Hall. After encountering a long sickness, which obliged him to discontinue his studies, he left the banks of the Cam, and was employed about court, probably in his musical capacity, by the influence of his |