one of them was Holbein. It has been queftioned whether he might be the father of the famous Hans Holbein; but it is understood that he was more probably his uncle. The few portraits remaining, which are understood to have been executed by him are only worthy of notice fo far as they may ferve to gratify the curiofity of an antiquary. John Mabufe, a native of Hainault, the other painter who refided fome time in England, was an artist of much fuperior merit. Though there was a stiffness in his manner, he attained to very confiderable excellence in his profeffion. After fome practice at home, he travelled into Italy, where he acquired more truth in treating naked fubjects, and fo far improved his tafte, as to introduce poetic hiftory among bis countrymen. One of his moft admired works was an Altar-piece at Middleburgh, the fubject of which was the descent from the crofs. It was applauded by Albert Durer, between whofe ftyle of painting and that of Mabufe's there was a great refemblance. Another of Mabufe's principal performances abroad, was the decollation of St. John. In this country, not to mention a variety of portraits, and a picture of Adam and Eve, his moft celebrated work was the marriage of Henry the Seventh, on board. It reprefents the infide of an ima ginary church; and the perfpective and landfcape of the country on each fide are good. The manner of the picture is hard; notwithstanding which, it has no finall degree of merit, independently of its being a curiofity.

From the works which were printed, during this fhort period, fome information may be derived concerning the general State of Knowledge and Literature in England. This information, however, will redound very little to the glory of the prefent reign. The books that were publifhed were almoft folely of the fame kind with thofe which had been the favourites of the people for nearly a century past. These were Thefe were principally

devotional

devotional tracts, poetry, and the old tales and romances. It now became an object of importance to print the ftatutes of the kingdom; and hence fuch an acquaintance with the laws was introduced, as tended to foften the minds of men, and to promote public peace and order. Though ancient learning had begun to be ardently ftudied by a few perfons, thefe gentlemen were obliged to have recourfe to foreign parts, for copies of the Greek and Roman authors. The firft Latin Claffic that is known to have been printed in England, folely in that language, was Terence, by Richard Pinfon, in 1497. Terence was printed a fecond time, by Wynken de Worde, in 1504; and it is remarkable that he was the only claffical writer that was published in Henry the Seventh's Time; and, indeed, the only claffical writer that had hitherto come from an English prefs, if we except Caxton's edition of Boethius, which, however, was accompanied with Chaucer's tranf lation. There is little to be faid with regard to the Literature of the printers of this period, though fome of them were men of education, Wynken de Worde has been reprefented as a man of great literary accomplishments; but this appears to have been advanced without fufficient foundation. John Raftall, before mentioned, who was educated at Oxford, and is defcribed as having been eminently skilled in mathematics, cofmography, hiftory, our municipal law, and theology, did not commence printer till the next reign.

The fhort term of years which occupies our present attention, was not defective in refpect to patrons of learning. Even the king himfelf was not wholly without a title to this character, though he did not shine in it with any eminent degree of luftre. He was the protector of Hawes the poet, and made him groom of the privy chamber. Nay, his majefly is recorded as poffeffing fome tincture of literature in his own perfon, and is faid to have confuted a Lollard, in a public difpu

tation at Canterbury. The poor Wickliffite would have few to fupport him in a debate with a royal antagó

nift.

A much higher degree of praife is due to Margaret, countess of Richmond and Derby, Henry the Seventh's mother. This illuftrious lady must be mentioned as an author as well as a patronefs of letters; and in point of time the fucceeds Juliana Berners, being the third female writer that England hath produced. By the course of her education, fhe was tolerably qualified for a studious mode of life. She attained a perfect acquaintance with the French language, and had fome skill in the Latin ; but lamented that he had not rendered herfelf a complete mistress of it in her youth. A fine library was collected by her, not for the purpose of ornament, or the gratification of vanity and oftentation, but for use. She wished to enrich her mind with valuable knowledge; and her library contained the best Latin, French, and English books of which fhe could at that time acquire the poffeffion. Her works were of the devotional kind, and for the most part tranflations. One of her performances was the fourth book of Dr. John Gerfon's Treatife on the Imitation of Chrift, tranflated from the French. Another of her productions was entitled, "The Mirroure of Golde for the finful Soule." It had been originally written in Latin, under the title of " Speculum aureum Peccatorum ;" but it was from the French that the countefs of Richmond made her tranflation. She, likewife, drew up, at the defire of the king her fon, and by his authority, orders with regard to the precedence of great and noble ladies, at public proces fions, and efpecially at funerals,

But it is not on her character as a writer that the countefs's real reputation with pofterity is grounded. This must be fought for in her munificent inftitutions for the encouragement of piety and learning. She ap

pointed

pointed and endowed two public lectures in divinity, one at Oxford and the other at Cambridge. At the laft univerfity fhe made provifion for a preacher, to deliver at least fix fermons, every year, in feveral churches, belonging to the diocefes of London, Ely, and Lincoln; and the founded a free grammar fchool at Winborne, in Dorsetshire. These were only the beginnings of lady Margaret's benefactions. In 1506, the completed the foundation of Chrift's college, Cambridge, and provided fo plentifully for it, out of her own lands and poffeffions, that her revenues alone afford a maintenance for a mafter, twelve fellows, and forty-feven scholars. A judgment may be formed of the fucceeding usefulness and reputation of this inftitution, when it is obferved that, among the other learned ornaments of it, the names may be reckoned of John Leland, Hugh Broughton, William Ames, Jofeph Mede, Ralph Cudworth, Henry More, Thomas Burnet, William Outram, John Lightfoot, John Milton, John Howe, and Nicholas Sanderson.

The countess of Richmond, having difplayed fo much bounty at Cambridge, was difpofed to extend her beneficence to diftant places, and to other objects. But, through the influence of John Fisher, bishop of Rochefter, who had been her confeffor and chaplain, fhe was prevailed upon to carry ftill farther her patronage to her favourite univerfity. Accordingly, the became the foundrefs of St. John's College; but died before the defign was completed. Her executors, however, were zealous and speedy in fulfilling the purposes of her will. This college has fince had fuch various endowments, and risen to fuch extent, as, we believe, to exceed all others in the number of its refidents. Befides a mafter, it has fiftynine fellows, and a hundred scholars; and the students upon their own foundation are uncommonly numerous. We omit many refpectable names and characters, when we take notice that St. John's college can boaft of Roger Afcham,

Afcham, John Redman, Thomas Cartwright, John Cheke, Thomas Wyat, William Cecil, William Whitacre, John Boys, John Overall, Ben. Jonfon, Henry Briggs, Thomas Gatacre, Kenelm Digby, Lucius Cary, John Williams, William Cave, Edward Stilligfleet, John Smith, Thomas Otway, William Beveridge, Matthew Prior, Richard Bentley, Thomas Baker, Samuel Croxal, John Taylor, and John Powell.

These two colleges were not the only ones which were founded in Cambridge during this period. Jefus College was erected and endowed, fome years before the others, by John Alcock, bishop of Ely; and it can reckon, among its literary ornaments, Thomas Cranmer, John Bile, Richard Bancroft, John Duport, Chriftopher Hatton, Richard Fenfhaw, John North, John Worthington, John Pearson, Elijah Fenton, and John Flamstead.

Oxford will reaffume her glory, in refpect to collegiate inftitutions. when we fhall come to Wolfey's noble foundation, in the next reign.

Among the encouragers of literature, archbishop Warham, though he did not form any large and permanent establishment, muft not be forgotten. He enriched the library of New College, Oxford, with a number of curious Greek books, which were purchased by him of fuch perfons as had obtained the poffeffion of them after the taking of Conftantinople. But the principal circumftance which entitles him to be remembered in this place, is, that he was the zealous friend, and the generous patron, of the Erafmus. great

At a time when the nobility in general were involved in grofs ignorance, Algernon Percy, the fifth earl of Northumberland, diftinguished himself, by being the protector of such genius as the age produced. Skelton

was