The Life of Charles Howard, Earl of Nottingham, and Lord High Admiral of England, including Being the most eminent perfons, who flourished THE BRITISH PLUTARCH. THE LIFE OF ROGER ASCHA M. W [A. D. 1515, to 1568.] E are now entering upon one of the most fplendid periods of the English history. It was in the year 1558 that queen Elizabeth afcended the throne; fhe was endowed with great talents for government; and the hap pily found herself furrounded by men of dif tinguished eminence, equally qualified to ferve their country in every public department of the church and state. VOL. II. B The The feeds of true piety, of found learning, and of civil liberty, which had been fown at the Reformation, and had efcaped the cruel ravages of Popish bigotry during the turbulent reign of Mary, now produced a plentiful harveft of illuftrious Englishmen, many of whom were wandering in exile, and fuffering all the inconveniences of obfcurity and indigence, till this happy revolution reftored them to their country and their friends. Of these, as they contributed to lay the foundation of Elizabeth's future glory, concife memoirs muft be given, before we bring upon the carpet a general review of the important national transactions of this long and profperous reign, not lefs celebrated by foreign, than by British hiftorians. And the firft on the lift, who merits our grateful remembrance, for the principal fhare he had in forming the mind, and improving the understanding of our renowned queen, is ROGER ASCHAM, the fon of John Afcham, fteward to the antient and noble family of Scroop. He was born at KirkbyWifke, near Northallerton in Yorkshire, about the year 1515; and, in his early youth, was taken into the family of the Wingfields, by Sir Anthony Wingfield, who became his patron, and finding in him an apt difpofition for literary attainments, he fent him in the year 1530 to St. John's college, Cambridge, at the critical juncture when the Greek language began to be taught without oppofition, in our univerfities. The doctrines of Luther, promulgated and circulated through all parts of Europe, by means of the rapid progrefs of the art of printing, had diffused a general inclination throughout the republic of letters, to ftudy the points in controverfy between the Romish church, and the celebrated reformer, which could beft be done by attaining a competent knowledge of Greeks and our young ftudent being one of thofe 5 those whofe mind was fired with generous emulation, applied himself fo affiduoufly to this branch of learning, that he foon became fo great a proficient, as to be able to read lectures, and to teach other youth, who were defirous of inftruction. "To teach, or to learn, was at this æra the business and the pleasure of the academical life;" and young Afcham had the happiness to affociate with men of uncommon genius, and of fimilar difpofitions with himself. Sir John Cheke, who was preceptor to Edward VI. and died in the reign of Mary, of grief, at having recanted his profeffion of the reformed religion, was his rival and friend. This gentleman, in conjunction with Sir Thomas Smith, fecretary of state in the reigns of Edward VI. and Elizabeth, had introduced a more just pronunciation of the Greek tongue than had before prevailed, which Afcham at firft opposed, till being convinced that they were in the right, he finally adopted and recommended it in his public lectures; a circumftance which ferved to ftrengthen the focial intimacy that had fubfifted between the three ftudents. Mr. Afcham likewife gained the approbation of Dr. Metcalf, the mafter of his college, who, having the intereft of learning greatly at heart, recommended him to a fellowship in 1534 when he was but eighteen years of age. At the fame time, Pember, a perfon of great eminence in the univerfity, and a zealous promoter of the ftudy of the Greek language, took him under his protection, and increafed his reputation, not only by applauding his public lectures, but by recommending the young gentlemen of his acquaintance to attend Mr. Afcham at his chambers, to hear the Greek authors read and explained by him. By the advice of this gentleman, Mr. Afcham, as a relaxation from ftudy, learned to play on mufical inftruments, and to write a very B 2 fine fine hand, an accomplishment then growing into repute; and he excelled in it, which contributed not a little to his future fuccefs in life. In 1535 he took the degree of mafter of arts, and foon after, he was appointed, by the university, teacher of the Greek language in the public fchools, for which he had a genteel falary. He likewife commenced tutor, and had feveral young ftudents of rank under his care for other branches of education; fome of whom proved eminent fcholars, particularly William Grindal, recommended by Sir John Cheke to be mafter of languages to the princess Elizabeth. The reputation of Mr. Ascham, as a man of extenfive learning, was fo firmly established in the univerfity, that he was elected to the honourable office of public orator, and all the univerfity letters were compofed by him; his fkill in the Latin language, and his fine writing, which he used to embellish with drawings, having recommended him to thefe employments. But in all ages, and in every country, confpicuous merit, while it meets with its due reward from the liberal mind, will always be expofed to the hatred of the felfish and envious. It is no wonder, therefore, that Mr. Afcham fhould find himfelf attacked by his enemies, for indulging himfelf in a manly exercise at his leifure hours. He was particularly fond of archery, and this being an amufement better fuited to the foldier than the fcholar, he was freely cenfured for beftowing his time on it, which gave birth to a vindication of himself, in an excellent and learned treatise, intituled "ToxOPHILUS, or, the fchele or partitions of fhooting." He dedicated this tract to Henry VIII. who was fo well pleafed with it, that he allowed him an annual penfion of ten pounds, a fum which has been fuppofed to be equal to one hundred pounds at prefent. With this |