CHAP VI.

CHAPTER VI.

THE FOURTH VISIT OF ERASMUS TO ENGLAND.

1. His Journey to England.

2. Archbishop Wareham;-3. Doctor Colet ;4. Bishop Tunstall;-5. Sir Thomas More.

6. The Prior of the Convent at Stein endeavours to induce Erasmus to return to it: His Reply.

7. His intercourse with Henry VIII.-Verses on the "Battle of the Spurs."

8. Teaches Greek at Cambridge.

9. Employed in the Foundation of St. Paul's School. 10. Pleased with his Reception in England.

1510. Et. 43.

1. HENRY VII died on the 22d of April 1509: Henry the VIII, his immediate successor, had long entertained the highest opinion of the learning and taste of Erasmus: a correspondence had, for some time, been carried on between them. A letter from Henry, when he was Prince of Wales, to Erasmus, expresses great regard for him, and great interest in his welfare. A few days after the decease of Henry VII, Lord Mountjoy gave information of it to Erasmus.

"There is nothing," he tells Erasmus, "which

VI. 1. His journey to

you may not expect from his successor; so England. "excellent is his character. You are not only "known to him; but he ranks you among his "friends, as he writes letters to you with his own "hand; an honour, which he has done to few. "Hasten to join your admiration of so generous

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a prince, to ours. Henry publicly professes "to love literature, and an intention to protect those, by whom it is cultivated." By the same letter, his lordship informs Erasmus, that the Archbishop of Canterbury promised him, if he would settle in England, a considerable benefice. To facilitate his journey, Sir Thomas More sent him a bill of exchange for a sum of money, one half of which was advanced by himself, the other half by the archbishop. Other letters from his English friends urged Erasmus not to be wanting to the fortune which awaited him, but to proceed to England without delay. He yielded to these united recommendations, and passing the Rhætian Alps, Coire, Constance, Strasbourgh, a part of Holland, Antwerp and Belgium, sailed from Ostend, and immediately on his arrival in London, directed his steps to the house of Sir Thomas More. In travelling from Dover to London, Erasmus passed through Canterbury, and visited the tomb of St. Thomas a Becket. He has described with great pleasantry in his "Colloquy

CHAP. VI.

1510. Æt. 43.

on Pilgrimages for the sake of Religion," some
superstitions practised at it. If he gives a fair
representation of them, they deserved all he says
of them but let us hope that he exaggerated
them, and that wit and fancy had some share
in his description of them. He was very angry
at the jewels and other costly ornaments, with
which the tomb was decorated, and wished the
value of them had been distributed among the
poor.
But was it not much better, both for the
poor and for society, that the artisan should have
been employed in the workmanship of them?
Were not both art and science served by it?
It is greatly to be lamented, that we have not
received from the pen of Erasmus, an account of
the interesting countries, through which his jour-
ney to England led him.

But he was not long in England, before he found reason to distrust the hopes, which had been held out to him: his character and friends procured for him many scholars; the instructions which he gave them were so far honorary, that no stated sum was required for permission to attend them; something however was expected, but he received little: He appears to give in one of his letters to the Cardinal Grimani, a candid statement of his condition; "It is impossible "for me," he says in this letter, "not to regret Rome; when I consider the numerous

"advantages which it comprises within its walls,

VI. 1.

His fourth visit

"and that no city in the world contains so many to England.

"rich libraries; such delicious literary inter

course, such information of every kind, as are "found in this favoured spot. My fortune in "England is above my merit; yet, to speak the

truth, it does not answer either my own hopes,

or the expectations held out to me by my "friends: but this is rather the fault of the "times, than of the nation. The king, who is

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very generous, shows me great kindness, he "always mentions me with regard, but the war "has taken him from us into Flanders.". Many of the letters written by Erasmus at this time from England express his regret at having abandoned his prospects at Rome. They were increased by the election of the Cardinal of Medicis to the tiara: He assumed the name of Leo X, and gave this name to a most brilliant æra of Roman literature, science and art. Erasmus addressed to him a letter of congratulation, and received from him an obliging answer. Fisher, the celebrated Bishop of Rochester, being appointed ambassador to Rome, Erasmus intimated his willingness to accompany him: Fisher readily accepted the offer, but something prevented Erasmus from joining him.

H

CHAP. VI.

1510.

Æt. 43.

While Erasmus was in England, he enjoyed the acquaintance and respect of many persons, who then did it the greatest honour. Among these, we should particularly distinguish Wareham, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Tunstal, afterwards Bishop of Durham, Doctor Colet, and Sir Thomas More.

2. Wareham was at this time Archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England, and lord high chancellor. It has been mentioned, that to induce Erasmus to visit England, Wareham promised him a large benefice: in performance of his promise, he offered Erasmus the rectory of Aldington, in Gloucestershire, which produced annually two hundred nobles. From a motive of conscience, which did him great honour, Erasmus refused it, on the ground that "his ignorance "of the language of the country, disqualified "him from parochial duty." Wareham compromised the matter by nominating another person to the benefice, and charging it with the payment of an annual pension of one hundred crowns to Erasmus. To this also Erasmus at first objected, on the ground that "the incumbent, "who performed all the duty, should have all "the emolument;" "but," says Erasmus, "the "prelate, who was a person of true piety, re"moved my scruples, by observing to me, that