LORD EDWARD HERBERT. 1551

1648. Soldier, States

man and Writer; (History, Religion and Poetry.) PHILEMON HOLLAND. 1552-1636. Noted scholar and translator of Latin and Greek classics.

LADY ANNIE BACON. 1528-1600. The mother of Francis Bacon; published several translations from Latin and Italian authors.

JOHN FLORIO.

-1625. Grammarian and translator;

wrote "Florio, his First Fruits," etc., (Compilation of Italian Proverbs,) “Dialogues of Grammar,” and a Dictionary in Italian and English.

JOHN SPOTISWOOD. Church of Scotland."

REGINALD SCOTT.

1565 — 1639. Wrote " History of

- 1599. Scholar and recluse; wrote

"A Perfect Platform of a Hop Garden," and "Discovery of Witchcraft."

LEONARD DIGGES. -1573. Mathematician. The son grandson and great-grandson of Digges were noted scholars between 1573 and 1639; they wrote various scientific and political works.

NICHOLAS SANDERS. 1527-1580. ROBERT PARSONS. 1546 - 1610, and RICHARD STAINHURST, 1545—1618, noted Catholic writers.

JOHN AYLMER. 1521 — 1594.

RICHARD HOOKER. 1553

- 1600. Noted writers on the Episcopal side.

BANCROFT, Broughton, Field, RAINOLDS, MILES SMITH, ABBOTT, BILSON and Boys were minor writers on religious subjects during the reigns of Elizabeth, James I. and Charles I.

NEWSPAPERS. In April, 1588, when England was threatened by the Spanish Armada, a series of Gazettes or Bulletins was printed by order of Queen Elizabeth, to keep her subjects informed as to the movements of the fleet; these were published only occasionally; but in the reign of James I. the news of Europe began to be collected and printed systematically, and a regular weekly paper called The Certain News of this Present Week,

was established in 1622, when the Thirty Years' Wa, and the exploits of Gustavus Adolphus agitated Europe. During the English Civil War (1642— 1649), each army had its printer and published a newspaper. Many private newspapers were started at the same time in England, and from that day the press has been an established necessity.

TRANSLATIONS OF THE BIBLE.

The first translation of the Bible into English was by Wycliffe, whose work was completed in 1382. Printing was not then known, and Wycliffe's Bible circulated in manuscript copies. William Tyndale, or Tyndal, translated the New Testament, and the Pentateuch and the Historical books of the Old Testament in 14801536; the first printed copy of his work appeared in 1525. Various versions of the Scripture were brought out before the one known as "King James' Version," which is commonly used by Protestants of to-day. This was made in 1611, by order of James I. The Catholic translation of the Scripture is known as the Rheims-Douay version, or Douay Bible, being made at Rheims, in France, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, in 1582.

The Book of Common Prayer was compiled during the 16th century, chiefly from a very old prayer-book known as The Prymer.

VII.

JOHN MILTON AND JOHN BUNYAN.

Milton's birthplace - Early Puritan influences School days at St. Paul's Music over the Scrivener's shop-"The Lady" at Cambridge University - Life at Horton

Origin of the Masque of Comus - Travels in France and Italy - L'Allegro and Il Penseroso Milton's "garden house" and pupils at Aldersgate His first marriage - Political troubles -- Miiton's reply to the King's pamphlet — Execution of Charles I. and triumph of the Roundheads - Milton becomes Foreign Secretary to the Commonwealth - Failure of his eyesight Andrew Marvell his secretary · Death of Milton's wife and son- His total blindness - Marriage and death of his second wife - The Quaker's prophecy-Death and funeral of Oliver Cromwell Restoration of Charles II., and peril of MiltonPublication of Paradise Lost and its cool reception-Milton's third marriage and last days at Bunhill Fields - Fate of daughter and descendants.

OING down Cheapside, in London, the other

Go

day, I entered a certain narrow street which crosses the great thoroughfare; it is now given up to warehouses, but standing there I could hear the sound of "Bow-bells," which have rung at the church of St.

Mary-le-Bow, near by, for centuries. The old church is being repaired at present, and men were coming and going to the work, passing through Bread street, where we stood under the shadow of one of the tall gloomy warehouses.

It was difficult to realize that in this very street, in a dark, quaint, old house, on the 9th of December 1608, JOHN MILTON, the author of PARADISE LOST was born.

The passer-by in those days (in the reign of James I) saw by a sign over the door that the profession of the elder Milton was that of scrivener, or one who drew up legal papers and placed money at interest. He was a man of learning, but his nature was rather narrow and gloomy, and to give you an idea of what he was I must tell you of a great moral change which swept over England about this time, affecting a large class of people, and the father of John Milton among the number.

You remember that during Queen Elizabeth's reign efforts were made to put down the theatres. They did not entirely succeed, but still a large part of the nation objected to everything like theatrical display, and complained also of the extravagance at court, and of the growing wickedness and frivolity of all classes. By the time James I. came to the throne this love of

display and dissipation had greatly increased among the masses, and as I told you, even Shakespeare felt saddened by it.

Now whenever part of a nation believes there is a necessity for reform in any class, some extreme is sure to follow. The generation who were young at the time of Shakespeare's death were often preached to and talked at by those who held that all finery was sinful vanity, and all lightness of manner or speech ought to be condemned. We must not go into the religious side of this, for we are only tracing the literary part of England's history, and the influences which affected it.

The grave spirit of reform I speak of, grew up chiefly among the country people; and certain influential noblemen encouraged it, horrified, no doubt, by the wickedness at court, where, indeed, morality was a thing long forgotten. Preachers began to go about stirring up the people, who listened eagerly, and many believed that the wrath of God was about to descend upon the nation. Being for the most part unable to read, they thoroughly enjoyed the sermons which were now preached in the open fields, on the highways and by-ways, anywhere, indeed, where an audience could be gathered. Instead of the inn-yard plays they now had the travelling