Preface:--'by occasion of trouble upon trouble I was hindered from accomplishing this work as I did intend.'
In the last leafe of this booke he is frighted by the hasty knocking of a messenger at the dore and sayes--'then is there no remedie but that I must neglect all studies and teaching for to withstand these dangers. My fortune is not so good to have quiet time to teache.'
The Castle of Knowledge, printed at London, 1596, quarto[886], and is dedicated 'to the most mightie and most puissant princesse, Marie, by the grace of God, Queen of England, Spaine, both Sicilies, France, Jerusalem, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, Archduchesse of Austria, Duchesse of Milaine, Burgundie, and Brabant, Countesse of Haspurge, Flanders, Tyroll, etc.'
He was the first that ever writ of astronomie in the English tongue.
In an admonition for orderly studying of the author's workes before this booke there is an intimation in verse that he wrote these five bookes, scilicet, (1) The Ground of Arts, (2) the Pathway to Knowledge, (3) the Gate of Knowledge, (4) the Castle of Knowledge, (5) the Treasury of Knowledge.
All that I have seen of his are written in dialogues between the master and scholar.
[887]Can you[888] enforme me where Dr. Record lies buried? Me thinks Mr. Stow should mention him.
[889]Johannes David Rhesus, M.D.:--he wrote a compendium of Aristotle's Metaphysiques in the British language, mentioned in his epistle to Sir <Edward> Stradling before his Welsh Grammar. 'Twas in Jesus College library, Oxon, and my cosen Henry Vaughan (_Olor Iscanus_) had it in his custody. Dr. Rhees averres[890] there that the British language is as copious in expressing congruous termes of art as the Greeke or any language whatsoever. I have sent to Henry Vaughan for it.
[891]I have not yet heard from my cosen Henry Vaughan ('Olor Iscanus') concerning your queres[892] of Dr. David Rhese the physitian, which I wonder at.
[893]Memorandum--Rider is a Berks family, portant 'party per chevron argent and sable 3 crescents counter-chang'd.' Quaere if bishop <John> Rider, the author of the Dictionary, was a Berkshire man.
[894]George Ripley was a canon of Burlington, the greatest chymist of his time. Mr. Elias Ashmole has the draught of his monument there.