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, an Italian poet, was born at Vignola, in the duchy of Modena, June 30, 1672. His early studies afforded great promise of talents, and at the age of nineteen he was admitted into the academy of the Arcadians. He resided a considerable time at Bologna, where he established a colony of Arcadians, and for this reason in the title of some of his works he is styled a Bolognese, although certainly not a native of that city. In 1701 he was appointed imperial poet at the court of Vienna, which he would fain have given up in favour of Apostolo Zeno, but the latter declined it, and Bernardoni accordingly filled the office under the two emperors Leopold and Joseph I. He died at Bologna, Jan. 19, 1714. He published two collections of poetry: 1. “I Fiori, primizie poetiche, divise in rime amorose, sacre, morali, e funebri,” Bologna, 1694, 12mo; and “Rime varie,” Vienna, 1705, 4to. 2. Several tragedies and musical dramas, oratorios, &c. all which were collected in the edition of his works published at Bologna, 1706 7, 3 vols. 8vo.

, or Leo Urbevetanus, a native of that city, is said by some to have been a Franciscan, and by others a Dominican. He left a “Chronicle” of the popes, which ends in 1314, and one of the “Emperors,” ending 1308, published by father Lamy, at Florence, 1737, 2 vols. 8vo. These chronicles are useful for the history of those times, to those who can distinguish the fabulous parts.

, surnamed Brugensis, from being a native of that city, was a doctor of Louvain, and dean of the church of St. Omer. He studied under Arias Montanus, and acquired an extensive knowledge of the Greek, Hebrew, Chaldee, and Syriac languages. He has left, 1. “Critical notes on the Holy Scriptures,” Antwerp, 3 vols. 4to, which are commended by Simon, in his Critical History. 2. Latin commentaries on the New Testament, in 3 vols. folio. 3. Concordances of the Bible, published at Cologne in 8vo, by Egmond, in 1684, which are convenient in size, and printed with correctness and beauty. He died Feb. 19, 1619.

, one of our early printers, is said by Bale to have been a citizen of London, and by Pits a native of that city. Wood says he was educated in grammar and philosophy at Oxford, and that returning to London he set up the trade of printing, which was then, as Wood adds, “esteemed a profession fit for any scholar or ingenious man.” By whom he was taught the art, or whether he was at first employed only as a corrector, does not appear. His residence was at the sign of the Mermaid “at Fowl’s gate,” next Cheapside. He married Elizabeth, sister to sir Thomas More, with whom he became intimate, according to Wood, by his piety and learning. Bale and Pits assign different causes for this intimacy; the one, because he was a bold champion for popery, which the other terms his great zeal for the glory of God. Herbert thinks it was most likely that he was at first introduced to his acquaintance by means of printing sir Thomas’s “Dialogues,” and that his acquaintance was afterwards cemented into friendship, as was natural, by their mutual principles and opinions. The date, therefore, of this acquaintance may be 1528 or 1529. Wood says that Rastall, by frequent conferences with sir Thomas, improved his knowledge in various sorts of learning, which is probable; but he omits to notice what is more important, that Rastall became a convert to the reformed religion by means of a controversy with John Frith. Rastall published “Three Dialogues,” the last of which treats on purgatory, and was answered by Frith. On this Rastall wrote his “Apology against John Frith,” which the latter answered with such strength of argument as to make a convert of his opponent. Rastall also wrote a book called “The Church of John Rastall,” which being in the list of prohibited books published by bishop Bonner, annexed to his injunctions in 1542, is supposed to have contained some retraction of his former opinions, at least of what he had written concerning purgatory. Herbert questions whether this book be not the same which Bale mentions by the title of “Abrasio Papismi.” Both Bale and Pits attribute other works to Rastall, not now known, except his “Anglorum regnum Chronicon, or Pastime of the People,” printed by him in 1529. This having lately been reprinted (1B11) among the rest of the English Chronicles, by a select number of the booksellers of London, it is not necessary to describe its contents. The original edition is so scarce that one perfect copy only is known, which formerly belonged to lord Orford, who gave it to James West, esq. and is now in the king’s library; and of imperfect copies, bibliographers mention only three or four.