WOBO: Search for words and phrases in the texts here...

, author of the first Latin grammar of any noie in England, was a native of the county of Sussex, flourished about the latter part of the fifteenth century. After having been for some time usher of the school next to Magdalen college gate in Oxford, he took his degree of B. A. and in 1491 was admitted fellow of that college. He afterwards completed his degrees in arts, and commenced schoolmaster, in which capacity he acquired great reputation, and prepared for college many students, who were afterwards men of eminence. When he died is unknown, but he was alive in 1511. The grammar he published was entitled “Lac Puesorum. M. Holti. Mylke for chyldren,” 4to, printed by Wynkyn de Wprde, 1497. It is dedicated to Morton archbishop of Canterbury, and has some very elegant Latin verses by sir Thomas More, when he was a young man. The only copy known is in Mr. Heber’s fine collection. This grammar, the first methodical piece of the kind for the use of schools, was long followed by John Stanbridge, Robert Whittington, William Lily, Leonard Cox, Henry Prime, and other schoolmasters.