Alexander de Barklay

, who seems to have been born at, or near, a Town so called in Somersetshire, was for a time educated in this University; particularly, as it seems, in Oriel Coll. of which his great Patron and Favourer of his studies, Tho. Cornish Bishop of Tyne was then Provost. Afterwards he travel’d beyond the Seas, and at his return became, by the said Bishops endeavours (to whom he was Chaplain) one of the Priests of the College of St. Mary at Otery in Devonshire, founded by Joh. Grandison B. of Exeter. But his Patron dying soon after, he entred into the Order of St. Benedict or into that of St. Francis (as one, (‡)(‡) Jo. Bale ut supra, cent. 9. num. 66. who gives him an ill report because he lived and died a single Man, tells us) but at what place I know not. Sure ’tis that living to see his Monastery dissolv’d, he being about that time Doctor of Divinity, became Vicar of Much Badew in Essex, and in 1546 Vicar of the Church of St. Mathew the Apostle at Wokey in Somersetshire on the death of Mr. Rich. Eryngton, which I think was all the preferment that he had to the time of his death. In his younger days he was esteemed a good Poet and Orator, as several specimens of his composition in those faculties shewed, but when Years came on, he spent his time mostly in pious matters and in reading the Histories of Saints. His works are,

The figure of our Mother Holy Church, oppressed by the French King—Printed at London by Rich. Pynson in qu.

The miseries, or miserable lives of Courtiers—Besides his answer to Job. Skelton the Poet and other things, which I have not yet seen. He translated from Lat. into English, The lives of St. Margaret, St. Catherine, St. Etheldreda, St. George, &c. Several things also of Jo. Bapt. Fiera Mantuam, and other matters as Baleus (b)(b) In cent. 9. num. 66. ut supra. tells you. But above all must not be forgotten his translation out of Latin, French, and Dutch into the English Language, a Book intit. The Ship of Fools, an. 1508. Printed at Lond. by Pich. Pynson, 1509. fol. and dedicated by the translator to the said Tho. Cornish B. of Tyne and suffragan Bishop of Wells. This translation is adorned with great variety of Pictures printed from wooden cuts, which could not be but very delightful to the Reader in those days. The original Author of that Book was one Sebastian Brantius, much famed in his time for his excellent works. As for his translator Dr. Barklay who also translated from French into English The Castle of Labour, lived to be an aged Man, and dying at a Mercat Town called Croyden in Surrey before the 10. of June (for on that day his (c)(c) In Offic. praerog. Cant. in reg Powell Qu 17. will was prov’d) in Fifteen hundred fifty and two, was buried in the Church there, 1552 leaving then behind him among some the character of a good Scholar.