Ralph Buckland

, an Esquires Son, was born of, and descended from, an antient and gentile family of his name (living at West-Harptre) in Somersetshire, became a Commoner of Mag. coll. in Mich. term, 1579. aged 15 or thereabouts, but before he took a degree, he went to London and studied the municipal Laws for some time. At length being inflam’d with a love to the Rom. Cath. Religion, he left his Parents, Country, and the prospect of a fair Inheritance, (for he was the first Heir to his Father) and went forthwith (by the instigation without doubt of some Priest) to the English coll. at Rheimes; in which place, and at Rome he spent about 7 years in the eager obtaining of knowledge in Philosophy and Divinity. Afterwards being made Priest and sent into the mission of England, lived chiefly, I presume, in his own Country, and spent above 20. years in doing offices belonging to his profession. The things that he hath written and published are these.

Seven sparks of the enkindled Soul.

Four lamentations, which composed in the hard times of Qu. Elizabeth, may be used at all times, when the Church happeneth to be extreamly pesecuted.

[•] Drawn out of the holy Scriptures after the form of Psalms.—Printed in twelves.

In the Title, or end, of these two little things (with which was printed A Jesus Psalter, but by whom written, or published it appears not) there is no place or time mentioned, where, or when, they were printed, neither is the Epistle dedicatory to his Mother B. B. dated: However that they were printed after K. James 1. came to the Crown of England, appears in the first Psalm p. 12. thus By the hand of thy great Servant James, Shake off our Yoake: that we may find him an honourable Comforter,—Beautifie him with a name, more precious than his Crown: by the true name of a good King, &c. A Copy of the said two little things, which contain Ejaculations very full of most servent devotion for the reconcilement of England and Scotland to the Rom. Church, coming afterwards into the hands of the most learned Dr. Vsher Primate of Ireland, he took occasion in a (*)(*) MS. in bib. Tho. Marshall nuper Rect. coll. Linc. Sermon preached in S. Maries Church in Oxon, 5. Nov. 1640. to tell the learned Auditory then present, that the said two books having been printed at Rome in 1603. or thereabouts, the Gunpowder-Treason which was discovered two years after in England, was then there known, and Prayers sent up to God Almighty for a prosperous success thereof, from certain passages therein (drawn, as ’tis said in the title, out of the holy Scripture) which he then publickly read before them, some, i’ not all, of which are these.—Psal. 2. p. 25 confirm their hearts in hope: for the redemption is not far off. The year of visitation draweth to an end: and jubulation is at hand.— Psal. 2. p. 32. But the memory of novelties shall perish with a crack: as a ruinous house falling to the ground.—Ibid. p. 33. He will come as a flame that burneth out beyond the Furnace, &c. His fury shall fly forth as Thunder.—Psal. 4. p. 54. The crack was heard into all Lands; and made Nations quake for fear.— Ibid. p. 66. In a moment canst thou crush her bones, &c. All which passages, delivered from the Pulpit, by that learned and godly Archbishop, being then generally believed, I must make bold to tell the Reader, being an eager pursuer of Truth, that by the several Copies of the said Books which I have seen, it doth not appear at all, that they were printed at Rome, or elsewhere: and if it may really be guessed by the make or mould of the Letter, wherewith they were printed, I should rather take them (as one or more Doctors of this University do the like) to have been printed, either at Rheimes or Doway, or not unlikely at Antwerp; for at Rome there were seldome before that time, then, or since, such sine or clear letters used, as, by multitudes of Books, which I have seen, that were printed at that place, appears, nor indeed ever were, or are, any English Books printed there. Our author Buckland hath also written,

An Embassage from Heaven, wherein our Lord Christ giveth to understand his indignation against all such, as being catholickly minded, dare yeild their presence to the rites and publick prayers of the Malignant Church—Printed in octavo, but where, or when, it appears not, either in the beginning, or end, of the said Book. He also translated from Lat. into English a Book entit. De persecutione Vandelica. lib. 3. Written by Victor Bishop of Biserte or Benserte in Africa. Which Bishop was in great renown according to Bellarmine (†)(†) In lib. cui tit. est. De Scriptoribus Ecclesiast—Col. Agrip. 1631. p. 156. an. Ch. 490. Also the six Tomes of Laur. Surius entit. De vitis Sanctorum. Which translation I have seen often quoted, under the name of Robert (instead of Ralph) Buckland. What else our zealous Author hath written and translated, I find not as yet, nor any thing else of him, only that he dying in sixteen hundred and eleven, 1611 was buried, I presume, in his own Country near to the Graves of his Ancestors, who were all zealous R. Catholicks, but since not. He left behind him among the Brethren the character of a most pious and seraphical person, a person who went beyond all of his time for fervent devotion.