Richard Knolles

of the same family with those of his name, living at Cold-Ashby in Northamptonshire, made his first entry into this University, in 1560. or thereabouts, took one degree in Arts four years after, and then was elected Fellow of Lincoln college, where, after he had proceeded in that faculty, did purpose to perform (if God granted him life) something that might be profitable to the Christian Commonwealth, as in time God should give him means and occasions. In the mean while Sir Peter Manwood of S. Stephens near to Canterbury, Knight of the Bath, minding to be a favourer of his studies, called him from the University, and was by [〈◊〉] preferred to be Master of the Free-School at Sandwich in Kent, where being settled, he did much good in his Profession, and sent many Young men to the Universities. And tho he was there in a world of troubles and cares, and in a place that afforded no means of comfort to proceed in great works, yet he performed much for the benefit of History at his vacant hours, upon the desire of the said Sir Peter, as it doth appear by these his works following.

The history of the Turks, Lond. 1610. &c. fol. which book he composed in about 12 years time. And tho it all goes under his name, yet some there be that think he was not the sole author of it, because therein are found divers translations of Arabick Histories, in which Language he was not at all seen, as some that knew him have averr’d. In other editions of this book, for there have been at least five, it beareth this title, The general History of the Turks, from the first beginning of that Nation, to the rising of the Ottoma [•] Family, &c. It hath been continued from Knolles’s death by several hands; and one continuation was made from the year 1628. to the end of the year 1637. collected out of the dispatches of Sir Pet. Wyche Kt. Embass. at [•] onstantinople, and others, by Tho. Nabbes a writer (for the most part comical) to the English Stage in the Reign of K. Ch. 1. A continuation of the Turkish Hist. from 1623. to 1677. was made by Paul Rycaut Esq late Consul at Smyrna—Lond. 1679.

The Lives and Conquests of the Ottoman Kings and Emperours, to the year 1610. Lond. 1621. Continued from that time (1610.) to 1621. by another hand.

A brief discourse of the greatness of the Turkish Empire, and where the greatest strength thereof consisteth, &c.

Grammat. Latine, Graecae & Hebr. compendium, cum radicibus. Lond. in oct. He also translated from the French and Lat. copies into English, The six books of a Commonwealth. Lond. 1606. fol. written by Joh. Bodin a famous Lawyer. At length this our author Knolles dying at Sandwich, before he had quite attained to the age of Man, in sixteen hundred and ten, 1610 was buried in St. Maries Church there, on the second of July the same year, leaving behind him the character of an industrious, learned, and religious person.