Thomas Sternhold

was in all likelihood (k)(k) Vide Balium int. Script. maj. Britan. cent. 9. nu. 79. born in Hampshire, but whether educated in Wykeham’s School near Winchester, is as yet doubtful. Sure it is, that he having spent some time in this University, left it without the honor of a Degree, and retiring to the Court of K. Hen. 8. was made Groome of the Robes to him, and when that King died he left him in his Will 100 Marks. Afterwards he continued in that office under K. Ed. 6. at which time he was in some esteem in the Royal Court for his grave vein in Poetry, and other trivial Learning. But being a most zealous Reformer; and a very strict liver, he became so scandaliz’d the amorous and obscene Songs used in the Court, that he forsooth turn’d into English meeter 51 of Davids Psalms, and caused musical notes to be set to them, thinking thereby that the Courtiers would sing them instead of their sonnets, but did not, only some few excepted. However the Poetry and Musick being admirable, and the best that was made and composed in those times, they were thought fit afterwards to be sung in all Parochial Churches, as they do yet continue. All those Psalmes which he put into rhime, have the Letters T. S. set before, to distinguish, them from others. What other Poetry, or what Prose this our Poet Sternhold hath composed, and left behind, I know not, nor any thing else of him, only that he died in London or Westminster, 1549 in Fifteen hundred forty and nine. By his last Will and (l)(l) In Offic Praerog. Cant. in reg. Populwell. Qu. 37. Testament dat. 22. Aug. and proved 12. of Sept. an. 1549, wherein he is stiled Groome of the Kings Majesties Robes, it appears that he died seized of Lands in Slacksted in Hampshire, of the Farmes of Conynger, Willersley, and Holgreaves in the same County, and of Lands in the Parish of Bodmin and elsewhere in Cornwall. Contemporary with Sternhold was Joh. Hopkyns, who is stiled to be (m)(m) Baleus in Script. maj. Britan. p. 113. inter cent. 12. & 13. Britanicarum Poetarum sui temporis non infimus, as indeed by the generality living in the Reign of Ed. 6. he was so, if not more, esteemed. He turn’d into Meeter 58 of David’s Psalms, which are to this day sung in Churches; and in all editions, of the said Psalms, his (which he translated) hath set before them the two Letters J. H. Whether this Poet, who was living in the 3. and 4. of Phil. and Mary, Dom. 1556, and after, was of this University of Oxon, I dare not yet affirm. However the Reader is to know that one Joh. Hopkyns was admitted Bach. of Arts thereof 36. Hen. 8. Dom. 1544. which he compleated the same Year by Determination. I find also one Job. Hopkyns of Waldingfeild in Suffolk Clerk, who dying in Octob. 1570, was buried in the Church-yard there, leaving then behind him a Son to be brought (n)(n) Ib. in Off-Praerog. in reg. Lyon, Qu. 36. up in learning. Besides these two, I find others to have had hands in making the said Psalms to run in meeter, as (1) Will. Whittyngham afterwards the unworthy Dean of Durbam, whom I shall hereafter mention; and (2) Tho. Norton of Sharpenhaule or Sharpenhoe in Bedfordshire a forward and busie Calvinist in the beginning of Qu. Elizabeth’s Reign, who then was accounted eminent for his Poetry and making of Tragedies, as I shall tell you in Tho. Sakvile under the Year 1608. This T. Norton, who seems to have been a Barrester, made 27 of the said Psalms of David to run in rhime, but whether he was educated in this University, is to me as yet uncertain. As for other works of his that are published, which are now in a manner lost, are these (1) An Epistle to the Queens poor deceived Subjects of the North Country, drawn into Rebellion by the Earls of Northumberland and Westmorland. Lond. 1569. oct. (2) A warning against the dangerous practices of the Papists, &c. (2) A Bull granted by the Pope to Dr. Harding, &c. and others, by reconcilement, and assoiling of English Papists to undermine faith and allegiance to the Queen; with a true declaration of the intention, &c. (4) A disclosing of the great Ball, and certain calves that he hath gotten, and especially the monster Bull that roared at my Lord Bishops gate. (5) An addition declaratory to the Bulls, with a searching of the maze. All which five pieces, were printed at Lond. in oct. an. 1569. He also translated from Lat. into English. (1) Epistle to Edw. Duke of Somerset. Lond. 1550. oct. written by Pet. Martyr. (2) Institutions of Christian Religion. Lond. 1587. qu. written by Jo. Calvin. (3) The larger Catechisme. Lond. 1571. qu. written by Alex. Nowell, besides other things which I have not yet seen.