Richard Verstegan

, or as some call him Rich. Rowland, a great reviver of our English antiquities, and a most admirable Critick in the Saxon and Gothick languages, ought with all due ceremony to crave a place among these writers, not only because he is little remembred among authors, but also for that he had received part of his education among the Oxonians. His Grandfather who was called Theodore Rowland Verstegan, was born (*)(*) See Rich. Verstegans epist, to the renowned English Nation, set before his book, intit. A restitution of decayed intelligence, &c. in the Duchy of Gelderlandt, and there descended of an ancient and worshipful Family. From which Duchy, when it had been much ruined, wasted, and depopulated by the intestine Wars there raised, and continued by Charles Duke thereof, and Philip the Archduke, and Charles the fifth his Son, he the said Verstegan being then a young man, and deprived of his Friends in the said Wars, came into England about the latter end of Hen. 7. and there married, and soon after died, leaving behind him a Son but nine months old, which gave cause of making his fortune meaner, than else it might have been. Afterwards when the said Son grew up to be about 16 years of age, he was bound an Apprentice to a Cooper: Nor is this any discredit, Wolfgangus Musculus his Father being of that Trade. This Cooper was Father to our author Rich. Verstegan, born in the Parish of St. Catherine, (near to the Tower of London,) where his Parent mostly lived, and gained so comfortable a subsistence by his Trade, that he made shift to give his Son ingenious and Grammatical education, which being improved by Academical in his University, where he was mostly known by the name of Rowland, became esteemed for some parts of learning that were not then among the Academians regarded. Afterwards to avoid Oaths, he left the University without a degree, and being by that time a zealous R. Catholick, he left England, went into the Spanish Netherlands, and setled at Antwerp, where he composed,

Theatrum crudelitatum Hereticorum nostri temporis. Antw. 1592. qu. in 12 sh. Whether ever printed before, as some say it was, I cannot tell. This book is full of Cuts, representing the hanging, quartering, and beheading, or butchering of Popish Martyrs, engraven from the delineations made with the Pen of Verstegan, who was observed, while in England, to be much delighted in drawing and painting. The verses under, to explain the meaning of, them, were made by one Joh. Bochius born at Bruxills, and then (1592.) Register, if I mistake not, at Antwerp. Afterwards, the Rebellious League beginning, he conveyed himself and books to Paris, where the English Embassadour complained (‖)(‖) Gul. Barclay in lib. suo cui tit. est De regno & regali potestate adversus Buchananum, Brutum, Bo [•] rchierum & reliquos Monarchomacos, &c. Par. 1600. lib. 6. cap. 7. p. 438, 439. See in Hen. Foulis his Hist. of Romish Treasons and Usurpations, lib. 7. cap.. 2. of him to K. Hen. 3. and desired that he being born a Subject to the Q. of England, and then a Fugitive, and one that had abused her by his representation of Cruelties, he might be delivered into his hands, to be sent to England, there to receive reward. And the Embassador had reason for his request, if that be true which is reported, (†)(†) Ib. in Gul. Barclay ut sup. that K. Hen. 3. was so much possest with those cruel pictures, and did put so much credit in them, that he accused Q. Elizabeth of great cruelty, calling her wicked and cruel woman. Yet at the Embassadors desire Verstegan was imprisoned; at which Jean Bouchier that active fire-brand of the League is not a little (*)(*) See in a book intit. De justa Henrici 3 abdicatione. &c. Lugd. 1591. oct. lib. 2. cap. 16. p. 123. troubled, and layeth it as an heretical fault on K. Hen. 3. At length Verstegan is released, quits France and returns to Antwerp, where, as ’tis said, he reprinted his book, exercised the Trade of Printing, and by his rising up only (as one (b)(b) The author of a Pamphlet against the Jesuits, intit. Another l [•] tter of Mr. A. C. to his dis [•] esuited kinsman concerning [〈◊〉] appeal, [〈…〉] & [•] . Printed 1602. qu. p. [••] . tell us) by Brocage and Spierie for the Hispanish’d Jesuits, lived then and there (1602.) as if he were an Hidalgo, as who may not be a Gentleman, who lives so far from home, where he is not known, &c. At that time, and before, the Jesuits and Secular Priests falling out in England, each party defended it self by the Pen. In this quarrel Verstegan concerns himself, joyning with the Jesuits, and writing in their behalf, though not one of their number, but rather a Secular, shewing himself as zealous a railer as the best of them: And indeed never was there quarrel composed, of so many hard words, either side considered, yet whether Verstegan hath published any of his railings, or whether they are done in other books, I cannot tell, for I have seen nothing of that nature. Sure I am that about the death of Q. Elizabeth he employed his studies on a more noble subject, which being finished, he published it under this title.

A restitution of decayed intelligence in antiquities concerning the most noble and renowned English Nation. Antw. 1605. qu. Before which, Rich. Whyte of Basingstoke, and Rich. Stanyhurst (whom I have elsewhere mentioned) have commendatory verses. In this book are several cuts engraven from the representations drawn with great curiosity by him, which hath advantaged the sale of it much: And I am verily perswaded had the said book been published two years before, I mean before the first edition of Camdens Remaines, which first saw light in 1604. it would have been more cried up, and consequently would have sold more. But however, so it is, that the book hath been so much valued by learned and curious men in times following, that a second impression of it was made at Lond. 1653. in large oct. and another in 1674. oct. He hath also written.

The sundry successive regal governments of the Realm of England, Antw. 1620. printed in one long sheet, wherein are the pictures of a Britain, Roman, Saxon, Dane and Norman, wrought off from a Copper plate: And was the same person, without doubt, with him, who writes himself R. V. author of Odes in imitation of the seven penitential Psalms, with sundery other Poems and Ditties bending to devotion and piety. Printed beyond the Sea in 1601. with the Jesuits mark in the title; for, as I have been informed, Verstegan had some skill in Poetry as well as in Painting. In the said Poems he toucheth on many matters of antiquity, and antient Saints of England. The same R. V. also hath translated into English A dialogue of dying well. Antw. 1603. oct. written in Ital. by Don Peeter of Luca a Can. regular and D. of D. and by the translator dedicated to the Lady Joan Berkley Abbess of the English Nuns of S. Benedict. in Bruxells. The said Verstegan hath written and translated other things, but few of them coming into England, we seldom or never see them. He was living in good condition among the English at Antwerp who had fled for the sake of Religion, under the notion of a Spanish stipendary (having several years before been married to so thir [•] ty and prudent a woman, that she kept up his credit)Clar. 1625. in the latter end of K. James, and beginning of K. Ch. 1. as one or more Letters written by him to the great Antiquary Sir Rob. Cotton (which I have seen in his Library) shew. And thus much of Rich. Verstegan alias Rowland, of whom Will. Watson Priest will give (*)(*) In his Quodlibets, p. 257. you a sharp character, and another, stuff (†)(†) The author of a pamphlet against the Jesuits, called Another Letter, &c. as before, p. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. enough (beyond the rules of charity) to run down a Dog.