Robert Whitynton

or Whittington was born in the City of Lichfield, educated partly in Grammaticals under John Stanbridge in the School joining to the common gate of Magd. Coll. and afterwards made a considerable progress in Logicals and Philosophicals, but in what Coll. or Hall, it appears not. However his delight being much in the teaching of Youth, he became so excellent in that way, that it was thought, especially by those that favour’d him, that he surpassed W. Lilye. In the beginning of the Year 1513. (5. Hen. 8.) he (q)(q) Reg. cong [•] eg. Univ. Ox. notat. cum lit G. fol. 173. b. supplicated the venerable Congregation of Regents, under the name and title of Rob. Whytingdon a secular Chaplain, and a Scholar of the Art of Rhetorick, that whereas he had spent 14 Years in the study of the said Art, and 12 Years in the informing of Boys, it might be sufficient for him that he might be laureated. This supplicat being granted, he was (after he had composed 100 Verses, which were stuck up in publick places, especially on the door or doors of St. Maries Church) very solemnly crowned, or his temples adornd, with a wreath of Lawrel, that is doctorated in the Arts of Grammar and Rhetorick 4 July the same Year. At the same time also he was admitted to the reading of any of the Logical Books of Aristotle, that is to the degree of Bach. of Arts, which was then esteemed equal with the degree of Doctor of Grammar, or Rhetorick. From that time he always wrot himself in several of his works Protovates Angliae, which was much stomach’d by Will. Horman and W. Lilye, and scorn’d by others of his profession, who knew him to be conceited, and to set an high value upon himself, more than he should have done. He was then notwithstanding esteemed by many for his great skill he had in the Greek and Latin tongues, for his lepid and jocular discourse also, but much blamed by Scholars for the biting and sharp reflections used in it, and in his Books against several noted Persons of his Age. His writings were many, of which some were against W. Lilye, Rob. Aldridge, and Will. Horman, who esteemed him a Man of great vanities, a Catalogue of some of which follow.

De difficultate justitiae servandae, in reipublicae administratione, MS. in 4to. written in verse to and in praise of, Cardinal Tho. Wolsey. The beginning of which is, Quae res in terris, &c. Before it is an Epigram, and an Epistle in Prose, written on, and to, the said Cardinal by our Author Whitynton.

De quatuor virtutibus Cardineis. MS. written to the said Cardinal in prose: The beginning is, Cum tuas multifarias virtutes, &c. These two bound together, are in Bodlies Library.

Vulgaria, & de institutione Grammaticulorum opusculum, libello suo de concinnitate Grammatices accommodatum, & in quatuor partes digestum. Printed at Lond. by Wynand de Worde, 1524 in Lat. and Engl. having been printed several times before. ’Tis the same, if I mistake not, with his Grammar printed at Lond. 1500. qu.

Secunda pars Grammatices, de syllaba & ejus quantitate. Lond. 1516 qu. With which is bound up this following.

Whittintoni editio cum interpretamento Francisci Nigri Diomedes de accentu in pedestri oratione potius quam soluta observando. Printed there the same Year.

De nominum appellativorum, Deorum, Dearum, Heroum, Heroinarum, locorumꝫ synonimis. Lond. (1514) qu.

De Epithetis Deorum, Dearum, Heroum, Heroin. clar. virorum, & Animalium.

De variandi formulis tam pedestri, quam soluto sermone.

Experientiae de virtutis immortalitate.

De veterum Romanorum Magistratibus. These four last were printed with his De nominum appellativorum, &c.

De octo partibus orationis. Lond. 1513. 23. &c. qu.

De nominum generibus. Lond. 1521. 24 &c. qu.

De preteritis & supinis. Lond. 1524. qu.

De nominum declinatione. Lond. 1522. qu.

De Heteroclitis. Lond. 1524. qu.

Syntaxis. Lond. 1524. qu.

Epistola ad Gul. Hormannum. Lond. 1521. qu.

Responsiva contra Gul. Hormanni invectivas literas. Lond. 1521. qu. in long and short verses; with other things, which may be seen in Baleus, Clar. 1530. who tells us, that he was in great renown for his learning in Fifteen hundred and thirty, (22. Hen. 8.) but when he died, or where he was buried, I cannot yet find. See more of him in W. Lilye, and Will. Horman.