BOTANICAL INVESTIGATION IN MIDDLESEX. 365 



thusiasm the principles of the Eeformation, and published on the subject ; 

 he left Cambridge about 1540, and travelled about England preaching. 

 In consequence probably of refusal to subscribe to ' the Six Articles ' he was 

 imprisoned and remained so for a considerable time ; on his release, about 

 1542, he was obliged to leave England. Eor some years he lived in various 

 parts of Grermany and Italy, and seems to have given very much of his time 

 to botany. He did not return to England till the death of Henry VIII., 

 and during his residence abroad is said to have published at Cologne, in 

 1544, Historia de Nattiris Herharum Scholiis et Notts vallata.^ He also took 

 the degree of M.D. at Ferrara, and became intimate with the great natura- 

 list Gesner, with Lucas G-ynus, the ' reder of Dioscorides in Bonony,' and 

 the works if not the persons of the botanists Fuchs, Brunfels, &c. 



On his return to England in 1547, he seems to have been high in favour. 

 The new king made him a Prebend f of York and Canon of Windsor, \ the 

 Duke of Somerset, Lord Protector, appointed him his physician, and the 

 University of Oxford granted him the degree of M.D. on his appointment. 

 In 1548 he published The Names of Hcrhes in Greke, Latin, Englishe, 

 Duche and Frenche, ^c. This was printed in London, and the preface is 

 dated from Sion House, then the residence of the Lord Protector, to whom 

 the book is dedicated. In it the author says that he had finished a herbal 

 in Latin about two years before, but was advised not to publish it till he 

 had seen more of the indigenous plants of England, especially those grow- 

 ing in the west country. The book contains 126 pages, and the names are 

 arranged alphabetically. Several localities are given, sixteen of which 

 are in Middlesex, chiefly about Sion ; they are the foundation of our 

 county Flora. As if he had not enough preferment, in 1550 he was made 

 Dean of Wells, though he was not ordained a priest till December 21, 1552 

 by Eidley.§ He was also a member of the House of Commons. 



It was at this time that he published the first part of his Herball, already 

 mentioned, which is dedicated to his patron. It represents a great advance 

 on all previous attempts, and is evidently the result of original research ; 

 the figures though rough are often characteristic. The second part did not 

 appear till 1562 ; and in the interval between them Edward VI. had died, 

 and Mary succeeding. Turner (in 1553) had again to seek refuge abroad, 

 perhaps in Denmark (v. Johns. Ger. 94), from his persecutors. He returned 

 in 1558 on the accession of Elizabeth, who restored him all his church pre- 

 ferments, and in 1563 presented him to the rectory of Wedmore, Somerset- 

 shire. The second part, however, was printed at Cologne, as was also the 

 third part, which did not appear till 1566, though the Preface is dated 

 ' At Welles, 1564, the 24 day of June.' 



The latter years of his life appear to have been passed at Wells and in 



* On this book see list of Turner's works below. 



t Prebendarins de Bottevaut ; Tanner's Bibliotheca, where is much valuable matter 

 relating to Turner. 



% Thiir, is doubtful (v. Ath. Cantab.). 



§ He had the college title for orders March 20, 15S6-37, and was probably made a 

 deacon then {Ath. Cantab.). 



