55 



a gentleman of an antient family, bearing Gules a Garhe Or, borne 

 at Crocadon, in the parish of St. Mellion, near Callington, in 

 Cornwall, a secular priest and vicar of Berkeley, who translated 

 the Bible, the Polichronicon of Ealph Higeden, alias Eayntjlph, 

 Monk of Chester, Bartholomew of the Proprieties of Things, 

 and divers other treatises, all into English, dedicating the two 

 first to Thomas, the 8th Lord, and the rest to his son and 

 grandson. 



In a Dialogue, (wherein he makes this lord and himself the 

 speakers,) in his PoUchronicon, he argueth the profit arising by 

 histories, and the necessity of translations into the English 

 tongue ; in urging whereof he bringeth in this Lord Thomas 

 instancing his own chapel in Berkeley castle, wherein the 

 Apocalypse, saith he, is written on the walls and roof in 

 Latin and French ; some traces of which are still visible in the 

 arched passage near the windows, and on the timbers of the 

 roof. 



But Bale delivers the learned labours of this Tee vis a more 

 largely, thus. — "John Tkevisa, a gentleman of Cornwall, was a 

 " priest, and vicar of Berkeley, a man famous for learning and 

 " eloquence, who especially above others laboured to adorn the 

 *' English tongue, and to remove the old harshness thereof, 

 " whereby he became very dear unto many of the nobles of the 

 " land, but especially to his excellent Lord, Thomas of Berkeley j 

 " and amongst other studies which much delight the mind of men, 

 *' histories and antiquities best pleased him, as from whence 

 " the best councils and examples of life might be drawn ; wherein, 

 " whilst he studiously laboured, he sometimes shewed himself 

 " harsh and biting towards monks and their profession, taxing 

 *' their pride, riot, and hypocrisy; as where he saith, — 'We 

 "read that Christ instituted Apostles and Priests, but never 

 " ordained monks and begging friars ;' with many other the 

 "like taunts. Into the English tongue, he likewise, at the 

 " request of his said Lord Bekkelet, saith Bale, translated 

 " the whole Bible, as well as the Old as New Testament, and 

 " many other works, ' which Bale there rehearseth particular, 

 " and continued his Polichronicon,' saith Bale, ' unto the year 



