John Twyne
Encyclopedia
John Twyne was an English schoolmaster, scholar and author, and also Member of Parliament for Canterbury
.
, the son of William Twyne. He was educated, according to Anthony Wood
, at New Inn, Oxford, but the matter is uncertain and he seems to have frequented Corpus Christi College
; he says he saw there Richard Foxe
, Juan Luis Vives
, and others. He graduated B.C.L. on 31 January 1525, and then married and became master of the free grammar school at Canterbury
.
Twyne's school was a success, and he grew rich, purchasing land. He took an active part in the municipal affairs of Canterbury: in 1544–5 he served as sheriff. He was an alderman in 1553, and in January of that year represented the city in parliament. He gave offence to the Duke of Northumberland
, and on 18 May the mayor of Canterbury was directed to send him up to London. Twyne was re-elected for Canterbury on 7 September that year, and on 22 March 1554; he was mayor of the city in 1554, and actively opposed the insurgents during Wyatt's rebellion
.
In 1560, during an ecclesiastical visitation of Canterbury, Twyne was reprimanded, and during that year he lost his position as head of the King's School, Canterbury, where he was succeeded by Anthony Rush; in 1562 he was again in trouble, with the privy council. Suspected as a covert Catholic, his prosperity and positions were affected.
Twyne died at Canterbury on 24 November 1581, and was buried on the 30th in St Paul's Church, where a brass plate with an inscription commemorated him. By his wife Alice (1507–1567), daughter and coheiress of William Peper, Twyne had issue three sons: John, who lived at Hardacre, and wrote verse; Lawrence Twyne; and Thomas Twyne
.
). Twyne collaborated with Robert Saltwood to edit (or translate again) the work from Old French
, and Saltwood funded the publication, in 1530s.
In 1590 Thomas Twyne published his late father's De Rebus Albionicis, Britannicis, atque Anglis Commentariorum libri duo, London. It concerns early British history; the discussions in it take a sceptical view of some traditional accounts. In particular the work of Geoffrey of Monmouth
is discounted. The book also contains Twyne's reminiscences of Nicholas Wotton
, John Dygon, the last prior of St. Augustine's, Richard Foxe, Vives, and other scholars.
He also collected ‘Communia Loca,’ bequeathed to Corpus Christi College, Oxford by his grandson, Brian Twyne
. In these collections he refers to now-lost lives he had written of Thomas Lupset
, Wotton, William Paget
, Thomas Wriothesley
, and other contemporaries. Another work, ‘Vitæ, Mores, Studia, et Fortunæ Regum Angliæ a Gulielmo Conquest. ad Henr. VIII,’ is now lost; it was possibly the basis of ‘A Booke containing the Portraiture of the Countenances and Attires of the Kings of England from William Conqueror unto … Elizabeth … diligently collected by T. T.,’ London, 1597.
Canterbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Canterbury is a county constituency which has been represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom since 1918. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
.
Life
He was born about 1501 at Bullington, HampshireBullington, Hampshire
Bullington is a civil parish in the Test Valley district of Hampshire, England. The parish contains Upper Bullington and Lower Bullington, both about 9 miles south-east of Andover. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 101....
, the son of William Twyne. He was educated, according to Anthony Wood
Anthony Wood
Anthony Wood or Anthony à Wood was an English antiquary.-Early life:Anthony Wood was the fourth son of Thomas Wood , BCL of Oxford, where Anthony was born...
, at New Inn, Oxford, but the matter is uncertain and he seems to have frequented Corpus Christi College
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom...
; he says he saw there Richard Foxe
Richard Foxe
Richard Foxe was an English churchman, successively Bishop of Exeter, Bath and Wells, Durham, and Winchester, Lord Privy Seal, and founder of Corpus Christi College, Oxford.-Life:...
, Juan Luis Vives
Juan Luís Vives
Juan Luis Vives , also Joan Lluís Vives i March , was a Valencian Spanish scholar and humanist.-Biography:Vives was born in Valencia...
, and others. He graduated B.C.L. on 31 January 1525, and then married and became master of the free grammar school at Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
.
Twyne's school was a success, and he grew rich, purchasing land. He took an active part in the municipal affairs of Canterbury: in 1544–5 he served as sheriff. He was an alderman in 1553, and in January of that year represented the city in parliament. He gave offence to the Duke of Northumberland
John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland
John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland, KG was an English general, admiral, and politician, who led the government of the young King Edward VI from 1550 until 1553, and unsuccessfully tried to install Lady Jane Grey on the English throne after the King's death...
, and on 18 May the mayor of Canterbury was directed to send him up to London. Twyne was re-elected for Canterbury on 7 September that year, and on 22 March 1554; he was mayor of the city in 1554, and actively opposed the insurgents during Wyatt's rebellion
Wyatt's rebellion
Wyatt's Rebellion was a popular uprising in England in 1554, named after Thomas Wyatt the younger, one of its leaders. The rebellion arose out of concern over Queen Mary I's determination to marry Philip II of Spain, which was an unpopular policy with the English...
.
In 1560, during an ecclesiastical visitation of Canterbury, Twyne was reprimanded, and during that year he lost his position as head of the King's School, Canterbury, where he was succeeded by Anthony Rush; in 1562 he was again in trouble, with the privy council. Suspected as a covert Catholic, his prosperity and positions were affected.
Twyne died at Canterbury on 24 November 1581, and was buried on the 30th in St Paul's Church, where a brass plate with an inscription commemorated him. By his wife Alice (1507–1567), daughter and coheiress of William Peper, Twyne had issue three sons: John, who lived at Hardacre, and wrote verse; Lawrence Twyne; and Thomas Twyne
Thomas Twyne
Thomas Twyne was an Elizabethan translator and a physician of Lewes in Sussex, best known for completing Thomas Phaer's translation of Virgil's Aeneid into English verse after Phaer's death in 1560, and for his 1579 English translation of De remediis utriusque fortunae, a collection of 253 Latin...
.
Works
Twyne was a reputed antiquary, classical scholar and teacher. His first literary work was an introduction to an anonymous edition of Hugh of Caumpeden's History of Kyng Boccus and Sydracke (see Sidrak and BokkusSidrak and Bokkus
Sidrak and Bokkus is a late-medieval English work of general knowledge in question-&-answer form, and dealing with the fictional encounter between King Bokkus, a heathen, and Sidrak, a wiseman...
). Twyne collaborated with Robert Saltwood to edit (or translate again) the work from Old French
Old French
Old French was the Romance dialect continuum spoken in territories that span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium and Switzerland from the 9th century to the 14th century...
, and Saltwood funded the publication, in 1530s.
In 1590 Thomas Twyne published his late father's De Rebus Albionicis, Britannicis, atque Anglis Commentariorum libri duo, London. It concerns early British history; the discussions in it take a sceptical view of some traditional accounts. In particular the work of Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth was a cleric and one of the major figures in the development of British historiography and the popularity of tales of King Arthur...
is discounted. The book also contains Twyne's reminiscences of Nicholas Wotton
Nicholas Wotton
Nicholas Wotton was an English diplomat-Life:He was a son of Sir Robert Wotton of Boughton Malherbe, Kent, and a descendant of Nicholas Wotton, lord mayor of London in 1415 and 1430, and member of parliament for the city from 1406 to 1429.He early became vicar of Boughton Malherbe and of Sutton...
, John Dygon, the last prior of St. Augustine's, Richard Foxe, Vives, and other scholars.
He also collected ‘Communia Loca,’ bequeathed to Corpus Christi College, Oxford by his grandson, Brian Twyne
Brian Twyne
Brian Twyne was an antiquarian and an academic at the University of Oxford. After being educated at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, and becoming a Fellow of the college in 1606, he published his one main work, a history of the university, in 1608...
. In these collections he refers to now-lost lives he had written of Thomas Lupset
Thomas Lupset
-Life:He studied at the school of St Paul’s Cathedral in London, and at a young age entered the household of John Colet. He learned classics from William Lilye, and then went to Pembroke Hall, Cambridge....
, Wotton, William Paget
William Paget, 1st Baron Paget
William Paget, 1st Baron Paget of Beaudesert , was an English statesman and accountant who held prominent positions in the service of Henry VIII, Edward VI and Mary I.-Early life:...
, Thomas Wriothesley
Thomas Wriothesley
Sir Thomas Wriothesley was a long serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He was the son of Garter King of Arms, John Writhe, and he succeeded his father in this office.-Personal life:...
, and other contemporaries. Another work, ‘Vitæ, Mores, Studia, et Fortunæ Regum Angliæ a Gulielmo Conquest. ad Henr. VIII,’ is now lost; it was possibly the basis of ‘A Booke containing the Portraiture of the Countenances and Attires of the Kings of England from William Conqueror unto … Elizabeth … diligently collected by T. T.,’ London, 1597.