Compare 1577 edition: 1 The descrip|tion of King Henrie the eight.This noble prince was right fortunate in all his dooings, so that commonlie whatsoeuer he attem|ted, had good successe, as well in matters of peace as of wars. Of personage he was tall and mightie, in his latter daies somwhat grosse, or as we tearment, bourlie: in wit and memorie verie perfect: of such maiestie tempered with humanitie, as best became so noble and high an estate: a great fauorer of lear|ning, as he that was not ignorant of good letters himselfe he was of great magnificence and libera|litie, insomuch that Iohn Leland that woorthie antiquarie, hauing tasted of his roiall bountifulnesse, hath left no lesse testified to the world in a proper epigram, which I will not omit, least I should wilfullie conceale a manifest protestation of his thankfulnesse left witnessed vnto the world in writing:

Ante suos Phoebus radios ostendere mundo

Ad Henricum octa [...]um, regem Angliae, maxi| [...] studiosorum [...]torem.

Desinet, & claras Cynthia pulchra faces:

Ante fluet rapidum tacitis sine piscibus aequor,

Spinifer & nullam sentis habebit auem:

Antè sacrae quercus cessabunt spargere ramos,

Florá sollicita pingere prata manu:

Quàm rex diue tuum labatur pectore nostro

Nomen, quod studijs portus & aura meis.

And the same Iohn Leland, who deseruedlie had, tasted the fruits of the kings largesse, was not vnac|quainted with the fame of his renowme, which had made it selfe knowne by restles flight to nations far and neare, some to their smart hauing felt the valor of his forces, and others submitting themselues for feare of vtter desolation. Wherevpon he became a terror to his enimies, and yet none more desirous of peace than he, if by anie other meanes (besides vio|lence) the same might haue béene obteined. Suffici|ent cannot be said in his high & merited commenda|tion, considering that as his victories were singular, so were they also manifold; and hard it is for the pen of a cunning rhetorician to paint him out according to his dignitie: howbeit the said Iohn Leland hath left in writing a proper epigram, deuised in praise of this most excellent king, by way of comparison, to his immortall commendation, as here followeth:

Comparatio in gloriam Henric [...] octaui regis po [...]entissimi.Quantum puniceis nouo rosetis

Cedunt vere suis rubeta spinis

Quantum lilio amoenioris horti

Gemmae omnes aliae nitore cedunt:

Quantum caetera punicis decoro

Malis poma quidem rubore cedunt:

Quantum coniferis breues myricae

Concedunt quo gloria cupressis:

Quantum stellig ero repressa tellus

Caelo mole sua & nigrore cedit:

Tantum omnes alij, celebritate,

Fama, nomine, gloriá vera

(Vt mittam ingenij valentioris

Lumen, flumina, fulmen at vires

Rari iudicij tui perennes)

Concedunt tibi principes sereni [...]

Henrice, ô patriae tuae columna

Talis, qualis erat celebris illa

Olim quam extulit Henricus triumphans.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Of lerned men that liued in the daies of this most famous prince, we find manie, as first Iohn Colet deane of Paules, and founder of the schoole there, he was borne in London of honest parents; William Lillie borne in the town of Odiham in Hampshire, and was the first schoolemaster of Paules schoole af|ter it was erected; Thomas Linacer, or rather Lina|ker, borne in Darbie, a learned physician, and well séene in the toongs; Iohn Skelton a pleasant poet, Richard Pace that succeeded Iohn Colet in the roome of deane of Paules, Iohn Fisher bishop of Rochester of whome ye haue heard before, Thomas More borne in London of whome mention likewise is made in the life of this famous king; William Horman borne in Salisburie viceprouost of Eaton college, a learned man, as by his works it appeareth; Iohn Frith borne in London, William Tindall, of which two persons ye haue heard likewise in the hi|storie of this king; Robert Wakefield excellentlie seene in toongs, Iohn Rastall a citizen and stationer of London, Christopher Saint German an excel|lent lawier, Robert Barnes of whom also we haue made mention before.