Compare 1577 edition: 1 Now will were hearse what writers of our Eng|lish nation liued in the daies of this king. That re|nowmed poet Geffrie Chaucer is woorthilie named as principall, a man so exquisitlie learned in all scien|ces, that his match was not lightlie found any where in those daies; and for reducing our English toong to a perfect conformitie, he hath excelled therein all o|ther; he departed this life about the yeare of our Lord 1402, as Bale gathereth: but by other it appeareth, Iohn Stow. that he deceassed the fiue and twentith of October in the yeare 1400, and lieth buried at Westminster, in the south part of the great church there, as by a mo|nument erected by Nicholas Brigham it doth ap|peare. Iohn Gower descended of that woorthie fami|lie of the Gowers of Stitenham in Yorkeshire (as Leland noteth) studied not onelie the common lawes of this realme, but also other kinds of literature, and great knowledge in the same, namelie in poeticall inuentions, applieng his indeuor with Chaucer, to garnish the English toong, in bringing it from a rude vnperfectnesse, vnto a more apt elegancie: for where|as before those daies, the learned vsed to write onelie in Latine or French, and not in English, our toong remained verie barren, rude, and vnperfect; but now EEBO page image 542 by the diligent industrie of Chaucer and Gower, it was within a while greatlie amended, so as it grew not onelie verie rich and plentifull in words, but also so proper and apt to expresse that which the mind con|ceiued, as anie other vsuall language. Gower depar|ted this life shortlie after the deceasse of his déere and louing freend Chaucer; to wit, in the yeare 1402, being then come to great age, and blind for a cer|teine time before his death. He was buried in the church of saint Marie Oueries in Southwarke.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Moreouer, Hugh Legat borne in Hertfordshire, and a monke of saint Albons, wrote scholies vpon Architrenius of Iohn Hanuill, and also vpon Boe|tius De consolatione; Roger Alington, chancellor of the vniuersitie of Oxford, a great sophister, & an enimie to the doctrine of Wickliffe; Iohn Botrell, a logi|cian; Nicholas Gorham, borne in a village of the same name in Hertfordshire, a Dominike frier, first proceeded master of art in Oxenford, and after going to Paris, became the French kings confessor, and therefore hath béene of some taken to be a French|man; Iohn Lilleshull, so called of a monasterie in the west parties of this realme whereof he was go|uernour; Walter Disse, so called of a towne in Norfolke where he was borne, first a Carmelite frier professed in Norwich, and after going to Cam|bridge, he there procéeded doctor, he was also confes|sor to the duke of Lancaster, and to his wife the du|chesse Constance, & a great setter foorth of pope Ur|bans cause against the other popes that were by him and those of his faction named the antipapes; Tho|mas Maldon, so called of the towne of that name in Essex where he was borne: Iohn Edo, descended out of Wales by linage, and borne in Herefordshire, a Franciscane frier.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Adde to the forenamed, Nicholas Fakingham, borne in Norfolke, a greie frier, procéeded doctor in Oxenford, a great diuine, and an excellent philoso|pher, prouinciall of his order here in England; Lau|rence Holbecke, a monke of Ramsie, well séene in the Hebrue toong, and wrote thereof a dictionarie; Iohn Colton, archbishop of Ardmach; Iohn Mar|rie, so called of a village in Yorkeshire where he was borne, a Carmelite of Doncaster; Richard Chefer borne in Norfolke, a diuine, and an Augustine frier in Norwich; Iohn Lathburie, a Franciscane frier of Reading; Nicholas Poutz; Richard Scroope bro|ther to William Scroope, lord treasuror of Eng|land, studied in Cambridge, and proceeded there doc|tor of both the lawes, became an aduocat in the court of Rome, and afterwards was aduanced to the go|uernement of the see of Couentrie and Lichfield, and at length was remooued from thence, and made archbishop of Yorke, he wrote an inuectiue against king Henrie, and at length lost his head, as before ye haue heard; Iohn Wrotham, a Carmelite frier of London, and after made warden of an house of his order in Calis.