Brief Lives, Vol. 1

Chapter 236: John Florio (1545?-1625).

Open in WeRead

Explore more books like this:

Biographies History - Early Modern (c. 1450-1750)

About This Book

A collection of concise biographical sketches compiled from the author's manuscript notes, offering anecdotal portraits of a wide range of literary, scientific, political, and social figures across several generations. Entries blend remembered quotations, learned citation, personal recollection, and occasional gossip, producing uneven but vivid character sketches. Material is presented alphabetically and supplemented by antiquarian notes, a short theatrical piece, and facsimiles of manuscript drawings and plans. An introduction outlines editorial principles and reproduces the manuscript spellings and citations where appropriate, preserving the informality and immediacy of the original notes.

John Florio (1545?-1625).

[947]John Florio was borne in London in the beginning of king Edward VI, his father and mother flying from the Valtolin ('tis about Piedmont or Savoy) to London for religion: Waldenses.——The family is originally of Siena, where the name is to this day.

King Edward dying, upon the persecution of queen Mary, they fled back again into their owne countrey, where he was educated.

Afterwards he came into England, and was by king James made 'informator' to prince Henry for the Italian and French tongues, and clarke to the closet to queen Anne.

Scripsit:—

First and second fruits, being two books of the instruction to learne the Italian tongue:

Dictionary;

and translated Montagne's Essayes.

He dyed of the great plague at Fulham anno 1625.