Familiarium Epistolarum libri tres [...] Quibus adjunctus est commendatitiarum, petitoriarum, & aliarum huius generis similium Epistolarum, aliorum nomine, ad alios Principes & Magnates ab eodem R. Aschamo conscriptarum, liber unus. Accesserunt hac postrema editione Ioannis Sturmii, Hieronymi Ossorij, aliorúmque Epistolae, ad. Rog. Aschamum aliósque Nobiles Anglos missæ. Addita sunt pauca quaedam Rogeri Aschami poemata. Omnia in studiosorum gratiam collecta operâ & studio E[dward]. G[rant]. Adjecta est in fine eiusdem E.G. oratio, de Vita et Obitu Rogeri Aschami, & eius dictionis elegantiâ

8vo. (8) leaves, 540 pp., (2) leaves (with errors in the pagination). A-Z, Aa-Mm⁸. Two titles within an ornamental border. Contemporary dark calf, panels ruled in blind with oval centerpieces, spine with four raised bands flanked by gilt rules, later orange morocco label, with the bookplate of John Evelyn. The book was lot no. 57 in the Evelyn sale on June 22, 1977.

BMSTC, p. 829; Index Aurelienis, 109.251; C.E. Sayle, Early English Printed Books in the University Library, Cambridge 1475 to 1640, (Cambridge, 2010), 2063.

FOURTH ENLARGED EDITION in which was printed for the first time a fifth book (with a separate title-page, pp. 415-481) of letters, none of which, ironically, was written by Ascham himself. The bulk of these letters were written to Ascham: by Johannes Sturm in particular, but also by some others (Ramus, Nannius, Osorius, etc.). Even included are a few letters written neither to or by Ascham:, e.g. Sturm to Queen Elizabeth and to Sir Anthony Cooke.

In the history of the collection and publication of Ascham's correspondence, the central figure is Edward Grant (1540?-1602), Master of Westminster school, and teacher of Ascham's eldest son, Giles. As Grant explains in the preface to the reader (here extant in a new version), the project began when Giles proffered copies of letters that his deceased father had written. No doubt some of Grant's interest arose from the fact that he began his university education in Ascham's own St. John's College in Cambridge. Grant initially published the letters in three books in 1576 (this edition was reprinted in the same year). Two years later Grant issued a second, enlarged edition, adding a fourth book of ‘commendatory and petitionary letters, and some other similar in kind, written on behalf of someone to someone else', and also added a half a dozen letters to the first three books. The 1578 edition was reissued in 1581 (cf. A. Vos, Introduction, in: “Letters of Roger Ascham”, New York, 1989, pp. 18-19).

Ascham's letters are unrivalled as a record of midcentury Tudor humanism. They are not the dispatches of a secretary or administrator with political power and influence, but the rich chronicle of an educator shuttling between otium and negotium, forced by the realities of the patronage system to play the role as a courtier as well (cf. G. Schneider, The Culture of Epistolarity. Vernacular Letters and Letter Writing in Early Modern England, 1500-1700, Newark, DE, 2005, pp. 229-230).

Grant, Edward to Queen Elizabeth. Westminster, February 7, 1578 (l. A²r)

(Liber primus:)

Sturm, Johannes. [December, 1568] (p. 1)

id. Cambridge, April 4, 1550 (p. 19)

id. December 14, 1550 (p. 47)

id. Augsburg, January 24, 1551 (p. 53)

id. June 18, 1551 (p. 56)

id. Augsburg, August 21, 1551 (p. 59)

id. Augsburg, August 27, 1551 (p. 61)

id. Hall (Tyrol), January 29, 1552 (p. 64)

id. Speyer, October 20, 1552 (p. 69)

id. Greenwich, September 14, 1555 (p. 73)

id. London, April 11, 1562 (p. 79)

id. London, October 20, 1562 (p. 87)

(Liber secundus:)

Lee, Edward. [Cambridge, 1541] (p. 90)

Holgate, Robert. [1541] (p. 92)

Lee, Edward. [1543] (p. 95)

Seton, John. January 1, 1542 (p. 97)

Lee, Edward. [Cambridge, 1542] (p. 100)

id. [early in 1544] (p. 101)

Holgate, Robert. [1543] (p. 103)

Cuidam amico. [1543] (p. 104)

Brandisby, [Richard]. [Cambridge, 1542/1543] (p. 105)

Cuidam cognato. Cambridge, April 25, [1543] (p. 108)

Cuidam amico. [Cambridge, 1538] (p. 109)

T[ailer, Dr., Master of St. John's]. St. Johns, March 9, 1539 (p. 110)

Cordingley. [St. John's, March,] 1539 (p. 113)

Cumberford, Henry. [St. John's, March, 1539] (p. 114)

Cheke, John. [September 13?, 1544] (p. 120)

[Stokesley, John], Bishop of London. [February, 1539] (p. 125)

Cuidam amico Eboracensi. [November, 1544] (p. 127)

Seton, John. [November 1544] (p. 129)

Grindal, William. (p. 131)

id. February 13, [1545] (p. 132)

[Princess] Elizabeth. [between 1545 and 1547] (p. 134)

Paget, William. [1544] (p. 136)

[Parr, William, Earl of] Essex. [1545] (p. 139)

Wriothesley, Tho[mas]. [1545] (p. 141)

[Gardiner, Stephen, bishop of] Winchester. [1545] (p. 142)

[Heath, Nicolas, bishop of] Worcester. [1545] (p. 144)

Denney, Anthony. [1545] (p. 145)

Whitney, John. (p. 147)

Fitzpatrick, Barnaby. [1545] (p. 147)

[Princess] Elizabeth. [1545] (p. 148)

Ann, Countess of Pembrocke. [1545] (p. 149)

id. [1545] (p. 151)

Cuidam viro, amico suo. [1545] (p. 151)

[Gardiner, Stephen, bishop of] Winchester. [1545] (p. 152)

Astley, John. [1545] (p. 154)

Paget, William. [1545] (p. 155)

Astley, John. [1547] (p. 157)

[Princess] Elizabeth. [Cambridge], January 22, 1548 (p. 158)

Watson, [Thomas]. [Cambridge, 1539] (p. 160)

Cheke, John. [Cambridge], February 12, 1548 (p. 161)

Ireland, William. Cheshunt, July 8, [1549] (p. 163)

Cuidam ornatissimo Amico. (p. 166)

Cheke, John. January 28, 1550 (p. 169)

Cecil, [William]. St. John's, February 15, 1550 (p. 172)

Cheke, John. [end of 1547] (p. 173)

Railton, [Gregory?]. (p. 175)

[Blount, Charles, fifth Lord] Mountjoye. [March 25, 1544] (p. 176)

Redman, John. [March 25, 1544] (p. 178)

Cheke, John. [March 25, 1544] (p. 188)

Day, George. (p. 191)

Cranmer, Thomas. [January, 1545] (p. 192)

Ponet, [John]. [January?, 1545] (p. 200]

Cranmer, Thomas. [January?, 1545] (p. 202)

Smith, Thomas. [1547] (p. 203)

Cheke, John. [1547] (p. 204)

(Liber tertius:)

Raven, Edward. London, September 17, [1550] (p. 206)

id. Gravesend, September 21, [1550] (p. 207)

id. Antwerp, October 1, [1550] (p. 208)

id. Köln, October 12, [1550] (p. 211)

Bucer, Martin. Augsburg, January 7, [1551] (p. 213)

Cheke, John. [Augsburg], November 11, 1550 (p. 216)

Grey, Jane. Augsburg, January 18, 1551 (p. 223)

King [Edward VI?]. (p. 226)

Cheke, John. Augsburg, January 14, 1551 (p. 228)

Cecil, William. Bruxelles, July 7, 1553 (p. 231)

Cheke, John. Bruxelles, July 7, 1553 (p. 233)

[Leodius, Thomas] Hubert. Bruxelles, March 6, 1553 (p. 238)

Froben, Hieronymus. Augsburg, June 10, [1551] (p. 244)

Alan, Francis. (p. 246)

Douaren, François. (p. 248)

Petre, William. [April 7, 1555] (p. 252)

Cole, [William]. (p. 257)

Gardiner, Stephen. October 8, 1553 (p. 257)

id. [1553] (p. 262)

Petre, William. [1553] (p. 263)

Paget, William. London, November 14, 1553 (p. 265)

[Lady] Clarke [Roper, Mary]. [London], January 15, 1554 (p. 269)

Gardiner, John. London. January 1, 1554 (p. 271)

Bury, [John?]. London, August 21, 1554 (p. 275)

King Philip [of Spain]. [London], August 18, 1554 (p. 276)

Radcliffe, [Ralph]. [March 18, 1554?] (p. 278)

Duobus ornatissimis iuvenibus. (p. 279)

Nannius, Petrus [Nanninck, Pieter]. Westminster, February 10, 1555 (p. 280)

Vahane, John, Dominic & Mabel. (p. 282)

Burn, Antony. St. James's Palace, September 22, 1557 (p. 284)

Amico externo. St. James's Palace, December 28, 1559 (p. 286)

Erythraeus, Valentin. April, 1559 (p. 289)

[Pilkington, Leonard, Master of St. John's]. January 18, 1563 (p. 291)

(Commendatitiarum... epistolarum... liber unus:)

[Seymour, Edward, Duke of Somerset]. [November 21, 1547] (p. 293)

id. [November 8, 1547] (p. 300)

Edward VI. [1547] (p. 301)

id. [before November, 1547] (p. 303)

id. [March, 1550] (p.304)

King's Council. March 1, 1550 (p. 305)

[Seymour, Edward, Duke of Somerset]. [November 14, 1547] (p. 306)

Queen Catherine [Parr]. [1547] (p. 309)

[Cranmer], Thomas. [1547] (p. 311)

id. September 24, 1547 (p. 313)

id. [before November 1547] (p. 314)

[Dudley, John], Earl of Warwick. [before November 2, 1547) (p. 315)

Parr, [William], Marquis of Northampton. [before November, 1547] (p. 317)

[FitzAlan, Henry], Earl of Arundel. [before November 1547] (p. 320)

Parr, [William], Marquis of Northampton. March 25, 1550 (p. 317)

[Gardiner, John]. [before May, 1546] (p. 322)

id. [after October 22, 1546] (p. 325)

id. (p. 326)

id. [1546] (p. 328)

[Wriothesley, Thomas]. (p. 299, i.e. 329)

id. [1546] (p. 331)

id. (p. 333)

Rich, [Richard]. (p. 336)

Paget, [William]. [November 8, 1547] (p. 338)

id. [1547] (p. 340)

id. (p. 341)

id. (p. 343)

Wendy, [Thomas]. [April?, 1547] (p. 344)

Denny, Anthony. [November 8, 1547] (p. 345)

id. (p. 347)

id. Cambridge, March, 9, 1549 (p. 349)

[Thirlby], Thomas. Cambridge, January 19, [1541] (p. 250)

id. Cambridge, August 19, [1546] (p. 352)

N., Master of St. John's, [January, 1548] (p. 353)

Cheke, John. [December 28, 1547] (p. 356)

Albert of Brandenburg. London, April 6, [1548] (p. 357)

id. (p. 359)

[Philip of Spain]. July 15, [1555?] (p. 360)

Bylde, Andrew. April 2, 1555 (p. 361)

[To the Senate of Danzig]. March 22, [1563?] (p. 361)

[Philip of Spain]. February 22, [1555] (p. 362)

id. December 14, 1554 (p. 364)

id. November 23, 1554 (p. 365)

id. November 20, 1554 (p. 366)

id. November 8, 1554 (p. 367)

id. (p. 368)

id. [1555] (p. 369)

[Prince N.]. [1561?] (p. 370)

[Priuli, Alvise]. London, November 2, 1556 (p. 372)

Queen Elizabeth. April 10, 1567 (p. 375)

id. (p. 376)

[Philip of Spain]. [1559?] (p. 379)

Perez, Gonsalvo. Greenwich, February 20, 1565 (p. 380)

To the Consuls and Senate of Stralsund. Westminster, May 12, 1567 (p. 382)

[Barnim XI, Duke of Pommerania-]Stettin. [Westminster], May 12, 1567 (p. 384)

[To the people of Danzig]. [1563?] (p. 385)

Sigismund [II] Augustus, King of Poland. [1563?] (p. 386)

[To the Magistrates of Danzig]. [1563?] (p. 388)

id. [1562?] (p. 390)

[Eric XIV], King of Sweden. March 20, [1561] (p. 392)

Sebastian, King of Portugal. [1567?] (p. 392)

[Frederick II], King of Denmark. June 1, 1567 (p. 394)

[To the people of Danzig]. November 1, 1567 (p. 395)

Bilde, D.E. [June 1, 1567] (p. 396)

[Eric, King of Sweden]. [March 14, 1565] (p. 397)

Earl N. (p. 399)

[Frederick II], King of Denmark. April 22, [1567] (p. 400)

In gratiam clarisimi D.N. (p. 402)

Domino N. January 27, [1564] (p. 403)

[To all Kings & Princes]. London, February 10, 1565 (p. 405)

[Fredrick III, Elector Palatine]. [Westminster], March 26, [1563] (p. 407)

Cecilia, [Princess of Sweden]. [Windsor], February 25, [1563] (p. 410)

[Count] John of Thenezim. February 25, [1563] (p. 412)

[Sophi of Persia]. London, April 25, 1561 (p. 413)

(Ioannis Sturmii,... aliorum epistolae ad Rogerum Aschamum:)

Sturm, Johannes to Ascham, Roger. Strassburg, November 18, 1550 (p. 417)

id. Strassburg, March 17, 1551 (p. 418)

id. Strassburg, June 15, 1551 (p. 419)

id. Strassburg, July 6, 1551 (p. 420)

id. Strassburg, January 30, 1552 (p. 421)

Brandisby, Richard to Ascham, Roger. Mechlin, June 11, 1553(p. 422)

Christophorson, John to Ascham Roger. Louvain, April 23, 1553 (p. 423)

Sturm, Johannes to Ascham, Roger. Strassburg, May 9, 1553 (p. 425)

id. Strassburg, July 22, 1553 (p. 427)

id. Strassburg, September 17, 1553 (p. 429)

Sturm, Johannes to Paget, [William]. Strassburg, September 17, 1553 (p. 430)

id. Strassburg, June 24, [1554] (p. 432)

Sturm, Johannes to Cooke, Anthony. Strassburg (p. 433)

Nannius, Petrus to Ascham, Roger. Louvain, August 18, 1553 (p. 434)

Osorius, Hieronymus to Ascham, Roger. Lisboa, December 13, 1561 (p. 435)

Sturm, Johannes to Ascham, Roger. Frankfurt, November 13, 1563 (p. 437)

Toxites, Michael to Ascham, Roger. Augsburg, August 23, 1551 (p. 438)

Sleidan, Joahnnes to Ascham, Roger. Trento, February 28, 1552 (p. 441)

Leodius, Hubert to Ascham, Roger. Heidelberg, August 9, 1553 (p. 445)

Cisnerus, Nikolaus to Ascham, Roger. Heidelberg, July 18,  1553 (p. 449)

Brandisby, Richard to Ascham Roger. [Louvain], February 8, [1551] (p. 453)

id. Mechlin, July 18, 1553 (p. 455)

Spithonius, Johannes to Ascham, Roger. Copenhagen, December 25, 1561 (p. 457)

Ramus, Petrus to Ascham, Roger. Paris, February 25, 1564 (p. 458)

Sturm, Johannes to Cooke, Anthony. Strassburg, October 1, [1565] (p. 460)

Sturm, Johannes to Cecil, William. Strassburg, October 1, 1565 (p. 462)

Sturm, Johannes to Queen Elizabeth. Strassburg, October 1, 1565 (p. 463)

Sturm, Joahnnes to Cooke, Anthony. Strassburg, December 3, 1565 (p. 465)

Mount, Christopher to Ascham, Roger. Strassburg, December 24, 1566 (p. 465)

Sturm, Johannes to Ascham, Roger. Strassburg, May 1, 1568 (p. 466)

id. Strassburg, July 26, 1568 (p. 468)

id. Strassburg, October 1, 1568 (p. 469)

Sturm, Johannes to Hales, John. Strassburg, October 1, [1565] (p. 470)

Sturm, Johannes to Ascham, Roger. Strassburg, December 16, 1568 (p. 471)

Smith, Thomas to Ascham, Roger. Monthall, December 20, 1568 (p. 472)

Metellus, Johannes to Ascham, Roger. September 8, [1563] (p. 473)

Osorius, Hieronymus to Ascham, Roger. Lisboa, October 27, [1561] (p. 474)

Sturm, Johannes to Ascham, Roger. Strassburg (p. 475)

Sturm, Joahnnes to Cooke, Anthony. Strassburg, January 30, [1568?] (p. 476)

Cirler, Stephan to Ascham, Roger. Heidelberg, February 16, 1568 (p. 477)

Queen Elizabeth to Sturm, Johannes. [1568?] (p. 478)

Sturm, Johannes to Cooke, Anthony. Frankurt, November 13, [1563] (p. 479)

Sturm, Johannes to Hales, John. Frankfurt, November 13, [1563] (p. 481)

Roger Ascham's works stood for centuries as models of English prose style. His treatise on archery, Toxophilus, The Schole of Shootinge (1545), and his guide to pedagogy, The Scholemaster (1570), were admired and imitated both for their precepts and their prosody. Through his works, and as Latin secretary and private tutor to Elizabeth I, Ascham exerted a decisive influence on the development of classical humanism in Renaissance England and on the pattern of education for the English aristocracy.

Ascham was born in Kirby Wiske, Yorkshire, in 1515 or 1516. His father, John, a steward to Baron Scrope of Bolton, placed him in the household of Sir Humphrey Wingfield of Suffolk, where he received an excellent education, particularly in Latin and Greek. Sir Humphrey also encouraged Ascham's interest in archery, the subject of his first published work, Toxophilus. With the support of Wingfield, Ascham attended St. John's College, Cambridge, where he received a bachelor's degree in 1534 and a master's degree in 1537. He studied classical languages as well as religious reform, and he developed a reputation for being boldly antipapal but nonetheless brilliant and accomplished. The master of the college, Nicholas Metcalfe, supported his election as a fellow of the college upon his completion of the bachelor of arts degree. Ascham stayed at Cambridge as a lecturer and reader, and he was eventually elected to the office of the university's public orator in 1546. In 1548 Princess Elizabeth selected Ascham as her private tutor. He held this position for two years, though he maintained a relationship with Elizabeth for the next twenty years. In 1550 he returned to Cambridge, then traveled throughout Europe (Louvain, Innsbruck, Venice), including a three-year tenure as secretary to Sir Richard Morison, ambassador to Emperor Charles V. Through his contacts he began a relationship with the education writer Johann Sturm of Strassburg, who was among his chief influences when writing The Scholemaster. His travels also provided the material for his Report and Discourse … of the affaires and state of Germany and the Emperour Charles (1570). In 1553 Queen Mary chose Ascham for the post of Latin secretary, an office entailing the composition of official state letters and documents in Latin prose using elegant penmanship, another skill for which Ascham had developed a strong reputation. On June 1, 1554 Ascham married Margaret Howe, with whom he had two sons: Sturm, named after his humanist peer and mentor, and Dudley, named after his friend Robert Dudley, the first Earl of Leicester. When Elizabeth took the throne in 1558, Ascham retained his position at court and also acted unofficially as her private tutor in Latin and Greek.

In the preface to The Scholemaster Ascham recounts a story placing the genesis of the work in an experience from his time at court. According to Ascham, in a December 1563 conversation with Sir William Cecil, Sir Richard Sackville, and other courtiers, the subject of beating schoolboys as a standard method of discipline arose, and Ascham spoke out strongly against it. Sackville was impressed with Ascham's opinions in finding a tutor for his son; Ascham's response was to begin his treatise on the ideal schoolmaster. Ascham worked on the piece for years, completing a draft of the first book and beginning the second, but his work was slowed by illness and financial troubles. In a 1568 letter to Sturm, Ascham indicates that he had nearly finished the work, but whether or not he actually completed it is unknown. Ascham died from a wasting fever on December 30, 1568. His widow published The Scholemaster in 1570 as an incomplete manuscript (cf. L.V. Ryan, Roger Ascham, Stanford & London, 1963, passim).

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