BARCLAY, ALEXANDER, a learned monk in the reign of Henry VIII. Where he was born, though of no great importance, was nevertheless a matter of virulent contention among his former biographers. Bale, who was his contemporary, is of opinion he was born in Somersetshire. There is indeed a village of his name, and a numerous family, in that county. Pitts thinks he was born in Devonshire. Mackenzie is positive he was a Scotchman; but without proof, unless we admit as such his name Alexander. He was, however, educated in Oriel-college, Oxford. After leaving the university he went abroad, and continued some time in France, Italy, and Germany, where he acquired a competent knowledge of the languages of those countries, as appears from several translations of books, which
Barclay, which he afterwards published. On his return to England, he was made chaplain to his patron the bishop of Tyne, who likewise appointed him a priest of St Mary, at the college of Otterey in Devonshire, founded by Grandison bishop of Exeter. After the death of his patron, he became a Benedictine monk of Ely. On the dissolution of that monastery, he first obtained the vicarage of St Matthew at Wokey in Somersetshire; and, in 1549, being then doctor of divinity, was presented to the vicarage of Much Badew in Essex. In 1552, he was appointed rector of Alhallows, Lombard-street, which he lived to enjoy but a very short time. He died at Croydon in Surrey in June 1552. He is generally allowed to have improved the English language, and to have been one of the politest writers of his time. He composed several original works; but was chiefly remarkable for his translations from the Latin, Italian, French, and German languages. His version from Sallust of the war of Jugurtha is accurate, and not without elegance. His lives of several saints, in heroic verse, are still unpublished. His Stultifera navis, or The ship of fools, is the most singular of his performances. It was printed by Richard Pynson at London, 1509, in folio; and contains a variety of wooden plates, which are worthy the inspection of the curious.