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656] TO PETER VANNES va
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In Aug. 1517 he had been four years in Wolsey’s service, as assistant to his
kinsman (Brewer ii. 3602, 3657). As the result of prompt application he
sueceeded Ammonius as Latin secretary to Wolsey, and later became Latin
secretary to the King. In 1526 he began to be employed in diplomacy ; and in
1528-9 accompanied the important mission to Rome about the divorce. He
accumulated abundant preferment, holding simultaneously prebends at Salisbury,
Hereford, York, Wells, and St. Paul’s, a canonry at St. Frideswide’s in Oxford,
the Archdeaconry of Worcester and the Deanery of Salisbury. This last he
resigned under Edward vi, but it was restored to him by Mary. From 1550 to
1556 he was ambassador at Venice. Erasmus habitually styles him, like his
kinsman, Petrus Ammonius or ab Arena (Lond. xxi. 57, LB. 896). See DNB.]
ERASMVS PETRO AMMONIO SVO S. D.
Ammonit nostri mortem tam acerbe fero vt acerbius non possim.
Quid enim bonarum rerum in illo non periit? Ipsum ad vitam
reuocare non possum, at certe memoriam hominis non sinam inter¬
mori, si quid mea seripta valebunt. Obsecro te vt epistolas omneis
illius ad me et meas ad illum contrahas in vnum fa(s)ciculum, et huc 5
mittendas cures per hominem certum. Item si qua scripta sunt de
nostro negocio quo(d) ille egit apud Pontificem, vt ea vel aboleantur
vel huc mittantur. Bene vale, charissime Petre, et Erasmum
maxime tuum esse ducito.
657. To HENRY VIII
Deventer MS. 91, f. 62. Antwerp.
DE More) D wows Wei Was ENN gbomel. 9 September 1517.
ili 928 IU 208 ¬
[This and Ep. 658 were written for a new issue of the translations from
Plutarch dedicated already to the same persons in 1514 (Epp. 272 and 297). The
translations had been printed a second time with the first edition of the Institutio
Principis Christiani, April 1516 (Ep. 393); and in revising this again for pre¬
sentation to Ferdinand (cf. Ep. 853) Erasmus seems to have thought fit to
compose new prefaces for the Plutarch, on their third issue (1. 40). The new
volume, which appeared in July 1518, also contained a reprint of the Panegyric
addressed to Philip (Epp. 179,180). For what reason these prefaces were put in
the Auctarium (DH), Aug. 1518, rather than with the Plutarch, can only be
a matter of conjecture. For Erasmus’ hopes from Henry at this time see
Ep. 694. 10 n. The dates are confirmed by the deaths of Ammonius and
Busleiden.]
DES. ERASMVS ROTERODAMVS SERENISSIMO ANGLIAE REGI
HENRICO OCTAVO S. D.
S. P., serenissime Rex. Inter innumeras ingenii tui dotes vere
regias planeque heroicas, quibus laudatissimum parentem Henricum
eius nominis septimum non refers modo verum etiam superas, alius
GD, ME, WE e SDA ty) Sh 32) Oey 1D) serenissime MS.:
inclyte H.
656. 4. siquid] There isa suggestion that in Ep. 186. The correspondence
of Verg. Aen. 9. 446. with Ammonius forms a considerable
epistolas] Cf. Epp. 655, 774-5, part of E.
822, 828. The request is similar to 7. negocio} Cf. Ep. 655. 4 n.