Thomas Storer (c. 1571 – 1604) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

poet and mathematician. His major work was the ''Life and Death of Cardinal Wolsey''.

Life

He was the son of John Storer of London. He was elected a student of

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, '' ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniqu ...

, in 1587, and graduated B.A. on 27 March 1591,

M.A. A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...

on 13 May 1604. He died in London in November 1604, and was buried in the church of

St Michael Bassishaw St Michael Bassishaw, or Basinshaw, was a parish church in Basinghall Street in the City of London, standing on land now occupied by the Barbican Centre complex. Recorded since the 12th century, the church was destroyed in the Great Fire of 16 ...

Works

In 1599 appeared ''The Life and Death of Thomas Wolsey, cardinall. … By Thomas Storer, student of Christ Church in Oxford. At London printed by Thomas Dawson''. The poem is written on the model of

Thomas Churchyard Thomas Churchyard (c. 1523 – 1604) was an English author and soldier. He is chiefly remembered for a series of autobiographical or semi-autobiographical verse collections, including ''Churchyardes Chippes'' (1575); ''Churchyard's Choise'' (157 ...

's legend on the history of Wolsey in '' The Mirrour for Magistrates''. It consists of three parts, "Wolseius aspirans", "Wolseius triumphans", and "Wolseius moriens"; these contain respectively 101, 89, and 51 seven-line stanzas of decasyllabic verse (rhyming , as in

rhyme royal Rhyme royal (or rime royal) is a rhyming stanza form that was introduced to English poetry by Geoffrey Chaucer. The form enjoyed significant success in the fifteenth century and into the sixteenth century. It has had a more subdued but continuing ...

). The volume is dedicated to

John Howson John Howson ( – 6 February 1632) was an English academic and bishop. Life He was born in the London parish of St Bride's Church, and educated at St Paul's School. He was a student and then a canon of Christ Church, Oxford, and Vice-Chance ...

, Queen Elizabeth's chaplain, and there are introductory verses by Charles Fitzgeffrey and Thomas and

Edward Michelborne Sir Edward Michelborne (c. 1562 − 1609), sometimes written Michelbourn, was an English soldier, adventurer and explorer. After a military career in the 1590s he tried to be appointed 'principal commander' for the first voyage of the East India ...

, and a poem in fifteen eight-line stanzas addressed to the author by his fellow-collegian John Sprint. The poem is based on the narratives of George Cavendish ('' Life of Woolsey'') and

Raphael Holinshed Raphael Holinshed ( – before 24 April 1582) was an English chronicler, who was most famous for his work on ''The Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande'', commonly known as ''Holinshed's Chronicles''. It was the "first complete printe ...

, and contains a felicitous characterisation of

Richard Foxe Richard Foxe (sometimes Richard Fox) ( 1448 – 5 October 1528) was an English churchman, the founder of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. He was successively Bishop of Exeter, Bath and Wells, Durham, and Winchester, and became also Lo ...

. It was praised by

Alberic Gentilis Alberico Gentili (14 January 155219 June 1608) was an Italian-English jurist, a tutor of Queen Elizabeth I, and a standing advocate to the Spanish Embassy in London, who served as the Regius professor of civil law at the University of Oxford ...

in his ''Laudes Academiæ Perusinæ et Oxoniensis'' (1605). The ''Life'' was reprinted in

Thomas Park Thomas Park (1759–1834) was an English antiquary and bibliographer, also known as a literary editor. Life He was the son of parents who lived at East Acton, Middlesex. When ten years old he was sent to a grammar school at Heighington, County ...

's ''Heliconia'' (1815, vol. ii.), and reissued separately in 1826 from the press of

David Alphonso Talboys David Alphonso Talboys (c. 1790–1840) was an English bookseller, known as a publisher, translator, and local politician. Life Born about 1790, Talboys established himself as a bookseller in Bedford. He subsequently moved his business to Oxford, ...

at Oxford. This poem was brought up as a possible influence on

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

's composition of the play ''

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...

'', from the end of the 18th century onwards. In ''England's Parnassus'' (1600) are about 20 poems by Storer; they are derived from the ''Life of Wolsey'', and display an elaborate style of metaphor. Some verses by Storer are prefixed to Sir William Vaughan's ''Golden Grove'' (1600).

References

*Chambers, Robert (1880), ''Chambers's Cyclopaedia of English Literature,'' (New York: American Book Exchange)

Notes

;Attribution 1570s births 1604 deaths 17th-century English poets 17th-century English male writers Writers from London Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford 16th-century English poets English male poets {{England-poet-stub