Francis Meres facts for kids

Francis Meres (born around 1565, died 1647) was an English churchman and writer. He is best known for his book from 1598. This book was important because it was the first to talk about the poems and plays of William Shakespeare in a critical way.

Francis Meres's Life and Work

Francis Meres was born in 1565 in a place called Kirton Meres in Lincolnshire, England. He went to Pembroke College, Cambridge for his education. He earned his first degree in 1587 and a master's degree in 1591. Later, he also received a master's degree from Oxford.

In 1602, Meres became the rector (a type of church leader) in Wing, Rutland. He also ran a school there. His son and grandson later followed in his footsteps. They both studied at Cambridge and became rectors too.

Meres's Famous Book: Palladis Tamia

Meres is especially famous for his book called Palladis Tamia, Wits Treasury. It was published in 1598. This book was a "commonplace book." This means it was a collection of notes, quotes, and ideas that Meres had gathered.

The Palladis Tamia is very important for understanding writers from the Elizabethan era. It was the first book to give a critical look at the poems and early plays of William Shakespeare. Meres's list of Shakespeare's plays helped people figure out when they were written.

What Else Was in Palladis Tamia?

Besides Shakespeare, Palladis Tamia also had many other interesting parts. It included thoughts on morals and criticisms. These ideas came from different sources. The book also had sections about other topics like books, philosophy, music, and painting.

One special chapter was called "A Comparative Discourse of our English poets with the Greeke, Latin, and Italian poets." In this part, Meres listed English poets from Chaucer's time up to his own. He then compared each English poet to a famous writer from ancient Greece, Rome, or Italy.

Meres also wrote a sermon called Gods Arithmeticke in 1597. He translated two books from Spanish by Luís de Granada. These were titled Granada's Devotion and The Sinners' Guide, both published in 1598.

Family Life

Francis Meres was married to a woman named Mary. She was born around 1576 or 1577 and passed away in 1631. We do not know her maiden name. They had a son named Francis, who was born in 1607.

Francis Meres died in 1647. He was buried in the churchyard of Church of St Peter and St Paul, Wing, in Rutland.