George North (diplomat) facts for kids
George North was an English diplomat and writer who lived in the 1500s. He was sent to Sweden in 1564 to represent England. He is also known for his writings, especially an unpublished work called A Brief Discourse of Rebellion and Rebels. Some experts believe this book was an important source for the famous plays of William Shakespeare.
Contents
George North's Published Books
George North described himself as a "gentleman" in his books. He had a supporter named Sir Christopher Hatton, who helped him with his work. North published several interesting books:
Books About History and Philosophy
- A Description of Northern Europe: In 1561, North published The Description of Swedland, Gotland, and Finland. This book was about the history of Sweden, Gotland, and Finland. It also covered the ancient kings of these lands and some difficult events. North gathered this information from a book by Sebastian Münster called Cosmographia.
- The Philosopher of the Court: In 1575, he published The Philosopher of the Court. This book was a translation from a French work by Philibert de Vienne. It was dedicated to Christopher Hatton. The original French book was meant to be a bit funny or satirical, but some people think North might have missed that part.
A Book About Popish Customs
- The Stage of Popish Toyes: North also published The Stage of Popish Toyes in 1581. This book described some old customs and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church. It was based on a work by Henri Estienne and was also dedicated to Sir Christopher Hatton.
George North and William Shakespeare
One of George North's most interesting works is a manuscript that was never officially published. It is called A Brief Discourse of Rebellion and Rebells.
The Manuscript's Discovery
This manuscript was described in a book catalog from the 1900s. It is believed to have been written around 1576. The book was dedicated to "Sir Roger North," who was likely a relative. It also praised Sir Roger's brother, Thomas North.
Connecting North to Shakespeare
Experts have suggested that some of George North's poems about historical figures like Owain Glyndŵr and Jack Cade should be compared to how Shakespeare wrote about these same figures in his plays.
In 2018, two researchers, Dennis McCarthy and June Schlueter, published an edition of this manuscript. They titled it "A Brief Discourse of Rebellion and Rebels" by George North: A Newly Uncovered Manuscript Source for Shakespeare's Plays. They believe this manuscript is a very important source that Shakespeare might have used when writing his plays.
Where is the Manuscript Now?
The manuscript is now kept safe in the British Library. It is dated to 1576 and was written by George North at Kirtling Hall.
