Henry Bennet (translator) facts for kids
Henry Bennet was an English translator who lived around the year 1561. He is thought to have been from a place called Calais. He was known for translating important books about the Protestant faith.
Contents
Henry Bennet's Important Book
In 1561, Henry Bennet published a special book called A Famous and Godly History. He translated this book from German and Swiss writings. It was printed by a person named John Awdelay. The book was split into two main parts, but they were sold together as one.
The First Part: Martin Luther's Story
The first part of Bennet's book was dedicated to a nobleman named Thomas Wentworth, 2nd Baron Wentworth. This section included the life story of Martin Luther, written by Philip Melanchthon. Luther was a very important leader in the Protestant Reformation.
This part also shared Luther's declaration of his beliefs. He made this declaration in front of the Emperor Charles V in a city called Worms. It also contained a speech given by Melanchthon in Wittenberg after Luther's death. Some parts of this section were later used by John Foxe in his famous book, Actes and Monuments (published in 1563).
The Second Part: Other Reformers
The second part of the book was dedicated to another nobleman, James Blount, 6th Baron Mountjoy. This section focused on other important religious leaders.
It included:
- A life story of John Œcolampadius.
- An account of Œcolampadius's death.
- A life story of Hulderick Zuinglius.
The last two parts were written as letters.
What Made His Translations Special?
Henry Bennet's translations were written in clear and natural English for his time. When he translated parts where Œcolampadius quoted famous Greek writers like Homer and Euripides, Bennet turned those quotes into English poems.
The original writings for the second part of the book were first collected by Theodore Bibliander. However, Bennet likely used a French book that had already put these stories together.
