William Averell facts for kids
William Averell (born 12 February 1556 – died 23 September 1605) was an English writer who created short books called pamphlets. He also worked as a church clerk and a school teacher. He is most famous for his book A Mervalious Combat of Contrarieties (1588). The famous playwright William Shakespeare used ideas from this book for a story in his play Coriolanus.
Averell's Life Story
William Averell was born in London and was baptised (a church ceremony) on 12 February 1556. His father, John Averell, was a joiner, which means he made things from wood. His mother was Margareth. We don't know much about William's early life or how he was educated. However, he was a member of important groups like the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors (who made clothes) and the Worshipful Company of Vintners (who sold wine). Even though he wrote in a fancy style and knew a lot about old stories, there are no records showing he went to the famous universities of Oxford or Cambridge.
On 2 November 1578, William married Gyllian Goodale. She was the daughter of a baker. Their first child, Annes, was born a few months later. William and Gyllian had many children together. Gyllian Averell passed away in 1596.
William Averell married again and had another daughter, Elizabeth, in 1597. William Averell died in 1605 and was buried on 23 September in the same church where he was baptised, St Peter upon Cornhill.
Averell's Published Works
William Averell earned money by working as a clerk at his local church, St Peter upon Cornhill. He also taught at a school there. He even drew pictures and wrote poems in the church's official records! Besides these jobs, he was a busy writer of pamphlets and other prose works. He published several books that showed he could write about many different topics. He also hoped to get support from important people in London.
His first known book, An excellent historie, both pithy and pleasant, on the life and death of Charles and Julia, two Brittish, or rather Welsh lovers (1581), was a story told in verse. It was about two lovers who faced many challenges, like the "star-crossed" lovers in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. This story was set in ancient Britain, during the time of Brutus of Troy. It was one of the few romantic poems of that time that used a British setting instead of an Italian one.
Next, he wrote A wonderfull and straunge newes, which happened in the county of Suffolke, and Essex, the first of February, being Friday, where it rayned wheat, the space of vi or vii miles compass (1583). This pamphlet talked about a strange event: it rained wheat in some parts of England. Averell believed this was a sign from God, showing that the world was coming to an end.
He then published A Dyall for Dainty Darlings (1584). This book was later made longer and re-released as Four Notable Histories (1590).
The book William Averell is most famous for is A Mervalious Combat of Contrarieties (1588). This book starts with a conversation between different parts of the human body. The tongue tries to convince the other body parts to rebel against the stomach and back, saying they are greedy. But in the end, the tongue is shown to be a troublemaker. Averell then stops the conversation and encourages everyone to be loyal to Queen Elizabeth I. This book was published during the time of the Spanish Armada crisis, when England was threatened by a Spanish invasion. It showed strong loyalty to the queen. This book was also the main source for a famous story used by William Shakespeare in his play Coriolanus. In Shakespeare's play, the body parts also rebel against the stomach, just like in Averell's book.
