William Baldwin (author) facts for kids
William Baldwin (active around 1547) was an English writer and printer. He lived during an exciting time in England, when many new books were being printed and plays were popular.
Contents
About William Baldwin's Life
William Baldwin was likely from the western part of England, possibly Shropshire, or even Wales. We don't know much for sure about his early life.
What we do know is that by 1547, he started working in London. He was a "corrector" in the printing shop of Edward Whitchurch. A corrector's job was to check books for mistakes before they were printed. Before this, it seems he studied important subjects like logic and philosophy at Oxford University.
During the time of King Edward VI and Queen Mary, Baldwin also helped with plays and shows at the royal court. He continued his work at the printing shop too. Some records suggest he helped create a comedy and a morality play, which teaches a lesson.
Later in his life, it's thought that William Baldwin became a church minister. He might have been ordained in 1563. Records from 1587 suggest he stopped printing to work in the church. He may have been a vicar in Tortington, Sussex, and later a rector in London. He passed away sometime before November 1, 1563. There's also a story that a William Baldwin preached at St Paul's Cross in London in September 1563 and died of the plague a week later.
William Baldwin's Writings
William Baldwin wrote and published many works between 1547 and 1569.
Early Works and Philosophy
In 1547, Baldwin wrote A Treatise of Morall Phylosophie. This book was a collection of wise sayings. It was printed by Whitchurch, where Baldwin worked. An updated version of this book became very popular for about 100 years!
He also wrote a short poem for another book in 1547. This book was about medicine. In 1549, Baldwin printed his own book called Canticles or Balades of Salomon. This book put parts of the Bible into English poems.
The Mirror for Magistrates
One of Baldwin's most famous projects was the 1559 book called Mirror for Magistrates. He was in charge of this big project and also wrote four poems for it. These poems told the stories of important historical figures who faced sad endings. The idea was to teach lessons about life and power.
His poems in this collection included:
- The story of Richard, Earl of Cambridge, who was put to death.
- How Thomas Montague, Earl of Salisbury, was accidentally killed during a battle.
- The story of William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, who was punished for misusing his power.
- The story of Jack Cade, who led a rebellion against the king.
In the introduction to this book, Baldwin mentioned that he had been "called to other trades of lyfe." This might mean he was moving away from printing and writing.
The Funeralles of King Edward the Sixt
In 1560, Baldwin wrote a poem called The Funeralles of King Edward the Sixt. This poem talked about the causes of the young King Edward VI's death. It also included a call for people to repent their sins and an epitaph (a short text honoring the dead) for the king.
Beware the Cat
Baldwin also wrote an early satirical story called Beware the Cat. This book was first published around 1561, though only later copies from 1570 and 1584 still exist. It's a funny and clever story that makes fun of some ideas and people of the time.
The story tries to show that cats can talk and think like humans. It's a mix of prose (regular writing) and verse (poetry). The book also includes many personal jokes and criticisms, especially aimed at people who followed the Roman Catholic faith.
Other Possible Works
It's believed that Baldwin also wrote a book in 1569 called A new Booke called The Shippe of Safegarde. Another historian, Anthony Wood, thought Baldwin wrote a book about proverbs and comedies, but we don't know anything more about that work.
See also
