Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Parry, Robert
PARRY, ROBERT (fl. 1595), translator, author of ‘Moderatus: the most delectable and famous Historie of the Black Knight,’ London, 1595, 4to. This was entered on the ‘Stationers' Register’ to Richard Jones, 26 March 1594. It is dedicated to Henry Townshend, esq., ‘one of her Majesties Justices of Assise of the Countye Pallatine of Chester,’ by Robert Parry, who describes his romance as ‘a fancie.’ Greek and Latin verses in praise of the author are prefixed, and songs and lyrics occur in the text. A copy of the book is in the Bodleian Library. Parry is perhaps the ‘R. P.’ who co-operated with Margaret Tyler in translating from the Spanish original (of D. Ortunez de Calahorra, P. la Sierra, and M. Martinez) the ‘Myrrour of Princely Deeds and Knighthood,’ which on 4 Aug. 1578 was licensed to Thomas East in the ‘Stationers' Register.’ The English work appeared in nine separately issued parts, and the publication was only completed in 1601. ‘R. P.’ was apparently responsible for the second, third, and fourth parts of the English version, which respectively correspond in the original Spanish (which consisted of four books) to the second and third parts of book i. and to the first part of book ii. The original editions of the contributions, first in order, undertaken by ‘R. P.’ are not extant. Editions of 1599 of his parts ii. and iii. of the English version are the earliest known. The title of part ii. runs: ‘The Second Part of the [first] Booke of the Myrrour of Knighthood: in which is prosecuted the illustrious deedes of the Knight of the Sunne and his brother Rosicleer, Sonnes unto the Emperor Trebatio of Greece,’ London, 1599, 4to. The dedicatory matter is by East, and verses to the reader by ‘G. G.’
The title of ‘R. P.'s’ part iii. runs: ‘The Third Part of the first Booke of the Mirrour of Knighthood: wherein is set forth the worthie deedes of the knight of the Sunne and his brother Rosicleer, both Sonnes unto the Emperour of Grecia,’ n.d., 4to. The dedications are by East.
‘R. P.'s’ part iv., which was entered in the ‘Stationers' Registers’ by East on 24 Aug. 1582 as ‘The seconde part [i.e. book of the] Mirrour of Knighthood,’ is extant in the original edition of 1583. The title runs: ‘Second Part of the Myrror of Knighthood: wherein is intreated the valiant deedes of Armes of sundrie worthie knightes, London, by Thomas Este, 1583,’ 4to. The dedication by East states that ‘about three years since’ the first book came into his hands and was published, and he was ‘importuned by sundry gentlemen’ to translate book ii.
[Ritson's Bibl. Poetica, p. 293; Ames's Typogr. Antiq. ed. Herbert, p. 1050; Brit. Mus. Libr. Cat.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.215
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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| 384 | i | 25 | Parry, Robert (fl. 1595): after book ii. insert In 1597 'Robert Parry, gent.' issued a volume of verse entitled 'Sinetes,' of which a unique copy, formerly at Lamport Hall, is now at Britwell. It is dedicated to Sir John Salusbury. |