Becon’s history as an author extends over four reigns. For in so many, namely, those of Henry VIII., Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth, through a period of at least twenty-five years did he diligently occupy himself as a writer. His earliest work was probably published in. 1541. The “Pomander of Prayer,” printed in 1532, has indeed been ascribed to him; but, it would seem, not with sufficient reason. His productions had their widest circulation as tracts. The names he gave them exposed him to the ridicule of Ben Jonson, it is said, and other dramatists of the day. But that he had gained a vast influence over the public mind, is evident from several circumstances, not only that the editions were numerous, and that his name was eagerly seized on by a printer to recommend a book^[6], but also from the more specific fact, that Day thought it worth his while to apply for a royal licence to print Becon’s works. This he obtained in the following form:-

“1553. 25 March. Edward the Sixth grants to John Day, printer, privilege and licence of printing and reprinting of all such works and books devised and compiled by Thomas Becon, professor of divinity, as hereafter shall be, at his cost and charges, and by his procurement, set forth and made^[7],” The plain inference is, that the sale must have been considerable. An additional proof of this fact is, that the Stationers’ Company kept his “Sick Man’s Salve” constantly in print till the succeeding century.

So bold an opponent of the Romish doctrines would not of course be left unmolested by those whose faith he attacked. And therefore, besides the proclamations already mentioned, they resorted to the more “legitimate method of attempting to answer his writings. Richard Smith, reader of divinity at Oxford, who had before written against archbishop Cranmer, assailed Becon^[8]; with what success, no one acquainted with our
author’s works need be at a loss to determine.

The following extract from bishop Tanner’s Bibliotheca will exhibit the long catalogue of Beoon’s works:-

BECONUS (Thomas) patria Nordovolgius (Sudovolgium Strype in Vita Parker. p. . . vocat) in academia Cantabrig. studiis philosophicis et theologicis imbutus per varios academicorum honorum gradus ad cathedram theologicam ascendit. Fuit doctrinæ reformatæ contra pontificios assertor strenuus; unde bis A. sc. MDXLIII et MDLIII. carceri mancipatus, e quo, regnante Maria, elapsus in Germaniam Marpurgum trajecit: inde, mortua eadem, in patriam rediit, et fatis concessit Cantuariæ sexagenarius, circa A. MDLXX. A. MDXLI. apud Crucem Paulinam dogmata reformata publice retractavit; et ibi libri ejus combusti fuerunt. Vide Henr. Stalbridge Epist. Fuit vicarius ecclesiæ de Brensett in agro Cantiano tempore Henr. VIII. Unus sex prædicatorum in ecclesiæ Cantuar, tempore Edw. VI. Rector ecclesiæ. S. Stephani Walbrook. institut. 24 Mart. MDXLVII. ast beneficio illo privatus MDLIV. Newc. i. 540. Restitutus in eandem eccle-
siam A. MDLX. MS. C. C. C. Cantabr. Miscell. IV. 25. quo tempore vicarius ecclesiæ Christi infra Newgate renunciabatur. Ibid. p. 30. A. MDLXIII. 11 Aug. institutus erat ad ecclesiam S. Dion. Backchurch, London. Newc. i. 330. Fuit etiam canonicus Cantuariensis. Ipse A. MDLXIV. habituum clericalium portationi subscribere renuit, postea antem eidem consensit. Strype in Vita Grindall, p. 98. Vocatus est Theodorus Basille, uti ex proclamatione Phil. et Mar. et aliquibus ejus tractatibus constat. Fox, 1597.
Opera ejus extant, Londini, MDLXIV. tribus tomis vel duobus voluminibus, hoc ordine:

(the remainder of this extract to be added)

[6] See below, page 29.
[7] Bp. Kennett’s Collections, Vol. XLVI. No. 12.
[8] Strype’s Life of Cranmer, Book III. chap.x xviii. p.424.