Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 37.djvu/302

 Prophecies and Predictions interpreted, and their truth made good by our English Annalls. Being a Chronographical History of all the Kings and Memorable Passages of this Kingdome from Brute to the reigne of our Royall Sovereigne King Charles,’ London, 1641. The prophecies also form part of the regular romances of Merlin, and the version of Richard of Ireland is indeed a sort of continuation of the romance.

The romance of Merlin owes its origin to Robert de Borron, who founded his work on Geoffrey of Monmouth. Robert's knowledge was, however, probably oral only, and he adds much of his own composition. His romance ends with the coronation of Arthur, and the later portion probably dates from 1230–50. The great French prose romance which was thus created became very popular; one Messer Zorzi translated it into Italian in 1379, and this version was printed at Venice in 1480, and Florence in 1495; as also at Venice many times in the next century and in 1884. In Spain we have ‘El baladro del Sabio Merlin cō suas profecias,’ Burgos, 1498, and ‘Merlin y demanda del Santo Graal,’ Seville, 1500. There was also a German version about 1478, and as it would seem probable a Provençal one. The French romance was printed by Antoine Verard at Paris in 1498 with the prophecies which form the third volume of the romance. Numerous editions appeared during the next thirty years (, Trésor de Livres, iv. 498). A French version of the romance was edited by M. Gaston Paris for the Société des Anciens Textes Français, 1886. An English version has been published by the Early English Text Society, and Sir [q. v.] gave the ‘Story of Merlin’ a permanent place in English literature by borrowing much from Borron's romance and the old prophecies of Merlin for his ‘Morte d'Arthur.’ Mention may also be made of ‘A lytel treatys of the Byrth and Prophecye of Merlin,’ printed by Wynkyn de Worde in 1510. 

MERLAC, DANIEL (fl. 1100), mathematician. [See .]

MERRET or MERRETT, CHRISTOPHER (1614–1695), physician and miscellaneous writer, son of Christopher Merret, was born at Winchcomb, Gloucestershire, on 16 Feb. 1614. In 1631 he was admitted a student of Gloucester Hall, Oxford, and removed to Oriel College about 1633. He graduated B.A. in January 1635, and then, returning to Gloucester Hall, devoted himself to medicine, proceeding M.B. in June 1636, and M.D. in January 1643. Having settled in London, he became a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in 1651, and in 1654 Gulstonian lecturer. In the same year he was nominated by his friend Dr. [q. v.] the first keeper of the library and museum which Harvey had given to the college, and in February of that year Merret had a lease of the college house in Amen Corner at 20l. a year, but the rent was remitted in the following June ‘in recompense for his pains for looking to the new library.’ In his deed of gift in 1656 Harvey allows 20l. a year for a librarian. Merret was censor of the college seven times between 1657 and 1670, and is stated by Wood to have come ‘into considerable practice.’

William How's ‘Phytologia’ being out of print, Merret was requested to prepare a book to replace it. Detained in London by his profession, he employed [q. v.] for five summers to collect plants for him, and purchased eight hundred figures, which [q. v.] had had engraved. These plates are in the British Museum Library (press-mark 441. i. 6), without title-page, but catalogued as ‘Plants: a Collection of Figures, with MS. notes by C. Merrett. London, 1670, fol.;’ and a note in the book by ‘Robert Gray, M.D.,’ says that the figures were executed for a new herbal which Johnson had intended to issue. Merret's work was entitled ‘Pinax Rerum Naturalium Britannicarum, continens Vegetabilia, Animalia, et Fossilia,’ a duodecimo. It was apparently printed in 1666; but the first impression was probably destroyed, either at the printer's or in his own house, in the great fire. Most copies are dated 1667. The zoological and minera-