Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 40.djvu/439

 tongue by T. N. Imprinted at London nigh vnto the Three Cranes in the Vintree, by Thomas Gardyner and Thomas Dawson,’ small 8vo, six leaves, b. l., begins ‘In the moneth of March 1577.’ The copy in the Britwell Library is apparently unique. 2. ‘The Pleasant Historie of the Conquest of the Weast India, now called New Spayne, atchieued by the worthy Prince Hernando Cortes, Marques of the Valley of Huaxacac, most delectable to read. Translated out of the Spanishe tongue by T. N. anno 1578. Imprinted at London by Henry Bynneman.’ Licensed at Stationers' Hall, 7 Feb. 1677–8 (, Transcripts of the Registers, 1554–1640, ii. 145). This was a translation of Lopez de Gomara's ‘La Conquista de Mexico,’ being part ii. of ‘La Istoria de las Indias y Conquista de Mexico,’ Saragossa, 1552. Purchas included it in his ‘Pilgrimes,’ but errs in calling it part iii. He says (edit. 1625, part iii. Lib. v. p. 1123) he has ‘in divers places amended it by the Italian translation of Agostino di Cravaliz; for the Spanish original he has not.’ It is dedicated to Sir Francis Walsingham [q. v.], and contains verses by Stephen Gosson [q. v.] ‘in praise of the translator.’ Of the two copies at the British Museum, only that in the Grenville Library is perfect. It was republished, London, Thomas Creede, 1596. 3. ‘The strange and delectable History of the Discouerie and Conquest of the Prouinces of Peru, in the South Sea. And of the notable things which there are found: and also of the bloudie Ciuill Warres which there happened for Gouernment. Written in foure bookes by Augustine Sarate, Auditor for the Emperour his Maiestie in the same prouinces and firme land. And also of the ritche Mines of Potosi. Translated out of the Spanish tongue by T. Nicholas. Imprinted at London by Richard Jhones, dwelling ouer against the Fawlcon, by Holburne Bridge,’ 1581, 4to. This is the translation of the first four books of Sarate's ‘Historia del Descvbrimiento y Conqvista del Perv,’ &c., Anvers, 1555, with the addition of ‘The Discovery of the ritche Mynes of Potosi, & how Captaine Carauajall toke it into his power,’ with woodcuts.

[Preface to the Pleasant Historie; Brydges's Censura Literaria, iii. 351, vi. 126; Lowndes's Bibl. Man. i. 438; Ames's Typogr. Antiq., ed. Herbert. ii. 963, 1044; Purchas his Pilgrimes, pt. iii. lib. v. 1118.]  NICHOLAS, THOMAS (1820–1879), Welsh antiquary, born in 1820 in a small thatched house near Trefgarn chapel, not far from Solva, Pembrokeshire, was educated in Lancashire College, Manchester, and in Germany, where he took the degree of Ph.D. He became a presbyterian minister, and in 1856 he was appointed professor of biblical literature and mental and moral science at the Presbyterian College, Carmarthen. In 1863 he settled in London, resigning his professorship, and thenceforth, with the aid of Sir Hugh Owen, Lord Aberdare, Archdeacon Griffiths, Rev. David Thomas, the editor of the ‘Homilist,’ and others, he promoted a scheme for the furtherance of higher education in Wales on unsectarian principles. As a result of this effort the University College of Wales was founded in 1867, when a building at Aberystwith was purchased. Nicholas is said to have secured promises of subscriptions amounting to 14,000l. He was one of the governors, and drew out a scheme of education. He had made a special study of the educational institutions of France and Germany. In the autumn of 1878 he revised the English edition of Baedeker's ‘London’ as it passed through the press. He also projected a ‘History of Wales,’ which he did not live to complete. He died unmarried at 156 Cromwell Road, London, on 14 May 1879.

Besides pamphlets and other publications, Nicholas was the author of: 1. ‘Middle and High Class Schools, and University Education for Wales,’ 1863, a work which exerted great influence on educated Welshmen. 2. ‘Pedigree of the English People,’ 1868; 5th edit. 1878. 3. ‘Annals and Antiquities of the Counties and County Families of Wales,’ 1872, in 2 vols. 4. ‘History and Antiquities of the County of Glamorgan and its Families,’ 1874. He also edited, with notes and a biographical sketch, Matthias Maurice's ‘Social Religion Exemplify'd,’ 1860, 8vo.

[Brit. Mus. Cat.; Athenæum, 1879, i. 662–3; Academy, 1879, i. 477; Men of the Reign; London Echo, May 1879; Baner ac Amserau Cymru, May 1879; Times, 16 May 1879.]  NICHOLAS, WILLIAM (1785–1812), major in the royal engineers, third son of Robert Nicholas, esq., of Ashton Keynes, near Cricklade, Wiltshire, at one time member of parliament for Cricklade, and many years chairman of the board of excise, by Charlotte, sixth daughter of Admiral Sir Thomas Frankland, bart., was born at Ashton Keynes on 12 Dec. 1785. Educated at a private school at Hackney, and admitted to the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich at the end of 1799, he obtained a commission as second lieutenant in the royal engineers in 1801, and became first lieutenant on 1 July 1802. After completing the usual course of instruction at Chatham he was employed on