Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 61.djvu/132

 Whitford entered at the Brigittine house at Isleworth, Middlesex, known as Syon House. Wood says the uncle gave large benefactions to the convent, which was a double one for nuns; and monks. The nephew is conjectured to have entered about 1507, at which time he composed his first devotional treatise by request of the abbess for the use of the nuns. The rest of his life was spent in the composition and compilation of similar works, which had a wide vogue beyond the convent walls. The exactness of his scholarship has been criticised, but he acquired by degrees an English style of singular charm and sweetness. In 1535 Thomas Bedyll visited Syon House to obtain from the monks and nuns an acknowledgment of the king's supremacy. His letters to Cromwell show that Whitford's firmness was conspicuous. He resisted Bedyll's brutality with constancy and courage, but escaped any evil consequences, perhaps by the help of Lord Mountioy. At the dissolution of Syon House he obtained a pension of 8l. and an asylum for the rest of his days in the London house of the Barons Mountjoy. He died before the end of Queen Mary's reign.

He was author of: 1. 'A dayly exercyse and experyence of dethe, gathered and set forth, by a brother of Syon, Rycharde Whytforde. Imprinted by me John Waylande at London within the Temple barre, at the sygne of the blewe Garlande. An. 1537,' 12mo. The preface states that this was written 'more than 20 yeres ago at the request of the reverende Mother Dame Elizabeth Gybs, whom Jesu perdon, the Abbes of Syon.' But this preface is not dated. Cooper (Athenæ Cantabr. i. 80) quotes an edition of the tract in 1531. The original composition of it has been referred to about 1507. 2. 'The Martiloge in Englyshhe after the use of the chirche of Salisbury, and as it is redde in Syon with addicyons,' printed by Wynkyn de Worde in 1526, 4to. The translator was Whitford, who gathered the additions 'out of the sanctiloge, legenda aurea, catalogo Sanctorum, the cronycles of Antonine, and of Saynt vincent and other dyvers auctours.' The preface says the translation was made for the use of 'certaine religyous persones unlerned,' no doubt the nuns of Syon House. The book has been reprinted and edited with introduction and notes by F. Procter, M.A., and E. S. Bewick, M.A., F.S.A., 1893. 3. 'Saynt Augustin's Rule in English alone,' Wynkyn de Worde, n.d. [1525], 4to. The address by the translator to his 'good devout religious daughters' says that he was asked to amend the English version of their rule, but found it 'so scabrous rough or rude' that he has translated it 'of new.' It was printed again by Wynkyn de Worde as 'The rule of Saynt Augustine both in latyn and Englysshe, with two Exposycyons. And also the same rule agayn onely in Englysshe without latyn or Exposycyon.' The longer exposition is that of St. Hugh of Victor, the shorter is Whitford's. The book is dated 28 Nov. 1525. 4. 'A werke for Householders and for them that have the Gydyng or Governaunce of any Company,' printed by Wynkyn de Worde, 1530, 4to. This was reprinted with a slightly altered title in 1537 by John Wayland, and in 1538 by Robert Redman. 5. 'The Four Revelations of St. Bridget,' London, 1531, 12mo. 6. 'The Golden Epistle of St. Bernard,' London, 1531, 12mo. This was republished in 1537 and 1585 along with other treatises of Whitford. 7. 'The Crossrune, or A B C. Here done folowe two opuscules or small werks of Saynt Bonaventure, moche necessarie and profytable unto all Christians specyally unto religyous persons, put into Englyshe by a brother of Syon, Richard Whytforde. Alphabetum Religiosorum,' 1537, 12mo, printed by Waylande before No. 6. It came out first in 1532. 8. 'The Pomander of Prayer,' 1532, 4to, printed by Wynkyn de Worde. 9. 'Here begynneth the boke called the Pype or Tonne, of the lyfe of perfection. The reason or cause whereof dothe playnly appere in the processe. Imprynted at london in Flete strete by me Robert Redman, dwellynge in Saynt 'Dunstones parysshe, next the Churche. In the yere of our lord god 1532, the 23 day of Marche,' 4to. This was a treatise against the Lutherans. 10. 'A dialoge or Communicacion bytwene the curate or ghostly father and the parochiane or ghostly chyld. For a due preparacion unto howselynge,' followed by Nos. 7 and 6, printed by Waylande, 1537, 12mo. 11. 'A Treatise of Patience. Also a work of divers impediments and lets of Perfection,' London, 1540, 4to (perhaps two works). 12. 'An Instruction to avoid and eschew Vices,' London, 1541, 4to; translated with additions from St. Isidore. 13. 'Of Detraction,' London, 1541, 4to; translated from St. Chrysostom. 14. 'The following of Christ, translated out of Latin into English,' 1556, printed by Cawood; a second edition, 'newly corrected and amended,' appeared in 1585, printed probably at Rouen. The translation was founded upon that of the first three books of the 'De Imitatione' made by Dr. William Atkinson at the request of the Countess of Richmond in 1504. It is Whitford's most remarkable work, and may claim