Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Garter, Bernard
GARTER, BERNARD (fl. 1570), poet, who describes himself on his title-pages as citizen of London, was, according to Hunter, second son of Sir William Garter of London, and father of a Bernard Garter of Brigstocke, Northamptonshire. But in the ‘Visitation of London,’ 1633–5 (Harl. Soc. i.), ‘Barnerd Garter of Brikstocke,’ Northamptonshire, is described as the son of Thomas Garter, the husband of Elizabeth Catelyne, and the father of George Garter, who was living in 1634. Garter wrote: 1. ‘The tragicall and true historie which happened betweene two English lovers, 1563. Written by Ber. Gar., 1565. In ædibus Richardi Totelli,’ an imitation in ballad metre of Arthur Broke's ‘Romeus and Juliet,’ 1561. A copy of this very rare book is in the library of Christie Miller at Britwell (cf. P. A. Daniel's reprint of Brooke's Romeus, New Shakspere Soc. xxxiii.). 2. ‘A New Yeares Gifte, dedicated to the Popes Holinesse and all Catholikes addicted to the Sea of Rome: prepared the first day of Januarie [1579] by B. G., Citizen of London,’ London, by Henry Bynneman, 1579. This work, wrongly ascribed by Ritson to Barnabe Googe [q. v.], contains, besides verses against the catholics, a reprint of a letter sent in 1537 by Tunstall, bishop of Durham, and Stokesley, bishop of London, to Cardinal Pole, maintaining the royal supremacy; lives of Alexander II and Gregory VII; an account of the frauds of Elizabeth Barton, Maid of Kent [q. v.]; and ‘invectives against the pope.’ ‘A new yeres geyfte made by barnarde Garter’ was licensed for printing to Alexander Lacy in 1565, but no copy of so early a date has been met with.
A tract entitled ‘The joyfull receavinge of the Quenes matie into Norwiche’ (licensed 30 Aug. 1578) includes a masque by Garter and Henry Goldingham, which is printed in Nichols's ‘Progresses,’ ii. 67. ‘Pasquin in a Trance. A Christian and learned dialogue contayning wonderfull and most strange newes out of Heaven, Purgatorie, and Hell,’ 4to, London, by Seres, n.d. (licensed 1565), has some prefatory verses to the reader signed ‘Ber. Gar.;’ it is a translation from the Italian of Celius Secundus Curio, and Mr. Collier is inclined to credit Garter with the whole. ‘Among Coxeter's papers,’ writes Warton, ‘is mentioned the ballet of Helen's epistle to Paris from “Ovid,” in 1570, by B. G.’ This piece Warton also doubtfully claims for Garter. The ‘B. G.’ who wrote ‘Ludus Scacchiæ: Chesse-playe, a game pleasant, wittie, and politicall,’ London, 1597, is further identified with Garter by Hunter.
[Hunter's Chorus Vatum in Addit. MS. 24488, f. 318; Collier's Extracts from the Stationers' Reg. i. 101, 125, 139, ii. 66; Collier's Bibliographical Cat.; Hazlitt's Handbook and Collections; Ritson's Bibliographia Poetica; Warton's Hist. of English Poetry.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.133
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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| 30 | i | 3 f.e. | Garter, Bernard: for Braystocke read Brigstocke |