Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Lesse, Nicholas
LESSE, NICHOLAS (fl. 1550), religious writer, is described by Tanner as a citizen and merchant of London. There is no evidence in support of this statement, except that Lesse's books were published in London. He was a friend of Bishop Bale, who encouraged him in his literary enterprises. His only original work is the ‘Apologie of the Worde of God, declarynge how necessarye it is to be in all men's hands, the want whereof is the cause of al vngodliness’ [London, 1547, 8vo]. This work is appended to his translation of Melanchthon's ‘Justification of Man by Faith only,’ likewise published in 1547. He also translated the following works: 1. ‘The Minde and Judgement of Maister F. Lambert of Auenna, of the wyll of Man,’ London [1548], 8vo. 2. ‘The Censure and Judgement of the famous Clark Erasmus, of Roterodam, whether Dyuorsemente … standeth with the Lawe of God,’ London [1550], 8vo. 3. St. Augustine's ‘Twelfe Steppes of Abuses,’ London, 1550, 8vo. 4. St. Augustine's ‘Predestination of Saints, and Vertue of Perseveraunce to thend,’ London, 1550, 8vo. According to Tanner's unsupported statement, he also translated Luther's ‘Commentaries on the two Epistles of St. Peter,’ Polydore Vergil's ‘De Inventoribus Rerum,’ and Æpinus on certain ‘Psalms.’
[Tanner's Bibliotheca Britannico-Hibernica, 1748, p. 478; Brit. Mus. Cat.; Watt's Bibliotheca Britannica.]