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William Phiston or Fiston (fl. 1571 – 1609), was an English translator and author.[1] He describes himself as "a student of London", and had some leading figures of the time as patrons. The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography points out that a William Phiston matriculated at Magdalene College, Cambridge in 1572. It also notes the strong Protestant tone to the Testimonie, intended as a cheaper substitute for the Actes and Monuments.[2][3]

Works

Phiston's works are:[1]

• A Testimonie of the True Church of God … translated out of the French by William Phiston, London; c. 1570. From Simon Voyon, dedicated to Alexander Nowell.[2]
• A Lamentacion of Englande for John Ivele [i.e. John Jewel], bishop of Sarisburie, by W. Ph. London [1571].
• Certaine Godly Sermons … First set foorthe by Master Bernardine Occhine … and now lately collected and translated out of the Italian tongue into the English by William Phiston of London, student, London, 1580; from Bernardino Ochino, and dedicated to Edmund Grindal.[2]
• The Welspringe of Wittie Conceites … translated out of the Italian by W. Phist., student, London, 1584; Phiston added other matter, "partly the invention of late writers and partly mine own". Publisher's dedication to David Lewis.[2]
• The Estate of the Germaine Empire, with the Description of Germanie, London, 1595; a translation from two works, one Italian the other Latin. Dedicated to Robert Radclyffe, 5th Earl of Sussex.[2] It was an ambitious historical, ecclesiastical and military guide to the Holy Roman Empire.[4]
• The Auncient Historie of the Destruction of Troy … translated out of the French [of Le Fevre] into English by W. Caxton Newly corrected and the English much amended by William Fiston, London, 1596; another edit. 1607.
• The Most Pleasant and Delectable Historie of Lazarillo de Tormes, a Spanyard; and of his marvellous Fortunes and Adversities. The second part, translated out of Spanish by W. P., London, 1596. A sequel to Lazarillo de Tormes, the first part having been translated by David Rowland.[5]
• An edition of Francis Segar's conduct book, Schoole of Good manners, or a new Schoole of Vertue … by William Fiston, London, 1609; another edition, "newly corrected" by Phiston, appeared in 1629; but Phiston is not known to have been alive then.

References

Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Lee, Sidney, ed. (1896). "Phiston, William". Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 45. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

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