pansypoo's personal rant page.

FLORIO, GIOVANNI(1552ish-1625)- lexicographer + translator. b london. tuscan , parents waldences who had fled persecution. left when mary became queen  + returned for elizabeth I. lived in oxford, + appt 1576ish preceptor to the son of barrens, bishop of durham. in 1578 published 'first fruits' which yield Familiar Speech, Merry Proverbs, Witty Sentences, + Golden Sayings(BARTLETTS!). BLAH another book blah blah teacher. french + italian blah. 1591 'second fruits'., to be gathered of 12 trees, of divers but delightsome tastes to the tongues of italian + english men. an italian + english dictionary in 1595. james I, named tutor  to prince henry, then gentleman of the privy chamber + clerck of the closet to the queen,  who he instructed in languages. lastly a translation of montaignes essays 1603. special interest british library has several copies. 1 signed by shakespeare + the other ben johnson. suggested shakespeare's character holofernes is florio in love's labor lost, also wood's in Athene Qxonienses. during the plague in 1625 he sought escape in fulham, but there seized + died.