Hope of wearing the Cardinal's Hat, _Erasmus_ finding his Patron fickle
and wavering in his Affections, prevail'd with him to send him to
_Paris_, to prosecute his Studies there. He did so, and promised him a
yearly Allowance, but it was never paid him, according to the Custom of
great Men. He was admitted of _Montague_ College there, but by Reason of
ill Diet and a damp Chamber, he contracted an Indisposition of Body,
upon which he return'd to the Bishop, who entertain'd him again
courteously and honourably: Having recover'd his Health, he return'd
into _Holland_, with a Design to settle there; but being again invited,
he went back to _Paris_. But having no Patron to support him, he rather
made a Shift to live (to use his own Expression) than to study there;
and undertook the Tuition of an _English_ Gentleman's two Sons. And the
Plague returning there periodically for many Years, he was obliged every
Year to return into his own Country. At length it raging all the Year
long, he retir'd to _Louvain_.

After this he visited _England_, going along with a young Gentleman, to
whom he was Tutor, who, as he says himself, was rather his Friend than
his Patron. In _England_ he was received with universal Respect; and, as
he tells us himself in his Life, he won the Affections of all good Men
in our Island. During his Residence here, he was intimately acquainted
with _Sir Thomas More_, _William Warham_, Archbishop of _Canterbury_,
_John Colet_, Dean of St. _Pauls_, the Founder of St. _Paul's School_, a
Man remarkable for the Regularity of his Life, great Learning and
Magnificence; with _Hugh Latimer_ Bishop of _Winchester_, _Linacre_,
_Grocinus_, and many other honourable and learned Persons, and passed
some Years at _Cambridge_, and is said to have taught there; but whether
this was after his first or second Time of visiting _England_, I do not
determine: However, not meeting with the Preferment he expected, he went
away hence to make a Journey to _Italy_, in the Company of the Sons of