User:Tony A Charlton/sandbox

George Chapman was born 1559 in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, a son of Thomas (died 1589) by Joan daughter of George Nodes of Shephallbury, Hertfordshire by his wife Margaret Grimestone. His mother Joan died when Chapman was just a boy of 7 years old, a daughter of George, a royal huntsman had served King Henry VIII, as sergeant of the buckhounds. His father had been William Nodes of Barking, Essex. George Chapman had two brothers, Thomas and his younger brother John Chapman became a priest dying in 1624. George attended Hitchin Grammar School, notable for its plays but did not attend university. Instead, he was placed in the service of Sir Ralph Sadler (1507-87) one of the richest commoners of London who had been knighted on the field at the battle of Pinkie against the Scots in 1547. Ralph later when in his seventies, was placed as guardian for the captive Mary Queen of Scots on two occasions. When Ralph headed north in 1548, George's father Thomas Chapman was also in the following train. After Ralph died George had served in military service in the Low Countries. Much later Chapman dedicated one of his works to Sir Ralph's grandson. His cousin Edward Grimestone senior had been the last governor of Calais, while Edward junior was attached to the embassy in Paris. His cousin wrote histories of France and the Netherlands which must have helped with material for George's French plays. George must have returned to England prior to his first known poem describing Sir Francis Vere's exploits in an ambush of Spanish troops at Nymaghan in 1591. George's translation of the military epic 'The Iliad' was dedicated to Henry Prince of Wales whose hero had been Henry of Navarre. Chapman modeled this king in his 'Tragedy of Byron'. In search of patrons, he fell in with the circle of Walter Ralegh and met the mathmatical scholars Thomas Harriot and Roydon and possibly Christopher Marlowe. George Chapman died 12th May 1634 with his funeral monument was designed by Inigo Jones.