This paper was accompanied with notes explaining queer words and giving
short biographical sketches of Canynge, Rowley, and other imaginary
characters, such as John, second abbot of St. Austin's Minster, who was
the first English painter in oils and also the greatest poet of his age.
"Take a specimen of his poetry, 'On King Richard I.':

"'Harte of Lyone! Shake thie Sworde,
Bare this mortheynge steinede honde,' etc."

The whole was inclosed in a short note to Walpole, which ran thus:

"Sir, Being versed a little in antiquitys, I have met with several
curious manuscripts, among which the following may be of Service to you,
in any future Edition of your truly entertaining Anecdotes of
Painting.[9] In correcting the mistakes (if any) in the Notes, you will
greatly oblige
Your most humble Servant,
Thomas Chatterton."

Walpole replied civilly, thanking his correspondent for what he had sent
and for his offer of communicating his manuscripts, but disclaiming any
ability to correct Chatterton's notes. "I have not the happiness of
understanding the Saxon language, and, without your learned notes, should
not have been able to comprehend Rowley's text." He asks where Rowley's
poems are to be found, offers to print them, and pronounces the Abbot
John's verses "wonderful for their harmony and spirit." This
encouragement called out a second letter from Chatterton, with another
and longer extract from the "Historie of Peyncteynge yn Englande,"
including translations into the Rowley dialect of passages from a pair of