1578 in literature

Events

• December – Publication of John Lyly's didactic prose romance Euphues: the Anatomy of Wyt, originating the ornate English prose style known as Euphuism.
• unknown date – Alonso de Ercilla y Zúñiga is sent on a mission to Zaragoza by King Philip II of Spain.

  New books

Prose

• Diogo de Payva de Andrada – Defensio Tridentinæ fidei
• George Best – A True Discourse of the Late Voyages of Discoverie…under the Conduct of Martin Frobisher
• John Florio – First Fruits
• Jaroš Griemiller – Rosarium philosophorum
• Gabriel Harvey – Smithus, vel Musarum lachrymae
• John Lyly – Euphues: the Anatomy of Wit
• Margaret Tyler, The Mirrour of Princely Deedes and Knighthood

  Drama

• Jan Kochanowski – Odprawa posłów greckich
• George Whetstone – Promos and Cassandra

  Poetry

• See 1578 in poetry

  Births

• April 2 – Francesco Amico, Italian theologian
• June – Mary Fitton, possible inspiration for Shakespeare's The Dark Lady
• August 24 – John Taylor, English poet and waterman
• unknown dates
• *Giambattista Andreini, Italian dramatist and actor
• *Jacob Bidermann, German dramatist
• *George Hakewill, English author and cleric

  Deaths

• May 4 – Martin Eisengrein, German theologian and polemicist
• July 27 – Jane Lumley, English translator from Greek and Latin
• August 11 – Pedro Nunes, Portuguese polymath
• October 12 – Cornelius Gemma, Dutch physician, astronomer and astrologer
• unknown date – Gabriele Giolito de' Ferrari, Italian printer
• probable – Johann Stumpf, Swiss writer on history and topography