The Life of ROBERT of Gloceſter.

WE will begin firſt with Robert of Gloceſter, ſo called, becauſe a Monk of that City, who flouriſht about the Reign of King Henry the Second; much eſteemed by Mr. Cambden, who quotes divers of his old Engliſh Rhythms in praiſe of his Native Country, England. Some (who conſider not the Learning of thoſe times) term him a Rhymer, whilſt other more courteously call him a Poet: Indeed his Language is ſuch, that he is dumb in effect, to the Readers of our Age, without an Interpreter; which that ye may the better perceive, hear theſe his Verſes of Mulmutius Lunwallo, in the very ſame Language he wrote them.

A Kynge there was in Brutayne Donwallo was his Nam, Staleworth and hardy, a man of grete Fam: He ordeyned furſt yat theeues yat to Temple flowen wer, No men wer ſo harby to do hem deſpit ther; That hath he moche ſuch yhold, as hit begonne tho, Hely Chyrch it holdeth yut, and wole ever mo.

Antiquaries (amongſt whom Mr. Selden) more value him for his Hiſtory than Poetry, his Lines being neither ſtrong nor ſmooth, yet much informing in thoſe things wherein he wrote; whereof to give you a take of the firſt planting Religion in this Land by King Lucius, Lucie Cocles Son after him Kynge was, To fore hym in Engelonde Chreſtendom non was, For he hurde ofte miracles at Rome, And in meny another ſtede, yat thurgh Chriſtene men come, He wildnede anon in hys herte to fonge Chryſtendom. Therefor Meſſagers with good Letters he nom, That to the Pape Eleutherie haſtelyche wende; And yat he to hym and his menne expondem ſende, And yat he might ſeruy God wilned muche thereto, And ſeyd he wald noght be glader hyt wer ydo.

This Engliſh Rhymer or Poet, which you will have it to be, is ſaid to have lived whilſt he was a very old man, and to have died about the beginning of the Reign of King John.

RICHARD the Hermit.

COntemporary with Robert of Glocester, was one Richard, a Religious Hermit, whoſe Manuſcripts were a while ago (and for ought I know, are ſtill) kept in Exeter-Library, although Exeter-Houſe in the Strand, is converted now into an Exchange: This Religious Hermit ſtudied much in converting the Church-Service into Engliſh Verſe; of which we ſhall give you an Eſſay in part of the Te Deum, and part of the Magnificat,

Te Deum. We heryen ye God, we knowlethen ye Lord: All ye erye worſhips ye everlaſting fader: Alle Aungels in heuens, and alle ye pours in yis world, Cherubin and Seraphin cryen by voice to ye unſtyntyng. Magnificat. My Soul worſchips the Louerd, and my Goſt joyed in God my hele For he lokyd ye mekenes of hys hondemayden: So for iken of yat bliſſefulle ſchall ſey me all generacjouns; For he had don to me grete yingis yat mercy is, and his nam hely.

He likewiſe tranſlated all the Pſalms of David, as alſo the Collects, Epiſtles and Goſpels for the whole year, together with the Pater Noſter and Creed; though there was then another Pater Noſter and Creed uſed in the Church, ſent into England by Adrian the Fourth, Pope of Rome, an Engliſhman,, the Son of Robert Breakſpeare of Abbots Langley in Hertfordſhire, unto King Henry the Second; which (for variety ſake) we ſhall give you as followeth:

Pater Noſter. URe fader in hevene rithe, Thi nom be haliid everliche, Thou bring uſ to thi michilbliſce, Thi wil to wirche thu uſ wiſſe, Als hit is in hevene ido Ever in erth ben hit alſo, That heli bred yat laſtyth ay, Thou ſende hious yis like day, Forgio ous al yat we hauith don, Als we forgiu och oder mon, He ler ous falle in no founding, Ak ſcilde ous fro ye foul thing. Amen. The Creed. I Beleeve in God fader almighty, shipper of heuen and erth, And in Iheſus Criſt his onle thi ſon vre Louerd, That is iuange thurch the hooli Ghoſt, hore of Mary Maiden, Tholede pine undyr Pounce Pilate, pitcht on rode tre, dead and yburiid. Litcht into helle, the thridde day fro death aroſe, Steich into hevene, ſit on his fader richt hand God Almichty, Then is cominde to deme the quikke and the dede, I beleve in ye hooli Goſt, Alle hooli Chirche, Mone of alle hallouen forgivenis of ſine, Fleiſſ upriſing, Lif withuten end. Amen.

When this Richard the Hermit died, we cannot find, but conjecture it to be about the middle of the Reign of King John, about the year 1208.

JOSEPH of Exeter.

JOſeph of Exeter was born at the City of Exeter in Devonſhire, he was alſo ſirnamed Iſcanus, from the River Isk, now called Esk, which running by that City, gave it formerly the denomination of Iſca. This Joſeph (ſaith my Author) was a Golden Poet in a Leaden Age, ſo terſe and elegant were his Conceits and Expreſſions. In his younger years he accompanied King Richard the Firſt, in his Expedition into the Holy Land, by which means he had the better advantage to celebrate, as he did, the Arts of that warlike Prince, in a Poem, entituled Antiochea. He alſo wrote ſix Books De Bello Trojano, in Heroick Verſe, which, as the learned Cambden well obſerves, was no other then that Verſion of Dares Phyrgius into Latine Verſe. Yet ſo well was it excepted, that the Dutchmen not long ſince Printed it under the name of Cornelius Nepos, an Author who lived in the time of Tully, and wrote many excellent pieces in Poetry, but upon a ſtrict view of all his Works, not any ſuch doth appear amongſt them; they therefore do this Joſeph great wrong in depriving him the honour of his own Works. He was afterwards, for his deſerts, preferred to be Arch-biſhop of Burdeaux, in the time of King John, about the year 1210.

MICHAEL BLAƲNPAYN.

THis Michael Blaunpayn, otherwiſe ſirnamed the Corniſh Poet, or the Rymer, was born in Cornwall, and bred in Oxford and Paris, where he attained to good proficiency in Learning, being of great fame and oſtentation in his time, out of whoſe Rymes for marry England;; as Cambden calls them, he quotes ſeveral paſſages in that moſt excellent Book of his Remains. It hapned one Henry of Normandy, chief Poet to our Henry the Third, had traduced Cornwall, as an inconſiderable Country, caſt out by Nature in contempt into a corner of the land. Our Michael could not endure this Affront, but, full of Poetical fury, falls upon the Libeller; take a taſt (little thereof will go far) of his ſtrains.

Non opus est ut opus numere quibus est opulenta, Et per quas inopes ſuſtent at non ope lenta, Piſcibus & ſtanno nuſquam tam fertilis ora. We need not number up her wealthy ſtore, Wherewith this helpful Lands relieves her poor, No Sea ſo full of Fiſh, Tin, no ſhore.

Then, in a triumphant manner, he concludeth all with this Exhortation to his Countrymen: Quid nos deterret? ſi firmiter in pede ſtemus, Fraus ni nos ſuperat, nihil est quod non ſuperemus. What ſhould us fright, if firmly we do ſtand? Bar fraud, and then no force can us command.

Yet his Pen was not ſo luſhious in praiſing, but, when he liſted, it was as bitter in railing, witneſs this his Satyrical Character of his aforeſaid Antagoniſt.

Est tibi gamba Capri, crus paſſeris, & latus Apri, Os leporis, catuli naſus, dens & gena Muli, Frons vetulae, tauri caput, & color undique Mauri, His argumentis quibus est argutia Mentis, Quod non a Monſtro differs, ſatis hic tibi monſtro. Gamb'd like a Goat, Sparrow-thigh'd, ſides as a Boar, Hare-mouth'd, Dog-nos'd, like Mule thy teeth and chin, Brow'd as old wife, Bull headed, black as a More, If ſuch without, then what are you within? By theſe my ſigns the wiſe will eaſily conſter, How little thou does differ from a Monſter.

This Michael flouriſhed in the time of King John, and Henry the Third.

MATTHEW PARIS.

MAtthew Paris is acknowledged by all to be an Engliſhman, ſaving only one or two wrangling Writers, who deſerve to be arraigned of Felony for robbing our Country of its due; and no doubt Cambridge -ſhire was the County made happy by his birth, where the Name and Family of Paris is right ancient, even long before they were ſetled therein at Hilderſham, wherein they ſtill flouriſh, though much impaired for their Loyalty in the late times of Rebellion.

He was bred a Monk of St. Albans, living in that looſe Age a very ſtrict and ſevere life, never leſs idle than when he was alone; ſpending thoſe hours, reſerved from Devotion, in the ſweet delights of Poetry, and laborious ſtudy of Hiſtory, in both which he excelled all his Contemporaries: His skill alſo was excellent in Oratory and Divinity, as alſo in ſuch manual Arts as lie in the Suburbs of the liberal sciences, Painting, Graving, &c. ſo that we might ſooner reckon up thoſe things wherein he had no skill, as thoſe wherein he was skilled: But his Genius chiefly diſpoſed him for the writing of Hiſtories, writing a large Chronicle with great Commendations from the Norman Conqueſt to the Year of our Lord 1250. where he concludes with this Diſtich: Siſte tui metas ſtudij, Matthaee, quietas Nec ventura petas, quae poſtera proferat aetas. Matthew, here ceaſe thy Pen in peace, and ſtudy on no more, Nor do thou rome at things to come, what next Age hath in ſtore.

Yet, notwithſtanding this reſolution, he afterwards reſumed that Work, continuing it to the Year 1259. a Hiſtory impartially and judicially written, neither flattering any for their Greatneſs, nor ſparing others for their Vices, no not ſo much as thoſe of his own Profeſſion: yet though he had ſharp Nails, he had clean Hands, ſtrict in his own, as well as ſtriking at the looſe converſation of others, and for his eminent auſterity, was imployed by Pope Innocent the Fourth, not only to viſit the Monks in the Dioceſs of Norwich, but alſo was ſent by him into Norway, to reform the Diſcipline in Holui, a fair Covent therein, but much corrupted.

His Hiſtory was ſet forth with all integrity about a hundred years ago, by his nameſake, Matthew Parker, (though ſome aſperſe it with a ſuſpition of forgery) and afterwards in latter and more exact Edition, by the care and induſtry of Doctor William Wats, and is at this preſent in great eſteem amongſt learned men.

WILLIAM RAMSEY.

THis William Ramſey was born in Huntingtonſhire, a County famous for the richeſt Benedictines Abbey in England; yet here be would not ſtay, but went to Crowland, where he proſpered ſo well, that he became Abbot thereof. Bale ſaith he was a Natural Poet, and therefore no wonder if fault be found in the Feet of his Verſez; but by his leave, he was alſo a good Scholar, and Arithmetician enough to make his Verſe run in right Numbers.

This William wrote the Lives of St. Guthlake, St. Neots, St. Edmond the King, and divers others, all in Verſe, which no doubt were very acceptable and praiſe-worthy in thoſe times; but the greateſt wonder of him, and which may ſeem a wonder indeed, was that being a Poet, he paid the vaſt Debts of others, even forty thouſand Marks for the engagement of his Covent, and all within the compaſs of eighteen Months, wherein he was Abbot of Crowland. This was a vaſt Sum in that Age, and would render it altogether incredible for a Poet to do, but that we find he had therein the aſſiſtance of King Henry the Second; who, to expiate the Blood of Becket, was contented to be melted into Coyn, and was prodigiouſly bountiful to many Churches as well as to this. He died about the year 1180.

ALEXANDER NEQƲAM.

ALexander Nequam, the learnedeſt Engliſhman his Age, was born at St. Albans in Hartfordſhire: His Name in Engliſh ſignifies Bad, which cauſed many, who thought themſelves wondrous witty in making Jeſts, (which indeed made themſelves) to paſs ſeveral Jokes on his Sirname, whereof take this one inſtance: Nequam had a mind to become a Monk in St. Albans, the Town of his Nativity, and thus Laconically wrote for leave to the Abbot thereof; Si vis, veniam, ſin autem, tu antem.

To whom the Abbot returned, Si bonus ſis, venias, ſi nequam, nequaquam.

Whereupon for the future, to avoid the occaſion of ſuch Jokes, he altered his Name from Nequam, to Neckam.

His admirable knowledge in good Arts, made him famous throughout England, France, Italy, yea and the whole World, and that with incredible admiration, that he was called Miraculum ingenij, the Wonder and Miracle of Wit and Sapience. He was an exact Philoſopher, and excellent Divine, an accurate Rhetorician, and an admirable Poet, as did appear by many his Writings which he left to poſterity, ſome of which are mentioned by Bale.

That he was born at St. Albans, apears by a certain paſſage in one of his Latine Poems, cited by Mr. Cambden, and thus Engliſhed by his Tranſlatour, Doctor Holland.

This is the place that knowledge took of my Nativity, My happy Years, my Days alſo of Mirth and Jollity. This Place my Childhood trained up in all Arts liberal, And laid the ground-work of my Name, and skill Poetical. This Place great and renowned Clerks into the World hath ſent; For Martyr bleſs'd, for Nation, for Sight, all excellent. A troop here of Religious Men ſerve Chriſt both night and day, In Holy Warfare, taking pains duly to watch and pray.

He is thought by ſome, ſaith Bale, to have been a Canon Regular, and to have been preferred to the Abbotſhip of Gloceſter, as the Continuater of Robert of Gloceſter will have it.

And Maſter Aliſander that Chanon was er Imaked was of Glouceſtre Abbot thulk • yer. Viz. 7 Reg. Regis Johannis.

But this may be underſtood of Alexander Theologius, who was contempory with him: and was Abbot of St. Maries in Cirenceſter at the time of his death.

Biſhop Godwin, in his Catalogue of the Biſhops of Lincoln, maketh mention of a paſſage of wit betwixt him and Phillip Repington Biſhop of Lincoln, the latter ſending the Challenge.

Et niger & Nequam cum ſis congnomine Nequam, Nigrior eſſe potes, Nequior eſſe nequis. Both black and bad, whileſt Bad the name to thee, Blacker thou mayſt, but worſe thou canſt not be.

To whom Nequam rejoyned, Phi not a foetoris, Lippus malus omnibus horis, Phi malus, & Lippus, totus mains ergo Philippus. Stinks are branded with a Phi, Lippus Latin for blear-eye, Phi and Lippus bad as either, then Philppus worſe together.

A Monk of St. Albans made this Hexameter alluſively to his Name: Dictus erat Nequam, vitam duxit tamen aequam.

The Elogy he beſtoweth on that moſt Chriſtian Emperor Conſtantine the Great, muſt not be forgot: From Colcheſter there roſe a Star, The Rays whereof gave Glorious Light Throughout the world in Climates far, Great Conſtantine, Romes Emperor bright.

He was (ſaith one) Canon of Exeter, and (upon what occaſion is not known) came to be buried at Worceſter, with this Epitaph, Eclipſim patitur Sapientia, Sol ſepelitur, Cui ſi par unus, minus eſet flebile funus Vir bene diſcretus, & in omni more facetus, Dictus erat Nequam, vitam duxit tamen aquam. Wiſdom's eclips'd, Sky of the Sun bereft; Yet leſs the loſs if like alive were left; A man diſcreet, in matters debonair, Bad Name, black Face, but Carriage good and fair.

Yet others ſay he was buried at St. Albans where he found repulſe when living, but repoſe when dead) with this Epitaph, Alexander, cognomento Nequam, Abbas Cireceſtriae, Literarum ſcientia clarus, obitt Anno Dom. 1217. Lit. Dom. C. prid. Cal. Feb. & ſepultus erat apud Fanum S. Albani, cujus Animae propitietur altiſſimus, Amen.

ALEXANDER ESSEBIE.

THis Alexander was born in Staffordſhire, ſay ſome; in Somerſetſhire, ſay others; for which, each County might ſtrive as being a Jewel worth the owning, being reckoned among the chief of Engliſh Poets and Orators of that Age. He in imitation of Ovid de Faſtis, put our Chriſtian Feſtivals into Verſe, ſetting a Copy therein to Baptista Mantuan. Then leaving Ovid, he aſpired to Virgil, and wrote the Hiſtory of the Bible, (with the Lives of ſome Saints,) in an Heroical Poem, which he performed even to admiration; and though he fell ſhort in part of Virgtl's lofty ſtyle, yet went he beyond himſelf therein. He afterward became Prior of Eſſeby-Abbey, belonging to the Auguſtines, and flouriſhed under King Henry the Third, Anno Dom. 1220.

ROBERT BASTON.

RObert Baſton was born not far from Nottingham, and bred a Carmelite Frier at Scarborough in Yorkſhire: He was of ſuch great Fame in Poetry, that King Edward the Second, in his Scotiſh Expedition pitcht upon him to be the Celebrater of his Heroick Acts; when being taken Priſoner by the Scots, he was forced by Torments to change his Note, and repreſent all things to the advantage of Robert bruce, who then claimed the Crown of Scotland: This Task he undertook full ſore againſt his will, as he thus intimates in the two firſt Lines.

In dreery Verſe my Rymes I make, Bewailing whileſt ſuch Theme I take.

Beſides his Poem De Bello Strivilenſi, there was publiſhed of his writing a Book of Tragedies, with other Poems of various Subjects.

HENRY BRADSHAW.

HEnry Bradſhaw was born in the City of Cheſter, and bred a Benedictine Monk in the Monaſtery of St. Werburg; the Life of which Saint he wrote in Verſe, as alſo (ſaith my Author) a no bad Chronicle, though following therein thoſe Authors, who think it the greateſt Glory of a Nation to fetch their Original from times out of mind. Take a Taſte of his Poetry in what he wrote concerning the Original of the City of Cheſter, in theſe words; The Founder of this City, as ſaith Polychronicon, Was Leon Gawer, a mighty ſtrong Gyant, Which builded Caves and Dungeons many a one, No goodly Building, ne proper, ne pleaſant. But King Leir, a Britain fine and valiant, Was Founder of Cheſter by pleaſant Building, And was named Guer Leir by the King.

Theſe Lines, conſidering the Age he lived in, (which Arnoldus Vion ſaith, was about the Year 1346.) may paſs with ſome praiſe, but others ſay he flouriſhed a Century of years afterwards, viz. 1513. which if ſo, they are hardly to be excuſed, Poetry being in that time much refined; but whenſoever he lived, Bale ſaith, he was (the Diamond in the Ring) Pro ea ipſa aetate, admodum pius.

HAMILLAN.

SHould we forget the learned Hamillan, our Book would be thought to be imperfect, ſo terſe and fluent was His Verſe, of which we ſhall give you two Examples, the one out of Mr. John Speed his Deſcription of Devonſhire, ſpeaking of the arrival of Brute.

The God's did guide his Sail and Courſe, the Winds were at command, And Totneſs was the happy ſhore where firſt he came on land.

The other out of Mr. Weever his Funeral Monuments in the Pariſh of St. Aldermanbury in London, ſpeaking of Cornwal.

There Gyants whilome dwelt, whoſe Clothes were skins of Beaſts; Whoſe Drink was Blood; Whoſe Cups, to ſerve for uſe at Feaſts, Were made of hollow Wood; Whoſe Beds were buſhy Thorns; And Lodgings rocky Caves, to ſhelter them from Storms; Their Chambers craggy Rocks; their Hunting found them Meat. To vanquiſh and to kill, to them was pleaſure great. Their violence was rule; with rage and fury led, They ruſht into the fight, and fought hand over head. Their Bodies were interr'd behind ſome buſh or brake, To bear ſuch monſtrous Wights, the earth did grone and quake. Theſe peſtred moſt the Weſtern Tract; more fear made theſe agaſt, O Conwall, utmoſt door that art to let in Zephyrus blaſt.

JOHN GOWER.

JOhn Gower, whom ſome make to be a Knight, though Stow, in his Survey of London, unknighteth him, and ſaith he was only an Eſquire; however, he was born of a knightly Family, at Stitenham in the North-Riding in Bulmore-Wapentake in Yorkſhire. He was bred in London a Student of the Laws, but having a plentiful Eſtate, and prizing his pleaſure above his profit, he quitted Pleading to follow Poetry, being the firſt renner of our Engliſh Tongue, effecting mich, but endeavouring more therein, as you may perceive by the difference of his Language, with that of Robert of Gloceſter, who lived in the time of King Richard the Firſt, which notwithſtanding was accounted very good in thoſe days.

This our Gower was contemporary with the famous Poet Geoffry Chaucer, both excellently learned, both great friends together, and both alike endeavour'd themſelves and employed their time for the benefit of their Country. And what an account Chaucer had of this our Gower and of his Parts, that which he wrote in the end of his Work, entituled Troilus & Creſſida, do ſufficiently teſtifie, where he ſaith, O marvel, Gower, this Book I direct To thee, and to the Philoſophical Strode. To vouchſafe, there need is, to correct Of your benignitees and zeles good.

Bale makes him Equitem Auratum & Poetam Laureatum, proving both from his Ornaments on his Monumental Statue in St. Mary Overies Southwark. Yet he appeareth there neither laureated nor hederated Poet, (except the leaves of the Bays and Ivy be wither'd to nothing, ſince the erection of the Tomb) but only roſated, having a Chaplet of four Roſes about his Head, yet was he in great reſpect both with King Henry the Fourth, and King Richard the Second, at whoſe requeſt the wrote his Book called Confeſſio Amantis, as he relateth in his Prologue to the ſame Book, in theſe words, As it befell upon a tide, As thing, which ſhould tho betide, Vnder the town of New Troie, Which toke of Brute his firſt ioye, In Themeſe, when it was flowende, As I by Bote came rowende; So as fortune hir tyme ſette, My leige Lord perchance I mette, And ſo befelle as I cam nigh, Out of my Bote, when he me ſigh, He had me come into his Barge, And when I was with him at large, Amonges other things ſeyde, He hath this charge upon me leyde, And bbad me doe my buſineſſe, That to his high worthineſſe, Some newe thynge I ſhould boke, That he hymſelfe it might loke, After the forme of my writynge, And this upon his commandynge Myne herte is well the more glad To write ſo as he we bad. And eke my fear is well the laſſe, That none enuie ſhall compaſſe, Without a reaſonable wite To feige and blame that I write, A gentill hert his tongue ſtilleth, That it malice none diſtilleth, But preiſeth that is to be preiſed, But he that hath his word unpeiſed, And handleth with ronge any thynge, I praie unto the heuen kynge, Froe ſuch tonges he me ſhilde, And netheleſſe this worlde is wilde, Of ſuch ianglinge and what befall, My kings heſte ſhall not falle, That I in hope to deſerue His thonke, ne ſhall his will obſerve, And els were I nought excuſed.

He was before Chaucer, as born and flouriſhing before him, (yea, by ſome accounted his Maſter) yet was he after Chaucer, ſurviving him two years, living to be ſtark blind, and ſo more properly termed our Engliſh Homer. His death happened Anno 1402. and was buried at St. Mary Overies in S. S • uthwark, on the North ſide of the ſaid Church, in the Chappel of St. John, where he founded a Chauntry, and left Means for a Maſs, (ſuch was the Religion of thoſe times) to be daily ſung for him, as alſo an Obit within the ſame Church to be kept on Friday after the Feaſt of St. Gregory. He lieth under a Tomb of ſtone, with his Image alſo of ſtone over him, the hair of his head auburn, long to his ſhoulders, but curling up, and a ſmall forked beard; on his head a Chaplet, like a Coronet of four Roſes; an habit of purple, damasked down to his feet, a Collar of Eſſes of Gold about his neck, which being proper to places of Judicature, makes ſome think he was a Judge in his old age. Under his feet the likeneſs of three Books, which he compiled, the firſt named Speculum Meditantis, written in French: the ſecond, Vox Clamantis, penned in Latine: the third, Confeſſio Amantis, written in Engliſh, which was Printed by Thomas Berthelette, and by him dedicated to King Henry the Eighth, of which I have one by me at this preſent. His Vox Clamantis with his Cronica Tripartita, and other Works both in Latine and French, Stow ſaith he had in his poſſeſſion, but his Speculum Meditantis he never ſaw, but heard thereof to be in Kent.

Beſides, on the Wall where he lieth, there was painted three Virgins crowned, one of which was named Charity, holding this device, En toy qui es fitz de Dieu le Pere, Sauue ſoit, qui giſt ſours ceſt pierre. The ſecond Writing Mercy, with this Decree, O bone Jeſu fait ta mercy, Al' ame, dont le corps giſticy.

The third Writing Pity, with this device, Pour ta pite Jeſu regarde, Et met ceſt a me en ſauue garde.

And thereby formerly hung a Table, wherein was written, That whoſo prayed for the Soul of John Gower, ſo oft as he did it, ſhould have a M. and D. days of pardon.

His Arms were in a Field Argent, on a Cheveron Azure, three Leopards heads gold, their tongues Gules, two Angels ſupporters, on the Creſt a Talbot.

His Epitaph. Armigeri Scultum nihil a modo fert ſibi tutum, Reddidit immolutum morti generale tributum, Spiritus exutum ſe gaudeat eſſe ſolutum Est ubi virtutum Regnum ſine labe ſtatutum.

All I ſhall add is this, That about fifty years ago there lived at Caſtle-Heningham in Eſſex, a School-maſter named John Gower, who wrote a witty Poem, called the Caſtle Combate, which was received in that Age with great applauſe.

GEOFFERY CHAƲCER.

THree ſeveral Places contend for the Birth of that famous Poet. 1. Berkſhire, from the words of Leland, that he was born in Barocenſi sprovincia; and Mr. Cambden avoweth that Dunington-Caſtle nigh unto Newbery, was anciently his Inheritance. 2. Oxfordſhire, where J. Pits is poſitive that his Father was a Knight, and that he was born at Woodſtock. 3. The Author of his Life, ſet forth 1602. proveth him born in London, out of theſe his own words in the Teſtament of Love.

Alſo in the City of London, that is to me ſo dear and ſweet, in which I was forth grown, and more kindly loue haue I to that place, than any other in yerth, as euery kindely creature hath full appetite to that place of his kindly ingendure, and to wilne reſt and peace in that ſtede to abide, thilke peace ſhould thus there haue been broken, which of all wiſe▪ men is commened and deſired.

For his Parentage, although Bale writes, he termeth himſelf Galfridus Chaucer nobili loco natus, & ſummae ſpei juvenis; yet is the opinion of ſome Heralds (otherwiſe than his Virtues and Learning commemded him) he deſcended not of any great Houſe, which they gather by his Arms: And indeed both in reſpect of the Name, which is French, as alſo by other Conjectures, it may be gathered, that his Progenitors were Stranngers; but whether they were Merchants (for that in places where they have dwelled, the Arms of the Merchants of the Staple have been ſeen in the Glaſs-windows) or whether they were of other Callings, it is not much neceſſary to ſearch; but wealthy no doubt they were, and of good account in the Commonwealth, who brought up their Sons in ſuch ſort, that both he was thought fit for the Court at home, and to be employed for Matters of State in Foreign Countries.

His Education, as Leland writes, was in both the Univerſities of Oxford and Cambridge, as appeareth by his own words, in his Book Entituled The Court of Love: And in Oxford by all likelihood, in Canterbury or in Merton Colledge, improving his Time in the Univerſity, he became a witty Logician, a ſweet Rhetorician, a grave Philoſopher, a holy Divine, a skilful Mathematician, and a pleaſant Poet; of whom, for the Sweetneſs of his Poetry, may be ſaid that which is reported of Steſicho •• us; and as Cethegus was called Suadae Medulla, ſo may Chaucer be rightly called the Pith and Sinews of Eloquence, and the very Life it ſelf of all Mirth and pleaſant Writing. Beſides, one Gift he had above other Authors, and that is, by the Excellencies of his Deſcriptions to poſſeſs his Readers with a ſtronger imagination of ſeeing that done before their eyes which they read, than any other that ever writ in any Tongue. But above all, his Book of Canterbury-Tales, is moſt recommended to Poſterity, which he maketh to be ſpoken by certain Pilgrims who lay at the Tabard-Inn in Southwark, as he declareth in the beginning of his ſaid Book.

It befell in that ſeaſon, on a day, In Southwark, at the Tabert as I lay, Ready to wend on my pilgrimage To Canterbury, with full devout courage; That night was comen into the Hoſterie, Well nine and twenty in a companie, Of ſundry folke, by aduenture yfall In fellowſhip, and Pilgrims were they all, That toward Canterbury woulden ride; The Stables and Chambers weren wide, And well wee were eaſed at the beſt, &c.

By his Travel alſo in France and Flanders, where he ſpent much time in his young years, but more in the latter end of the Reign of King Richard the Second; he attained to a great perfection in all kind of Learning, as Bale and Leland report of him: Circa poſtremos Richardi Secundi annos, Galliis floruit, magnamque illic ex aſſidua in Literis exercitatione gloriam ſibi comparavit. Domum reverſus Forum Londinenſe, & Collegia Leguleiorum, qui ibidem Patria Jura interpretantur frequentavit, &c. About the latter end of King Richard the Second's Days, he flouriſhed in France, and got himſelf into high eſteem there by his diligent exerciſe in Learning: After his return home, he frequented the Court at London, and the Colledges of the Lawyers, which there interpreted the Laws of the Land. Amongſt whom was John Gower, his great familiar Friend, whoſe Life we wrote before. This Gower, in his Book entituled Confeſſio Amantis, termeth Chaucer a worthy Poet, and maketh him as it were the Judge of his Works.

This our Chaucer had always an earneſt deſire to enrich and beautifie our Engliſh Tongue, which in thoſe days was very rude and barren; and this he did, following the example of Dantes and Petrarch, who had done the ſame for the Italian Tongue▪ Alanus for the French, and Johannes Mea for the Spaniſh: Neither was Chaucer inferior to any of them in the performance hereof; and England in this reſpect is much beholding to him; as Leland well noteth: Anglia Chaucerum veneratur nostra Poetam; Cui veneris debet Patria Lingua ſuas. Our England honoureth Chaucer Poet, as principal; To whom her Country-Tongue doth owe her Beauties all.

He departed out of this world the 25th. day of October, 1400, after he had lived about ſeventy two years. Thus writeth Bale out of Leland, Chaucerus ad Canos devenit, ſenſitque Senectutem morbum eſſe; & dum Cauſas ſuas Londini curaret, &c. Chaucer lived till he was an old man, and found old Age to be grievous; and whilſt he followed his Cauſes at London, he died, and was buried at Weſtminſter.

The old Verſes which were written on his Grave at the firſt, were theſe; Galfridus Chaucer, Vates & Fama Poeſis, Maternae haec ſacra ſum tumulatus humo.

Thomas Occleue, or Okelefe, of the Office of the Privy Seal, ſometime Chaucer's Scholar, for the love he bore to the ſaid Geoffrey his Maſter, cauſed his Picture to be truly drawn in his Book, De Regimine Principis, dedicated to Henry the Fifth; according to which, that his Picture drawn upon his Monument was made, as alſo the Monument it ſelf, at the Coſt and Charges of Nicolas Brigham Gentleman, Anno 1555. who buried his Daughter Rachel, a Child of four years of Age, near to the Tomb of this old Poet, the 21th. of June 1557. Such was his Love to the Muſes; and on his Tomb theſe Verſes were inſcribed:

Qui fuit Anglorum Vates ter maximus olim, Galfridus Chaucer, conditur hoc Tumulo, Annum ſi quaer as Domini, ſi tempor a Mortis, Ecce notae ſubſunt, quae tibi cuncta notant; 25 Octobris 1400.

Aerumnarum requies Mors. N. Brigham hos fecit Muſarum nomine ſumptus.

About the Ledge of the Tomb theſe Verſes were written; Si rogitas quis eram, forſante Fama docebit, Quod ſi Fama negat, Mundi quia Gloria tranſit, Haec Monumenta lege.

The foreſaid Thomas Occleve, under the Picture of Chaucer, had theſe Verſes: Although his Life be queint, the reſemblance Of him that hath in me ſo freſh livelineſs, That to put other men in remembrance Of his Perſon I have here the likeneſs Do make, to the end in Soothfaſtneſs, That they that of him have loſt thought and mind, By this peniture may again him find.

In his foreſaid Book, De Regimine Principis, he thus writes of him: But welaway is mine heart wo, That the honour of Engliſh Tongue is dead; Of which I wont was counſaile haue and reed: O Maſter dere, and Fadre reuerent: My Maſter Chaucer Floure of Eloquence, Mirror of fructuous entendement: O vniuerſal fadre of Science: Alas that thou thine excellent Prudence In thy Bed mortal mighteſt not bequeath. What eyl'd Death, alas why would ſhe the ſle? O Death, thou didſt not harm ſingler in ſlaughter of him, But all the Land it ſmerteth; But natheleſs yet haſt thou no power his name ſlee, But his vertue aſterteth Unſlain fro thee; which ay us lifely herteth, With Books of his ornat enditing, That is to all this Land enlumining.

In another place of his ſaid Book, he writes thus; Alas my worthy Maiſter honourable, This Land's very Treaſure and Richeſs! Death by thy Death hath harm irreparable Unto us done: her vengeable dureſs Diſpoiled hath this Land of the ſweetneſs Of Rhetorige; for unto Tullius Was never man ſo like among us: Alſo who was here in Philoſophy To Aristotle, in our Tongue, but thee? The Steps of Virgil in Poeſie, Thou ſuedſt eken men know well enough, What combre world that thee my Maſter ſlough Would I ſlaine were.

John Lidgate likewiſe in his Prologue of Bocchas, of the Fall of Princes, by him tranſlated, ſaith thus in his Commendation: My Maſter Chaucer, with his freſh Comedies, Is dead alas, chief Poet of Brittaine, That whilom made full pitous Tradgedies, The faule of Princes he did complaine, As he that was of making Soveraine; Whom all this Land ſhould of right preferre Sith of our Language he was the load-ſterre.

Alſo in his Book which he writeth of the Birth of the Virgin Mary, he hath theſe Verſes.

And eke my Maſter Chaucer now is in grave, The noble Rhetore, Poet of Britaine, That worthy was the Laurel to have Of Poetry, and the Palm attaine, That made firſt to diſtill and raine The Gold dew drops of Speech and Eloquence, Into our Tongue through his Eloquence.

That excellent and learned Scottiſh Poet Gawyne Dowglas, Biſhop of Dunkold, in the Preface of Virgil's Eneados, turned into Scottiſh Verſe, doth thus ſpeak of Chaucer; Venerable Chaucer, principal Poet without pere, Heavenly Trumpet, orloge, and regulere, In Eloquence, Baulme, Conduct, and Dyal, Milkie Fountaine, Cleare Strand, and Roſe Ryal, Of freſh endite through Albion Iſland brayed In his Legend of Noble Ladies ſayed.

And as for men of latter time, Mr. Aſcham and Mr. Spenſer have delivered moſt worthy Teſtimonies of their approving of him. Mr. Aſcham, in one place calleth him Engliſh Homer, and makes no doubt to ſay, that he valueth his Authority of as high eſtimation as he did either Sophocles or Euripides in Greek. And in another place, where he declareth his Opinion of Engliſh Verſifying, he uſeth theſe Words; Chaucer and Petrark thoſe two worthy Wits, deſerve juſt praiſe. And laſt of all, in his Diſcourſe of Germany, he putteth him nothing behind either Thucydides or Homer, for his lively Deſcriptions of Site of Places, and Nature of Perſons, both in outward Shape of Body, and inward Diſpoſition of Mind; adding this withal, That not the proudeſt that hath written in any Tongue whatſoever, for his time hath outſtript him.

Mr. Spenſer in his firſt Eglogue of his Shepherds Kalendar, calleth him Tityrus, the God of Shepherds, comparing him to the worthineſs of the Roman Tityrus, Virgil. In his Fairy Queen, in his Diſcourſe of Friendſhip, as thinking himſelf moſt worthy to be Chaucer's friend, for his like natural diſpoſition that Chaucer had; he writes, That none that lived with him, nor none that came after him, durſt preſume to revive Chaucer's loſt labours in that imperfect Tale of the Squire, but only himſelf: which he had not done, had he not felt (as he ſaith) the infuſion of Chaucer's own ſweet Spirit ſurviving within him. And a little before, he calls him the moſt Renowned and Heroical Poet, and his Writings the Works of Heavenly Wit; concluding his commendation in this manner: Dan Chaucer well of Engliſh undefiled, On Fames eternal Bead-roll worthy to be filed; I follow here the footing of thy feet, That with thy meaning ſo I may the rather meet.

Mr. Cambden, reaching one hand to Mr. Aſcham, and the other to Mr. Spenſer, and ſo drawing them together, uttereth of him theſe words, De Homero noſtro Anglico illud vere aſſeram, quod de Homero eruditus ille Italus dixit.

—Hic ille est, cujus de gurgite ſacro, Combibit arcanos vatum omnis turba furores.

The deſervingly honoured Sir Philip Sidney, in his Defence Poeſie, thus writeth of him, Chaucer undoubtedly did excellently in his Troylus and Creſcid, of whom truly I know not whether to marvel more, either that he in that miſty time could ſee ſo clearly, or we in this clear age walk ſo ſtumblingly after him. And Doctor Heylin, in his elaborate Deſcription of the World, ranketh him in the firſt place of our chiefeſt Poets. Seeing therefore that both old and new Writers have carried this reverend conceit of him, and openly declared the ſame by writing, let us conclude with Horace in the eighth Ode of his fourth Book; Dignum Laudi cauſa vetat mori.

The Works of this famous Poet, were partly publiſhed in Print by William Caxton, Mercer, that firſt brought the incomparable Art of Printing into England, which was in the Reign of King Henry the Sixth. Afterward encreaſed by William Thinne, Eſq in the time of King Henry the Eighth. Afterwards, in the year 1561. in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, Corrected and Encreaſed by John Stow; And a fourth time, with many Amendments, and an Explanation of the old and obſcure Words, by Mr. Thomas Speight, in Anno 1597. Yet is he ſaid to have written many conſiderable Poems, which are not in his publiſh'd Works, beſides the Squires Tale, which is ſaid to be compleat in Arundel-houſe Library.

JOHN LYDGATE.

JOhn Lydgate was born in a Village of the ſame name, not far off St. Edmondſbury, a Village (ſaith Cambden) though ſmall, yet in this reſpect not to be paſſed over in ſilence, becauſe it brought into the World John Lydgate the Monk, whoſe Wit may ſeem to have been framed and faſhioned by the very Muſes themſelves: ſo brightly reſhine in his Engliſh Verſes, all the pleaſant graces and elegancy of Speech, according to that Age. After ſome time ſpent in our Engliſh Univerſities, he travelled through France and Italy, improving his time to his great accompliſhment, in learning the Languages and Arts; Erat autem non ſolum elegans Poeta, & Rhetor diſertus, verum etiam Mathematicus expertus, Philoſophus acutus, & Theologus non contemnendus: he was not only an elegant Poet, and an eloquent Rhetorician, but alſo an expert Mathematician, an acute Philoſopher, and no mean Divine, ſaith Pitſeus. After his return, he became Tutor to many Noblemens Sons, and both in Proſe and Poetry was the beſt Author of his Age, for if Chaucer's Coin were of greater Weight for deeper Learning, Lydgate's was of a more refined Stantard for purer Language; ſo that one might miſtake him for a modern Writer. But becauſe none can ſo well deſcribe him as himſelf, take an Eſſay of his Verſes, out of his Life and Death of Hector, pag. 316 and 317.

I am a Monk by my profeſſion, In Berry, call'd John Lydgate by my name, And wear a habit of perfection; (Although my life agree not with the ſame) That meddle ſhould with things ſpiritual, As I muſt needs confeſs unto you all. But ſeeing that I did herein proceed At his command,Hen. 5. whom I could not refuſe, I humbly do beſeech all thoſe that read, Or leiſure have, this ſtory to peruſe, If any fault therein they find to be, Or error, that committed is by me; That they will of their gentleneſs take pain, The rather to correct and mend the ſame, Than raſhly to condemn it with diſdain, For well I wot it is not without blame, Becauſe I know the Verſe therein is wrong, As being ſome too ſhort and ſome too long. For Chaucer, that my Maſter was, and knew What did belong to writing Verſe and Proſe, Ne're ſtumbled at ſmall faults, nor yet did view With ſcornful eye the Works and Books of thoſe That in his time did write, nor yet would taunt At any man, to fear him or to daunt.

Now if you would know further of him, hear him in his Prologue to the Story of Thebes, a Tale (as his Fiction is) which (or ſome other) he was conſtrained to tell, at the command of mine Hoſt of the Tabard in Southwark, whom he found in Canterbury, with the reſt of the Pilgrims which went to viſit Saint Thomas ſhrine.

This Story was firſt written in Latine by Geoffry Chaucer, and tranſlated by Lydgate into Engliſh Verſe; but of the Prologue of his own making, ſo much as concerns himmſelf, thus: —While that the Pilgrims lay At Canterbury, well lodged one and all, I not in ſooth what I may it call, Hap or fortune, in concluſioun, That me befell to enter into the Toun, The holy Sainte plainly to viſite, After my ſickneſſe, vows to acquite. In a Cope of blacke, and not of greene, On a Palfrey ſlender, long, and lene, With ruſty Bridle, made not for the ſale, My man to forne with a voyd Male, That by Fortune tooke my Inne anone Where the Pilgrimes were lodged everichone. The ſame time her governour the hoſt Stonding in Hall, full of wind and boſt, Liche to a man wonder ſterne and fers, Which ſpake to me, and ſaid anon Dan Pers, Dan Dominick, Dan Godfray, or Clement, Ye be welcome newly into Kent: Thogh your bridle have nother boos ne bell; Beſeeching you, that ye will tell Firſt of your name, and what cuntre Without more ſhortly that ye be, That looke ſo pale, all devoid of bloud, Upon your head a wonder thred-bare Hood, Well arrayed for to ride late: I anſwered my Name was Lydgate, Monke of Bury, me fifty yeare of age, Come to this Town to do my Pilgrimage As I have hight, I have thereof no ſhame: Dan John (quoth he) well brouke ye your name, Thogh ye be ſole, beeth right glad and light, Praying you to ſoupe with us this night; And ye ſhall have made at your devis, A great Puddding, or a round hagis, A Franche▪ Moile, a Tanſe, or a Froiſe, To been a Monk ſlender is your coiſe,Countenance. Ye have been ſick I dare mine head aſſure, Or let feed in a faint paſture. Lift up your head, be glad, take no ſorrow, And ye ſhould ride home with us to morrow, I ſay, when ye reſted have your fill. After ſupper, ſleep will doen none ill, Wrap well your head, clothes round about, Strong nottie Ale will make a man to rout; Take a Pillow, that ye lye not low; If nede be, ſpare not to blow; To hold wind, by mine opinion, Will engender colles paſſion, And make men to greven on her rops,Guts. When they have filled her maws and her crops; But toward night, eate ſome Fennell rede, Annis, Commin, or Coriander-ſeed, And like as I have power and might, I charge you riſe not at midnight, Though it be ſo the Moon ſhine clere, I will my ſelf be your Orlogere,Clock. To morrow early, when I ſee my time, For we will forth parcel afore prime, Accompanie parde ſhall do you good.Verily.

But I have digreſſed too far: To return therefore unto Lydgate. Scripſit partim Anglice, partim Latine; partim Proſa, partim Verſu Libros numero plures, eruditione politiſſimos. He writ (ſaith my Author) partly Engliſh, partly Latine; partly in Proſe, and partly in Verſe, many exquiſite learned Books, ſaith Pitſeus, which are mentioned by him and Bale, as alſo in the latter end of Chaucer's Works; he laſt Edition, amongſt which are Eglogues, Odes, Satyrs, and other Poems. He flouriſhed in the Reign of Henry the Sixth, and departed this world (aged about 60 years) circiter An. 1440. and was buried in his own Convent at Bury, with this Epitaph, Mortuus ſaeclo, ſuperis Superstes, Hic jacet Lydgate tumulaetus Vrna: Qui fuit quondam celebris Britannae Fama Poeſis. Dead in this World, living above the Sky, Intomb'd within this Urn doth Lydgate lie; In former time fam'd for his Poetry, All over England.

JOHN HARDING.

JOhn Harding, our Famous Engliſh▪ Chronologer, was born (ſaith Bale) in the Northern parts, and moſt likely in Yorkshire, being an Eſquire of an eminent Parentage. He was a man equally addicted to Arms and Arts, ſpending his Youth in the one, and his Age in the other: His firſt Military Employment was under Robert Vmfreuil, Governor of Roxborough-Caſtle, where he did good Service againſt the Scots. Afterwards he followed the Standard of King Edward the Fourth, to whom he valiantly and faithfully adhered, not only in the Sun-ſhine of his Proſperity, but alſo in his deepeſt Diſtreſs.

But what endeared him the moſt to his Favour, and was indeed the Maſterpiece of his Service, was his adventuring into Scotland; a deſperate Attempt, and performed not without the manifeſt hazarding of his Life; where he ſo cunningly demeaned himſelf, and inſinuated himſelf ſo far into their Favour, as he got a ſight of their Records and Original Letters; a Copy of which he brought with him to England, and preſented the ſame to King Edward the Fourth: Out of theſe he collected a Hiſtory of the ſeveral Submiſſions, and ſacred Oaths of Fealty openly taken from the time of King Athelstane, by the Kings of Scotland, to the Kings of England, for the Crown of Scotland; a Work which was afterwards made much uſe of by the Engliſh; although the Scotch Hiſtorians ſtickle with might and main, that ſuch Homage was performed only for the County of Cumberland, and ſome parcel of Land their Kings had in England South of Tweed.

Now as his Proſe was very uſeful, ſo was his Poetry as much delightful; writing a Chronicle of our Engliſh Kings from Brute to King Edward the Fourth, and that in Engliſh Verſe; for which he was accounted one of the chiefeſt Poets of his time; being ſo exactly done, that by it Dr. Fuller adjudges him to have drunk as deep a draught of Helicon, as any in his Age: And another ſaying, that by the ſame he deſervedly claimed a Seat amongſt the chiefeſt of the Poetical Writers.

But to give you the better view of his Poetical Abilities, I ſhall preſent you with ſome of his Chronicle-Verſe, concerning the ſumptuous Houſhold kept by King Richard the Second, cap. 193.

Truly I herd Robert Ireleffe ſay, Clarke of the Green-cloth, and that to the Houſhold Came euery daye, forth moſt part alway Ten thouſand folke, by his Meſſes told, That followed the hous aye as thei wold. And in the Kechin, three hundred Seruitours, And in eche Office many Occupiours. And Ladies faire, with their Gentleweomen, Chamberers alſo and Lauenders, Three hundred of theim were occupied then; There was great pride emong the Officers, And of all men far paſſing their compeers, Of rich arraye, and much more coſtous, Then was before, or ſith, and more precious, &c.

This our Poet Harding was living Anno 1461. being then very aged; and is judged to have ſurvived not long after.

ROBERT FABIAN.

RObert Fabian was born and bred in London, as witneſſeth Bale and Pits; becoming one of the Rulers thereof, being choſen Sheriff, Anno 1493. He ſpent his time which he had ſpare from publick Employments, for the benefit of poſterity; writing two large Chronicles: the one from Brute to the Death of King Henry the Second; the other, from the Firſt of King Richard, to the Death of Henry the Seventh. He was (ſaith my Author) of a merry diſpoſition, and uſed to entertain his Gueſts as well with good Diſcourſe as good Victuals: He bent his Mind much to the Study of Poetry; which according to thoſe times, paſſed for currant. Take a touch of his Abilities in the Prologue to the ſecond Volume of his Chronicle of England and France.

Now would I fayne, In words playne, Some Honour ſayne, And bring to mynde; Of that auncient Cytye, That ſo goodly is to ſe, And full true ever hath be, And alſo full kynde, To Prince and Kynge That hath borne juſt rulynge, Syn the firſt winnynge Of this Iland by Brute. So that in great honour By paſſynge of many a ſhowre, It hath euer borne the flowre; And laudable Brute, &c.

Theſe Verſes were made for the Honour of London; which he calleth Ryme Dogerel, and at the latter end thereof, excuſeth himſelf to the Reader in theſe words: Who ſo him lyketh theſe Verſys to rede, With favour I pray he will theym ſpell; Let not the rudenes of theym hym lede For to diſpraue thys Ryme Dogerell: Some part of the honour it doth you tell Of this old Cytye Troynouant; But not thereof the halfe dell; Connyng in the Maker is ſo adaunt: But though he had the Eloquence Of Tully, and the Moralytye Of Seneck, and the Influence Of the ſwyte ſugred Armony, Or that faire Ladye Caliope, Yet had he not connyng perfyght, This Citye to prayſe in eche degre As that ſhulde duely aske by ryght.

Sir John Suckling, a prime Wit of his Age, in the Conteſt betwixt the Poets for the Lawrel, maketh Apollo to adjudge it to an Alderman of London; in theſe words; He openly declar'd it was the beſt ſign Of good ſtore of Wit, to have good ſtore of Coyne, And without a ſyllable more or leſs ſaid, He put the Lawrel on the Alderman's Head.

But had the Scene of this Competition been laid a hundred and fifty years ago, and the ſame remitted to the Umpirage of Apollo, in ſober ſadneſs he would have given the Lawrel to this our Alderman.

He died at London, Anno 1511. and was buried at St. Michael's Church in Cornhil, with this Epitaph; Like as the Day his Courſe doth conſume, And the new Morrow ſpringeth again as faſt; So Man and Woman by Natures cuſtom This Life do paſs; at laſt in Earth are cast, In Joy and Sorrow, which here their Time do wast, Never in one ſtate, but in courſe tranſitory, So full of change is of the World the Glory.

Dr. Fuller obſerveth, That none hath worſe Poetry than Poets on their Monuments; certainly there is no Rule without Exceptions; he himſelf inſtancing to the contrary in his England's Worthies, by Mr. Drayton's Epitaph, and ſeveral others.

JOHN SKELTON.

JOhn Skelton, the Poet Laureat in his Age, tho' now accounted only a Rhymer, is ſuppoſed to have been born in Norfolke, there being an ancient Family of that Name therein; and to make it the more probable, he himſelf was Beneficed therein at Dis in that County. That he was Learned, we need go no further than to Eraſmus for a Teſtimony; who, in his Letter to King Henry the Eighth, ſtileth him, Britanicarum Literarum Lumen & Decus. Indeed he had Scholarſhip enough, and Wit too much: Ejus Sermo (ſaith Pitz.) ſalſus in mordacem, riſus in opprobrium, jocus in amaritudinem. Whoſo reads him, will find he hath a miſerable, looſe, rambling Style, and galloping meaſure of Verſe: yet were good Poets ſo ſcarce in his Age, that he had the good fortune to be choſen Poet Laureat, as he ſtiles himſelf in his Works, The King's Orator, and Poet Laureat.

His chief Works, as many as can be collected, and that out of an old Printed Book, are theſe; Philip Sparrow, Speak Parrot, The Death of King Edward the Fourth, A Treatiſe of the Scots, Ware the Hawk, The Tunning of Elianer Rumpkin: In many of which, following the humor of the ancienteſt of our Modern Poets, he takes a Poetical Liberty of being Satyrical upon the Clergy, as brought him under the Laſh of Cardinal Woolſey, who ſo perſecuted him, that he was forced to take Sanctuary at Weſtminſter, where Abbot Iſlip uſed him with much reſpect. In this Reſtraint he died, June 21, 1529. and was buried in St. Margaret's Chappel, with this Epitaph; J. Sceltanus Vates Pierius hic ſitus est.

We muſt not forget, how being charg'd by ſome on his Death-bed for begetting many Children on a Concubine which he kept, he proteſted, that in his Conſcience he kept her in the notion of a Wife, though ſuch his cowardlineſs, that he would rather confeſs Adultery, than own Marriage, the moſt puniſhable at that time.

WILLIAM LILLIE.

TO this John Scelton, we ſhall next preſent you with the Life of his Contemporary and great Antagoniſt William Lillie, born at Odiham, a great Market-Town in Hantſhire; who to bet •… his knowledge, in his youth travelled to the City of Jeruſalem, where having ſatisfied his curioſity in beholding thoſe ſacred places whereon our Saviour trode when he was upon the Earth; he returned homewards, making ſome ſtay at Rhodes, to ſtudy Greek. Hence he went to Rome, where he heard John Sulpitius and Pomponius Sabinus, great Maſters of Latine in thoſe days. At his return home, Doctor John Collet had new builded a fair School at the Eaſt-end of St. Paul's, for 153 poor mens Children, to be taught free in the ſame School; for which he appointed a Maſter, an Uſher, and a Chaplain, with large Stipends for ever; committing the overſight thereof to the Maſters, Wardens and Aſſiſtants of the Mereers in London, becauſe he was Son to Henry Collet Mercer, ſometime Major; leaving for the Maintenance thereof, Lands to the yearly value of 120 l. or better; making this William Lilly firſt Maſter thereof; which Place he commendably diſcharg'd for 15 years. During which time he made his Latine Grammar, the Oracle of Free Schools of England, and other Grammatical Works. He is ſaid alſo by Bale, to have written Epigrams, and other Poetry of various Subjects in various Latine Verſe, though ſcarce any of them (unleſs it be his Grammar) now extant, only Mr. Stow makes mention of an Epitaph made by him, and graven on a fair Tomb, in the midſt of the Chancel of St. Paul's in London, containing theſe Words; Inclyta Joannes Londini Gloria gentis, Is tibi qui quondam Paule Decanus erat, Qui toties magno reſonabat pectore Chriſtum, Doctor & Interpres fidus Evangelij: Qui mores hominum multum ſermone diſertae Formarat, vitae ſed probitate magis: Quique Scholam ſtruxit celebrem cognomine Jeſu, Hac dormit tectus membra Coletus humo.

Floruit ſub Henrico 7. & Henrico 8. Reg. Obiit An. Dom. 1519.

Diſce mori Mundo, vivere diſce Deo.

John Skelton (whom we mentioned before) whoſe Writings were for the moſt part Satyrical, mixing ſtore of Gall and Copperas in his Ink, having fell foul upon Mr. Lilly in ſome of his Verſes, Lilly return'd him this biting Anſwer; Quid me Sceltone fronte ſic aperta Carpis, vipereo potens veneno? Quid Verſus trutina meos iniqua Libras? Dicere vera num licebit? Doctrinae, tibi dum parare famam, Et doctus fieri ſtudes Poeta, Doctrinam ne habes, nec es Poeta. With Face ſo bold, and Teeth ſo ſharp, Of Viper's venom, why doſt carp? Why are my Verſes by thee weigh'd In a falſe Scale? May Truth be ſaid; Whilſt thou to get the more eſteem, A Learned Poet fain wouldſt ſeem, Skelton, thou art, let all men know it, Neither Learned, nor a Poet.

He died of the Plague, Anno 1522. and was buried in St. Paul's, with this Epitaph on a Braſs Plate, fixed in the Wall by the great North-Door: Gulielmo Lilio, Pauliae Scholae olim Praeceptori primaerio, & Agnetae Conjugi, in ſacratiſſimo hujus Templi Coemiterio hinc a tergo nunc deſtructo conſepultis: Georgius Lilius, hujus Eccleſiae Canonicus, Parentum Memoriae pie conſulens, Tabellam hanc ab amicis conſervatam, hic reponendam curavit.

Sir THOMAS MORE.

SIR Thomas More, a great Credit and Ornament in his Time, of the Engliſh Nation, and with whom the Learned'ſt Foreigners of that Age, were proud to have correſpondence, for his wit and excellent parts, was born in Milk-ſtreet, London, Anno Dom. 1480. Son to Sir John More, Knight, and one of the Juſtices of the Kings Bench.

He was bred firſt in the Family of Archbiſhop Morton, then in Canterbury-Colledge in Oxford; afterwards removed to an Inn of Chancery in London, called New-Inn, and from thence to Lincolns-Inn; where he became a double Reader. Next, his Worth preferred him to be Judge in the Sheriff of London's Court, though at the ſame time a Pleader in others; and ſo upright was he therein, that he never undertook any Cauſe but what appeared juſt to his Conſcience, nor never took Fee of Widow, Orphan, or poor Perſon.

King Henry the Eighth coming to the Crown, firſt Knighted him, then made him Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaſter, and not long after L. Chancellor of England; in which place he demeaned himſelf with great integrity, and with no leſs expedition; ſo that it is ſaid, at one time he had cleared all Suits depending on that Court: whereupon, one thus verſified on him, When More ſome years had Chancellor been, No more Suits did remain; The ſame ſhall never more be ſeen, Till More be there again.

He was of ſuch excellency of Wit and Wiſdom, that he was able to make his Fortune good in whatſoever he undertook: and to this purpoſe it is reported of him, that when he was ſent Ambaſſador by his Maſter Henry the Eighth into Germany, before he deliver'd his Embaſſage to the Emperor, he bid one of his Servants to fill him a Beer-glaſs of Wine, which he drunk off twice; commanding his Servant to bring him a third; he knowing Sir Thomas More's Temperance, that he was not uſed to drink, at firſt refuſed to fill him another; telling Sir Thomas of the weight of his Employment: but he commanding it, and his Servant not daring to deny him, he drank off the third, and then made his immediate addreſs to the Emperor, and ſpake his Oration in Latine, to the admiration of all the Auditors. Afterwards Sir Thomas merrily asking his Man what he thought of his Speech? he ſaid, that he deſerved to govern three parts of the World, and he believed if he had drunk the other Glaſs, the Elegancy of his Language might have purchaſed the other part of the World.

Being once at Bruges in Flanders, an arrogant Fellow had ſet up a Theſis, that he would anſwer any Queſtion could be propounded unto him in what Art ſoever. Of whom, when Sir Thomas More heard, he laughed, and made this Queſtion to be put up for him to anſwer; Whether Averia caepta in Withernamia ſunt irreplegibilia? Adding,, That there was an Engliſhman that would diſpute thereof with him. This bragging Thraſo, not ſo much as underſtanding the Terms of our Common Law, knew not what to anſwer to it, and ſo became ridiculous to the whole City for his preſumptuous bragging.

Many were the Books which he wrote; amongſt whom his Vtopi beareth the Bell; which though not written in Verſe, yet in regard of the great Fancy and Invention thereof, may well paſs for a Poem, it being the Idea of a compleat Commonwealth in an Imaginary Iſland (but pretended to be lately diſcovered in America) and that ſo lively counterfeited, that many at the reading thereof, miſtook it for a real Truth: inſomuch that many great Learned men, as Budeus, and Johannes Paludanus, upon a fervent zeal, wiſhed that ſome excellent Divines might be ſent thither to preach Chriſt's Goſpel: yea, there were here amongſt us at home, ſundry good Men, and learned Divines, very deſirous to undertake the Voyage, to bring the People to the Faith of Chriſt, whoſe Manners they did ſo well like.

Mr. Owen, the Brittiſh Epigrammatiſt, on this Book of Vtopia, writeth thus; More's Vtopia and Mercurius Britanicus. More ſhew'd the beſt, the worſt World's ſhew'd by the: Thou ſhew'ſt what is, and he ſhews what ſhould be.

But at laſt he fell into the King's diſpleaſure, touching the Divorce of Queen Katherine, and for refuſing to take the Oath of Supremacy; for which he was committed to the Tower, and afterwards beheaded on Tower-Hill, July 6, 1635. and buried at Chelſey under a plain Monument.

Thoſe who deſire to be further informed of this Learned Knight, let them read my Book of England's Worthies, where his Life is ſet forth more at large.

HENRY HOWARD Earl of Surrey.

THis Honourable Earl was Son to Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk, and Frances his Wife, the Daughter of John Vere Earl of Oxford. He was (ſaith Cambden) the firſt of our Engliſh Nobility that did illuſtrate his high Birth with the Beauty of Learning, and his Learning with the knowledge of divers Languages, which he attained unto by his Travels into foreign Nations; ſo that he deſervedly had the particular Fame of Learning, Wit and Poetical Fancy.

Our famous Poet Drayton, in his England's Heroical Epiſtles, writing of this Noble Earl, thus ſays of him; The Earl of Surrey, that renowned Lord, Th'old Engliſh Glory bravely that reſtor'd, That Prince and Poet (a Name more divine) Falling in Love with Beauteous Geraldine, Of the Geraldi, which derive their Name From Florence; whether to advance her Fame, He travels, and in publick Juſts maintain'd Her Beauty peerleſs, which by Arms he gain'd.

In his way to Florence, he touch'd at the Emperor's Court; where he fell in acquaintance with the great Learned Cornelius Agrippa▪ oſb▪ famous for Magick, who ſhewed him the Image of his Geraldine in a Glaſs, ſick, weeping on her Bed, and reſolved all into devout Religion for the abſence of her Lord; upon ſight of which, he made this Sonnet.

All Soul, no earthly Fleſh, why doſt thou fade? All Gold, no earthly Droſs, why look'▪ſt thou pole Sickneſs, how dar'ſt thou one ſo fair invade? Too baſe Infirmity to work her Bale. Heaven be diſtempered ſince ſhe grieved pines, Never be dry theſe my ſad plantive Lines. Pearch thou my Spirit on her Silver Breaſts, And with their pains redoubled Muſick beatings, Let them toſs thee to world where all toil reſts, Where Bliſs is ſubject to no Fear's defeatings; Her Praiſe I tune whoſe Tongue doth tune the Sphears, And gets new Muſes in her Hearers Ears. Stars fall to fetch freſh light from her rich eyes, Her bright Brow drives the Sun to Clouds beneath. Her Hairs reflex with red ſtrakes paints the Skies, Sweet Morn and Evening dew flows from her breath: Phoebe rules Tides, ſhe my Tears tides forth draws, In her ſick-Bed Love ſits, and maketh Laws. Her dainty Limbs tinſel her Silk ſoft Sheets, Her Roſe-crown'd Cheeks eclipſe my dazled ſight. O Glaſs! with too much joy my thoughts thou greets, And yet thou ſhew'ſt me day but by twilight. He kiſs thee for the kindneſs I have felt, Her Lips one Kiſs would unto Nectar melt.

From the Emperor's Court he went to the City of Florence, the Pride and Glory of Italy, in which City his Geraldine was born, never ceaſing till he came to the Houſe of her Nativity; and being ſhewn the Chamber her clear Sun-beams firſt thruſt themſelves in this cloud of Fleſh, he was tranſported with an Extaſie of Joy, his Mouth overflow'd with Magnificats, his Tongue thruſt the Stars out of Heaven, and eclipſed the Sun and Moon with Compariſons of his Geraldine, and in praiſe of the Chamber that was ſo illuminatively honoured with her Radiant Conception, he penned this Sonnet: Fair Room, the preſence of ſweet Beauties pride, This place the Sun upon the Earth did hold, When Phaeton his Chariot did miſguide, The Tower where Jove rain'd down himſelf in Gold, Proſtrate as holy ground Ile worſhip thee. Our Ladies Chappel henceforth be thou nam'd; Here firſt Loves Queen put on Mortality, And with her Beauty all the world inflam'd. Heaven's Chambers harbouriug fiery Cherubins, Are not with thee in Glory to compare. Lightning, it is not Light which in thee ſhines, None enter thee but ſtreight entranced are. O! if Elizium be above the ground, Then here it is, where nought but Joy is found.

That the City of Florence was the ancient Seat of her Family, he himſelf intimates in one of his Sonnets: thus; From Tuſcan came my Ladies worthy Race; Fair Florence was ſometimes her ancient Seat, The Weſtern Iſle, whoſe pleaſant Shoar doth face, Whilſt Camber's Cliffs did give her lively heat.

In the Duke of Florence's Court he publiſhed a proud Challenge againſt all Comers, whether Chriſtians, Turks, Canibals, Jews, or Saracens, in defence of his Geraldines Beauty. This Challenge was the more mildly accepted, in regard ſhe whom he defended, was a Town-born Child of that City; or elſe the Pride of the Italian would have prevented him ere he ſhould have come to perform it. The Duke of Florence nevertheleſs ſent for him, and demanded him of his Eſtate, and the reaſon that drew him thereto; which when he was advertiz'd of to the full, he granteth all Countries whatſoever, as well Enemies and Outlaws, as Friends and Confederates, free acceſs and regreſs into his Dominions immoleſted, until the Trial were ended.

This Challenge, as he manfully undertook, ſo he as valiantly performed; as Mr. Drayton deſcribes it in his Letter to the Lady Geraldine.

The ſhiver'd Staves here for thy Beauty broke, With fierce encounters paſt at every ſhock, When ſtormy Courſes anſwerd Cuff for Cuff, Denting proud Beavers with the Counter-buff; Which when each manly valiant Arm eſſays, After ſo many brave triumphant days, The glorious Prize upon my Lance I bare, By Herald's Voyce proclaim'd to be thy ſhare.

The Duke of Florence for his approved Valour, offered him large Proffers to ſtay with him; which he refuſed: intending, as he had done in Florence, to proceed through all the chief Cities in Italy; but this his Purpoſe was fruſtrated, by Letters ſent to him from his Maſter King Henry the 8th. which commanded him to return as ſpeedily as poſſibly he could into England.

Our famous Engliſh Antiquary John Leland, ſpeaking much in the praiſe of Sir Thomas Wiat the Elder, as well for his Learning, as other excellent Qualities, meet for a man of his Calling; calls this Earl the conſcript enrolled Heir of the ſaid Sir Thomas Wiat: writing to him in theſe words; Accipe Regnorum Comes illuſtriſſime Carmen, Quo mea Muſa tuum landavit moeſta Viallum. And again, in another place, Perge, Houerde, tuum virtute referre Viallum, Diceriſque tuae clariſſima Gloria ſtirpis.

A certain Treatiſe called The Art of Engliſh Poetry, alledges, That Sir Thomas Wiat the Elder, and Henry Earl of Surrey were the two Chieftains, who having travelled into Italy, and there tasted the ſweet and ſtately Meaſures and Style of the Italian Poeſie, greatly poliſhed our rude and homely manner of vulgar Poeſie from what it had been before; and may therefore juſtly be ſhewed to be the Reformers of our Engliſh Meeter and Style.

I ſhall only add an Epitaph made by this Noble Earl on Sir Anthony Denny, Knight (a Gentleman whom King Henry the 8th. greatly affected) and then come to ſpeak of his Death.

Death and the King did as it were contend, Which of them two bare Denny greateſt Love; The King to ſhew his Love, gan far extend, Did him advance his Betters far above: Near Place, much Wealth, great Honour eke him gave, To make it known what Power great Princes have. But when Death came with his triumphant Gift, From worldly Cark he quit his wearied Ghoſt, Free from the Corps, and ſtreight to Heaven it lift, Now deem that can who did for Denny moſt; The King gave Wealth, but fading and unſure, Death brought him Bliſs that ever ſhall endure.

But to return, this Earl had together with his Learning, Wiſdom, Fortitude, Munificence, and Affability; yet all theſe good and excellent parts were no protection againſt the King's Diſpleaſure; for upon the 12 th. of December, the laſt of King Henry the 8th. he, with his Father Thomas Duke of Norfolk, upon certain ſurmiſes of Treaſon, were committed to the Tower of London, the one by Water, the other by Land; ſo that the one knew not of the others Apprehenſion: The 15th. day of January next following, he was arraigned at Guildhall, London, where the greateſt matter alledged againſt him, was, for bearing certain Arms that were ſaid belonged to the King and Prince; the bearing whereof he juſtified. To be ſhort, (for ſo they were with him) he was found guilty by twelve common Juriars, had Judgment of Death; and upon the 19th. day of the ſaid Month (nine days before the Death of the ſaid King Henry, was beheaded at Tower-Hill) He was at firſt interred in the Chappel of the Tower, and afterwards, in the Reign of King James, his Remainders of Aſhes and Bones were removed to Framingham in Suffolk, by his ſecond Son Henry Earl of Northampton, where in the Church they were interred, with this Epitaph; Henrico Howardo, Thomae Secundi Ducis Norfolciae filio primogenito, Thomae tertij Patri, Comiti Surriae, & Georgiam Ordinis Equiti Aurato, immature Anno Salutis 1546. abrepto. Et Franciſae Vxori ejus, filiae Johannis Comitis Oxoniae. Henricus Howardus Comes Northhamptoniae filius ſecundo genitus, hoc ſupremum Pietatis in Parentes Monumentum poſuit, A. D. 1614.

Sir THOMAS WIAT the Elder.

THis worthy Knight is termed by the Name of the Elder, to diſtinguiſh him from Sir Thomas Wiat the raiſer of the Rebellion in the time of Queen Mary, and was born at Allington Caſtle in the County of Kent; which afterwards he repaired with moſt beautiful Buildings. He was a Perſon of great eſteem and reputation in the Reign of King Henry the 8th. with whom, for his honeſty and ſingular parts, he was in high favour. Which nevertheleſs he had like to have loſt about the Buſineſs of Queen Anne Bullein; but by his Innocency, Induſtry and Prudence, he extricated himſelf.

He was one of admirable ingenuity, and truly anſwer'd his Anagram, Wiat, a Wit, the judicious Mr. Cambden ſaith he was.

Eques Auratus ſplendide doctus.

And though he be not taken notice of by Bale nor Pits, yet for his admirable Tranſlation of David's Pſalms into Engliſh Meeter, and other Poetical Writings, Leland forbears not to compare him to Dante and Petrarch, by giving him this large commendation.

Bella ſuum merito jactet Florentia Dantem Regia Petrarchae carmina Roma probat, His non inferior Patrio Sermone Viattus Eloquii ſecum qui decus omne tulit. Let Florence fair her Dantes juſtly boaſt, And royal Rome her Petrarchs number'd feet, In Engliſh Wiat both of them doth coaſt: In whom all graceful eloquence doth meet.

The renowned Earl of Surrey in an Encomium upon his Tranſlation of David's Pſalms, thus writes of him, What holy Grave, what worthy Sepulcher, To Wiat's Pſalms ſhall Chriſtians purchaſe then?

And afterward, upon his death, the ſaid Earl writeth thus: What Vertues rare were temper'd in thy breſt? Honour that England ſuch a Jewel bred, And kiſs the ground whereas thy Corps did reſt, &c.

This worthy Knight being ſent Ambaſſador by King Henry the Eighth to Charles the Fifth Emperor, then reſiding in Spain, died of the Peſtilence in the Weſt Country, before he could take Shipping, Anno 1541.

Dr. CHRISTOPHER TYE.

IN the writing this Doctors Life, we ſhall principally make uſe for Directions of Mr. Fuller, in his England's Worthies, fol. 244. He flouriſhed (ſaith he) in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth, and King Edward the Sixth, to whom he was one of the Gentlemen of their Chappel, and probably the Organiſt. Muſick, which received a grievous wound in England at the diſſolution of Abbeys, was much beholding to him for her recovery; ſuch was his excellent Skill and Piety, that he kept it up in Credit at Court, and in all Cathedrals during his life: He tranſlated the Acts of the Apoſtles into Verſe, and let us take a taſt of his Poetry.

In the former Treatiſe to thee, dear friend Theophilus, I have written the veritie of the Lord Chriſt Jeſus, Which he to do and eke to teach, began until the day; In which the Spirit up did him fetch to dwell above for aye. After that he had power to do even by the Holy Ghoſt: Commandements then he gave unto his choſen leaſt and moſt. To whom alſo himſelf did ſhew from death thus to revive; By tokens plain unto his few even forty days alive. Speaking of God's kingdom with heart chuſing together them, Commanding them not to depart from that Jeruſalem. But ſtill to wait on the promiſe of his Father the Lord, Of which you have heard me e're this unto you make record.

Paſs we now (ſaith he) from his Poetry, (being Muſick in words) to his Muſick, (being Poetry in ſounds) who ſet an excellent Compoſition of Muſick in four parts, to the ſeveral Chapters of his aforenamed Poetry, dedicating the ſame to King Edward the Sixth, a little before his death, and Printed it Anno Dom. 1353. He alſo did Compoſe many excellent Services and Anthems of four and five parts, which were uſed in Cathedrals many years after his death, the certain date whereof we cannot attain to.

JOHN LELAND.

THis famous Antiquary, Mr. John Leland, flouriſh'd in the year 1546. about the beginning of the Reign of King Edward the Sixth, and was born by moſt probable conjecture at London. He wrote, among many other Volumes, ſeveral Books of Epigrams, his Cigneo Cantio, a Genethliac of Prince Edward, Naniae upon the death of Sir Thomas Wiat, out of which we ſhall preſent you with theſe Verſes: Tranſtulit in noſtram Davidis carmina linguam, Et numeros magnareddidit arte pares. Non morietur opus terſum, ſpectabile ſacrum, Clarior hac fama parte Viattus erit. Vna dies geminos Phoenices non dedit orbi, Mors erit in unius, vita ſed alterius. Rara avis in terris confectus morte Viattus, Houerdum haeredem ſcripſer at ante ſuum. Dicere nemo potest recte periiſſe Viattum, Ingenit cujus tot monimenta vigent.

He wrote alſo ſeveral other things both in Proſe and Verſe, to his great fame and commendation.

THOMAS CHƲRCHYARD.

THomas Churchyard was born in the Town of Shrewsbury, as himſelf doth affirm in his Book made in Verſe of the Worthineſs of Wales, taking Shropſhire within the compaſs, (to uſe his own Expreſſion) Wales the Park, and the Marches the Pale thereof. He was one equally addicted to Arts and Arms, ſerving under that renowned Captain Sir William Drury, in a rode he made into Scotland, as alſo under ſeveral other Commanders beyond Sea, as he declares in his Tragical Diſcourſe of the Unhappy Mans Life, ſaying, Full thirty years both Court and Wars I tryde, And ſtill I ſought acquaintance with the beſt, And ſerved the State, and did ſuch hap abide As might befal, and Fortune ſent the reſt, When Drum did ſound, I was a Soldier preſt To Sea or Land, as Princes quarrel ſtood, And for the ſame full oft I loſt my blood.

But it ſeems he got little by the Wars but blows, as he declares himſelf a little after.

But God he knows, my gain was ſmall I weene, For though I did my credit ſtill encreaſe, I got no wealth by wars, ne yet by peace.

Yet it ſeems he was born of wealthy friends, and had an Eſtate left unto him, as in the ſame Work he doth declare. So born I was to Houſe and Land by right, But in a Bag to Court I brought the ſame, From Shrewsbury-Town, a ſeat of ancient fame.

Some conceive him to be as much beneath a Poet as above a Rymer, yet who ſo ſhall conſider the time he wrote in, viz. the beginning of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, ſhall find his Verſes to go abreaſt with the beſt of that Age. His Works, ſuch as I have ſeen and have now in cuſtody, are as followeth: The Siege of Leith. A Farewel to the World. A feigned Fancy of the Spider and the Gout. A doleful Diſcourſe of a Lady and a Knight. The Road into Scotland, by Sir William Drury. Sir Simon Burley's Tragedy. A Tragical Diſcourſe of the Vnhappy Mans Life. A Diſcourſe of Vertue. Churchyard's Dream. A Tale of a Fryar and and a Shoomaker's wife. The Siege of Edenborough-Caſtle. Queen Elizabeth's Reception into Briſtol.

Theſe Twelve ſeveral Treatiſes he bound togegether, calling them Church-yard's Chips, and dedicated them to Sir Chriſtopher Hatton. He alſo wrote the Falls of Shore's Wife and of Cardinal Wolſey; which are inſerted into the Book of the Mirrour for Magiſtrates. Thus, like a ſtone, did he trundle about, but never gather'd any Moſs, dying but poor, as may be ſeen by his Epitaph in Mr. Cambden's Remains, which runs thus: Come Alecto, lend me thy Torch, To find a Church-yard in a Church-porch: Poverty and Poetry his Tomb doth encloſe, Wherefore good Neighbours be merry in proſe.

His death, according to the moſt probable conjecture, may be preſumed about the eleventh year of the Queen's Reign, Anno Dom. 1570.

JOHN HIGGINS.

JOhn Higgins was one of the chief of them who compiled the Hiſtory of the Mirrour of Magiſtrates, aſſociated with Mr. Baldwin, Mr. Ferrers, Thomas Churchyard, and ſeveral others, of which Book Sir Philip Sidney thus writes in his Defence of Poeſie, I account the Mirrour of Magiſtrates meetly furniſhed of beautiful parts. Theſe Commendations coming from ſo worthy a perſon, our Higgins having ſo principal a ſhare therein, deſerves a principal part of the praiſe. And how well his deſervings were, take an eſſay of his Poetry in his induction to the Book.

When Summer ſweet with all her pleaſures paſt, And leaves began to leave the ſhady tree, The Winter cold encreaſed on full faſt, And time of year to ſadneſs moved me: For moiſty blaſts not half ſo mirthful be, As ſweet Aurora brings in Spring-time fair, Our joys they dim as Winter damps the air. The Nights began to grow to length apace, Sir Phoebus to th' Antartique 'gan to fare: From Libra's lance, to the Crab he took his race Beneath the Line, to lend of light a ſhare. For then with us the days more darkiſh are, More ſhort, cold, moiſt, and ſtormy, cloudy, clit, For ſadneſs more than mirths or pleaſures fit. Deviſing then what Books were beſt to read, Both for that time, and ſentence grave alſo, For conference of friend to ſtand in ſtead, When I my faithful friend was parted fro; I gat me ſtrait the Printers ſhops unto, To ſeek ſome Work of price I ſurely ment, That might alone my careful mind content.

And then he declareth how there he found the firſt part of this Mirrour for Magiſtrates, which yet took beginning from the time of King Richard the Second; But he knowing many Examples of famous perſons before William the Conquerour, which were wholly omitted, he ſet upon the Work, and beginning from Brute, continued it to Aurelius Baſſianus Caracalla Emperour of Rome, about the year of Chriſt 209. ſhewing in his Writings a great deal of Wiſdom and Learning. He flouriſhed about the beginning of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth.

ABRAHAM FRAƲNCE.

THis Abraham Fraunce, a Verſifier, about the ſame time with John Higgins, was one who imitated Latine meaſure in Engliſh Verſe, writing a Paſtoral, called the Counteſs of Pembroke's Ivy-church, and ſome other things in Hexameter, ſome alſo in Hexameter and Pentameter; He alſo wrote the Counteſs of Pembroke's Emanuel, containing the Nativity, Paſſion, Burial, and Reſurrection of Chriſt, together with certain Pſalms of David, all in Engliſh Hexameters. Nor was he altogether ſingular in this way of writing, for Sir Philip Sidney, in the Paſtoral Interludes of his Arcadia, uſes not only theſe, but all other ſorts of Latine meaſure, in which no wonder he is followed by ſo few, ſince they neither become the Engliſh, nor any other modern Language.

He began alſo the Tranſlation of Heliodorus his Aethiopick Hiſtory, in the ſame kind of Verſe, of which, to give the Reader the better divertiſement, we ſhall preſent you with a taſt.

As ſoon as Sun-beams could once peep out fro the Mountains, And by the dawn of day had ſomewhat lightned Olympus, Men, whoſe luſt was law, whoſe life was ſtill to be luſting, Whoſe thriving thieving, convey'd themſelves to an hill top, That ſtretched forward to the Heracleotica entry And mouth of Nylus; looking thence down to the main ſea For ſea-faring men; but ſeeing none to be ſailing, They knew 'twas bootleſs to be looking there for a booty: So that ſtrait fro the ſea they caſt their eyes to the ſea-ſhore; Where they ſaw, that a Ship very ſtrangely without any ſhip-man, Lay then alone at road, with Cables ty'd to the main-land, And yet full fraighted, which they, though far, fro the hill-top, Eaſily might perceive by the water drawn to the deck-boards, &c.

His Ivy-Church he dedicated to the Counteſs of Pembroke, in which he much vindicated his manner of writing, as no Verſe fitter for it then that; he alſo dedicated his Emanuel to her, which being but two lines take as followeth: Mary the beſt Mother ſends her beſt Babe to a Mary: Lord to a Ladies ſight, and Chriſt to a Chriſtian.

When he died, we cannot find, but ſuppoſe it to be about the former part of Queen Elizabeth's Reign.

WILLIAM WARNER.

WIlliam Warner, one of principal eſteem in his time, was chiefly famous for his Albion's England, which he wrote in the old-faſhioned kind of ſeven-footed Verſe, which yet ſometimes is in uſe, though in different manner, that is to ſay, divided into two: He wrote alſo ſeveral Books in proſe, as he himſelf witneſſeth in his Epiſtle to the Reader, but (as we ſaid before) his Albion's England was the chiefeſt, which he deduced from the time of Noah, beginning thus: I tell of things done long ago, of many things in few: And chiefly of this Clime of ours, the accidents purſue Thou high director of the ſame, aſſiſt mine artleſs Pen, To write the Jeſts of Brutons ſtout, and Arts of Engliſh-men.

From thence he proceeds to the peopling of the Earth by the Sons of Noah, intermixing therein much variety of Matter, not only pleaſant, but profitable for the Readers underſtanding of what was delivered by the ancient Poets, bringing his Matter ſuccinctly to the Siege of Troy, and from thence to the coming of Brute into this Iſland; and ſo, coming down along the chiefeſt matters, touched of our Britiſh Hiſtorians, to the Conqueſt of England by Duke William, and from him the Affairs of the Land to the beginning of Queen Elizabeth; where he concludeth thus, Elizabeth by peace, by war, for majeſty, for mild, Enrich'd, fear'd, honour'd, lov'd, but (loe) unreconcil'd, The Muſes check my ſaucy Pen, for enterpriſing her, In duly praiſing whom, themſelves, even Arts themſelves might err. Phaebus I am, not Phaeton, preſumptuouſly to ask What, ſhouldſt thou give, I could not guide; guide; give not me thy task, For, as thou art Apollo too, our mighty ſubjects threats A non plus to thy double power: Vel volo, vel nollem.

I might add ſeveral more of his Verſes, to ſhew the worth of his Pen, but the Book being indifferent common, having received ſeveral Impreſſions, I ſhall refer the Reader, for his▪ further ſatisfaction, to the Book itſelf.

THOMAS TƲSSER.

THomas Tuſſer (a perſon well known by his Book of Husbandry) was born at Riuen-hall in Eſſex, of an ancient Family, but now extinct; where, when but young, his Father, deſigning him for a Singing-man, put him to Wallingford-School, where how his Misfortunes began in the World, take from his own Pen.

O painful time, for every crime, What tooſed ears, like baited Bears, What bobbed lips, what yerks, what nips, What helliſh toys? What Robes ſo bare, what Colledge-fare? What Bread how ſtale, what penny Ale? Then Wallingford, how wer't thou abhorr'd, Of ſilly boys?

From thence he was ſent to learn Muſick at Pauls, with one John Redford, an excellent Muſician; where, having attained ſome skill in that Art, he was afterwards ſent to Eaton-School, to learn the Latine Tongue, where, how his Miſeries encreas'd, let himſelf ſpeak.

From Pauls I went, to Eaton ſent, To learn ſtraightways the Latine phraſe, Where fifty three ſtripes given to me, At once I had, For fault but ſmall, or none at all, It came to paſs thus beat I was, See Vdal, ſee, the mercy of thee To me poor Lad.

Having attained to ſome perfection in the Latine Tongue, he was ſent to Trinity-Hall in Cambridge, where he had not continued long, but he was vexed with extream ſickneſs, whereupon he left the Univerſity, and betook himſelf to Court, and lived for a while under the Lord Paget, in King Edward the Sixth's days; when, the Lords falling at diſſention, he left the Court, and went to Suffolk, where he married his firſt Wife, and took a Farm at Ratwade in that County, where he firſt deviſed his Book of Husbandry, but his Wife not having her health there, he removed from thence to Ipſwich, and ſoon after buried her.

Not long after he married again to one Mrs. Amy Moon, upon whoſe Name he thus verſified: I chanced ſoon to find a Moon, Of chearful hue; Which well and fine me thought did ſhine, And never change, a thing moſt ſtrange, Yet keep in ſight her courſe aright, And compaſs true.

Being thus married he betook himſelf again to Husbandry, and hired a Farm, called Diram Cell, and there he had not lived long, but his Landlord died, and his Executors falling at variance, and now one troubled him, and then another, whereupon he left Diram, and went to Norw • ch, turning a Singing-man under Mr. Salisbury, the Dean thereof; There he was troubled with a Diſſury, ſo that in a 138 Hours he never made a drop of Water. Next he hired a Parſonage at Fairſtead in Eſſex, but growing weary of that he returned again to London, where he had not lived long, but the Peſtilence raging there, he retired to Cambridge: Thus did he roul about from place to place, but, like Siſiphus ſtone, could gather no Moſs whitherſoever he went: He was ſucceſſive a Muſician, Schoolmaſter, Servingman, Husbandman, Graſier, Poet, more skilful in all, than thriving in any Vocation. He traded at large in Oxen, Sheep, Dairies, Grain of all kinds, to no profit. He ſpread his Bread with all ſorts of Butter, yet none would ſtick thereon. So that he might ſay with the Poet, —Monitis ſum minor ipſe meis.

None being better at the Theory, or worſe at the Practice of Husbandry, and may be fitly match'd with Thomas Churchyard, they being mark'd alike in their Poetical parts, living in the ſame time, and ſtatur'd both alike in their Eſtates, and that low enough in all reaſon. He died in London, Anno Dom. 1580. and was buried at St. Mildred's-Church in the Poultrey, with this Epitaph: Here THOMAS TVSSER, clad in earth doth lie, That ſometime made the Points of Husbandry: By him then learn thou may'ſt, here learn we muſt, When all is done, we ſleep, and turn to duſt: And yet, through Chriſt, to Heaven we hope to go, Who reads his Books, ſhall find his Faith was ſo.

THOMAS STORER.

THomas Storer was a great writer of Sonnets, Madrigals, and Paſtoral Airs, in the beginning of Q. Elizabeth's Reign, and no doubt was highly eſteemed in thoſe days, of which we have an account of ſome of them in an old Book, called England's Hellicon. This kind of writing was of great eſteem in thoſe days, and much imitated by Thomas Watſon, Bartholomew Yong, Dr. Lodge, and ſeveral others. What time he died is to me unknown.

THOMAS LODGE.

THomas Lodge, a Doctor of Phyſick, flouriſh'd alſo about the beginning of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth; He was alſo an eminent Writer of Paſtoral Songs, Odes, and Madrigals. This following Sonnet is ſaid to be of his compoſing.

If I muſt die, O let me chuſe my Death: Suck out my Soul with Kiſſes, cruel Maid! In thy Breaſts Cryſtal Balls embalm my Breath, Dole it all out in ſighs when I am laid; Thy Lips on mine like Cupping-glaſſes claſp; Let our Tongues meet, and ſtrive as they would ſting: Cruſh out my Wind with one ſtraight girting Graſp, Stabs on my Heart keep time whilſt thou doſt ſing. Thy Eyes like ſearing-Irons burn out mine; In thy fair Treſſes ſtifle me outright: Like Circes, change me to a loathſom Swine, So I may live for ever in thy ſight. Into Heavens Joys can none profoundly ſee, Except that firſt they meditate on thee.

Contemporary with Dr. Lodge, were ſeveral others, who all of them wrote in the ſame ſtrain, as George Gaſcoigne, Tho. Hudſon, John Markham, Tho. Achely, John Weever, Chr. Midleton, George Turbervile, Henry Conſtable, Sir Edward Dyer, Charles Fitz Geoffry. Of theſe George Gaſcoigne wrote not only Sonnets, Odes and Madrigals, but alſo ſomething to the Stage: as his Suppoſes, a Comedy; Glaſs of Government, a Tragi-Comedy; and Jocasta, a Tragedy.

But to return to Dr. Lodge; we ſhall only add one Sonnet more, taken out of his Euphues Golden Legacy, and ſo proceed to others.

Of all chaſte Birds, the Phoenix doth excel; Of all ſtrong Beaſts, the Lion bears the Bell: Of all ſweet Flowers, the Roſe doth ſweeteſt ſmell; Of all fair Maids, my Roſalind is faireſt. Of all pure Metals, Gold is only pureſt; Of all high Trees, the Pine hath higheſt Creſt; Of all ſoft Sweets, I like my Miſtreſs beſt: Of all chaſte Thoughts my Miſtreſs Thoughts are rareſt. Of all proud Birds, the Eagle pleaſeth Jove, Of pretty Fowls, kind Venus likes the Dove: Of Trees, Minerva doth the Olive love, Of all ſweet Nymphs, I honour Roſalinde, Of all her Gifts, her Wiſdom pleaſeth moſt: Of all her Graces, Virtue ſhe doth boaſt; For all the Gifts, my Life and Joy is loſt, If Roſalinde prove cruel and unkind.

ROBERT GREENE.

RObert Greene (that great Friend to the Printers by his many Impreſſions of numerous Books) was by Birth a Gentleman, and ſent to ſtudy in the Univerſity of Cambridge; where he proceeded Maſter of Art therein. He had in his time ſipped of the Fountain of Hellicon, but drank deeper Draughts of Sack, that Helliconian Liquor, whereby he beggar'd his Purſe to enrich his Fancy; writing much againſt Viciouſneſs, but too too vicious in his Life. He had to his Wife a Virtuous Gentlewoman, whom yet he forſook, and betook himſelf to a high courſe of Living; to maintain which, he made his Pen mercenary, making his Name very famous for ſeveral Books which he wrote, very much taking in his time, and in indifferent repute amongſt the vulgar at this preſent; of which, thoſe that I have ſeen, are as followeth) Euphues his Cenſure to Philautus; Tullies Love, Philomela, The Lady Fitz-waters Nightingale, A Quip for an upſtart Courtier, the Hiſtory of Doraſtus and Fawnia, Green's never too late, firſt and ſecond Part; Green's Arcadia, Green his Farewell to Folly, Greene's Groats-worth of Wit, &c. He was alſo an Aſſociate with Dr. Lodge in writing of ſeveral Comedies; namely, The Laws of Nature; Lady Alimony; Liberality and Prodigality; and a Maſque called Luminalia; beſides which, he wrote alone the Comedies of Fryer Bacon, and fair Emme.

But notwithſtanding by theſe his Writings he got much Money, yet was it not ſufficient to maintain his Prodigality, but that before his death he fell into extream Poverty, when his Friends, (like Leaves to Trees in the Summer of Proſperity) fell from him in his Winter of Adverſity: of which he was very ſenſible, and heartily repented of his ill paſſed Life, eſpecially of the wrongs he had done to his Wife; which he declared in a Letter written to her, and found with his Book of A Groatſworth of Wit, after his Death, containing theſe Words;

THE Remembrance of many Wrongs offered Thee and thy unreproved Vertues, add greater ſorrow to my miſerable State than I can utter, or thou conceive; neither is it leſſened by conſideration of thy Abſence (though Shame would let me hardly behold thy Face) but exceedingly aggravated, for that I cannot (as I ought) to thy own ſelf reconcile my ſelf, that thou mighteſt witneſs my inward Wo at this inſtant, that have made thee a woful Wife for ſo long a time. But equal Heaven hath denied that comfort, giving at my laſt need, like Succour as I have ſought all my Life: Being in this extremity, as void of help, as thou haſt been of hope. Reaſon would that after ſo long waſte, I ſhould not ſend thee a Child to bring the Charge, but conſider he is the fruit of thy Womb, in whoſe Face regard not the Father's ſo much as thy own Perfections: He is yet Green, and may grow ſtrait, if he be carefully tended; otherwiſe apt enough (I fear me) to follow his Fathers Folly. That I have offended thee highly, I know; that thou canſt forget my Injuries, I hardly believe; yet I perſwade my ſelf, if thou ſaweſt my wretched eſtate, thou couldſt not but lament it: Nay, certainly I know thou wouldſt. All my wrongs muſter themſelves about me, and every Evil at once plagues me: For my contempt of God, I am Contemned of Men; for my ſwearing and forſwearing, no man will believe me; for my Gluttony I ſuffer Hunger; for my Drunkenneſs Thirſt; for my Adultery, ulcerous Sores: Thus God hath caſt me down that I might be humbled, and puniſht me for example of others; and though he ſuffers me in this world to periſh without ſuccour, yet truſt I in the world to come to find Mercy by the Merits of my Saviour; to whom I commend thee, and commit my Soul.

Thy Repentant Husband for his Diſloyalty, Robert Greene.

In a Comedy called Green's Tu quoque, written by John Cooke, I find theſe Verſes made upon his Death; How faſt bleak Autumn changeth Flora's Die; What yeſterday was Greene, now's ſear and dry.

THOMAS NASH.

THomas Naſh was alſo a Gentleman born, and bred up in the Univerſity of Cambridge; a man of a quick apprehenſion and Satyrick Pen: One of his firſt Books he wrote was entituled Pierce Pennileſs his Supplication to the Devil, wherein he had ſome Reflections upon the Parentage of Dr. Harvey, his Father being a Rope-maker of Saffron-Walden: This begot high Conteſts betwixt the Doctor and him, ſo that it became to be a well known Pen-Combate. Amongſt other Books which Mr. Naſh wrote againſt him, one was entituled, Have with ye to Saffron-Walden; and another called Four Letters confuted; in which laſt he concludes with this Sonnet; Were there no Wars, poor men ſhould have no Peace; Unceſſant Wars with Waſps and Drones I cry: He that begins oft knows not how to ceaſe; He hath begun; Ile follow till I die. Ile hear no Truce, Wrong gets no Grave in me: Abuſe pell-mell encounter with abuſe; Write he again, Ile write eternally; Who feeds Revenge, hath found an endleſs Muſe. If Death ere made his black Dart of a Pen, My Pen his ſpecial Bayly ſhall become: Somewhat Ile be reputed of 'mongſt men, By ſtriking of this Dunce or dead or dumb: Await the World the Tragedy of Wrath, What next I paint ſhall tread no common Path.

It ſeems he had a Poetical Purſe as well as a Poetical Brain, being much ſtraghitned in the Gifts of Fortune; as he exclaims in his Pierce Pennileſs.

Why is't damnation to deſpair and die, When Life is my true happineſs diſeaſe? My Soul, my Soul, thy Safety makes me fly The faulty Means that might my Pain appeaſe. Divines and dying men may talk of Hell, But in my Heart her ſeveral Torments dwell. Ah worthleſs Wit, to train me to this Wo! Deceitful Arts that nouriſh Diſcontent, Ill thrive the Folly that bewitch'd me ſo! Vain Thoughts adieu; for now I will repent: And yet my Wants perſuade me to proceed, Since none takes pity of a Scholar's need. Forgive me, God, although I curſe my Birth, And ban the Ayr wherein I breath a wretch, Since Miſery hath daunted all my Mirth, And I am quite undone through Promiſe breach. Oh Friends! no Friends, that then ungently frown, When changing Fortune caſts us headlong down. Without redreſs complains my careleſs Verſe, And Midas ears relent not at my mone; In ſome far Land will I my griefs rehearſe, 'Mongſt them that will be mov'd, when I ſhall grone. England adieu, the Soil that brought me forth; Adieu unkind, where Skill is nothing worth.

He wrote moreover a witty Poem, entituled, The White Herring and the Red; and two Comedies, the one called Summer's laſt Will and Teſtament, and See me and ſee me not.

Sir PHILIP SIDNEY.

SIr Philip Sidney, the glory of the Engliſh Nation in his time, and pattern of true Nobility, in whom the Graces and Muſes had their domeſtical habitations, equally addicted both to Arts and Arms, though more fortunate in the one than in the other. Son to Sir Henry Sidney, thrice Lord Deputy of Ireland, and Siſters Son to Robert Earl of Leiceſter; Bred in Chriſt's Church in Oxford, (Cambridge being nevertheleſs ſo happy to have a Colledge of his name) where he ſo profited in the Arts and Liberal Sciences, that after an incredible proficiency in all the Species of Learning, he left the Academical Life, for that of the Court, invited thither by his Uncle, the Earl of Leiceſter, that great Favourite of Queen Elizabeth. Here he ſo profited, that he became the glorious Star of his Family, a lively Pattern of Vertue, and the lovely Joy of all the learned ſort. Theſe his Parts ſo indeared him to Queen Elizabeth, that ſhe ſent him upon an Embaſſy to the Emperor of Germany at Vienna, which he diſcharged to his own Honour, and her Approbation. Yea, his Fame was ſo renowned throughout all Chriſtendom, that (as it is commonly reported) he was in election for the Kingdom of Poland, though the Author of his Life, printed before his Arcadia, doth doubt of the truth of it, however it was not above his deſerts.

During his abode at the Court, at his ſpare hours he compoſed that incomparable Romance, entituled, The Arcadia, which he dedicated to his Siſter the Counteſs of Pembroke. A Book (ſaith Dr. Heylin) which, beſides its excellent Language, rare Contrivances, and delectable Stories, hath in it all the ſtrains of Poeſie, comprehendeth the whole art of ſpeaking, and to them who can diſcern and will obſerve, affordeth notable Rules of Demeanour, both private and publick; and though ſome men, ſharp-witted only in ſpeaking evil, have depraved the Book, as the occaſion that many precious hours are ſpent no better, they conſider not that the ready way to make the minds of Youth grow awry, is to lace them too hard, by denying them juſt and due liberty. Surely (ſaith one) the Soul deprived of lawful delights, will, in way of revenge, (to enlarge its ſelf out of priſon) invade and attempt unlawful pleaſures. Let ſuch be condemned always to eat their meat with no other ſawce, but their own appetite, who deprive themſelves and others of thoſe ſallies into lawful Recreations, whereof no leſs plenty than variety is afforded in this Arcadia.

One writes, that Sir Philip Sidney in the extream agony of his wounds, ſo terrible the ſence of death is, requeſted the deareſt friend he had, to burn his Arcadia; what promiſe his friend returned herein is uncertain; but if he brake his word to be faithful to the publick good, poſterity herein hath leſs cauſe to cenſure him for being guilty of ſuch a m ••• orious offence, wherewith he hath obliged ſo many ages. Hereupon thus writeth the Britiſh Epigramatiſt.

Ipſe tuam morient ſede conjuge teſte jubebas, Arcadium ſaevis ignibus eſſe cibum; Si meruit mortem, quia flammam accendit amoris Mergi, non uri debuit iſte liber. In Librum quaecunque cadat ſententia nulla, Debuit ingenium morte perire tuum. In ſerious thoughts of Death 'twas thy deſire This ſportful Book ſhould be condemn'd with Fire: If ſo, becauſe it doth intend Love-matters, It rather ſhould be quench'd or drown'd i'th waters However doom'd the Book, the memory Of thy immortal Wit will never die.

He wrote alſo beſides his Arcadia, ſeveral other Works; namely, A Defence of Poeſie, a Book entituled Aſtrophel and Stella, with divers Songs and Sonnets in praiſe of his Lady, whom he celebrated under that bright Name; whom afterwards he married, that Paragon of Nature, Sir Francis Walſingham's Daughter, who impoveriſhed himſelf to enrich the State; from whom he expected no more than what was above all Portions, a beautiful Wife, and a virtuous Daughter.

He alſo tranſlated part of that excellent Treatiſe of Philip Morney du Pleſſis, of the Truth of Religion; and no doubt had written many other excellent Works, had not the Lamp of his Life been extinguiſh'd too ſoon; the manner whereof take as followeth:

His Unkle Robert Dudley Earl of Leiceſter (a man almoſt as much hated as his Nephew was loved) was ſent over into the Low-Countries, with a well appointed Army, and large Commiſſion, to defend the United Provinces againſt the Spaniſh Cruelty. Under him went Sir Philip Sidney, who had the Command of the cautionary Town of Fluſhing, and Caſtle of Ramekius, a Truſt which he ſo faithfully diſcharged, that he turned the Envy of the Dutch Townſmen into Affection and Admiration. Not long after, ſome Service was to be performed nigh Zutphen in Guelderland, where the Engliſh, through falſe intelligence, were miſtaken in the ſtrength of the Enemy. Sir Philip is employed next to the Chief in that Expedition; which he ſo diſcharged, that it is queſtionable whether his Wiſdom, Induſtry or Valour may challenge to it ſelf the greateſt praiſe of the Action. And now when the triumphant Lawrels were ready to Crown his Brows, the English ſo near the Victory, that they touched it, ready to lay hold upon, he was unfortunately ſhot in the Thigh, which is the Rendezvouz of Nerves and Sinews, which cauſed a Feaver, that proved ſo mortal, that five and twenty days after he died of the ſame; the Night of whoſe Death was the Noon of his Age, and the exceeding Loſs of Chriſtendom.

His Body was conveyed into England, and moſt honourably interred in the Church of St. Paul in London; over which was fixed this Epitaph: England, Netherland, the Heavens, and the Arts, All Souldiers, and the World have made ſix parts Of the Noble Sidney; for none will ſuppoſe That a ſmall heap of Stones can Sidney encloſe: England hath his Body, for ſhe it bred; Netherland his Blood, in her defence ſhed; The Heavens his Soul, the Arts his Fame; All Soldiers the Grief, the World his good Name.

To recite the Commendations given him by ſeveral Authors, would of it ſelf require a Volume; to rehearſe ſome few not unpleaſing to the Reader. The reverend Cambden writes thus; This is that Sidney, whom, as God's will was, he ſhould be therefore born into the world even to ſhew unto our Age a Sample of ancient Virtues. Doctor Heylin in his Coſmography calleth him, That gallant Gentleman of whom he cannot but make honourable mention. Mr. Fuller in his Worthies thus writes of him, His homebred Abilities perfected by Travel with foreign accompliſhments, and a ſweet Nature, ſet a gloſs upon both. Stow in his Annals, calleth him, a moſt valiant and towardly Gentleman. Speed in his Chronicle, That worthy Gentleman in whom were compleat all Virtues and Valours that could be expected to reſide in man: And Sir Richard Baker gives him this Character, A man of ſo many excellent parts of Art and Nature, of Valour and Learning, of Wit and Magnanimity, that as he had equalled all thoſe of former Ages, ſo the future will hardly be able to equal him.

Nor was this Poet forgotten by the Poets; who offered whole Hecatombs of Verſes in his praiſe. Hear firſt that Kingly Poet, or Poetical King, King James the firſt, late Monarch of Great Britain, who thus writes; Armipotens cui jus in fortia pectora Mavors, Tu Dea quae cerebrum perrumpere digna totantis, Tuque adeo bijugae proles Latonia rupis Gloria, deciduae cingunt quam collibus artes, Duc tecum, & querela Sidnaei funera voce Plangite; nam veſter fuer at Sidnaeus alumnus, Quid genus, & proavos, & ſpem, floremque juventae, Immaturo obitu raptum ſine ſine retexo? Heu fruſtra queror? heu rapuit Mors omnia ſecum, Et nihil ex tanto nunc eſt Heroe ſuperſtes, Praeterquam Decus & Nomen virtute paratum, Doctaque Sidneas teſtantia Carmina laudes.

Thus tranſlated by the ſaid king: Thou mighty Mars, the Lord of Soldiers brave, And thou Minerve, that doſt in wit excel, And thou Apollo, who doſt knowledge have Of every Art that from Parnaſſus fell, With all your Siſters that thereon do dwell, Lament for him who duly ſerv'd you all: Whom in you wiſely all your Arts did mell, Bewail (I ſay) his unexpected fall, I need not in remembrance for to call His Race, his Youth, the hope had of him ay, Since that in him doth cruel Death appall Both Manhood, Wit and Learning every way: But yet he doth in bed of Honour reſt, And evermore of him ſhall live the beſt.

And in another place thus; When Venus ſad ſaw Philip Sidney ſlain, She wept, ſuppoſing Mars that he had been, From Fingers Rings, and from her Neck the Chain She pluckt away, as if Mars ne'er again She meant to pleaſe, in that form he was in, Dead, an yet could a Goddeſs thus beguile, What had he done if he had liv'd this while?

Theſe Commendations given him by ſo learned a Prince, made Mr. Alexander Nevil thus to write; Harps others Praiſe, a Scepter his doth ſing, Of Crowned Poet, and of Laureat King.

Divine Du Bartus, ſpeaking of the moſt Learned of the Engliſh Nation, reckoneth him as one of the chief, in theſe words; And (world mourn'd) Sidney, warbling to the Thames, His Swan-like Tunes, ſo courts her coy proud Streams, That (all with child with Fame) his Fame they bear To Thetis Lap, and Thetis every where.

Sir John Harrington in his Epigrams thus; If that be true the latter Proverb ſays, Laudari a Laudatis is moſt Praiſe, Sidney, thy Works in Fames Books are enroll'd By Princes Pens, which have thy Works extoll'd, Whereby thy Name ſhall dure to endleſs days.

Mr. Owen, the Brittſh Epigrammatiſt thus ſets him forth: Thou writ'ſt things worthy reading, and didſt do Things worthy writing too. Thy Arts thy Valour ſhow, And by thy Works we do thy Learning know.

I ſhall conclude all with theſe excellent Verſes made by himſelf a little before his Death; It is not I that die, I do but leave an Inn, Where harbour'd was with me all filthy Sin: It is not I that die, I do but now begin Into eternal Joy by Faith to enter in, Why mourn you then my Parents, Friends and Kin? Lament you when I loſe, not when I win.

Sir FƲLK GREƲIL.

NExt to Sir Philip Sidney, we ſhall add his great Friend and Aſſociate, Sir Fulk Grevil, Lord Brook, one very eminent both for Arts and Arms; to which the genius of that time did mightily invite active Spirits. This Noble Perſon, for the great love he bore to Sir Philip sidney, wrote his Life. He wrote ſeveral other Works both in Proſe and Verſe, ſome of which were Dramatick, as his Tragedies of Alaham, Muſtapha, and Marcus Tullius Cicero, and others, commonly of a Political Subject; amongſt which, a Poſthume Work, not publiſh'd till within a few years, being a two fold Treatiſe, the firſt of Monarchy, the ſecond of Religion, in all which is obſervable a cloſe myſterious and ſententious way of Writing, without much regard to Elegancy of Stile, or ſmoothneſs of Verſe. Another Poſthume Book is alſo fathered upon him; namely, The Five Years of King James, or the Condition of the State of England, and the Relation it had to other Provinces, Printed in the Year 1643. But of this laſt Work many people are doubtful.

Now for his Abilities in the Exerciſe of Arms, take this inſtance: At ſuch time when the French Ambaſſadours came over into England, to Negotiate a Marriage between the Duke of Anjou, and Queen Elizabeth, for their better entertainment, Solemn Juſts were proclaimed, where the Earl of Arundel, Frederick Lord Windſor, Sir Philip Sidney, and he, were chief Challengers againſt all comers; in which Challenge be behaved himſelf ſo gallantly, that he won the reputation of a moſt valiant Knight.

Thus you ſee, that though Eaſe be the Nurſe of Poeſie, the Muſes are alſo Companions to Mars, as may be exemplified in the Lives of the Earl of Surrey, Sir Philip Sidney, and this Sir Fulk Grevil.

I ſhall only add a word or two of his death, which was as ſad as lamentable. He kept a diſcontented ſervant, who conceiving his deſerts, not ſoon or well enough rewarded, wounded him mortally; and then (to ſave the Law a labour) killed himſelf. Verifying therein the obſervation, That there is none who never ſo much deſpiſeth his own life, but yet is maſter of another mans.

This ingenious Gentleman, (in whoſe perſon ſhined all true Vertue and high Nobility) as he was a great friend to learning himſelf, ſo was he a great favourer of learning in others, witneſs his liberality to Mr. Speed the Chronologer, when finding his wide Soul was ſtuffed with too narrow an Occupation, gave it enlargement, as the ſaid Author doth ingeniouſly conſeſs in his deſcription of Warwick ſhire, Whoſe Merits (ſaith he) to me-ward, I do acknowledge, in ſetting his hand free from the daily employments of a Manual Trade, and giving it full liberty thus to expreſs the inclination of mind, himſelf being the Procurer of my preſent Eſtate.

He lieth interred in Warwick-Church, under a Monument of Black and White Marble, wherein he is ſtyled, Servant to Queen Elizabeth, Councellor to King James, and Friend to Sir Philp Sidney. He died Anno 16—. without Iſſue, ſave only thoſe of his Brain, which will make his Name to live, when others Iſſue they may fail them.

Mr. EDMOND SPENSER.

THis our Famous Poet, Mr. Edmond Spenſer, was born in the City of London, and brought up in Pembroke-Hall in Cambridge; where he became a moſt excellent Scholar, but eſpecially very happy in Engliſh Poetry, as his learned, elaborate Works do declare, which whoſo ſhall peruſe with a judicious eye, will find to have in them the very height of Poetick fancy, and though ſome blame his Writings for the many Chauceriſms uſed by him, yet to the Learned they are known not to be blemiſhes, but rather beauties to his Book; which, notwithſtanding, (ſaith a learned Writer) had been more ſalable, if more conformed to our modern language.

His firſt flight in Poetry, as not thinking himſelf fully fledged, was in that Book of his, called The Shepherds Kalendar, applying an old Name to a new Book; It being of Eclogues fitted to each Month in the Year: of which Work hear what that worthy Knight, Sir Philip Sidney writes, whoſe judgment in ſuch caſes is counted infallible: The Shepherds Kalendar (ſaith he) hath much Poetry in his Eclogues, indeed worthy the reading, if I be not deceived; That ſame framing his Stile to an old ruſtick Language, I dare not allow, ſince neither Theocritus in Greek, Virgil in Latine, nor Sanazara in Italian did effect it. Afterwards he tranſlated the Gnat, a little fragment of Virgil's excellency. Then he tranſlated Bellay his Ruins of Rome; His moſt unfortunate Work was that of Mother Hubbard's Tale, giving therein offence to one in authority, who after wards ſtuck on his skirts. But his main Book, and which indeed I think Envy its ſelf cannot carp at, was his Fairy Queen, a Work of ſuch an ingenious compoſure as will laſt as long as time endures.

Now as you have heard what eſteem Sir Philip Sidney had of his Book, ſo you ſhall hear what eſteem Mr. Spenſer had of Sir Philip Sidney, writing thus in his Ruins of Time.

Yet will I ſing, but who can better ſing Than thou thy ſelf, thine own ſelfs valiance? That while thou livedſt thou madeſt the Foreſts ring, And Fields reſound, and Flocks to leap and dance, And Shepherds leave their Lambs unto miſchance, To run thy ſhrill Arcadian Pipe to hear, O happy were thoſe days, thrice happy were.

In the ſame his Poem of the Rains of Time, you may ſee what account he makes of the World, and of the immortal Fame gotten by Poeſie.

In vain do earthly Princes then, in vain, Seek with Pyramids to Heaven aſpir'd; Or huge Colloſſes, built with coſtly pain; Or brazen Pillars never to be fir'd; Or Shrines, made of the metal moſt deſir'd, To make their Memories for ever live, For how can mortal immortality give? For deeds do die, however nobly done, And thoughts of men do in themſelves decay, But wiſe words taught in numbers for to run, Recorded by the Muſes, live for aye; Ne may with ſtorming ſhowers be waſh'd away, Ne bitter breathing with harmful blaſt, Nor age, nor envy, ſhall them ever waſt.

There paſſeth a ſtory commonly told and believed, that Mr. Spenſer preſenting his Poems to Queen Elizabeth, ſhe highly affected therewith, commanded the Lord Cecil, her Treaſurer, to give him an Hundred Pound; and when the Treaſurer (a good Steward of the Queen's Money) alledged, that Sum was too much for ſuch a matter; then give him, quoth the Queen, what is reaſon; but was ſo buſied, or ſeemed to be ſo, about matters of higher concernment, that Mr. Spenſer received no reward: whereupon he preſented this Petition in a ſmall piece of Paper to the Queen in her progreſs.

I was promis'd on a time, To have reaſon for my rime, From that time unto this ſeaſon, I receiv'd nor rime nor reaſon.

This tart reflect ſo wrought upon the Queen, that ſhe gave ſtrict order (not witſtout ſome check to her Treaſurer) for the preſent payment of the hundred pounds ſhe firſt intended him.

He afterwards went over into Ireland, Secretary to the Lord Gray, Lord Deputy thereof; and though that his Office under his Lord was lucrative, yet got he no Eſtate; Peculiari Poetis fato ſemper cum paupertate conflictatus est, ſaith the reverend Cambden; ſo that it fared little better with him, (than with Churchyard or Tuſſer before him) or with William Xiliander the German, (a moſt excellent Linguiſt, Antiquary, Philoſopher, and Mathematician) who was ſo poor, that (as Thuanus writes) he was thought, Fami non famae ſcribere.

Thriving ſo bad in that boggy Country, to add to his miſery, he was robb'd by the Rebels of that little he had left; whereupon, in great grief, he returns into England, and falling into want, which to a noble ſpirit is moſt killing, being heartbroken, he died Anno 1598. and was honourably buried at the ſole charge of Robert, firſt of that name Earl of Eſſex, on whoſe Monument is written this Epitaph.

Edmundus Spencer, Londinenſis, Anglicorum Poetarum noſtri ſeculi fuit Princeps, quod ejus Poemata, faventibus Muſis, & victuro genio conſcripta comprobant. Obiit immatur a morte, Anno ſalutis, 1598. & prope Galfredum Chaucerum conditur, qui ſcqeliſiſſime Poeſin Anglicis literis primus illuſtravit. In quem haec ſcripta ſunt Epitaphia.

Hic prope Chaucerum ſitus eſt Spenſerius, illi Proximus ingenio, proximus ut tumulo. Hic prope Chaucerum Spenſere poeta poetam Conderis, & verſu! quam tumulo proprior, Anglica te vivo vixit, plauſitque Poeſis; Nunc moritur a timet, te moriente, mori.

Theſe two laſt lines, for the worthineſs of the Poet, are thus tranſlated by Dr. Fuller.

Whileſt thou didſt live, liv'd Engliſh Poetry, Which fears, now thou art dead, that ſhe ſhall die.

A modern Author writes, that the Lord Cecil owed Mr. Spenſer a grudge for ſome Reflections of his in Mother Hubbard's Tale, and therefore when the Queen had order'd him that Money, the Lord Treaſurer ſaid, What all this for a Song? And this he is ſaid to have taken ſo much to heart, that he contracted a deep Melancholy, which ſoon after brought his life to a period: ſo apt is an ingenious ſpirit to reſent a ſlighting even from the greateſt perſons. And thus much I muſt needs ſay of the Merit of ſo great a Poet, from ſo great a Monarch, that it is incident to the beſt of Poets ſometimes to flatter ſome Royal or Noble Patron, never did any do it more to the height, or with greater art and elegance, if the higheſt of praiſes attributed to ſo Heroick a Princeſs can juſtly be termed flattery.

Sir JOHN HARRINGTON.

SIr John Harrington is ſuppoſed to be born in Somerſet-ſhire, he having a fair Eſtate near Bath in that County. His Father, for carrying a Letter to the Lady (afterwards Queen) Elizabeth, was kept twelve months in the Tower, and made to ſpend a Thouſand Pounds e're he could be free of that trouble. His Mother alſo being Servant to the Lady Elizabeth, was ſequeſtred from her, and her Husband enjoyned not to keep company with her; ſo that on both ſides he may be ſaid to be very indear'd to Queen Elizabeth, who was alſo his Godmother, a further tye of her kindneſs and reſpects unto him.

This Sir John was bred up in Cambridge, either in Chriſt's or in St. John's-Colledge, under Dr. Still his Tutor. He afterwards proved one of the moſt ingenious Poets of our Engliſh Nation, no leſs noted for his Book of witty Epigrams, than his judicious Tranſlation of Arioſto's Orlando Furioſo, dedicated to the Lady Elizabeth, afterwards Queen of Bohemia.

The Britiſh Epigramatiſt, Mr. John Owen, in his ſecond Book of Epigrams, thus writes to him:

A Poet mean I am, yet of the Troop, Though thou art not, yet better thou canſt do't.

And afterwards in his fourth Book, Epig. 20. concerning Envy's Genealogy; he thus complements him.

Fair Vertue, foul-mouth'd Envy breeds, and feeds; From Vertue only this foul Vice proceeds; Wonder not that I this to you indite, 'Gainſt your rare Vertues, Envy bends her ſpite.

It happened that whileſt the ſaid Sir John repaired often to an Ordinary in Bath, a Female attendreſs at the Table, neglecting other Gentlemen, which ſat higher, and were of greater Eſtates, applied herſelf wholly to him, accommodating him with all neceſſaries, and preventing his asking any thing with her officiouſneſs. She being demanded by him, the reaſon of her ſo careful waiting on him? I underſtand (ſaid ſhe) you are a very witty man, and if I ſhould diſpleaſe you in any thing, I fear you would make an Epigram of me.

Sir John frequenting often the Lady Robert's Houſe, his Wives Mother, where they uſed to go to dinner extraordinary late, a Child of his being there then, ſaid Grace, which was that of the Primmer, Thou giveſt them Meat in due ſeaſon; Hold, ſaid Sir John to the Child, you ought not to lie unto God, for here we never have our Meat in due ſeaſon. This Jeſt he afterwards turned into an Epigram, directing it to his Wife, and concluding it thus:

Now if your Mother angry be for this, Then you muſt reconcile us with a kiſs.

A Poſthume Book of his came forth, as an addition to Biſhop Godwin's Catalogue of Biſhops, wherein (ſaith Dr. Fuller) beſides miſtakes, ſome tart reflections in Vxaratos Epiſcopos, might well have been ſpared. In a word (ſaith he) he was a Poet in all things, ſave in his wealth, leaving a fair Eſtate to a learned and religious Son, and died about the middle of the Reign of King James.

JOHN HEYWOOD.

THis John Heywood was one of the firſt writers of Engliſh Plays, contemporary with the Authors of Gammar Gurton's Needle, and Tom Tyler and his Wife, as may appear by the Titles of his Interludes; viz. The Play of Love; Play of of the Weather; Play between Johan the Huſband, and Tib his Wife; Play between the Pardoner and the Fryer, and the Curate and Neighbour Prat; Play of Gentleneſs and Nobility, in two parts. Beſides theſe he wrote two Comedies, the Pinner of Wakefield, and Philotas Scotch. There was of this Name, in King Henry the Eighth's Reign, an Epigramatiſt, who, ſaith the Author of the Art of Engliſh Poetry, for the mirth and quickneſs of his conceits, more than any goqd learning was in him, came to be well benefited by the King.

THOMAS HEYWOOD.

THomas Heywood was a greater Benefactor to the Stage than his Nameſake, John Heywood, aforeſaid, he having (as you may read in an Epiſtle to a Play of his, called, The Engliſh Travellers) had an entire hand, or at leaſt a main finger in the writing of 220 of them. And no doubt but he took great pains therein, for it is ſaid, that he not only Acted himſelf almoſt every day, but alſo wrote each day a Sheet; and that he might loſe no time, many of his Plays were compoſed in the Tavern, on the back-ſide of Tavern Bills; which may be an occaſion that ſo many of them are loſt, for of thoſe 220. mentioned before, we find but 25. of them Printed, viz. The Brazen Age; Challenge for Beauty; The Engliſh Travellers; The first and ſecond part of Edward the Fourth; The firſt and ſecond part of Queen Elizabeth's Troubles; Fair Maid of the West, firſt and ſecond part; Fortune by Land and Sea; Fair Maid of the Exchange; Maidenhead well lost; Royal King and Loyal Subject; Woman kill'd with kindeſs; Wiſe Woman of Hogſdon, Comedies. Four London Prentices; The Golden Age; The Iron Age, first and ſecond part; Robert Earl of Huntington's downfal; Robert Earl of Huntington's death; The Silver Age; Dutcheſs of Suffolk, Hiſtories; And Loves Miſtreſs, a Mask. And, as if the Name of Heywood were deſtinated to the Stage, there was alſo one Jaſper Heywood, who wrote three Tragedies, namely, Hercules Furiens, Thyeſtes, and Troas. Alſo, in my time I knew one Matthew Heywood; who wrote a Comedy, called The Changling, that ſhould have been acted at Audley-end Houſe, but, by I know not what accident was prevented.

GEORGE PEEL.

GEorge Peel, a ſomewhat antiquated Engliſh Bard of Queen Elizabeth's date, ſome remnants of whoſe pretty paſtoral Poetry we have extant in a Collection, entituled, England's Helicon. He alſo contributed to the Stage three Plays, Edward the firſt, a Hiſtory; Alphonſus, Emperour of Germany, a Tragedy; and David and Bathſabe a Tragi-Comedy; which no doubt in the time he wrote paſſed with good applauſe.

JOHN LILLY.

JOhn Lilly, a famous Poet for the State in his time, as by the Works which he left appears, being in great eſteem in his time, and acted then with great applauſe of the Vulgar, as ſuch things which they underſtood, and compoſed chiefly to make them merry. Yet ſo much prized as they were Printed together in one Volume, namely, Endymion, Alexander and Campaſce, Galatea, Midas, Mother Boniby, Maids Metamorphoſis, Sapho and Phao, Woman in the Moon, Comedies; and another Play called A Warning for fair Women; all which declare the great pains he took, and the eſteem which he had in that Age.

WILLIAM WAGER.

THis William Wager is moſt famous for an Interlude which he wrote, called Tom Tyler and his Wife, which paſſed with ſuch general applauſe that it was reprinted in the year 1661. and has been Acted divers times by private perſons; the chief Argument whereof is, Tyler his marrying to a Shrew, which, that you may the better underſtand, take it in the Author's own words, ſpeaking in the perſon of Tom Tyler.

I am a poor Tyler, in ſimple array, And get a poor living, but eight pence a day, My Wiſe as I get it doth ſpend it away; And I cannot help it, ſhe ſaith; wot ye why? For wedding and hanging comes by deſtiny. I thought when I wed her, ſhe had been a Sheep, At board to be friendly, to ſleep when I ſleep: She loves ſo unkindly, ſhe makes me to weep. But I dare ſay nothing, god wot; wot ye why? For wedding and hanging comes by deſtiny. Beſides this unkindneſs whereof my grief grows, I think few Tylers are matcht to ſuch ſhrows, Before ſhe leaves brawling, ſhe falls to deal blows. Which early and late doth cauſe me to cry, That wedding and hanging is deſtiny. The more that I pleaſe her, the worſe ſhe doth like me, The more I forbear her, the more ſhe doth ſtrike me, The more that I get her, the more ſhe doth glike me. Wo worth this ill fortune that maketh me cry, That wedding and hanging is deſtiny. If I had been hanged when I had been married, My torments had ended, though I had miſcarried, If I had been warned, then would I have tarried; But now all too lately I feel and cry, That wedding and hanging is deſtiny.

He wrote alſo two Comedies, The Tryal of Chivalry, and The longer thou livest, the more Fool thou art.

NICHOLAS BRETON.

NIcholas Breton, a writer of Paſtoral Sonnets, Canzons, and Madrigals, in which kind of writing he keeps company with ſeveral other contemporary Emulators of Spencer and Sir Philip Sidney, in a publiſh'd Collection of ſeveral Odes of the chief Sonneters of that Age. He wrote alſo ſeveral other Books, whereof two I have by me, Wits Private Wealth, and another called The Courtier and the Country-man, in which laſt, ſpeaking of Vertue, he hath theſe Verſes: There is a Secret few do know, And doth in ſpecial places grow, A rich mans praiſe, a poor mans wealth, A weak mans ſtrength, a ſick mans health, A Ladies beauty, a Lords bliſs, A matchleſs Jewel where it is; And makes, where it is truly ſeen, A gracious King, and glorious Queen.

THOMAS KID, THOMAS WATSON, &c.

THomas Kid, a writer that ſeems to have been of pretty good eſteem for verſifying in former times, being quoted among ſome of the more fam'd Poets, as Spencer, Drayton, Daniel, Lodge, &c. with whom he was either contemporary, or not much later: There is particularly remembred his Tragedy, Cornelia.

There alſo flouriſh'd about the ſame time Thomas Watſon, a contemporary immitater of Sir Philip Sidney, as alſo Tho. Hudſon, Joh. Markham, Tho. Achelly, Joh. Weever, Ch. Middleton, Geo. Turbervile, Hen. Conſtable, with ſome others, eſpecially one John Lane, whoſe Works though much better meriting than many that are in print, yet notwithſtanding had the ill fate to be unpubliſh'd, but they are all ſtill reſerved in Manuſcript, namely, his Poetical Viſion, his Alarm to the Poets, his Twelve Months, his Guy of Warwick, a Heroick Poem; and laſtly, his Supplement to Chaucer's Squires Tale.

Sir THOMAS OVERBƲRY.

SIr Thomas Overbury, a Knight and Wit, was Son to Sir Nicholas Overbury of Burton in Gloceſter-ſhire, one of the Judges of the Marches; who, to his natural propenſion of ingenuity, had the addition of good Education, being bred up firſt in Oxford, afterwards, for a while a Student of the Law in the Middle Temple; ſoon after he caſt Anchor at Court, the Haven of Hope for all aſpiring Spirits; afterwards travell'd into France, where having been ſome time, he returned again, and was entertained into the reſpects of Sir Rob. Carre, one who was newly initiated a Favourite to King James; where, by his wiſe carriage, he purchaſed to himſelf not only the good affection and reſpect of Sir Robert, but alſo of divers other eminent perſons.

During his abode with Sir Robert Carre, he compoſed that excellent Poem of his, entituled, A Wife; which, for the excellency thereof, the Author of the Epiſtle to the Reader, prefixed before his Book, thus writes, Had ſuch a Poem been extant among the ancient Romans, altho' they wanted our eaſie conſervation of Wit by Printing, they would have committed it to Braſs, leſt injurious time might deprive it of due eternity. Nor was his Poem of A Wife not only done to the life, but alſo thoſe Characters which he wrote, to this day not out-witted by any.

But to return from the Work to the Workman; Mr. Overbury is by the King knighted, and Sir Rob. Carre made a Viſcount, and ſuch a reciprocal Love paſs'd betwixt them, that it was queſtionable, whether the Viſcount were more in favour with King James, or Sir Thomas Overbury in the favour of the Viſcount? But what eſtate on earth is ſo firm, that is not changeable, or what friendſhip is ſo conſtant, that is not diſſolvable? Who would imagine this Viſcount ſhould be inſtrumental to his death, who had done him ſo faithful ſervice, and to whom he had emboſom'd his moſt ſecret thoughts? Yet ſo it was, for Sir Thomas, out of an unfeigned affection which he bare to the Viſcount, diſwaded him from a motion of a Marriage which was propounded betwixt him and the Lady Francis Howard, who was lately divorced from the Earl of Eſſex, as a Match neither for his credit here, nor comfort hereafter. This Counſel, though it proceeded from an unfeigned love in Sir Thomas, yet where Beauty commands, all diſcretion being ſequeſtred, created in the Viſcount a hatred towards him; and in the Counteſs the fury of a woman, a deſire of revenge, who perſwaded the Viſcount, That it was not poſſible that ever ſhe ſhould endure thoſe injuries, or hope for any proſperity ſo long as he lived; That ſhe wondred how he could be ſo familiar, ſo much affected to his man Overbury; that without him he could do nothing, at it were making him his right hand, ſeeing he being newly grown into the Kings favour, and depending wholly upon his greatneſs, must expect to be clouded if not ruined, when his ſervant that knew his ſecrets ſhould come to preferment. The Viſcount, apt enough of his own inclination to revenge, being thus further exaſperated by the Counteſs, they joyntly reſolve upon his death, and ſoon a fit opportunity came to their hands. He being by King James (and as it is thought by the Viſcount's Counſel) nominated to be ſent Embaſſador to the Emperor of Ruſſia, was by the ſaid Viſcount, whom he eſpecially truſted, perſuaded to decline the employment, as no better than an honourable Grave; Better lie ſome days in the Tower, than more months in a worſe Priſon; a Ship by Sea, and a barbarous cold Country by Land. You are now (ſaid he) in credit at home, and have made tryal of the dangers of travel, why then ſhould you hazard all upon uncertainties, being already in poſſeſſion of that you can probably expect by theſe means; promiſing him, that within a ſmall time he would ſo work with the King, that he ſhould have a good of opinion him. But he (ſaith Dr. Fuller) who willingly goes into a Priſon out of hope to come eaſily out of it, may ſtay therein ſo long till he be too late convinced of his error.

And now having him in the place where they would, their next ſtudy to ſecure their revenge, was cloſely to make him away; which they concluded to be by poyſon. To this end, they conſult with one Mrs. Turner (the firſt inventer of that horrid Garb of yellow Ruffs and Cuffs, and in which Garb ſhe was after hanged) ſhe having acquaintance with one James Franklin, a man skilled for that purpoſe, agreed with him to provide that which ſhould not kill preſently, but cauſe one to languiſh away by degrees, a little and a little. Sir Gervas Yelvis, Lieutenant of the Tower, being drawn into the Conſpiracy, admits one Weſton, Mrs. Turners man, who under pretence of waiting upon Sir Thomas, was to act the horrid Tragedy. The Plot thus continued, Franklin buyes certain Poyſons, viz. Soſater, white Arſenick, Mercury ſublimate, Cantharides, red Mercury, with three or four other deadly Ingredients, which he delivered to Weſton, with inſtructions how to uſe them. Weſton, (an apt Scholar in the Devil's School) tempers them in his Broth and Meat, increaſing or diminiſhing their ſtrength according as he ſaw him affected. Beſides theſe, poyſon'd Tarts & Jellies are ſent him by the Viſcount. Nay, they poyſoned his very Salt, Sauce, Meat and Drink; but being of a very ſtrong Conſtitution, he held out ſtill: At laſt they effected their work by a poyſoned Clyſter which they adminiſted unto him, ſo that the next day he died thereof; and becauſe there were ſome Bliſters and ugly Botches on his Body, the Conſpirators gave it out he died of the French Pox.

Thus by the Malice of a Woman this worthy Knight was murdered, who yet ſtill lives in that witty Poem of his, entituled, a Wife; as is well expreſſed by theſe Verſes under his Picture.

A man's beſt Fortune, or his worſt's a Wife: Yet I that knew no Marriage, Peace, nor Strife, Live by a good one, by a bad one loſt my Life.

But God, who ſeldom ſuffers Murder to go unrevenged, revealed the ſame; for notwithſtanding what the Conſpirators had given out, Suſpitions grew high that Sir Thomas was poyſoned: Whereupon Weſton is examined by the Lord Cook, who at firſt ſtifly denied the ſame; but being perſwaded by the Biſhop of London, he tells all: How Mrs. Turner and the Counteſs came acquainted; what relation ſhe had, to Witches, Sorcerers and Conjurers; and diſcovers all thoſe who had any hand in it: whereupon they were all apprehended; ſome ſent to the Tower, others to Newgate. Having thus confeſſed, being convicted according to courſe of Law, he was hanged at Tyburn; after him Mrs. Turner; after her Franklin, then Sir Gervas Yelvis, upon their ſeveral Arraignments, were found guilty, and executed. Some of them died very penitent: The Earl and his Counteſs were both condemned, but through the King's gracious Pardon had their Lives ſaved, but were never admitted to the Favour of the Court.

We ſhall conclude all with this his Epitaph written by himſelf.

The ſpan of my days meaſur'd, here I reſt, That is, my Body; but my Soul, his Gueſt, Is hence aſcended, whither, neither Time, Nor Faith, nor Hope, but only Love can clime; Where being now enlightned, ſhe doth know The Truth of all men argue of below: Only this Duſt doth here in pawn remain, That, when the world diſſolves, ſhe come again

Mr. MICHAEL DRAYTON.

MR. Drayton, one who had drunk as deep a Draught at Helicon as any in his time, was born at Athelſton in Warwickſhire, as appeareth in his Poetical Addreſs thereunto, Poly-Olbion, Song 13. p. 213.

My native Country then, which ſo brave Spirits haſt bred, If there be virtue yet remaining in thy earth, Or any good of thine thou breath'ſt into my Birth, Accept it as thine own whilſt uow I ſing of thee, Of all thy latter Brood th'unworthieſt tho' I be. He was in his time for fame and renown in Poetry, not much inferior, if not equal to Mr. Spencer, or Sir Philip Sidney himſelf. Take a taſte of the ſprightfu • neſs of his Muſe, out of his Poly-Olbion, ſpeaking of his native County Warwickſhire.

Upon the Mid-lands now th'induſtrious Muſe doth fall, That Shire which we the Heart of England well may call, As ſhe herſelf extends (the midſt which is Deweed) betwixt St. Michael's Mount and Barwick-bordering Tweed, Brave Warwick, that abroad ſo long advanc'd her Bear, By her illuſtrious Earls renowned every where, Above her neighbouring Shires which always bore her Head.

Alſo in the Beginning of his Poly-Olbion he thus writes; Of Albions glorious Iſle the wonders whilſt I write, The ſundry varying Soyls, the Pleaſures infinite, Where heat kills not the cold, nor cold expells the heat, The calms too mildly ſmall, nor winds too roughly great. Nor night doth hinder day, nor day the night doth wrong; The ſummer not too ſhort, the winter not too long: What help ſhall I invoke to aid my Muſe the while? &c.

However, in the eſteem of the more curious of theſe times, his Works ſeem to be antiquated, eſpecially this of his Poly-Olbion, becauſe of the oldfaſhion'd kind of Verſe thereof, which ſeems ſomewhat to diminiſh that reſpect which was formerly paid to the Subject, although indeed both pleaſant and elaborate, wherein he took a great deal both of ſtudy and pains; and thereupon thought worthy to be commented upon by that once walking Library of our Nation, Mr. John Selden: His Barons Wars are done to the Life, equal to any of that Subject. His Englands Heroical Epiſtles generally liked and received, entituling him unto the appellation of the Engliſh Ovid. His Legends of Robert Duke of Normandy. Matilda, Pierce Gaveſton, and Thomas Cromwel, all of them done to the Life. His Idea expreſſes much Fancy and Poetry. And to ſuch as love that Poetry, that of Nymphs, and Shepherds, his Nymphals, and other things of that nature, cannot be unpleaſant.

To conclude, He was a Poet of a pious temper, his Conſcience having always the command of his Fancy; very temperate in his Life, ſlow of ſpeech, and inoffenſive in company. He changed his Lawrel for a Crown of Glory, Anno, 1631. and was buried in Westminſter-Abbey, near the South-door, by thoſe two eminent Poets, Geoffry Chaucer and Edmond Spencer, with this Epitaph made (as it is ſaid) by Mr. Benjamin Johnſon.

Do, pious Marble, let thy Readers know What they, and what their Children ow To Drayton's Name, whoſe ſacred Dust We recommend unto thy Trust Protect his Memory, and preſerve his Story, Remain a laſting Monument of his Glory: And when thy Ruines ſhall diſclaim To be the Treaſurer of his Name, His Name that cannot fade ſhall be An everlaſting Monument to thee.

JOSHƲA SYLVESTER.

JOſhua Sylvester, a very eminent Tranſlator of his time, eſpecially of the Divine Du Bartus, whoſe ſix days work of Creation, gain'd him an immortal Fame, having had many great Admirers even to theſe days, being uſher'd into the world by the chiefeſt Wits of that Age; amongſt others, the moſt accompliſht Mr. Benjamin Johnſon thus wrote of him.

If to admire, were to commend my Praiſe might then both thee, thy work and merit raiſe; But, as it is (the Child of Ignorance And utter ſtranger to all Ayr of France) How can I ſpeak of thy great pains, but err; Since they can only judge that can confer? Behold! the reverend ſhade of Bartus ſtands Before my thought, and (in thy right) commands That to the world I publiſh, for him, this: Bartus doth wiſh thy Engliſh now were his, So well in that are his Inventions wrought, As his will now be the Tranſlation thought, Thine the Original; and France ſhall boaſt No more thoſe Maiden-Glories ſhe hath loſt.

He hath alſo tranſlated ſeveral other Works of Du Bartus; namely, Eden, the Deceipt, the Furies, the Handicrafts, the Ark, Babylon, the Colonies, the Columns, the Fathers, Jonas, Vrania, Triumph of Faith, Miracle of Peace, the Vocation, the Fathers, the Daw, the Captains, the Trophies, the Magnificence, &c. Alſo a Paradox of Odes de la Nove, Baron of Teligni, with the Quadrains of Pibeac; all which Tranſlations were generally well received: but for his own Works which were bound up with them, they received not ſo general an approbation; as you may perceive by theſe Verſes; We know thou doſt well As a Tranſlator, But where things require A Genius and a Fire, Not kindled before by others pains, As often thou haſt wanted Brains.

Mr. SAMƲEL DANIEL.

MR. Daniel was born nigh to the Town of Taunton in Somerſetſhire; his Father was a Maſter of Muſick, and his harmonious Mind (ſaith Dr. Fuller) made an Impreſſion in his Son's Genius, who proved to be one of the Darlings of the Muſes, a moſt excellent Poet, whoſe Wings of Fancy diſplayed the Flags of higheſt Invention: Carrying in his Chriſtian and Sirname the Names of two holy Prophets; which, as they were Monitors to him, for avoyding Scurrility, ſo he qualified his Raptures to ſuch a ſtrain, as therein he abhorred all Debauchery and Prophaneneſs.

Nor was he only one of the inſpired Train of PhOebus, but alſo a moſt judicious Hiſtorian, witneſs his Lives of our Engliſh Kings ſince the Conqueſt, until King Edward the Third, wherein he hath the happineſs to reconcile brevity with clearneſs, qualities of great diſtance in other Authors; and had he continued to theſe times, no doubt it had been a Work incomparable: Of which his Undertaking, Dr. Heylin in the Preface to his Coſmography, gives this Character, ſpeaking of the chiefeſt Hiſtorians of this Nation; And to end the Bed-roll (ſays he) half the Story of this Realm done by Mr. Daniel, of which I believe that which himſelf ſaith of it in his Epistle to the Reader, that there was never brought together more of the Main. Which Work is ſince commendably continued (but not with equal quickneſs and judgment) by Mr. Truſſel.

As for his Poems ſo univerſally received, the firſt in eſteem is, that Heroical one of the Civil Wars between the two Houſes of York and Lancaster; of which the elaborate Mr. Speed, in his Reign of Richard the Second, thus writes: The Seeds (ſaith he) of thoſe fearful Calamities, a flouriſhing Writer of our Age (ſpeaking of Mr. Daniel) willing nearly to have imitated Lucan, as he is indeed called our Engliſh Lucan, doth not unfortunately expreſs, tho' he might rather have ſaid he wept them, than ſung them; but indeed ſo to ſing them, is to weep them.

I ſing the Civil Wars, tumultuous Broils And bloody Factions of a mighty Land, Whoſe people haughty, proud with foreign ſpoyls; Upon their ſelves turn back their conquering hand While Kin their Kin, Brother the Brother foils, Like Enſigns, all againſt like Enſigns ſtand: Bows againſt Bows, a Crown againſt a Crown, While all pretending right, all right throw down

Take one Taſte more of his Poetry, in his ſixth Book of that Heroical Poem, ſpeaking of the Miſeries of Civil War.

So wretched is this execrable War, This civil Sword, wherein though all we ſee be foul, and all things miſerable are, Yet moſt of all is even the Victory; Which is, not only the extream Ruiner of others, but her own Calamity; Where who obtains, cannot what he would do: Their power hath part that holp him thereunto.

Next, take notice of his Muſophilus, or general Defence of Learning, Dedicated to Sir Fulk Greuil; his Letter of Octovia to Marcus Antonius, his Complaint of Roſamond, his Panegyrick, Delia, &c. Beſides his Dramatick Pieces; as his Tragedy of Philotus and Cleopatra; Hymenis Triumph, and the Queens Arcadia, a Paſtoral; being all of them of ſuch worth, that they were well accepted by the choiceſt Judgments of thoſe Times, and do yet remain in good eſteem, as by their often Impreſſions may appear.

This our Poet's deſerts preferr'd him to be a Servant in ordinary to Queen Anne, the moſt illuſtrious wife of King James I. who allowed him a fair Salary, ſuch as enabled him to keep a handſom Gardenhouſe in Old-ſtreet nigh London, where he would commonly lie obſcure ſometimes two Months together, the better to enjoy that great Felicity he aimed at, by enjoying the company of the Muſes, and then would appear in publick, to recreate himſelf, and converſe with his Friends; of whom the moſt endeared were the Learned Doctor Cowel, and Judicious Mr. Cambden.

And now being weary of the Troubles of the City and Court, he retired into the Country, and turn'd Husbandman, Renting a Farm or Grange in Wiltſhire, nigh the Devizes; not ſo much, as it is thought, for the hope of gains, as to enjoy the retiredneſs of a Country Life: How he thrived upon it, I cannot inform my ſelf, much leſs my Readers, although no queſtion pleaſing himſelf therein, he attained to that Riches he ſought for, viz. Quiet and Contentedneſs; which whoſo enjoys, reapeth the benefit of his labours. He left no Iſſue behind him but thoſe of his Brain, though living a good ſpace of time with Juſtina his wife: For his Eſtate, he had neither a Bank of Wealth, nor Lank of Want; but living in a competent contented condition, and died (as it is conjectured) about the latter end of King James I.

GEORGE CHAPMAN.

GEorge Chapman was one in his time much famed for the Fluency of his Muſe; gaining a great repute for his Tranſlation of Homer and Heſiod, which in thoſe times paſſed as Works done without compare; and indeed conſidering he was one of the firſt who brake the Ice in the Tranſlation of ſuch learned Authors, reading the higheſt conception of their Raptures into a neat polite Engliſh, as gave the true meaning of what they intended, and rendred it a ſtyle acceptable to the Reader; conſidering, I ſay, what Age he lived in, it was very well worthy praiſe; though ſince the Tranſlation of Homer is very far out-done by Mr. Ogilby. He alſo continued that excellent Poem of Hero and Leander, begun by Chriſtopher Marlow, and added very much to the Stage in thoſe times by his Dramatick Writings; as his Blind Beggar of Alexandria, All Fools, the Gentleman Vſher, Humorous Days Mirth, May Day, Mounſieur D'Olive, Eaſtward ho, Two wiſe men, and all the rest Fools, Widows Tears, Comedies; Buſſy D'Amboys, Byron's Tragedy, Buſſy D'Amboys Revenge, Caeſar and Pompey, Revenge for Honour, Tragedies; the Temple, Maſque of the Middle Temple and Lincolns-Inn, Maſques; and Byron's Conſpiracy, a Hiſtory; in all ſeventeen.

ROBERT BARON.

OF this Robert Baron, we can recover nothing, ſave only thoſe Dramatick Pieces which he wrote to the Stage, and which no doubt paſſed with good applauſe in thoſe times. Of theſe are remembred his Don Quixot, or the Knight of the Ill-favoured Countenance, a Comedy; Gripus and Hegia, a Paſtoral; Deorum Dona, Dick Scorner, Deſtruction of Jeruſalem, the Marriage of Wit and Science, Maſques and Interludes; and Myrza, a Tragedy.

LODOVIC CARLISLE.

TO Mr. Robert Baron we may add Lodovic Carliſle, as much about the ſame time, and of like equal eſteem; having written ſome not yet totally forgotten Plays, viz. Arviragus and Felicia, in two pats; the deſerving Favorite, the Fool would be a Favorite, or the deſerving Lover, Tragi-Comedies; Marius and Scylla, and Oſmond the Great Turk, or the Noble Servant, Tragedies; all which ſhew him (though not a Maſter) yet a great Retainer to the Muſes.

JOHN FORD.

TO theſe we may add John Ford, a Dramatick Writer likewiſe of those times; very beneficial to the Red-Bull and Fortune-Play-houſes; as may appear by theſe Plays which he wrote, viz. The Fancies, Ladies Tryal, Comedies; the broken Heart, Lovers Melancholy, Loves Sacrifice, 'tis pity ſhe's a Whore, Tragedies; Perkin Warbeck, a Hiſtory; and an Aſſociate with Rowley and Deckar in a Tragi-Comedy called The Witch of Edmonton.

ANTHONY BREWER.

ANthony Brewer was alſo one who in his time contributed very much towards the Engliſh Stage by his Dramatick Writings; eſpecially in that noted one of his, entituled, Lingua; which as it is reported) being once acted in Cambridge, the late Uſurper Cromwel had therein the Part of Tablus, the Subſtance of the Play being a Contention among the Senſes ſor a Crown, which Lingua, who would have made up a ſixth Senſe, had laid for them to ſind; having this Inſcription;

Which of the five that doth deſerve it beſt, Shall have his Temples with this Coronet bleſt.

This Mock-contention for a Crown, is ſaid to ſwell his Ambition ſo high, that afterwards he contended for it in earneſt, heading ſuch a notable Rebellion, as had almoſt ruined three flouriſhing Kingdoms.

But to return to Mr. Brewer; Beſides this Lingua, he wrote Loves Loadſtone, and the Countrey-Girl, Comedies; the Love-ſick King, and Landagartha, Tragi-Comedies, and Loves Dominion, a Paſtoral.

HENRY GLAPTHORN.

HEnry Glapthorn was one well deſerving of the Engliſh, being one of the chiefeſt Dramatick Writers of this Age; deſervingly commendable not ſo much for the quantity as the quality of his Plays; being his Hollander, Ladies Priviledge, and Wit in a Conſtable, Comedies; his Argalus and Parthenia, a Paſtoral; and Alberus Watleſtein, a Tragedy; in which Tragedy theſe Lines are much commended.

This Law the Heavens inviolably keep, Their Juſtice well may ſlumber, but ne'er ſleep.

JOHN DAVIS of Hereford.

IN the writing of this Mans Life, we ſhall make uſe of Dr. Fuller in his England's Worthies, who ſaith, that he was the greateſt Maſter of the Pen that England in his Age beheld; for, 1. Faſt writing; ſo incred • ble his expedition. 2. Fair writing; ſome minutes conſultation being required to decide whether his Lines were written or printed. 3. Cloſe writing; a Myſtery which to do well, few attain unto. 4. Various writing; Secretary, Roman, Court and Text.

The Poetical Fiction of • riareus the Giant, who had an hundred hands, found a Moral in him, who could ſo cunningly and copiouſly diſguiſe his aforeſaid elemental hards, that by mixing, he could make them appear an hundred; and if not ſo many ſorts, ſo many degrees of writing. He had alſo many pretty excurſions into Poetry, and could flouriſh Matters as well as Letters, with his Fancy as well as with his Pen. Take a taſte of his Abilities in thoſe Verſes of his before Coriat's Crudities, being called the Odcombian Banquet, wherein the whole Club of Wits in that Age joyned together, to write Mock-commendatory Verſes in Praiſe-diſpraiſe of his Book.

If Art that oft the Learn'd hath ſtammer'd, In one Iron Head-piece (yet no Hammer-Lead) May (joyn'd with Nature) hit Fame on the Cocks-comb, Then 'tis that Head-piece that is crown'd with Odcomb For he, hard Head (and hard, ſith like a Whet-ſtone) It gives Wits edge, and draws them too like Jet-ſtone) Is Caput Mundi for a world of School-tricks, And is not ignorant in the learned'ſt—tricks H'hath ſeen much more than much, I eſſure ye, And will ſee New-Troy, Bethlem, and Old-Jury Mean while (to give a taſte of his firſt travel, With ſtreams of Rhetorick that get golden Gravel) He tells how he to Venice once did wander; From whence he came more witty than a Gander: Whereby he makes relations of ſuch wonders, That Truth therein doth lighten, while Art thunders, All Tongues fled to him that at Babel ſwerved, Leſt they for wunt of warm months might have ſtarved. Where they do revel in ſuch paſſing meaſure, (Eſpecially the Greek, wherein's his pleaſure.) That (jovially) ſo Greek he takes the guard of, That he's the merrieſt Greek that 'ere was heard of; For he as' twere his Mothers twittle twattle, (That's Mother-tongue) the Greek can prittle prattle. Nay, of that Tongue he ſo hath got the Body, That he ſports with it at Ruffe, Gleek or Noddy; &c.

He died at London in the midſt of the Reign of King James I. and lieth buried in St. Giles in the Fields.

Doctor JOHN DONNE.

THis pleaſant Poet, painful Preacher, and pious Perſon, was born in Do ••• n, of wealthy Parents, who took ſuch care of his Education, that at nine years of Age he was ſent to ſtudy at Hart-Hall in Oxford, having beſides the Latine and Greek, attained to a knowledge in the French Tongue. Here he fell into acquaintance with that great Maſter of Language and Art, Sir Henry Wootton; betwixt whom was ſuch Friendſhip contracted, that nothing but Death could force the ſeparation.

From Oxford he was tranſplanted to Cambridge, where he much improved his Study, and from thence placed at Lincolns Inn, when his Father dying, and leaving him three thouſand pound in ready Money; he having a youthful deſire to travel, went over with the Earl of Eſſex to Cales; where having ſeen the iſſue of this Expedition, he left them and went into Italy, and from thence into Spain, where by his Induſtry he attainted to a perfection in their Languages, and returned home with many uſeful Obſervations of thoſe Countries, and their Laws and Government.

Theſe his Abilities, upon his Return, preferred him to be Secretary to the Lord Elſmore, Keeper of the Great Seal; in whoſe Service he fell in Love with a young Gentlewoman who lived in that Family, Neece to the Lady Elſmore, and Daughter to Sir George Moor, Chancellor of the Garter, and Lieutenant of the Tower, who greatly oppoſed this Match; yet notwithſtanding they were privately married: which ſo exeſperated Sir George Moor, that he procured the Lord Elſmore to diſcharge him of his Secretariſhip, and never left proſecuting him till he had caſt him into Priſon, as alſo his two Friends who had married him, and gave him his Wife in Marriage.

But Mr. Donne had not been long there before he found means to get out, as alſo enlargement for his two Friends, and ſoon after through the mediation of ſome able perſons, a reconciliation was made, and he receiving a Portion with his Wife, and having help of divers friends, they lived very comfortably together; And now was he frequently viſited by men of greateſt learning and judgment in this Kingdom; his company deſired by the Nobility, and extreamly affected by the Gentry: His friendſhip was ſought for of moſt foreign Embaſſadors, and his acquaintance entreated by many other ſtrangers, whoſe learning or employment occaſioned their ſtay in this Kingdom. In which ſtate of life he compoſed his more brisk and youthful Poems; in which he was ſo happy, as if Nature with all her varieties had been made to exerciſe his great Wit and Fancy; Nor did he leave it off in his old age, as is witneſſed by many of his divine Sonnets, and other high, holy and harmonious Compoſures, as under his Effigies in theſe following Verſes to his Printed Poems, one moſt ingeniouſly expreſſes.

This was for youth, ſtrength, mirth, and wit, the time Moſt count their golden age, but times not thine: Thine was thy later years, ſo much refin'd, From youths droſs, mirth, and wit, as thy pure mind, Thought, like the Angels, nothing but the praiſe Of thy Creator in thoſe laſt beſt days. Witneſs this Book, thy Emblem, which begins With love, but ends with ſighs and tears for ſins.

At laſt, by King James's his command, or rather earneſt perſuaſion, ſetting himſelf to the ſtudy of Theology, and into holy Orders, he was firſt made a Preacher of Lincoln's-Inn, afterwards advanc'd to be Dean of Pauls, and as of an eminent Poet he became a much more eminent Preacher, ſo he rather improved then relinquiſht his Poetical fancy, only converting it from humane and worldly to divine and heavenly Subjects; witneſs this Hymn made in the time of his ſickneſs.

A Hymn to God the Father. Wilt thou forgive that ſin where I begun, Which was my ſin, tho' it were done before? Wilt thou forgive that ſin through which I run, And do run ſtill, tho' ſtill I do deplore? When thou haſt done, thou haſt not done, For I have more. Wilt thou ſorgive that ſin which I have won Others to ſin, and made my ſin their door? Wilt thou forgive that ſin, which I did ſhun A year or two, but wallowed in a ſcore? When thou haſt done, thou haſt not done, For I have more. I have a ſin of fear, that when I have ſpun My laſt thrid, I ſhall periſh on the ſhore; But ſwear by thy ſelf, that at my death thy ſon Shall ſhine as he ſhines now, and heretofore; And having done that, thou haſt done, I ask no more.

He died March 31. Anno 1631. and was buried in St. Paul's-Church, attended by many perſons of Nobility and Eminency. After his burial, ſome mournful friends repaired, and as Alexander the great did to the Grave of the moſt famous Achilles, ſo they ſtrewed his with curious and coſtly flowers. Nor was this (tho' not uſual) all the honour done to his reverend aſhes; for ſome perſon (unknown) to perpetuate his memory, ſent to his Executors, Dr. King, and Dr. Momford, an 100 Marks towards the making of a Monument for him; which they faithfully performed, it being as lively a repreſentation as in dead Marble could be made of him, tho' ſince by that mercileſs Fire in 1666. it be quite ruined.

I ſhall conclude all with theſe Verſes, made to the Memory of this reverend perſon.

He that would write an Epitaph for thee, And do it well, muſt firſt begin to be Such as thou wert; for none can truly know Thy worth, thy life, but he that lived ſo. He muſt have wit to ſpare, and to hurl down, Enough to keep the Gallants of the Town. He muſt have learning plenty, both the Laws Civil and Common, to judge any Cauſe; Divinity great ſtore above the reſt, None of the worſt Edition, but the beſt: He muſt have Language, Travel, all the Arts; Judgment to uſe, or elſe he wants thy parts: He muſt have friends the higheſt, able to do, Such as Maecenas and Auguſtus too; He muſt have ſuch a ſickneſs, ſuch a death, Or elſe his vain deſcriptions come beneath: He muſt unto all good men be a friend, And (like to thee) muſt make a pious end.

Dr. RICHARD CORBET.

THis reverend Doctor was born at Ewel in Surrey; a witty Poet in his youth, witneſs his Iter Boreale, and other facetious Poems, which were the effects of his juvenal fancy; He was alſo one of thoſe celebrated Wits, which with Mr. Benjamin Johnſon, Mr. Whitaker, Sir Joh. Harrington, Dr. Donne, Mr. Drayton, Mr. Davis, whom I mentioned before, and ſeveral others, wrote thoſe mock commendatory Verſes on Coriats Crudities; which, becauſe the Book is ſcarce, and very few have ſeen it, I ſhall give you them as they are recited in the Book.

I do not wonder, Coriat, that thou haſt Over the Alps, through France, and Savoy paſt, Parcht on thy skin, and founder'd in thy feet, Faint, thirſty, louſie, and didſt live to ſee't. Tho' theſe are Roman ſufferings, and do ſhow What Creatures back thou hadſt, could carry ſo; All I admire is thy return, and how Thy ſlender paſterns could thee bear, when now Thy obſervations with thy brain ingendred, Have ſtufft thy maſſy and volumnious head With Mountains, Abbeys, Churches, Synagogues, Preputial Offals, and Dutch Dialogues: A burthen far more grievous than the weight Of Wine or Sleep, more vexing then the freight Of Fruit and Oyſters, which lade many a pate, And ſend folks crying home from Billings-gate. No more ſhall man with Mortar on his head Set forward towards Rome: no, Thou art bred A terror to all Footmen, and to Porters, And all Lay-men that will turn Jews Exhorters, To fly their conquer'd trade: Proud England then Embrace this luggage, which the man of men Hath landed here, and change thy Welladay Into ſome home-ſpun welcome Roundelay. Send of this ſtuff thy Territories thorough, To Ireland, Wales, and Scottiſh Edenborough; There let this Book be read and underſtood, Where is no theme, nor writer half ſo good.

He from a Student in, became Dean of Chriſt-Church, then Biſhop of Oxford, being of a courteous carriage, and no deſtructive nature to any who offended him, counting himſelf plentifully repaired with a Jeſt upon him. He afterwards was advanced Biſhop of Norwich, where he died Anno 1635.

Mr. BENJAMIN JOHNSON.

THis renowned Poet, whoſe Fame ſurmounts all the Elogies which the moſt learned Pen can beſtow upon him, was born in the City of Weſtminſter, his Mother living there in Harts-horn-lane, near Charingcroſs, where ſhe married a Bricklayer for her ſecond Husband. He was firſt bred in a private School in St. Martin's-Church, then in Weſtminſter-School, under the learned Mr. Cambden, as he himſelf intimates in one of his Epigrams.

Cambden, moſt reverend head, to whom I owe All that I am in Arts, all that I know. How nothings that, to whom my Country owes, The great renown and name wherewith ſhe goes.

Under this learned Schoolmaſter he attained to a good degree of learning, and was ſtatutably admitted in St. John's-Colledge in Cambridge, (as many years after incorporated a honorary Member of Chriſt-Church in Oxford) here he ſtaid but ſome ſmall time, for want of maintainance; for if there be no Oyl in the Lamp, it will ſoon be extinguiſh'd: And now, as if he had quite laid aſide all thoughts of the Univerſity, he betook himſelf to the Trade of his Father-in-law; And let not any be offended herewith, ſince it is more commendable to work in a lawful Calling, then having one not to uſe it. He was one who helped in the building of the new Structure of Lincolns-Inn, where, having a Trowel in his hand, he had a Book in his pocket, that as his work went forward, ſo his ſtudy went not backward.

But ſuch rare Parts as he had could be no more hid, than the Sun in a ſerene day, ſome Gentlemen pitying ſuch rare Endowments ſhould be buried under the rubbiſh of ſo mean a Calling, did by their bounty manumiſe him freely to follow his own ingenious inclinations. Indeed his Parts were not ſo ready to run of themſelves, as able to anſwer the ſpur; ſo that it may be truly ſaid of him, that he had an elaborate wit wrought out by his own induduſtry; yet were his Repartees for the moſt part very quick and ſmart, and which ſavour'd much of ingenuity, of which I ſhall give you two inſtances.

He having been drinking in an upper room, at the Feathers-Tavern in Cheap ſide, as he was coming down ſtairs, his foot ſlipping, he caught a fall, and tumbling againſt a door, beat it open into a room where ſome Gentlemen were drinking Canary; recovering his feet, he ſaid, Gentlemen, ſince I am ſo luckily fallen into your company, I will drink with you before I go.

He uſed very mach to frequent the Half-Moon-Tavern in Alderſgate-ſtreet, through which was a common Thorough fare; he coming late that way; one night, was denied paſſage, whereupon going through the Sun-Tavern a little after, he ſaid, Since that the Moon was ſo unkind to make me go about, The Sun henceforth ſhall take my Coin, the Moon ſhall go without.

His conſtant humour was to ſit ſilent in learned Company, and ſuck in (beſides Wine) their ſeveral Humours into his obſervation; what was Ore in others, he was able to refine unto himſelf.

He was one, and the chief of them, in uſhering forth the Book of Coriats Crudities, writing not only a Character of the Author, an explanation of his Frontiſpiece, but alſo an Acroſtick upon his Name, which for the ſutableneſs of it, (tho' we have written ſomething of others mock Verſes) we ſhall here inſert it.

Try and truſt Roger, was the word, but now Honeſt Tom Tell troth puts down Roger, How? Of travel he diſcourſeth ſo at large, Marry he ſets it out at his own charge; And therein (which is worth his valour too) Shews he dare more than Paul's Church-yard durſt do. Come forth thou bonny bouncing Book then, daughter Of Tom of Odcombe, that odd jovial Author, Rather his ſon I ſhould have call'd thee, why? Yes thou wert born out of his travelling thigh, As well as from his brains, and claim'ſt thereby To be his Bacchus as his Pallas: he Ever his Thighs Male then, and his Brains She.

He was paramount in the Dramatick part of Poetry, and taught the Stage an exact conformity to the Laws of Comedians, being accounted the moſt learned, judicious, and correct of them all; and the more to be admired for being ſo, for that neither the height of natural parts, for he was no Shakeſpear, nor the coſt of extraordinary education, but his own proper induſtry, and addiction to Books, advanced him to this perfection. He wrote fifty Plays in all, whereof fifteen Comedies, three Tragedies, the reſt Maſques and Entertainments. His comedies were, The Alchimiſt, Bartholomew Fair, Cynthia's Revels, C • ſe is alter'd, The Devil is an Aſs, Every Man in is humour, every Man out of his humour, The Fox, Magnetick Lady, New Inn, Poe • aſter, Staple of News, Sad Shepherd, Silent Woman, and A Tale of a Tub. His Tragedies were, Cateline's Conſpiracy, Mortimer's Fall, and Scianus. His Maſques and Entertainments, too long here to write, were thirty and two, beſides a Comedy of Eaſt-ward, hoe? in which he was Partner with Chapman.

Theſe his Plays were above the vulgar capacity, (which are onely tickled with down-right obſcenity) and took not ſo well at the firſt ſtroke, as at the rebound, when beheld the ſecond time, yea, they will endure reading, and that with due commendation, ſo long as either ingenuity or learning are faſhionable in our Nation. And although all his Plays may endure the teſt, yet in three of his Comedies, namely, The Fox, Alchymist, and Silent Woman, he may be compared in the judgment of the learned men, for decorum, language and well-humouring parts, as well with the chief of the ancient Greek and Latine Comedians, as the prime of modern Italians, who have been judged the beſt of Europe for happy vein in Comedies; not is his Bartholomew-Fair much ſhort of them. As for his other Comedies, Staple of News, Devil's an Aſs, and the reſt, if they be not ſo ſprightful and vigorous as his firſt pieces, all that are old will, and all that deſire to be old, ſhould excuſe him therein; and therefore let the Name of Ben Johnſon ſheild them againſt whoever ſhall think fit to be ſrvere in cenſure againſt them. Truth is, his Tragedies, Seianus and Cateline ſeem to have in them more of an artificial and inflate, than of a pathetical and naturally Tragick height; yet do they every one of them far excel any of the Engliſh ones that were writ before him; ſo that he may be truly ſaid to be the firſt reformer of the Engliſh Stage, as he himſelf more truly than modeſtly writes in his commendatory Verſes of his Servants Richard Broom's Comedy of the Northern Laſs.

Which you have juſtly gained from the Stage, By obſervation of thoſe Comick Laws, Which I, your Maſter, firſt did teach the Age.

In the reſt of his Poetry, (for he is not wholly Dramatick) as his Vnderwoods, Epigrams, &c. he is ſometimes bold and ſtrenuous, ſometimes Magiſterial, ſometimes lepid and full enough of conceit, and ſometimes a man as other men are.

It ſeems the iſſue of his brain was more lively and laſting than the iſſue of his body, having ſeveral Children, yet none living to ſurvive him; This he beſtowed as part as an Epitaph on his eldeſt Son, dying an Infant.

Reſt in ſoft peace, and ask'd, ſay,, Here doth lye Ben Johnſon his beſt piece of Poetry.

But tho' the immortal Memory ſtill lives of him in his learned Words, yet his Body, ſubject to mortality, left this life, Anno 1638. and was buried about the Belfrey in the Abbey-Church at Weſtminſter, having only upon a Pavement over his Grave, this written: O Rare Ben Johnſon.

Yet were not the Poets then ſo dull and dry, but that many expreſſed their affection to his Memory in Elegies and Epitaphs; amongſt which this following may not be eſteemed the worſt.

The Muſes faireſt Light in no dark time, The Wonder of a learned Age; the line That none can paſs: the moſt proportion'd Wit To Nature; the beſt Judge of what was fit: The deepeſt, plaineſt, higheſt, cleareſt Pen: The Voyce moſt eccho'd by conſenting men; The Soul which anſwer'd beſt to all well ſaid By others; and which moſt requital made: Tun'd to the higheſt Key of ancient Rome; Returning all her Muſick with her own; In whom with Nature, Study claim'd a part, And yet who to himſelf ow'd all his Art; Here lies Ben Johnſon, every Age will look With ſorrow here, with Wonder on his Book.

FRANCIS BEAƲMONT and JOHN FLETCHER.

THeſe two joyned together, made one of the happy Triumvirate (the other two being Johnſon and Shakeſpear) of the chief Dramatick Poets of our Nation, in the laſt foregoing Age; among whom there might be ſaid to be a ſymmetry of perfection, while each excelled in his peculiar way: Ben Johnſon in his elaborate pains and knowledge of Authors, Shakeſpear in his pure vein of wit, and natural Poetick height; Fletcher in a Courtly Elegance and Gentile Familiarity of Style, and withal a Wit and Invention ſo overflowing, that the luxuriant Branches thereof were frequently thought convenient to be lopt off by Mr. Beaumont; which two joyned together, like Caſtor and Pollux, (moſt happy when in conjunction) raiſed the Engliſh to equal the Vthenian and Roman Theaters; Beaumont bringing the Ballaſt of Judgment, Fletcher the Sail of Phantaſie, but compounding a Poet to admiration.

Theſe two admirable Wits wrote in all two and fifty Plays, whereof three and forty were Comedies; namely, Beggars Buſh, Cuſtom of the Country, Captain Coxcomb, Chances, Cupid's Revenge, Double Marriage, Elder Brother, Four Plays in one, Fair Maid of the Inn, Honest man's Fortune, Humorous Lieutenant, Iſland Princeſs, King and no King, Knight of the burning Peſtle, Knight of Malta, Little French Lawyer, Loyal Subject, Laws of Candy, Lovers Progreſs, Loves Cure, Loves Pilgrimage, Mad Lover, Maid in the Mill, Monſieur Thomas, Nice Valour, Night-Walker, Propheteſs, Pilgrim, Philaſter, Queen of Corinth, Rule a Wife and have a Wife, Spaniſh Curate, Sea-Voyage, Scornful Lady, Womans Prize, Women pleaſed, VVife for a Month, VVit at ſeveral weapons, and a VVinters Tale. Alſo ſix Tragedies; Bonduca, the Bloody Brother, Falſe One, the Maids Tragedy, Thiery and Theodoret, Valentinian, and Two Noble Kinſmen, a Tragi-Comedy, Fair Shepherdeſs, a Paſtoral; and a Maſque of Grays-Inn Gentlemen.

It is reported of them, that meeting once in a Tavern, to contrive the rude Draught of a Tragedy, Fletcher undertook to kill the King therein, whoſe Words being over-heard by a Liſtner (though his Loyalty not to be blamed herein) he was accuſed of High Treaſon, till the Miſtake ſoon appearing, that the Plot was only againſt a Dramatick and Scenical King, all wound off in Merriment.

Yet were not theſe two Poets ſo conjoyned, but that each of them did ſeveral Pieces by themſelves, Mr. Beaumont, beſides other Works, wrote a Poem, entituled, Salmacis and Hermaphroditus, a Fable taken out of Ovid's Metamorphoſis; and Mr. Fletcher ſurviving Mr. Beamont, wrote good Comedies of himſelf; ſo that it could not be laid to his Charge what Ajax doth to Vlyſſes; Nihil hic Diomede remoto, When Diomedes was gone, He could do nought alone.

Though ſome think them inferior to the former, and no wonder if a ſingle thread was not ſo ſtrong as twiſted one, Mr. Fletcher (as it is ſaid) died in London of the Plague, in the firſt year of King Charles the Firſt, 1625.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEAR.

THis eminent Poet, the Glory of the Engliſh Stage (and ſo much the more eminent, that he gained great applauſe and commendation, when able Wits were his Contemporaries) was born at Stratford upon Avon in Warwickshire, and is the higheſt honour that Town can boaſt of. He was one of the Triumvirate, who from Actors, became Makers of Comedies and Tragedies, viz. Chriſtopher Marlow before him, and Mr. John Lacy, ſince his time, and one in whom three eminent Poets may ſeem in ſome ſort to the compounded. 1. Martial, in the warlike ſound of his Sirname, Haſtivibrans, or Shakeſpear; whence ſome have ſuppoſed him of military extraction. 2. Ovid, the moſt natural and witty of all Poets; and hence it was that Queen Elizabeth coming into a Grammar-School, made this extemporary Verſe. Perſuis a Crab-ſtaff, Bawdy Martial, Ovid a fine Wag. 3. Plautus, a moſt exact Comedian, and yet▪ never any Scholar, as our Shakeſpear (if alive) would confeſs himſelf; but by keeping company with Learned perſons, and converſing with jocular Wits, whereto he was naturally inclin'd, he became ſo famouſly witty, or wittily famous, that by his own induſtry, without the help of Learning, he attained to an extraordinary height▪ in all ſtrains of Dramatick Poetry, eſpecially in the Comick part, wherein we may ſay he outwent himſelf; yet was he not ſo much given to Feſtivity, but that he could (when ſo diſpoſed) be ſolemn and ſerious; ſo that Heraclitus himſelf might afford to ſmile at his Comedies, they were ſo merry, and Democritus ſcarce forbear to ſigh at his Tragedies, they were ſo mournful.

Nor were his Studies altogether confined to the Stage, but had excurſious into other kinds of Poetry, witneſs his Poem of the Rape of Lucrece, and that of Venus and Adonis; wherein, to give you a taſte of the loftineſs of his Style, we ſhall inſert ſome few Lines of the beginning of the latter.

Even as the Sun with purple-colour'd face Had tane his laſt leave of the weeping Morn, Roſe-cheek'd Adonis hy'd him to the Chaſe, Hunting he lov'd, but Love he laught to ſcorn. Sick thoughted Venus makes amain unto him, And like a bold-fac'd Suiter'gins to woo him. Thrive fairer than my ſelf (thus ſhe begins) The fields chief flower, ſweet above compare, Stain to all Nymphs, more lovely than a man; More white and red than Doves or Roſes are: Nature that made thee with herſelf at ſtrife, Says that the world hath ending with they life, &c

He was an eminent inſtance of the truth of that Rule, Poeta non fit, ſed naſcitur; one is not made, but born a Poet; ſo that as Corniſh Diamonds are not poliſhed by any Lapidary, but are pointed and ſmoothed even as they are taken out of the Earth, ſo Nature itſelf was all the Art which was uſed on him.

He was ſo great a Benefactor to the Stage, that he wrote of himſelf eight and forty Plays; whereof 18 Comedies, viz. As you like it, All's well that ends well, A Comedy of Errors, Gentleman of Verona, Loves labour luſt, London Prodigal, Merry Wives of Windſor, Meaſure for meaſure, Much ado about Nothing, Midſummer Nights Dream, Merchant of Venice, Merry Devil of Edmonton, Mucedorus, the Puritan VVidow, the Tempest, Twelf-Night, or what you will, the taming of the Shrew, and a winters Tale. Fourteen Tragedies, viz. Anthony and Cleopatra, Coriolanus, Cymbeline, Hamlet, Julius Cqeſar, Lorrino, Leir and his three Daughters, Mackbeth, Othello the Moor of Venice, Romeo and Juliet, Troylus and Creſſida, Tymon of Athens, Titus Andronicus, and the Yorkshire Tragedy. Alſo fifteen Hiſtories, viz. Cromwel's Hiſtory, Henry 4. in two parts, Henry 5. Henry 6. in three parts, Henry 8. John King of England, in three parts, Pericles Prince of Tyre, Richard 2. Richard 3. and Oldraſtes Life and Death. Alſo the Arraignment of Paris, Paſtoral.

Many were the Wit-combats betwixt him and Ben Johnſon; which two we may compare to a Spaniſh great Gallion, and an Engliſh Man of war: Mr. Johnſon, (like the former) was built far higher in Learning, ſolid, but ſlow in his performances; Shakeſpear, with the Engliſh Man of war, leſſer in Bulk, but lighter in ſayling, could turn with all Tides, tack about, and take advantage of all Winds, by the quickneſs of his Wit and Invention. His Hiſtory of Henry the Fourth is very much commended by ſome, as being full of ſublime Wit, and as much condemned by others, for making Sir John Falſtaffe the property of Pleaſure for Prince Henry to abuſe, as one that was a Thraſonical Puff, and emblem of mock Valour; though indeed he was a man of Arms every inch of him, and as valiant as any in Age, being for his Martial Proweſs made Knight of the Garter by King Henry the 6th.

This our famous Comedian died An. Dom. 16—and swas buried at Stratford upon Avon, the Town of his Nativity; upon whom one hath beſtowed this Epitaph, though more proper had he been buried in VVeſtminſter Abbey.

Renowned Spencer, lie a thought more nigh To learned Chaucer, and rare Beaumont lie A little nearer Spencer, to make room For Shakeſpear, in your threefold, fourfold Tomb, To lodge all four in one Bed make a ſhift Until Doomſday; for hardly will a fifth Betwixt his day and that, by Fates be ſlain For whom your Curtains may be drawn again. If your precedency in Death do bar A fourth place in your ſacred Sepulcher, Under this ſacred Marble of thine own, Sleep rare Tragedian Shakeſpear! ſleep alone, Thy unmoleſted Peace in an unſhar'd Cave, Poſſeſs as Lord, not Tenant of thy Grave, That unto us, and others it may be Honour hereafter to be laid by thee.

CHRISTOPHER MARLOW.

CHriſtopher Marlow was (as we ſaid) not only contemporary with William Shakeſpear, but alſo, like him, roſe from an Actor, to be a maker of Comedies and Tragedies, yet was he much inferior to Shakeſpear, not only in the number of his Plays, but alſo in the elegancy of his Style. His Pen was chiefly employ'd in Tragedies; namely, his Tamberlain the firſt and ſecond Part, Edward the Second, Luſt's Dominion, or the Laſcivious Queen, the Maſſacre of Paris, his Jew of Malta, a Tragi-comedy, and his Tragedy of Dido, in which he was joyned with Naſh. But none made ſuch a great Noiſe as this Comedy of Doctor Fauſtus with his Devils, and ſuch like tragical Sport, which pleaſed much the humors of the Vulgar. He alſo begun a Poem of Hero, and Leander; wherein he ſeemed to have a reſemblance of that clear and unſophiſticated Wit which was natural to Muſaeus that incomparable Poet. This Poem being left unfiniſhed by Marlow, who in ſome riotous Fray came to an▪ untimely and violent end, was thought worthy of the finiſhing hand of Chapman, as we intimated before; in the performance whereof, nevertheleſs he fell ſhort of the Spirit and Invention with which it was begun.

BARTON HOLYDAY.

BArton Holyday, an old Student of Chriſt-Church in Oxford, who beſides his Tranſlation of Juvenal with elaborate Notes, writ ſeveral other things in Engliſh Verſe, rather learned than elegant; and particularly a Comedy, called The Marriage of the Arts: Out of which, to ſhew you his fluent (but too Satyrical Style) take theſe Verſes made by him to be ſpoken by Poeta, as an Execration againſt Women.

O Women, Witches, Fayries, Devils, The impure extract of a world of Evils; Natures great Errour, the Obliquity Of the Gods Wiſdom; and th'Anomaly From all that's good; Ile curſe you all below The Center, and if I could, then further throw Your curſed heads, and if any ſhould gain A place in Heaven, Ile rhyme 'em down again To a worſe Ruine, &c.

CYRIL TƲRNER.

CYril Turner▪ was one who got a Name amongſt the Poets, by writing of two old Tragedies, the Athei'ſts Tragedy, and the Revenger's Tragedy; which two Tragedies, ſaith one,

His Fame unto that Pitch ſo only raiſed, As not to be deſpis'd, nor too much prais'd.

THOMAS MIDLETON.

THomas Midleton was one who by his Induſtry added very much to the Engliſh Stage, being a copious Writer of Dramatick Poetry. He was Contemporary with Johnſon and Fletcher, and tho' not of equal Repute with them, yet were well accepted of thoſe times ſuch Plays as he wrote; namely, Blurt Mr. Conſtable, the chaſte Maid in Cheapſide, Your fine Gallants, Family of Love, More Diſſemblers than Women, the Game at Cheſs, the Mayor of Quinborough, a mad world my Maſters, Michaelmas Term, No Wit like a womans, the Roaring Girl, any thing for a quiet Life, the Phenix and a new Trick to catch the old one, Comedies; The world toſs'd at Tennis, and the Inner Temple, Maſques; and Women beware Women, a Tragedy. Beſides what, he was an Aſſoiate with William Rowley in ſeveral Comedies and Tragi-Comedies; as, the Spaniſh Gypſies, the Changling, the Old Law, the fair Quarrel, the Widow: Of all which, his Michaelmas-Term is highly applauded both for the plot and neatneſs of the ſtyle.

WILLIAM ROWLEY.

WIlliam Rowley was likewiſe a great Benefactor to the Engliſh Stage, not only in thoſe Plays mentioned before with Thomas Midleton, but alſo what he wrote alone; as, A Woman never vext, a Comedy; A Match at Midnight, and All's lost by Lust, Tragedies; and joyn'd with Webſter, two Comedies, The Thracian wonder, and A Cure for a Cuckold; with Shakeſpere, The Birth of Merlin, a Tragi-Comedy; and The Travels of the three Engliſh Brothers, a Hiſtory, wherein he was joyn'd with Day and Wilkins.

THOMAS DECKER.

THomas Decker, a great pains-taker in the Dramatick ſtrain, and as highly conceited of thoſe pains he took; a high-flyer in wit, even againſt Ben Johnſon himſelf, in his Comedy, call'd, The untruſſing of the humorous Poet. Beſides which he wrote alſo, The Honeſt Whore, in two Parts; Fortunatus; If this ben't a good Play the Devil's in't; Match me in London; The Wonder of a Kingdom; The Whore of Babylon, all of them Comedies. He was alſo an aſſociate with John Webſter in ſeveral well entertain'd Plays, viz. Northward, hoe? The Noble Stranger; New trick to cheat the Devil; Weſtward, hoe? The Weakeſt goes to the Wall; And A Woman Will have her will: As alſo with Rowley and Ford in the Witch of Edmunton, a Tragi-Comedy; And alſo Wiat's Hiſtory with Webſter.

JOHN MARSTON.

JOhn Marſton was one whoſe fluent Pen both in a Comick and Tragick ſtrain, made him to be eſteemed one of the chiefeſt of our Engliſh Dramaticks, both for ſolid judgment, and pleaſing variety. His Comedies are, the Dutch Curtezan; the Fawn; What you will. His Tragedies, Antonio and Melida; Sophonisba; the inſatiate Counteſs: Beſides the Malecontent, a Tragi-Comedy; and the faithful Shepherd, a Paſtoral.

Dr. JASPER MAIN.

HE was in his youth placed a Student of Chriſt-Church in Oxford, a Nurſery of many and excellent good wits, where he lived for many years in much credit and reputation for his florid wit and ingenious vein in Poetry, which diffuſed itſelf in all the veins and ſinews thereof; making it (according to its right uſe) an Handmaid to Theology. In his younger years he wrote two very ingenious and well approved Comedies, viz. the City Match, and the Amorous War, both which, in my judgment, comparable to the beſt written ones of that time; Nor did he after his application to Theology, of which he was Doctor, and his Eccleſiaſtical preferment, totally relinquiſh thoſe politer Studies to which he was before addicted, publiſhing Lucian's Works, of his own tranſlating, into Engliſh, beſides many other things of his compoſing, not yet publiſh'd.

JAMES SHIRLEY.

MR. James Shirley may juſtly claim a more than ordinary place amongſt our Engliſh Poets, eſpecially for his Dramatick Poetry, being the fourth for number who hath written moſt Plays, and for goodneſs little inferiour to the beſt of them all. His Comedies, in number twenty two, are theſe; The Ball, the Bird in a Cage, the Brothers, Love in A Maze, the Conſtant Maid, Coronation, Court Secret, the Example, the Gameſter; Grateful Servant, Hide-Park, Humorous Courtier, Honoria and Mammon, Opportunity, the Lady of Pleaſure, the Polititian, the Royal Maſter, the School of Complements, the Siſters, the witty fair one, the Wedding, and the young Admiral: His Tragedies ſix, viz. Chabet Admiral of France, the Cardinal, Loves Cruelty, the Maids Revenge, the Traytor, and the martyr'd Soldier. Four Tragi-Comedies, viz. Dukes Miſtreſs, the Doubtful Heir, the Gentleman of Venice, and the Impoſture, four Maſques, Cupid and Death, Contention of Honour and Riches, the Triumph of Peace, and the Triumph of Beauty; Patrick for Ireland, a Hiſtory; and the Arcadia, a Paſtoral.

PHILIP MASSINGER.

PHilip Maſſinger was likewiſe one who in his time was no mean contributer unto the Stage, wherein he ſo far excell'd as made his Name ſufficiently famous, there being no leſs than ſixteen of his Plays printed, viz. The Bondman, the baſhful Lover, the City Madam, the Emperour of the Eaſt; the Great Duke of Florence, the Guardian, Maid of Honour, New Way to pay Old Debts, the Picture, the Renegado, and the merry Woman, Comedies: The Duke of Millain, Fatal Dowry, Roman Actor, Vnnatural Combat, and the Virgin Martyr, Tragedies.

JOHN WEBSTER.

John Webſter was alſo one of thoſe who in that plentiful age of Dramatick Writers contributed his endeavours to the Stage; being (as we ſaid before) aſſociated with Thomas Decker, in ſeveral Plays, which paſs'd the Stage with ſufficient applauſe, as alſo in two Comedies with William Rowley; beſides what he wrote alone, the Devil's Law-Caſe, a Tragi Comedy, and the white Devil, and Dutcheſs of Malfy, Tragedies.

WILLIAM BROWN.

MR. William Brown was a Gentleman (as I take it) of the Middle Temple, who beſides his other ingenious Employments, had his excurſions to thoſe ſweet delights of Poetry, writing a moſt ingenious Piece, entituled, Britain's Paſtorals, it being for a Subject of an amorous and rural Nature, worthily deſerving commendations, as any one will confeſs who ſhall peruſe it with an impartial eye. Take a view of his abilities, out of his Second Book, firſt Song of his Paſtorals, ſpeaking of a deform'd Woman.

And is not ſhe the Queen of Drabs, Whoſe Head is perriwigg'd with ſcabs? Whoſe Hair hangs down in curious flakes, All curl'd and criſp'd, like crawling Snakes; The Breath of whoſe perfumed Locks Might choke the Devil with a Pox; Whoſe dainty twinings did entice The whole monopoly of Lice; Her Forehead next is to be found, Reſembling much the new-plough'd ground, Furrow'd like ſtairs, whoſe windings led Unto the chimney of her head; The next thing that my Muſe deſcries, Is the two Mill-pits of her Eyes, Mill-pits whoſe depth no plum can ſound, For there the God of Love was drown'd, On either ſide there hangs a Souſe, And Ear I mean keeps open houſe, An Ear which always there did dwell, And ſo the Head kept ſentinel, Which there was placed to deſcry, If any danger there was nigh, But ſurely danger there was bred Which made them ſo keep off the head; Something for certain caus'd their fears, Which made them ſo to hang their ears; But hang her ears; Thalia ſeeks To ſuck the bottle of her cheeks, &c.

THOMAS RANDOLPH.

THis Famous Poet was born at Houghton in Northampton-ſhire, and was firſt bred in Weſtminſter-School, then Fellow in Trinity-Colledge in Cambridge; He was one of ſuch a pregnant Wit, that the Muſes may ſeem not only to have ſmiled, but to have been tickled at his Nativity, ſuch the feſtivity of his Poems of all ſorts. Yet was he alſo ſententiouſly grave, as may appe • r by many of his Writings, not only in his Neceſſary Precepts, but alſo in ſeveral other of his Poems; take one inſtance in the concluſion of his Commendatory Verſes to Mr. Feltham, on his excellent Book of Reſolves.

'Mongſt thy Reſolves, put my Reſolves in too; Reſolve who will, this I reſolve to do, That ſhould my Errors chuſe anothers line Whereby to write, I mean to live by thine.

His extraordinary indulgence to the too liberal converſe with the multitude of his applauders, drew him to ſuch an immoderate way of living, that he was ſeldom out of Gentlemens company, and as it often happens that in drinking high quarrels ariſe, ſo there chanced ſome words to paſs betwixt Mr. Randolph and another Gentleman, which grew to be ſo high, that the Gentleman drawing his Sword, and ſtriking at Mr. Randolph, cut off his little finger, whereupon, in an extemporary humour, he inſtantly made theſe Verſes: Arithmetick nine digits and no more Admits of, then I have all my ſtore; But what miſchance hath tane from my Left-hand, It ſeems did only for a cypher ſtand, Hence, when I ſcan my Verſe if I do miſs, I will impute the fault only to this, A fingers loſs, I ſpeak it not in ſport, Will make a Verſe a foot too ſhort.

That he was of a free generous diſpoſition, not regarding at all the Riches of the World, may be ſeen in the firſt Poem of his Book, ſpeaking of the ineſtimable content he enjoyed in the Muſes, to thoſe of his friends which dehorted him from Poetry.

Go ſordid earth, and hope not to bewitch My high-born Soul, which flies a nobler pitch; Thou canſt not tempt her with adulterate ſhow, She bears no appetite that flags ſo low, &c.

His Poems publiſh'd after his death, and uſher'd into the World by the beſt Wits of thoſe times, paſſed the Teſt with general applauſe, and have gone through ſeveral I lmpreſſions; To praiſe one, were in ſome ſort to diſpraiſe the other, being indeed all praiſe-worthy. His Cambridge Duns facetiouſly pleaſing, as alſo his Parley with his Empty Purſe, in their kind not out-done by any. He was by Ben. Johnſon adopted for his Son, and that as is ſaid upon this occaſion.

Mr. Randolph▪ having been at London ſo long as that he might truly have had a parley with his Empty Purſe, was reſolved to go ſee Ben. Johnſon with his aſſociates, which as he heard at a ſet-time kept a Club together at the Devil-Tavern near Temple-Bar; accordingly at the time appointed he went thither, but being unknown to them, and wanting Money, which to an ingenious ſpirit is the moſt daunting thing in the World, he peep'd in the Room where they were, which being eſpied by Ben. Jonhſon, and ſeeing him in a Scholars thredbare habit, John Bo-peep, ſays he, come in, which accordingly he did, when immediately they began to rime upon the meanneſs of his Clothes, asking him, If he could not make a Verſe? and withal to call for his Quart of Sack; there being four of them, he immediately thus replied, I John Bo peep, to you four ſheep, With each one his good fleece, If that you are willing to give me five ſhilling, 'Tis fifteen pence a piece.

By Jeſus, quoth Ben. Johnſon, (his uſual Oath) I believe this is my Son Randolph, which being made known to them, he was kindly entertained into their company, and Ben. Johnſon ever after called him Son.

He wrote beſides his Poems, the Muſes Looking-glaſs, Jealous Lovers, and Hey for Honeſty, down with Knavery, Comedies; Amintas, Paſtoral, and Ariſtippus, an Interlude.

Sir JOHN BEAƲMONT Baronet.

SIr John Beaumont was one who Drank as deep Draughts of Helicon as any of that Age; and though not many of his Works are Extant, yet thoſe we have be ſuch as are diſplayed on the Flags of higheſt Invention; and may juſtly Stile him to be one of the chief of thoſe great Souls of Numbers. He wrote beſides ſeveral other things, a Poem of Boſworth Field, and that ſo Ingeniouſly, as one thus writes of it.

Could divine Maro, hear his Lofty Strain; He would condemn his Works to fire again.

I ſhall only give you an Inſtance of ſome few lines of his out of the aforeſaid Poem, and ſo conclude.

Here Valiant Oxford, and Fierce Norfolk meet; And with their Spears, each other rudely greet: About the Air the ſhined Pieces play, Then on their Swords their Noble Hand they lay. And Norfolk firſt a Blow directly guides, To Oxfords Head, which from his Helmet ſlides Upon his Arm, and biteing through the Steel, Inflicts a Wound, which Vere diſdains to feel. But lifts his Faulcheon with a threatning grace, And hews the Beaver off from Howards Face; This being done, he with compaſſion charm'd, Retires aſham'd to ſtrike a Man diſarm'd. But ſtrait a deadly Shaft ſent from a Bow, (Whoſe Maſter, though far off, the Duke could know: Untimely brought his combat to an end, And pierc'd the Brains of Richards conſtant Friend. When Oxford ſaw him Sink his Noble Soul, Was full of grief, which made him thus condole▪ Farewel true Knight, to whom no coſtly Grave Can give due honour, would my Tears might ſave Thoſe ſtreams of Blood, deſerving to be Spilt In better ſervice, had not Richard;s guilt Such heavy weight upon his Fortune laid, Thy Glorious vertues had his Sins outweigh'd.

Dr. PHILEMON HOLLAND.

THis worthy Doctor, though we find not many Verſes of his own Compoſing, yet is deſervedly placed amongſt the Poets; for his numerous Tranſlations of ſo many Authors: inſomuch that he might be called the Tranſlator General of his Age; So that thoſe Books alone of his turning into Engliſh, are ſufficient to make a Country Gentleman a Competent Library for Hiſtorians. He is thought to have his Birth in Warwick-ſhire, but more certain to have his Breeding in Trinity Colledge in Cambridge; where he ſo Profited, that he became Doctor of Phyſick: and practiſed the ſame in Coventry in his (if ſo it were) native Country. Here did he begin and finiſh the Tranſlation of ſo many Authors, that conſidering their Voluminouſneſs, a Man would think he had done nothing elſe; which made one thus to deſcant on him.

Holland with his Tranſlations doth ſo fill us, He will not let Suetonius be Tranquillus.

Now as he was a Tranſlator of many Authors, ſo was he very Faithful in what he did; But what commended him moſt in the Praiſe of Poſterity, was his Tranſlating Cambdens Britania, a Tranſlation more then a Tranſlation: he adding to it many more notes then what were firſt in the Lattin Edition, but ſuch as were done by Mr. Cambden in his Life time, diſcoverable in the former part with Aſtericks in the Margent; But theſe Additions with ſome Antiquaries obtain not equal Authenticalneſs with what was ſet forth by Mr. Cambden himſelf.

Some of theſe Books (not withſtanding their Gigantick bigneſs) he wrote with one Pen, where he himſelf thus pleaſantly verſified.

With one ſole Pen, I writ this Book, Made of a Gray Gooſe quill: A Pen it was when I it took, And a Pen I leave it ſtill.

This Monumental Pen he kept by him, to ſhow Friends when they came to viſit him, as a great Rarity.

THOMAS GOFF.

THomas Goff was one whoſe Abilities raiſ'd him to a high Reputation in the Age he lived in; chiefly for his Dramatick Writings: Being the Author of the Couragious Turk, Rageing Turk, Selimus and Oreſtes Tragedies; the Careleſs Shepherdeſs a Tragi-Comedy, and Cupids Whirligig a Comedy.

THOMAS NABBES.

THomas Nabbes was alſo one who was a great Contributer to the Engliſh Stage, chiefly in the Reign of King Charles the Firſt; His Comedies were The Brides, Covent-Garden, Totnam Court, and the Woman-hater Arraigned. His Tragedies, The Vnfortunate Mother, Hannibal and Scipio, and The Tragedy of King Charles the Firſt; beſides two Maſques, The Springs Glory, and Microcoſmus, and an Entertainment on the Princes Birth-day, an interlude.

RICHARD BROOME.

RIchard Broome was a Servant to Mr. Benjamin Johnſon, a Servant (ſaith one) ſuitable to ſuch a Maſter; having an excellent Vain fitted for a Comique Strain, and both natural Parts and Learning▪ anſwerable thereunto; though divers witty only in reproving, ſay, That this Broome had only what he ſwept form his Maſter: But the Comedies he Wrote, ſo well received and generally applauded, give the Lie to ſuch Detractors; three of which, viz. His Northern Laſs, The Jovial Crew, and Sparagus Garden, are little inferior if not equal to the writings of Ben. Johnſon himſelf; beſides theſe three Comedies before mentioned he wrote twelve others, viz. The Antipodes, Court Beggar, City Wit, Damoyſelle, Mock Marriage, Love Sick Court, Mad Couple well Matcht, Novella, New Exchange, Queens Exchange, Queen and Concubine, Covent Garden Wedding, and a Comedy called the Lancaſter Witches, in which he was joyned with Heyward.

Now what Account the Wits of that Age had of him, you ſhall here from two of his own Profeſſion in Commendation of two of his Plays; and firſt thoſe of Mr. James Shirley on his Comedy the Jovial Crew.

This Comedy (ingenious Friends) will raiſe It ſelf a Monument, without a praiſe: Beg'd by the Stationer, who, with ſtrength of purſe, And Pens, takes care, to make his Book ſell worſe▪ And I dare calculate thy Play, although Not Elevated unto fifty two; It may grow old as time or wit, and he That dares diſpiſe may after envy thee. Learning the file of Poeſy may be Fetch'd from the Arts and Univerſity: But he that writes a Play, and good muſt know, Beyond his Books, Men, and their Actions too. Copies of Verſe, that makes the new Men ſwear, Reach not a Poem, nor the Muſes heat; Small Brain Wits, and wood may burn a while, And make more noiſe then Forreſts on a Pile. Whoſe Finers ſhrunk, ma' invite a Piteans Stream, Not to Lament, but to extinguiſh them, Thy fancies Mettal, and thy ſtream's much higher, Proof 'gainſt their wit, and what that dreads the Fire.

The other of Mr. John Ford on the Northern Laſs.

Poets and Painters curiouſly compar'd Give life to fancy, and Atchieve reward, By immortality of name, ſo thrives Arts Glory, that All, which it breaths on lives. Witneſs this Northern Piece, The Court affords No newer Faſhion, or for wit, or words. The Body of the Plot is drawn ſo fair, That the Souls Language quickens with freſh Air. This well Limb'd Poem, by no rule, or thought Too dearly priz'd, being or ſold, or bought.

We could alſo produce you Ben. Johnſons Verſes, with other of the prime Wits of thoſe times; but we think theſe ſufficient to ſhew in what reſpect he was held by the beſt Judgments of that Age.

ROBERT CHAMBERLAIN.

THis Robert Chamberlain is alſo remembred amongſt of the Dramatick Writers of that time for two Plays which he Wrote; the Swaggering Damoſel, a Comedy: and Sicelides a Paſtoral. There was alſo one W. Chamberlain who wrote a Comedy called Loves Victory.

WILLIAM SAMPSON.

ABout the ſame time alſo Flouriſht William Sampſon, who wrote of himſelf two Tragedies; The Vow Breaker, and the Valiant Scot: and joyned with Markham a Tragedy called Herod and Antipater, and how to chooſe a good Wife from a Bad, a Tragi-Comedy.

GEORGE SANDYS, Eſquire.

THis worthy Gentleman was youngeſt Son of Edwin Sandys Arch-Biſhop of York, and born at Biſhops Throp in that County. He having good Education, proved a moſt Accompliſhed Gentleman, and addicting his mind to Travel, went as far as the Sepulcher at Jeruſalem; the rarities whereof, as alſo thoſe of Aegypt, Greece, and the remote parts of Italy: He hath given ſo lively a Deſcription, as may ſpare others Pains in going thither to behold them; none either before or after him having more lively and truly deſcribed them. He was not like to many of our Engliſh Travellers, who with their Breath Suck in the vices of other Nations, and inſtead of improving their Knowledge, return knowing in nothing but what they were ignorant of, or elſe with Tom. Coriat take notice only of Trifles and Toyes, ſuch Travellers as he in his moſt excellent▪ Book takes notice of, the one ſayes he Do Toyes divulge— The other carried on in the latter part of the Diſtick. —Still add to what they hear, And of a Mole-hill do a Mountain rear.

But his Travels were not only painful, but profitable, living piouſly, and by that means having the bleſſing of God attending on his endeavours, making a holy uſe of his viewing thoſe ſacred places which he ſaw at Jeruſalem; Take an inſtance upon his ſight of that place where the three wiſe men of the Eaſt offered their Oblations to our Saviour.

Three Kings to th' King of Kings three gifts did bring, Gold, Incenſe, Myrrh, as Man, as God, as King; Three holy gifts be likewiſe given by thee To Chriſt, even ſuch as acceptable be; For Myrhah, Tears; for Frankincenſe impart Submiſſive Prayers; for pure Gold, a pure Heart.

He moſt elegantly tranſlated Ovid his Metamorphoſis into Engliſh Verſe, ſo that as the Soul of Ariſtotle was ſaid to have tranſmigured into Thomas Aquinas, ſo might Ovid's Genius be ſaid to have paſſed into Mr. Sandys, rendring it to the full heighth, line for line with the Latin, together with moſt excellent Annotations upon each Fable. But his Genius directed him moſt to divine ſubjects, writing a Paraphraſe on the Book of Job, Pſalms, Eccleſiaſtes, Canticles, &c. as alſo a divine Tragedy on Chriſts Paſſion. He lived to be a very aged man, having a youthful Soul in a decayed Body, and died about the year 1641.

Sir JOHN SƲCKLING.

SIR John Suckling, in his time, the delight of the Court and darling of the Muſes, was one ſo filled with Phoebean fire▪ as for excellency of his wit, was Worthy to be Crowned with a Wreath of Stars, though ſome attribute the ſtrength of his lines to ſavour more of the Grape than the Lamp; Indeed he made it his Recreation, not his Study, and did not ſo much ſeek fame as it was put upon him: In my mind he gives the beſt Character of himſelf in thoſe Verſes of his in the Seſſions of the Poets:

Suckling next was call'd, but did not appear, But ſtrait one whiſper'd Apollo i'th' ear, That of all men living he cared not for't, He lov'd nor the Muſes ſo well as his ſport. And prized black eyes, or a lucky hit At Bowles, above all the Trophies of wit. But Apollo was angry, and publickly ſaid, 'Twere fit that a fine were ſet upon's head.

Beſides his Poems, he wrote three Plays, the Goblins a Comedy, Bren • va • a Tragedy, and Aglaura a Tragi-Comedy, He was a loyal perſon, to his Prince, and in that great defection of Scotch Loyalty in 1639. freely gave the King a hundred Horſes. And for his Poems, I ſhall conclude with what the Author of his Epiſtle to the Reader ſaies of them, It had been a Prejudice to poſterity, and an injury to his own Aſhes, ſhould they have ſlept in Oblivian.

Mr. WILLIAM HABINGTON.

HE was one of a quick wit and fluent language, whoſe Poems coming forth above thirty years ago, under the Title of Caſtara, gained a general fame and eſtimation, and no wonder, ſince that human Goddeſs by him ſo celebrated, was a perſon of ſuch rare endowments as was worthy the praiſes beſtowed upon her, being a perſon of Honour as well as Beauty, to which was joyned a vertuous mind, to make her in all reſpects compleat. He alſo wrote the Hiſtory of the Reign of King Edward the Fourth, and that in a ſtyle ſufficiently florid, yet not altogether pleaſing the ear, but as much informing the mind, ſo that we may ſay of that Kings Reign, as Mr. Daniel ſaith in his Preface to his Hiſtory of England, That there was never brought together more of the main. He alſo wrote a Tragi-Comedy, called, the Queen of Arragon, which as having never ſeen, I can give no great account of it.

Mr. FRANCIS QƲARLES.

FRancis Quarles, ſon to James Quarles, Eſq was born at Stewards at the Pariſh of Rumford, in the County of Eſſex, and was bred up in the Univerſity of Cambridge, where he became intimately acquainted with Mr. Edward Benlowes, and Mr. Phineas Fletcher, that Divine Poet and Philoſopher, on whoſe moſt excellent Poem of the Purple Iſland, hear theſe Verſes of Mr. Quarles, which if they be as delightful to you in the reading, as to me in the writing, I queſtion not but they will give you content.

Mans Body's like a Houſe, his greater Bones Are the main Timber; and the leſſer ones Are ſmaller splints: his ribs are laths daub'd o're Plaiſter'd with fleſh and blood: his mouth's the door, His throat's the narrow entry, and his heart Is the great Chamber, full of curious art: His midriff is a large Partition-wall 'Twixt the great Chamber, and the ſpacious Hall▪ His ſtomach is the Kitchin, where the meat Is often but half ſod for want of heat: His Spleen's a veſſel Nature does allot To take the skum that riſes from the Pot: His lungs are like the bellows, that reſpire In every Office, quickning every fire▪ His Noſe the Chimny is, whereby are vented Such fumes as with the bellowes are augmented: His bowels are the ſink, whoſe part's to drein All noiſom filth, and keep the Kitchin clean: His eyes are Chriſtal windows, clear and bright; Let in the object and let out the ſight. And as the Timber is or great, or ſmall, Or ſtrong, or weak, 'tis apt to ſtand or fall: Yet is the likelieſt Building ſometimes known To fall by obvious chances; overthrown Oft times by tempeſts, by the full mouth'd blaſts Of Heaven; ſometimes by fire; ſometimes it waſts Through unadvis'd neglect: put caſe the ſtuff Were ruin-proof, by nature ſtrong enough To conquer time, and age; Put caſe it ſhould Nere know an end, alas, our Leaſes would; What haſt thou then, proud fleſh and blood, to boaſt? Thy daies are evil, at beſt; but few, at moſt; But ſad, at merrieſt; and but weak, at ſtrongeſt; Unſure, at ſureſt; and but ſhort, at longeſt.

He afterwards went over into Ireland, where he became Secretary to the Reverend James Vſher, Arch-biſhop of Armagh: one ſuitable to his diſpoſition, having a Genius byaſſed to Devotion; Here at leiſure times did he exerciſe himſelf in thoſe raviſhing delights of Poetry, but (alwaies with the Pſalmiſt) his heart was inditing a good matter; theſe in time produced thoſe excellent works of his, viz. his Hiſtories of Jonas, Eſther, Job, and Sampſon; his Sions Songs and Sions Elegies, alſo is Euchyridion, all of them of ſuch a heavenly ſtrain, as if he had drank of Jordan inſtead of Helicon, and ſlept on Mount Olivet for his Pernaſſus. He had alſo other excurſions into the delightful walks of Poetry, namely, his Argalus and Parthenia, a Science (as he himſelf ſaith) taken out of Sir Philip Sidney's Orchard, likewiſe his Epigrams, Shepherds Oracles, Elegies on ſeveral perſons, his Hierogliphicks, but eſpecially his Emblems, wherein he hath Out-Alciated Alcialus himſelf. There hath been alſo acted a Comedy of his called, The Virgin Widdow, which paſſed with no ordinary applauſe. But afterwards the Rebellion breaking forth in Ireland (where his loſſes were very great) he was forced to come over; and being a true Loyaliſt to his Soveraign, Was again plundred of his Eſtate here, but what he took moſt to heart (for as for his other loſſes he practiced the patience of Job he had deſcribed) was his being plundred of his Books, and ſome rare Manuſcripts which he intended for the Preſs, the loſs of which, as it is thought, facilitated his death, which happned about the year of our Lord, 1643. to whoſe memory one dedicated theſe lines by way of Epitaph.

To them that underſtand themſelves ſo well▪ As what, and who lies here, to ask, I'll tell, What I conceive Envy dare not deny, Fat both from falſhood, and from flattery. Here drawn to Land by Death, doth lie A Veſſel fitter for the Skie, Than Jaſon's Argo, though in Greece They ſay, it brought the Golden Fleece. The skilful Pilot ſteer'd it ſo, Hither and thither, too and fro, Through all the Seas of Poverty, Whether they far or near do lie, And fraught it ſo with all the wealth Of wit and learning, not by ſtealth, Or privacy, but perchance got That this whole lower World could not Richer Commodities, or more Afford to add unto his ſtore. To Heaven then with an intent Of new Diſcoveries, he went And left his Veſſel here to reſt, Till his return ſhall make it bleſt. The Bill of Lading he that looks To know, may find it in his Books.

Mr. PHINEAS FLETCHER.

THis learned perſon, Son and Brother to two ingenious Poets, himſelf the third, not ſecond to either, was ſon to Giles Fletcher, Doctor in Law, and Embaſſadour from Queen Elizabeth to Theodor Juanowick Duke of Muſcovia; who though a Tyranick Prince, whoſe will was his Low, yet ſetled with him very good Terms for our Merchants trading thither. He was alſo brother to two worthy Poets, viz. George Fletcher, the Author of a Poem, entituled, Chriſts Victory and Triumph over and after Death; and Giles Fletcher, who wrote a worthy Poem, entituled, Chriſts Victory, made by him being but Batchelor of Arts, diſcovering the piety of a Saint, and divinity of Doctor. This our Phineas Fletcher was Fellow of Kings Colledge in Cambridge, and in Poetick fame exceeded his two Brothers, in that never enough to be celebrated Poem, entituled, The Purple Iſland, of which to give my Reader a taſte (who perhaps hath never ſeen the Book) I ſhall here add two Stanza's of it.

Thrice happy was the worlds firſt infancy, Nor knowing yet, not curious ill to know: Joy without grief, love without jealouſie: None felt hard labour, or the ſweating Plough: The willing earth brought tribute to her King: Bacchus unborn lay hidden in the cling Of big ſwollen Grapes; their drink was every ſilver ſpring.

And in another place, ſpeaking of the vanity of ambitious Covetouſneſs.

Vain men, too fondly wiſe, who plough the Seas, With dangerous pains another earth to find: Adding new Worlds to th' old, and ſcorning eaſe, The earths vaſt limits daily more unbind! The aged World, though now it falling ſhows, And haſts to ſet, yet ſtill in dying grows, Whole lives are ſpent to win, what one Deaths hour muſt loſe.

Beſides this purple Iſland, he wrote divers Piſcatorie Eclogues, and other Poetical Miſcelanies, alſo a Piſcatory Comedy called Sicelides, which was acted at Kings-Colledge in Cambridge.

Mr. GEORGE HERBERT.

THis divine Poet and perſon was a younger brother of the Noble Family of the Herberts of Montgomery, whoſe florid wit, obliging humour in converſation, fluent Elocution, and great proficiency in the Arts, gained him that reputation at Oxford, where he ſpent his more youthful Age, that he was choſen Univerſity Orator, a place which required one of able parts to Mannage it; at laſt, taking upon him Holy Orders, not without ſpecial Encouragement from the King, who took notice of his extraordinary Parts, he was made Parſon of Bemmerton near Salisbury, where he led a Seraphick life, converting his Studies altogether to ſerious and Divine Subjects; which in time produced thoſe his ſo generally known and approved Poems entituled, The Temple.

Whoſe Vocal notes tun'd to a heavenly Lyre, Both learned and unlearned all admire.

I ſhall only add out of his Book an Anagram, which he made on the name of the Virgin Mary.

MARY. ARMY. And well her name an Army doth preſent, In whom the Lord of Hoſts did pitch his Tent.

Mr. RICHARD CRASHAW.

THis devout Poet, the Darling of the Muſes, whoſe delight was the fruitful Mount Sion, more than the barren Mount Pernaſſus, was Fellow firſt of Pembrook-Hall, after of St. Peters-Colledge in Cambridge; a religious pourer forth of his divine Raptures and Meditations, in ſmooth and pathetick Verſe. His Poems conſiſt of three parts, the firſt entituled, Steps to the Temple, being for the moſt part Epigrams upon ſeveral paſſages of the New Teſtament, charming the ear with a holy Rapture. The Second part, The delights of the Muſes, or Poems upon ſeverral occaſions, both Engliſh and Latin; ſuch rich pregnant Fancies as ſhewed his Breaſt to be filled with Phoebean Fire.

The third and laſt part Carmen Deo noſtro, being Hymns and other ſacred Poems, dedicated to the Counteſs of Denbigh, all which beſpeak him, The learned Author, of Immortal Strains.

He was much given to a religious Solitude, and love of a recluſe Life, which made him ſpend much of his time, and even lodge many Nights under Tertullian's roof of Angels, in St. Mary's Church in Cambridge. But turning Roman Catholick, he betook himſelf to▪ 〈◊〉 ſo zealouſly frequented place, Our Lady's of Lo •• etto in Italy; where for ſome years he ſpent his time in Divine Contemplations, being a Canon of that Church, where he dyed.

Mr. WILLIAM CARTWRIGHT.

MR. William Cartwright a Student of Chriſt Church in Oxford, where he lived in Fame and Reputation, for his ſingular Parts and Ingenuity; being none of the leaſt of Apollo's Sons, for his excelling vein in Poetry, which produc'd a Volume of Poems, publiſht not long after his Death, and uſher'd into the World by Commendatory Verſes of the choiceſt Wits at that time; enough to have made a Volume of it ſelf: So much was he reverenced by the Lovers of the Muſes. He wrote, beſides his Poems, The Ordinary, a Comedy; the Royal Slave, Lady Errant, and The Seige, Or, Loves Convert, Tragi-Comedies.

Sir ASTON COCKAIN.

SIr Aſton Cockain laies Claim to a place in our Book, being remembred to Poſterity by four Plays which he wrote, viz. The Obſtinate Lady, a Comedy; Trapolin ſuppoſed a Prince, Tyrannical Government, Tragi-Comedies: and Therſites an Interlude.

Sir JOHN DAVIS.

THis worthy Knight, to whom Poſterity is indebted for his learned Works, was well beloved of Queen Elizabeth, and in great Favour with King James. His younger Years he addicted to the ſtudy of Poetry, which produced two excellent Poems, Noſce Teipſum. and Ocheſtra: Works which ſpeak themſelves their own Commendations: He alſo wrote a judicious Metaphraſe on ſeveral of David's Pſalms, which firſt made him known at Court: afterwards addicting himſelf to the Study of the Common-Law of England; he was firſt made the Kings Serjeant, and after his Attorney-General in Ireland.

THOMAS MAY.

THomas May was one in his time highly eſteemed, not only for his Tranſlation of Virgils Georgicks, and Lucans Pharfalia into Engliſh, but what he hath written Propria Minerva, as his Supplement to Lucan, till the Death of Julius Caeſar: His Hiſtory of Henry the Second in Verſe; beſides what he wrote of Dramatick, as his Tragedies of Antigone, Agrippina, and Cleopatra; The Heir, a Tragi-Comedy; the Old Couple, and The Old Wives Tale, Comedies; and the Hiſtory of Orlando Furioſo; of theſe his Tragi-Comedy of The Heir is done to the life, both for Plot and Language; and good had it been for his Memory to Poſterity, if he had left off Writing here; but taking diſguſt at Court for being fruſtrated in his Expectation of being the Queens Poet, for which he ſtood Candidate with Sir William Davenant, who was preferred before him, out of meer Spleen, as it is thought for his Repulſe, he vented his Spite in his Hiſtory of the late Civil Wars of England; wherein he ſhews all the Spleen of a Male contented Poet, making thereby his Friends his Foes, and rendring his Fame odious to Poſterity; ſuch is the Nature of Malice, that as the Poet ſaith, Impoiſon'd with the Drugs of cruel Hate, Draw on themſelves an unavoided Fate.

CHARLES ALEYN.

CHarles Aleyn was one and that no deſpicable Poet, as may be ſeen by his Works, which ſtill live in Fame and Reputation, writing in Heroick verſe the Life of King Henry the Seventh, with the Battle of Boſworth; and alſo the Battle of Creſcy and Poictiers, in which he is very pithy and ſententious: I ſhall only give you two inſtances, the firſt out of his Battle of Creſcy.

They ſwell with love who are with valour fill'd, And Venus Doves may in a Head-piece build.

The other out of his Hiſtory of King Henry the Seventh.

Man and Money a mutual Falſhood ſhow, Man makes falſe Mony, Mony makes man ſo.

GEORGE WITHERS.

GEorge Withers was one who loved to Fiſh in troubled Waters, being never more quiet then when in Trouble, of a reſtleſs Spirit, and contradicting Diſpoſition; gaining more by Reſtraint then others could get by their Freedom, which his ungoverned (not to ſay worſe) Pen often brought him unto, ſo that the Marſhalſea and Newgate were no Strangers unto him. He was born in Hantſhire (if it be every whit the more honour to the County for his Birth) a prodigious Pourer forth of Rhime, which he ſpued from his Maw, as Tom Coriat formerly uſed to ſpue Greek, and that with a great pretence to a Poetical Zeal, againſt the Vices of the Times; which he mightily exclaim'd againſt in his Abuſes Stript and Whipt, his Motto, Brittains Remembrancer, &c. with other Satyrical Works of the like nature: He turn'd alſo into Engliſh Verſe the Songs of Moſes, and other Hymns of the Old Teſtament; beſides theſe he wrote a Poem called Philaret, the Shepherds Hunting, his Embleins, Campo Muſae, Opo-Balſamum, the Two Pitchers, and others more then a good many, had not his Muſe been more Loyal than it was; he was living about the Year 1664. when I ſaw him, and ſuppoſe he lived not long after.

ROBERT HERRIC.

RObert Herric one of the Scholars of Apollo of the middle Form, yet ſomething above George Withers, in a pretty Flowry and Paſtoral Gale of Fancy, in a vernal Proſpect of ſome Hill, Cave, Rock, or Fountain; which but for the Interruption of other trivial Paſſages, might have made up none of the worſt Poetick Landskips. Take a view of his Poetry in his Errata to the Reader in theſe lines.

For theſe Errata's, Reader thou do'ſt ſee, Blame thou the Printer for them, and not me: Who gave him forth good Grain, tho he miſtook, And ſo did ſow theſe Tares throughout my Book.

I account him in Fame much of the ſame rank, as he was of the ſame Standing, with one Robert Heath, the Author of a Poem, Entituled, Claraſtella, the aſcribed Title of that Celebrated Lady, who is ſuppoſed to have been both the Inſpirer and chief Subject of them.

JOHN TAYLOR the Water-Poet.

SOme perhaps may think this Perſon unworthy to be ranked amongſt thoſe Sons of Apollo whom we mentioned before; but to them we ſhall anſwer. That had he had Learning according to his natural Parts, he might have equal'd, if not exceeded, many who claim a great ſhare in the Temple of the Muſes. Indeed, for ought I can underſtand, he never learned no further then▪ his Accidence, as we may learn from his own Words in one of his Books.

I muſt confeſs do want Eloquence, And never Scarce did learn my Accidence; For having got from Poſſum to Poſſet, I there was gravel'd, could no further get

He was born in Gloceſter-ſhire, where he went to School with one Green; who, as John Taylor ſaith, loved new Milk ſo well, that to be ſure to have it new, he went to the Market to buy a Cow; but his Eyes being Dim, he cheapned a Bull, and asking the price of the Beaſt, the Owner and he agreed; and driving it home, would have his Maid to Milk it, which ſhe attempting to do, could find no Teats: and whilſt the Maid and her Maſter were arguing the matter, the Bull very fairly piſt into the pall; whereupon his Scholar John Taylor wrote theſe Verſes.

Our Maſter Green was over-ſeen In buying of a Bull, For when the Maid did mean to milk, He piſt the Pail half full.

He was afterwards bound Apprentice to a Waterman of London, a Laborious Trade: and yet though it be ſaid, that Eaſe is the Nurſe of Poetry, yet did he not only follow his Calling, but alſo plyed his Writings, which in time produced above fourſcore Books, which I have ſeen; beſides ſeveral others unknow to me; ſome of which were dedicated to King James, and King Charles the Firſt, and by them well accepted, conſidering the meanneſs of his Education to produce works of Ingenuity. He afterwards kept a Publick Houſe in Phoenix Alley by Long-Acre, continuing very conſtant in his Loyalty to the King, upon whoſe doleful Murther he ſet up the Sign of the Mourning Crown; but that being counted Malignant in thoſe times of Rebellion, he pulled down that, and hung up his own Picture, under which were writ theſe two lines.

There's many a King's Head hang'd up for a Sign, And many a Saint's Head too, then why not Mine?

He dyed about the Year 1654. upon whom one beſtowed this Epitaph.

Here lies the Water-Poet, honeſt John, Who rowed on the Streams of Helicon; Where having many Rocks and dangers paſt, He at the Haven of Heaven arriv'd at laſt.

THOMAS RAWLINS.

THomas Rawlins my old Friend, chief Graver of the Mint to King Charles the Firſt, as alſo to King Charles the Second till the Year 1670. in which he died. He was an Excellent Artiſt, perhaps better then a Poet, yet was he the Author of a Tragedy called The Rebellion, which hath been acted not without good Appluſe; beſides ſome other ſmall things which he wrote.

Mr. THOMAS CAREW.

THis learned Gentleman Mr. Carew, one of the Bed-Chamber to King Charles the Firſt, was in his time reckoned among the chiefeſt for delicacy of wit and Poetick Fancy, which gained him a high Reputation amongſt the moſt ingenious perſons of that Age. He was a great acquaintance of Mr. Thomas May, whom none can deny to be an able Poet, although Diſcontent made him warp his Genius contrary to his natural Fancy, in commendation of whoſe Tradi-Comedy called The Heir, Mr. Carew wrote an excellent paper of Verſes. His Books of Poems do ſtill maintain their fame amongſt the Curious of the preſent age.

Col. RICHARD LOVELACE.

I Can compare no Man ſo like this Colonel Lovelace as Sir Philip Sidney, of which latter it is ſaid by one in an Epitaph made of him, Nor is it fit that more I ſhould acquaint, Leſt Men adore in one A Scholar, Souldier, Lover, and a Saint.

As for their parallel, they were both of noble Parentage, Sir Philip's Father being Lord Deputy of Ireland, and Preſident of Wales; our Colonel of a Vicount's name and Family; Scholars none can deny them both: The one Celebrated his Miſtreſs under the bright name of Stella, the other the Lady Regent of his Affections, under the Banner of Lucaſta, both of them endued with tranſcendent Sparks of Poetick Fire, and both of them expoſing their Lives to the extreameſt hazard of doubtful War; both of them ſuch Soldiers as is expreſſed by the Poet.

Undaunted Spirits, that encounter thoſe Sad dangers, we to Fancy ſcarce propoſe.

To conclude, Mr. Lovelace's Poems did, do, and ſtill will live in good Eſteem with all knowing true Lovers of Ingenuity.

ALEXANDER BROOME.

ALexander Broome our Engliſh Anacreon, was an Attorney in the Lord Mayors Court; who beſides his practice in Law, addicted himſelf to a Joyvial ſtrain in the raviſhing Delights of Poetry; being the ingenious Author of moſt of thoſe Songs, which on the Royaliſts account came forth during the time of the Rump, and Oliver's Uſurpation; and were ſung ſo often by the Sons of Mirth and Bacchus, and plaid to by the ſprightly Violin. Take for a taſt a verſe of one of his Songs.

Come, come, let us drink, 'Tis in vain to think, Like fools, on grief or Sadneſs; Let our Money fly, And our Sorrows die, All worldly care is Madneſs: But Sack and good Chear, Will in ſpight of our fear, Inſpire our Souls with Gladneſs.

I ſhall only add his Poem which he made on the great Cryer at Weſtminſter-Hall, by which you may judge of his Abilities in Poetry.

When the Great Cryer in that greater Room, Calls Faunt-le-roy, and Alexander Broome, The people wonder (as thoſe heretofore, When the Dumb ſpoke) to hear a Cryer Roar. The kitling Crue of Cryers that do ſtand With Eunuchs voices,, ſqueaking on each hand, Do ſignifie no more, compar'd to him, Then Member Allen did to Patriot Pim. Thoſe make us laugh, while we do him adore; Their's are but Piſtol, his Mouths Cannon-Bore. Now thoſe ſame thirſty Spirits that endeavor, To have their names enlarg'd, and laſt for ever, Muſt be Attorneys of this Court, and ſo His voice ſhall like Fame's loudeſt Trumpet blow Their names about the world, and make them laſt, While we can lend an Ear, or he a Blaſt.

He wrote beſides thoſe airy Fancies, ſeveral other Serious Pieces; as alſo a Comedy called the Cunning Lover.

Mr. JOHN CLEVELAND.

THis eminent Poet, the Wit of our age, was born at Hinckley, a ſmall Market Town in the County of Leiceſter, where his Father was the Reverend and Learned Miniſter of the place. Fortes creantur e fortibus, and bred therein under Mr. Richard Vines his School-maſter, where he attained to a great perfection in Learning, by choiceſt Elegancies in Greek and Latin, more elegantly Engliſh; ſo that he may be ſaid to have liſped wit, like an Engliſh Bard, and early ripe accompliſhed for the Univerſity.

From a loving Father and learned School-Maſter, he was ſent to Chriſt Colledge in Cambridge, where he proved ſuch an exquiſite Orator, and pure Latiniſt, as thoſe his Deſerts preferred him to a Fellowſhip in St. Johns. There he lived about the ſpace of nine Years, the Delight and Ornament of that Society; what ſervice as well as reputation he did it, let his excellent Orations and Epiſtles ſpeak: To which the Library oweth much of its Learning, the Chapel much of its pious Decency, and the Colledge much of its Renown.

He was (ſaith Dr. Fuller) a general Artiſt, pure Latiniſt, exquiſite Orator, and (which was his Maſter-Piece) eminent Poet; whoſe verſes in the time of the Civil War begun to be in great requeſt, both for their Wit and Zeal to the King's Cauſe, for which indeed he appeared the firſt, if not only Champion in verſe againſt the Presbyterian party. His Epiſtles were pregnant with Metaphors, carrying in them a difficult plainneſs, difficult at the hearing, plain at the conſidering thereof. His lofty Fancy may ſeem to ſtride from the top of one Mountain to the top of another, ſo making to it ſelf a conſtant Level and Champian of continued Elevations.

Theſe his eminent parts preferr'd him to be Rhetorick Reader, which he performed with great Applauſe; and indeed, what was it in which he did not excel? This alone may ſuffice for his Honour, that after the Oration which he addreſſed to that incomparable Prince of Bleſſed Memory, Charles the Firſt; His Majeſty called for him, gave him his hand to Kiſs, and (with great expreſſions of kindneſs) commanded a Copy to be ſent after him, whither he was haſting that night.

Such who have Clevelandiz'd, that is, endeavoured to imitate his Maſculine ſtile, yet could never go beyond his Poem of the Hermophrodite; which though inſerted into Mr. Randolphs Poems (one of as high a tow'ring Wit as moſt in that age;) yet is well known to be Mr. Clevelands; it being not only made after Mr. Randolph's death, but hath in it the very vein and ſtrain of Mr. Cleveland's Writing, walking from one height to another, in a conſtant Level of continued Elevation. And indeed ſo elaborate are all his other pieces of Poetry, as to praiſe one were to detract from the reſt, and are not to be the leſs valued by the Reader, becauſe moſt ſtudyed by the Writer: Take but a taſte of the Loftineſs of his ſtile, in thoſe verſes of his called Smectymuus.

Smectymnttuus! the Goblin makes me ſtart, I'th' name of Rabbi Abraham, what art? Syriack? or Arabick? or Welſh? what skilt? Up all the Brick-layers that Babel built. Some Conjurer tranſlate, and let me know it; Till then 'tis fit for a Weſt-Saxon Poet. But do the Brother-hood then play their prizes, Like Mummers in Religion with Diſguizes? Out-brave us with a name in rank and file, A name which if't were train'd would ſpread a mile; The Saints Monopoly, the zealous Cluſter, Which like a Porcupine preſents a Muſter.

Thus he ſhined with equal Light and Influence, until that great defection of Loyalty over-ſpread the Land, and Rebellion began to unvizaard it ſelf; of which no Man had more ſagacious Prognoſticks, of which take this one-inſtance; when Oliver Cromwell was in Election to be Burgeſs for the Town of Cambridge, as he ingaged all his Friends and Intereſts to oppoſe it; ſo when it was paſſed, he ſaid with much paſſionate zeal, That ſingle vote ruined both Church and Kingdom; ſuch fatal events did he preſage from his bloody Beak: For no ſooner did that Harpey appear in the Univerſity, but he made good what was predicted of him, and he amongſt others, that were outed for their Loyalty, was turned out of his Fellowſhip at St. Johns; out of which Loyal Colledge was then ejected Dr. Beal the Maſter, thirteen Batchellors of Divinity, and fourteen Maſters of Art, beſides Mr. Cleveland.

And now being forced from the Colledge, he betook himſelf to the Camp, and particularly to Oxford the Head quarter of it, as the moſt proper and proportionate Sphere for his Wit, Learning, and Loyalty; and added ſmall Luſtre to that famous Univerſity, with which it ſhined before.

Here he managed his Pen as the higheſt Panegyriſt (witneſs his Rupertiſmus, his Elegy on the Biſhop of Canterbury, &c.) on the one ſide to draw out all good inclinations to vertue: and the ſmartiſt Satyriſt, exemplifi'd in the Rebel Scot, the Scots Apoſtacy, which he preſented with ſuch a Satyrical Fury, that the whole Nation fares the worſe for it, lying under a moſt grievous Poetical Cenſure. Such alſo were his Poem of The mixt Aſſembly, his Character of a London Diurnal, and a Committee-Man; Blows that ſhakes triumphing Rebellion, reaching the Souls of thoſe not to be reached by Law or Power, ſtriking each Traytor to a Paleneſs, beyond that of any Loyal Corps, that bled by them; ſuch Characters being as indelible as Guilt ſtabs beyond Death.

From Oxford, his next ſtage was the Garriſon of Newark, where he was Judge Advocate until the Surrender thereof; and by an excellent temperature of both, was a juſt and prudent Judge for the King, and a faithful Advocate for the Country. Here he drew up that excellent Anſwer and Rejoynder to a Parliament Officer, who had ſent him a Letter by occaſion of one Hill, that had deſerted their ſide, and brought with him to Newark the ſum of 133l. and 8d. I ſhall only give you part of Mr. Clevelands Anſwer to his firſt Letter, by which you may give an Eſtimate of the reſt.

Sixthly, Beloved it is ſo, that our Brother and fellow-Labourer in the Goſpel is Start aſide; then this may ſerve for an uſe of inſtruction, not to truſt in Man, or in the Son of Man. Did not Demas leave Paul, did not Oneſimus run from his Maſter Philemon? Alſo this ſhould teach us to employ our Talents, and not to lay them up in a Napkin; had it been done among the Cavaliers, it had been juſt, then the Iſraelite had ſpoiled the Aegyptian: but for Simeon to plunder Levi, that—that—&c.

This famous Garriſon was maintained with much courage and reſolution againſt the Beſiegers, and not ſurrendred but by the King's ſpecial Command, when firſt he had ſurrendred himſelf into the hands of the Scots; in which action of that Royal Martyr, we may conclude our Cleveland Vates, both Poet and Prophet: For beſides his paſſionate reſentment of it in that excellent Poem, the Kings diſguiſe; upon ſome private intelligence, three days before the King reached them, he foreſaw the pieces of Silver paying upon the banks of Tweed, and that they were the price of his Sovereigns Blood, and predicted the Tragical events.

Thenceforth he followed the fate of diſtreſſed Loyalty, ſubject to the Malice and Vengeance of every Fanatick Spirit, which ſeldom terminates but in a Goal, which befel this learned Perſon, being long impriſoned at Yarmouth; where living in a lingering Condition, and having ſmall hopes of coming out, he compoſed an Addreſs to that Idol at White-Hall, Oliver Cromwell, written with ſuch Tow'ring Language, and ſo much gallant Reaſon, as looked bigger than his Highneſs, ſhrinking before the Majeſty of his Pen, as Felix trembled before Paul. So obtaining his Liberty, not by a ſervile Submiſſion, but rather a conſtrained Violence, neither injuring his Conſcience, nor betraying his Cauſe.

And ſo now with Daniel being delivered out of the Lyons Den, he was courted to ſeveral places, (which contended as emulouſly for his abode, as the ſeven Grecian Cities for Homers Birth;) at laſt he ſetled in Grays-Inn, which when he had enobled with ſome ſhort time of his reſidence, an intermitting Fever ſeized him, whereof he dyed, on Thurſday Morning, April the 29. 1658. from whence his Body was brought to Hunſden-Houſe, and on Saturday being May-day, was buried at Colledge-hill-Church; His dear Friend Dr. John Pearſon (afterwards Lord Biſhop of Cheſter) preached his Funeral Sermon, who rendred this Reaſon; why he cautiouſly declined all commending of the Party deceaſed, Becauſe ſuch praiſing of him would not be adequate to any expectation in that Auditory; ſeeing ſome, who knew him not, would think it far above him, while thoſe, who knew him muſt needs know it far below him.

Many there were who ſought to eternize their own Names by honouring his; ſome by Elegies, and other Devices, amongſt the reſt one made this Anagram upon his name.

JOHN CLEAVELAND.

HELICONIAN DEW.

The difficult Trifle (ſaith one) is rather well endeavoured, than exactly performed▪ More happy were thoſe Wits, who deſcanted on him and his works in Verſe, although ſo eminent a Poet was never interred with fewer Elegies than he; for which we may aſſign two Reaſons, One that at that time the beſt Fancies of the Royal Party were in reſtraint, ſo that we may in part think their Muſes confin'd, as well as their Bodies. Secondly, not to do it to the heighth, were in a manner to diſpraiſe him. However I ſhall adventure to give you an inſtance in two, whereof the firſt of Mr. Edward Martin of London.

Ye Muſes do not me deny; I ever was your Votary. And tell me, ſeeing you do daign T' inſpire and feed the hungry Brain; With what choice Cates? With what choice Face? To Cleaveland's fancy ſtill repair? Fond Man, ſay they, why do'ſt thou queſtion thus? Ask rather with what Nectar he feeds us.

The other by Mr. A. B. printed before Mr. Cleveland's Works.

Cleaveland again his ſacred head doth raiſe, Even in the duſt crown'd with immortal Bayes, Again with verſes arm'd that once did fright Lycambe's Daughters from the hated Light, Sets his bold foot on Reformations neck▪ And triumphs o'er the vanquiſht Monſter Smec; That Hydra whoſe proud heads did ſo encreaſe, That it deſerv'd no leſs an Hercules. This, this is he who in Poetick Rage, With Scorpions laſh'd the Madneſs of the age; Who durſt the faſhions of the times deſpiſe, And be a Wit when all Manking grew wiſe. When formal Beards at Twenty one were ſeen, And men grew Old almoſt as ſoon as Men: Who in thoſe daies when reaſon, wit, and ſence Were by the Zealots grave Impertinence Ycliped Folly, and in Ve-ri-ty Did ſavour rankly of Carnality. When each notch'd Prentice might a Poet prove. For warbling through the Noſe a Hymn of Love, When ſage George Withers and grave William Prin, Himſelf might for a Poets ſhare put in: Yet then could write with ſo much art and skill, That Rome might envy his Satyrick Quill; And crabbed Perſius his hard lines give ore, And in diſdain beat his brown Desk no more. How I admire thee Cleaveland! when I weigh Thy cloſe wrought Senſe, and every line ſurvey! They are not like thoſe things which ſome compoſe, Who in a maze of Words the Senſe do loſe. Who ſpin one thought into ſo long a thread, And beat their Wit too thin to make it ſpread; Till 'tis too fine for our weak eyes to find, And dwindles into Nothing in the end. No; they'r above the Genius of this Age, Each word of thine ſwells pregnant with a Page. Then why do ſome Mens nicer ears complain, Of the uneven Harſhneſs of thy ſtrain? Preferring to the vigour of thy Muſe Some ſmooth weak Rhymer, that ſo gently flowes, That Ladies may his eaſy ſtrains admire, And melt like Wax before the ſoftning fire. Let ſuch to Women write, you write to Men; We ſtudy thee, when we but play with them.

Sir JOHN BERKENHEAD.

Sir John Berkenhead was a Gentleman, whoſe worth and deſerts were too high for me to delineate. He was a conſtant Aſſertor of his Majeſties Cauſe in its loweſt Condition, painting the Rebels forth to the life in his Mercurius Aulicus and other Writings; his Zany Brittanieus who wrote againſt him, being no more his Equal, than a Dwarf to a Gyant, or the goodneſs of his cauſe to that of the Kings; for this his Loyalty he ſuffered ſeveral Impriſonments, yet always conſtant to his firſt Principles. His skill in Poetry was ſuch, that one thus writes of him.

Whil'ſt Lawrel ſprigs anothers head ſhall Crown, Thou the whole Grove mayſt challenge as thy Own.

He ſurvived to ſee his Majeſties happy Reſtoration, and ſome of them hanged who uſed their beſt endeavor to do the ſame by him. As for his learned Writings, thoſe who are ignorant of them, muſt plead ignorance both to Wit and Learning.

Dr. ROBERT WILD.

HE was one, and not of the meaneſt of the Poetical Caſlock, being in ſome ſort a kind of an Anti-Cleaveland, writing as high, and ſtanding up as ſtifly for the Presbyterians, as ever Cleaveland did againſt them: But that which moſt recommended him to publick fame, was his Iter Boreale, the ſame in Title though not in Argument, with that little, but much commended Poem of Dr. Corbets mentioned before. This being upon General Monk's Journey out of Scotland, in order to his Majeſties Reſtoration, and is indeed the Cream and flower of all his Works, and look't upon for a lofty and conceited Stile. His other things are for the moſt part of a lepid and facetious nature, reflecting on others, who as ſharply retorted upon him, for he that throwes ſtones at other, 'tis ten to one but is hit with aſtone himſelf; one of them playing upon his red face thus. I like the Man that carries in his Face, the tinſture of that bloody Banner he fights under, and would not have any Mans countenance; prove ſo much an Hypocrite to croſs a French Proverb.

His Noſe plainly proves, What pottage he loves.

Hear one of their reflections upon him, on his humble thanks, for his Majeſties Declaration for Liberty of Conſcience.

When firſt the Hawkers bawl'd 'ith' ſtreets Wild's name, A lickeriſh longing to my Pallat came; A feaſt of Wit I look't for, but, alaſs! The meat ſmelt ſtrong, and too much Sawce there was, &c.

Indeed his ſtrain, had it been fitted to a right key, might have equal'd the chiefeſt of his age.

Mr. ABRAHAM COWLEY.

THis Gentleman was one, who may well be be ſtil'd the glory of our Nation, both of the preſent and paſt ages, whoſe early Muſe began to dawn at the Thirteenth year of his age, being then a Scholar at Weſtminiſer-School, which produc'd two little Poems, the one called Antonius and Melida, the other Pyramus and Thisbe; diſcovering in them a maturity of Sence, far above the years that writ them; ſhewing by theſe his early Fruits, what in time his ſtock of worth would come to. And indeed Fame was not deceived in him of its Expectation, he having built a laſting Monument of his worth to poſterity, in that compleat Volume of his Works, divided into four parts: His Miſtreſs, being the amorous Proluſions of his youthful Muſe; his Miſcelanies, or Poems of various arguments; his moſt admired Heroick Poem Davideis, the firſt Books whereof he compos'd while but a young Student at Trinity-Colledge in Cambridge; and laſtly, that is, in order of time though not of place, his Pindaric Odes, ſo call'd from the Meaſure, in which he tranſlated the firſt Ithmian and Nemean Odes, where as the form of thoſe Odes in the Original is very different, yet ſo well were they approved by ſucceeding Authors, that our primeſt Wits have hitherto driven a notable Trade in Pindaric Odes. But beſides theſe his Engliſh Poems, there is extant of his writing a Latine Volume by it ſelf, containing a Poem of Herbs and Plants: Alſo he Tranſlated two Books of his Davideis into Latine Verſe, which is in the large Volume amongſt the reſt of his Works.

Mr. EDMOND WALLER.

THis Gentleman is one of the moſt fam'd Poets, and that not undeſervedly of the preſentage, excelling in the charming Sweets of his Lyrick Odes, or amorous Sonnets, as alſo in his other occaſional Poems both ſmooth and ſtrenuous, rich of Conceit, and eloquently adorned with proper Similies: view his abilities in this Poem of his, concerning the Puiſſance of our Navies, and the Engliſh Dominion at Sea.

Lords of the Worlds great Waſt, the Ocean, we Whole Forreſts ſend to reign upon the Sea; And every Coaſt may trouble or relieve; But none can viſit us without our leave; Angels and we have this Prerogative, That none can at our happy Seat arrive, While we deſcend at pleaſure to invade The bad with Vengeance, or the good to aid: Our little world the image of the great, Like that amidſt the boundleſs Ocean ſet, Of her own growth has all that Nature craves, And all that's rare as Tribute from the waves. As Aegypt does not on the Clouds rely, But to her Nyle owes more then to the sky; So what our Earth, and what our Heaven denies, Our ever conſtant friend, the Sea ſupplies. The taſt of hot Arabia's Spice we know, Free from the Scorching Sun that makes it grow; Without the worm, in Perſian Silks we ſhine, And without Planting drink of every Vine; To dig for wealth we weary not our limbs, Gold, though the heavieſt mettal, hither ſwims. Ours is the Harveſt where the Indians mow, We plough the deep, and reap what others Sow.

I ſhall only add two lines more of his, quoted by ſeveral Authors.

All that the Angels do above, Is that they ſing, and that they love.

In ſum, this our Poet was not Inferior to Carew, Lovelace, nor any of thoſe who were accounted the brighteſt Stars in the Firmament of Poetry.

Sir JOHN DENHAM.

SIr John Denham was a Gentleman, who to his other Honors had this added; that he was one of the Chief of the Delphick Quire, and for his Writings worthy to be Crowned with a wreath of Stars. The excellency of his Poetry may be ſeen in his Coopers Hill, which whoſoever ſhall deny, may be accounted no Friends to the Muſes: His Tragedy of the Sophy, is equal to any of the Chiefeſt Authors, which with his other Works bound together in one Volume, will make his name Famous to all Poſterity.

Sir WILLIAM DAVENANT.

SIr William Davenant, may be accounted one of the Chiefeſt of Apollo's Sons, for the great Fluency of his Wit and Fancy: Eſpecially his Gondibert, the Crown of all his other Writings; to which Mr. Hobbs of Malmsbury wrote a Preface, wherein he extolleth him to the Skyes; wherein no wonder (ſayes one) if Compliment and Friendly Compliance do a little biaſs and over-ſway Judgment. He alſo wrote a Poem entituled Madagaſcur, alſo a Farrago of his Juvenile, and other Miſcelaneous Pieces: But his Chiefeſt matter was what he wrote for the Engliſh Stage, of which was four Comedies, viz. Love and Honour, The Man is the Maſter; the Platonick Lovers; and The Wits. Three Tragedies; Albovine, The Cruel Brother, and The unfortunate Lovers. Two Tragi-Comedies, the Juſt Italian; and the Loſt Lady. And Six Maſques, viz. Brittania Triumphans; The Cruelty of the Spaniards in Peru; Drakes Hiſtory Firſt Part; Siege of Rhodes in two Parts, and The Temple of Love; Beſides his Muſical Drama's, when the uſual Playes were not ſuffered to be Acted, whereof he was the firſt Reviver and Improver by painted Scenes after his Majeſties Reſtoration; erecting a new Company of Actors, under the Patronage of the Duke of York.

Now this our Poet, as he was a Wit himſelf, ſo did ſeveral of the Wits play upon him; amongſt others Sir John Suckling in his Seſſion of the Poets hath theſe Verſes. Will. Davenant aſham'd of a Fooliſh miſchance That he had got lately Travelling into France; Modeſtly hoped the Handſomneſs of's Muſe, Might any Deformity about him excuſe. And Surely the Company would have been content, If they could have found any Preſident; But in all their Records either in Verſe or Proſe, There was not one Laureat without a Noſe.

His Works ſince his Death have been fairly Publiſhed in a large Volume; to which I refer my Reader.

Sir GEORGE WHARTON.

HE was one was a good Souldier, Famous Mathematician, and an excellent Poet; alwayes Loyal to his Prince: For whoſe Service he raiſed a Troop of Horſe at his own Charge, of which he became Captain himſelf; and with much Gallantry and Reſolution behaved himſelf. Nor was he leſs ſerviceable to the Royal Cauſe with his Pen, of which he was a reſolute Aſſertor: Suffering very much by Impriſonment, even to the apparent hazard of his Life. He having ſo Satyrically wounded them in his Elenctichus, as left indelible Characters of Infancy upon their Actions. His Excellent Works collected into one Volume, and Publiſhed in the Year, 1683. By the Ingenious Mr. Gadbury, are a ſufficient Teſtimony of his Learning, Ingenuity and Loyalty; to which I refer the Reader.

In ſum, as he participated of his Maſters Sufferings; So did he enjoy the Benefit of his Reſtoration, having given him a Place of great Honor and Profit, with which he lived in Credit and Reputation all the days of his Life.

Sir ROBERT HOWARD.

SIr Robert Howard, of the Noble Family of the Earls of Berk-ſhire, a Name ſo reverenced, as it had Six Earls at one time of that Name. This Noble Perſon to his other Abilities, which Capacitated him for a Principal Office in his Majeſties Exchequer; attained to a conſiderable Fame by his Poetical Works: Eſpecially for what he hath written to the Stage, viz. The Blind Lady; The Committee; and The Surprizal, Comedies; The Great Favorite, and The Veſtal Virgin, Tragedies; Inforc'd Marriage, a Tragi-Comedy, and The Indian Queen a Dramatick Hiſtory.

WILLIAM CAVENDISH Duke of New-Caſtle

THis Honourable Perſon, for his eminent Services to his Prince and Country, preferred from Earl to Duke of New-Caſtle; was a Perſon equally addicted both to Arms and Arts, which will eternize his Name to all Poſterity, ſo long as Learning, Loyalty, and Valour ſhall be in Faſhion. He wrote a ſplendid Treatiſe of the Art of Horſemanſhip, in which his Experience was no leſs than his Delight; as alſo two Comedies, The Variety, and the Country Captain. Nor was his Dutcheſs no leſs buſied in thoſe raviſhing Delights of Poetry, leaving to Poſteriry in Print three ample Volumes of Her ſtudious Endeavors; one of Orations, the ſecond of Philoſophical Notions and Diſcourſes, and the third of Dramatick and other kinds of Poetry, of which five Comedies, viz. The Bridalls; Blazing World; Cavent of Pleaſure; The Preſence; and The Sociable Companions, or Female Wits.

Sir WILLIAM KILLIGREW.

SIr William Killigrew, was one whoſe Wings of Fancy diſplayed as high Invention, as moſt of the Sons of Phaebus of his time; contributing to the Stage five Playes, viz. Ormardes, The Princeſs, or Love at firſt ſight; Selindra, and the Seige of Vrbin, Tragi-Comedies; and a Comedy called Pandora. To whom we may joyn Mr. Thomas Killigrew, who alſo wrote five Plays, viz. The Parſons Wedding; and Thomaſo, or the Wanderer, Comedies; the Pilgrim a Tragedy; and Claraſilla, and The Priſoners, Tragi-Comedies.

JOHN STƲDLEY.

WAs one who beſides other things which he wrote, contributed to the Stage four Tragedies, viz. Agamemnon, Hyppolitus, Hercules Oetes, and Medea, and therefore thought worthy to have a Place amongſt the reſt of our Engliſh Poets.

JOHN TATHAM.

JOhn Tatham was one, whoſe Muſe began to bud with his Youth▪ which produced early Bloſſomes, of not altogether Contemptible Poetry, in a Collection of Poems entituled Fancys Theater; which was uſher'd into the World by divers of the Chief VVits of that age. He was afterwards City Poet, making thoſe Speeches and Repreſentations uſed at the Lord Mayors ſhow, and other Publick Meetings. He alſo contributed to the Stage four plays, viz. The Scots Fegaries; and The Rump, or Mirror of the late times, Comedies; the Diſtracted State, a Tragedy, and Love crowns the End; a Tragy-Comedy. Here a taſt of his juvenile wit in his Fancys Theater ſpeaking in the Perſon of Momus.

How now preſumptuous Lad, think'ſt thou that we VVill be diſturb'd with this thy Infancy Of Wit?— Or does thy amorous Thoughts beget a flame▪ (Beyond its merit) for to court the name Of Poet; or is't common now a days Such ſlender VVits dare claim ſuch things as Bays? &c.

THOMAS JORDEN.

COntemporary with him was Thomas Jorden, and of much like equal Fame; indulging his Muſe more to vulgar Fancies, then to the high flying wits of thoſe times, yet did he write three Plays, viz. Mony's an Aſs; and The Walks of Iſlington and Hogſden, Comedies; and Fancys Feſtivals, a Mask.

HƲGH CROMPTON.

HE was born a Gentleman, and bred up a Scholar, but his Father not leaving him Means enough to ſupport the one, and the Times in that Condition, that without Money Learning is little regarded; he therefore betook him to a Gentile Employment, which his Learning had made him capable to do; but the ſucceſſion of a worſe fate diſemploying him, as he himſelf ſaith in his Epiſtle to the Reader of his Book, entituled, Pierides, or the Muſes Mount, he betook him to his Pen, (that Idleneſs might not ſway) which in time produced a Volume of Poems, which to give you a taſt of the briskneſs of his Muſe, I ſhall inſtance in a few lines, in one or two of them.

VVhen I remember what mine eyes have ſeen, And what mine Ears have heard, Concerning Muſes too too young and green; And how they have been jear'd, T' expoſe my own I am afear'd. And yet this fear decreaſes, when I call To my tempeſtuous mind, How the ſtrong loins of Phoebus Children all, Have faln by Cenſures mind: And in their road what Rocks they find.

He went over afterwards into Ireland, where he continued for ſome time; but whether he dyed there or no, I am not certain.

EDMƲND PRESTWICH.

EDmund Preſtwich, was one who deſervedly cometh in as a Member of the Noble Society of Poets, being the Author of an ingenious Comedy called the Hectors, or Falſe Challenge; as alſo Hippolytus a Tragedy; what ever he might have written beſides, which may not have come to my knowledge.

PAGAN FISHER.

PAganus Piſcator, vulgarly Fiſher, was a notable Undertaker in Latin Verſe, and had well deſerved of his Country, had not lucre of Gain and private Ambition over-ſwayed his Pen, to favour ſucceſsful Rebellion. He wrote in Latin his Marſton-Moor; A Gratulatory Ode of Peace; Engliſhed afterwards by Thomas Manley, and other Latin pieces, beſides Engliſh ones, not a few, which (as we ſaid) might have been meriting, had not thoſe worldly Conſiderations over-ſwayed the Dictates of his own Conſcience. But this his temporizing with the Times, preferred him to be Poet Laureat (if that were any Preferment) to that notorious Traytor Oliver Cromwell; to whom being Uſurper, if his Muſe did homag • , it muſt be conſidered (ſaith Mr. Phillips) that Poets in all times have been inclinable to ingratiate themſelves with the higheſt in Power, by what Title ſo ever.

However it was, I have heard him often confeſs his Unhappineſs therein: and imparted to me a deſign he had, of committing to memory the Monuments of the ſeveral Churches in London and Weſtminſter; not only thoſe mentioned by Stow and Weaver, but alſo thoſe who have been erected ſince, which might have been of great uſe to Poſterity, had it been done before the great Conflagration of the Fire, thereby preſerving many Monuments, endangered ſince to be loſt, but Death interpoſing hindred him of his Deſign.

EDWARD SHIRBƲRN, Eſq

EDward Shirburn (ſaith a learned Author) was intimately knowing as well of the ancient Greek and Latin, as of the choiceſt of modern Poets, both Italian, French, and Spaniſh; and in what he hath elegantly and judiciouſly Tranſlated either of the former or latter; in the Tranſlating of which he hath diſcovered a more pure Poetical Fancy, than many others can juſtly pretend to in their Original Works. Nor was his Genius confined only to Poetry, his Verſion of thoſe Books of Manilius, which relate meerly to Aſtronomy, is a very Noble Work, being ſet forth with moſt exact Notes, and other learned and proper Illuſtrations. Beſides many other genuine Pieces which he wrote.

JOHN QƲARLES.

JOhn Quarles, Son to Francis Quarles, Eſq may be ſaid to be born a Poet, and that his Father's Genius was infuſed into him; nor was he leſs Loyal in his Principles to his Prince, writing beſides ſeveral other VVorks, an Elegy on the Lord Capell, and A Curſe againſt the Enemies of Peace; of which I remember thoſe were the two laſt lines.

That all the world may hear them hiſs and cry, Who loves no peace, in peace ſhall never die.

He was alſo addicted to Arms, as well as Arts, and, as I have been informed, was a Captain in the King's Army, but then Loyalty ſuffering an Eclipſe, he came up to London, and continued there till the great Sickneſs, which ſwept away of the Peſtilence no fewer than 68586 perſons, amongſt whom this unfortunate Gentleman was one, tho to my knowledge, to prevent it, he might have been kindly welcom to his worthy Kinſman, Mr. William Holgate of Saffron-Walden in Eſſex, but Fate had decreed it otherwiſe.

JOHN MILTON.

JOhn Milton was one, whoſe natural parts might deſervedly give, him a place amongſt the principal of our Engliſh Poets, having written two Heroick Poems and a Tragedy; namely, Paradice Loſt, Paradice Regain'd, and Sampſon Agoniſta; But his Fame is gone out like a Candle in a Snuff, and his Memory will always ſtink, which might have ever lived in honourable Repute, had not he been a notorious Traytor, and moſt impiouſly and villanouſly bely'd that bleſſed Martyr King Charles the Firſt.

JOHN OGILBY.

JOhn Ogilby was one, who from a late Initiation into Literature, made ſuch a Progreſs therein, as might well ſtile him to be the Prodigy of his time, ſending into the world ſo many large and learned Volumes, as well in Verſe as in Proſe, as will make poſterity much indebted to his Memory. His Volumes in Proſe were his Atlas, and other Geographical Works, which gained him the Style and Office of the King's Coſmographer. In Verſe his Tranſlations of Homer and Virgil, done to the Life, and adorned with moſt excellent Sculptures; but above all, as compoſed Propria Minerva; his Paraphraſe upon Aeſop's Fables, which for Ingenuity and Fancy, beſides the Invention of new Fables, is generally confeſt to have exceeded what ever hath been done before in that kind. He alſo ſet forth King Charles the Second his Entertainment through London, when he went to his Coronation, with moſt admirable Cuts of the ſeveral Pageants as he paſſed through, and Explanations upon them. And that which added a great grace to his VVorks, he printed them all on ſpecial good Paper, and had them printed on very good Letter.

Sir RICHARD FANSHAW.

THis worthy Gentleman, one of Apollo's chiefeſt Sons, was Secretary to King Charles the Second, when Prince of Wales, and after his Reſtoration, his Embaſſadour to Spain, where he died. His Employments were ſuch, as one would think he ſhould have had no time for Poetical Diverſions, yet at leiſure times he Tranſlated Guarim's Paſtor Fido into Engliſh Verſe, and Spencer's Shepherds Callendar into Latin Verſe.

ROGER BOILE, Lord Braghil, Earl of Orrery.

THis Noble Perſon, the credit of the Iriſh Nobility for Wit and ingenious Parts, and who had the command of a ſmooth Stile, both in Proſe and Verſe; in which laſt he hath written ſeveral Dramatick Hiſtories, as Muſtapha, Edward the Third, Henry the Fifth, and Tryphon, all of them with good ſucceſs and applauſe, as writing after the French way of Rhyme, now of late very much in Faſhion.

THOMAS HOBBS of Malmsbury.

THis noted Perſon, who gave occaſion for ſo many Pens to band againſt him, is of the more conſideration, for what he hath either judged or writ in Poetry; but his Leviathan, which he wrote in Proſe, cauſed the Pen of a no leſs than a learned Biſhop to write againſt him. He wrote a Preface to Davenant's Gondibert, where no wonder if Complement and friendly Compliance do a little byaſs and over-ſway Judgment. His Latin Poem De Mirabilibus Pexi, wanteth not due Commendation. After many buſtles in the world, he ſequeſtred himſelf wholly to Malmsbury, where he died better inform'd (as I have heard) of the Deity, than in the former part of his life he ſeemeth to have been.

Earl of ROCHESTER.

THis Earl for Poetical Wit, was accounted the chief of his time; his Numbers flowing with ſo ſmooth and accute a Strain, that had they been all confined within the bounds of Modeſty, we might well affirm they were unparallel'd; yet was not his Muſe altogether ſo looſe, but that with his Mirth he mixed Seriouſneſs, and had a knack at once to tickle the Fancy, and inform the Judgement. Take a taſte of the fluency of his Muſe, in the Poem which he Wrote in Defence of Satyr.

When Shakespeare, Johnſon, Fletcher rul'd the Stage, They took ſo bold a freedom with the Age, That there was ſcarce a Knave, or Fool in Town, Of any note, but had his Picture ſhown; And (without doubt) tho ſome it may offend, Nothing helps more than Satyr, to amend Ill Manners, or is trulier Vertues Friend. Princes may Laws ordain,, Prieſts gravely preach, But Poets moſt ſucceſsfully will teach. For as the Paſſing-Bell frights from his meat The greedy Sick-man, that too much wou'd eat; So when a Vice ridiculous is made, Our Neighbours Shame keeps us from growing bad. But wholſom Remedies few Palats pleaſe, Men rather love what flatters their Diſeaſe. Pimps, Paraſites, Buffoons, and all the Crew That under Friendſhip's name weak man undo; Find their falſe ſervice kindlier underſtood, Than ſuch as tell bold Truths to do us good. Look where you will, and you ſhall hardly find A man without ſome ſickneſs of the Mind. In vain we wiſe wou'd ſeem, while every Luſt Whisks us about, as Whirlwinds do the Duſt. Here for ſome needleſs gain a Wretch is hurld From Pole to Pole, and ſlav'd about the World; VVhile the reward of all his pains and cares, Ends in that deſpicable thing, his Heir. There a vain Fop mortgages all his Land To buy that gaudy Play-thing, a Command; To ride a Cock-horſe, wear a Scarf at's— And play the Pudding in a May-pole Farce. Here one, whom God to make a Fool thought fit, In ſpight of Providence, will be a VVit: But wanting ſtrength t'uphold his ill made choice, Sets up with Lewdneſs, Blaſphemy, and Noiſe. There at his Miſtreſs feet a Lover lies, And for a Tawdry painted Baby dies; Falls on his knees, adores and is afraid Of the vain Idol he himſelf has made. Theſe, and a thouſand Fools unmention'd here, Hate Poets all, becauſe they Poets fear. Take heed (they cry) yonder mad Dog will bite, He cares not whom he falls on in his fit: Come but in's way, and ſtrait a new Lampoon Shall ſpread your mangled fame about the Town

This Farl died in the Flower of his Age, and though his Life might be ſomewhat Extravagant, yet he is ſaid to have dyed Penitently; and to have made a very good End.

Mr. THOMAS FLATMAN.

MR. Thomas Flatman, a Gentleman once of the middle Temple, of Extraordinary Parts, equally ingenious in the two Noble Faculties of Painting and Poetry; as by the ſeveral choice Pieces that have been ſeen of his Pourtraying and Limning, and by his Book of Poems, which came out about Fourteen or Fifteen Years ago, ſufficiently appeareth: The ſo much Celebrated Song of the Troubles of Marriage, is aſcribed to him.

Like a Dog with a Bottle tyed cloſe to his Taile, Like a Tory in a Bog, or a Thief in a Jail, &c.

MARTIN LƲELLIN.

THis Gentleman was bred up a Student in Chriſt-Church in Oxford; where he addicted his Mind to the ſweet Delights of Poetry, writing an Ingenious Poem, entituled, Men Miracles, which came forth into the World with great applauſe. The times being then when there was not only Cobling Preaching, but Preaching Coblers; he followed the practice of Phyſick, and whether he be yet living is to me unknown.

EDMOND FAIRFAX.

EDmond Fairfax, a moſt judicious, elegant, and approved Poet, and who we ſhould have remembred before: But better out of due place, than not at all. This judicious Poet Tranſlated that moſt exquiſite Poem of Torquato Taſſo, the Prince of Italian Heroick Poets, which for the Exactneſs of his Verſion, is judged by ſome not inferior to the Original it ſelf. He alſo wrote ſome other things of his own Genius, which have paſſed in the World with a general applauſe.

HENRY KING Biſhop of Chicheſter.

THis Reverend Prelate, a great lover of Muſick, Poetry, and other ingenious Arts; amongſt his other graver Studies, had ſome Excurſions into thoſe pleaſing Delights of Poetry; and as he was of an Obliging Converſation for his Wit and Fancy; ſo was he alſo very Grave and Pious in his Writings; Witneſs his Printed Sermons on the Lords Prayer, and others which he Preached on ſeveral Occaſions. His Father was John King, Biſhop of London; one full fraught with all Epiſcopal Qualities; who died Anno 1618. and was Buried in the Quire of St. Paul's, with the plain Epitaph of Reſurgam: But ſince a prime Wit did enlarge thereon, which for the Elegancy of it, I cannot but commit it to Poſterity.

Sad Relique of a bleſſed Soul, whoſe Truſt We Sealed up in this religious Duſt. O do not thy low Exequies ſuſpect, As the cheap Arguments of our neglect. 'Twas a commanded Duty that thy Grave As little Pride as thou thy ſelf ſhould have. Therefore thy Covering is an humble Stone, And but a WordReſurgam for thy Inſcription. When thoſe that in the ſame Earth Neighbour thee, Have each his Chronicle and Pedigree. They have their waving Penons, and their Flags, Of Matches and Alliance formal Brags. When thou (although from Anceſtors thou came, Old as the Heptarchy, great as thy Name;) Sleepeſt there inſhrin'd in thy admired Parts, And haſt no Heraldry but thy Deſerts. Yet let not them their prouder Marbles boaſt, For they reſt with leſs Honour though more Coſt. Go ſearch the World, and with your Mattock wound, The groaning Boſom of the patient Ground: Dig from the hidden Veins of her dark Womb, All that is rare and precious for a Tomb. Yet when much Treaſure, and more time is ſpent, You muſt grant his the Nobler Monument; Whoſe Faith ſtands o're him for a Hearſe, and hath The Reſurrection for his Epitaph.

This worthy Prelate was born in the ſame County, Town, Houſe, and Chamber with his Father; Namely, at Warn-hall nigh Tame in Buckingham-ſhire, and was Bred up at Chriſt-Church in Oxford. in Anno 1641. when Epiſcopacy was beheld by many in a deep Conſumption, and hoped by others that it would prove Mortal. To cure this, if was conceived the moſt probable Cordial to prefer Perſons into that Order, not only unblameable for their Life, and eminent for their Learning; but alſo generally, beloved, by all diſegaged People; and amongſt theſe, King Charles advanced this our Doctor, Biſhop of Chicheſter.

But all would not do, their Innocency was ſo far from ſtopping the Mouth of Malice; that Malice had almoſt ſwallowed them down her Throat. Yet did he live to ſee the Reſtitution of his Order, live a moſt religious Life, and at leiſure times Compoſed his generally admired and approved Verſion of Davids Pſalms into Engliſh Meetre.

THOMAS MANLEY.

THomas Manley was (ſaith my Author) one of the Croud of Poetical writers of the late King's Time. He wrote among other things the Hiſtory of Job in verſe; and Tranſlated into Engliſh, Pagan Fiſher his Congratulatory Ode of Peace.

Mr. LEWYS GRIFFIN.

HE was born (as he informed me himſelf) in Rutland-ſhire, and bred up in the Univerſity of Cambridge; where proving an Excellent Preacher, he was after ſome time preferred to be a Miniſter of St. George's Church in Southwark; where being outed for Marrying two Siſters without their Friends Conſent, He was afterwards beneficed at Colcheſter in Eſſex; where he continued all the time during a ſore Peſtilence raged there. He wrote a Book of Eſſays and Characters, an excellent Piece; alſo The Doctrine of the Aſs, of which I remember theſe two lines.

Devil's pretences always were Divine, A Knave may have an Angel for a Sign.

He wrote alſo a Book called The Presbyterian Bramble; with ſeveral other Pieces, in Defence of the King and the Church. Now to ſhew you the Acuteneſs of his VVit, I will give you an Inſtance: The firſt year that Poor Robin's Almanack came forth (about Six and Twenty Years ago) there was cut for it a Braſs Plate; having on one ſide of it the Pictures of King Charles the Firſt, the Earl of Strafford, the Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury, the Earl of Darby, the Lord Capel, and Dr. Hewit; all ſix adorned with Wreaths of Lawrel. On the other ſide was, Oliver Cromwell, Bradſhaw, Ireton, Scot, Harriſon, and Hugh Peters, hanging in Halters: Betwixt which was placed the Earl of Eſſex, and Mr. Chriſtopher Love; upon which plate he made theſe Verſes.

Bleſs us, what have we here! What ſundry Shapes Salute our Eyes! have Martyrs too their Apes? Sure 'tis the War of Angels, for you'd Swear That here ſtood Michael, and the Dragon there. Tredeſcan is out-vy'd, for we engage Both Heaven and Hell in an Octavo Page. Martyrs and Traytors, rallied ſix to ſix, Half fled unto Olimpus, half to Styx. Joyn'd with two Neuters, ſome Condemn, ſome Praiſe, They hang betwixt the Halters and the Bayes; For 'twixt Nolls Torment, and Great Charles's Glory, There, there's the Presbyterian Purgatory.

He died (as I am informed) at Colcheſter, about the Year of our Lord 1670.

JOHN DAƲNCEY.

JOhn Dauncey, a true Son of Apollo, and Bacchus; was one who had an Excellent Command of his Pen, a fluent Stile, and quick Invention: nor did any thing come amiſs to his undertaking. He wrote a compleat Hiſtory of the late times; a Chronicle of the Kingdom of Portugal; the Engliſh Lovers, a Romance; which for Language and Contrivance, comes not ſhort of either of the beſt of French or Spaniſh. He Tranſlated a Tragi-Comedy out of French, called Nichomede, equal in English to the French Original; beſides ſeveral other things, too long to recite. His Engliſh Lovers was Commended by divers of ſound Judgment; amongſt others, Mr. Lewis Griffin, our forementioned Poet, made theſe verſes in commendations of it.

Rich Soul of Wit and Language, thy [high ſtrains So plunge arid puzzle unrefined brains; That their Illiterate Spirits do not know, How much to thy Ingenious Pen they owe. Should my preſumptuous Muſe attempt to raiſe Trophies to thee, ſhe might as well go blaze Bright Planets with baſe Colours, or diſplay The Worlds Creation in a Puppet-Play. Let this ſuffice, what Calumnies may chance, To blut thy Fame, they ſpring from Ignorance. When Old Orpheus drew the Beaſts along, By ſweet Rhetorick of his learned Tongue, 'Twas deafneſs made the Adder ſin; and this Cauſ'd him, who ſhould have hum'd the Poet, hiſs.

RICHARD HEAD.

RIchard Head, the Noted Author of the Engliſh Rogue, was a Miniſters Son, born in Ireland, whoſe Father was killed in that horrid Rebellion in 1641. Whereupon his Mother with this her Son came into England; and he having been trained up in Learning, was by the help of ſome Friends, for ſome little time brought up in the Univerſity of Oxford, in the ſame Colledge wherein his Father had formerly been a Student. But means falling ſhort, he was taken away from thence, and bound Apprentice to a Latin Bookſeller in London; attaining to a good Proficiency in that Trade. But his Genius being addicted to Poetry, and having Venus for his Horoſcope, e're his time were fully out, he wrote a Piece called Venus Cabinet Vnlock'd: Afterwards he married, and ſet up for himſelf: But being addicted to play, a Mans Eſtate then runs in Hazard, (for indeed that was his Game) until he had almoſt thrown his Shop away. Then he betook himſelf to Ireland, his Native Country; where he compoſed his Hic & Vbique, a noted Comedy; and which gained him a general Eſteem for the worth thereof. And coming over into England, had it Printed, dedicating it to the then Duke of Monmouth; But receiving no great Incouragement from his Patron, he reſolved to ſettle himſelf in the World, and to that purpoſe, with his Wife took a Houſe in Queens-Head Alley, near Pater-Noſter-Row; and for a while followed his Buſineſs, ſo that contrary to the Nature of a Poet, his Pockets began to be well lined with Money: But being bewitched to that accurſed vice of Play, it went out by handfuls, as it came in piece by piece. And now he is to ſeek again in the World, whereupon he betook him to his Pen; and wrote the firſt part of the Engliſh Rogue: which being too much ſmutty, would not be Licenſed, ſo that he was fain to refine it, and then it paſſed ſtamp. At the coming forth of this firſt part, I being with him at three Cup Tavern in Holborn, drinking over a glaſs of Rheniſh, made theſe verſes upon it.

What Guſman, Buſcon, Francion, Rablais writ, I once applauded for moſt excellent Wit; But reading thee, and thy rich Fancies ſtore, I now condemn what I admir'd before. Henceforth Tranſlations pack away, be gone, No Rogue ſo well-writ as the Engliſh one.

There was afterwards three more parts added to it by him, and Mr. Kirkman with a promiſe of a fifth, which never came out.

He wrote ſeveral other Books beſides, as The art of Whedling; The Floating Iſland; or a Voyage from Lambethania to Ramalia; A diſcovery of O Brazil; Jacksons Recantation, The Red Sea, &c. Amongſt others, he had a great Fancy in Bandying againſt Dr. Wild; (although I muſt confeſs therein over Matcht) yet fell he upon him tooth and nail in Anſwer to his Letter directed to his Friend Mr. J. J. upon Occaſion of his Majeſties Declaration for Liberty of Conſcience; concluding in this manner.

Thus Sir you have my Story, but am Sorry (Taunton excuſe) it is no better for ye, However read it, as you Peaſe are ſhelling; For you will find, it is not worth the telling. Excuſe this boldneſs, for I can't avoid Thinking ſometimes, you are but ill Imploy'd. Fiſhing for Souls more fit, then frying Fiſh; That makes me throw, Peaſe Shellings in your Diſh. You have a ſtudy, Books wherein to look, How comes it then the Doctor's turn'd a Cook? Well Doctor Cook, pray be advis'd hereafter Don't make your Wife the Subject of our Laughter. I find ſhe's careleſs, and your Maid a ſlut, To let you greaſe your Caſſock for your gut. You are all three in ſault, by all that's bleſt; Mend you your manners firſt, then teach the reſt.

He was one who met with a great many Croſſes and Afflictions in his Life; and was (as I am informed) at laſt caſt away at Sea, as he was going to the Iſle of Wight.

JOHN PHILLIPS.

JOhn Phillips, the Brother of Edward Phillips, the Famous Continuator of Sir Richard Bakers Chronicle; and Author of The New World of Engliſh Words. He was alſo Nephew to the before mention'd John Milton, the Author of Paradice loſt, and Paradice Regain'd; ſo that he might be ſaid to have Poetical Blood run in his Veins. He was Accounted one of the exacteſt of Heroical Poets either of the Ancients or Moderns, either of our own or what ever other Nation elſe; having a Judicious command of Style both in Proſe and Verſe. But his chiefeſt Vein lay in Burleſque, and facetious-Poetry, which produc'd that Ingenious Satyr againſt Hypocrites.

He alſo Tranſlated the Fifth and Sixth Books of Virgils Aeniedes into Engliſh Burleſque; of which that we may give you a Draught of his Method, take theſe few lies.

While Dido in a Bed of Fire, A new-found way to cool deſire, Lay wrapt in Smoke, half Cole, half Dido, Too late repenting Crime Libido, Menſieur Aeneas went his waiſe, For which I con him little praiſe, To leave a Lady, not i'th' Mire, But which was worſer, in the Fire. He Neuter-like, had no great aim, To kindle or put out the flame. He had what he would have, the Wind; More than ten Diao's to his mind. The merry gale was all in Poop, Which made the Trojans all cry Hoop!

He it was who wrote that Jovial Almanack of Montelion; beſides ſeveral other things in a ſerious Vein of Poetry. Nor muſt we forget his Song made on the Tombs at Weſtminſter; which for a witty drolling Invention, I hold it to be paſt Compare, being Printed in a Book called The Miſteries of Love and Eloquence.

You may reckon among theſe his Elegy upon our late Soveraign, and his Anniverſary to His Majeſty; Compos'd all by Dr. Blow.

Mr. JOHN OLDHAM.

MR. John Oldham, the delight of the Muſes, and glory of thoſe laſt Times; a Man utterly unknown to me but only by Works, which none can read but with Wonder and Admiration; So Pithy his Strains, ſo Sententious his Expreſſions, ſo Elegant his Oratory, ſo Swimming his Language, ſo Smooth his Lines, in Tranſlating out-doing the Original, and in Invention matchleſs; whoſe praiſe my rude Pen is not able to Comprehend: Take therefore a ſmall Draught of his Perfections in a Funeral Elegy, made by the Laureat of our Nation, Mr. John Dryden.

Farewel, too little and too lately known, Whom I began to think and call my own; For ſure our Souls were near ally'd; and thine Caſt in the ſame Poetick Mould with mine. One common note on either Lyre did ſtrike, And Knaves and Fools we both abhorr'd alike: To the ſame Goal did both our Studies drive, The laſt ſet out the ſooneſt did arrive. Thus Niſus fell upon the Slippery place, While his young Friend perform'd and won the race. O early ripe! to thy abundant ſtore, What could advancing age have added more? It might (what Nature never gives the young) Have taught the numbers of thy Native Tongue. But Satyr needs not thoſe, and wit will ſhine Through the harſh cadence of a rugged line, A noble error, and but ſeldom made, When Poets are by too much force betray'd, Thy generous Fruits, though gather'd e're their Prime, Still ſhew'd a quickneſs; and maturing time; But Mellows what we write to the dull ſweets of Rhime. Once more, hail and farwel, farwel thou young, But all too ſhort Marcellus of our Tongue; Thy brows with Ivy, and with Lawrels bound; But flat and gloomy Night encompaſs thee around.

This wittily learned Gentleman was of Edmund-Hall in Oxford, and dyed in the Earl of Kingſton's Family in the prime of his Years; whoſe life had it been lengthened, might have produced as large a Volume of learned Works, as any this latter, Age have brought forth.

ANd thus have we given you an Account of all the moſt Eminent Engliſh Poets that have come to our knowledge; although, we queſtion or but many and thoſe well deſerving have ſlipped our Pen, which if theſe our Labours ſhall come to a Second Impreſſion, as we queſtion nothing to the contrary, we ſhall endeavour to do them right. In the mean time we ſhall give you a ſhort Account of ſome of the moſt eminent that are How (or at leaſt thought by us ſo to be) living at this nine, and ſo conclude, beginning firſt with

Mr. JOHN DRIDEN.

POet Laureat and Hiſtoriographer to his Royal Majeſty; whoſe Poetry hath paſſed the World with the greateſt Approbation and acceptance that may be, eſpecially what he hath written of Dramatick, viz. The Maiden Queen; The Wild Gallant; The Mock Aſtrologer; Marriage Alamode; The Amorous Old Woman; and The Aſſignation, Comedies; Tyranick Love; and Amboyna, Tragedies; and The Indian Emperor; and two Parts of the Conqueſts of Granada; Hiſtorical Drama's. Beſides ſeveral other Pieces, which ſpeak their own worth, more than any Commendations my Pen can beſtow upon them.

Mr. ELKƲNAH SETTLE.

AN Ingenious-Perſon, who beſides his other Works hath contributed to the Stage two Tragedies, viz. Cambiſes, and The Empreſs of Morrocco, which notwithſtanding the ſevere cenſure of ſome, may deſervedly paſs with good Approbation.

Sir GEORGE ETHERIDGE,

THe Author of Two Comedies, viz. Love in a Tub; and She Would if ſhe Could; which for pleaſant Wit, and no bad Occonomy, are judged not unworrhy the applauſe they have met with.

Mr. JOHN WILSON.

THe noted Author of that ſo Celebrated a Comedy entitled The Cheats; which hath paſſed the Stage and Preſs with ſo general an applauſe, alſo another Comedy called The Projections and the Tragedy of Andronicus Commenius.

Mr. THOMAS SHADWELL.

ONe whoſe Pen hath deſerved well of the Stage, not only for the number of the Plays which he hath writ; but alſo for the ſweet Language and Contrivance of them. His Comedies are, The Humoriſt; The Sullen Lovers; Epſom Wells, &c. Beſides his Royal Shepherdeſs, a Paſtoral Tragi-Comedy; and his Tragedy of Pſyche, or rather Tragical Opera, as vying with the Opera's of Italy, in the Pomp of Scenes, Marchinry and Muſical performance.

THOMAS STANLEY.

THomas Stanley Eſquire, of Cumberlo-Green in Hartford ſhire; a general Scholar, one well known both in Philoſophy, Hiſtory, and Poetry. Witneſs his learned Edition of Aeſchylus, and his lives of the Philoſophers; But for that which we take the moſt notice of him here, his ſmooth Air and gentile Spirit in Poetry; which appears not only in his own Genuine Poems, but alſo from what he hath ſo well Tranſlated out of Ancient Greek, and Modern Italian, Spaniſh, and French Poets; So that we may well conclude him to be both the Glory and Admiration of his time.

EDWARD PHILLIPS.

EDward Phillips Brother to John Phillips aforeſaid, the Judicious Continuator of Sir Richard Bakers Chronicle; which will make his name Famous to Poſterity, no leſs than his Genuine Poems upon ſeveral occaſions, in which he comes not far ſhort of his Spritely Brother.

Mr. THOMAS SPRAT.

MR. Thomas Spart, whoſe Judicious Hiſtory of the Royal Society, for the Smoothneſs of the Stile, and exactneſs of the Method, deſerveth high Commendations; He hath alſo writ in Verſe a very applauded, tho little Poem, entitled The Plague of Athens.

WILLIAM SMITH.

WIlliam Smith the Author of a Tragedy entituled Hieronymo; as alſo The Hector of Germany.

Mr. JOHN LACEY.

MR. John Lacy, one of the noted'ſt Wits of theſe Times, who as William Shakeſpeare and Chriſtopher Marlow before him, roſe from an Ator to be an Author to the Stage, having written two ingenious Comical Pieces, viz. Monſieur Ragou, and The Dumb Lady.

Mr. WILLIAM WHICHERLY.

MR. William Whicherly, a Gentleman of the Inner Temple, who beſides his other learned Works, hath contributed largely to the Stage, in his Comedies of Love in a Wood, The Gentleman Dancing-Maſter, The Country Wife, &c.

Sir ROGER L'ESTRANGE.

AND ſo we have reckoned up all the moſt Eminent-Poets which have come to our knowledge, craving pardon for thoſe we have omitted. We ſhall conclude all with Sir Roger L'Strange, one whoſe Pen was never idle in aſſerting the Royal Cauſe, as well before the King's Reſtoration, againſt his open Enemies, as ſince that time againſt his Feigned Friends. Thoſe who ſhall conſider the Number and Greatneſs of his Books, will admire he ſhould ever write ſo many, and thoſe who have Read them, conſidering the Stile and Method they are writ in, will more admire he ſhould Write ſo well. And becauſe ſome people may imagine his Works not to be ſo many as he hath Written, we will give you a Catalogue of as many as we can remember of them.

Collections in Defence of the King. Tolleration Diſcuſſed. Relapſed Apoſtate. Apology for Proteſtants. Richard againſt Baxter. Tyranny and Popery. Growth of Knavery. Reformed Catholique. Free-born Subjects. The Caſe Put. Seaſonable Memorials. Anſwer to the Appeal. No Papiſt. The Shammer Shamm'd. Account Cleared. Reformation Reformed. Diſſenters Sayings in Two Parts. Notes on Colledge. Citizen and Bumkin in Two Parts. Further Diſcovery of the Plot. Diſcovery on Diſcovery. Narrative of the Plot. Zekiel and Ephraim. Appeal to the King and Parliament. Papiſt in Muſquerade. Anſwer to the Second Character of a Popiſh Succeſſor.

Theſe Twenty Six, with divers others, he writ in Quarto; Beſides which he wrote divers others, viz.

The Hiſtory of the Plot, in Folio. Quevedo's Viſions Engliſhed, Octavo. Eraſmus's Coloquies Eng. Oct. Seneca's Morals, Oct. Cicero's Offices in Engliſh. The Guide to Eternity, in Twelves. Five Love Letters from a Nun to a Cave, &c. The Holy Cheat. Caveat to the Cavaliers. Plea for the Caveat and the Author.

Beſides his indefatigable pains taken in writing the Obſervator, a Work, which for Vindicating the Royal Intereſt, and undeceiving the People, conſidering the corruption of the Times, of as great uſe and behoof as may be, mens minds having been before ſo poyſoned by Fanatical Principles, that it is almoſt an Herculean Work to reduce them again by Reaſon, or as we may more properly ſay, to Reaſon. Of which uſeful Work he hath done already Two large Volumes, and a Third almoſt compleated, his Pen being never weary in Service of his Country.

But ſhould I go about to enumerate all the Works of this worthy Gentleman, I ſhould run my ſelf into an irrecoverable Labyrinth. Not is he leſs happy in his Verſe than Proſe, which for Elegancy of Language, and quickneſs of Invention, deſervedly entitles him to the honour of a Poet; and therefore I ſhall forbear to write more of him, ſince what I can do upon that account, comes infinitely far ſhort of his deſervings.