he suffered he sent for Mr. Walter Burre who had formerly printed his first Volume of of the History of the World whom taking by the hand after some other discourse he ask'd him How that Work of his had sold Mr. Burre returned this answer That it sold so slowly that it had undone him At which words of his Sir Walter Rawleigh stepping to his Desk reaches the other part of his History to Mr. Burre which he had brought down to the times he lived in clapping his hand on his breast he took the other unprinted part of his Works into his hand with a sigh saying Ah my Friend hath the first Part undone thee The second Volume shall undo no more this ungrateful World is unworthy of it When immediately going to the fire-side he threw it in and set his foot on it till it was consumed As great a Loss to Learning as Christendom could have or owned for his first Volume after his death sold Thousands It may likewise be objected That some of these Poets here mentioned have been more famous in other kind of Studies than in Poetry and therefore do not shine here as in their proper sphere of fame but what then shall their general knowledge debar them from a particular notice of their Abilities in this most excellent Art Nor have we scarce any Poet excellent in all its Species thereof some addicting themselves most to the Epick some to the Dramatick some to the Lyrick other to the Elegiack the Epaenitick the Bucolick or the Epigram under one of which all the whole circuit of Poetick Design is one way or other included Besides should we have mentioned none but those who upon a strict scrutiny the Name of Poet doth belong unto I fear me our number would fall much short of those which we have written for as one writes There are many that have a Fame deservedly for what they have writ even in Poetry itself who if they come to the test I question how well they would endure to open their Eagle-eyes against the Sun. But I shall wade no further in this Discourse desiring you to accept of what is here written I remain Yours William Winstanley The Names of the Poets Mention'd in this Book Page Robert of Glocester 1 Richard the Hermit 3 Joseph of Exeter 5 Michael Blaunpayn 6 Matthew Paris 8 William Ramsey 10 Alexander Nequam 11 Alexander Essebie 14 Robert Baston 15 Henry Bradshaw 16 Havillan 17 Sir John Gower 18 Geoffrey Chaucer 23 John Lydgate 33 John Harding 37 Robert Fabian 40 John Skelton 42 William Lilly 44 Sir Thomas More 46 Henry Howard Earl of Surry 49 Sir Themas Wiat 56 Dr. Christopher Tye 58 John Leland 60 Thomas Churchyard 61 John Higgins 63 Abraham Fraunce 65 William Warner 67 Thomas Tusser 69 Thomas Stow 72 Dr. Lodge ib. Robert Greene 74 Thomas Nash 77 Sir Philip Sidney 79 Sir Fulk Grevil 85 Mr. Edmund Spenser 88 Sir John Harrington 93 John Heywood 95 Thomas Heywood 96 George Peel 97 John Lilly ib. William Wager 98 Nicholas Berton 99 Tho. Kid Tho. Watson c. 100 Sir Thomas Overbury 101 Mr. Michael Drayton 105 Joshua Sylvester 108 Mr. Samuel Daniel 109 George Chapman 112 Robert Baron 113 Lodowic Carlisle 114 John Ford ib. Anthony Brewer ib. Henry Glapthorn 115 John Dvis of Hereford 116 Dr. John Donne 117 Dr. Richard Corbet 121 Mr. Benjamin Johnson 123 Fr. Beanmot and Jo. Fletcher 128 William Shakespeare 130 Christopher Marlow 134 Barton Holyday ib. Cyril Turney 135 Thomas Middleton ibid. William Rowley 136 Thomas Dackar 137 John Marston ibid. Dr. Jasper Main 138 James Shirley ibid. Philip Massinger 139 John Webster 140 William Brown ib. Thomas Randolph 142 Sir John Beaumont 145 Dr. Philemon Holland 146 Thomas Goffe 148 Thomas Nabbes ib. Richard Broome 149 Robert Chamberlain 151 William Sampson ib. George Sandys Esq 152 Sir John Suckling 154 Mr. William Habington 155 Mr. Francis Quarles ib. Mr. Phineas Fletcher 159 Mr. George Herbert 160 Mr. Richard Crashaw 161 Mr. William Cartwright 162 Sir Aston Cockain 163 Sir John Davis ib. Thomas May 164 Charles Aleyn 165 George Withers ib. Robert Horric 166 John Taylor Water-Poet 167 Thomas Rawlins 169 Mr. Thomas Carew ib. Col. Richard Lovelace 170 Alexander Broome 171 Mr. John Cleaveland 172 Sir John Birkenhead 180 Dr. Robert Wild 181 Mr. Abraham Cowley 182 Mr. Edmond Waller 183 Sir John Denam 185 Sir William Davenant ib. Sir George Wharton 187 Sir Robert Howard 188 W Cavendish D. of Newcastle ib. Sir William Killegrew 189 John Studley ib. John Tatham 190 Thomas Jordan 191 Hugh Crompton ibid. Edmond Prestwich 192 Pagan Fisher ib. Edward Shirburn Esq 193 John Quarles 194 John Milton 195 John Ogilby ib. Sir Richard Fanshaw 196 Earl of Orrery 197 Tomas Hobbs ib. Earls of Rochester 198 Mr. Thomas Flarman 200 Martin Luellin 201 Edmond Fairfax ib. Henry King Bishop of Chichester 202 Thomas Manley 204 Mr. Lewis Griffin ib. John Dauncey 206 Richard Head 207 John Philips 210 Mr. John Oldham 212 Mr. John Driden 214 Mr. Elkanah Settle 215 Sir George Etheridge ib. Mr. John Wilson ib. Mr. Thomas Shadwell 216 Thomas Stanley Esq ib. Edward Philips 217 Mr. Thomas Sprat ib. William Smith 218 Mr. John Lacey ib. Mr. William Whicherly ib. Sir Roger L' Estrange 219 THE LIVES Of the most Famous English Poets FROM WILLIAM the Conqueror to these Present Times 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 Al 's 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 Al 's 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 BLAVNPAYN 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
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 betâ—… 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
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 STVDLEY 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 HVGH 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