Cbristophorus Schellembergius a German Poet principally remembred for his Epithalamium upon the Marriage of Wolfangus Meurerus a noted Physician his Friend Christophoro Sicinio see Dominico Cornacchini Christophorus Stummelius a German not unfam'd among the Latin Versifiers of that Nation Christopherus Syngelius mentioned for his Elegy upon Magdalen the Wife of Vdaricus Earl of Reinstein who great with Ghild perisht miserably by an accidental Fire in the Year 1546. Claudius Paradinus a writer of Emblems in Imitation of those of Alciate Clemens Marotus a French Poet of Cahors whom Antoin Verd in his Biblioâ—hec stiles the Poet of Princes and the Prince of the Poets of his time Clemens Janitius a Polonian Poet Laureat whose I. Book of Tristia I. Book of various Elegies and another of Epigrams are said to have been printed at Cracovia Conradus Celtes a German both Philosopher Oratour and Mathematician of great Fame but withall so highly applauded for his singular gift in Poetry that he was honoured by the Emperour Frederic at the Suit of the Duke of Saxony with the Poetical Wreath in the 32d Year of his Age as saith Boxhornius in his Monuments and Elogies of Illustrious Men but Pantaleon in his Book de viris Illustribus saith by the Emperour Maximilian in the 35th Year of his Age Anno 1494. however all agree he was the first Poet Laureat among the Germans Conradus of Alyzeia a Town of the Palatinate but in the Diocess of Mentz of whose Poetical Works for he wrote also in Prose the chief are his Poem of the Virgin Mary and the Redemption of Humane kind his Epistles to divers Friends and his Book of Odes he is mentioned flourishing in the Year 1370. Conradus Lautenbachius a highly reputed German Theologist Historian and also Poet. Conradus Leius a German writer particularly commended for what he hath written in Latin Verse Conradus de Mure a Canon of the Church of Zurich in Switzerland whose Poem of the Natures of Animals is not forgotten among the rest of his Works he is mentioned flourishing Anno 1573. Conradus Ritterhusius a German of no obscure Fame among the Poetical Writers of that Nation Corneille the great Dramatic writer of France wonderfully applauded by the present Age both among his own Countrey-men and our Frenchly affected English for the amorous Intreagues which if not there before he commonly thrusts into his Tragedies and acted Histories the Imitation whereof among us and of the perpetual Colloquy in Rhime hath of late very much corrupted our English Stage Cornelius Musius a Latin Poet none of the least considerable of the Moderns Cornelius Schonaeus the Author of a well known Work Entitled Terentius Christianus consisting of several Divine Comedies taken out of the Sacred Scripture and written in Terence his style Cosmâ— Manuci an Italian as his name Imports but an English writer of the Just General a Tragedy and the Loyal Lovers a Tragecomedie Curtesius Curtesius a Poet of Padua who wrote in Verse the death of St. Justina and the Loves of Orestilla Cyril Turner a writer of Two old Tragedies the Atheists Tragedy and the Revengers Tragedy D. DAniel Heinsius the most fam'd of Hollanders and most Celebrated by * Learned Men for his egregious Wit and deep proficiency in all kind of Literature he was Born at Gaunt Anno 1582. came to be History professour Secretary and Library Keeper at the University of Leideâ— in Prose he is Eminent for his Exercitations upon the New Testament and divers Philological Works in strict Oration for his Excellent style in Greec and Latin Verse of which sufficient Testimonies are Extant and for which he is compar'd by Causabone in his Epistles to Homer for the Greec and to Ovid and Propertius for the Latin besides what he wrote poetically in his Native Tongue Damasus Blienburgius a Hollander who for what he hath written in Latin Poesie is remembred among the chief of Belgic Latin Poets Dante 's Aligerus a most Renowned Florentine and the first of Italian Poets of any Fame or Note for Vernacular Verse but that which most proclaims his Fame to the World is his Triple Poem Entitled Paradice Purgatory and Hell besides which he wrote several things in Prose the Meridian of his flourishing time was the Year 1321. the Emperour Lewes the 5 th Sirnamed Bavarus then Reigning David Echlinus a Scotch-man whose Poem Entitled Ova Paschalia is to be found in a Collection of the choice Works of several Scotch Latin Poets as likewise David Humus his Lusus Poetici David Kynalochus his Poem de Hominis procreatione de Anatome David Wederburnus his various Poems Diomede Borghese a Lyric Poet or Sonnet writer of Siena Dionysius Lebius Taubilius a learned German writer as well in Verse as Prose Dionysio Guazzoni a Dramatic Poet of Cremona chiefly in the way of Pastoral Dionysius Gotofredus a French Civilian of that Eminence that he is styl'd by Learned Men the Papinian of his time and by Dilherus in his Academical Disputations is highly commended for his Notes upon the Body of the Civil Law yet amidst so laborious a Study and such a painful Work he could sometimes be vacant to the Latin Muse. Dominicus Baudius a most grateful Associate and Favourite to the most Learned and also the most noble persons of his time both in England France and the Low-Countries and among the rest coming into England in the retinue of a Splendid Embassie from the States to Queen Elizabeth to the great Patron of all vertue Sir Philip Sidny for the singular Merit of his Worth and Learning of which he had given large Proofs in several famous Universities especially that of Leyden to which at last he wholly betook himself and with great Reputation read Eloquence and History his Extant Latin Poems are particularly commended by Grotius and others the most Excellent of Modern Poets themselves he was Born at Lisle in Flanders the Son of Dominicus and Marie Heems on the 9th of the Ides of April 1561. Dominico Cornacchini an Italian Dramatic but particularly in the way of Comedy among the Multitude of which kind of writers scarce to be numbred these following deserve not to be past by in silence viz. Christophero Sicinio Archangelo Archangelo Bernardino Pino Christophero Castelletti Gio. Battista Verini Angelo Badalucchi M. Hieron Burgaglio Ludovioo Fenarolo Adriano Polito Bruno Nolano Raphael Trianoro Ludovico Contareno Gio. Battista Gelli M. Hieron Razzi M. Ludovico Paterna Dominicus Lampsonius a Belgian who being equally happy both in the art of Painting and Poetry describ'd in Verse the Life of Lambertus Lombardus a most Excellent Painter and his Master in that Art 1598. Dominicus Mancinus an Author no less Elegant then Learned who professing Theology and affecting Poetry applyed his Muse to Divine and Moral Subjects his Poem on the passion of our Saviour and another of the 4 Cardinal Vertues and their Offices in Elegiac Verse were both printed at Basil Anno 1543. he is
Sabaeus a Brescian of whose Latin Poetry there is sufficient Extant to place him among the chief Italian writers of that kind Felix Fidlerus a German Poet whose most particularly mentioned Poems are his Eclogue Entitled Philotas dedicated to the Bishop of Arras and his Elegy upon the death of Cardinal Perenot Granvile Florentius Schonhovius a Belgic writer Native of Gouda of whom there is Extant a Poem Entitled Lalage or Amores Pastorales with the selected Works of several other noted Latin Poets of that Countrey in which Society Antonius Schonhovins is also one Florentius Volusenus one of the association with those other noted Latin Poets of Scotland the choice of whose Poems are Collected together in a long since publish'd Volume Foppius Scheltonus Aesema a Frisian whose Juvenilia are to be found with the selected Works of other Belgic Poets already mention'd Francis Beaumont an inseparable Associate and Coadjutor to Fletcher in the making of many of his Plays besides what he made solely himself there is also Extant a Poem of his Entitled Salmacis and Hermaphroditus a Fable taken out of Ovids Mctamorphoses Francesco Biondi an Italian Poet whose most noted Work is his Erimena Francesco Bracciolini another Italian Poet the most particularly mention'd of whose Works is his Cruce ricuperata or regaining of the Cross. Francesco Contareni a Venetian not of the meanest rank of the Lyric Poets of Italy Don Francesco Manuel a Spaniard whose Obras Metricas or Poetical Works were printed at Leon Anno 1665. Francesco Maria Molza a Poet of Modena reckon'd among the chief of the Lyâ—ics or Sonnet writers of Italy there is also particularly taken notice of his Elegy in the name of Catharine Queen of England to K. Henry the 7 th Francesco Mataracio a Poet of Perusia a Town of that part of Tuscany which is called Lo stato della chiesa and belongs to the Pope his mention'd Poems are Epistles to several Friends and Epigrams but he wrote also in tendency to Poetry Instructions for the making Hexameter and Pentameter Verses Franciscus Niger Bassianus a Learned writer both in Prose and Verse in which last way his most fam'd piece is his Epitome of Ovid Metamorphoses in Phaleusian Verse Francisco Ottavio an Italion Poet known chiefly by his Elegies to Julia and his Epistles Francesco Peto a Poet of Fondi a Town of Campania whose Sylva to Augustinus Niphus is of what he wrote in Verse the most particularly remembred Francisus Franchinus a retainer equally to Mars and the Muses who attending on the Emperour Charles the Fifth in his Algerine Expedition at his return wrote an Elegant description of the said Expedition in Verse Franciscus Modius an Eminent both Civilian and Poet of Bruges in Flanders Franciscus Panigarola one of the Society of those Latin Poets of Italy whose several Works or what is of them choicest are published together Francisco Petrarcha a Florentine Poet Renowned both for Latin and Italian Poesie his Italian Sonnets in Celebration of Laura and his Triumps are in very high Esteem Franciscus Philelphus a Knight of Tollentinum the Author of a Multitude of Volumes whereof very many in Verse particularly his Sfortias his Poem in Commendation of Aenicius Davalus his Odes both Greec and Latin which with the rest of his Poetical Works advanc'd his Fame in Poetry to the title of Poet Laureat he is Recorded to have Flourish'd about the Year of our Lord 1481. Franciscus Pigna a Countrey-man and Associate of the Poet Curtesius Franciscus Portus a Modern Greec Poet chiefly Epigrammatic Francisco Puteolani a Poet of Parma one of the chief setters forth of the Acts of Lodowic Sforza the Famous Souldier of that Age. Francis Quarles the darling of our Plebeian Judgments that is such as have ingenuity enough to delight in Poetry but are not sufficiently instructed to make a right choice and distinction his Emblems being a Copy from Hermannus Hugo's Original his Version of Job into English Verse his Feast of Worms or History of Jonas and other Divine Poems have been ever and still are in wonderful Veneration among the Vulgar and no less his Argalus and Parthenia a History taken out of Sir Philip Sidney's Arcadia there hath been also Acted a Comedy of his called the Virgin Widow Don Francesco de Quevedo a Spanish writer of signal Fame and Credit both in Prose and Verse of which later kind are his Obras Metricas or Poetical Works which were printed at Brussels Anno 1660. Franciscus Justus Raphelengius Two Belgic writers whose Varia Carmina are with the selected Works of others accounted the chief of that Countrey for Latin Verse Franciscus Sphondratus an Italian whose Latin Poem de Raptu Helenae is Extant among the Collected Works of divers others accounted the prime of Italy for Latin Poesie Francesco Vinta an Itaelian of principal Note among the Pastoral and Comic writers of that Nation Fredericus Dedecindus a German Poet known most especially by his Poem in praise of a Countrey Life and his Epithalamium upon the Marriage of Paulus Gusebelius with Magdalena Moniera of Wirten-berg Fredericus Taubmannus a German chiefly fam'd for a most Learned Commentator and Philologist but not to be wholly left out of the Number of Poets Fridianus Piginutius an Italian who being Oratour and Poet to Eruestus Duke of Saxony wrote in the Latin Idiom Elegies to Conradus Celtes and Martinus Pollichias a Saphic Ode to St. Sebastian to implore an aversion of the Pestilence which were printed with Celtes his Book of the Art of Versifying Sir Fulk Grevil Lord Brook a great Friend and Associate of Sir Philip Sidny whose Life he wrote as also several things in Poetry both Dramatic as his Tragedies of Alaham Mustapha and Marcus Tullius Cicero and others commonly of a Political Subject and among the rest a Posthume Work not publisht till within a very few Years being a Two-fold Treatise the first of Monarchy the second of Religion in all which is observable a close mysterious and sentencious way of writing without much regard to Elegancy of style or smoothness of Verse Le Sieur de Furetiere the Author of certain French Poems printed at Paris Anno 1650. G. GAbriel Cabrera see Ludovicâ— Dolce Gabriel Faernus a very Learned Man and diligent Inquirer into Latin Authors as his setting forth of Terence and some pieces of Cicero testifie Moreover he so ingeniously Paraphras'd upon Esops Fables in divers kinds of Latin Verse that he merits to be rank'd among the Poets he is of that Rank of Eminent Men that in Chronology come under the Year 1561. Gabriel Zinani an Italian whose Extant Sonnets Madrigals c. give him place among the Lyric Poets of that Nation Gallus Chrudimenus a writer in Verse foâ— Elegancy reckon'd of the chief of Modern Latin Poets Gaspar Barlaeus a learned and witty Batavian and of so Eminent a Fame among the Belgic writers of Latin Poesie that Vossius in his Book de Arte Grammatica by doubting
the other if it were not the same as Vossius seems to disprove by the interval of time a companion to Lisander and solemnizer of his Victories Alanus a Sicilian both Poet and Eminent Oratour who wrote a book de planctu Naturae partly in verse partly in Solute Oration Albinus see Decius Laberius Albius Tibullus an Elegant Latin Elegiac Poet whose works are commonly printed with Catullus he was a Roman Knight Alcaeus a Lyric Poet who according to Eusebius flourisht in the Forty fourth Olympiad and as Diogenes Laertius testifies was a great Enemie to the Tyrant Pittacus who was also a Poet as his Six hundred Elegiac verses mention'd by Suidas testifie and of the number of those accounted the Seven Sages of Greece He is mention'd by Horace in the Ninth Ode of his Fourth book There was also of the same name a Comic Poet whose Endymion and Pasiphae are mention'd by Pollux and several other Comedies of his by 〈◊〉 he contended at Athens with Aristophanes whose contemporary he was together with Aristomenes an Athenian whose Comedie call'd Admetus is mention'd by the Scholiast of Aristophanes he is one of those call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Secundarii by Suidas and the anonymous Authour of the History of the Olympiads Nicophon whose Adonis is mention'd by the said Scholiast as his Sirenes and other Comedies of his by Suidas by whom he is call'd Nicophron Nicochares the Son of Philonidas and a contemporary of Aristophanes his Amymone Pelops Galatea and several other Comedies are mention'd by Suldas Pollux Athenaeus and Aristotle Callistratus an Athenian Comic Poet an Emulatour of Aristophanes much about the same time also liv'd Apollophanes whom Suidas and Aelian mention for Comic poesie but Fulgentius mentions him if it be the same for Epic poesie Alcander an ancient writer conjectur'd a Poet by Vossius from a passage of Clemens Alexandrinus Alcimeenes a Tragic Poet of Megara mention'd by Suidas There was also of the same name an Athenian comic Poet whose Thesaurus and Peccantes are mention'd by the said Authours Alcimus Ecdicius Avitus an Archbishop of Vienna who flourisht in the times of the Emperours Zeno and Anastatius and wrote in Hexameter verse de Origine mundi and several other Theological discourses besides some things in prose there flourisht also in the time of Zeno another Bishop of Vienna namely Claudianus Mamertus who wrote a poem de statu animae and another contra vanos poetas also Claudius Marius Victor a Rhetorician of Marseilles who wrote upon Genesis in Hexameter verse to his Son Aethereus with some other things which are said to be yet extant Alcman a Lyric Poet of Lacedemon who began to flourish in the Twenty seventh Olympiad there was also of the same name a Messenian who was also a Lyric and appear'd in the Fourth year of the Thirtieth Olympiad both mention'd by Suidas and one of them by Pausanias for his poem of Castor and Pollux Aldhelmus from the Saxon word Althelm i. e. old Helmet an ancient Saxon Poet who flourisht in the tim of Justinianus Junior he was the Son of Kentenus brother to Ina King of the West Saxons having visited the chief Universities of France and Italy at his return he was made Abbot of Malmesbury and afterwards Bishop of Shirburn Besides his great proficiency in all parts of Divine and humane learning he was particularly excellent in Oratorie and Poetrie wrote several Odes and other Poems among which was his Acrostic of Thirty eight verses mention'd by J. Pitseus in his Scriptores Anglici Alexander a Grammarian and Tragic poet of Aetolia whose verses are cited by Parthenius and Strabo Of the same name also was he whom Cicero mentions with such mean approbation of his poetrie whither the same with Alexander the Ephesian Sirnamed Lychnus who wrote Geographie in verse is doubted by Giraldus also the Roman Emperour of that name sirnamed Severus wrote the lives of some of the foregoing Emperours in Greek Verse as is testifyed by Lampridius Alexis a Thurian Comic Poet who flourisht in the time of Alexander the Great very many comedies of his are mention'd by Athenaeus and Pollux he was Unckle to Menander about the same time was Philippides the Brother of Morsimus and as Plutarch affirms favour'd by King Lysimachus he is said by Suidas to have written Forty five Comedies and by Agellius to have dyed for joy being unexpectedly proclaimed Victor at the Olympian Games also Neophon or Neophron a Tragic poet of Sicyon who wrote One hundred and twenty Tragedies and is thought to have been the Authour of that Medea which is commonly attributed to Euripides he was put to death with Callisthenes the Philosopher whose intimate friend he was as Suidas affirms and lastly Lycon a Comic Poet mention'd by Plutarch in his life of Alexander Alfred a King of this Island of ever glorious memory the Fifth from Ecbert in whom began the English Saxon Monarchy he was equally Renowned both for Arms and Arts in the first whereof he signalis'd himself by his frequent Victories over the invading Danes in the last both by his favour to learned men and his own Studious addiction to all sorts of Learning by which he gain'd himself the Character of a great both Theologist Philosopher Jurisconsult Historian Mathematician Musician and among the rest of Poets also Alphenus Varius see Anser Alphius Avitus the Authour of certain books inscrib'd Excellentium in dimeter Jambic verse being much ancienter than Alcimus for whom he is by some mistaken Amipsiâ—s a Contemporary of Aristophanes his Comedie intituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is mention'd by the Anonymous Authour of the description of the Olympiads and by the Scholiast of the said Aristophanes Ammonus and Eusebius Scholasticus two Authours mention'd by Socrates and Nieephorus they liv'd in the time of Theodosius Junior and wrote both oâ— them in verse a History of the War against Gaina the Goth. Amaenus a writer of an uncertain age but for certain ancienter than the time of the Emperour Charles the first he is mentiond in some old Manuscripts as the Authour of that Enchiridion of the old and new Testament in verse which Sichardus ascribes to Sedulius Amphilochius a Bishop of Iconium who flourisht in the time of the Emperour Julianus and wrote among other things a Poem in Iambic verse to Seleucus concerning the Canonical books of the Scripture To him St. Basil Dedicated his book de spiritu Sancto about the same time liv'd Eudaemon of Pelusium who besides what he wrote in Grammar and Rhetoric is said by Suidas to have written several Poems he was a companion of Libanius the Rhetorician in Julian's time also liv'd Calistus who as Socrates and Nicephorus affirm wrote in Heroic verse the Acts of the said Emperour also Milesius of Smyrna favour'd of Anatolius and related by Eunapius to have excell'd in all kind of Poetrie and with him Ionicus a Poet and Physician of Sardis And lastly Gregorius of Nazianzen whose Divine
Recorded flourishing Anno 1494. Domitio Marino a Venetian both Philosopher and Physician by profession but a writer also of Poems which were printed by the Sons of Aldus Manutius Anno 1550. E. EDmund Fairfax one of the most Judicious Elegant and haply in his time most approved of English Translatours both for his choice of so worthily Extoll'd a Heroic Poet as Torquato Tasso as for the exactness of his Version in which he is judg'd by some to have approved himself no less a Poet than in what he hath written of his own Genius Edmund Prestwich the Author of a Comedy which came forth about 20 Years ago called the Hectors or False Challenge as also Hippolitus a Tragedy what ever he might have written besides not remembred Edmund Spencer the first of our English Poets that brought Heroic Poesie to any perfection his Faery Queen being for great Invention and Poetic heighth judg'd little inferiour if not equal to the chief of the ancient Greeks and Latins or Modern Italians but the first Poem that brought him into Esteem was his Shepherds Calendar which so endear'd him to that Noble Patron of all Vertue and Learning Sir Philip Sidny that he made him known to Queen Elizabeth and by that means got him preferr'd to be Secretary to his Brother Sir Henry Sidny who was sent Deputy into Ireland where he is said to have written his Faerie Queen but upon the return of Sir Henry his Employment ceasing he also return'd into England and having lost his great Friend Sir Philip fell into poverty yet made his last Refuge to the Queens Bounty and had 500 l. order'd him for his Support which nevertheless was abridg'd to 100. by Cecil who hearing of it and owing him a grudge for some reflections in Mother Hubbards Tale cry'd out to the Queen What all this for a Song 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 Monaâ—ch that as 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 Heroic a Princess can justly be term'd Flattery Edmund Waller of Beckonsfeild one of the moâ—â— fam'd Poets and that not unworthily of the present Age being yet surviving especially and wherein he is not inferiour to Carew himself in the charming sweetness of his Lyric Odes or amorous Sonnets long since wedded to the no less charming Notes of H. Laws at that time the Prince of Musical Composers and one of the principal Gentlemen of the Chappel as also of the private Music to his late Majesty King Charles the First In his other acoasional Poems his Verse is smooth yet strenuous not barren of conceit and frequently adorn'd with proper Similies Sir Edward Dier a person of good account in Queen Elizabeth's Reign poetically addicted several of whose Pastoral Odes and Madrigals are Extant in a printed Collection of certain choice pieces of some of the most eminent Poets of that time Edward Shirburn an intimate Friend and Acquaintance 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 later a discoverer of a more pure Poetical Spirit and Fancy then many others can justly pretend to in their original Works 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 Eilardas Alma a Hâ—llander whose Fame is not altogether unknown to the Learned for what he hath written in Latin Poesie Eilardus Lubinus a Learned German who amidst several Elaborate Works in Prose was not wholly unconversant with the Muses being therefore reckon'd among the Latin Poets of that Nation Elias Putschius a Low-Countrey-man who hath written sufficiently in Latin Verse to be numbred among the Latin Poets of that Nation Elkanah Settle a present writer to the English Stage to which he hath already contributed Two Ttagedies Cambises and the Empress of Morocco for which he hath the applause of some the severe censure of others and perhaps neither according to exact desert to those that erre on the right hand that is that over-praise little is to be said to the others it may be pleaded in his behalf that his soaring up to too much affected and immoderate heights which I take to be his chief failing may possibly be allayed by the more Mature Judgment of riper Years he being yet but a young Man Elysius Calentius a writer in Latin Poesie famous in Italy in the Reign of the Emperour Maximilian his Elegies Epigrams Epistles Poem of Hectors apparition and another of the War between the Frogs and Mice Satyrs against the Poets and other things were printed at Rome Anno 1503. Emanuel Thesaurus a Patrician or Noble-man of Turin the Capital City of the Dukedom of Savoy and of the Order of the great Cross of St. Lazarus and St. Maurice whose Patriarchae or Genealogy of Christ divided into Four Periods according to the Four Ages of Man is written in a style called Lapidaria so call'd as proper for Inscriptions upon Tombs being a middle style between Oratory Poetry between strict and solute Oration Engelhardus Funkius a Poet of Swobach in Franconia who wrote in Eâ—egiac Veâ—se an Encomium of his Countrey Epistles Epigrams and several other Miscellaneous pieces he is Recorded flourishing in the Year of our Lord 1494. Erasmo Valvasonio an Italian Poet who wrote Five Books in Verse de Re Rustica or of Countrey Affairs in that kind of Stanza commonly called among the Italians Ottava Rima Erycus Puteanus an Fminent both Historian and Poet who as Causabon in his Preface to the Augusta Historia saith was justly reputed in his time among the chief Ornaments of France he is most known by his Insubric History but withall not unremembred for his Elegant Latin Poems among which his Musarum Ferculum is particularly quoted by a Learned English Author Euricius Cordus a late German Poet whose Opera Poetica were printed at Helmested Anno 1614. F. FAmianus Strada an Italian both Poet Historian Oratour of principal Repute being a Native of Rome where he was professour of Rhetoric for 15 Years his History of the Low-Countrey Wars and his Academical Prolusions are the chiefest and most fam'd of his Works in the last of which he so ingeniously imitates the style of each of the principal Ancient Latin Poets that thereby he shews himself a great Master in Latin Poetry Le Sieur de Fargues the Author of a French Heroic Poem Entitled David Faustus
Warbec S r John Gowr a very Famous English Poet in his time and counted little inferiour if not equal to Chaucer himself who was his Contemporary and some say his Scholar and Successor in the Laurel For Gowr was also both Poet Laureat and Knight His Cheif Works may be gather'd from his Tomb in St. Mary Overeis Church where lying buried he is represented with his head upon three large Volumes thus inscribed the first Votum Meditantis the next Confessio Amantis the 3 d Vox clamantis of which last being printed in the Reign of King Henry the 8 th the Impression is not yet totally extinguisht the other two doubtless if not printed are preserved in Public Libraries For his Confessio Amantis I have seen in a private Library in a large Folio Manuscript of Vellam fair written containing the whole circuit of Natural Philosophy and the allegories of all the Poeticall Fictions but that there were other things of his writing appears by what is extant of him in Chaucers publisht Works Iohn Hall a Poetical writer who never having had any great Fame that ever I heard of no wonder if now totally forgotten especially since his Poem entitled The Court of Vertue was publisht no less while ago then the year 1565. Of the same name also flourisht within these 30 years a Bishopric of Durham Man who besides his juvenile Poems memorable only for their airy and youthful wit improv'd afterwards to a more substantial reputation for what he has wrote as well in Verse as Profe but a Poem he began of great and general expectation among his Friends had he liv'd to compleat it would doubtless have very much advanc't and compleated his Fame Iohn Harding a writer recorded in History for one of the Chief of his time viz. the Reign of K. Edward the 4 th and claiming his Seat among the Poetical Writers by his Chronicle in English Verse Iohn Hauvise a Monk of St. Albans whom living about the Reign of K. Richard the first or not long after Camden quoting him in several places of his remains reckons among the Chief of English Latin Poets of that Age. Iohn Hoddesdon one of the last Age who with his Sion and Parnassus makes a shift to croud in among many others not of the greatest Fame And so likewise Iohn Kennedie a Scotchman with his History in Verse of Lycanthropos and Lucilla Iohn Lane a fine old Queen Elizabeth Gentleman who was living within my remembrance and whose several Poems had they not had the ill fate to remain unpublisht when much better meriting then many that are in print might possibly have gain'd him a name not much inferiour if not equal to Drayton and others of the next rank to Spencer but they are all to be produc't in Manuscript namely his Poetical Vision his Alarm to the Poets his Twelve Months his Guy of Warwic a Heroic Poem at least as much as many others that are so Entitled and lastly his Supplement to Chaucers Squires Tale. Iohn Leland an Antiquary of London who Flourisht in the year 1546 and wrote among many other Volumes several Books of Epigrams his Cignea Cantio a Genethliae of Prince Edward Naeniae upon the death of S r Thomas Wiat and several other things in Verse Iohn Lilly a Writer of several old fashion'd Comedies and Tragedies which have been printed together in a Volume and might perhaps when time was be in very good request namely Endymion The Woman in the Moon Midas Mother Boniby Galatea Sapho Phao Comedies a Warning for Fair Wâ—men â—â—hn Lydgate an Augustin Monk of St. Edmunds-Bury who had the reputation of a person much accomplisht by his travels into Italy and France and besides several things of his of polite Argument in Prose was much esteem'd for what he wrote also in Verse as his Eglogues Odes Satyres and other Poems Iohn Marston a Tragic and Comic Writer not of the meanest Ranck among our English Dramatics His Comedies are the Dutch Curtisan the Fawn What you will His Tragedies Antonio and Melida the Insatiate Countess besides the Malecontent a Tragy Comedy the Faithful Sheapheard a Pastoral Iohn Milton the Author not to mention his other Works both in Latin and English both in strict and solute Oration by which his Fame is sufficiently known to all the Learned of Europe of two Heroic Poems and a Tragedy namely Paradice lost Paradice Regain'd and Sampson Agonista in which how far he hath reviv'd the Majesty and true Decornm of Heroic Poesy and Tragedy it will better become a person less related then my self to deliver his judgement John Ogilby one of the prodigies of our Age for producing from so late an initiation into Literature so many large learned Vol. as well in verse as Prose in Prose his Volumes of the Atlas and other Geographical Works which have gain'd him the Style and Office of his Majestie 's Cosmographer in Verse his Translat of Homer Virgil which is the chief of all as Compos'd propria Minerva his Paraphrase upon Aesop's Fables which for Ingenuity Fancy besides the Invention of new Fables is generally confess 't to have exceeded what ever hath been done before in that kind John Philips the Maternal Nephew and Disciple of an Author of most deserved Fame late deceas't being the exactest of Heroic Poets if the truth were well examin'd and it is the opinion of many both Learned and Judicious persons either of the Ancients or Moderns either of our own or what ever Nation else from whose Education as he hath receiv'd a judicious command of style both in Prose and Verse so from his own natural Ingenuity he hath his Vein of Burlesque and facetious Poetry which produc't the Satyr against Hypocrites and the Travested Metaphrase of two Books of Virgil besides what is dispeirc't among other things nevertheless what he hath writ in a serious Vein of Poetry whereof very little hath yet been made public is in my opinion nothing inferior to what he hath done in the other kind John Skelton a jolly English Rimer and I warrant ye accounted a notable Poet as Poetry went in those daies namely King Edward the fourth's Reign when doubtless good Poets were scarce for however he had the good fortune to be chosen Poet Laureat methinks he hath a miserable loos rambling style and galloping measure of Verse so that no wonder he is so utterly forgotten at this present when so many better Poets of not much later a date are wholly laid aside His chief Works as many as I could collect out of an old printed Book but imperfect are his Philip Sparrow Speak Parrot The death of K. Edward the fourth A Treatise of the Scots Ware the hawk The tunning of Eleanor Rumpkin in many of which following the humour of the ancientest of our modern Poers he takes a Poetical libertie of Satyrically gibing at the vices and corruptions of the Clergy S r Iohn Sucking a witty and elegant Courtier under