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 SVCKLING 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 'T were fit that a fine were set upon 's head Besides his Poems he wrote three Plays the Goblins a Comedy Brenâ—vaâ— 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 QVARLES 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 't is 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 Loâ—â—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
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 Dante 's 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 CHVRCHYARD 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
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 EDMVND 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 homagâ— 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 SHIRBVRN 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 QVARLES 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