Henry Birkhead (1617-1696).
[421]My old acquaintance, Dr. Henry Birkhed, formerly fellow of your college[422] (but first was commoner of Trinity College Oxon) was an universally <belove>d man.
He had his schoole education under Mr. Farnary[423] and <was his> beloved disciple.
He died at the Bird-cage (at his sister's, Mris Knight, the famous singer) in St. James's parke, <on> Michaelmas-eve 1696, aged about 80.
He was borne in London <at the> Paul-head tavern (which his father kept) in Paule's chaine <in> St. Paul's church-yard anno 1617, baptized the 25 of September. John Gadbury haz his nativity from him.
I will aske his sister (Mris Knight) for a very ingeniose diatribe that he wrote on Martialis epigram. lib. <xi. 94. 8>,
jura, verpe, per Anchialum,
which he haz cleared beyond his master Farnaby, Scaliger, or any other. 'Scaliger,' he sayd, 'speakes the truth, but not the whole truth.' 'Tis pity it should be lost, and I would reposit it in the Museum.
I gave my Holyoke's dictionary to the Museum. Pray looke on the blank leaves at the end of it, and you will find a thundering copie of verses that he gave me, in the praise of this king[424] of France. Now he is dead, it may be look't-upon.