The Lives of the Most Famous English Poets (1687)

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 Law, 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 a Doctor. This our Phineus 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.

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

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.

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.

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

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 several 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,

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, that so zealously frequented place, Our Lady's of Lorretto 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 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 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I can compare no Man so like this Colonel Lovelace as Sir Philip Sidney, of which latter it is said by one in an Epitaph made of him,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And now being forced from the Colledge, he betook himself to the Camp, and particularly to Oxford the Head quarter of it, as the most proper and proportionate Sphere for his Wit, Learning, and Loyalty; and added no small Lustre to that famous University, with which it shined before.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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