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.

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.

The renowned Earl of Surrey in an Encomium upon his Translation of David's Psalms, thus writes of him,

And afterward, upon his death, the said Earl writeth thus:

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.

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 his Poetry.

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.

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, Naniæ upon the death of Sir Thomas Wiat, out of which we shall present you with these Verses:

He wrote also several other things both in Prose and Verse, to his great fame and commendation.

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,

But it seems he got little by the Wars but blows, as he declares himself a little after.

Yet it seems he was born of wealthy friends, and had an Estate left unto him, as in the same Work he doth declare.

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:

These Twelve several Treatises he bound together, 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;

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 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.

And then he declareth how there he found the first part of this Mirrour for Magistrates, which yet took beginning from the time of King Richard the Second; But he knowing many Examples of famous persons before William the Conquerour, which were wholly omitted, he set upon the Work, and beginning from Brute, continued it to Aurelius Bassianus Caracalla Emperour of Rome, about the year of Christ 209. shewing in his Writings a great deal of Wisdom and Learning. He flourished about the beginning of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth.

This Abraham Fraunce, a Versifier, about the same time with John Higgins, was one who imitated Latine measure in English Verse, writing a Pastoral, called the Countess of Pembroke's Ivy-church, and some other things in Hexameter, some also in Hexameter and Pentameter; He also wrote the Countess of Pembroke's Emanuel, containing the Nativity, Passion, Burial, and Resurrection of Christ, together with certain Psalms of David, all in English Hexameters. Nor was he altogether singular in this way of writing, for Sir Philip Sidney in the Pastoral Interludes of his Arcadia, uses not only these, but all other sorts of Latine measure, in which no wonder he is followed by so few, since they neither become the English, nor any other modern Language.

He began also the Translation of Heliodorus his Æthiopick History, in the same kind of Verse, of which, to give the Reader the better divertisement, we shall present you with a tast.

His Ivy-Church he dedicated to the Countess of Pembroke, in which he much vindicated his manner of writing, as no Verse fitter for it then that; he also dedicated his Emanuel to her, which being but two lines take as followeth:

When he died, we cannot find, but suppose it to be about the former part of Queen Elizabeth's Reign.

William Warner, one of principal esteem in his time, was chiefly famous for his Albion's England, which he wrote in the old-fashioned kind of seven-footed Verse, which yet sometimes is in use, though in different manner, that is to say, divided into two: He wrote also several Books in prose, as he himself witnesseth, in his Epistle to the Reader, but (as we said before) his Albion's England was the chiefest, which he deduced from the time of Noah, beginning thus:

From thence he proceeds to the peopling of the Earth by the Sons of Noah, intermixing therein much variety of Matter, not only pleasant, but profitable for the Readers understanding of what was delivered by the ancient Poets, bringing his Matter succinctly to the Siege of Troy, and from thence to the coming of Brute into this Island; and so, coming down along the chiefest matters, touched of our British Historians, to the Conquest of England by Duke William, and from him the Affairs of the Land to the beginning of Queen Elizabeth; where he concludeth thus,

I might add several more of his Verses, to shew the worth of his Pen, but the Book being indifferent common, having received several Impressions, I shall refer the Reader, for his further satisfaction, to the Book itself.

Thomas Tusser (a person well known by his Book of Husbandry) was born at Rinen-hall in Essex, of an ancient Family, but now extinct; where, when but young, his Father, designing him for a Singing-man, put him to Wallingford-School, where how his Misfortunes began in the World, take from his own Pen.

From thence he was sent to learn Musick at Pauls with one John Redford, an excellent Musician; where, having attained some skill in that Art, he was afterwards sent to Eaton-School, to learn the Latine Tongue, where, how his Miseries encreas'd, let himself speak.

Having attained to some perfection in the Latine Tongue, he was sent to Trinity-Hall in Cambridge, where he had not continued long, but he was vexed with extream sickness, whereupon he left the University, and betook himself to Court, and lived for a while under the Lord Paget, in King Edward the Sixth's days; when, the Lords falling at dissention, he left the Court, and went to Suffolk, where he married his first Wife, and took a Farm at Ratwade in that County, where he first devised his Book of Husbandry, but his Wife not having her health there, he removed from thence to Ipswich and soon after buried her.

Not long after he married again to one Mrs. Amy Moon, upon whose Name he thus versified:

Being thus married he betook himself again to Husbandry, and hired a Farm, called Diram Cell, and there he had not lived long, but his Landlord died, and his Executors falling at variance, and now one troubled him, and then another, whereupon he left Diram, and went to Norwich, turning a Singing-man under Mr. Salisbury, the Dean thereof; There he was troubled with a Dissury, so that in a 138 Hours he never made a drop of Water. Next he hired a Parsonage at Fairstead in Essex, but growing weary of that he returned again to London, where he had not lived long, but the Pestilence raging there, he retired to Cambridge: Thus did he roul about from place to place, but, like Sisiphus stone, could gather no Moss whithersoever he went: He was successive a Musician, Schoolmaster, Servingman, Husbandman, Grasier, Poet, more skilful in all, than thriving in any Vocation. He traded at large in Oxen, Sheep, Dairies, Grain of all kinds, to no profit. He spread his Bread with all sorts of Butter, yet none would stick thereon. So that he might say with the Poet,

None being better at the Theory, or worse at the Practice of Husbandry, and may be fitly match'd with Thomas Churchyard, they being mark'd alike in their Poetical parts, living in the same time, and statur'd both alike in their Estates, and that low enough in all reason. He died in London, Anno Dom. 1580. and was buried at St. Mildred's-Church in the Poultrey, with this Epitaph:

Thomas Storer was a great writer of Sonnets, Madrigals, and Pastoral Airs, in the beginning of Q. Elizabeth's Reign, and no doubt was highly esteemed in those days, of which we have an account of some of them in an old Book, called England's Hellicon. This kind of writing was of great esteem in those days, and much imitated by Thomas Watson, Bartholomew Yong, Dr. Lodge, and several others. What time he died is to me unknown.

Thomas Lodge, a Doctor of Physick, flourish'd also about the beginning of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth; He was also an eminent Writer of Pastoral Songs, Odes, and Madrigals. This following Sonnet is said to be of his composing.

Contemporary with Dr. Lodge, were several others, who all of them wrote in the same strain, as George Gascoigne, Tho. Hudson, John Markham, Tho. Achely, John Weever, Chr. Midleton, George Turbervile, Henry Constable, Sir Edward Dyer, Charles Fitz Geoffry. Of these George Gascoigne wrote not only Sonnets, Odes and Madrigals, but also something to the Stage: as his Supposes, a Comedy; Glass of Government, a Tragi-Comedy; and Jocasta, a Tragedy.

But to return to Dr. Lodge; we shall only add one Sonnet more, taken out of his Euphues Golden Legacy, and so proceed to others.

Robert Greene (that great Friend to the Printers by his many Impressions of numerous Books) was by Birth a Gentleman, and sent to study in the University of Cambridge; where he proceeded Master of Art therein. He had in his time sipped of the Fountain of Hellicon, but drank deeper Draughts of Sack, that Helliconian Liquor, whereby he beggar'd his Purse to enrich his Fancy; writing much against Viciousness, but too vicious in his Life. He had to his Wife a Virtuous Gentlewoman, whom yet he forsook, and betook himself to a high course of Living; to maintain which, he made his Pen mercenary, making his Name very famous for several Books which he wrote, very much taking in his time, and in indifferent repute amongst the vulgar at this present; of which, those that I have seen, are as followeth) Euphues his Censure to Philautus; Tullies Love, Philomela, The Lady Fitz-waters Nightingale, A Quip for an upstart Courtier, the History of Dorastus and Fawnia, Green's never too late, first and second Part; Green's Arcadia, Green his Farewell to Folly, Greene's Groats-worth of Wit, &c. He was also an Associate with Dr. Lodge in writing of several Comedies; namely, The Laws of Nature; Lady Alimony; Liberality and Prodigality; and a Masque called Luminalia; besides which, he wrote alone the Comedies of Fryer Bacon, and fair Emme.

But notwithstanding by these his Writings he got much Money, yet was it not sufficient to maintain his Prodigality, but that before his death he fell into extream Poverty, when his Friends, (like Leaves to Trees in the Summer of Prosperity) fell from him in his Winter of Adversity: of which he was very sensible, and heartily repented of his ill passed Life, especially of the wrongs he had done to his Wife; which he declared in a Letter written to her, and found with his Book of A Groatsworth of Wit, after his Death, containing these Words;

The Remembrance of many Wrongs offered Thee and thy unreproved Vertues, add greater sorrow to my miserable State than I can utter, or thou conceive; neither is it lessened by consideration of thy Absence (though Shame would let me hardly behold thy Face) but exceedingly aggravated, for that I cannot (as I ought) to thy own self reconcile my self, that thou mightest witness my inward Wo at this instant, that have made thee a woful Wife for so long a time. But equal Heaven hath denied that comfort, giving at my last need, like Succour as I have sought all my Life: Being in this extremity, as void of help, as thou hast been of hope. Reason would that after so long waste, I should not send thee a Child to bring the Charge, but consider he is the fruit of thy Womb, in whose Face regard not the Father's so much as thy own Perfections: He is yet Green, and may grow strait, if he be carefully tended; otherwise apt enough (I fear me) to follow his Fathers Folly. That I have offended thee highly, I know; that thou canst forget my Injuries, I hardly believe; yet I perswade my self, if thou sawest my wretched estate, thou couldst not but lament it: Nay, certainly I know thou wouldst. All my wrongs muster themselves about me, and every Evil at once plagues me: For my Contempt of God, I am contemned of Men; for my swearing and forswearing, no man will believe me; for my Gluttony I suffer Hunger; for my Drunkenness Thirst; for my Adultery, ulcerous Sores: Thus God hath cast me down that I might be humbled, and punisht me for example of others; and though he suffers me in this world to perish without succour, yet trust I in the world to come to find Mercy by the Merits of my Saviour; to whom I commend thee, and commit my Soul.

Thy Repentant Husband
for his Disloyalty,

Robert Greene.

In a Comedy called Green's Tu quoque, written by John Cooke, I find these Verses made upon his Death;

Thomas Nash was also a Gentleman born, and bred up in the University of Cambridge; a man of a quick apprehension and Satyrick Pen: One of his first Books he wrote was entituled Pierce Penniless his Supplication to the Devil, wherein he had some Reflections upon the Parentage of Dr. Harvey, his Father being a Rope-maker of Saffron-Walden: This begot high Contests betwixt the Doctor and him, so that it became to be a well known Pen-Combate. Amongst other Books which Mr. Nash wrote against him, one was entituled, Have with ye to Saffron-Walden; and another called Four Letters confuted; in which last he concludes with this Sonnet;

It seems he had a Poetical Purse as well as a Poetical Brain, being much straightned in the Gifts of Fortune; as he exclaims in his Pierce Penniless.

He wrote moreover a witty Poem, entituled, The White Herring and the Red; and two Comedies, the one called Summer's last Will and Testament, and See me and see me not.

Sir Philip Sidney, the glory of the English Nation in his time, and pattern of true Nobility, in whom the Graces and Muses had their domestical habitations, equally addicted both to Arts and Arms, though more fortunate in the one than in the other. Son to Sir Henry Sidney, thrice Lord Deputy of Ireland, and Sisters Son to Robert Earl of Leicester; Bred in Christ's Church in Oxford, (Cambridge being nevertheless so happy to have a Colledge of his name) where he so profited in the Arts and Liberal Sciences, that after an incredible proficiency in all the Species of Learning, he left the Academical Life, for that of the Court, invited thither by his Uncle, the Earl of Leicester, that great Favourite of Queen Elizabeth. Here he so profited, that he became the glorious Star of his Family, a lively Pattern of Vertue, and the lovely Joy of all the learned sort. These his Parts so indeared him to Queen Elizabeth, that she sent him upon an Embassy to the Emperor of Germany at Vienna, which he discharged to his own Honour, and her Approbation. Yea, his Fame was so renowned throughout all Christendom, that (as it is commonly reported) he was in election for the Kingdom of Poland, though the Author of his Life, printed before his Arcadia, doth doubt of the truth of it, however it was not above his deserts.

During his abode at the Court, at his spare hours he composed that incomparable Romance, entituled, The Arcadia, which he dedicated to his Sister the Countess of Pembroke. A Book (saith Dr. Heylin) which, besides its excellent Language, rare Contrivances, and delectable Stories, hath in it all the strains of Poesie, comprehendeth the whole art of speaking, and to them who can discern and will observe, affordeth notable Rules of Demeanour, both private and publick; and though some men, sharp-witted only in speaking evil, have depraved the Book, as the occasion that many precious hours are spent no better, they consider not that the ready way to make the minds of Youth grow awry, is to lace them too hard, by denying them just and due liberty. Surely (saith one) the Soul deprived of lawful delights, will, in way of revenge, (to enlarge its self out of prison) invade and attempt unlawful pleasures. Let such be condemned always to eat their meat with no other sawce, but their own appetite, who deprive themselves and others of those sallies into lawful Recreations, whereof no less plenty than variety is afforded in this Arcadia.

One writes, that Sir Philip Sidney in the extream agony of his wounds, so terrible the sence of death is, requested the dearest friend he had, to burn his Arcadia; what promise his friend returned herein is uncertain; but if he brake his word to be faithful to the publick good, posterity herein hath less cause to censure him for being guilty of such a meritorious offence, wherewith he hath obliged so many ages. Hereupon thus writeth the British Epigramatist.