[1] He is mentioned by Webbe, in his "Discourse of English Poetrie," 1586, Sign. C 4, with other poets of that time, as Whetstone, Munday, Grange, Knight, _Wilmot_, Darrell, F.C. F.K., G.B., and others, whose names he could not remember. [2] Robert Wilmot, A.M., was presented to the rectory of North Okenham, in Essex, the 28th of November 1582, by Gabriel Poyntz: and to the vicarage of Horndon on the Hill, in the same county, the 2d December 1585, by the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's.--Newcourt's "Repertorium." --_Steevens_. [3] The same person, who was the author of "A Discourse of English Poetrie: together with the Authors judgment, touching the reformation of our English Verse." B.L. 4to, 1586. [This "Discourse" is reprinted in Haslewood'a "Ancient Critical Essays," 1811-15.] [4] [An English translation was published in 1577.] [5] These three sonnets following occur both in Lansdowne MS. (786) and Hargrave MS. (205), but the first was not included in the printed copy of 1591. [6] _Pheer_ signifies a husband, a friend, or a companion, and in all these senses it is used in our ancient writers. It here means _a husband_. So in Lyly's "Euphues," 1581, p. 29: "If he be young, he is the more fitter to be thy _pheere_. If he bee olde, the lyker to thine aged father." It occurs again in act ii. sc. 3, and act iv. sc. 3. [7] _Prevent_, or _forbid_. So in "Euphues and his England," 1582, p. 40: "For never shall it be said that Iffida was false to Thirsus, though Thirsus be faithlesse (which the gods _forefend_) unto Iffida." [8] _Command_. So in Lyly's "Euphues and his England," p. 78: "For this I sweare by her whose lightes canne never die, Vesta, and by her _whose heasts_ are not to be broken, Diana," &c. Again, in Shakespeare's "Tempest," act iii. sc. 1-- "O my father, I have broke _your hest_ to say so!" And in the prologue to [Peele's] "Araygnement of Paris," 1584-- "Done by the pleasure of the powers above, Whose _hestes_ men must obey." The word occurs again in act iv. sc. 2, act iv. sc. 4, and act v. sc. 1. [9] The second and third sonnets are now given (_verbatim et literatim_) in a note, as they stand in Lansdowne MS. 786. They will serve to show how slight were Wilmot's improvements, and will leave it perhaps open to doubt whether the changes made in 1591 were always changes for the better. _An other to the same_.