“How Dr. _John Coldwell_, of a physitian, became a bishop, I have heard by more than a good many; and I will briefly handle it, and as tenderly as I can; bearing myself equal between the living (Sir _Walter Raleigh_) and the dead (Bishop _Coldwell_). Yet the manifest judgements of God on both of them I may not pass over with silence. And to speak first of the knight, who carried off the _Spolia opima_ of the bishoprick. He, having gotten _Sherborne_ castle, park, and parsonage, was in those days in so great favour with the queen, as I may boldly say, that with less suit than he was fain to make to her, ere he could perfect this his purchase, and with less money than he bestowed since in _Sherborne_ (in building, and buying out leases, and in drawing the river through rocks into his garden), he might, very justly, and without offence of either church or state, have compassed a much better purchase. Also, as I have been truly informed, he had a presage before he first attempted it, which did foreshow it would turn to his ruin, and might have kept him from meddling with it, _Si mens non læva fuisset_: for, as he was riding post between _Plymouth_ and the court (as many times he did upon no small employments), this castle being right in the way, he cast such an eye upon it as _Ahab_ did upon _Naboth_’s vineyard. And, once above the rest, being talking of it (of the commodiousness of the place, of the strength of the seat, and how easily it might be got from the bishoprick), suddenly over and over came his horse, that his very face (which was then thought a very good face) plowed up the earth where he fell. This fall was ominous, I make no question; and himself was apt to construe it so. But his brother _Adrian_ would needs have him interpret it as a conqueror, that his fall presaged the quiet possession of it. And accordingly, for the present, it so fell out. So that with much labor, cost, envy, and obloquy, he got it _habendum et tenendum_ to him and his heirs. But see what became of him. In the public joy and jubilee of the whole realm (when favor, peace, and pardon, were offered even to offenders), he who in wit, in wealth, in courage, was inferior to few, fell suddenly (I cannot tell how) into such a downfall of despair, as his greatest enemy would not have wished him so much harm, as he would have done himself. Can any man be so willfully blind as not to see, and say, _Digitus Dei hic est_!”—Harrington’s Brief View, p. 88. * * * * * To these Notes are added the following, taken from Æschylus, to show the resemblance between the expressions of that author and certain passages in this poem. ——Let me walk embathed In your invisible perfumes.—P. 2, v. 16. Τις οδμα προσεπτα μ’ αφεγγης; Prom. Vinc. 115. ——For worldly meed, Given or withheld, I deem of it alike.—P. 8, v. 98. ου δ’ αινειν ειτε με ψεγειν θελεις, Ομοιον. Agam. 1412.