"Who takes thy volume to his vertuous hand, Must be intended still to vnderstand: Who bluntly doth but looke vpon the same, May aske, _what author would conceale his name?_ Who reads may roaue, and call the passage darke, Yet may, as blind men, sometimes hit the marke. Who reads, who roaues, who hopes to vnderstand, May take thy volume to his vertuous hand. Who cannot reade, but onely doth desire To vnderstand, hee may at length admire. B. I." [CR] These were added to the sixth edition of the _Wife_, in 1615. v. _Caracters upon Essaies, morall and diuine, written for those good spirits that will take them in good part, and make use of them to good purpose. London: Printed by Edw. Griffin for John Guillim, and are to be sold at his shop in Britaines Burse._ 1615. 12mo. [Censura Literaria, v. 51. Monthly Mirror, xi. 16.] vi. _The Good and the Badde, or Descriptions of the Worthies and Vnworthies of this Age. Where the Best may see their Graces, and the Worst discerne their Basenesse. London, Printed by George Purslowe for Iohn Budge, and are to be sold at the great South-dore of Paules, and at Brittaines Bursse._ 1616. [4to. containing pp. 40, title, dedication "to Sir Gilbert Houghton, Knight," and preface six more. A second edition appeared in 1643, under the title of _England's Selected Characters_, &c.] The author of these characters[CS] was Nicholas Breton, who dedicates them to Sir Gilbert Houghton, of Houghton, Knight. Of Breton no particulars are now known, excepting what may be gained from an epitaph in Norton church, Northamptonshire[CT], by which we learn that he was the son of Captain Breton, of Tamworth, in Staffordshire, and served himself in the Low Countries, under the command of the Earl of Leicester. He married Anne, daughter of Sir Edward Legh, or Leigh, of Rushell, Staffordshire, by whom he had five sons and four daughters, and having purchased the manor of Norton, died there June 22, 1624[CU]. Breton appears to have been a poet of considerable reputation among his contemporaries, as he is noticed with commendation by Puttenhem and Meres: Sir Samuel Egerton Brydges declares that his poetical powers were distinguished by a simplicity, at once easy and elegant. Specimens of his productions in verse, may be found in Percy's _Reliques_, Ellis's _Specimens_, Cooper's _Muses' Library, Censura Literaria_; and an imperfect list of his publications is given by Ritson, in the _Bibliographia Poetica_, which is augmented by Mr. Park, in the _Cens. Lit._ ix. 163[CV]. A WORTHIE PRIUIE COUNCELLER.