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_. _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 Caesar_: 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, Impoison'd with the Drugs of cruel Hate, Draw on themselves an unavoided Fate. * * * * * _CHARLES ALEYN_. _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_. They swell with love who are with valour fill'd, And _Venus_ Doves may in a Head-piece build. The other out of his History of King _Henry_ the Seventh. Man and Money a mutual Falshood show, Man makes false Mony, Mony makes man so. * * * * * _GEORGE WITHERS_.