liam Forrest priest, much part collected out of a booke entitled the GOVERNANCE OF NOBLEMEN, which booke the wyse philosopher Aristotle wrote to his disciple Alexander the Greate." The book here mentioned is Ægidius Romanus de REGIMINE PRINCIPUM, which yet retained its reputation and popularity from the middle age. I ought to have observed before, that Forrest translated into English metre fifty of David's Psalms, in 1551, which are dedicated to the duke of Somerset, the Protectors. Hence we are led to suspect, that our author could accommodate his faith to the reigning powers. Many more of his manuscript pieces both in prose and verse, all professional and of the religious kind, were in the hands of Robert earl of Ailesbury. Forrest, who must have been living at Oxford, as appears from his poem on queen Catharine, so early as the year 1530, was in reception of an annual pension of six pounds from Christ-church in that university, in the year 1555'. He was eminently skilled in music; and with much diligence and expense, he collected the works of the most excellent English composers, that were his cotemporaries. These, being the choicest compositions of John Taverner of Boston, organist of Cardinal-college now Christ-church at Oxford, John Merbeck who first digested our present church-service from the notes of the Roman missal, Fairfax, Tye, Sheppard, Norman, and others, falling after Forrest's death into the possession of doctor William Hether, founder of the musical praxis and professorship at Oxford in 1623, are now fortunately preserved at Oxford, in the archives of the music-school assigned to that institution.

In the year 1554, a poem of two sheets, in the spirit and stanza of Sternhold, was printed under the title, "The VNGODLINESSE OF THE hethnicke GoDDES or The Downfall of Diana of the Ephesians, by J. D. an exile for the word, late a minister in London, MDLIV." I presume it was printed at Geneva, and imported into England with other books of the same tendency, and which were afterwards suppressed by á proclamation. The writer, whose arguments are as weak as his poetry,

• MSS. Reg. 17 D. iii. In the Preface twenty-seven chapters are enumerated; but the book contains only twenty-four.

See supr. vol. ii. p. 259. Not long before, Robert Copland, the printer, author of the Testament of Julien [or Jyllian] of Brentford, translated from the French and printed, "The Secrete of Secretes of Aristotle, with the governayle of princes and euerie manner of estate, with rules of health for bodie and soule." Lond. 1528. 4to. To what I have before said of Robert Copland as a poet, may be added, that he prefixed an English copy of verses to the Mirrour of the Church of saynt Austine of Abyngdon, &c. Printed by himself, 1521. 4to. Another to Andrew Chertsey's Passio Domini, ibid. 1521. 4to. (See p. 80 of this volume.) He and his

brother William printed several romances

before 1530.

MSS. Reg. 17 A. xxi. [See also the Conventual Library of Westminster in Gen. Catal. "Some Psalms in English verse, by W. Forest." Cod. MSS. Eccl. Cath. Westmonas.-PARK.]

h Wood, Ath. Oxon. i. 124. Fox says, that he paraphrased the Pater Noster in English verse, Pr. "Our Father which in heaven doth sit." Also the Te Deum, as a thanksgiving hymn for queen Mary, Pr. "O God, thy name we magnifie." Fox, Mart. p. 1139. edit. vet.

1 MSS. Le Neve. From a long chapter in his Katharine, about the building of Christ-church and the regimen of it, he appears to have been of that college. Bl. lett. 12mo.

attempts to prove, that the customary mode of training youths in the Roman poets encouraged idolatry and pagan superstition. This was a topic much laboured by the puritans. Prynne, in that chapter of his HISTRIOMASTIx, where he exposes "the obscenity, ribaldry, amourousnesse, HEATHENISHNESSE, and prophanesse of most play-bookes, Arcadias, and fained histories that are now so much in admiration," acquaints us, that the infallible leaders of the puritan persuasion in the reign of queen Elizabeth, among which are two bishops, have solemnly prohibited all christians, "to pen, to print, to sell, to read, or school-masters and others to teach, any amorous wanton Play-bookes, Histories, or Heathen authors, especially Ovid's wanton Epistles and Bookes of love, Catullus, Tibullus, Propertius, Martiall, the Comedies of Plautus, Terence, and other such amorous bookes, savoring either of Pagan Gods, Ethnicke rites and ceremonies, of scurrility, amorousnesse, and prophanesse1." But the classics were at length condemned by a much higher authority. In the year 1582, one Christopher Ocland, a schoolmaster of Cheltenham, published two poems in Latin hexameters, one entitled ANGLORUM PRÆLIA, the other ELIZABETHA". To these poems, which are written in a low style of Latin versification, is prefixed an edict from the lords of privy council, signed, among others, by Cowper bishop of Lincoln, Lord Warwick, Lord Leicester, sir Francis Knollys, sir Christopher Hatton, and sir Francis Walsingham, and directed to the queen's ecclesiastical commissioners, containing the following passage: "Forasmuche as the subject or matter of this booke is such, as is worthie to be read of all men, and especially in common schooles, where diuers HEATHEN POETS are ordinarily read and taught, from which the youth of the realme doth rather receiue infection in manners, than aduancement in uertue: in place of some of which poets, we thinke this Booke fit to be read and taught in the grammar schooles: we haue therefore thought good, for the encouraging the said Ocklande

I Pag. 913, 916.

m Londini. Apud Rad. Neubery ex assignatione Henrici Bynneman typographi. Anno 1582. Cum priv. 12mo. The whole title is this, "ANGLORUM PRÆLIA ab A.D. 1327, anno nimirum primo inclytissimi principis Edwardi eius nominis terții, usque ad A.D. 1558, carmine summatim perstricta. Item De pacatissimo Anglia statu, imperante Elizabetha, compendiosa Narratio. Authore Christophoro Oclando, primo Schola Southwarkiensis prope Londinum, dein Cheltennamensis, quæ sunt a serenissima sua majestate fundatæ, moderatore. Hæc dua poemata, tam ob argumenti grauitatem, quam carminis facilitatem, nobilissimi regiæ majestatis consiliarii in omnibus regni scholis præle. genda pueris præscripserunt. Hijs Alexandri Neuilli Kettum, tum propter argumenti similitudinem, tum propter oratio

nis elegantiam, adiunximus. Londini," &c. Prefixed to the Anglorum Prælia is a Latin elegiac copy by Thomas Newton of Cheshire to the Elizabetha, which is dedicated by the author to the learned lady Mildred Burleigh, two more; one by Richard Mulcaster the celebrated master of Merchant-taylors' school, the other by Thomas Watson an elegant writer of sonnets. Our author was a very old man, as appears by the last of these copies. Whence, says bishop Hall, Sat. iii. B 4.

Or cite olde Oclande's verse, how they did wield

and others that are learned, to bestowe their trauell and studies to so good purposes, as also for the benefit of the youth and the removing of such lasciuious poets as are commonly read and taught in the saide grammar-schooles (the matter of this booke being heroicall and of good instruction) to praye and require you vpon the sight hereof, as by our special order, to write your letters vnto al the Bishops throughout this realme, requiring them to giue commaundement, that in al the gramer and free schooles within their seuerall diocesses, the said Booke de ANGLORUM PRÆLIIS, and peaceable Gouernment of hir majestie, [the ELIZABETHA,] may be in place of some of the heathen poets receyued, and publiquely read and taught by the scholemasters"." With such abundant circumspection and solemnity, did these profound and pious politicians, not suspecting that they were acting in opposition to their own principles and intentions, exert their endeavours to bring back barbarism, and to obstruct the progress of truth and good senseo.

Hollingshead mentions Lucas Shepherd of Colchester, as an eminent poet of queen Mary's reign. I do not pretend to any great talents for decyphering; but I presume, that this is the same person who is called by Bale, from a most injudicious affectation of Latinity, Lucas OPILIO. Bale affirms, that his cotemporary, Opilio, was a very facetious poet; and means to pay him a still higher compliment in pronouncing him not inferior even to Skelton for his rhymes". It is unlucky, that Bale, by disguising his name, should have contributed to conceal this writer so long from the notice of posterity, and even to counteract his own partiality. Lucas Shepherd, however, appears to have been nothing more than a petty pamphleteer in the cause of Calvinism, and to have acquired the character of a poet from a metrical translation of some of David's Psalms about the year 1554. Bale's narrow prejudices are well known. The puritans never suspected that they were greater bigots than the papists. I believe one or two of Shepherd's pieces in prose are among bishop Tanner's books at Oxford.

Bale also mentions metrical English versions of ECCLESIASTES, of the histories of ESTHER, SUSANNAH, JUDITH, and of the TESTAMENT OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS, printed and written about this period, by John Pullaine, one of the original students of Christ-church at Oxford, and at length archdeacon of Colchester. He was chaplain to the duchess of Suffolk; and, either by choice or compulsion, imbibed ideas of reformation at Geneva*. I have seen the name of John Pullayne, affixed in manuscript to a copy of an anonymous version of Solomon's Song, or "Salomon's balads in metre," above mentioned', in which is this stanza.

She is so young in Christes truth,

That yet she hath no teates;

She wanteth brestes, to feed her youth

With sound and perfect meates".

There were numerous versions of Solomon's SONG before the year 1600; and perhaps no portion of scripture was selected with more propriety to be clothed in verse. Beside those I have mentioned, there is, "The SONG OF SONGS, that is the most excellent Song which was Solomon's, translated out of the Hebrue into Englishe meater with as little libertie in departing from the wordes as anie plaine translation in prose can vse, and interpreted by a short commentarie." For Richard Schilders, printer to the states of Zealand, I suppose at Middleburg, 1587, in duodecimo. Nor have I yet mentioned Solomon's Song, translated from English prose into English verse by Robert Fletcher*, a native of Warwickshire, and a member of Merton college, printed at London, with notes, in 1586. The CANTICLES in English verse are among the lost poems of Spenser". Bishop Hall, in his nervous and elegant satires printed in 1597, meaning to ridicule and expose the spiritual poetry with which his age was overwhelmed, has an allusion to a metrical English version of Solomon's Song". Having mentioned SAINT PETER's

vileg. 4to. This William Baldwine is perhaps Baldwin the poet, the contributor to the Mirrour for Magistrates. At least that the poet Baldwin was connected with Whitchurch the printer, appears from a book printed by Whitchurch, quoted above, "A treatise of moral philosophie contaygning the Sayings of the Wise, gathered and Englyshed by Wylliam Baldwyn, 20 of January, MDXLVII." Compositors at this time often were learned men; and Baldwin was perhaps occasionally employed by Whitchurch both as a compo

sitor and an author.

Signat. m. iij.

# [To this writer must probably be attributed a thin quarto of prose and verse published in 1606, containing brief historical registers of our regal Henries, and entitled "The Nine English Worthies; or the famous and worthy princes of England being all of one name," &c.-PARK.] tin duodecimo.

"A metrical commentary was written on the Canticles by one Dudley Fenner, a puritan, who retired to Middleburg to enjoy the privilege and felicity of preaching endless sermons without molestation. Middleb. 1587. 8vo.

[Fenner's work is entitled "The Song of Songs," &c. as Mr. Warton has fully displayed in his text, without being aware

to whom the title appertained. Yet the name of Dudley Fenner is subscribed to the Dedication.-PARK.]

B. i. Sat. viii. But for this abuse of the divine sonnetters, Marston not inelegantly retorts against Hall. Certayne Satyres, Lond. for E. Matts, 1598. 12mo. Sat. iv.

Come daunce, ye stumbling Satyres, by his side,

If he list once the SYON MUSE deride. Ye Granta's white Nymphs come, and with you bring

Some sillabub, whilst he does sweetly
sing

Gainst Peters Teares, and Maries mouing
Moanc;

And like a fierce-enraged boare doth
foame

At Sacred Sonnets, O daring hardiment! At Bartas sweet Semaines1 raile impudent.

At Hopkins, Sternhold, and the Scottish king,

At all Translators that do striue to bring That stranger language to our vulgar tongue," &c.

[Meres, in his Wit's Treasury, speaks of "Saloman's Canticles in English verse," by Jervis Markham; but without praise or censure.-PARK.]

1 Du Bartas's Divine Weeks.

COMPLAINT, written by Robert Southwell, and printed in 1595, with some other religious effusions of that author, he adds,

Yea, and the prophet of the heavenly lyre,
Great Solomon, singes in the English quire;
And is become a new-found Sonnetist,

Singing his love, the holie spouse of Christ,
Like as she were some light-skirts of the rest,
In mightiest inkhornismes* he can thither wrest.
Ye Sion Muses shall by my dear will,

For this your zeal and far-admired skill,
Be straight transported from Jerusalem,
Unto the holy house of Bethlehem.

It is not to any of the versions of the CANTICLES which I have hitherto mentioned, that Hall here alludes. His censure is levelled at "The Poem of Poems, or SION'S MUSE. Contaynyng the diuine Song of King Salomon deuided into eight Eclogues. Bramo assai, poco spero, nulla chieggio. At London, printed by James Roberts for Mathew Lownes, and are to be solde at his shop in saint Dunstones churchyarde, 1596'." The author signs his dedication t, which is addressed to the sacred virgin, diuine mistress Elizabeth Sydney, sole daughter of the euer admired sir Philip Sydney, with the initials J. M. These initials, which are subscribed to many pieces in ENGLAND'S HELICON, signify Jarvis, or larvis, Markham2.

Although the translation of the scriptures into English rhyme was for the most part an exercise of the enlightened puritans, the recent publication of Sternhold's psalms taught that mode of writing to many of the papists, after the sudden revival of the mass under queen Mary. One Richard Beearde, parson of saint Mary-hill in London, celebrated the accession of that queen in a godly psalm printed in 1553a. Much

x Origen and Jerom say, that the youth of the Jews were not permitted to read Solomon's Song till they were thirty years of age, for fear they should inflame their passions by drawing the spiritual allegory into a carnal sense. Orig. Homil. in Cantic. Cant. apud Hieronymi Opp. Tom. viii. p. 122. And Opp. Origen. ii. fol. 68. Hieron. Proem. in Ezech. iv. p. 330. D.

* [This term is lauded by Pinkerton, in his "Letters of Literature," p. 80, as a phrase of much felicity; but it was not Hall's coinage. See Wilson's Rhetorike, 1553, fol. 82.-PARK.]

y 16mo.

[In this dedication Markham candidly and conscientiously tells his readers, that "rapt in admiration with the excellency of our English poets, whose wandred spirits have made wonderfull the workes of prophane love, he gave himselfe over to

the study of inchaunting poesie; till, at length he betooke himself to Divinitie, and found Poesie, which he had so much reverenced, created but her handmaid: for as Poesie gave grace to vulgar subjects, so Divinitie gave glorie to the best part of a poet's invention," &c.-PARK.]

Some of the prefatory Sonnets to Jarvis Markham's poem, entitled, "The most honorable Tragedie of sir Richard Grinuile knight," (At London, printed by J. Roberts for Richard Smith, 1595. 16mo.) are signed J. M. But the dedication, to Charles lord Montioy, has his name at length. * In duodecimo, viz.

A godly psalm of Mary queen, which brought us comfort all,

Thro God whom we of deuty praise that give her foes a fall.