On the Ledge of the Tomb were these Verses; Si rogitas quis eram, forfan Te Fama docebit, The Epitaph firft defigned for his Grave-stone was, Galfridus Chaucer, Vates & Fama Poefis, The Works of this celebrated Poet, were first printed in the Reign of King Henry the Sixth, and publifhed by Mr. William Caxton, an ingenious Perfon, (a Mercer) who first brought the art of Printing into England. They were afterwards Printed with Additions in the Reign of Henry the Eighth, by William Thinne, Efq; In Queen Elizabeth's Reign, they were again Reprinted, with Corrections by Mr. John Stow and there is lately published a very beautiful Edition of all Chaucer's Works,adorned with fine Sculptures, printed in a large Volume in Folio, with many Additions from Original Manufcripts, left ready for the Prefs by the late ingenious Mr. John Urry, Student of Chrift-Church College in Oxford. T THOMAS CHEEK, Efquire. HIS Gentleman was defcended from a very ancient Family, one of his Ancestors, being Tutor to King Edward the Sixth. He was educated at Queen's-College in Cambridge, and was a Person of a great deal of ready Wit, and an ex cellent cellent Companion. He is mentioned here, on account of his affifting Dr. Garth in his Difpenfary, and fome fmall Pieces of Poetry, which he published in Mifcellanies. *** KNIGHTLY CHETWO O D. D. D. HIS Gentleman was bred, at Eton School, From whence he removed to King's College, in Cambridge, for the Compleating his Education. He is Dean of Glocefter, and was nominated to the Bifhoprick of Bristol, by King James, but that Prince quitted the Kingdom before his Election passed the Seals and he lays Claim to an Antient Barony and Seat in the House of Lords by Birth. He has wrote the following Poems. I. On the Marriage of the Lady MARY with the Prince of Orange. II. An Ode in Imitation of PINDAR. On the XIII. On the Death of his Grace, the late Duke of IV. The parting of HECTOR, with his Princess 196) (96) (96) (96) (96) (96) (96) 96 96 96 96 (96) 26) 20 Mr. THOMAS CHURCKYARD.. A Foet who lived in the beginning of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. He was born in the Town of Shrewsbury, and Defcended from Wealthy Parents. He was equally addicted to Arts and Arms, having Xvise & collection of poems by several Hands. 1693. Page 121. #dive a coll. of Pensly / 20. #ands - 1693. Page 103. having ferved under that Renown'd Captain Sir William Drury, in Scotland, and several other Commanders beyond Sea, as appears by his own Lines in his Tragical Piece, called the Unhappy Man's Life. Full Thirty Years, both Court and Wars I tryde, But it seems he got little by the Camp, or the Court, as he Declares afterwards, For tho' I did my Credit ftill increase I got no Wealth by Wars, ne yet by Peace. He not only lived, but died Poor, (Ann. 1570.) the Common Fate of a Poetical Genius. His Works were efteemed well done for that Age, they are as follow, I. The Siege of Leith. II. A Farewel to the World. III. Afeigned Fancy of the Spider and the Gout. VII. A Tragical Difcourfe of the Unhappy Man's Life. IX. CHURCHYARD'S Dream. X. A Tale of a Fryar, and a Shoemaker's Wife. XII. Queen ELIZABETH's Reception into Bristol. Thefe Twelve Pieces were called Churchyard's Chips; and Dedicated to Sir Chriftopher Hatton. He also writ the Falls of Jane Shore, and Cardinal Wolfey. In Camden's Remains. He has this Epitaph, Come Alecto, lend me thy Torch, To find a Churchyard in a Church-Porch; Mr (96) (96) (96) (96) (96) (96) (96) (96) (96) (26) (96) (961(96) (96) A Mr. JOHN CLEVELAND. N Eminent Poet, the Son of a Reverend and Learned Clergyman; his Father being Rector of Hinckley, in Leicestershire, where he was Born, and Educated under Mr. Richard Vines, a SchoolMafter of great Reputation, who perfected him in the Latin and Greek Languages. From a tender Father, and a Learned School-Mafter, he was removed to Chrift's College in Cambridge, and Distinguishing himself by his Excellent Oratory, he was preferred to a Fellowship in St. John's College, where he continued above the space of Nine Years, the Delight and Ornament of that Society. Afterwards he was made Rhetorick-Reader, and performed this Office with fuch extraordinary Applaufe, that on his Pronouncing an Oration, Addressed to the Pious King Charles the First, His Majefty fent for him, gave him his Hand to Kifs, and (with great Expreffions of Kindness) Ordered a Copy to be Tranfmitted to him. Dr. Fuller gives him the 'Character of "a ge neral Artist, pure Latinit, Exquifite Orator, "and Excellent Poet. His Stile was Masculine, his e Epiftles Pregnant with Metaphors; his lofty "Fancy feemed to ftride from the top of one Moun"tain to another, thereby making to it felf a "conftant level of continued Elevation. All his "Poems are incomparable, fo that to praise one, "were to Detract from the reft. His Poetry in the time of the Civil Wars, began first to be Efteemed, both for its Admirable Wit, and the very great Zeal he expreffed for the King's Caufe, in which he appeared the great Champion against the Presbyterians. He fhined with equal Light D and ; and Influence, until the Grand Rebellion began to Unvizard it felf; of which no Man had more Sagacicus Prognofticks, for when Oliver Cromwell was Elected Member of Parliament for Cambridge, he faid with much Paffionáte Zeal, That fingle Vote which carried his Election, ruined both Church and Kingdom And no fooner did this Harpey (as Mr. Winstanley calls him) appear in the Univerfity, but he made good what was Predicted of him, and. turned out Mr. Cleveland with. feveral others for their Loyalty. Being now expelled the College, he attended the Camp at Oxford, and gave the fame Luftre to that Univerfity during his ftay there, as he had done at Cambridge. Here he wrote feveral Poems in Commendation of Loyalty, and exerted the Satyrift on the Rebels. From Oxford his next Stage was to the Garrifon of Newark, where he was Judge Advocate, until the Surrender of that place by the King's Command. Here he likewife Predicted his Sovereign's Fate before his Surrendering himself into the Hands of the Scots, and forefaw the Pieces of Silver paying upon the Banks of Twede, to be the price of his Royal Master's Blood. Thence he followed Distressed Loyalty, which terminated in a long Imprisonment at Yarmouth, but at last on fending an Addrefs to Oliver Cromwell, by the Excellency of his Reasoning, without Injuring his Confcience, or betraying his Caufe, he obtained his Li-▸ berty; and afterwards fettled at Grays-Inn, but he had not been there long,before he was feized with a Fever, which deprived the World of one of the Greatest Men of the Age. He died the 29th of April, 1658. and was Buried at College-Hill Church, his Dear Friend Dr. John Pearfon (afterwards Lord Bishop of Chester) Preached his Funeral Sermon. The most remarkable Pieces wrote by this Çelebrated Gentleman, were the following, (viz.) SMEC |