Sir JOHN DAVIES

AS born at Chifgrove, in the parish of Tyf

W bury in Wiltshire, being the fon of a wealthy

tanner of that place. At fifteen years of age he became a Commoner in Queen's-college, Oxford 1585, where having made preat progrefs in academical learning, and taken the degree of Batchelor of arts, he removed to the Middle-Temple, and applying himself to the study of the common law, was called to the bar; but having a quarrel with one Richard Martyn, (afterwards recorder of London) he bastinadoed him in the Temple-hall at dinner-time, in prefence of the whole affembly, for which contempt, he was immediately expelled, and retired again to Oxford to profecute his ftudies, but did not refume the scholar's gown. Upon this occafion he compofed that excellent poem called Nofce Teipfum*. Afterwards by the favour of Thomas lord Ellefmere, keeper of the Great Seal, being reinftated in the Temple, he practifed as a counfellor, and became a burgefs in the Parliament held at Westminster 1601. Upon the death of Queen Elizabeth our author, with Lord Hunfdon, went into Scotland to congratulate King James on his fucceffion to the English throne. Being introduced into his Majesty's prefence, the King enquired of Lord Hunfdon, the names of the gentlemen who accompanied him, and when his lordfaip mentioned John Davies, the King prefently asked whether he was Nofce Teipfum, and being answered embraced him, and affured him of

he was,

* Mufes library p. 332.

his

his favour. He was accordingly made Sollicitor, and a little after Attorney-general in Ireland, where in the year 1606, he was made one of his Majefty's ferjeants at law, and Speaker of the Houfe of Com. mons for that kingdom. In the year following, he received the honour of knighthood from the King at Whitehall. In 1612 he quitted the post of Attorney-general in Ireland, and was made one of his Majesty's English ferjeants at law. He married Eleanor Touchet, youngest daughter of George lord Audley, by whom he had a fon an idiot who died young, and a daughter named Lucy, married to Ferdinand lord Haftings, and afterwards Earl of Huntingdon. His lady was a woman of very extraordinary character; fhe had, or rather pretended to have a fpirit of prophecy, and her predictions received from a voice which the often heard, were generally wrapped up in dark and obfcure expreffions. It was commonly reported, that on the funday before her husband's death, she was fitting at dinner with him, fhe fuddenly burst into tears, whereupon he asking her the occafion, fhe answered, Husband, these are your funeral "tears," to which he replied, "Pray therefore fpare your tears now, and I will be content "that you fhall laugh when I am dead." After Sir John's death she lived privately at Parfton in Hertfordshire, and an account was published of her ftrange and wonderful prophecies in 1609.

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In 1626 Sir John was appointed lord chief justice of the King's-bench, but before the ceremony of his inftallation could be performed he died fuddenly of an apoplexy in the fifty-feventh year of his age, and was buried in the church of St. Martin's in the Fields. He enjoyed the joint applaufes of Camden, Ben Johnfon, Sir John Harrington, Selden, Donne, and Corbet; these are great authorities in our author's favour, and I may fairly affert that no philofophical writers ever explained

plained their ideas more clearly and familiarly in profe, or more harmonioufly and beautifully, in verfe. There is a peculiar happinefs in his fimilies being introduced more to illuftrate than adorn, which renders them as useful as entertaining, and diftinguishes them from any other author.

In quality of a lawyer Sir John produced the following pieces :

1. A difcovery of the true caufes why Ireland was never entirely fubdued until his Majefty's happy reign; printed in 4to. London 1612, dedicated to the King with this Latin verse only.

Principis eft virtus maxima noffe fuos.

2. A declaration of our fovereign lord the King, concerning the title of his Majelty's fon Charles, the prince and duke of Cornwall; London 1614.

His principal perforinance as a poet, is a Poem on the Original, Nature, and Immortality of the Soul, dedicated to Queen Elizabeth. It was republished by Nahum Tate, 1714, addreffed to the Earl of Dorfet and Middlefex, who was a great admirer of our poet, and the editor gives it a very just and advantageous character. Without doubt it is the Nofce Teipfum so much admired by King James, printed 1519, and 1622, mentioned by Wood; to which were added by the fame hand :

Hymns of Aftrea in acroftic verfe; and Orchestra, or a poem expreffing the antiquity and excellency of dancing, in a dialogue between Penelope and one of her Woers, containing 131 ftanzas unfinished. Mr. Wood mentions alfo epigrams, and a translation of feveral of King David's Pfalms, written by Sir John Davies, but never published. I

VOL. I. No 3.

Nofce

NOSCE TEIPSUM.

Why did my parents fend me to the schools,
That I, with knowledge might enrich my mind,
Since the defire to know firft made men fools
And did corrupt the root of all mankind.

For when God's hand, had written in the hearts,
Of our first parents all the rules of good,
So that their skill infus'd, surpass'd all arts,
That ever were before or fince the flood.

And when their reafon's eye was fharp and clear,
And (as an eagle can behold the fun)
Cou'd have approach'd th' eternal light as near,
As th' intellectual Angels could have done.

Even then, to them the fpirit of lyes fuggefts, That they were blind because they faw not ill; And breath'd into their incorrupted breasts

A curious wifh, which did corrupt their will.

00000

THOMAS GOFF.

Gentleman who flourished in the reign of

A Ring Jan W. He was born in Effex, to

wards the latter end of Queen Elizabeth's reign, about the year 1592. In his youth he was tent to Weltminfter-fchool, and at the age of eighteen, he was entered ftudent of Chrift's-college in Oxford *. Being an industrious fcholar, fays Langbaine, he ar

* Langbaine's Lives of the Poets, 223.

rived

be;

rived to be a good poet, a skilful orator, and an excellent preacher. În the year 1623 he was made batchelor of divinity, and preferred to a living in Surry called Eaft-Clanden: there he married a wife who proved as great a plague to him as a shrew could she was a true Xantippe to our ecclefiaftical Socrates, and gave him daily opportunities of puting his patience to the proof; and it is believed by fome, that this domestic scourge fhortened his days. He was buried at his own parish church at Clanden, the 27th of July, 1627. He writ feveral pieces on different fubjects, amongst which are reckoned five plays.

Careless Shepherdefs, a Tragi-comedy, acted before the King and Queen at Salisbury-court with great applaufe. Printed in 4to, 1656, with an Alphabetical Catalogue of all fuch plays as ever were to that time published.

2. Courageous Turk, or Amurath I. a Tragedy, acted by the ftudents of Chrift-church in Oxford, printed in 8vo, London 1656. For the plot confult Knolles's Hiftory of the Turks.

3. Oreftes, a Tragedy, acted by the ftudents of Chrift's-church in Oxford, printed in 8vo, London 1656.

4. Raging Turk, or Bajazet II.a tragedy acted by the ftudents in Chrift's-church in Oxford, printed in 8vo. London 1656. This play was writen with the two foregoing tragedies, when the author was mafter of arts, and ftudent of Chrift's-church, but not printed till after his decease.

5. Selinus, Emperor of the Turks, a Tragedy, printed in 4to, London 1638. This play in all probability was never exhibited, because it is not divided into acts. The author calls this the first part and in his conclufion, as he ftiles it, or epilogue, he promises a fecond part, faying,

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If