If this firft part, gentles, do like you weli; The plot is founded on the Turkish history in the reign of Selinus I. Mr. Philips and Mr. Winstanley have ascribed a comedy to this author, called Cupid's Whirligig, tho' Democritus and Heraclitus were not more different in their temper, than his genius was oppofite to comedy, befides the true author was one Mr. E. S. who in his dedicatory epiftle fays, 'That being long pregnant with defire to bring forth fomething, and being afterwards brought to bed, had chole his friend Mr. Robert Hayman to be godfather, not doubting but his child would be well maintained, feeing he could not live above an hour with him; and therefore he entreated him when he was dead, that he might be buried deep enough in his good opinion, and that he might deferve this epitaph; "Here lies the child that was born in mirth, Against the ftrict rules of child-birth; "And to be quit, I gave him to my friend, "Who laught him to death, and that was his end." The reafon of my making this digreffion, is to fhew, that fuch ridiculous unmeaning mirth, is not likely to have fallen from Mr. Goff, as he was a grave man, and nothing but what was manly droped from his pen. In the latter part of his life he forfook the stage for the pulpit, and instead of plays writ fermons, fome of which appeared in print in the year 1627. To thefe works may be added his Latin funeral oration, at the divinity school, at the obfequies of Sir Henry Saville, printed in 4to, Oxon 1622; another in Chrift's church. church cathedral, at the funeral of Dr. Goodwin, canon of that church, printed in London 1627. PRUNG from an honourable family in War Swickhire; he was educated both at Oxford and Cambridge, and introduced to court by an uncle in the fervice of Queen Elizabeth, who received him into her favour, which he had the happiness to preferve uninterupted to her death. At the coronation of James I. he was created Knight of the Bath, and foon after obtained a grant of the ruinous caftle of Warwick. He was next appointed fub-treasurer, chancellor of the Exchequer, and privy counsellor, and then advanced to the degree of a baron, by the title of lord Brooke of Beauchamps-court, and one of the lords of the bed-chamber to his Majesty, This noble author was the friend of Sir Philip Sidney, than which a greater compliment cannot be bestowed. As he was a poet and a man of wit he was held in the highest esteem in that courtly age; but he added to genius, a gallantry of fpirit, and was as fine a foldier as a writen. Winftanley gives an inftance of his prowefs in arms. "At the time (fays he) when the French ambaf"fador came over to England to negotiate a marriage between the duke of Anjou, and Queen Elizabeth, for the better entertainment of the court, folemn jufts were proclaimed, where the Earl of Arundel, Frederick lord Windfor, Sir Philip 66 Sidney, 66. 6.6 I. 3. 66 Sidney, and he, were chief challengers againft all comers; in which challenge he behaved. "himself fo gallantly, that he won the reputa. "tion of a moft valiant knight. Thus you fee "that tho' cafe be the nurfe of poetry, the Mufes are alfo companions to Mars, as may be exemplified in the characters of the Earl of Surry, Sir Philip Sidney, and Sir Fulk Gre"ville." 46 46 As our Author loved and admired the ladies, it is fomewhat extraordinary, that he died a batchelor; for in all that courtly age, he could not find one on whom to confer the valuable prize of his heart. As he was himself a learned man, and poflefied a variety of knowledge, fo he patronized many neceffitous candidates for fame, but particularly Camden, whom he caufed by his intereft to be made King at Arms. He was likewife very liberal to Mr. Speed the celebrated chronologer: finding him a man of extenfive knowledge, and his occupation and circumftances mean, fo that his genius was depreffed by poverty, he enabled him to profecute his ftudies, and purfue the bent of his genius without being obliged to drudge at a manual employment for his bread. Speed in his defcription of Warwickshire writes thus of lord Brook, "Whofe "merit (fays he) towards me I do acknowledge, "in fetting my hand free from the daily em 66 ployments of a manual trade, and giving it full liberty thus to exprefs the inclination of mind, "himfelf being the procurer of my prefent eftate." He paffed thro' life in a calm of profperity and honour, beloved by his equals, reverenced by his inferiors, and a favourite at court; but when he was about seventy years of age, this life of undif turbed tranquility, was facrificed to the refentment of a villain, and a catastrophe of the most tragical kind clofed the days of this worthy man. One One Haywood, who had been many years in his fervice, and had behaved with fidelity and honour, expoftulated with him freely (while they were a lone) for his not having received a due reward for his fervices. His lordship enraged at his prefumption, and giving way to his paffion, reprimanded him very feverely for his infolence; for which the villain being now wrought up to the highest degree of fury, took an opportunity to ftab him with his dagger through the back into the vitals, of which wound he initantly died, September 30, 1628.. The murderer then ftruck with remorfe, horror and defpair, and all the natural attendants of his guilt, retired to his chamber, and having fecured the door, fell upon the fame weapon with which he had affaffinated his mafter, and anticipated on himself the juftice referved for the hand of an executioner, Lord Brooke was interred in Warwickshire, under a monument of black and white marble, * whereon he is filed, Servant to Queen Elizabeth, Counfellor to King James, and friend to Sir Philip Sidney. His works are chiefly thefe, viz. Alaham, a Tragedy; printed in folio 1633. This play (fays Langbaine) feems an imitation of the ancients; the Prologue is fpoken by a ghoft. This fpectre gives an account of each character, which is perhaps done after the manner of Euripides, who introduced one of the chief actors the Prologue, whofe bufinefs it was to explain all thofe circumftances which preceded the opening the ftage. He has not in one fcene through. out introduced above two fpeakers, in compliance *Fuller's Worthies of Warwickshire, p. 127. I 4 as with with Horace's rule in his Art of Poetry; nec quarta loqui perfona laboret. Mr. Langbaine profeffes himself ignorant from whence the plot is taken, neither can he find the name of any fuch Prince as Alaham, that reigned in. Ormus, where the fcene lyes, an ifland fituated at the entrance of the Perfian Gulph, which is mentioned by Mr. Herbert in his account of Ormus. Muftapha, a Tragedy, printed in folio 1633. This play likewife feems to be built on the model of the ancients, and the plot is the fame with that of lord Orrery's tragedy of the fame title, and taken from Paulus Jovius, Thuanus, &c. Both thefe plays are printed together in folio, London, 1633, with feveral other poems, as a Treatife on Human Learning; An Inquifition upon Fame and Honour; A Treatife of Wars. All thefe are written in a stanza of fix lines, four interwoven, and a couplet in bafe, which the Italians call Seftine Calica, containing one hundred and nine fonnets of different measures. There are in this volume two letters; the one to an honourable Lady, containing directions how to behave in a married ftate; the other addreffed to his coufin Grevil Varney, then in France, containing Directions for Travelling. His lordfhip has other pieces afcribed to him befides thofe published under name, The Life of Sir Philip Sidney, printed at the beginning of the Arcadia. His Remains, or Poems of Monarchy and Religion, printed in 8vo. London 1670. Philips and Winstanley afcribe a play to him, called Marcus Tullius Cicero, but this is without foundation, for that play was not written, at least not printed, 'till long after his lordship's death. Having now given fome account of his works, I fhall fum up his character in the words of Mrs. Cooper, in her Mufes Library, as it is not eafy to do it to better advantage. |