and a fmall forked beard; on his head a chaplet like a coronet of rofes; an habit of purple, damasked down to his feet, and a collar of gold about his neck. Under his feet the likenefs of three books which he compiled; the first named Speculum Meditantis, written in French; the fecond Vox Clamantis, in Latin; the third Confeffio Amantis, in English; this lat piece was printed by one Thomas Berthalette, and by him dedicated to King Henry VIII. His Vox Clamantis, with his Chronica Tripartita, and other works, both in Latin and French, Stow fays he had in his possession, but his speculum Meditantis he never faw. Befides on the wall where he lies, there were painted three virgins crowned, one of which was named CHARITY, holding this device, En toy qui es fitz de Dieu le pere, The fecond MERCY, with this device; O bene Jefu fait ta mercy, The third PITY, with this decree ; Pour ta pitie Jefu regarde, His EPITAPH. Armigeri fcutum nihil a modo fert fibi tutum, I fhall take a quotation from a small piece of his called the Envious Man and the Mifer; by which it will appear, that he was not, as Winstanley fays, a * refiner refiner of our language, but on the other hand, that poetry owes him few obligations. Of the Envious MAN and the MISER. Of Jupiter thus I find ywrite, And, for that caufe, downe he fent That he footh knowę maie. Besides the works already mentioned our poet wrote the following: De Compunctione Cordis, in one book. Ad Henricum Quartum, in one book. JOHN LYDGATE, Ommonly called the monk of Bury, because a and admirer of Chaucer, and it must be owned far excelled his matter, in the article of verfification. After After fome time spent in our English univerfities, he travelled thro' France and Italy, improving his time to the accomplishment of learning the languages and arts. Pifeus fays, he was not only an elegant poet, and an eloquent rhetorician, but also an expert mathematician, an acute philofopher, and no mean divine. His verfes were fo very smooth, and indeed to a modern ear they appear fo, that it was faid of him by his cotemporaries, that his wit was framed and fashioned by the Mufes themfelves. After his return from France and Italy, he became tutor to many noblemen's fons, and for his excellent endowments was much efteemed and reverenced by them. He writ a Poem called the Life and Death of Hector, from which we shall give a specimen of his versification. I am a monk by my profeffion In Bury, called John Lydgate by my name, (Although my life agree not with the fame) But feeing that I did herein proceed * At his commands whom I could not refufe. I humbly do befeech all those that read, That they will of their, gentleness take pain, * K. Henry V. Lis His prologue to the ftory of Thebes, a tale (as he fays) he was constrained to tell, at the command of his hoft of the Tabard in Southwark, whom he found in Canterbury with the reft of the pilgrims who went to vift St. Thomas's fhrine, is remarkably fmooth for the age in which he writ. This_ftory was first written in Latin by Chaucer, and tranflated by Lydgate into English verfe. He is faid to have wrote, partly in profe and partly in verse, many exquifite learned books, amongst which are eclogues, odes, and fatires. He flourished in the Reign of Henry VI. and died in the fixtieth year of his age, ann. 1440, and was buried in his own convent at Bury, with this epitaph, Mortuus fæclo, fuperis fuperftes, Hic jacet Lydgate tumulatus urna : Which is thus rendered into English by Winftanly; Dead in this world, living above the sky, All over England. JCHN JOHN HARDING, Esq; OHN HARDING, the famous English Chronologer, is fupposed to have been born in Yorkfhire, and defcended of a good family; he was addicted both to arms and arts, in the former of which he seems to have been the greatest proficient : His firft military exploit was under Robert Umfreuil, governor of Roxborough Caftle, which was befieged by the king of Scotland, who loft his life before that place. He afterwards followed the standard of Edward IV. to whofe intereft, both in profperity and diftrefs, he faithfully adhered. But what endeared him moft to that Prince, and was indeed the masterpiece of his fervice, was his adventuring into Scotland, and by his courteous infinuating behaviour, fo far ingrat ating himself into the favour of their leading men, that he procured the privilege of looking into their records and original letters, copies of which he brought to England and prefented to the King. This fuccefsful atchievement established him in his Prince's affections, as he was follicitous to know how often the Kings of Scotland had taken oaths of fealty, and fubjected themselves to the English Monarchs, in order to fecure their crown. Thefe fubmiffions are warmly difputed by the Scotch hiftorians, who in honour of their country contend that they were only made for Cumberland, and fome parcels of land poffeffed by them in England fouth of the Tweed. Our author |