NOSCE TEIPSUM. Why did my parents fend me to the schools, For when God's hand, had written in the hearts, And when their reafon's eye was sharp and clear, Even then, to them the fpirit of lyes fuggefts, That they were blind because they saw not ill; And breath'd into their incorrupted breafts A curious wish, which did corrupt their will. A THOMAS GOFF. Gentleman who flourished in the reign of King James I. He was born in Effex, towards the latter end of Queen Elizabeth's reign, about the year 1592. In his youth he was fent to Westminster-fchool, and at the age of eighteen, he was entered ftudent of Chrift's-college in Oxford * Being an industrious scholar, fays Langbaine, he ar * Langbaine's Lives of the Poets, 223. rived rived to be a good poet, a skilful orator, and an excellent preacher. In the year 1623 he was made batchelor of divinity, and preferred to a living in Surry called East-Clanden: there he married a wife who proved as great a plague to him as a fhrew could be; fhe 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 domeftic fcourge 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 publifhed. 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 students 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 student of Chrift's-church, but not printed till after his deceafe. 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, If this firft part, gentles, do like you well; The plot is founded on the Turkish history in the reign of Selinus I. Mr. Philips and Mr. Winftanley have afcribed 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; 6 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 fchool, at the obfequies of Sir Henry Saville, printed in 4to, Oxon 1622; another in Chrift'schurch church cathedral, at the funeral of Dr. Goodwin, canon of that church, printed in London 1627. Sir FULK GREVILLE, Lord SPRU PRUNG from an honourable family in Warwickshire; 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-treafurer, 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 Majefty, This noble author was the friend of Sir Philip Sidney, than which a greater compliment cannot be beftow.. ed. As he was a poet and a man of wit he was held in the highest efteem in that courtly age; but he added to genius, a gallantry of fpirit, and was as fine a foldier as a writer. 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 mar"riage 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 L 3 Sidney, "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' eafe be the nurse 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." 66 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 poffefied 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, "Whose "merit (fays he) towards me I do acknowledge, "in fetting my hand free from the daily em"ployments of a manual trade, and giving it full liberty thus to exprefs the inclination of mind, "himself being the procurer of my prefent estate." 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 feventy years of age, this life of undifturbed tranquility, was facrificed to the refentment of a villain, and a catastrophe of the moft tragical kind clofed the days of this worthy man. One |