This is succeeded by a description of the Intemperate and unnatural devils raised by Beelphegor, Prince of Belly Cheere." The concluding chapter is on "The lumpish and heavy fiends begotten by the arch-devil, Astaroth."

But it remains to give a specimen of the style and manner of the Author. This I take from the chapter which discusses the passion of envy, as containing many curious observations on the writers who were cotemporary with Lodge.

Of the great devill Belzebub, and what monstrous and strange devills he hath bred in our age.

Belzebub the envious, grand God of flies, Archduke of Grecian fantasies, and patron of the Pharisees, thou prince of devils. I must straine your patience a little to reckon by your pedigree; and though your infecting Cain, perverting Esau, seducing Saul, incensing Absolon, and gathering all the heresies in the church were enough to condemn your hornes to be sawed off your head for villanie; yet it shall suffice mee to find out the beginning of your sinfull progenie. Your wife I trow was Jealousie the daughter of a corrupt spirit, who could never find in her heart to dress herself, for fear a pin should kill her, nor looke into the aire for feare she should bee blasted, nor drink of water, in doubt she should be poisoned: Gad amercy for that nod,

8

horned

norned beast, for it showes thy confession. Wel then Jealousie thy wife, how were thy childrē gotten forsooth it fortuned (as some poetical húmor inspires me) that being vexed with a fever and passion of the spleen, thou wert, by the advice of wrath (the phisition in ordinary in thy houshold) let blood on the back of thy hand, in that vaine which is next the little finger, out of which, having gathered much blood, Jealousie (that was still afraid of thee, and shunned thy company for feare in lubberlepping her thou shouldst press her to death) drunk up this corrupt excrement fasting, and after one stollen kisse from thy mouth, fell in such sort a swelling, that within the space of one month, at one birth (now the devill blesse them) brought thee forth these sons as I orderly describe the. The first by Sathan (his grandsire) was called Hare Vertue, or in words of more circumstance Sorrow for another mans good successe, who, after he had learnt to lie of Lucian, to flatter with Aristippus, and conjure of Zoroaster, wandred a while in Fraunce, Germanie, and Italy, to learn languages and fashions, and now of late daies is stoln into England to deprave all good deserving. And though this fiend be begotten of his fathers own blood, yet he is different frō his nature, and were he not sure that Jealousie could not make him a cuckold, he had long since published him for a bastard. You shall know him

by this; he is a foule lubber, his tongue tipt with lying, his heart steeled against charity; he walks, for the most part, in black, under colour of gravity, and looks as pale as y wizard of the ghost which cried so miserally at y theater, like an oister wife, Hamlet revenge: he is full of infamy and slander, insomuch as if he ease not his stomach in detracting somewhat or some man before noontide, he fals into a fever that holds him while supper time; he is alwaies devising of epigrams or scoffes and grumbles, necromances continually, although nothing crosse him, he never laughs but at other mens harmes, briefly in being a tyrant over mens fames; he is a very Titius (as Virgil saith) to his owne thoughtes.

Titijq. vultus inter

Qui semper lacerat comestq. mentem.

The mischiefe is, that by grave demeanour and. newes bearing, he hath got some credite with the greater sort, and maine fowles there bee, that because he can pen prettilee, hold it gospell whatever hee writes or speakes, his custome is to preferre a foole to credite, to despight a wise man, and no poet lives by him that hath not a flout of him. Let him spie a man of wit in a taverne, he is an arrant dronckard; or but heare that he partes a fraie, he is a harebrained quarreller. Let a scholler write, Tush (saith he) I like not these common fellowes; let him write

well,

well, he hath stolen it out of some note booke; let him translate, tut it is not of his owne; let him be named for preferment, he is insufficient because poore; no man shall rise in his world, except to feed his envy; no man can continue in his friendship who hateth all men; divine wits for many things as sufficient as all antiquity (I speake it not on slight surmise, but considerate judgement,) to you belongs the death that doth nourish this poison; to you the paine that endure the reproofe. LILLY, the famous for facility in discourse; SPENCER, best read in ancient poetry; DANIEL, choice in word and invention; DRAITON, diligent and formall; TH. NASH, true English Aretine. All you unnamed professors, or friends of poetry (but by me inwardly honored) knit your industries in private to unite your fames in publike; let the strong stay up the weake, and the weak march under conduct of the strong; and all so imbattle yourselfes, that hate of vertue may not imbase you. But if besotted with foolish vain glory, emulation and contempt, you fall to neglect one another, Quod Deus omen avertat, doubtless it will be as infamous a thing shortly to present any book whatsoever learned to any Mæcenas in England, as it is to be headsman in any free city in Germanie.

Claudite jam rivos, pueri, sat prata biverunt.

5. "A MARGARITE OF AMERICA, 1596." This Tract is in the King's Library.

6. "A TREATISE OF THE PLAGUE, Containing the Nature, Signes and Accidents of the same, with the certaine and absolute Cure of the Fevers, Botches and Carbuncles that raigne in these Times. And above all Things most singular Experiments and Preservatives in the same, gathered by the Observation of divers worthy Travailers, and selected out of the Writings of the best learned Phisitians in this Age. By Thomas Lodge, Doctor in Phisicke. London.

N. L. 1603."

Printed for Edward White and

This Tract is in the British Museum.

7. " CATHAROS.

DIOGENES IN HIS SINGULARITIE.

Wherein is comprehended his merrie Baighting, fit for all Mens benefit. Christened by him,

A Nettle for Nice Noses.

By T. L. of Lincolns Inne, Gent.

At London. Printed by William Haskins and John Darter, for John Busbie." No date. This Tract is inscribed by the publisher, John Busbie, "To the Ryght Worshipfull Syr John Hart, Knight."

There is a sort of Preface from "Diogenes to such as are disposed to reade," which concludes in this facetious manner: