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vnto them any religion: and in time of them both they be open promoters: and againe, in apt places for their purpose, but gybers & priuie mockers of bothe: as in these verses following, is very aptly and truely set forth, by a right vertuous, wel learned, and godlie gentleman, lately in office about the Prince. *

Now newe, nowe olde, nowe bothe, nowe neither:

To serue the worlde's course, they care not with whether." In the tenth and last book are

"Sentences in meeter, tending to sundrie purposes. Against the wicked.

"The Lord of hostes most stronge, a right man is of warre,
Who soon confoundes his foes, that vaine and wicked arre.
His friendes he doth preserue, and shield them from their foe,
But such as them afflicte, he sharply workth their woe.
Beholde the Egyptian king, full proude with all his power,
In raging seas were cast, which them did streight deuower."
Conduit street.
J. H.

ART. XI. [Diuine Meditations. Title wanting. Colophon.] Imprinted at London by Henry Bynneman, for William Norton. Anno 1572. Printed in eights. 91 leaves.

By the Epistle" to the Righte Worshipful, Maistresse Isabel Harington, one of the Gentlewomen of the Queene's Maiestie's most Honorable Priuie Chamber, Thomas Paulfreyman, hir dayly orator, wisheth (with continuance), the increase of God's eternal grace and fauour." This address occupies twelve pages, and

• Probably George Ferrars.

concludes

concludes "to the ende therefore, this small and moste simple volume, may (vnder youre godly protection) gather the rather some estimation and credite, & passe forth for good to the vse of the godly, I moste humbly beseeche your Worship, so to accepte it in the simplicitie therof, and graunt thereunto your Christian furtherance, that some good for Godde's glory, may growe thereby to some-I shall (as of bounden duetie, for this and for other the like causes deserved) most humbly pray for you, that God in mercie may euer blesse, both you, your moste worthy beloued in Christe, your ofspring, and whole familie. Your humble and daily oratoure, Thomas Paulfreyman.”

"An exhortation to the Christen reader," extending through seventeen leaves, is succeeded by the work as "a deuout meditation of the godly Christian, with a briefe confession and prayer."

The volume is neatly printed in a fancy border. Herbert, p. 878, has "Diuine meditations of the milde Christia"," 1574, an imperfect notice from a catalogue, which may be the same work mis-dated.

Conduit street.

J. H.

ART. XII. A treatise against ivdicial astrologie
Dedicated to the Right Honorable Sir Thomas
Egerton, Knight, Lord Keeper of the Great Seale,
and one of her Maiestie's most Honorable Priuie
Councell. VVritten by Iohn Chamber, one of the
Prebendaries of her Maiestie's Free Chappell of
VVindsor, and Fellow of Eaton College. [A pair
of compasses on an ornamented oval, scroll without

having

1

having motto "Labore et Constantia."] Printed at London by Iohn Harison, at the signe of the Grey-hound in Pater-noster Rowe. 1601. 4to. pp. 132, without Introduction.*

The science of astrology has now only a few weak and credulous followers, whose ignorance becomes the dupe of art and cunning, otherwise this treatise, like the "Vulgar Errors" of Dr. Brown, should be universally read. The author "having done," says Wood, "no less than a Christian learned man ought to have done, he had reason to look for another reward of his labours than he found. For instead of thanks and commendation for his labours so well placed, he was roughly entertained by Sir Christopher Heyden, Knight, in his defence of judicial Astrology, Cambr. 1603, qu. a work full of no common reading, and carried on with no mean arguments." To this answer Chamber wrote a reply, but did not live to see it printed. +

Leaving astrology to the very few, two passages that notice an early poet may afford more rational amusement for the many. It is the "merrie Skelton, who thrust his wife out at the doore, and receiued her in againe at the window. The storie is well known how the Bishop had charged him to thrust his wife out of the doore," and thus mentioned forms an apposite introduction to the following, which occurs upon the

This volume is printed on large paper, perhaps one of the earliest specimens of that plan, being systematically adopted by the printer, the type not being cast for more than an octavo page.

+ Wood's Ath. Ox. Vol. I. col. 324, contains a brief memorial of the life and writings of the author. He died Aug. 1, 1604, aged 35.

VOL. IX.

C C

discussion

discussion of the supposed change in things that must take place in every leap year.

"The leape yeare for any thing I see, might well vse the defence of merie Skelton, who being a priest, and hauing a child by his wife, euery one cryed out, oh Skelton hath a child, fie on him, &c. Their mouthes at that time he could not stop: but on a holy day, in a mery mood, he brought the child to church with him, and in the pulpit stript it naked, and held it out, saying, See this child, is it not a pretie child, as other children be, euen as any of your's; hath it not legs, armes, head, feet, limbes proportioned euery way as it should be? If Skelton had begot a monster, as a calfe, or such like, what a life should poore Skelton haue had then?' So we say for the leape yeare, if it had changed the nature of things, as it is charged, how should it haue done then to defend itselfe? If the nature of any thing change in the leap yeare, it scemeth to be true in men and women, according to the answer of a mad fellowe to his mistresse, who being called knaue by her, replied that it was not possible, for, said he, if you remember your selfe, good mistresse, this is leape yeare, and then, as you know well, knaues weare smockes." Conduit street.

J. H.

ART. XIII. Seneca his tenne tragedies translated into Englysh. Mercurij nutrices, hora. Imprinted al London in Fleet streete neere vnto Saincte Dunstan's Church by Thomas Marsh. 1581. 4to.

Dedicated to Sir Thomas Henneage, Treasurer of the Queen's chamber. The first play is Hercules furens,

furens, translated by Jasper Heywood,* and the recital of the chorus, at the conclusion of the first act, thus

commences:

"The fading starres now shyne but seelde in sighte,
In stipye skye, night ouercome with day
Plucks in her fyres, while spronge agayne is light,

The day starre drawes the cleresome beames theire waye. The yeye signe of haughtye poale agayne,

With seuen starres markt, the beares of Arcadye,

Do call the light with ouerturned wayne;

With marble horse nowe drawne, hys waye to hye

Doth Titan toppe of Oetha ouer spred;

The bushes bright that nowe with berryes bee
Of Thebes strewde, by daye do blushe full redde;
And to returne doth Phoebus syster flee.
Now labor harde beginnes, and euery kynde

Of cares it styrres, the shepehearde doth vnfolde;
His flockes vnpende do grase their foode to fynde,
And nippes the grasse with hoary frost full colde.
At will doth play in open medow faire

In

The calfe whose brow did damme yet neuer teare,
The empty kyne their vdders doe repayre;
And lyght with course vncertayne here and there.
grasse
full soft the wanton kidde hee flynges;
In toppe of boughe doth sitte with chaunting songe,
And to the sunne newe rose to spreade her wynges,
Bestirres herselfe her mourneful nestes amongej
The Nightingall; and doth with byrdes aboute
Confuse resounde with murmure mixed ryfe
To witnes day. —

"

The following is the description of the dog Cerberus, in the third act.

Nat. 1535. Ob. 1597.

"Of

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