[703:A] Of this voluminous scribbler, whose rhyming spirit, remarks Granger, did not evaporate with his youth, who held the pen much longer than he did the oar, and who was the poetaster of half a century, I have only been able to insert two of his earliest productions, the remainder being subsequent to 1616, and extending to 1653. He was thirty-two when Shakspeare died; and "the waterman," observes Mr. Chalmers, "must have often sculled Shakspeare, who is said to have lived on The Bankside."—Apology, p. 101.
[703:B] The Fruites of Jealousie, a long poem in octave measure, may be found at the close of The Blazon of Jealousie, translated from the Italian of Varchi, of which an account is given in Censura Literaria, vol. iv. p. 403.
[704:A] Beside these anthems, which were licensed to her printer, Christ. Barker, Nov. 15., her Majesty wrote a variety of small pieces, some of which have been preserved by Hentzner, Puttenham, and Soothern, and reprinted by Percy, Ellis, and Ritson. The fourteenth Psalm also, and the Speech of the Chorus in the second Act of the Hercules Œtæus of Seneca, have been published by Mr. Park, the latter poem being a specimen of blank verse.—Vide Park's Royal and Noble Authors, vol. i. p. 102.
Of the execrable flattery which was systematically bestowed on this monarch, the following eulogium upon her poetry, is a curious instance. After enumerating the best poets of his age, Puttenham thus proceeds:—"But last in recitall and first in degree is the Queene our soveraigne Lady, whose learned, delicate, noble Muse, easily surmounteth all the rest that have written before her time or since, for sence, sweetnesse and subtillitie, be it Ode, Elegie, Epigram, or any other kinde of poeme, Heroick, Lyricke, wherein it shall please her Majestie to employ her penne, even by as much oddes as her owne excellent estate and degree exceedeth all the rest of her most humble vassalls."—The Arte of English Poesie, reprint, p. 51.
[704:B] A Collection of Epigrams.
[705:A] These poems were published in a tract entitled "The Right Way to Heaven, and the true testimony of a faithfull and loyall subject," 1601.
[705:B] This copy is without date, but a second edition was printed in 1617; it is a miserable paraphrase of Warner's exquisite episode.
[705:C] Of this Collection Lord Hailes published a specimen in 1765; in 1801, Mr. J. Gr. Dalyell reprinted the whole, with the Scotish poems of the 16th century. Edin. 2 vols. 12mo.; and Mr. Irving has given some notices of the author in his Scotish poets, 2 vols. 8vo. 1804.
[706:A] Wenman's Legend and Poems have lately been printed by Mr. Fry, in an octavo volume, from a quarto manuscript of 52 leaves. The Legend appears to have been intended for insertion in the Mirror for Magistrates.
[706:B] For a very full account of "The Rocke of Regard," by Mr. Park, see Censura Lit. vol. v. p. 1.