Scot's Philomythie.
—Philomythie, or Philomythologie, wherein Outlandish Birds, Beasts, and Fishes are taught to speak true English plainlie, &c.
The same volume, a small quarto unpaged, contains "The Merrie American Philosopher, or Wise Man of the New World," and "Certaine Pieces of this Age Parabolized, viz. Duellum Britannicum; Regalis Justitia Jacobi; Aquignispicium; Antidotum Cecillianum; by Thomas Scot, Gentleman, 1616, with illustrative woodcuts."
Query: Is the book rare, and who was Thomas Scot?
L. S.
[But little appears to be known of the personal history of Thomas Scot. Sir S. Egerton Brydges, in his Censura Literaria, vol. iii. pp. 381-386., and vol. iv. p. 32., has given some account of his works, but no biographical notice of the author. The dedications to his poems being principally to the Norfolk and Suffolk gentry, it is probable he belonged to one of those counties. The first edition of Philomythie was published in 1610; the second in 1616; but some copies of the second edition, according to Lowndes, are dated 1622, others 1640. There is a third portion which our correspondent does not appear to possess, entitled The Second Part of Philomythie, or Philomythologie, containing Certaine Tales of true libertie, false friendship, power united, faction and ambition. By Thomas Scot, Gent. London, 1616, 1625. Thomas Park thought that, from the great disparity of merit between this and the preceding part, there is little reason to suppose them to be by the same author, though they bear the same name. Scot's works are considered rare, especially his first, entitled Four Paradoxes of Arte, of Lawe, of Warre, of Seruice: London, 1602, consisting of twenty-four leaves, in verse, dedicated to Ladie Helena, Marquesse of Northampton, which is marked in Bibl. Anglo. Poet. at 25l., and resold for 7l. 12s. (Hibbert, 7243.)]
Robin of Doncaster.
—Give me leave to ask for an explanation of the following enigmatical epitaph, which will be found in the History of Doncaster, by Dr. Edward Miller, p. 74.:
"Howe, Howe, who is heare?
I Robin of Doncaster and Margaret my feare.