Three Kings to th' King of Kings three gifts did bring,
Gold, Incense, Myrrh, as Man, as God, as King;
Three holy gifts be likewise given by thee
To Christ, even such as acceptable be;
For Myrhah, Tears; for Frankincense impart
Submissive Prayers; for pure Gold, a pure Heart.
He most elegantly translated Ovid his Metamorphosis into English Verse, so that as the Soul of Aristotle was said to have transfigured into Thomas Aquinas, so might Ovid's Genius be said to have passed into Mr. Sandys, rendring it to the full heighth, line for line with the Latin, together with most excellent Annotations upon each Fable. But his Genius directed him most to divine subjects, writing a Paraphrase on the Book of Job, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, Canticles, &c. as also a divine Tragedy on Christs Passion. He lived to be a very aged man, having a youthful Soul in a decayed Body, and died about the year 1641.
Sir JOHN SUCKLING.
Sir John Suckling, in his time, the delight of the Court and darling of the Muses, was one so filled with Phoebean fire, as for excellency of his wit, was worthy to be Crowned with a Wreath of Stars, though some attribute the strength of his lines to favour more of the Grape than the Lamp; Indeed he made it his Recreation, not his Study, and did not so much seek fame as it was put upon him: In my mind he gives the best Character of himself in those Verses of his in the Sessions of the Poets: