Whereupon it made this threne zudi enw ynoquinT To the phoenix and the dove, Jon enw the adt ind Co-supremes and stars of love;nch 2 auton slparë As chorus to their tragick scene.0 100 owt 19dti»V

5 Love hath reason, reason none,

If what PARTS can so remain.] Love is reasonable, and reason is folly [has no reason], if two that are disunited from each other, can yet remain together and undivided. MALONE.

6 Whereupon it made this THRENE ;] This funeral song. So, poems, 1577:

in Kendal's

"Of verses, threnes, and epitaphs,

"Full fraught with tears of teene."

A book entitled David's Threanes, by J. Heywood, was published in 1620. Two years afterwards it was reprinted under the title of David's Tears: the former title probably was discarded as obsolete. For this information I am indebted to Dr. Farmer.

MALONE.

By the kindness of my friend, Sir Mark Masterman Sykes, the possessor of this singularly rare volume, I was furnished with the opportunity of inspecting it, and ascertaining the accuracy with which these verses had been reprinted. BOSWELL.

To this urn let those repair

That are either true or fair;

For these dead birds sigh a prayer.

SHAKSPEARE'S selection of Lord Southampton from all his illustrious contemporaries, as the person under whose patronage the first productions of his muse were ushered to the publick, would have conferred celebrity on one less distinguished than this amiable and accomplished nobleman; his munificence to our great poet gives him an additional title to respect; but his best claim to our esteem and admiration, is founded on those excellent qualities and endowments, which in his own time rendered him the theme of unceasing eulogy, and will endear his name and memory to all future ages.

His great-grandfather, William Wriothesley, attained to no higher station than that of York Herald at Arms: being the second son of John Wriothesley, who had originally filled the office of Falcon Herald; and finally, in the eighteenth year of Edward the Fourth [1478], was constituted Herald of the Noble Order of the Garter, and Principal King at Arms. William's eldest son, Thomas, after passing through various offices', and having

It has been erroneously asserted (Chalmers's Apology, p. 132), that Lord Chancellor Southampton was originally Fauconherald, an office which was held by his grandfather, but which the Chancellor never possessed. In 27 Hen. VIII. [1535,] being

served King Henry the Eighth with equal zeal and ability at home and abroad, as a lawyer, a soldier, and a statesman, was in or before the year 1530,

then one of the clerks of the signet, he was made coroner and attorney in the Court of Common Pleas [Pat. 29 Hen. 8, p. 5. per Inspex.]; and în 30 Hen. VIII. being then one of the principal secretaries of state, he was sent ambassador to the Lady Regent for the Spaniards in the Netherlands, to treat of a marriage between King Henry and Christiana Duchess of Millaine, second daughter to the King of Denmark [Herbert, p. 434.] In 32 Hen. VIII. [1540]; being then a knight, he was made constable of Southampton Castle [Pat. 32 Hen. VIII.], and of the Castle of Portchester, and was constituted one of the chamberlains of the exchequer. [Pat. 34 Hen. VIII. p. 7.] In 35 Hen. VIII. he was appointed one of the commissioners for managing the treaty upon the league made by King Henry and the Emperor Charles V. [Herbert, p. 495]; and in the following year was a commissioner for conducting the treaty between Mathew Earl of Lennox, and King Henry, for the peace of England and Scotland. [Ibid. 509.]

2 Honour in his Perfection, by G. M. [Gervois Markham], 4to. 1624. As this work is frequently referred to, and is of very rare occurrence, I have reprinted that part of it which relates to the family of Southampton. BOSWELL.

Next (O Britaine) reade vnto thy softer Nobilitie the Storie of the Noble House of Southampton; That shall bring new fier to their blouds, and make of the little sparkes of Honour great flames of excellency; shew them the life of Thomas Wriothesley Earle of Southampton, who was both an excellent Souldier, and an admirable Scholler, who not only serued the great King his Master (Henry the eight) in his warres, but in his Counsell Chamber; not only in the field, but on the Bench, within his Courts of ciuill Iustice: This man for his excellent parts, was made Lord Chauncelour of England where he gouerned with that integritie of heart and true mixture of Conuience and Justice, that he wonne the hearts both of the King and people.

After this noble Prince succeeded his sonne Henry Earle of Southampton, a man of no lesse vertue, prowesse, and wisedome, euer beloved and fauoured of his Prince, highly reuerenced and fauoured of all that were in his owne ranke, and brauely attended and serued by the best Gentlemen of those Countries wherein heliued; his muster role neuer consisted of foure Lackeys and a Coachman, but of a whole troupe of at least an hundred well mounted Gentlemen and Yeomen; he was not knowne in the Streetes by guarded Liuories, but by Gold

appointed Secretary of State; on the first of January 1543, was created a baron by the title of

Chaines; not by painted Butterflies, euer running as if som monster pursued them, but by tall goodly fellowes that kept a constant pace both to guard his person, and to admit any man to their Lord which had serious businesse. This Prince could not steale or drop into an ignoble place, neither might doe any thing vnworthy of his great calling; for hee euer had a world of testimonies about him.

"When it pleased the diuine goodnesse to take to his mercy this great Earle; hee left behinde to succeede him Henry Earle of Southampton his Sonne (now liuing) being then a childe; But here mee thinkes Cinthius aurem vellet, something puls me by the elbow, & bids me forbeare, for flatterie is a deadly sinne, and will damme Reputation: But shall I that euer loued and admired this Earle, that liued many years where I daily saw this Earl; that knew him before the warres, in the warres, and since the warres: shall I that haue seene him indure the worst mallice or vengeance, that the Sea, Tempests, or Thunder could utter, that haue seene him vndergoe all the extremities of warre, that haue seene him serue in person on the enemy, and against the enemy: shall I that haue seene him receive the reward of a Souldier (before, the face of the Enemie) for the best act of a Souldier (done vpon the Enemie:) Shall I be scarrd with shadowes? No; Truth is my Mistresse, and though I can write nothing which can equall the least sparke of fire within him, yet for her sake will I speake some thing which may inflame those that are heauy and dul and of mine owne temper.

"This Earle (as I said before) came to his Fathers dignitie in his childhood, spending that and his other yonger times in the studie of good Letters (to which the Vniuersitie of Cambridge is a witnesse) and after confirmed that Studie with trauell and forraigne obseruation.

น

"As soone as he came to write full and perfit Man, he be tooke himselfe vnto the warres, was made Commander of the Garland, one of Queene Elizabeth (of famous memorie) her best ships; and was Vice-Admirall of the first Squadron. In his first putting out to Sea, hee saw all the Terrours and Euils which the Sea had power to shew to mortalitie, insomuch, that the Generall and the whole Fleete (except some few shippes, of which this Earles was one) were driuen backe into Plimouth, but this Earle in spight of stormes, held out his course, made the coast of Spaine, and after vpon an Aduiso returned. The Fleete new reenforst made fourth to Sea againe with better prosperitie, came to the Ilands of the Azores, and there first tooke the Iland of Fiall, sackt and burnt the great Towne, tooke the high Fort