Mr. _Elkinah Settle_
Sir _George Etheridge_
Mr. _John Wilson_
Mr. _Thomas Shadwell_
_Thomas Stanley_, Esq;
_Edward Philips_
Mr. _Thomas Sprat_
_William Smith_
Mr. _John Lacey_
Mr. _William Whicherly_
Sir _Roger L'Estrange_

* * * * *

THE LIVES
Of the most Famous
ENGLISH POETS,

FROM _WILLIAM_ the _Conqueror_, to these Present Times.

* * * * *

_The Life of ROBERT of Glocester._

We will begin first with _Robert_ of _Glocester_, so called, because a
Monk of that City, who flourisht about the Reign of King _Henry_ the
Second; much esteemed by Mr. _Cambden_, who quotes divers of his old
_English_ Rhythms in praise of his Native Country, _England_. Some (who
consider not the Learning of those times) term him a Rhymer, whilst
others more courteously call him a Poet: Indeed his Language is such,
that he is dumb in effect, to the Readers of our Age, without an
Interpreter; which that ye may the better perceive, hear these his
Verses of _Mulmutius Dunwallo_, in the very same Language he wrote
them.

A Kynge there was in Brutayne Donwallo was his Nam,
Staleworth and hardy, a man of grete Fam:
He ordeyned furst yat theeues yat to Temple flowen wer,
No men wer so hardy to do hem despit ther;
That hath he moche such yhold, as hit begonne tho,
Hely Chyrch it holdeth yut, and wole ever mo.

Antiquaries (amongst whom Mr. _Selden_) more value him for his History
than Poetry, his Lines being neither strong nor smooth, yet much
informing in those things wherein he wrote; whereof to give you a taste
of the first planting Religion in this Land by King _Lucius_,

Lucie Cocles Son after him Kynge was,
To fore hym in Engelonde Chrestendom non was,
For he hurde ofte miracles at Rome,
And in meny another stede, yat thurgh Christene men come,
He wildnede anon in hys herte to fonge Chrystendom.
Therefor Messagers with good Letters he nom,
That to the Pape Eleutherie hastelyche wende;
And yat he to hym and his menne expondem sende,
And yat he might seruy God wilned muche thereto,
And seyd he wald noght be glader hyt were ydo.

This _English_ Rhymer or Poet, which you will have it to be, is said to
have lived whilst he was a very old man, and to have died about the
beginning of the Reign of King _John_.

* * * * *

_RICHARD the Hermit_.

Contemporary wit