And Doctor _Heylin_, in
his elaborate Description of the World, ranketh him in the first place
of our chiefest Poets. Seeing therefore that both old and new Writers
have carried this reverend conceit of him, and openly declared the same
by writing, let us conclude with _Horace_ in the eighth Ode of his
fourth Book;

_Dignum Laudi causa vetut mori_.

The Works of this famous Poet, were partly published in Print by
_William Caxton_, Mercer, that first brought the incomparable Art of
Printing into _England_, which was in the Reign of King _Henry_ the
Sixth. Afterward encreased by _William Thinne_, Esq; in the time of
King _Henry_ the Eighth. Afterwards, in the year 1561. in the Reign of
Queen _Elizabeth_, Corrected and Encreased by _John Stow_; And a fourth
time, with many Amendments, and an Explanation of the old and obscure
Words, by Mr. _Thomas Speight_, in _Anna_ 1597. Yet is he said to have
written many considerable Poems, which are not in his publish'd Works,
besides the _Squires Tale_, which is said to be compleat in
_Arundel-house_ Library.

* * * * *

_JOHN LYDGATE_.

_John Lydgate_ was born in a Village of the same name, not far off St.
_Edmondsbury_, a Village (saith _Cambden_) though small, yet in this
respect not to be passed over in silence, because it brought into the
World _John Lydgate_ the Monk, whose Wit may seem to have been framed
and fashioned by the very Muses themselves: so brightly reshine in his
_English_ Verses, all the pleasant graces and elegancy of Speech,
according to that Age. After some time spent in our _English_
Universities, he travelled through _France_ and _Italy_, improving his
time to his great accomplishment, in learning the Languages and Arts;
_Erat autem non solum elegans Poeta, & Rhetor disertus, verum etiam
Mathematicus expertus, Philosophus acutus, & Theologus non
contemnendus_: he was not only an elegant Poet, and an eloquent
Rhetorician, but also an expert Mathematician, an acute Philosopher,
and no mean Divine, saith _Pitseus_. After his return, he became Tutor
to many Noblemens Sons, and both in Prose and Poetry was the best
Author of his Age, for if _Chaucer's_ Coin were of greater Weight for
deeper Learning, _Lydgate's_ was of a more refined Stantard for purer
Language; so that one might mistake him for a modern Writer. But
because none can so well describe him as himself, take an Essay of his
Verses, out of his _Life and De