cet_ Lydgate _tumulaetus Urna:
Qui fuit quondam celebris_ Britannae
_Fama Poesis_.

Dead in this World, living above the Sky,
Intomb'd within this Urn doth _Lydgate_ lie;
In former time fam'd for his Poetry,
All over _England_.

* * * * *

_JOHN HARDING_.

_John Harding_, our Famous _English_ Chronologer, was born (saith
_Bale_) in the Northern parts, and most likely in _Yorkshire_, being an
Esquire of an eminent Parentage. He was a man equally addicted to Arms
and Arts, spending his Youth in the one, and his Age in the other: His
first Military Employment was under _Robert Umfreuil_, Governor of
_Roxborough_-Castle, where he did good Service against the _Scots_.
Afterwards he followed the Standard of King _Edward_ the Fourth, to
whom he valiantly and faithfully adhered, not only in the Sun-shine of
his Prosperity, but also in his deepest Distress.

But what endeared him the most to his Favour, and was indeed the
Masterpiece of his Service, was his adventuring into _Scotland_; a
desperate Attempt, and performed not without the manifest hazarding of
his Life; where he so cunningly demeaned himself, and insinuated
himself so far into their Favour, as he got a sight of their Records
and Original Letters; a Copy of which he brought with him to _England_,
and presented the same to King _Edward_ the Fourth: Out of these he
collected a History of the several Submissions, and sacred Oaths of
Fealty openly taken from the time of King _Athelstane_, by the Kings of
_Scotland_; to the Kings of _England_, for the Crown of _Scotland_; a
Work which was afterwards made much use of by the _English_; although
the _Scotch_ Historians stickle with might and main, that such Homage
was performed only for the County of _Cumberland_, and some parcel of
Land their Kings had in _England_ South of _Tweed_.

Now as his Prose was very useful, so was his Poetry as much delightful;
writing a Chronicle of our _English_ Kings from _Brute_ to King
_Edward_ the Fourth, and that in _English_ Verse; for which he was
accounted one cf the chiefest Poets of his time; being so exactly done,
that by it Dr. _Fuller_ adjudges him to have drunk as deep a draught of
_Helicon_ as any in his Age: And another saying, that by the fame he
deservedly claimed a Seat amongst the chiefest of the Poetical Writers.

But to give you the better view of his Poetical Abilities, I shall
present you with some of h