uncing it as the work of "some fellow who assumed his
name," because here is evidence that a person of the same name (if not Sir
George himself, as Mr. Corser thinks) was living at the period. The name,
if _assumed_ in the case of the _Great Plantagenet_, would hardly have been
kept up in the publications just alluded to.

In the British Museum, among the Cotton MSS. (_Tiberius_, E. X.), is
preserved a MS. called "The history of King Richard the Third, comprised in
five books, gathered and written by Sir G. Buc, Knight, Master of the
King's Office of the Revels, and one of the gentlemen of his Majesty's
Privy Chamber." This MS., which appears to have been the author's rough
draft, is corrected by interlineations and erasements in every page. It is
much injured by fire, but a part of the dedication to Sir Thomas Howard,
the Earl of Arundel, &c., still remains, together with "an advertisement to
the reader," which is dated "from the King's Office of the Revels, St.
Peter's Hill, 1619." This _history_ was first published in 1646, by George
Buck, _Esquire_, who says, in his dedication to Philip, the Earl of
Pembroke and Montgomery, "that he had _collected these papers out of their
dust_." Here is evidence that the work was not _published_ by the original
compiler; besides, how can Mr. Corser reconcile his author's knighthood
with the designations on the respective title-pages of _The Great
Plantagenet_, and _The History of Richard the Third_? In the former the
writer is styled "George Buck, _Esquire_," and in the latter, "George Buck,
_Gentleman_." It is difficult to account for Mr. Corser's omission of these
facts, because I am well assured, that, with his extensive knowledge of our
earlier poets, my information is not new to him.

That there were _two_ George Bucs in the seventeenth century, and both of
them poets, cannot, I think, be doubted. Perhaps they were not even
relations; at any rate, Mr. Corser's account of the parentage of _one_
differs from mine entirely.

"He [Sir George Buc] was born at Ely, the eldest son of Robert Bucke,
and Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter Lee of Brandon Ferry; the grandson
of Robert Bucke, and Jane, the daughter of Clement Higham; the
great-grandson of Sir John Bucke, who, having helped Richard to a horse
on Bosworth Field, was attainted for his zeal."--Chalmers' _Apology_,
p. 488.

The MS. now in Mr. Corser's possession occurs in the _Bibliotheca
Heberiana_, P