following extract from the dedication will serve as a specimen of her style. "To all Ladies, Gentlewomen, and others, which love true religion and virtue, and be devoutly disposed; grace, mercie, and peace, in Christ Jesus." "For a testimony to all the world, how I have and doo (I praise God) bestowe the pretious treasure of time, even now in the state of my virginitie or maidenhood; lo heare I dedicate to all good ladies, gentlewomen, and others, who have a desire to invocate and call upon the name of the Lord, a small handfull of grose hearbs; which I have presumed to gather out of the garden of God's most holie word. Not that there is any unpureness therein, but that, (peradventure) my rudenes may be found to have plucked them up unreverentlie, and without zeele." Signed, "Your's in Christ, Ann Wheathill, Gent." ART. DCCCXXXIV. Elizabetha Triumphans. Conteyning the damned practizes that the divelish Popes of Rome have used ever sithence her Highnesse [Q. Elizabeth] first coming to the Crowne, by moving her wicked and traiterous subjects to Rebellion and Conspiracies; thereby to bereave her Majestie both of her lawfull seate, and happy life. With a Declaration of the manner how her Excellency was entertained by her Souldyers into her Campe royall at Tilbery in Essex: and of the overthrow had against the Spanish Fleete; briefly, truly, and effectually set foorth, declared, and handled, by J. A. Post victoriam gloria. At London: Printed by Tho. Orwin, for Tho. Gubbin and Tho. Newman. 1588. 4to. THE dedication of Julius Cæsar, LL.D. is signed Ja. Aske. The poem is of great rarity, and curious, from being written in blank verse: but the title only is here given, as the whole was carefully reprinted by Mr. Nichols in Vol. II. of the Royal Progresses. ART. DCCCXXXV. Melibaus Thomæ Wat- Londoni, In the same year this was translated by its author, and printed at the same press, though unnoticed by Herbert. ART. DCCCXXXVI. An Eglogue upon the death of the Right Hon. Sir Francis Walsingham, late principall secretarie to her Majestie, &c. Written first in Latine by Thomas Watson, Gent. and now by himself translated into English. 1590. 4to. "I INTERPRET myself (says Watson) lest Melibous, in speaking English by another man's labour, should leese my name in his chaunge, as my Amintas did." This alludes to his "Amintæ Gaudia," Latinized from Tasso; and thence Anglicized by Ab. Fraunce and J. T. In his present eclogue, or epice-. dium, he thus developes the allegorical personages: Diana, her Majestie (Q. Eliz.) Melibaus, Sir Francis Walsingham. Dryas, Lady Walsingham. Astrophill, Sir Philip Sidney. Hyale, Lady Sidney. Tytirus, Mast. Tho. Walsingham. ART. DCCCXXXVII. A plaine and easie laying open of the meaning and onderstanding of the rules of construction in the English Accidence, appointed by authoritie to be taught in all Schooles of hir Maiesties dominions, for the great vse and benifite of yoong beginners, by John Stockwood, sometime Schoolmaster of Tunbridge. Imprinted at London, by the Assignees of Francis Flower, 1590. 4to. pp. 88, without Preface, &c. Ar the back of the title are twenty lines that appear to have been written by Stockwood (which have escaped the research of Ritson) as "the booke to the yoong Punies and Petits of the grammar schoole." By the dedication "to the Right Worshipfvll (unto whom in the Lord for sundrie considerations I stand most singularly beholding) Master William Lewin Doctor of both Lawes, Justice of Peace, one of hir Maiestie's high Commission for causes ecclesiasticall, and Judge of the Court of Prerogatives, John Stockwood, minister and preacher of the word of God wisheth a plentifull increase of all heauenly graces for the good of God, his church, and benefit of the Commonwealth." Then follows "to the friendly reader concerning the profite of this booke," which is dated "from my studie at Tunbridge the 14th of Jan. 1588." ART. DCCCXXXVIII. A Glasse of vaineglory translated out of Augustine, entit. Speculum peccatorum, by W. Prid. Doct of the Lawes with certaine Praiers added thereto. Printed by John Windet, 1593.-Herbert, 1230. 12mo. : RITSON mentions an edition by the same printer in 1600. From the contents it might have been a yearly publication. The copy before me has neither title or conclusion. As a dedication, "To the worshipful Edmund Hasselwoode of Kingstone in the Countye of Lincolne Esquire W. P. wisheth most prosperous felicity in this world, and in the world to come life euerlasting-Finding my self deepely indebted (by your only means) to al yo. name of Hasselwood, & namely to master Edward Hasselwood, your good brother, & to that vertuous getlewoman his wife, (a rare example of godlynes & modesty) but especially to your worship, &c. &c. --Wherfore-accept of my trauaile herein, and think me rather vnable, than vnwilling any way to discharge my duty, wherof I am careful, as knoweth the Lord, who euer preserue your worship, and that vertuous Gentlewoman your wife long to continue among vs, with increase of godlinisse & worship in his feare. Your worships most faithfull friend in the Lord. W. P." To this succeeds an elegant specimen as an almanack, having a wood-cut at the head of each month, with the zodiacal sign in one corner, and the other portion a fancy piece. In the month of April the subject is hawking. Each month is also accompanied at the beginning with four lines as directions in agriculture or gardening, and a couplet at the end for preservation of bodily health. One column is appropriated to notes of information, principally a register of the burning of the English martyrs. The month of September records "in the yeare 1450 was the noble science of printing inuented by one John Faustus a goldsmith dwelling first at Argentine, afterwards a citizen of Mentz; who perceiving the inuention to come wel to passe, made one Joha Guttemberge and Peter Stafford of his cousel, binding them by oath to keepe silence for a while. After fiue yeares, John Guttemberge first began to print at Strasborough. Vlricus Han first printed at Rom. and William Caxton a mercer of London, did first print in England." "A preface to the christian reader and louing looker in this glasse of vain glory" upon the subject of death, for, "thou shalt dye the death, it tarrieth not, the couenant of the graue is not shewed to any, but as water spilt on the sand, so is man soon consumed, and brought to nothing: to day a man, tomorrow none; our life passeth away like a shadow, and vanisheth into the aire, as smoke: as a post that passeth by and tarrieth not; as a ship that saileth with full winde, or a birde swift of flight; yea swifter then a weuers shittle; or an arrow that is strongly shot out of a bow; it is a tale that is told, or a spanne in length; for no sooner are we born but streight waies we decay, and draw towardes an end, shewing no token of virtue, &c." This prefatorial dissertation is long, and succeeded by several prayers interspersed with poetical pieces. About the centre of the volume is a page with a |